December 11th

Erich Anselm Brunner (11-12-1885 - 16-05-1938) German-Swiss composer

Erich Brunner
[Surkovija [broken link] ]

Erich Brunner composed around 600 strategic multimovers. The best of his problems were compiled by Moritz Henneberger and Hans Klüver, who completed Erich Brunner's selection, in "Erich Brunner - ein Künstler und Deuter des Schachproblems". The book can be read and downloaded from here and the list of errata, by Anton Baumann, here.

Several themes are named after him or were researched by him, such as the Brunner-Turton, the Brunner-Dresdner, the Brunner-Plachutta, the Swiss theme, etc.
Turton doubling: a piece moves along a line (rank, file or diagonal), then a similarly-moving piece moves onto the same line in front of it, then this second piece moves again along this line, in the opposite direction to that of the firs
The Brunner Turton is differentiated from the Loyd Turton by the fact that the first piece moved is of greater value than the second in Loyd-Turton, while in the former the two pieces are of equal value.

Brunner, Erich Anselm
Akademisches Monatsheft für Schach, 1910

#3

11 + 5

Show Solution

1.Rc4-h4 ! Kc6xc5 2.Rg1-g4 Kc5-c6 3.Rg4-c4#
Brunner-Turton.
In "Der Indische Problem" Kohtz and Kockelkorn mentioned the theoretical possibility of such a critical move followed by a doubling of similar long-range pieces, but they doubted it was possible to show in a problem.

Brunner, Erich Anselm
Münchner Neueste Nachrichten, 1912

#3

7 + 5

Show Solution

1.Sc2-e3 ! (2.Rg3-f3/Se3-d5/Rb3-b6#)

1...Bc1xe3 2.Rb3-b6+ Be3xb6 3.Rg3-f3#
1...Re1xe3 2.Rg3-f3+ Re3xf3 3.Rb3-b6#

Brunner-Novotny: the Novotny interference is followed by a further decoy of the black capturing piece.

Jean Oudot (11-12-1926 - 29-12-1974) French composer

Jean Oudot
[Thèmes 64 no.76/1974 page 1350]

Jean Oudot composed in all genres with a preference for fairy problems. He edited from 1956 until 1963 the French magazine "Le problème" and from 1959 until 1974 the problem column of "Europe-Echecs". He was also an International Judge.
His obituary with several commented problems was published in Thèmes 64 no.76/1974 pages 1350-2.

Oudot, Jean
L'Echiquier de France, 1957
1^st Prize

#4

10 + 7

Show Solution

1.a4-a5 ! ZZ
1...Sa6-c7/b8 2.Bf4xc7/b8 a7-a6 3.Rf5-e5 Kh4-g3 4.Re5-e4#
1...Sa6-c5 2.Rf5xc5 a7-a6 3.Bf4-e5 Kh4-g5 4.Be5-f6#
Mutual interferences and Indians.

Oudot, Jean
Thèmes 64, 1957 (186)

h#6

g3: Nightrider

2 + 3

Show Solution

1.b5! c4 2.b4 c5 3.b3 c6 4.b2 c7 5.b1N c8N 6.Nh4 Nf2#
The most economical form of a double Excelsior and Nightrider promotion.

Oudot, Jean
Feenschach, 1958

h#2

SetPlay

4 + 2

Show Solution

Set play: 1... Sh7-g5 2.g6xh5 Sg5-f7#
1.Kh6xh7 h5xg6+ 2.Kh7-h8 g6-g7#
A most economical Zilahi.

Kjell Einar Widlert (11-12-1948) Swedish composer and Grandmaster

Kjell Widlert
who wanted to be a millionaire
and succeeded
[Aftonbladet]

Kjell Widlert is International Judge, IM in solving, the Swedish delegate at the WFCC and its Spokesman, and editor of the Swedish magazine "Springaren".
He became GM in composing in 2019.
He has composed a large number of problems in collaboration with other composers during chess composition meetings at Andernach, Messigny, World Congress and more.

Widlert, Kjell Einar
Nordische Meisterschaft, 1970
1^st-2^nd Place

s#3

13 + 4

Show Solution

1.c7-c8=S ! ZZ

1...Kd7-e6 2.f7-f8=S+ Ke6xe5 3.e7-e8=S Ba8xb7#
1...Kd7-c6 2.b7-b8=S+ Kc6-b7 3.e7-e8=R Kb7xb8#

Widlert, Kjell Einar & Ellinghoven, Bernd
Graz, 1987
1^st Prize

h#2

Circe a7: Nightrider h1: Grasshopper b) Move a7 h5

6 + 4

Show Solution

a) 1.c2-c1=G h7-h8=N+ 2.Gc1-f4 Nh8xf4 [+bGf1]#
b) 1.c2-c1=N h7-h8=G 2.Nc1-e5 Gh8xe5 [+bNe1]#
Reciprocal promotions.

Mario Velucchi (11-12-1966) Italian composer

Mario Velucchi
[Leoncini [broken link]]

Mario Velucchi is a programmer interested also in Maths and Chess who composes mostly maths, retro and fairy problems.

Velucchi, Mario
Phenix, 1997 (2611)

h#4

7 + 4

Show Solution

White's last move could not be 0...c2-c3 (locks in wK). It was 0...Kc2-b1 or Kc2xMb1. What could be the captured piece? Not B or Q because of impossible check. If Rook or S, Black's last move must have been by K or Rh8 (0.Sa3-b1+? impossible). As a conclusion, Black cannot castle and there is only one solution:
1. Kf7 a4 2. Rb8 Ra3 3. Kg8 Rb3 4. Kh8 Rxb8#
(not 1.0-0?? a4 2.Kh8 Ra3 3.~ Rb3 4.Rb8 Rxb8#)