Éric Pichouron & Michel Caillaud
1.h4 b5 2.Th3 b4 3.Ta3 b3 4.Sc3 bxa2 5.Tb1 axb1=S 6.Ta1 Sxd2 7.Tb1 Sxb1 8.Sxb1
The "sibling" piece is Th1, which first moves to the original square (a1) of the other white Rook and it is subsequently captured. The capture occurs on a square (b1), different than the "sibling" square.

Gligor Denkovski
1.Sc3 d5 2.Sxd5 Sd7 3.Sxe7 Sf6 4.Sxg8 Sxg8 5.g4 Dh4 6.g5 Ke7 7.g6 Kf6 8.gxh7 Kg6 9.hxg8=S Kh7
The "sibling" piece is Sb8, which first moves to the original square (g8) of the other black Knight and it is subsequently captured. The capture occurs on the "sibling" square.

Joachim Iglesias
1.Sc3 Sf6 2.Sd5 Se4 3.Sxe7 Sc3 4.Sc6 dxc6 5.Sf3 Dd4 6.Se5 Ld6 7.Sc4 0-0 8.Sa3 Te8 9.Sb1 Te3 10.dxe3 Db6 11.Kd2 Sxb1 12.Kd3
The "sibling" piece is Sg1, which first moves to the original square (b1) of the other white Knight and it is subsequently captured. The capture occurs on the "sibling" square.

Joachim Iglesias
1.h4 b6 2.Th3 Lb7 3.Tg3 Dc8 4.Tg6 hxg6 5.g3 Th5 6.Lg2 Tb5 7.h5 Tb3 8.axb3 gxh5 9.Ta4 g6 10.Th4 Lg7 11.Th1 Lh8 12.Lh3 Lxh1
The "sibling" piece is Ta1, which first moves to the original square (h1) of the other white Rook and it is subsequently captured. The capture occurs on the "sibling" square.

This tourney attracted 47 entries by 27 composers. 18 were submitted by e-mail and the remaining 29 at the Congress. Unfortunately, an important part of the judging time was devoted to prove unsoundness of problems "obviously cooked", but not obvious to cook. To avoid this in the future, the participation will be limited to only one non computer-tested (testable) problem per composer...

11 problems were cooked and the level of the remaining 36 is very high: no less than 13 of them showed the theme more than once! Unfortunately no fairy game stays in the award, as 5 of them were cooked and in the last one, the condition was used to avoid cooks in an orthodox game.

As was the case also in Messigny, delivering an award for such a large amount of entries in a short time was quite a challenge and the result may well be imperfect. I had to make some short-cuts:

1. Elimination of entries showing the theme only once, with nothing more connected to the theme, except for the shortest realization (1st Comm) and "beauty prize" for the most appealing position (5th HM).
2. Elimination of entries showing the theme twice with promoted force apparent on the board (with the notable exception of series 1!)
3. Separation of the entries in "series" and then classification of the problems in a series; comparing problems between two series, once they were established, would have been a too long judging process...

Great thanks are due to Kostas Prentos, in particular for allowing me to include so many problems in the award, even if this meant additional work in the production of the Congress bulletin!

[Judge's note] Some comments have been changed compared to the initial award published in the bulletin, for more completion and clarity, I hope! Some amendments have also been done, due to cooks found later: the 4th Prize was cooked; the initial 5th, 6th Prize and 1st HM become 4th, 5th, 6th Prize and the initial 4th Prize, with half a move less, becomes 1st HM. The 3rd HM was cooked; the initial 4th, 5th, 6th HM become 3rd, 4th, 5th HM. One of the three 5-7 Commendations was cooked, which leaves only two 5-6 Comm.

Now, there are left only two not computer-tested problems (the 3rd and 4th Hon. Mentions by the same composer!)

