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Three-Movers
Peter's Problem World with FIDE Master of Chess
Composition
Peter Wong
In this column Peter provides help with words or phrases that have special
meaning in the field of chess composition. These words and terms
appear in the form of a pop-up box
containing a short explanation and possibly a link to an explanatory page
or example elsewhere. Click on the words "pop-up box" in the last
sentence to try it out! All definitions to date can be found in the
Glossary.
|
Directmate problems that require White
to deliver mate by the third move are termed
three-movers. In this type,
White makes the
key-move, then counters Black’s
defences with the appropriate second-move continuations, which (like the
key) either carry a
threat or create a
block position.
For each
initial defence, White usually has only one correct continuation that will
force mate on the third move. Compared with the shorter
two-movers introduced in the previous
columns, three-move problems provide the capacity for more complex play and
enable the rendition of certain
themes that are otherwise infeasible. |
|
A
model mate
is defined as a pure mate that involves every available white piece, with
the possible exception of White’s king and pawns. Two more model mates
occur after 1…Kf5, in the lines 2.Qg3 Ke4 3.Bd3, and 2…Kf6
3.Qg5. Lastly, 1…Kh5 allows a short mate, 2.Qg5.
The three-move manoeuvre shown here – the Indian theme
– consists of (1) White’s first move that crosses over a critical square
(b7 in this case), (2) self-interference on that critical square to relieve
stalemate, and (3) re-opening of the interfered line to discover mate.
The use of multiple
phases
in directmates, oft-seen in two-movers, is not as prevalent in three-movers.
That is because a three-mover’s extra length typically compensates for its
having only one phase of play, in terms of how much content the work
provides. The previous problem is the only one in this small selection
to incorporate multiple phases (set and
actual play).
|
15. Suenbek
Bolotbekov
The Problemist
1989
2nd Commendation
  
 
 
 
 
Mate in 3 |
Nonetheless, thematic
tries (without necessarily introducing
changed play) are an important
component of many three-movers, such as Problem 15. The
knight on d5 has three ways of threatening mate, and each fails to a
defence by Black’s light-squared bishop. 1.Nc3? (threat: 2.Na4)
Be8!, 1.Ne3? (2.Nc4) Bf7!, and 1.Nf4? (2.Nd3) Bg6! White’s
bishop is suspiciously out-of-play, and the key indeed utilizes this
piece, with 1.Be1! bearing a short threat, 2.Bc3. Any
move by Black’s knight would defend by opening the diagonal for the
bishop on h8, but wherever the knight goes, it finds itself
obstructing the movement of the other bishop. Hence 1…Ne8
2.Nc3 for 3.Na4, since 2…Be8 is prevented (and if
2…Bxc3+ 3.Bxc3). And 1…Ne6 2.Ne3 for 3.Nc4,
since 2…Bf7 no longer guards c4. And 1…Nf5 2.Nf4 for
3.Nd3, since 2…Bg6 is now ineffective. |
More fine strategic play is found in Problem 16. White wants to
unpin the pawn on b6 to give mate on b7, but if 1.Rxa7+? Nxa7, the pawn mate
is stopped by the black rook. White can try to move the king to unpin
the pawn, but a series of black rook checks would refute, e.g. 1.Kd3? Rb3+!
2.Kc2 Rb2+.
A
three-mover is said to exhibit quiet play if, particularly in the
main variations, White’s second moves are non-checking. Quiet play is
generally considered favourably for being more subtle, but checking
continuations by no means preclude excellent thematic play, as Problem 17
demonstrates.
|
17.
Siegfried Brehmer & Dieter Müller
Grzankowski Memorial Tourney
1992
3rd Prize
  
Mate in 3 |
The difficult key 1.Kd7! threatens 2.Qd5+ exd5 3.e8(Q).
Black defends three times by putting a major piece on d1, to control
d5 from behind the white queen, but each time the black major piece
has to relinquish its guard against a queen mate elsewhere.
1…Rbd1 2.Nbd3+ cxd3 (or exd3) 3.Qa5, 1…Qd1 2.Bd4+ Bxd4
3.Qxg5, and 1…Rhd1 2.Nfd3+ cxd3 (or exd3) 3.Qg2.
White’s second moves in these variations show many matching effects.
In each case, a White minor piece sacrifices itself on the d-file with
check, unpinning the white queen, and also opens a line for the queen
to access its mating square.
By-play
here includes 1…Nb6+ 2.Bxb6 (3.Bxc7) cxb6 3.Qd6, and a
few short mates, 1…Qh7 2.Ng4, and 1…Bd4 2.Qxd4 or
2.Bxd4. |
Return to Peter's Problem World
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