January 22nd

Jacob Bettmann (22-01-1865 - 22-04-1935) American composer

FindAGrave

Jacob was the cousin of composer Henry Ward Bettmann.

Bettmann, Jacob
Southern Trade Gazette, 1887
1^st Prize

#2

11 + 5

Show Solution

1.fxe4! zz

1...exd4 2.exd5#
1...dxe4 2.dxe5#

(An interesting realization of the Zilahi theme for a pair of pawns, with reciprocal captures between pawns)
Other variations:

1...gxf2/g2 2.Qh3#
1...Kxd3 2.Rf3#

Henning Gunnar Natanael Källström (22-01-1909 - 23-06-1993) Swedish composer

Henning Källström
‎"Problem" № 127-132 September 1969 pg. 104-105.
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Källström, Henning Gunnar Natanael
Tidskrift för Schack, 1978
2^nd Honorable Mention

+

4 + 9

Show Solution

1. Sg6+ Kh7 2. Sf8+ Kh8 3. Qh3 Bd4+ 4. Ke7 Bc5+ 5. Ke8 Bxf8 6. Bxf8+ Qh7 7. Qc3+ Kg8 8. Qb3+ Kh8 9. Qb2+ Kg8 10. Qa2+ Kh8 11. Qa1+ Kg8 12. Qg1+ Kh8 13. Qd4+ Kg8 14. Qd5+ Kh8 15. Qe5+ Kg8 16. Qg5+ Kh8 17. Qf6+ Kg8 18. Bh6 Qxh6 19. Qxh6 +-

A systematic solution.

João Baptista Santiago (22-01-1894 - 21-08-1963) Brazilian composer

Santiago, João Baptista
Parallèle 50, 1949

#3

6 + 1

Show Solution

1.Qc2 ! ZZ

1...Ke6 2.Qc6+ Kf7 3.Qg6#
1...Kxd7 2.Qc7+ Ke8 3.Qe7# or 2...Ke6 3.Sf4#
1...Kxd5 2.Qg6 ZZ 2...Kd4/Kc4 3.Qd3#

The good give-and take key leaves both wSs unguarded.

Santiago, João Baptista
Problem, 1954
2^nd Place

#2		7 + 10

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Qxc6 [a] 2.Qxf5# [A]
1...Bxc5 2.Bc4# [B]
1...Rxc5 2.Rxd1# [C]

1.Bd6! (2.Se7#)

1...Qxc6 [a] 2.Rxd1# [C]
1...Sxc6 2.Bc4# [B]
1...cxd6 2.Qxf5# [A]
1...Bxd6 2.Qf7#
1...f4 2.Rh5#
1...Re1 2.Rd4#

Bristol, Somov B2, transferred mates.
(Problem 158 in FIDE Album 1945-1955).

Josef Emil Krejcik (22-01-1885 - 04-01-1957) Austrian composer and player

Chess Notes

Krejcik has a dedicated page on Wikipedia or here. He was a chess master and published several books. His aggressive style made for spectacular and short games, such as this one (Please press Refresh if the game is not immediately displayed) or this one which was already mentioned by Edward Winter on Chess Notes.

Krejcik, Josef Emil
Deutsches Wochenschach, 1904 (456)

+

3 + 5

Show Solution

1. Bxa3+ Kc4
{1... Kxa3 2. Kc3 b2 3. Sc2#}
2. Bb2 Kb4 3. Kd3 a3 4. Bc3+ Ka4 5. Kc4 b2 6. Sb3 b1=Q 7. Sc5#
A simple and attractive endgame.

Adalbert Schmitt (22-01-1897 - ?) German composer

Schmitt, Adalbert
Lippische Landeszeitung, 1951
1^st Prize

#2

7 + 5

Show Solution

1.Se5! (2.Sd3#)

1...Kxe5+ 2.Sf6#
1...Rxh3 2.Qg5#
1...Rxe5 2.Qh4#
1...Qa7+ 2.Nc5#
1...Qd5/Qxc4 2.Ng6#
1...dxe5 2.Qd2#

Meredith with attractive key.

