September 3rd

William Marks (03-09-1880 - 07-1947) Irish composer

William Marks composed direct mates.

Marks, William
777 Chess Miniatures in Three, 1908

#3

6 + 1

Show Solution

1.Bb6-d4 ! (2.Bg4-f3#)
1...Kd5-c6 2.Bg4-c8 ZZ 2...Kc6-d5, Kc6xb5 3.Bc8-b7, Bc8-d7#
1...Kd5-e4 2.Sb5-c3+ Ke4-d3, Ke4-f4 3.Bg4-f5, Bd4-f6#
Varied play.

Wladimir Naef (03-09-1919 - 16-06-2006) Swiss composer

Wladimir Naef
[SSZ 1977, page 23]

Wladimir Naef was a good player and one of the founders of the Swiss association of chess problemists "Schweizerische Vereinigung von Kunstschachfreunden". He edited the endgame study column of the "Schweizerische Schachzeitung" from 1956 during 23 years.
He composed mostly helpmates.

Naef, Wladimir
Schweizerische Schachzeitung, 1992
Prize

h#2.5

3.1.1...

6 + 10

Show Solution

1... Bb3 2. Kd4 Rf4+ 3. Qe4 Rd5#
1... Rcf5 2. Sf4 Bxc2+ 3. Sd3 R3f4#
1... Rff5 2. Sb3 Rc4+ 3. Sd4 Bxc2#
Cyclic exchange of functions between the three white pieces.

Luigi Bühler (03-09-1921 - 20-09-2004) Swiss composer

Luigi Bühler composed mostly moremovers.

Bühler, Luigi
Schweizerische Schachzeitung
Commendation

#4

7 + 7

Show Solution

1.Ba2-g8 ! ZZ

1...b6-b5 2.Qb2-a1 (3.Rc1-h1 ~ 4.Qa1-g1#) 2...c5-c4 3.Qa1-a7+ c6-c5 4.Qa7-g7#
1...c5-c4 2.Qb2xb6+ c6-c5 3.Qb6xd6+ Sc3-d5 4.Qd6-e5#
1...d6-d5 2.Rc1-h1 (3.Qb2-a1 ~ 4.Qa1-g1#) 2...c5-c4 3.Qb2xb6+ c6-c5 4.Qb6-f6#

1.Ba2-g8 is the only Bishop move that allows mate in each variation. The other moves fail:
1.Ba2-e6? d6-d5! and the Be6 prevents 4.Qb6-f6#
1.Ba2-f7? b6-b5! and the Bf7 prevents 4.Qa7-g7#
1.Ba2-b3? c5-c4! and the Bb3 prevents 2.Qb2xb6+

Stelian Lambă (03-09-1936 - 13-06-2018) Romanian composer

Stelian Lambă composed direct mates, helpmates and selfmates. He was also the editor of the Romanian magazine "Euxinus Pontus".

Lambă, Stelian
Buletin Problemistic, 1970
3^rd Prize

#2* v

8 + 13

Show Solution

Set play:
1...c4[a] 2.Qxa7#[A] ; 1...e4[b] 2.Bxg7#[B]
Try:
1.Qf5? (2.Qd3#)
1...c4[a] 2.Sb5#[C] ; 1...e4[b] 2.Qxd5#[D]
but 1...Be4!
Real play:
1.Qb5! (2.Qd3#)
1...c4[a] 2.Qb6#[E] ; 1...e4[b] 2.Sf5#[F]
1...Be4 2.Sxe2#
Zagoruiko theme (two mates changed in three phases).

Виктор Львович Капуста (03-09-1948) Ukrainian composer and International Master (Viktor Lvovich Kapusta)

Viktor Kapusta
[selivanov.ru]

Viktor Kapusta is a renowned moremover composer.

Капуста, Віктор Львович
Phénix, 1994
1^st Prize

#3

12 + 10

Show Solution

1. Kg3! (2. Sxe3+ Ke6 3. Bd5#)

1... Qxf7 2. Qe4+! Kxe4, Ke6 3. Sh4, exd6#
1... Ke6 2. Qxd7+! Kxd7, Kd5, Kxf7 3. c8=Q, Sxe3, Bxd6#
1... Sc3 2. Qc4+! Kxc4, Kc6 3. Sxe3, cxd6#

The three active sacrifices of the white Queen are a satisfying achievement. What makes this problem special is the related three mates by Queen battery.

Süleyman Abdullayev (03-09-1967) Azerbaijani composer (Сулейман Абдуллаев)

Süleyman Abdullayev
[Grigory Popov]

Süleyman Abdullayev composes direct mates and according to Grigory Popov has composed 100 problems.

Abdullayev, Süleyman
МК Я.Смушкевич-110, 2012
Special Prize

#2

v v

3 + 3

Show Solution

1. Rb2? ZZ

1... Bc2 2. Kxc2#
1... Bb1~ 2. Qa5#
but 1... Ba2!

1. Rxe2? (2. Qc3#)
1... Bc2!

1. Rd3! ZZ

1... Ka2/Bxd3 2. Qa5#
1... Ba2 2. Qc3#
1... Bc2 2. Ra3#

A nice miniature showing black correction by the black Bishop and changed mates.

原 亜津夫 (03-09-1970) Japanese composer (Atsuo Hara)

Atsuo Hara
[Thanks to Tadashi Wakashima]

Atsuo Hara is a talented tsumeshogi and chess problem composer. He composes in all genres. You can see for instance this prizewinning selfmate on the PDB server or this elegant helpstalemate:

Hara, Atsuo
Die Schwalbe (234) 2008
2nd Prize

h=2

2 solutions

5 + 5

Show Solution

1.Qg8 fxg8=B 2.Scxd5 Bxd5=
1.Sce8 fxe8=R 2.Qxe4 Rxe4=
Pin stalemate, exchange of functions between wRe4/wBd5 and bSc7/bQg2.