May 11th

Emil Palkoska (11-05-1871 - 14-05-1955) Czech composer

Photograph from "Revista Romana de Sah", June 1928

Emil Palkoska was the author of more than 1200 problems in 3 or more moves in the Bohemian style and in the neo-Czech style.
He wrote with Alan C. White's Christmas Series "Schachprobleme Weiss: Dame und ein Läufer" (1911), "Idea a ekonomie v šachové úloze" in 1928 and "Idea a ekonomie v šachové úloze II" in 1947.
He was the editor of the problem column of the newspaper "Narodni Politika" during 38 years.

The two following problems have a feature in common:

Palkoska, Emil

In memoriam Dr. Jan Dobrusky
Časopis českých šachistů 1908

#6

7 + 6

Show Solution

1.Kh3 ! (2.b5#) Rxa3+ 2.Kh2 ! Rxh2+ 3.Kh3 Rh3+ 4.Ka4 Rh4 5.Ra1! (6.Rxa4#) 5..Rxa1 6.b5#
Several exposures to check in order to clear the a-file of all the superfluous white Pawns.

Palkoska, Emil
Tidskrift för Schack, 1921
1^st Prize

#3

5 + 7

Show Solution

1.Kb5 ! (2.Bf4+ / 2.Bc5+)

1...c6+ 2.Kxc4 Rh4+ 3.Bf4#
1...Rb8+ 2.Kc6 Rb6+ 3.Bxb6#

Once more exposure to check. The key is worthy of Sam Loyd's problems: the white King is exposed to check on the first move and incredibly in two variations on the second move.