Island theme

A square is controlled from both ends of the line on which it is on. During the solution, access to this square is blocked by closing the lines from both sides, which can be exploited.

The Island theme was extensively developed in the 1970s, particularly by the Hungarian composers György Páros (1910–1975), Arpád Molnár (1936–2012), and László Apró (1907–2000).

A confusion with the theme name: the English word "Island" translates to "Insel" in German, whereas the German "Island" translates to "Iceland" in English.

Alias: Iceland theme; Insel-Thema (Ger.).

Páros, György

Die Schwalbe, Carte de Voeux TT, 1949

Example: Island theme
h#2 2.1... (5+9)

1.Sc4 Kd1 2.Bg4 d4#
1.Sg4 Kf1 2.Bc4 f4#

Island theme (orthogonal, black lines, black blockers) × 2.

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/3p1p2/3RbR2/4k3/q6r/3P1P2/1nr4n/4K3

External links:

Zarur, Almiro Elias

Dalla Rosa JT, 1964

1st Comm.

Example: Island theme
h#2 2.1... (5+10)

1.Sfe2 Sgf4 2.Se6 Se3#
1.Sfe6 Sdf4 2.Se2 Se3#

Island theme (orthogonal, black lines, black blockers) × 2.

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 3Br1b1/8/8/1p1N4/R2n1nk1/5pp1/K5Nq/4r3

External links:

Páros, György

Budapesti Sakkszövetség TT, Magyar Sakkelet, 1965

1st Prize

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

1.Bb1 Re1 2.e5 Ke2#
1.Bf1 Bb1 2.f5 Kc2#

Island theme (orthogonal, black lines, mixed blockers) × 2.

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/4ppn1/4R1B1/8/p2p1k2/3b2b1/rn1K3N/q1B4r

External links:

Páros, György

Magyar Sakkélet, 1974

1st Prize

Example: Island theme
h#2 b) bRc3→g4  (7+7)

a) 1.Ra3 f3 2.Bd4+ c3#
b) 1.Ra4 f4 2.Be3 c4#

Island theme (orthogonal, black lines, white blockers) × 2.

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 8/8/3p2N1/2pP1k2/2r4B/2r3q1/1KP2P2/1B4b1

External links:

Abdurahmanović, Fadil

British Chess Magazine, 1978

3rd Prize

Example: Island theme
h#2 2.1... (5+9)

1.Qf5 Bd5 2.Ke5 Qg7#
1.R4f3 Rad5+ 2.Ke4 Rh4#

Island theme (diagonal, white lines, mixed blockers)
Island theme (orthogonal, white lines, mixed blockers)

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: BK6/8/3p4/R6R/1n1k1r2/2n1p3/5rQ1/1q5b

External links:

Budapesti Sakkszövetség TT, 1975

1st Prize

Example: Island theme
h#2 b) wBb1→h7  (9+9)

a) 1.Sf6 Rc3 2.Bf5 Sb5#
b) 1.Sb2 g7 2.Bb5 Sf5#

Island theme (diagonal, black lines, mixed blockers) × 2
Island theme (orthogonal, black lines, mixed blockers) × 2

View in Helpmate Analyzer

FEN: 1B1K3b/5p2/3N2P1/r6r/1Rn1nk2/R2b1N1P/8/qB6

External links: