January 26th

Сергій Миколайович Ткаченко (26-01-1963) Ukrainian composer and International Master (Sergey Mikolayovich Tkachenko)

Not to be confounded with Сергій Іванович Ткаченко.

Сережа Ткаченко

Ткаченко, Сергій Миколайович
Фестиваль «Бровары-87» 1987
1^st Prize, TT

+

5 + 4

Show Solution

1. Rc7!
{1. Rc1? g1Q! 2. Bc3+ Kg8! 3. R:g1 =}
1... g1=Q 2. Bc3+ Se5! 3. Bxe5+ Kg8 4. Sg3!
{4. Rg7+? Qxg7 5. Bxg7 Bxe4 =}
4... Bg6+ 5. Ke7 Bxe4! 6. Rc8+!
{6. Sxe4? Qg5+! 7. Sxg5 =}
6... Kh7 7. Rh8+ Kg6 8. Rg8+ Kh7 9. Rg7+

9... Kh6 10. Sf5+ Kh5 11. Rxg1 +-
9... Kh8 10. Kf8! Qc5+ 11. Re7+ Qxe5 12. Rxe5 +-

A spectacular study with multiple finesses.

George P. Sphicas (26-01-1947) American composer and International Master in composition

G.P. Sphicas is the king of seriesmovers. Let's have a look at a typical problem of his:

Sphicas, George P.
U.S. Problem Bulletin, 1991
1^st Prize

Ser-s=20

5 + 4

Show Solution

1.a8=B 2.Bd5 6.c8=Q 7.Kg8 9.f8=R 11.Rg7 12.Kh8 13.Bg8 18.f8=S 19.Sh7 20.Qh3+ Qxh3=
Allumwandlung, selfpins and mutual and/or successive unpins.

Виталий Владимирович Мединцев (26-01-1974) Russian composer and International Master (Vitaly Vladimirovich Medintsev)

Vitaly Medintsev

Vitaly Medintsev is a helpmate composer. His excellent personal website can be found here in Russian and English version (thank you for that!). Biographical details can be found here and his favourite problems here.

Мединцев, Виталий Владимирович
A.Kirichenko-50 JT, 2005
1^st-2^nd Prize

h#2

2 solutions

3 + 9

Show Solution

1. Ra7 Be7 2. Rf6 Qxb4#
1. Qb1 Qb3 2. Bf8 Bxb6#

The first three half-moves are unpins of the unit that moves next.

Мединцев, Виталий Владимирович
Schach, 2004
1^st Prize

h#2

2 solutions

13 + 11

Show Solution

1. Kb4+ Sc5 2. Rxc5+ dxc5#
1. Kd3+ Qc6 2. Rxc6+ bxc6#

An imposing construction with black royal batteries and white pawn batteries. And of course some paradoxical sacrifices.

Marco Crucioli (26-01-1942 - 27-05-2015) Italian composer

Enciclopedia degli Scacchi in Italia [broken link]

Mario Crucioli is a chemist, disciple of Umberto Castellari.

Crucioli, Marco
Sinfonie Scacchistiche, 1970
4^th HM

#2*

9 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:

1...S~ 2.Sxf6#[A]
1...Se6[b] 2.Rf5#[B]
1...Rc4 2.bxc4#

1.Sc4! (2.Se3#)

1...S~ 2.Rf5#[B]
1...Se6[b] 2.Sxf6#[A]
1...Bc1 2.Sxc3#
1...Rxc4 2.bxc4#
1...Re6 2.Qc5#

Reflex mates after 1...S~, Se6.

Simadibrata Yanuarta (26-01-1944) Indonesian composer 

Let's welcome the first Indonesian problemist of our blog with a very nice twomover:

Yanuarta, Simadibrata
Magyar Sakkélet, 1991
1^st Prize

#2

7 + 11

Show Solution

1...Rf6[a]/Bc3 2.Sc3#[A]
1...Bf6[b] 2.Qg2#[C]
1...Rf4 2.Sxf4#[B]
1...Re8/Rd8/Rc8/Rg8 2.Sf4#[B]/Qg2#[C]
1...Be5 2.Rxe5#[D]
1...c6 2.Rd6#

1.Bxc7! (2.Rd6#)

1...Rf6[a]/Be5 2.Re5#[D]
1...Rd8/Bf6[b] 2.Sf4#[B]

Changed mates on a black Grimshaw.

Karl Werner Kettner (26-01-1908 - 03-05-1942) German composer

Kettner, Karl Werner
BCF 015. Ty.
Comm.

r#2

7 + 6

Show Solution

1.Kb4 ! ZZ

1...Qxb1 2.Rc1 bxc1=Q#
1...Qd3 2.Rc2 Qb3#
1...Ke5/Kd5/Kf3 2.Rb3 Qxb3#

Pelle move of the bQ, pawn battery.