Jiří Chocholouš (09-12-1856 - 03-09-1930) Czech composer
Jiří Chocholouš was with Pospisil and Dobrusky one of the fathers of the Bohemian composing school.
John Beasley quotes
this fourmover in his "
In praise of old problems" and proposes an improved version of it.
Here are two other fourmovers by Jiří Chocholouš:
Chocholouš, Jiří
Deutscher Schachbund, 1889
3
rd Prize
Show Solution1.b2-b3 ! (2.Sd5-f6+ Ke4-f5 3.Sf7xd6+ Kf5-e6 4.Qh2-e5#)
1...Ke4xd5 2.Qh2xd6+ Kd5-e4 3.Sf7-g5+ Ke4-f5 4.Qd6-e5/Qd6-f8/Qd6-f6#
1...c6xd5 2.Sf7-g5+ Ke4xd4 3.Sg5-e6+ Kd4-e4 4.Qh2-f4#
1...h7-h6 2.Qh2xd6 ~ 3.Qd6-f4+ Ke4xd5 4.Qf4-e5#
Chocholouš, Jiří
Kagan's Neueste Schachnachrichten, 1921
2
nd Prize
Show Solution1.Qf3-b7 ! (2.Sf7-d8+ Ke6-d6 3.Qb7-b8+ Kd6-c5 4.Qb8xb4/a3xb4#)
1...e5-e4 2.Qb7-b5 (3.Qb5-e5#) 2...d7-d5 3.Qb5-b8 (4.Qb8-c8#) 3...Ke6-d7, Ke6-f5 4.Sf7-e5, Sf7-h6#
1...Ke6-f5 2.Sf7-h6+ Kf5-f4 3.Qb7-g2 (4.h2xg3#) 3...Sg3-~, e5-e4 4.Qg2-g4, Qg2xg3#
Yves Tallec (09-12-1927 - 22-04-2020) French composer
Yves Tallec composed in all genres. He was an International Judge, the editor of helpmates and selfmates of French-speaking magazine "diagrammes" and the President of the
French Problemists Association.
Tallec, Yves
Union des Problémistes de France, 1957
3
rd Prize
Show Solution1.Sc6? (2.Be7#) but 1...Sg5!
1.Rd5? ZZ but 1...Sc5!
1.Bd3! ZZ
1...Sf2 2.Be7#/Re6#/Rxf2#/Rf5#
1...Sd2 2.Rf5#/Be7#/Re6#
1...Sg3 2.Be7#/Re6#
1...Sg5 2.Be7#
1...Sd6 2.Re6#
1...Sxc3+ 2.Bxc3#
1...Sc5 2.Rf5#
Black correction.
Karlheinz Bachmann (09-12-1938 - 07-01-2014) German composer
Karlheinz Bachmann was a chess player and composer. He was specialized in long selfmates such as
this selfmate in 223 moves, direct mates with (many) promotions and proofgames.
Bachmann, Karlheinz
Ernst Hasselkus Memorial, 2002
2
nd Prize

Do not expect to solve this selfmate in one day, but you can try to find the cooks. Below is a correct version in 50 moves.
Show Solution1. d8=Q+ ! Kb7 2. Rb1+ Kc6! 3. Rb6+ Kc5 4. Qd6+ Kc4 5. Rc6+ Kb3! 6. Qd3+ Kb4! 7. Qc3+ Kb5 8. Qc5+ Ka4 9. Ra6+ Kb3 10. Ra3+ Kb2 11. Qc3+ Kb1 12. Rb3+ Ka2 13. Rb2+ Ka1 14. Rc2+ Kb1 15. Rc1+ Ka2 16. Qa1+ Kb3 17. Rc3+ Kb4 18. Qa3+ Kb5 19. Rc5+ Kb6 20. Qa5+ Kb7 21. Rc7+ Kb8 22. Qb6+ Ka8 23. Qa6+ Kb8 24. Rb7+ Kc8 25. Qc6+ Kd8 26. Rb8+ Ke7 27. Re8+ Kf7 28. Qd7+ Kf6 29. Qe7+ Kf5 30. Qe4+ Kf6 31. Qf4+ Sf5+ 32. Kh7 Kf7 33. Re3 Kf8,Kf6 34. d4 Kf7 35. d5 Kf8,Kf6 36. d6 Kf7 37. d7 Kf6! 38. Qe5+ Kf7 39. Qe8+ Kf6 40. Rf3 Kg5 41. Qe5 Kh5 42. Rg3 Kh4 43. Qf4+ Kh5 44. Rh3+ Sh4 45. Kh8 Kg6 46. Rg3+ Kh5 47. Rg5+ Kh6 48. Rc5+ Kg6 49. Qg5+ Kf7 50. Qg7+ Ke6 51. d8=S+ Kd6 52. Qe5+ Kd7 53. Qc7+ Ke8 54. Re5+ Kf8 55. Se6+ Ke8 56. Sf4+ Kf8 57. Qd6+ Kf7 58. Re7+ Kf8 59. Rh7+ Ke8 60. Qd7+ Kf8 61. Sg6+ Sxg6#
