Below you can find some of my very best early chess problems work. Wth a few exceptions, it relates to 1996-2000 period. The problems' diagrams are shown together with corresponding solution tables. Each diagram is also accompanied with a brief comment that summarizes the analysis of the thematic content presented in the problem. Hope you enjoy it!
The problem shows the so-called Ideal Ruchlis theme combined with two pairs of black corrections. The Ideal Ruchlis theme assumes four changed mates between two of the problem's phases and requires that at least two of these mates are transferred. Here, the four changed mates come after two pairs of black corrective defenses. The problem was awarded 1.HM in Wola Gulowska's 2005 annual formal tourney.
Problem shows the so-called Lender theme which is a combination of the Le Grand and Salazar themes. It assumes two changed mates between two of the problem's phases and requires cyclic order of white thematic moves. White thematic moves include the key, threat, and two mating moves. Here, the theme is realized in a very economical meredith position. The problem was awarded 1.Prize in Politika's 1998 Meredith tourney and has been included in FIDE Album 1998-2000.
The problem shows the so-called Vladimirov theme in its ideal form. In its regular form the theme assumes that there are two tries and each of the tries' refutations is answered in the solution by the key move from the corresponding try. In its ideal form the theme additionally requires that the refuting move from one of the tries is a non-refuting defense in the other try. Moreover, it requires that in each try white has a prepared changed mate on these non-refuting thematic defenses. The problem was awarded 4.Prize in Mat Plus' 1997 annual informal tourney.
Another presentation of the Vladimirov theme in its ideal form. A slight improvement is that now there is a threat in each phase. It was awarded 1.Prize in Mat Plus' 1998 annual informal tourney and has been included in FIDE Album 1998-2000.
Problem shows reciprocally changed mates after black corrective moves. Mates are reciprocally changed if in one of the phases they appear as mating moves on two black defenses and then in another phase they appear again as the mating moves on the same black defenses but this time in a reversed order. Here, additionally, the mates are changed after a pair of black corrective defenses. There is a changed mate in side variant 1...c4 as well. The problem was awarded 3.Prize in Schach Aktiv's 2005 annual informal tourney.
Another presentation of reciprocally changed mates after black corrective moves. There is no additional change as in the previous problem but the initial position is open and economical. The problem was awarded 4.HM in Die Schwalbe's 2005 annual informal tourney.
First two tries show reciprocally changed mates after black corrective moves. The third try and the solution show reciprocally changed mates after corrective moves that refuted the first two tries. It also happens that the third try's refutation is the corrective move from the first two tries. The problem has been included in FIDE Album 1998-2000.
Problem shows the so-called Lacny theme in the threat form (also often referred to as the Shedey paradox). This form of the Lacny theme assumes that the threat and two thematic mating moves are cyclically changed between two tries. The problem was awarded 1.HM in The Problemist's 2000 annual informal tourney.
Another presentation of the Lacny theme in the threat form. As in the previous problem, the entire mechanism is based only on guarding/unguarding squares around the black king.
Again a presentation of the Lacny theme in the threat form. Here the entire mechanism is based on a combination of opening lines and guarding/unguarding four squares around the black king. The problem was awarded an HM in Schach-Aktiv's 2000 annual informal tourney and has been included in FIDE Album 1998-2000.
Problem shows the so-called Cyclic Le Grand theme. The Cyclic Le Grand theme assumes that the threat and the mating move on the same black thematic defense are changed cyclically through at least three of the problem's phases.
Problem shows three changed mates after three different black defenses. The three black thematic moves (t1,t2,t3) defend against the same threat in the try and the solution. However, the effect of their defenses cyclically changes (e1 - unblocks a square next to the black king, e2 - unguards a square next to the black king by capturing a supporting white piece, e3 - unguards a square next to the black king by closing a supporting white line). The problem was awarded 3.Prize in Pat a Mat's 2001 annual informal tourney.
Problem shows reciprocally changed mates after black corrections in three moves. It was awarded 1.Prize in Mat Plus's 1998 annual informal tourney.
Another presentation of reciprocally changed mates in three moves. The black thematic moves are played by pawn d7. Additional variant 1...Sd6 is conceptually the same as thematic variant 1...d5. The mechanism is presented in an economic position without white pawns. The problem has been included in FIDE Album 1995-1997.
Problem shows the three-move presentation of the Lacny threat theme. The final position turned out to be fairly light with only the white rook as a heavy piece. It was ranked second in 1998 threemover round of Liga Problemista .
Problem shows self-unpinning, closing of black lines by both white and black, opening of white lines, and pinned mates. A very light position with no white pawns and a complete diagonal/orthogonal analogy between solutions. It was awarded 1.Prize in Mat Plus's 1998 annual informal tourney.
Problem shows self-unpinning, dual avoidance, opening of white lines, closing of black lines, and pinned mates. The final position is again very light with no white pawns and a complete diagonal/orthogonal analogy is again achieved between solutions. Interestingly, the problem was composed during a quick composing tourney (QCT) with time restriction of three hours and was awarded the first prize.
Problem shows reciprocal repinning of black thematic pieces. The position is with no white pawns and mates are model (each square around the black king is guarded only once and all white pieces except the king participate in both mating positions). The problem was awarded 5.Prize in Orbit's 1999 annual informal tourney.
Problem shows reciprocal unpinning of white thematic pieces, white battery creation, and closing of black thematic lines. It was awarded 3.Prize in Gambit's 1998 annual informal tourney.
Problem shows two variants where white is forcing black to create batteries on lines c1-c5 and c1-f4 which black then uses to mate. There is a complete diagonal/orthogonal analogy between white and black play in both variants. The problem was awarded 2.HM in Die Schwalbe's 2000 annual informal tourney.
Problem shows two variants where white is creating orthogonal and diagonal batteries. It was awarded 6.Prize in The Problemist's 2000 Boswell JT.
As in the problem above, this problem again shows two variants where white is creating orthogonal and diagonal batteries. However, a slight difference is that now the diagonal batteries are on the lines of different color, contributing to the entire mechanism being what is typically called echo. It was awarded 5.Prize in Orbit's 2000 annual informal tourney.
Problem shows two variants where white is creating batteries and eventually is self-pinning its knight on lines c2-a4 and d7-a4. Additional play after 1...Kd5 (basically enabled by a flight-giving key) together with the threat completes another pair of battery play variants. The problem was awarded 3.Prize in StrateGems' 2000 annual informal tourney.