New terms introduced here
are also added to Peter's
Glossary of Chess Problem Terms.
 

The term echo is sometimes used in the problem context to describe various types of repeated effects, but primarily it refers to a specific visual idea, namely the recurrence of a mating configuration.

Two lines of play end with the black king confined in a similar fashion for the mates which, however, take place on different parts of the board.

The mating arrangement is, in effect, shifted from one position to another, and such an occurrence we call an echo mate.

The main lines of Problem 62 conclude with three pairs of echo mates.

After the waiting key 1.Rf5!, every black bishop move enables an immediate queen mate on b2 except for 1…Ba3.  Now 2.Rf1+ leads to 2…Bc1 3.Qb2 (a pin-mate), 2…Ka2 3.Qxf7 (a model mate), and 2…Kc2 3.Qc3.

These three mates are seen again, but reflected along the long diagonal, following 1…Ka2 2.Ra5+ Ba3 3.Qb2, 2…Kb1 3.Qf5, and 2…Kb3 3.Qc3.

There is by-play, 1…Kc2 2.Rb5 (with various threats including 3.Qc3) Bb2/d2 3.Qb2.

62. Otto Wurzburg
American Chess Bulletin 1940
1st Hon. Mention

Mate in 3

63. Bernard Ivanov
The Problemist 1991

Helpmate in 2
2 solutions

The helpmate 63 is solved by 1.Qe4 Qf7 2.Nd4 Nc4 and 1.Qd5 Qg4 2.Nd6 Nd7.

The two final positions, apart from the white king, entail a 90-degree rotation around the mid-point of e5.  Notice how Black’s first move in each solution unpins the white queen, a fact that determines the order in which Black’s moves are played.

Also, Black’s knight moves are self-interferences: they cut off the black queen’s control of the mating squares.

Strategic effects like these unpins and interferences, though simple, are not commonly seen in echo problems, especially those employing very few pieces.

In Problem 64, White’s options are quite limited – it takes three moves to promote the pawn and the new piece has one remaining move to give mate, starting from a8, b8, or c8.  The white king is too far away to be approached by the black king for the arrangement of a mid-board mate, so Black has to prepare for a mate on the first rank, using the two rooks as blocking units.

1.Ba7 b6 2.Kf1 bxa7 3.Rf2 a8(Q) 4.Rae2 Qh1.

1.Bc7 b6 2.Ke1 bxc7 3.Rf2 c8(Q) 4.Rae2 Qc1

1.Bd4 b6 2.Kd1 b7 3.Re2 b8(Q) 4.Rad2 Qb1

The triple echo mates are enlivened by some variety in the play, viz. the change of promotion squares and the need for 1.Bd4! in one solution to shield the white king from check.

64. Sergel Rumyantsev
The Problemist 1995

Helpmate in 4
3 solutions

65. Reto List
Switzerland vs. Austria Match 1977
1st Place

Helpmate in 3
6 solutions

Three pairs of exact echoes are brought about here:

1.Re8 Ng4 2.Ke6 Kc6 3.Ree7 Nd4 and
1.Rd7 Ne1 2.Kd4+ Kb4 3.Rdd5 Nc2

1.Re4 Nd4 2.Ke5 Kc5 3.Rf6 Nd3 and
1.Re3 Nd3 2.Ke4 Kc4 3.Rf5 Nd2

1.Ref5 Ng5 2.Ke5 Kc5 3.R7f6 Nd3 and
1.Rf4 Ng4 2.Ke4+ Kc4 3.Ref5 Nd2

The three-mover 66 is for you to solve.

The solution will appear next month.

66. Joralf Grande
Problem 1964

Mate in 3

60. Emilio Battaglia
Scacco 1977

Mate in 2

Solution to Problem 60 in the previous column:

In the initial position, every black move has been provided with a set mate: 1…Q-any 2.Qxe7, 1…B-any 2.Rxf8, and 1…R-any 2.gxf7.

If White attempts to maintain this block position by making a simple waiting move with the queen or the rook, Black refutes the try by taking advantage of the white half-pin on the long diagonal, e.g. 1.Qe5? Bd5!, 1.Rf4? Qa8!

Another anticipatory half-pin takes place on the g-file, though here the half-pin is incomplete in that only the bishop makes a thematic try: 1.Bh6? Rg8!.  The key is 1.Kg3!, the only king move that preserves the set play without allowing Black to check.