Three-Movers
Peter's Problem World with FIDE Master of Chess
Composition
Peter Wong
Note that Peter's articles, follow a chess problem
convention in using ‘S’ to represent the knight (from the German word,
Springer). ‘N’ is reserved for a fairy piece called the nightrider.
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Directmate problems that require White to deliver mate by the third move
are termed
three-movers. In this type, White starts with the unique
key-move, and after the black
defences White proceeds with the second-move continuations.
Usually, for each defence there is only one
correct White continuation, which – whether by creating its own
threat or setting up a
block position – leads to mate on the third move.
Compared with the
two-movers introduced in the previous articles, three-move problems
provide the capacity for more complex play and enable the rendition of
certain
themes that are otherwise not achievable. |
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Three-movers are broadly divided into the two schools of model-mate and
strategic problems. The point of model-mate compositions lies in their
variety of striking final mating positions, whereas strategic problems
emphasise the interplay between the white and black forces.
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13. Sam Loyd
New York Albion
1856
 
 
Mate in 3 |
Problem 13 illustrates the first
type, and begins with 1.Bc4! (waiting).
1…Kxh4 permits 2.Qf4+, which leads to two elegant mates
that echo each other: 2…Kh5 3.Bf7, and 2…Kh3 3.Bf1.
In these mating pictures, every square
next to the black king is covered (i.e. guarded by White or blocked by
Black) only once, resulting in what is called a pure mate.
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 scope for
originality in model-mate problems is comparatively limited, and today the
great majority of three-movers published are of the strategic variety.
Problem 14 features a vintage strategic idea known as the Indian
theme.
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Black has only one legal move in the
diagram, 1…bxa2, which threatens stalemate.
Set play is provided for this move, 1…bxa2 2.Bc2 Kxg2 3.Be4, where
White avoids the stalemate by cutting off the second rank, and mates by
opening this rank again by discovery.
White has no first move capable of
preserving this set variation, however, and the remarkable key is
1.Ba8! (waiting). Now 1…bxa2 produces analogous play on
the long diagonal, 2.Rb7 Kxg2 3.Rb2.
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. |
14. Michael
McDowell
The Problemist
1987
 
Mate in 3 |
The occurrence of
multiple
phases in a problem’s solution, oft-seen in two-movers, is not as
prevalent in three-move problems. A three-mover’s extra length
typically compensates for its having only one phase of play, in terms of how
much content the work entails. Thus the previous problem is the only
one in this small selection to incorporate
changed play between two phases (set and
actual play).
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15. Suenbek
Bolotbekov
The Problemist
1989
2nd Commendation
 
 
Mate in 3 |
Nonetheless, thematic
tries – without necessarily introducing changed play – are an
important part 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.Sc3? (threat: 2.Sa4) Be8!, 1.Se3? (2.Sc4) Bf7!, and 1.Sf4?
(2.Sd3) 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…Se8 2.Sc3 for 3.Sa4, since 2…Be8 is prevented
(and if 2…Bxc3+ 3.Bxc3). And 1…Se6 2.Se3 for
3.Sc4, since 2…Bf7 no longer guards c4. And 1…Sf5 2.Sf4
for 3.Sd3, 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+? Sxa7, 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.
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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.Sbd3+ cxd3 or exd3
3.Qa5, 1…Qd1 2.Bd4+ Bxd4 3.Qxg5, and 1…Rhd1 2.Sfd3+ cxd3
or exd3 3.Qh2.
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…Sb6+ 2.Bxb6 (3.Bxc7) cxb6 3.Qd6,
and a few short mates, 1…Qh7 2.Sg4, and 1…Bd4 2.Qxd4 or
2.Bxd4. |
Problem 18 is for you to solve, and it’s quite tricky.
18. Sigurd Clausén
Eskilstuna Kuriren
1931
Mate in 3
Solution
to Problem 18 (To display, hold down your mouse button and select the
text below)
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>1.f8(Q)? or 1.h8(Q)?
stalemates, so White
should wait for the
black bishop to move
before queening with
check. Only 1.Kf5! works
as the waiting move.
Most bishop replies,
e.g. 1…Bd6, allow
2.h8(Q)+ Bb8 3.Qh1 (or
2..Bf8 3.Qxf8). If
1…Be5, White deflects
the bishop by 2.h8(Q)+
Bxh8 3.f8(Q). Other
initial king moves are
defeated because they
interfere with a queen
mate (or allow Black to
check), e.g. 1.Kh5? Bd6!
2.h8(Q)+ Bb8, and White
cannot mate on h1.>
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