White & Black double en passant capture in Proca Retractor

The en passant capture is, together with castling and promotion, one of the three special moves in chess. The special character of the en passant capture is underlined by the fact that the arrival square is not occupied by the captured piece – an effect which can be also met in fairy chess compositions.

In Proca Retractor compositions the main challenge is to find good motivations in order to force Black to retract the en passant capture. This challenging theme can be realized combined with different fairy conditions.

Proca Retractor definition:
A Proca Retractor is a defensive Retractor. Black is defending by trying to retract the moves that will forbid (or delay) the achievement of White's goal. You may see at the Retro Corner an example by W. Dittmann of orthodox Proca Retractor showing two en passant captures.

The first composer who successfully showed the Black and White double en passant capture was Dr. Klaus Wenda. In the first two problems we can see how he managed to present this theme combined with Madrasi and AntiCirce Cheylan.

A lucky piece arrangement?

This post is dedicated to an interesting piece arrangement involving white King, Rook, Bishop and Knight(s) and black King in helpmate in 3.

Five years ago, with the occasion of the Chess Olympiad in Dresden 2008, a quick composing tourney with two sections was organized. The required theme in the tourney was:

In a h#3 White pins (after a checkless key) his own piece on its first move. The pinned piece delivers check mate.

Crişan, Vlaicu Dresden Olympiads, 2008 1st Prize h#3 b) wSe6->c5   5 + 10

Show Solution A: 1.Bd5 Bxf2 2.Sf4 Bxe3 3.Qd7 Bc5# B: 1.Rd5 Rxe2 2.Sd3 Rxe3 3.Qc7 Re6# The judge Udo Degener praised the construction hoping that no anticipation will be found. The whole play is based on the destruction of two black batteries unpinning the thematic white pieces and black Grimshaw. The black Queen performs a selfblock while unguarding the mating square. [Award of the Dresden 2008 QCT]

One year later, the same piece arrangement leaded to another success in a different tournament:

Loshinsky 100 - about a "Loshinsky-magnet" problem

On the occasion of Lev Loshinsky's coming centenary (Jan.17th), it may be profitable and instructive to return to a problem by Lev Loshinsky which was mentioned on this blog. In fact, the problem quoted there was a version of Lev Loshinsky's magnet masterpiece.

In 1947, Loshinsky published his first prizewinner showing the magnet theme: