August 22nd

Antonin Novotný (22-08-1827 - 09-03-1871) Austrian-Czech problemist

Antonin Novotný collaborated with the "Illustrierte Zeitung" and the "Wiener Schachzeitung" and was one of the most notable problemists of the 19th century.
He gave his name to the Novotny theme : a white unit is sacrificed on a square where two lines of action of two long-range black pieces meet and thus interferes both of them simultaneously.

Novotný, Antonin
Leipziger Illustrierte Zeitung, 1855

#3

7 + 8

Show Solution

The try 1. Bg4? Rxc3! logically leads to the key:
1. Rc5 !(2.Rxh5#)
1...Bxc5, 2.Bg4 ! (3.Qh3#) 2...Rxg4/Bxg4,3. Qh2#/Qg3#
1...Rxg5, 2.Qf3+ Rg3 3.Qxg3#
1...Bf5 2.Qh1+ Bh3 3.Rxh5#
Two Consecutive Novotny themes, on c5 and g4.

January 7th

Dinu Ioan Nicula (07-01-1968) Romanian solver, composer, arbiter and editor

Nicula, Dinu Ioan & Huber, Eric
Shakhmatnaya Poeziya, 2006
3^rd Comm.

hs#3

2.1.1.1.1.1

4 + 6

Show Solution

1.Qe2 Sf3 2.Re7 Qd3 3.Qe5+ Sxe5#
1.Qg4 Se2 2.Ra4 Kc5 3.Qb4+ Bxb4#

Pelle moves by the wQ, Black battery play, indirect unpin.