October 15th

Norman Martin Gibbins (15-10-1882 - 09-10-1956) British composer

'Headmaster Gibbins, mathematics master Evans, and Dan Pedoe, 1927'.
[Sources: The College Mathematics Journal 1988, David Gibbins]

Norman Gibbins was a Cambridge mathematician and composed direct mates and reflexmates.
More about him can be read here and here.

Gibbins, Norman Martin
A.C.White-50 JT, The Problemist, 1930

r#2

6 + 3

Show Solution

1.Bg6-b1 ! (2.Rf6-g6 Rf7-h7#)

1...Rc7xc6 2.Rf6-f5 Rc6xh6#
1...Rf7xf6 2.Rc6-c2 Rf6xh6#
First pair of variations, where the white Rooks exchange their functions.
1...Kf8-e7 2.Rc6-b6 Rc7-c8#
1...Kf8-e8 2.Rf6-d6 Rf7-f8#
Second pair of variations, where the black Rooks exchange their functions.
(1...Rc7-c8 2.Rc6-b6 Kf8-e7#)

Joaquim Valladão Monteiro (15-10-1907 - 1993) Brazilian composer

Portrait in "Dicionário Brasiliense do Jogador de Xadrez"
[Chess Notes]

Joaquim Valladão Monteiro was active in all chess-related fields, as a player, chess column editor, author of books, solver and problem composer. He was a founding member of the Union of Brazilian Problemists. He composed in all genres.
The Valladão theme is a twomover theme that requires that in try and real play the key frees the arriving square of the threat.
The Valladão task requests that in the phases of the solution appear three specific moves: castle, en-passant capture and promotion. It was the theme of a thematic tourney organized by "O Globo" in 1966.

Valladão Monteiro, Joaquim
Ajedrez Artístico, 1970 (16/553)

s#6

10 + 4

Show Solution

1.Sc6+ Ka6 2.b5+ Kxb5 3.Sb8+ Kc5 4.Rc1+ Bc2 5.Rf5+ Qe5 6.b4+ axb3 ep.#
One of his preferred moves: en-passant capture.

Ігор Петрович Ярмонов (15-10-1967) Ukrainian composer and International Master (Igor Petrovich Yarmonov)

Igor Yarmonov
[Facebook profile]

Igor Yarmonov composes direct mates, studies and helpmates.
Some of his works are presented here by Valery Kopyl.

Ярмонов, Ігор Петрович
Die Schwalbe, 1997
1^st Prize

#4

10 + 9

Show Solution

1.Ka8-b8 ! (2.a7-a8=Q#)
1...Qd4-a1 2.Sb1-c3+ Be5xc3 3.Qf6-d4+ Bc3xd4, Re4xd4 4.c2-c4, Rf4-f5#
1...Qd4-a4 2.c2-c4+ Re4xc4 3.Rf4-d4+ Rc4xd4, Be5xd4 4.Sb1-c3, Qf6-f3#
Bristol (Qa1-Bxc3/Qa4-Rxc4) followed by Novotny (Qd4+/Rd4+) in two echo variations.