Pierre Biscay (14-09-1905 - 30-07-1969) French composer
Pierre Biscay was first a solutionist (French solving champion in 1927 and 1928) and afterwards became interested in strategic moremovers and elaborated theories about the thematical try and the periforms which were publicized by André Chéron in "
Les Echecs Artistiques" in 1934. He founded the Union des Problémistes de France in 1935 and was also the president of the French Chess Federation from 1932 until 1954. He was also an International Judge. Four of his problems are quoted on
problemiste.fr.
Biscay, Pierre
Die Schwalbe, 1930
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Rg3-g7 ! (2.Rf4-g4 ~ 3.Rg4-g2 ~ 4.Rg2-h2#)
1...h7-h5 2.Sg8-h6 h5-h4 3.Sh6-g4 Kh1-g1/g2 4.Sg4xf2#
The threat shows a neat
Brunner-Turton doubling.
Владимир Акимович Брон (14-09-1909 - 01-10-1985) Russian composer and Grandmaster (Vladimir Akimovich Bron)
Vladimir Bron was a top Soviet composer of endgame studies. Of course JMRW presents on his website
70 of Bron's studies and they can be consulted pleasurably.
Vladimir Bron also had a brilliant scientific career
in the field of refractories and industrial ceramics.
He wrote "
Избранные этюды и задачи" in 1969. He composed mainly studies, but also direct mate problems and helpmates. Here are some notable achievements:
Брон, Владимир Акимович
Известия 1929
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Bg1-f2 ! (2.Qa8-a7 ~ 3.Bf2-e1#)
1...Kb4-c3 2.Qa8-h1 ~ 3.Qh1-e1#
1...d7-d5/d6 2.Qa8-a5+ Kb4xa5 3.Se5-c6#
1...Bf8-d6 2.Bf2-e1+ Kb4-c5 3.Qa8-a7#
1...Bf8-h6 2.Bf2-b6 ~ 3.Qa8-a5#
Model mates, Q sacrifice, varied play.
Брон, Владимир Акимович
The British Chess Magazine, 1966
1
st Prize, ex aequo
Show Solution1.Kf7-e8 ! (2.Rd5-e5+ Kc4xd4 3.Qg8-d5#)
1...Bc2-e4 (Bc2-b3) 2.Rd5-d6+ Kc4-b5, Be4-d5 3.Qg8-b3, Qg8xd5#
1...Bc2-a4+ 2.Rd5-d7+ Kc4-b5 3.Qg8-d5#
1...Rh2-h8/h6 2.Rd5-c5+ Kc4xd4 3.Be1-f2#
1...Kc4-b3 2.Rd5-b5+ Kb3-a4 3.Qg8-c4#
1...Sg3-e4 2.Rd5-a5+ Kc4xd4 3.Sg7xf5#
An impressive display of ingenuity for a rich battery play on a5, b5, c5, e5, d6 and d7.
Konrad Kummer (14-09-1918 - 03-12-1986) Swiss composer
|
Konrad Kummer (right)
[SSZ 1976, page 123] |
Konrad Kummer composed mostly direct problems in 2 or 3 moves or helpmates. 15 of his problems were selected in the second volume of "
Caissas Schlossbewohner" (1985). He was the director of the twomovers section for period 1914-1928 for the selection of problems that was to be published in the retrospective FIDE Album 1914-1944.
In 1967 he wrote in collaboration with Hans Ott and Hans J. Schduel "
Kunstwerke Auf 64 Feldern", a compilation of the best Swiss chess problems of the period 1922-1966. He also wrote an anthology of Hans Ott's problems "Hans Ott. Schachprobleme" published in 1986.
Kummer, Konrad
Schweizer Arbeiter SchachZeitung, 1943
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Bf5-h7 ! ZZ
1...Bf4xd2 2.Kg7-g6 ZZ 2...e4-e3 3.Kg6xh6#
1...Bf4-e3/Bf4-g5/Bf4-e5+ 2.Se5+ d6xe5 3.Sxe5#
1...Bf4-h2/Bf4-g3 2.Sg4-f6 ~ 3.Bh7xe4#
Critical move.
Stanislaw Gebura (14.09.1924 - 03.05.2009) Belgian composer
Stanislaw Gebura composed direct movers.
Gebura, Stanislaw
Phénix, 1994
4
th HM
Show Solution1.Bf4? (2.Bxe3#) but 1...exf3!
1.Bg1? (2.Bxe3#) but 1...Nd5!
1.Qf2? (2.Qxe3#) but 1...Nc4!
1.Qd2! (2.Qb2#/Qxe3#)
1...Sc4 2.Sc6#
1...Sd5 2.Sf5#
1...exd2 2.e3#
Somov B2.