Special Prize: Rustam Ubaidullaev (Russia)
1.Sf3 e5 2.Sd4 Ld6 3.Sc6 bxc6 4.h4 La6 5.h5 Ld3 6.h6 Lg6 7.hxg7 h5 8.d3 h4 9.Sd2 h3 10.Sf3 h2 11.Sg1 hxg1=L 12.Le3 Txh1 13.Dd2 Lh2 14.O-O-O Txf1 15.f3 Tf2 16.Th1 Lf4 17.Th8 Dh4 18.Txg8+ Ke7 19.Txb8 Lg5 20.Th8 Txh8 21.gxh8=L Dd4 22.Lg7
The only entry that triples the theme. A remarkable achievement!! The method for the two rooks is one that was the most used and will be called the "standard Rook". This is not the most subtle method to show the theme (but it shows it anyway!) and that is why it is a Special Prize rather than a 1st Prize.

First series: the three first Prizes go to the most ambitious idea displayed in doubling the theme: "reciprocal sibling" (or exchange of place of the thematic units). Each of them uses an extra promoted man in the diagram (this is acceptable as long as there is no demonstration that the same can be done without using it...), and as each has its own distinctive strong points, it was difficult to establish an order.

1st Prize: Reto Aschwanden (Switzerland)
1.g4 e5 2.g5 Lb4 3.g6 hxg6 4.a4 Txh2 5.a5 Dh4 6.a6 g5 7.axb7 a5 8.Ta3 a4 9.Th3 a3 10.e4 a2 11.Lc4 a1=D 12.Se2 Da6 13.O-O Dg6 14.d3 d6 15.Le3 Kd7 16.Lb6 c5 17.Sd2 Kc6 18.Sb3 Ld7 19.Dd2 Le8 20.Ta1 Txa1+ 21.Sec1 La5 22.f3 Te2 23.Th1 Dxh1+
The most specific example supported by a splendid mechanism. As the two others, it uses the standard exchange of place mechanism as a basis; here, the only reason why Th1 has not to be captured on its original place (with Ke1-f1-g1, instead of 0-0) is that there is no other place to get rid of Ta1!!

2nd Prize: Noam Elkies (Israel)
1.h4 b5 2.Th3 b4 3.Ta3 b3 4.c3 bxa2 5.Db3 g5 6.Kd1 g4 7.Kc2 g3 8.Kd3 axb1=D+ 9.Ke3 Dxc1 10.Sf3 Dxf1 11.Se5 Dh1 12.Kf3 Dh3 13.Th1 d6 14.Taa1 Lf5 15.Tag1 Lb1 16.Th2 f5 17.Dxg8 gxh2+ 18.Dg3 Lh6 19.Sf7 hxg1=S#
The manoeuvre Db1-h1-h3 clearly forces the exchange of places. This is the only example where the exchange is effective (position after the 14th white move). Interestingly, the rooks are not captured on the sibling squares with an "almost circuit" by Th1.

3rd Prize: Göran Wicklund (Sweden)
1.Sc3 c5 2.Sd5 c4 3.Sxe7 c3 4.Sg6 Lc5 5.Sf3 Le3 6.dxe3 d6 7.Dd5 Lf5 8.Sd2 Ld3 9.cxd3 c2 10.Sb1 cxb1=S 11.Sf8 Sd2 12.Sxh7 Sxf1 13.Sg5 Sxh2 14.Sf3 Sg4 15.Th3 S4f6 16.Tg3 Th1+ 17.Sg1 Txg1+
Technically, the knights are more difficult to exchange than the rooks with indeed 12 moves (2 of them anyway with captures, which I considered as a drawback) needed to achieve this instead of 4, and nevertheless this game is the shortest among the three due to the clever sequence imagined by the composer!

Second series: "Only" once the theme, but with strong additional interest connected to the theme that is better than twice the theme in a (after this tourney) standard way.

4th Prize: Andrey Frolkin (Ukraine) & Kostas Prentos (Greece)
1.f4 g5 2.f5 g4 3.f6 g3 4.fxe7 gxh2 5.exf8=S hxg1=D 6.Th5 Db6 7.Tc5 h5 8.Sxd7 h4 9.Se5 h3 10.Sf3 h2 11.Sg1 hxg1=D 12.Sc3 Dgd4 13.e3 Th1 14.Se2 Lh3 15.Sg1 Sd7 16.La6 Txg1+
Three different knights captured on g1: original, Pronkin and sibling. An amazing and unique feature!

