[Retros] Five retro problems from Stuttgarter Zeitung/Solution

[keilhack at aol.com]

My apologies for being a bit late.The trademark theme of this years tasks was rotation.
Harald Keilhack
 
Knud Hannemann, Skakbladet 1922

Mate in two moves

a) as following b) rotation 90 degrees clockwise (wKh6 etc.) c) 180 degrees (wKf1) d) 270 degrees (wKa3)
2K5/2PP3R/5k1B/8/1N3P2/5PP1/1P2P3/1B6Solution: a) 1.d8Q+! Ke6 2.Qe7#
b) 1.b8R! Kf4 2.Rf8#
c) 1.d8B! Kd4 2.Bf6#d) 1.f8N! Kd5 2.Bb7# - Allumwandlung!
 

Ralf Krätschmer, Die Schwalbe 2010

Mate in how many moves?

a) as following b) rotation 90 degrees clockwise c) 180 degrees d) 270 degrees
8/4R1R1/Kp6/n1p2k1N/4p3/1B1P1p2/4pr2/8Solution: a) 1.d3xe4#b) 1.Be5 and 2.B(x)d4#c) 1.Bb1 Rb7 2.Rxb7 and 3.Ba2#d) 1.Be1! d2+ 2.Bxd2 Nc3 3.Bxc3 (or 1...Nc3 2.Bxc3 d2+ 3.Bxd2) and 4.Bb4#. With each rotation it takes a move longer - first duel-free presentation!
 

Werner Keym, Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz 2002

White retracts one move, then mate in one

a) as following b) rotation 90 degrees clockwise c) 180 degrees d) 270 degrees
4K3/8/4k3/3p1P2/8/8/8/Q7Solution: a) back f4-f5; 1.Qe5#b) back e2-e3+, 1.Qf3#c) back c3-c4, 1.Qd4#d) back e5xd6 e.p., 1.Qc1#
Taking back an e.p.-capture as highlight of an otherwise easy task. 
 

Werner Tüngler, Schachfeld 2014, version

It’s White to move in a position with 5 chessmen. White is winning. After a rotation of 90 degrees clockwise it’s a draw. After a 180 degrees rotation White loses. After a 270 degrees rotation it’s an illegal position.
Which is the position?Solution: a) the original position is wKc7, Bb8, Nf3, bKa8, Bg7. Possible last moves are sKa7-a8 b7-b8B+. White is winning.
b) rotation 90 degrees to the right (wKg6 etc.): 1.Ne2 g1Q+ 2.Nxg1 drawc) rotation 180 degrees (wKf2) 1.N to any square b1Q, and White losesd) rotation 270 degrees to the right (wKb3). It's White to move, but there is no last move from Black. The position is illegal.
An unique solution! 
 

Werner Keym, original print Stuttgarter Zeitung 2023
Construct a position with as few chessmen as possible, in which as many as possible chessmen are on a square of the same colour. White to move draws. But if you flip the position horizontally, vertically or diagonally, White loses!Solution: In the position with wKe1, Ra1, bKg1 Qh2 White draws with 1.0-0-0+! Kg2 2.Rd2+.
After any mirroring castling is not possible and Black wins. Unique!



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist1.pair.net/pipermail/retros/attachments/20240122/5b667844/attachment.htm>