Auxiliary mat
The helpmate is a composition direction in chess , so white the black king in the allotted number of moves, join forces in both parties checkmate can. The requirement is Hilfsmatt in n trains (abbreviated h # n). Unless otherwise stated, black always begins in the auxiliary matt. In the notation , black's move comes first before white's move in the auxiliary mat. Probably the best-known auxiliary mate is the fool's mate , in which White is mated to move in two moves from the starting position of the game. There is a separate section in the FIDE album for Hilfsmatts .
Basics
The auxiliary mat is not a two-person game because both parties have the same goal. Since both sides work together, testing the solution is simpler than in other compositional directions because there is no counterplay. There is no variety of variants to be found because there is no defense. If you are aiming for variations, you have to do this in a different way (multi-horse, multi-breed and so on).
Under certain circumstances, the auxiliary checkmate also plays a role in regular tournament chess when it comes to the question of whether it is theoretically still possible to checkmate in the given position. This is e.g. This is important, for example, when a player's time is running out: if he can still be mated (also by means of auxiliary mate), he has lost; if this is no longer possible, the game ends in a draw .
In contrast to other types of composition, several author solutions are often sought in the auxiliary matt. This case must be explicitly noted under the diagram (for example by adding two solutions ). Such a composition is usually called Mehrling if the starting position is varied, Mehrspänner if it remains the same. Instead of the prefix more , the number of solutions to be found can also be given. A four-in-hand driver therefore has four solutions from one and the same starting position. The authors use multiple or multiple husbands to present topics in greater depth. There are auxiliary mates with four solutions, in which a king is mated once in all corners or a pawn is converted into a different piece ( all conversion ).
The solutions almost always have a common point of reference, either in that they run analogously to one another or form a contrast . Multiples with completely independent solutions are less common. They are difficult to solve. This is sometimes referred to as an anti-analogy. Each solution can be viewed as a phase or part of a whole. Problems with several solutions without explicitly mentioning them are to be considered incorrect nowadays.
With special algorithms in some chess programs, even lengthy auxiliary matting tasks can be checked for correctness. Well-known programs are the open source program Popeye and the purchasable Alybadix and Gustav .
Well-known auxiliary mat specialists today are Chris Feather and Christer Jonsson .
Examples of auxiliary mat tasks
The Swallow , 1981
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The requirement under the diagram is to be interpreted as
black begins and helps white to checkmate him in eight moves .
Solution:
1. Kg2 – f3 Kd2 – d3
2. Bd1 – b3 Kd3 – c3
3. Kf3 – e4 + Kc3 – d2
4. Ke4 – d4 Kd2 – e2
5. Kd4 – c3 Sa6 – b4
6. Kc3 – b2 Ke2 – d2
7. Kb2-a1 Kd2-c1
8. Bb3-a2 Nb4-c2 mate
Chess , June 1975
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(two solutions)
In this pair of horses , both phases are linked by a common theme.
Solutions:
1. Bf4xb8 Bg2 – d5 2. Ne6 – c7 Bd8xg5 mate
1. Rd3xd8 Bg2 – c6 2. Nc5 – d7 Rb8xb3 mate Upon
closer inspection, both solutions have some things in common: First, Black beats the white piece that is in the other solution mates (this is known in technical terms as the Zilahi topic ), and at the same time opens the line on which the checkmate is later given. White then uses his bishop to open the 2nd row and shield the black line from which Black will subtract his knight. This in turn blocks the line on the next move from which the black piece came, which had moved on the first move. Since the white bishop has moved in between, this happens without check. Finally, White mates by capturing the pawn that was initially defended by the black knight.
Revista Română de Şah , 1935
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Auxiliary mat in two moves: a) sDa6 (diagram) b) sTa6 c) sLa6 d) sSa6 e) sBa6 ; Example of an auxiliary mat with multiple formation
Multiples
A multiple consists of several very similar tasks that are placed in a common diagram. Some possibilities would be to move a stone to another square, replace it with another, add or remove it, or rotate the board 90, 180 or 270 degrees . One form of multiple formation is the zero position , in which the diagram position is not solved, but there is a difference to the diagram position in all multiples. Exercises with sentence play also offer an additional solution, but cannot be explicitly regarded as multiples. Although multiple formation occurs in other types of composition, it is most common in auxiliary matt. The example on the right is an auxiliary mat by Henry Forsberg that was published in Revista Română de Şah in 1935 . The multiples are created when all black pieces except the king are in the starting position on the a6 :
- a) with black queen on a6: 1. Qa6 – f6 Nd3 – c5 2. Qf6 – b2 Rb4 – a4 mate
- b) with black rook on a6: 1. Ra6 – b6 Rb4 – b1 2. Rb6 – b3 Rb1 – a1 mate
- c) with black bishop on a6: 1. Ba6 – c4 Nd3 – e1 2. Bc4 – a2 Ne1 – c2 mate
- d) with black knight on a6: 1. Sa6 – c5 Nd3 – c1 2. Nc5 – a4 Rb4 – b3 mate
- e) with black pawn on a6: 1. a6 – a5 Rb4 – b3 + 2. Ka3 – a4 Nd3 – c5 mate
Duplex
six stone championship in Bad Pyrmont 1996
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Auxiliary mat in two moves. Duplex
Another way to put two tasks in one diagram is the duplex . This means that there is a solution for both white and black in the diagram, i.e. a normal auxiliary mate and an auxiliary mate in which white begins and is mated in the specified number of moves. Like the multiple formation, the duplex was used in several types of composition, but mainly in the auxiliary matt. The diagram on the left is from chess composer Milan Vukcevich , who has created many outstanding compositions.
