January 10th

Espen Backe (10-01-1963) Norwegian composer

Espen Backe
Article about his book "Caïssas trollbundne"(2007)
[nettavisen.no]

Backe, Espen
6448 Sakkelet 5.-6.1998

h#3

b) Move f4 g3

3 + 5

Show Solution

a) 1.Qb2 Ba8 2.Qb7 Rg2+ 3.Kf3 Bxb7#
b) 1.Qb7 Rh8 2.Qh7 Bf3+ 3.Kh3 Rxh7#

Diagonal-orthogonal correspondence, critical moves.

Леонард Ильич Кацнельсон (10-01-1936) Russian composer and International Master (Leonard Ilitch Katsnelson)

Leonard Katsnelson, E. Leun and N. Kralin (Odessa 1984)
[thanks to Сережа Ткаченко]

Кацнельсон, Леонард Ильич
Šahs, 1981 (18)
2^nd Honorable Mention

+

7 + 3

Show Solution

1. g7 
{1. a3 Bc3 2. g7 Bxb2 -+
1. Bc6+ Kb4 2. g7 Qxf6 3. a3+ Kc5 4. g8=Q Kxc6 5. Qa8+ Kd7 6. Qxa5 Qf1+ =
1. Be4 Qg5}
1... Qxf6 
{1... Qg5 2. Bc6+ Kb4 3. a3+ Kc5 4. Ba4 Bd8 5. Bb3 }
2. a3!
{2. b3+ Ka3; now the threat is 3.g8=Q Qxg8 4.Bc6#}
2... Qf1+ 
{2... Qg6 3. g8=Q Qxg8 4. Bc6#}
3. Ka2 Qf7+ 4. Bd5! Qxd5+ 
{4... Qxg7 5. Bc6#}
5. b3+ Kb5 6. c4+ and wins.

Henri Rinck (10-01-1870 - 26-02-1952) French composer

Source: Wikipedia

Let's choose the following endgame from the numerous interesting works composed by Rinck:

Rinck, Henri
Bohemia, 25^th Dec 1906
1^st Prize

+

4 + 5

Show Solution

1. Qb1 (2.Qb5+ Kd4 3.Qd5#)
1...Kd4 2. Qb3 (3.Qd5#)
2...Qxe4+ 3. Kd6 Qa8 4. Qe3+ Kc4 5. Qc3+ Kb5 6. Qb3+ Ka6 7. Qa4+ Kb7 8. Qb5+ Ka7 9. Kc7 and wins.

Илья Львович Шульман (10-01-1935 - 04-01-2010) Russian composer (Ilya Lvovich Shulman)

Илья Шульман / Ilya Shulman [Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Шульман, Илья Львович
Match: Latvia - Leningrad - Lithuania, 1983
1^st Place

h#2

2 solutions

5 + 8

Show Solution

1.f1=S f8=S 2.Sg3 Sg6#
1.f1=B f8=B 2.Bb5 Bd6#

Echo promotions, model mates, black self interference.

Александр Жуков (10-01-1963) Russian composer (Aleksandr Zhukov)

Aleksandr Zhukov
[Source: ARVES]

Aleksandr Zhukov's endgame studies are appreciated by many because they are approachable and several of them have been selected for Solving tourneys such as this study (Open Belgian Solving Championship 2025).

His studies can be found on his own website. A sample of them is presented on the ARVES website and Vasily Lebedev has published an anthology of 200 of his studies "111 Magic Studies by Alexander Zhukov".
Aleksandr Zhukov also has a small channel on Youtube.

Жуков, Александр
Azerbaijan Chess Solving Championship, 2023

+

4 + 5

Show Solution

1.♘a6! ♗g3+! 2.♔×g3 ♘f5+! 3.♗×f5 ♖a3+ 4.♖b3!! ♖×b3+ 5.♔f4! ♖b7 6.♗e6! ♖b6 (♖~) 7.♗d5+ ♖b7 8.♘c5 +-
Black sacrifices material for stalemate but White countersacrifices his Rook to avoid stalemate and win the bR.

Godehard Wilhelm Murkisch (10-01-1940) German composer and FIDE Master

Godehard Murkisch
[Source: ARVES]

Godehard Murkisch has not been very active in the last two decades but he is a well-known composer, author and editor.
He composes mostly direct mates and especially moremovers, but also endgame studies and some fairy problems.
He has edited some chess columns in German newspapers, has founded his own chess publishing company (Nightrider Unlimited) and has written and co-authored several chess books.
He is also an International Judge for moremovers.
More about him on the ARVES website.

Murkisch, Godehard
Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1967
1^st Prize

#5

4 + 5

Show Solution

Some logical tries explain the solution.
1.♗h5? (2.♖f3#) 1...♗f6! the black Bishop interferes with the white Rook
1.♖f1? (2.♗h5 ~ 3.♖f3#) 1...♗b6! 2.♗h5 ♗f6! another interference with the white Rook, on f2
1.♖f3+? ♔g4! fails because g5 is a flight for bKg4.
1.♖f5! (2.♗h5 ~ 3.♖f3#)
1...♗g5 prepares 2...♗f4 interfering with wRf5.
2.♖f3+ ♔g4 3.♖f1+ ♔g3 4.♗h5 and 5.♖f3#
An clear example of Ad-decoy - in logical problems, a forced move whose disadvantage lies in the occupation of the new square (Hinlenkung).