2nd Grappa Tourney
Judges: Mario Parrinello & Francesco Simoni (Italy)

Theme
H#2 featuring distant mates. There must be at least four squares on the same line (orthogonally, diagonally or both, in case of more than two phases) between the square where the mating move of one phase occurs and that of the other(s). At least two phases are required (set play, twins, solutions, duplex), but zero-positions are not allowed. No fairy pieces or conditions are permitted.

There were 41 problems to judge; the average level was satisfactory and the top problems are very good.

We are aware that the thematic requirement is a formal one, yet this has been chosen on purpose to allow inventive composers to add strategic play. Therefore, problems showing artistic and interesting motives have been ranked higher than those with the formal theme only.

Some problems were downgraded for constructional weaknesses or lack of homogeneity; there were three not thematic problems. We are very sorry that an outstanding problem by Fadil Abdurahmanović and Mike Prcic, which would surely win the tourney, is unfortunately anticipated by Unto Heinonen, Springaren 1996.

Menachem Witztum
1 Pr Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Dieter Müller
Jean Haymann
 2 Pr Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Michael McDowell
3 Pr Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
H#2
2111
(6+11)
H#2
2111
(5+12)
H#2
2111
(4+11)

1st Prize: Menachem Witztum (Israel)
i) 1.Taf2 Td6 2.e2 Dxa1#
ii) 1.Lh4 Se7 2.Sg5 Dh8#
The thematic requirement is here nicely enriched by other strategic motives, such as anticipatory closing of black line, bi-colour line openings and exchange of functions between two white pieces. A complex problem, which deserves the first place.

2nd Prize: Dieter Müller (Germany) & Jean Haymann (Israel)
i) 1.Tc6 Sg5 2.Td3 Lg1#
ii) 1.Tg2 Se5 2.Le4 Dxa7#
A very interesting dual avoidance motivated by the need to guard the bK's field and to close a black line. The theme is nicely achieved by the interchange of functions of the two thematic white pieces, which in this context mate at the longest distance.

3rd Prize: Michael McDowell (Great Britain)
i) 1.Tc7 Lf3 2.Db7 Dg2#
ii) 1.Lc7 Le8 2.Db8 Dg8#
The best feature of this elegant problem is the anticipatory closing of black line before hideaways by the bD, which performs direct unpin; the black Grimshaw is a nice addition.

Emil Klemanič
 1 HM Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
A. & V. Semenenko
2 HM Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Josef Kupper
3 HM Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
H#2
2111
(5+13)
H#2
4111
(4+13)
H#2
b) wLd8
(6+7)

1st Honourable Mention: Emil Klemanič (Slovakia)
i) 1.Lg4 De1 2.Kxh4 Dh1#
ii) 1.Sg5 Td8 2.Kxh6 Th8#
Two good anticipatory self-pins with exchange of functions of two pairs of white pieces.

2nd Honourable Mention: Aleksandr & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine)
i) 1.Ld3 Dxc5+ 2.Ke4 f3#, ii) 1.Kc4 Da6+ 2.Kb4 a3#
iii) 1.Ke5 f4+ 2.Kf6 Df8#, iv) 1.Lc7 a4 2.Kc6 Da8#
The best problem showing a rather mechanical form of the theme. There are the always attractive model mates and also exchange of functions between the wD and a wP in the two pairs of solutions.

3rd Honourable Mention: Josef Kupper (Switzerland)
a) 1.Tc4 Tc8 2.Db4 Dh8#
b) 1.Db4 La5 2.Tc4 Da1#
The mates on the longest diagonal are combined with the reversal of the black moves and pin- mates.

Dieter Müller
4 HM Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004		 Mark Erenburg
Menachem Witztum
5 HM Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
 
H#2
b) bKa6
c) bKh5
d) bKc8
(2+15)
    
H#2
2111
(4+8)
  

4th Honourable Mention: Dieter Müller (Germany)
a) 1.Th1 Dd1 2.Th2 Df3#, b) 1.Lh8 Dxh8 2.Db5 Da8#
c) 1.Lf6 Dc3 2.Lg5 Df3#, d) 1.Th1 Dxh1 2.Td7 Da8#
A difficult strategy presented in minimal form with model mates, line opening and the four corners. The repetition of the B1 move in a) and d) spoils the theme.

5th Honourable Mention: Mark Erenburg & Menachem Witztum (Israel)
i) 1.De4 Dd4 2.Lb4 Dh8#
ii) 1.Df4 De4 2.Lc4 Dh1#
An elegant problem in Meredith form with nice bD's eclipses.

Dieter Müller
1 Comm Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Valery Gurov
 2 Comm Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Zvonimir Hernitz
3 Comm Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
H#2
4111
(3+8)
H#2
2111
(4+8)
H#2
2111
b) pc2=>f4
(5+13)

1st Commendation: Dieter Müller (Germany)
i) 1.Ke4 Lg7 2.Kd5 Dc6#, ii) 1.Kg2 Lc5 2.Kh1 Dh3#
iii) 1.Kf4 De6 2.Kg5 Lh6#, iv) 1.Ke3 Lb4 2.Kd2 Dxc3#
Another difficult presentation of the theme with four model mates and without twins.

2nd Commendation: Valery Gurov (Russia)
i) 1.f1=L bxc8=T 2.Lg2 Txh8#
ii) 1.f1=S bxa8=D 2.Sd2 Dh1#
This very elegant Meredith shows mixed AUW and could be placed higher, but unfortunately the motivations of the B2 moves are different (self-block or closing of black lines).

3rd Commendation: Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia)
a) 1.Td3 Tb6 2.Kc3 Da1#, 1.Ld3 Td6 2.Ke4 Dh4#
b) 1.Dxd5 Db1 2.Kc4 Ta4#, 1.Txd5 Dxh5 2.Ke5 Dh8#
This problem shows the theme using two different lines for the mating squares.

Klemen Šivic
4 Comm Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Colin Sydenham
 5 Comm Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
Stefan Parzuch
6 Comm Grappa Ty
Halkidiki 2004
H#2
3111
(5+5)
H#2
2111
Duplex
(6+7)
H#2
2111
(5+7)

4th Commendation: Klemen Šivic (Slovenia)
i) 1.De5 La6 2.Kd5 Lb7#
ii) 1.Ke5 Lh6 2.De4 Lg7#
iii) 1.e5 Lf1 2.Dd3 Lg2#
The only problem showing a three solution triangle in good construction.

5th Commendation: Colin Sydenham (Great Britain)
Black: i) 1.c6 La7 2.Kd6 Lb8#, ii) 1.Kf4 Lf2 2.e3 Lg3#
White: i) 1.Ka3 Txh2 2.b4 Ta2#, ii) 1.Ka5 Lc4 2.Lb4 Ta8#
A fine duplex by a well-known specialist.

6th Commendation: Stefan Parzuch (Poland)
i) 1.bxc4 Lh6 2.cxd3 Lg7#
ii) 1.Lxc4 Lc1 2.Lxd3 Lb2#
A simple, but pleasant, dual avoidance with self-blocks on the same square.