The last 48 moves starting with 13.Rc2+ are computer checked, but there are duals on the 13th move
as mentioned on PDB: for instance 13. Kh7 Sd5 14. Dc2+ Ka1 15. d4 Sf6+ 16. Kg6 Sd5 17. Kh6 Sf4 18. Dc3+ Ka2 19. Ta3+ Kb1 20. Db3+ Kc1 21. Ta2 Sh3 22. Tc2+ Kd1 23. Dd3+ Ke1 24. Te2+ Kf1 25. Df3+ Sf2 26. Kg5 Kg1 27. Te1+ Kh2 28. Kh4 Sd1 29. De2+ Sf2 30. Tc1 Kg2 31. d5 Kh2 32. Df1 Sh1 33. Tc2+ Sf2 34. Dh3+ Kg1 35. Tc1+ Sd1 36. d6 Kf2 37. Tc2+ Kg1 38. Dh2+ Kf1 39. Tc1 Ke1 40. Kg3 Kf1 41. d7 Ke1 42. Dc2 Kf1 43. Kh2 Ke1 44. Kh1 Kf1 45. d8=S Ke1 46. Sf7 Kf1 47. Sg5 Ke1 48. Dd3 Kf2 49. Tc2+ Ke1 50. Te2+ Kf1 51. Te5+ Kf2 52. Df5+ Kg3 53. Se4+ Kh4 54. Df6+ Kh3 55. Th5+ Kg4 56. Tg5+ Kh3 57. Df5+ Kh4 58. Tg4+ Kh3 59. Tg1+ Kh4 60. Dg5+ Kh3 61. Sf2+ Sxf2#
Bachmann, Karlheinz
Ernst Hasselkus Memorial, 2002
Special Prize
Die Schwalbe, Feb 2003 (v)

Show Solution1.♕a4+! ♔b1 2.♕b3+ ♔a1 3.♕c3+ ♔b1 4.♖c1+ ♔a2 5.♕a1+ ♔b3 6.♖c3+ ♔b4 7.♕a3+ ♔b5 8.♖c5+ ♔b6 9.♕a5+ ♔b7 10.♖c7+ ♔b8 11.♕b6+ ♔a8 12.♕a6+ ♔b8 13.♖b7+ ♔c8 14.♕c6+ ♔d8 15.♖b8+ ♔e7 16.♖e8+ ♔f7 17.♕d7+ ♔f6 18.♕e7+ ♔f5 19.♕e4+ ♔f6 20.♕f4+ ♘f5+ 21.♔h7 ♔f7 22.♖e3 ♔f6 (Kf8) 23.d4 ♔f7 24.d5 ♔f6 (Kf8) 25.d6 ♔f7 26.d7
Now best is 26...♔f6! 27.♕e5+ ♔f7! (27..Kg5 s#48 ) 28.♕e8+ ♔f6 29.♖f3 ♔g5 30.♕e5 ♔h5! (30...Kg4,Kh4 s#49) 31.♖g3 ♔h4 32.♕f4+ ♔h5 33.♖h3+ ♘h4 34.♔h8 ♔g6 35.♖g3+ ♔h5 36.♖g5+ ♔h6 37.♖c5+ ♔g6 38.♕g5+ ♔f7 39.♕g7+ ♔e6 40.d8=♘+ ♔d6 41.♕e5+ ♔d7 42.♕c7+ ♔e8 43.♖e5+ ♔f8 44.♘e6+ ♔e8 45.♘f4+ ♔f8 46.♕d6+ ♔f7 47.♖e7+ ♔f8 48.♖h7+ ♔e8 49.♕d7+ ♔f8 50.♘g6+ ♘×g6#
Shorter is 26...♔f8? 27.♕b8+ ♔f7 28.d8=♘+ ♔f8 29.♘c6+ ♔f7 30.♕e8+ ♔f6 31.♖f3 ♔g5 32.♕e5 ♔h5 33.♖g3 ♔h4 34.♕f4+ ♔h5 35.♖h3+ ♘h4 36.♔h8 ♔g6 37.♖g3+ ♔h5 38.♖g5+ ♔h6 39.♖d5+ ♔g6 40.♕d6+ ♔f7 41.♘e5+ ♔e8 42.♕c6+ ♔f8 43.♖d8+ ♔e7 44.♖d7+ ♔f8 45.♕d6+ ♔e8 46.♖e7+ ♔f8 47.♖h7+ ♔e8 48.♕d7+ ♔f8 49.♘g6+ ♘×g6#

Вячеслав Карлович Пильченко (09-12-1952) Russian composer and Grand Master (Vyacheslav Karlovich Pilchenko)
Vyacheslav Pilchenko composes mostly twomovers.
Пильченко, Вячеслав Карлович
The Problemist, May 1996
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Sb4? (2.Rd5#) but 1...Qxd4/Bxf5!
1.Sb6? (2.Rd5#) 1...Qxd4 2.Sxc4# but 1...Bxf5!