The solution to black suit is 1. Nh8 – g6 f7 – f8D 2. Ng6 – e5 d7 – d8B mate . If the suit is white, the answer is 1. f7 – f8T Nh8 – f7 2. d7 – d8L Nf7 – d6 mate. Both solutions on their own would not be special, but considered together they make a whole. First the pawn moves take the black king's squares by defense and then the white king's squares by blocking. Because the white pawns convert into all four possible pieces, the auxiliary mate as a whole shows an all-conversion .
Serial migrants
Fairy Chess Review , 1947
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Series train auxiliary mat in 17 trains
An auxiliary mat can also be shown as a serial puller . In a series move auxiliary mate, Black makes a series of moves without White being allowed to move in between, and after completing the number of moves White can make a single move to checkmate Black. However, Black is not allowed to bid check or expose his own king to a check bid, unless he bids check on the last move, just before White moves. On the right is a serial train auxiliary mat in 17 trains, which would be written ser-h # 17 for short . This was composed by Thomas Rayner Dawson and published in Fairy Chess Review in 1947 . A good way to solve lengthy serial train auxiliary matting problems is to find a way where and how black could be matted and then try to get that position. In the position here you would have to find a square that the white knight can attack in one move and that would then only have one possibility of escape, which the black pawn can block after a conversion. The only possibility is the a1 square, with a black piece on a2. Since the white knight mates on b3, a queen and a bishop are eliminated as blocking stones, as they would protect b3. A knight on a2 is also out of the question, as otherwise the white king would be in check. So there is only one tower left as a blockade stone, but if it were converted it would offer check-in to the white king. Therefore Black has to place a piece between the white king and the conversion square. Since the only piece is the king, he must move to the e1 space between the white king and the conversion space. All that remains is to check whether everything can be achieved in the given time. Based on the above knowledge, the solution works as follows: First the black king goes to e1, then the pawn turns and moves as a rook to f2. Then the king goes back to a1 and the rook blocks a2. Finally, mate follows through Sa5 – b3.
- 1. Ka1-a2 2. Ka2-a3 3. Ka3-b4 4. Kb4-c3 5. Kc3-d3 6. Kd3-e2 7. Ke2-e1 8. f2-f1T 9. Rf1-f2 10. Ke1-e2 11. Ke2 – d3 12. Kd3 – c3 13. Kc3 – b4 14. Kb4 – a3 15. Ka3 – a2 16. Ka2 – a1 17. Rf2 – a2 Sa5 – b3 mate
The number of trains was exactly enough for this plan, so the task is solved.
Other options
Auxiliary matting tasks, as well as other compositions, can be combined with fairy tale chess figures or fairy tale conditions such as circe, lattice chess, patrol chess or long-haulers. It is thus also possible, for example, to display a series auxiliary mat in seven moves with neutral night riders on a grid chessboard, who have to observe each other and rise again when they are defeated. Such combinations have become more common in recent years, but still only make up a fraction of chess compositions.
Hilfspatt
Closely related to the auxiliary mat is the auxiliary mat . In this type of task, White has to mate instead of mate. This category also includes the shortest possible stalemate , which was first shown by Samuel Loyd .
history
"Dynari"
Irish Sportsman and Farmer
December 3, 1870
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Irish Sportsman and Farmer
December 3, 1870
Correction of Günter Büsing and Harrie Grondijs, Die Schwalbe October 2004
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Although direct matting problems had existed for centuries, it was only Max Lange who composed the first auxiliary matting in 1854. The second composer who dealt with auxiliary mattes was Samuel Loyd in 1860. Other composers followed and created, unaware of previous tasks, auxiliary mattes. For example, James Alexander Porterfield Rynd wrote in January 1893 that he had created the first auxiliary mat about twenty years ago. He referred to a task that was published on October 3, 1870 in the Irish Sportsman and Farmer under the pseudonym "Dynari". In today's terminology, this would be an auxiliary mat in 3.5 moves, but back then there were no conventions and so the auxiliary mat was published with the requirement White, with Black's help, to mate in four moves .
Since no solution was ever published to this auxiliary mat and several solutions are available, one can use the sources and two almost identical versions published a few weeks apart in Irish Sportsman and Farmer (December 24, 1870) and The Westminster Papers (1871) were just speculating about what the author's intention was. Harrie Grondijs and Günter Büsing reconstructed the solution (in today's notation) 1.… f5 2. Ke5 Rh8 3. Kd6 c5 + 4. Kc7 Rc8 mate . So in October 2004 they corrected the problem.
The editor of the Dubuque Chess Journal , Brownson, saw the auxiliary matting from "Dynari" and then decided in 1872 to hold the very first auxiliary matting composition tournament.
Other important composers also became aware of the new direction of composition, for example a reversed task by William Anthony Shinkman was published in the Baltimore Sunday News , in which both sides subvert .
The longest clear auxiliary matt has 28.5 puffs and was published by Bernhard Hegermann in October 1934 .
Since 1947 John Niemann has been collecting auxiliary matting tasks. His collection was recorded by many chess friends after his death and is available in the problem database together with numerous other chess compositions.
Individual evidence
- ↑ For the first auxiliary mat task, see the entry on the PDB server .
- ↑ see e.g. B .: Mirko Degenkolbe: I know a miracle will happen one day ... In: harmonie 86, pp. 255–264 ( online version , PDF file )
literature
- Chris Feather: Black to Play . Verlag Friedrich Chlubna , Vienna 1994, ISBN 3-9500310-2-2 - A general book about auxiliary matting , English.
- Hilmar Ebert & Hans Gruber : Top Helpmates . 1995, ( online version , PDF file, 9.9 MB)
- Hilmar Ebert & Hans Gruber: Early Helpmates . 2001, ( online version , PDF file, 18.5 MB)