5th Prize: Unto Heinonen (Finland)
1.h4 g5 2.hxg5 h5 3.g6 Th6 4.g7 Tc6 5.d3 Txc2 6.Sc3 Td2 7.Da4 h4 8.Da6 bxa6 9.a4 Lb7 10.a5 Lf3 11.gxf3 Sc6 12.Lh3 Tb8 13.Le6 Tb5 14.Lb3 Th5 15.Ld1 Th8 16.b3 Ta2 17.gxh8=D Ta4 18.Ta2 Tb4 19.Td2 Tb8 20.Sa2 Ta8
The exchange displayed in the three first prizes, but without capture of the second piece (and also without apparent promoted unit on the board!) A very attractive game with long trajectories by the thematic rooks. A problem without apparent promoted man on the diagram had to be among the Prizes!!

6th Prize: Göran Wicklund (Sweden)
1.h4 g5 2.Th3 gxh4 3.Ta3 h3 4.Txa7 hxg2 5.Txb7 Ta6 6.Txb8 Th6 7.Txc8 Sf6 8.Ta8 Db8 9.a4 Kd8 10.Ta3 Kc8 11.Th3 Kb7 12.Th1 Da7 13.Txf8 gxh1=D 14.Tg8 Dc6 15.Sf3 Sd5 16.Tg1 f6 17.Th1
A lovely concept. The sibling is captured, then the original piece goes back home after performing a circuit!

1st Honourable Mention: Göran Wicklund (Sweden)
1.h4 g5 2.Th3 gxh4 3.Ta3 h3 4.Txa7 hxg2 5.Txb7 Ta6 6.Txc7 Tg6 7.Txd7 Kxd7 8.a4 Ke6 9.Ta3 Kf5 10.Th3 Le6 11.Th1 gxh1=D 12.a5 Dc6 13.a6 Ld5 14.a7 e6 15.a8=T Lb4 16.Ta3 Se7 17.Th3 Thg8 18.Th1
The same scheme as the 6th Prize and the same idea as the 4th Prize, incomplete here as Th1 is not captured (with 18...Lxh1 added, this was initially the 4th Prize, but was later cooked).

Third series: in the following examples of doubling the theme without promoted man on the board (series 3 and 5), advantage was given to the thematic quality rather than to other additional features that could have caused a different order in a non-thematic tourney. Generally, non-capture of the original piece and last capture with check were considered as drawbacks.

2nd Honourable Mention: Gianni Donati (USA)
1.d4 Sc6 2.Le3 Se5 3.dxe5 e6 4.Lb6 axb6 5.Dd6 Txa2 6.Sd2 Ta4 7.Ta3 Tf4 8.Tg3 Tf3 9.exf3 Se7 10.Ld3 Sc6 11.Lg6 hxg6 12.Se2 Th4 13.0-0 Ta4 14.Ta1 Ta8 15.Txa8 Sb8 16.Txb8
A beautiful and clear-cut game with visually satisfying sibling of two adjacent pieces.

3rd Honourable Mention: Éric Pichouron (France)
1.e4 h5 2.Dg4 hxg4 3.Sc3 Th3 4.Sd5 Tc3 5.bxc3 Sc6 6.La3 Sd4 7.Ld6 cxd6 8.h4 Da5 9.h5 b6 10.h6 Lb7 11.h7 0-0-0 12.Th6 La8 13.Tf6 gxf6 14.Lc4 Lh6 15.d3 Lc1 16.Se2 La3 17.Kd2 Lb4 18.Th1 Da3 19.Th5 a5 20.Te5 fxe5 21.h8=D Sf6 22.Dh1 Th8 23.Dd1 Th3 24.Ke1 Tf3 25.gxf3
A well-oiled game using the "standard Rook" to double the theme, displaying an additional Pronkin and switchback by Ke1.