Jan Lerch (Jan Sikora-Lerch) (14-09-1942 - 26-08-2020) Czech composer
Jan Sikora Lerch composed endgame studies and was a strong player (o.t.b. IM) who played against many strong players like: Karpov, Uhlmann, Pachman, Hort, Jansa, Kavalek and many more.
You can find
here his interview and his favorite study (1st prize, Sakkelet 1988).
His studies are registered under the name Jan Lerch and his chess games under Jan Sikora-Lerch.
Lerch, Jan
Československý šach, 1997 (8/59)
1
st Prize
Show Solution1. Kd3 and two main variations:
1...Rc8 2. Rb7 !
{ The tempo move. Important is also the free 7th rank: 2.Ke1 ? Rf7; 2. Rb6 ? Ke1 ; 2. Rb1+ ? Rc1 3. Rb2 Ke1 4. Rh2 Rc8 5. Sc2+ Kf1 6. Se3+ Kg1 7. Rg2+ Kh1}
2... d5 3. Rb6 ! Rc4
{The toughest defence, finally the rook will be forced occupy the fatal c7 square.} 4. Rb8 ! Rc7
{4... Rc5 5. Rf8 Kc1 6. Sb3+}
5. Rh8/Rg8 Kc1 !
{5... Re7 6. Sf5 Re6 7. Rh1+ Re1 8. Se3+}
6. Rh1+ Kb2 7. Rh2+ Kc1
{7... Ka3 8. Sb5+ ; 7... Ka1 8. Sb5 Rg7 9. Sc3 }
8. Rd2 Kb1 9. Sb5 +-
1... Ke1 2. Rf5 Kd1
{Compare to main line: the attacking method is different.}
3. Rf1+ !
{3. Rf7 ? d5 4. Rf6 (The tempo idea from main line.) Re4 5. Rf8 Re7 6. Ra8 Ke1 7. Ra1+ Kf2 8. Ra2+ Kg1 {and the king is in this corner safe.}
3... Re1 4. Rf2 Re8
{4... Rh1 5. Rd2+ Ke1 6. Sc2+ Kf1 7. Se3+ Ke1 8. Re2#}
5. Sf3 ! Kc1 6. Rc2+ Kb1
{6... Kd1 7. Rd2+ Kc1 8. Sd4 Kb1 9. Sb5}
7. Sd2+ Ka1 8. Se4 ! Rh8 9. Sc3! +-
An analytical and instructive endgame.
Alberto Armeni (14-09-1944) Italian composer
Alberto Armeni composes direct mates.
Armeni, Alberto
Problem Observer, 1998
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Rxc7? (2.Bg7#/Rxd6#)but 1...Nf7!
1.Bxd6? (2.Be5#/Bc5#/Bxc7#) but 1...Qxd6!
1.Sxd6! (2.Sdxb5#)
1...Kxc3 2.Se4#
1...Kc5 2.Sc4#
1...Qd7/Qh7+/Qxd8 2.Sf5#
1...Qxd6 2.Bg7#
Flight-giving key and switchback of the white Se4.
Olli Heimo (14-09-1946) Finnish composer
|
Olli Heimo
[© Hannu Harkola] |
Olli Heimo composes fairy and retro problems.
Heimo, Olli
Die Schwalbe, 1998 (v)
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.h4 h5 2.Rh3 Rh6 3.Ra3 Re6 4.Ra5 Rxe2+ 5.Kxe2 e5 6.a4 Qf6 7.Ra3 Bxa3 8.Kd3 Be7 9.Qf3 c5 10.Qc6 bxc6 11.g4 d5 12.g5 Be6 13.g6 Kd7 14.gxf7 g5 15.Kc3 g4 16.Bb5 e4+ 17.d4 exd3 e.p.+ 18.Kb3 d4+ 19.c4 dxc3 e.p.+ 20.Ka3 c4+ 21.b4 cxb3 e.p.#
3 en passant captures.
I think there's a mistake in the solution for Lerch, Jan after Kd3 d5 it's mate in one.
ReplyDelete1.Kd3 d5 doesn't occur in the solution.
Delete1...Rc8 and 1...Ke1 are the two variations.
After 1.Kd3 Rc8 2.Rb7 Black plays 2...d5 and there is no mate in one (3.Rb1+? Rc1!)
Jan Sikora Lerch passed away 26.08.2020
ReplyDeleteOdešel Jan Sikora-Lerch http://www.nss.cz/odesel-
He was a strong chessplayer with an elo of 2415 and played against many strong players like:
Karpov, Uhlmann, Pachman, Hort, Jansa, Kavalek and many more. (Source www.arves.org)