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Moremovers

Written by Michael McDowell

The term more-mover refers to a directmate problem in greater than three moves. More-movers, especially longer ones, are often easier to solve than three-movers, because the need to keep the black force under control means that White must proceed with short threats.

(1) Vladimir Pachman

1st Prize, Dobrusky Memorial Tourney, 1954

5K2/p2p2pp/2pQ4/rp4pr/4k1B1/s1b5/1R3P2/2s3S1

Mate in 4

(2) Miroslav Havel

Zlata Praha, 1913

8/2Kp4/B7/B2k4/3P4/3R4/8/8

Mate in 5

Many more-movers elaborate strategic themes more usually found in shorter problems. Two of the best known two-move ideas are the Grimshaw theme, which features mutual interference between two dissimilar line pieces, usually a rook and bishop, and the related Nowotny theme, where a piece plays to the intersection square of two line pieces, leading to the same effects as ordinary interferences.

(3) Y. G. Vladimirov

1st Prize, Magadansk Komsomolets, 1986

4K2b/B3P2S/1Q1PP1S1/1R1p3r/1r1pk1B1/6P1/b1P1PP2/s7

Mate in 4

Decoy of a black piece or pieces is a common feature in more-movers.

(4) A. Mongredien

1st Prize, Chemnitzer Tageblatt, 1926

q3bb1S/4p3/4Pp1p/2Sp1k2/2pP1Pp1/4P3/p7/K6Q

Mate in 5

Another idea often exploited in more-movers is critical play, where a piece is enticed to play over a square to which a second piece then moves, interfering with the first piece.

(5) K. Nielsen

Skakbladet, 1926

1B6/8/KQpSp3/4k2S/ppP1b3/1r6/8/8

Mate in 4

Most longer more-movers fall into a category known as logical problems. The term derives from the fact that such problems have a single thematic line of play with a logical structure. White has a potential mating sequence, called a main-plan, which if attempted immediately will fail. He must first execute a foreplan to cause a change in the position which will allow the main-plan to operate.

(6) Stefan Schneider

2nd Prize, Schach, 1954

8/p1p5/2B5/1Pk2S2/2S1p3/1K5p/3P4/6b1

Mate in 7

Some problems feature a number of consecutive foreplans, or foreplans within foreplans.

(7) Hans Lepuschutz

Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1936

2r5/P2R4/K6R/Spk3pp/p2p1p1r/P2p4/1p5b/3bs2s

Mate in 6

(8) Y. G. Vladimirov

1st Prize, Macleod Memorial Tourney, 1994

qs6/rp1p4/pPkP1R2/K7/2P5/B1pP4/2P1P3/8

Mate in 17


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