Sabra 28 theme

H#2: A white piece is actively sacrificed on an empty square (without capturing a black piece) combined with any additional element such as self-block, line closure, pin etc.

⧖ This is the theme of the 28th SABRA Composing Tourney (Alba Iulia, 2025).

See also: Sabra 25 theme.

Witztum, Menachem

Polish Chess Federation, 2025

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 b) bRh6  (10+7)

a) 1.Bg7 Re5 2.Bxe5 Sd5#
b) 1.Re6 Be4 2.Rxe4 Sd3#

W1 - hideaway (square vacation), B2 - self-block

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/3p4/3P3b/2PR1Pp1/1NPp1k2/3Bp1nP/2K1P3/8

External links:

Witztum, Menachem

Polish Chess Federation, 2025

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 b) bSd3  (12+5)

a) 1.Rxd4 Rd5 2.Kxd5 Sc3#
b) 1.Sxf4 Bf5+ 2.Kxf5 Sg3#

W1 - hideaway (unguard of bK flight), B2 - move to the mating square

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/8/2PRP1pp/1P2P3/1PpPkP1K/3r3B/4N1P1/8

External links:

Witztum, Menachem

SuperProblem, 2025

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 b) bPd6→e3  (11+12)

a) 1.Ra5 Se5 2.dxe5 bxa5#
b) 1.Ra4 Sgf2 2.exf2 bxc4#

W1 - allowing bP move, B2 - line opening / white battery creation

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 5B2/r1p5/1pPp4/1P1p4/1PpP2N1/kP3R2/r2pK1Pb/3N2qn

Witztum, Menachem

StrateGems, 2014

2nd Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 b) wBd6→d5  (6+14)

a) 1.Bf6 Sd4 2.cxd4 Qxd3#
b) 1.Sc1 Sd3 2.cxd3 Qxd4#

W1 - allowing bP move, B2 - line opening / self-pin + guard

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 5r2/2R2q2/3B4/1bp5/p1pbQ3/n1knpN2/1pp5/1r2NK2

External links:

Nefiodov, Vladislav

Uralskij Problemist, 2011

2nd Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (7+10)

1.Qe7 Sh4+ 2.Rxh4 Sxe7#
1.Rh4 Se7+ 2.Qxe7 Sxh4#

W1 - tempo
B2 - line-opening + parrying the check

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 6N1/8/3p1p2/3P1k2/3P1r2/3pqPp1/p3p1N1/r1B1K3

External links:

Zalokocky, Roman

Gavriliv, Evgeny

Ulyanovskaya Pravda, 1984

1st Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (6+10)

1.Sd7 S7f6 2.Rxf6 Sg7#
1.Se8 S5f6 2.Bxf6 Sf8#

W1 - Tempo
B2 - Self-block

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 1qr5/4p2N/3pknP1/2p2r1N/2K2Pp1/6P1/8/b7

External links:

Petkov, Petko A.

Mat (Beograd), 1978

2nd Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 b) wKh4→g2  (8+10)

a) 1.Bxf2+ Sf4 2.Kxf4 Sd3#
b) 1.Qxd5+ Se4 2.Kxe4 Re2#

W1 - Unguard of bK flight + Interference / check parrying
B2 - Self-pin by bK move

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: b7/5p2/7n/1pNBkr2/pRqb3K/6pN/2PP1R2/8

External links:

Macleod, Norman Alasdair

feenschach, 1986

1st Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 b) -bRb4  (11+9)

a) 1.Qxd2 Re1 2.fxe1=B Rc4#
b) 1.Qxe2 Qe1 2.fxe1=R Rc2#

W1 - Direct unpin + allowing a pawn move
B2 - Line opening for guarding + Hideaway

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: B2b4/4p3/1BR1P3/K7/1r3P2/3nq1Pp/1p1QRpkN/5N2

External links:

Gurov, Valery

17th Sabra Tourney, 2014

1st Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (11+6)

1.Sxf2 Bd1 2.cxd1=R Rxf2#
1.Sxd3 Rd1 2.cxd1=B Bxd3#

W1 - Line opening + allowing a pawn move
B2 - Tempo

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/8/R4P2/1p3k1P/1n1P2p1/2KP2P1/2pRBP2/2B4n

External links:

Abdurahmanović, Fadil

diagrammes, 1997

1st Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (8+5)

1.Sfg5 Rd5 2.Kxd5 Qh1#
1.Sed4 Bd6 2.Kxd6 Qh6#

W1 - Hideaway (gate opening + unguard of bK flight)
B2 - Self-pin by bK move

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 4K3/2p5/2k1n3/2p4R/5B2/PPP2n2/8/2QR4

External links:

Petkov, Petko A.

Shakhmatna Misl, 1990

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2  (11+10)
b) wSh1→b4 c) wSh1→h7

a) 1.Sxb5 Rd3 2.Kxd3 Sf2#
b) 1.Rbxb3 Rd4+ 2.Kxd4 Rc4#
c) 1.Bxc5 Rd5 2.Kxd5 Sf6#

W1 - Hideaway (unguard of bK flight)
B2 - Move to the mating square

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 2b1K3/n1PRP3/2P1p3/1BR1P3/4kP1p/bN2r3/1r2p3/1n5N

External links:

Korponai, József

Problemista, 1968

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (5+6)
b) wKb5→f5

a)
1.Se4 Sf6+ 2.Qxf6 Sc7#
1.Se6 Sc7+ 2.Qxc7 Sf6#
b)
1.Sc4 Sb6+ 2.Qxb6 Se7#
1.Sc6 Se7+ 2.Qxe7 Sb6#

W1 - Tempo
B2 - Unguard of mating square + Parrying the check by capture

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: N2q2N1/7p/3p3P/1Knkn3/8/4P3/8/8

External links:

Bakcsi, György

Budapesti Sakkszövetség TT, Magyar Sakkelet, 1968

1st Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (7+11)
b) wQh7→h8

a)
1.Rf2 Sf5+ 2.Rxf5 Qxe7#
1.Sc7 Se8+ 2.Sxe8 Qxe7#
b)
1.Ra8 Se8+ 2.Rxe8 Qxf6#
1.Sd4 Sf5+ 2.Sxf5 Qxf6#

W1 - Hideaway (gate-opening)
B2 - Parrying the check by capture

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 5B2/3pp1NQ/3k1pP1/1n1p2pP/1b6/2R1p2K/r7/3n4

External links:

Semenenko, Oleksandr

Semenenko, Valery

Sinfonie Scacchistiche, 2013

4th Prize

Example: Sabra 28 theme
h#2 2.1... (5+12)

1.c5 Bf4 2.gxf4 Qa1#
1.Qb8 Qh4 2.gxh4 Bd4#

W1 - Allowing a pawn move
B2 - Indirect self-pin

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 5n2/q1p3kp/p3B1rr/6p1/4K3/4B2n/3p2R1/4Q2b

External links: