June 18th

Edgar Bettmann (18-06-1866 - 13-02-1945) American composer

FindAGrave

Edgar Bettmann was Henry Wald Bettmann's brother and he composed almost always in collaboration with Henry.

Bettmann, Edgar & Bettmann, Henry Wald
St. John Globe, 1884
1^st Prize

#3

7 + 5

Show Solution

1.Qh5-e2 ! (2.d3xe4/Qe2-a2/Qe2xe4#)

1...Sf5-e3+ 2.d3xe4+ Kd5xe4 3.Bd7-c6#
1...Sf5-g3+ 2.d3xe4+ Sg3xe4 3.Qe2-a2#
1...Sf5-d6+ 2.d3xe4+ Kd5-e5, Sd6xe4 3.Bc7xd6, Qe2-a2#
1...Sf5-h4+ 2.Kg6-f6! (3.d3xe4/Qe2-a2/Qe2xe4#) 2...Be4xd3 3.Qe2-e6#
1...Sf5-e7+ 2.Kg6-g5! (3.d3xe4/Qe2-a2/Qe2xe4#) 2...Be4xd3 3.Qe2-e6#

The excellent key unpins bSf5 and allows 7 different checks, of which 5 allow long variations.

January 14th

Henry Wald Bettmann (14-01-1868 - 05-12-1935) American composer

Henry Wald Bettmann [Source: The Chess Problem, H.G.M. Weenink ; scan by M. McDowell]

Bettmann, Henry Wald Babson Task TT, 1926 1st Prize s#3 15 + 5

Show Solution 1.a8=B! with the apparent threat 2.Bxf2/Rxf2 ZZ Rxa6# 1...fxg1=S/fxg1=B/fxg1=R/fxg1=Q 2.f8=S/f8=B/f8=R/f8=Q! ZZ 2... S/B/R/Q moves 3. S/B/R/Q is captured ZZ and 3...Rxa6# Historically, the first clean achievement of the Babson Task.