The compositions on this page are the results of experimenting with ideas related to the Jibber, which was invented by C. D. Locock, Fairy Chess Review 1937, and moves like a queen, but only directly towards a piece, stopping at the square in front of that piece (i.e. it jibs like a horse refusing to jump a fence). A similar piece, named the Hamster, was invented by C. M. B. Tylor, Chessics 1980; it differs from the Jibber in being able to make a 'null move' when next to the 'fence' (the idea being that it tries to jump the fence but falls back to where it started). The new variants introduced here are the Jabber and the Jabberwock.
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Add WK then Helpmate in 5.
How many ways?
A Jabber is like a Jibber but is able to capture a piece standing on the square in front of the 'fence'. I have a note that this was submitted to R. Turnbull, 8 November 1996, for Variant Chess, and published in VC23.
Solution:
There is only one mate configuration, but there are 8 ways of reaching it:
Add WKg6 for 1.Kc5 Jb5† (check from Jg5 using b5 as fence) 2. Kd6 Jd7† 3.Ke5 Jf5† 4.Kd4 Jd3† 5.Ke5 Eh5‡
and 7 similar sequences (first K move may be N, S, E or W, second K move may be clockwise or anticlockwise).
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(Pseudo)Duplex.
A note says this was submitted to R. Turnbull, 19 May 1997, for Variant Chess.
Solution:
Black first: 1. Kf3 Kb5 2. Jc5 Kc6 3.Ke4 Kd7 4.Kd5 Je6‡
White first: 1. Kd5 Kh3 2. Jg3 Kg2 3.Ke4 Kf1 4. Kf3 Je2‡
The White solution is the same as the Black solution but rotated through 180° with change of colours. This is what I call 'pseudoduplex' (as in Chessics 14, p.5, 1982).
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Serieshelpmate in 10
Note says: submitted to R. Turnbull, 22 May 1997, for Variant Chess.
Solution:1-3. Kd3 4. Jc2 5. Jc3 6. Jg2 7. Jd2 8. Je4 9. Jc6 10. Jc4 for Je4‡
Note: J-g2 and J-e4 must be carefully timed to avoid checking WK.
Try: the similar mate on f5 is easier to reach but takes 11 moves.
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Pawns promote only to Jabbers.
Serieshelpmate in 23.
Submitted to R. Turnbull, 22 May 1997, for Variant Chess.
Solution:1-2. h1(J) 3. Jd5 4. J×c4 5-6. b1(J) 7. Je1 8. Ke2 9. Ke3 10. Je2 11. Jc4-d3 12-15. c1(J) 16. Jc5 17. Jd4 18-22. c1(J) 23. Jd2 for Jf4‡
Can anyone set this without the white pawn, which merely stops a dual?
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Add WK then Mate in 3.
The Jabberwock is another fearsome beast, combining the null-move ability of the Hamster with the capturing ability of the Jabber. A note says this was submitted to R. Turnbull, 8 November 1996, for Variant Chess, and published in VC24.
Solution: Add WKa8 for 1.Jb8 Je6 (null move) 2.Jf4 Je6 (null move) 3.J(f4)g4‡