Zagoruyko, the multi-phase concept

Narayanan's Problem corner

Zagoruyko, the multi-phase concept

The concept of 'virtual play', 'play' following the 'try', and 'set play', the mates provided for certain black moves in the diagram position, revolutionized the two-mover in the middle of the last century. Each of the 'play' is supposedly called a phase and multi-phase problems were popular among composers who could spin changed and transferred mates aplenty in problems spreading over two or more phases. Relational patterns among the defences and mates in various phases contributed to the evolution of modern reversal themes. 'Zagoruyko' is the pioneer among multi-phase problems capable of infinite expression on a variety of themes . Basically 'Zagoruyko' is structured over a minimum of three phases which might include 'set', 'tries' and 'key' or a combination of more than one 'try' and 'key'. Though the interesting feature of zagoruyko lies in the changed play in these phases, it is not always mandatory to arouse interest as in the case of mate transference. Let us have a look at a masterly 'zagoruyko' which has changed mates.

In the diagram position, known as SET, the mates provided for 1.Nxf6+ and
1.Nxe3 are 2. Bxf6 and 2. Bxe3.

White: Kd7, Qd6, Rh1, Bd4, Bh7, Nf2, Ng4, Pe3, Pf5, Pf6, Ph6 (11) Black: Kg5, Rd2, Nc3, Nd5, Pb6, Pe6, Pf3 (7)
Mate in two moves
I prize, Nord.Masterskap 1969
Unto Heinonen

After the TRY 1. Qe5? White threatens 2. fxe6. Now for the same two defences:-

1.Nxf6+ 2.Qxf6! and 1.Nxe3 2. Qxe3 (Note that the WBd4 is pinned now!) but black refutes by 1.Rxf2! removing guard of g4.

After the key 1. Qg3!! the Q+N battery comes into play.The threat is surprisingly not by the battery but by the queen 2.Qh4. 1.Nxf6 2.Nxf6 and 1.Nxe3 2.Nxe3. There is one more variation by way of by-play 1.Rxf2 2.Nxf2. We notice that in the three phases of set, try and key the mates provided for the captures on f6 and e3 are differ with capture mates by a different white piece each time.

The next example is a 'zago' which combines self-block and interference. In the SET we have self-blocks on d6 and f4 followed by double-checks by the Q+R battery.

1.Nd6 2.Re4 and 1.Nf4 2.Rd5.

Mate in two moves Josef Retter 2 Pl, WCCT 1970	After the TRY 1.Qf2 ? (threat 2. Ne7) 1.Nd6 2. Rd5 and 1.Nf4 2. Qe3 but 1.Qf4! The key, a similar move on the b-file, 1.Qb6!! threatens 2. Ng6. Now two more interference mates are provided 1.Nd6 2.Qc5 and 1.Nf4 2. Re4.In the first phase i.e. SET the black knight defenses lead to self-blocks and in the try and key phases we have interference mates for the same two defenses.
In the problems for solving which are merediths (problems with 12 pieces or less) the first one changes the correction play of black knight in set, try and key. The second one is a stunning effort ,a 4x2 zagoruyko, with changed mates after king flights in the set, two tries and the post key play.

Try problems for solving:
V.Macs 3 Pl, Pervensivo Latvijkoj	J. Beszczynski 1-2 Pr, Start 1955-56
		Solutions to problems in ' Black refutations in try play' TouwHwanBwee 1.Nd6!! C.G.S.Narayanan 1.Bg1 !!
Mate in Two moves	Mate in Two moves

- C G S Narayanan

More Problems

Top

Glossary

Symbol	Meaning
+	Check
#	Checkmate
x	Capture
!	Good Move
!!	Excellent Move
?	Bad move
??	Blunder
!?	Interesting Move
?!	Dubious Move
1-0	White Wins
0-1	Black Wins
1/2	Draw
Twoer	Mate in Two Moves

Top

About the author

C G S Narayanan C.G.S.Narayanan, an international composer of repute, has been composing Chess problems for the past thirty years. He has won several awards for his compositions in International composing tourneys and he has an output of over 300 problems to his credit. He is the second Indian to win the prestigious Brian Harley Award for the best two-mover composed by a subject of British Commonwealth twice in 1977 and 1991. He has been editing THE HINDU Chess problem column from 1982 onwards, after S.K.Narasimhan. He has captained the Indian team in the World Chess Compositions Tournaments held by FIDE.

More Problems

Top