6th Japanese Sake Tourney
Judges: Tadashi Wakashima & Yuji Kikuta
Theme
Southern chess. #2, S#2, H#2.
No other fairy conditions or pieces are allowed.

Definition
When a piece has a friendly piece (piece of the same color) on a square directly behind it, it has the movement capabilities of that piece instead of its own. In addition, a pawn cannot move to the first rank, and a piece on the third rank cannot double-step by a pawn of the same color behind it.

Kohey Yamada
Original (Eretria 2005)
H#2
2111
(2+3)
Southern Chess

1.Lb6 Kb2 2.La5+ Ka3#
1.Ld4 Sc2 2.Ta5+ Kb3#

We received 32 entries. This new fairy condition certainly needs further exploration!

Uri Avner
1 Pr Sake Ty
Eretria 2005		 Paz Einat
2 Pr Sake Ty
Eretria 2005
 
S#2
Southern
(12+11)
    
#2
Southern
(8+8)
  

1st Prize: Uri Avner (Israel)
1.Td2! (2.Lh3+ g6xh4#)
1...Sxf6 2.Da6+! Txa7#, 1...Sh6 2.Sc3+! Sxd2# (2.Sd4?? Sg3?? then bK is checkmated!)
1...Sf8 (now the squares d6/g5 are guarded) 2.Se3+! Kf3#
A grand problem. Who can imagine that the bSg7 comes to d2 out of the blue to checkmate wK? A lot of Southern effects are involved here, and you need a careful study to fully appreciate this masterpiece.

2nd Prize: Paz Einat (Israel)
1.Kb3? (2.hxg5# A) but 1...Dg3+! a
1.Ka4? (2.Lxe7# B) but 1...Le5+! b
1.Sf5! (2.Sd6#)
1...Dg3 a 2.hxg5# A, 1...Ld5 b 2.Lxe7# B, 1...Lxf5 2.Lxe7#
A fine presentation of the Dombrovskis theme using Southern chess. The key is surprising and paradoxical.

Dinu-Ioan Nicula
Éric Huber
1 HM Sake Ty
Eretria 2005

Michel Caillaud
2 HM Sake Ty
Eretria 2005
 
H#2
b) Kd3=>e4
Southern
(5+3)
    
H#2
2111
Southern
(6+4)
  

1st Honourable Mention: Dinu-Ioan Nicula & Éric Huber (Romania)
a) 1.Sfd4 Te6! 2.Kc5 Tc6#
b) 1.Se5 Lc5! 2.Kf6 Le7#
Instead of usual Indian strategy, we have "Southern batteries" here. The moves Td6/Ld6 do not work, because the T/L cannot go back to their initial positions! Switchbacks are also fine.

2nd Honourable Mention: Michel Caillaud (France)
i) 1.Se4 Sc4 2.Sd5 Lc2#
ii) 1.Kd5 Lc4 2.Le5 Sc2#
The main interest lies in the final positions. Black can capture White's checking pieces, but then, front pieces come alive and give check. The construction is perfect, but it is a pity that there is only one "Southern move" in the solution.

Éric Huber & Vlaicu Crisan
 1 Comm Sake Ty
Eretria 2005
Éric Huber
 2 Comm Sake Ty
Eretria 2005
Mark Erenburg
 3 Comm Sake Ty
Eretria 2005
H#2
b) Sb6=>d5
Southern
(3+7)
H#2
b) pd5=>f4
Southern
(3+9)
H#2
b) Lf6=>h4
Southern
(4+4)

1st Commendation: Éric Huber & Vlaicu Crisan (Romania)
a) 1.Sb2 Dc8+ 2.Td7 Sc7#
b) 1.Tb2 Dc6+ 2.Ld6 Sc5#
Southern "virtual pin": a pinning line comes alive after a pinned piece captures a checking piece. Elegant construction.

2nd Commendation: Éric Huber (Romania)
a) 1.Sc7 Kg5 2.Kxd4 Kf4#
b) 1.Lc7 Ke6 2.Kxf3 Kd5#
Many tried this "king on a pawn" mating position, but we think this one is the best. Here we have "pseudo Zilahi" effect and the mates are delivered by the wK.

3rd Commendation: Mark Erenburg (Israel)
a) 1.Sf4 Sg3 2.Sg4 De5#
b) 1.Sf6 Sg1 2.Kg3 Se2#
Reciprocal change of functions of the white (D/S) and black (K/S) pieces.