January 25th

Hans Theo Kuner (25-01-1929) German composer

Hans Theo Kuner
[Kartothek A-K page 194]

Of Hans Theo Kuner (or Theo Kuner) many problems could be quoted. May the reader be satisfied with three:

Kuner, Hans Theo
Die Schwalbe, 1959
1^st Prize

#3

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.Kb6! (2.Sxc4+ Kd5 3.Sc7#)

1...Qd4 2.Sxd4 (3.Sc6#)
1...Qc3 2.Sd8 (3.Sc6#) 2.Sg5?/Sf8?
1...Qa2 2.Sg5 (3.Re4#) 2.Sd8?/Sf8?
1...Qc1 2.Sf8 (3.Sd7#) 2.Sg5?/Sd8?

Focal theme. Cycle of double refutations.

A logical mate in 5:

Kuner, Hans Theo
TT Die Schwalbe, 1951
1^st Prize

#5

10 + 9

Show Solution

1.Bc8 ! (2.Bb7#)
1...Rb1 2.Bd7 (3.Bc6#)
2...Rb6 3.Be6 (4.Bd5#)
3...Rxd6 4.Bg4 (5.Bf3#)
4...Rd3 5.cxd3#
Roman theme.

Kuner, Hans Theo
Die Schwalbe, 1963

-8 & #1 Proca-Retractor

10 + 2

Show Solution

-1.a5xb6 e.p.! b7-b5 -2.b5xc6 e.p. c7-c5 -3.c5xd6 e.p. d7-d5 -4.d5xe6 e.p. e7-e5 -5.e5xf6 e.p. f7-f5 -6.f5xg6 e.p. g7-g5 -7.g5xh6 e.p. h7-h5 -8.Rh6-a6 & 1.Rxh1#

7 en-passant captures.

Antanas Vilkauskas (25-01-1939) Lithuanian composer

Antanas Vilkauskas is a helpmate composer. He is also the author of a book about Lithuanian chess composition.

Vilkauskas, Antanas
JT Stolev-60, Orbit 2007-2008
7^th Prize

h#3

2.1.1...

5 + 13

Show Solution

1.Rg3 Rxb5 2.Se5 Rxc5 3.Sdf7 Rc4#
1.Rg4 Bd8 2.Se4 Bxe7 3.Sb6 Bd6#

Orthogonal-diagonal correspondence, selfpin, exchange of functions between the two bSs, pinmates.

Flemming Rosenberg Sørensen (25-01-1948) Danish composer

Sørensen, Flemming Rosenberg
Skakbladet, 1975

#3

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Qc3 ! (2.Qf3+ Ke5 3.Qf4#)

1...Kg4 2.Qe1 ZZ 2...Kf5, Kxh3, Kf3 3.Qe6, Be6, Bh5#
1...Ke4 2.Bg6+ Kd5 3.Sf4#

Miniature with model mates.

Rainer Heinz (25-01-1955) German composer

Rainer Heinz composes direct mates and helpmates.

Heinz, Rainer
Schach-Echo, 1990
1^st Prize

h#7

3 + 11

Show Solution

1.Ba1 Bb2 2.Rg1 Kc3 3.Rh5 Kd3 4.Kg5 Bh8 5.Bg7 Ke4 6.Bh6 Ke5 7.Rg4 Bf6#
Loshinsky, switchbacks, reciprocal Bristols: a lot of action on the long diagonal.