1.Se7? (2.Rd5#) 1...Bxf5 2.Sxf5# but 1...Qxd4!
1.Se3!? (2.Rd5#)
1...Qxd4 2.Sxc4#
1...Bxf5 2.Sxf5#
but 1...Sf4!
1.Sf4!? (2.Rd5#)
1...Qxd4 2.Sxe4#
1...Bxf5 2.Sf7#
but 1...Se3!
1.Sf6! (2.Rd5#)
1...Qxd4 2.Sfxe4#
1...Bxf5 2.Se8#
(1...Sf4 2.Qxf4# ; 1...Se3 2.Qh2#)
Zagoruiko, White correction.
Алексей Алексеевич Сочнев (09-12-1961) Russian composer and Grandmaster (Alexey Alexeyevich Sochnev)
Alexey Sochnev is an endgame study composer from St Petersburg.
Сочнев, Алексей Алексеевич
Gurgenidze,D-50 JT EG, 2004
1
st Special Prize
Show Solution1. Bf1 !
{1. Kg7 ? Bc4 ! 2. d4 Kg4 3. d5 Bxd5 4. Bf1 Kg3 5. Kf6 Kh2 6. Ke5 Kg1 7. Bd3 Bg2 8. Kf4 Bf1 9. Bf5 Ba6 10. Bh3 Bc8 -+)
1... Kh4 2. Kg7 !
{2. d4 ? Kg3 3. Kg7 Kh2 4. Kf6 Kg1 5. Be2 Bg4 ! 6. Bd3 Bh3 ! 7. d5 Bf1 8. d6 Bxd3 9. d7 f1=Q+ -+}
2... Kg3 3. Kf6 ! Bh3 4. Be2 ! Kg2 5. d4 Kg1 6. d5 Bf1 7. d6 Bxe2 8. d7 f1=Q+ 9. Ke7
and White obtains the draw.
Сочнев, Алексей Алексеевич
Pat a Mat, 25
th Nov 2008
1
st Prize, 2006-2007
Show Solution1. Re8+
{1. d8=Q ? g1=Q+ 2. Kb2 Qd4+ 3. Kc1 Qd2+ 4. Kb1 Bg6+ -+}
1... Kd2 ! 2. Re1 ! Kxe1 3. d8=Q Be5+ !
{3... g1=Q 4. Qxd6 =}
4. Kb1 g1=Q 5. Sd3+ Kd2+
{5... Ke2+ 6. Sc1+ Kf3 7. Qd1+ Qxd1 stalemate}
6. Sc1+
{6. Se1+ ? Kxe1 7. Qd1+ Kf2 ! -+ instead of 7... Kxd1 ? stalemate}
6... Ke3
{6... Bd4 7. Qxd4+ Qxd4 8. Sb3+ Bxb3 stalemate}
7. Qb6+ Bd4 8. Qb3+ Bxb3 stalemate
Karlheinz Bachmann s#61 der wKh7 gehoert nach h6
ReplyDeleteCorrected: the wK now stands on h6 on the diagram and can play 32.Kh7.
DeleteMeanwhile, s#61 by Bachmann was cooked, see P1107828 in PDB.
DeleteAbout Alexey Sochniev: He represents pure expertise. He produces for the elite, he wins titles, but he doesn't communicate. In the digital space of 2026, he is a "silent giant." His studies are mathematically perfect, but they don't tell a story that extends beyond the board. He trusts that the quality of the move is sufficient—but in the internet age, a work that isn't contextualized is invisible to the algorithm and thus to the world.
ReplyDeleteIuri Akobia, on the other hand, saw himself not only as a composer but also as a monumental archivist and encyclopedist. His stroke of genius was the "World Anthology of Chess Studies." He brought chess studies to the world by systematizing them and making them etched for eternity in book form and databases. Akobia understood that knowledge is power—and that this knowledge must be made accessible. He used his position at Georgian state television and his role as an engineer to give chess a public platform. He transformed chess studies into a national cultural asset. Akobia not only tended the garden, he mapped it for visitors and opened its gates wide.
Serhiy Didukh, on the other hand, is the modern interactionist and critic. What he does right is combine intellect with provocation. He uses platforms like "Chess Study Art" and social discourse spaces to defend the chess study as an art form. He doesn't just talk about moves, but about aesthetics, about the "thematic misfire," and about the struggle of the human mind against the machine. Didukh gives the chess study a face and a voice. He makes it a topic for blogs, forums, and modern content platforms. He understands that a study today must be "content."
-
Sochniev's fate illustrates the looming threat to the entire art form: digital oblivion. Those who, like Sochniev, remain within the "walled garden" become part of a dying tradition. Without the work of people like Akobia, who preserve the knowledge, and Didukh, who keep it alive and controversial, the chess study would degenerate into a secret language that no one would eventually understand.
Akobia and Didukh carry the chess study into the world because they have the courage to look beyond the confines of the 64 squares. They transform a technical discipline into a human narrative. They prove that the chess study is not an isolated puzzle, but rather a part of the world literature of logic.