January 20th

Harald Schmid (20-01-1932) Austrian composer

Schmid, Harald
2^nd TT Klein Winsener Rochade 1987- 1989
1^st HM

h#5

b) Move a2 h2

2 + 14

Show Solution

a) 1.Ba6 a4 2.Bb5 axb5 3.Sa6 bxa6 4.Qd7 a7 5.0-0-0 a8=Q#
b) 1.Qg5 h4 2.Be7 hxg5 3.Sf6+ gxf6 4.0-0 fxe7 5.Kh8 exf8=Q#

Excelsior, echo mates, castle.

William Ellis Keysor (20-01-1891 - 12-07-1939) American composer

Keysor, William Ellis
The Brisbane Courier, 1^st Jan 1927 (2881)
Comm.

#2

6 + 6

Show Solution

1. c4! (2. Rd5, Qd3#)

1...Bxc4 2.Sc2#
1...bxc3 e.p. 2.Qd7#
1...Be3 2.Qxe3#

Karl Hraba (20-01-1912 - ?) German composer

Karl Hraba, about 1978 (Wikimedia)

Hraba, Karl
Šahovska kompozicija, 1989

#2

4 + 2

Show Solution

1.Rf8! zz

1...Kc6 2.Rf6#
1...Ke5 2.Bc7#
1...Ke7 2.Bc5#

Flight giving key, King Y-flight, two model mates.

Drago Makuc (20-01-1924 - 08-12-1962) Yugoslav composer

Makuc, Drago
Problem, 1953

h#3

b) Remove d5

4 + 3

Show Solution

a) 1.Qxa2 0-0-0 2.Qc4 Kc2 3.Qb4 Ra1#
b) 1.c2 Kd2 2.c1=S Kc3 3.Sb3 axb3#

Switchback and castle in a), battery play and capture of promoted bS in b).

And a special bonus, thanks to Aleksandr Nikitin:

"Problem" 1963. April. No. 87-90. pg.11

Solutions of the two problems:

1. Mate in 2.
Of course the white King should be placed on the board: +wKa6
Show Solution of #2

1.Se6 ! (2.Qc5#)

1...Rd6 2.Qxc7#
1...Rd1/Rd2/Rd3/Ra4+ 2.Ba4#
1...Rb4/Re4 2.Qd7/Bd5#
1...Rc4/Rd7 2.Qd7#
1...Rxd8 2.Sxd8#
1...Rd5 2.Bxd5#
1...Be5~ 2.Qxc7#
1...Bd6 2.Qd7#

2. Helpmate in 3.
Show Solution of h#3

1.Ba4 Ra5 2.Kd4 Kxf3 3.Be8 Sf5#
Black tempo and Bishop e8-a4-e8 switchback. Very nice!

Hartmut Hänneschen (20-01-1944) German composer

Hänneschen, Hartmut
Troll-20, 14^th Sep 2011 (1074)

#8

4 + 2

Show Solution

1.Be3! Kg3 2.Bxh5 Kh4 3.Bf3 Kg3 4.Kg1 Kh4 5.Kf1 Kg3 6.Bg5 Kh2 7.Bf4+ Kh1 8.g4#

Miniature with two Bishop switchbacks.

Evgeni Bourd (20-01-1987) Israeli composer and International Master

Evgeni Bourd is a software developer and obtained the title of International Master for Chess Composition in 2014. He is specialized mainly in direct problems. He often composes together with Arieh Grinblat. Two of his first prize-winners are quoted below.
He is also the orthodox editor of Variantim. You may be also interested to read his instructive articles "Birth of a chess problem" published in Variantim:
Variantim 72, pages 26 - 31, part 1
Variantim 73, pages 20 - 26, part 2

Bourd, Evgeni
Israel Ring Tourney, Variantim (40/) 2005-11
1^st Prize

#2*

vv

11 + 8

Show Solution

Set play
1...Se3 2.Se2 #
1...g5 2.Sh5 #

1.Sb5 ? (2.Se2 # / 2.Sh5 #)
1...g6 2.Se2 #
but 1...Sxg3 !

1.Sc4 ? (2.Sh5 #)
1...Sxg3 2.fxg3 #
1...Sf5 2.Se2 #
but 1...g6 !

1.Sdf5 ! (2.Se2 #)
1...Sxg3 2.fxg3 #
1...Bc4 2.Sh5 #

Pseudo Le Grand, Barnes, White Correction.

Bourd, Evgeni
P. Gvozdják-50 JT (A) 2015
1^st Prize

r#2*

v

10 + 14

Show Solution

Set play
1...Sxd3 {[a]} 2.Kg4 {[A]} Sxe5 #
1...Rxd3 {[b]} 2.Ke6 {[B]} Rd6 #

1.Sf3 ? (2.Qe4 Qxe4 #)
1...Sxd3 {[a]} 2.Ke6 {[B]} Sf4 #
1...Rxd3 {[b]} 2.Ke4 {[C]} Rd4 #
but 1...Qc3 !

1.Sc4 ! (2.Qe4 Qxe4 #)
1...Sxd3 {[a]} 2.Ke4 {[C]} Sf4 # {(Sb4#)}
1...Rxd3 {[b]} 2.Kg4 {[A]} Rg3 #
1...Se3+ 2.Ke6 Rxe7 #