József Tafferner (22-01-1913 - 11-05-1997) Hungarian composer

Tafferner, József
Magyar Sakkvilág, 1942
1^st Prize

s#2

7 + 13

Show Solution

1.Qc4 ! ZZ

1...Sg5~ 2.Rf2+ exf2#
1...Se4! 2.Qxe2+ Sxe2#
1...Rg6~ 2.Qxe2+ Sxe2#
1...Rd6! 2.Rf2+ exf2#
[Thank you Emmanuel for spotting the typo!]

Feldmann corrections in selfmate - perhaps shown then for the first time in a selfmate?

Tafferner, József
Bajai Tsb, 1954
2^nd Prize

#2

10 + 10

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Qb3/Qf3 2.Sxd2#[A]
1...Qd3 2.Qc8#
1...Qe3+/Qxd4+/Qb4/Qa5 2.Sxe3#[B]

1.Rxc2! (2.Rxc3#)

1...b1=S 2.Se3#[B]
1...d1=S 2.Sd2#[A]
1...Qxc2 2.Qxc2#
1...Rc1 2.Sxa3#
1...Rxf1+ 2.Qxf1#

The key indirectly pins white Sf1 and in the two main variations Black unpins the wSf1, with dual avoidance.

Fritz Matzinger (22-01-1904 - 03-08-1994) Swiss composer

Matzinger, Fritz
Berner Problemturnier
1^st Prize

#2

10 + 9

Show Solution

1.Rg5! (2.Rxg4#)

1...Qd4 2.Qd2#
1...Bd4 2.Qe4#
1...Rd4/Rg6 2.Sg6#
1...Sd4 2.Qe3#
1...Sxe5 2.Bxe5#
1...Rxd3+ 2.Sxd3#
1...Rg8 2.Rf5#

Black plays on d4 to interfere with wBa1. 4 mates ensue, with dual avoidance. In the 1...Qd4 variation, Black parries the threat with a Pelle move and White mates with a Pelle move.

Bernhard Hegermann (21-01-1878 - 10-08-1965) German composer

Bernhard Hegermann is mostly known for the h#28 below, which is the longest existing correct helpmate. There is not much information available about him. In December 2008 Mirko Degenkolbe seemed to have material enough for an article to be published in October 2009, but until now, to my knowledge, the article has not been published yet in Die Schwalbe. If anyone knows more about this, please send me that information.

Readers interested in the length record for helpmates may read online Mirko Degenkolbe's article in harmonie 86.

Hegermann, Bernhard
The Problemist, 1934

h#28

11 + 7

Show Solution

1.Kxh8 Kh1 2.Kg8 Kg1 3.Kf8 Kh1 4.Ke8 Kg1 5.Kd8 Kh1 6.Kc7 Kg1 7.Kd6 Kh1 8.Kxe6 Kg1 9.Kf6 Kh1 10.Kg5 Kg1 11.Kf4 Kh1 12.Kxe4 Kg1 13.Kd4 Kh1 14.Kc3 Kg1 15.Kxb3 Kh1 16.Kxb4 Kg1 17.Kxb5 Kh1 18.Kc4 Kg1 19.b5 Kh1 20.b4 Kg1 21.b3 Kh1 22.b2 Kg1 23.b1=Q Kh1 24.Qf5 Kg1 25.Qf7 gxf7 26.Kc3 f8=Q 27.Kd2 Qc8 28.Ke1 Qc1#

Length record.

Another example of Hegermann's style:

Hegermann, Bernhard
Tijdschrift vd NSB, 1927

h#5

3 + 13

Show Solution

1.Kg4 h8=Q 2.Kf5 Qa8 3.Kf6 Qh1 4.Kg7 Qxa1+ 5.Kf8 Qh8#

Rundlauf of the promoted wQ and 4 corners.