4th Honourable Mention: Éric Pichouron (France)
1.g4 d6 2.g5 Sd7 3.g6 Sdf6 4.gxh7 g6 5.hxg8=T Th3 6.Th8 Sg8 7.b4 Lg7 8.b5 Lxa1 9.b6 Lc3 10.dxc3 Kf8 11.Lg5 Kg7 12.f4 Tf3 13.Lh3 Sh6 14.Lg4 Dg8 15.h3 Dh7 16.Td8 Le6 17.Td7 Th8 18.Th2 Dg8 19.Tf2 Dd8 20.Kf1 Kf8 21.Lxh6+ Ke8 22.Lf8 Th5 23.De1 Tg5 24.fxg5
A complex game with one "standard Rook" and a less standard Knight, with additional Phoenix and switchbacks. Technically more difficult than the preceding one, but the unbalanced thematic play blurs the impression.

Fourth series: again once the theme with additional interest connected to it.

5th Honourable Mention: Gligor Denkovski (Macedonia)
1.f4 e6 2.f5 Dg5 3.f6 Se7 4.fxe7 Sc6 5.exf8=T+ Ke7 6.Txc8 Td8 7.Txa8 Ke8 8.Txa7 Ta8 9.Txa8+ Sd8 10.Txd8+ Dxd8
A marvellous position that speaks for itself and is worth an HM! And the content is far from bad with Ceriani-Frolkin promotion and double switchback hiding the thematic manoeuvre.

1st Commendation: Hitoshi Yanami (Japan)
1.g4 d6 2.g5 Sd7 3.g6 Sdf6 4.gxh7 Kd7 5.hxg8=T Txh2 6.Txf8 Sg8 7.Txg8 Txh1
The only shorty entry. A candidate for the next article on this subject by Mark Kirtley!

2nd Commendation: Ivan Denkovski (Macedonia)
1.h4 e5 2.h5 Lc5 3.h6 Le3 4.hxg7 h6 5.gxh8=T Kf8 6.T8xh6 Kg7 7.Tb6 axb6 8.d4 Ta4 9.dxe5 Th4 10.e6 Th8 11.Txh8
Thematic capture by an Anti-Pronkin piece.

Fifth (and last!) series: other examples of doubling the theme without apparent promotee that were considered less successful than those of the series 3 by the subjective eye of the judge.

3rd Commendation: Aleksandr & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine)
1.a4 e6 2.Ta3 Dh4 3.Tg3 Dxh2 4.Txg7 Dxg1 5.Tgxh7 Dxf1+ 6.Txf1 Lb4 7.Thh1 Lxd2+ 8.Sxd2 Txh1 9.Sf3 Sh6 10.Sg1 Txg1
The shortest doubling easied by the non-capture of the original piece.

4th Commendation: Kostas Prentos (Greece) & Andrey Frolkin (Ukraine)
1.Sc3 h5 2.Se4 Th6 3.c3 Ta6 4.Db3 Txa2 5.Kd1 Txa1 6.Kc2 Txc1+ 7.Kd3 Txf1 8.Sf3 Tc1 9.Sd4 Tc2 10.Ta1 Sc6 11.Ta6 Sa5 12.Th6 c6 13.Th8 Db6 14.Txg8 Kd8 15.Txf8+ Kc7 16.Txc8+ Txc8 17.Ke3 Th8 18.Kf4 Th6 19.Kg5 Tf6 20.Sxf6

5th-6th Commendation ex aequo: Andrey Frolkin (Ukraine) & Kostas Prentos (Greece)
1.e3 d5 2.Ld3 Sd7 3.Lxh7 Sdf6 4.Lxg8 Th5 5.h4 Te5 6.h5 Lf5 7.h6 e6 8.hxg7 La3 9.bxa3 De7 10.Lb2 0-0-0 11.Lxf7 Th8 12.Txh8+ Sg8 13.Txg8+

5th-6th Commendation ex aequo: Mario Parrinello (Italy)
1.a4 Sf6 2.a5 Se4 3.Ta4 Sxd2 4.Sxd2 d5 5.Sb3 Sd7 6.Dd3 Sf6 7.Dxh7 Sg8 8.Dxg8 Th3 9.Th4 Le6 10.g4 Dd7 11.Lg2 0-0-0 12.Dxf8 Txf8 13.Kf1 Th8 14.Txh8+