Michal Dragoun (01-03-1974) Czech composer and Grandmaster
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Michal Dragoun
between D.I.Nicula (left) and Vlaicu Crisan (right)
Antalya 2008 |
Michal Dragoun is a solving Grandmaster, an International Judge for helpmates and fairies, but also a very talented composer (GM in composing since Kobe 2012 WCCC). He published more than 1000 problems, of which 600 were awarded. He mostly composed helpmates, but a fair proportion of his works comprises fairy helpmates or helpselfmates. A quick search in a database shows he has won more than 220 prizes. He won the 2004-1006 Fairies WCCI and shared the 3rd place of the 2004-2006 Helpmates WCCI.
He was the editor of Šachová skladba. He was also the editor of the helpmate section of the Slovak magazine Pat a Mat, before Juraj Lörinc took over (by the way, the originals published in Pat a Mat can be seen
on Jan Golha's site, along with their solutions).
A few of his helpmates will give an idea of his talent:
Dragoun, Michal
1.Pr. "F. Chlubna MT", 15.4.2006
Show Solution1.Bxg6 Kxg6+ 2.Kxb3 Bxd5#
1.Rxg5 Kxg5+ 2.Kb4 Rxb7#
1.Qxe7+ Kxe7+ 2.Kc4 Rxe4#
Pin mates, white royal battery, reciprocal changes of functions for White and Black.
Dragoun, Michal
1.Pr. Šachove umeni 2005-2006
Show Solution1.Qxd7 Bxc5 2.Kxh6 Bf8#
1.Qa8 Sxc5 2.Kxf6 Sd7#
1.Qe8 Qxc5+ 2.Kg6 Qc2#
Dual avoidance at first black move, switchback of white piece that captures at c5.
Dragoun, Michal
Jubile V. Nebotov-60, 1995
1
st Prize
File-Circe: a captured unit is reborn on the file of the capture rather than on its normal game-array square.
Show Solutiona)
Circe 1.Qc6 Kxh1 [+bBc8] 2.Be6 Qd4#
b)
MirrorCirce 1.Qe4 Kxh1 [+bBf1] 2.Bc4 Qd6#
c)
PWC 1.Qd6 Kxh1 [+bBg1] 2.Bc5 Qe4#
d)
SymmetryCirce 1.Qe6 Kxh1 [+bBa8] 2.Bc6 Qd4#
e) FileCirce 1.Qd6 Kxh1 [+bBh8] 2.Be5 Qc4#
Comment by Juraj Lörinc: 4 echo mates, one of them (Qd4) reappears after reciprocal blocks of bQ a bB. All mates use circe selfguarding of wQ and the whole difference is attained by different Circe squares under various Circe modifications
