January 29th

Miroslav Bílý (29-01-1945) Czech composer

Miroslav Bílý composes helpmates presenting (chameleon) echo mates and he even wrote a book about them.

Bílý, Miroslav
Problem Observer, 1997
1^st Prize

h#3.5

b) Move f7 d4

4 + 4

Show Solution

a) 1...Bd7 2.Rb7 Bh3 3.Re7 g4 4.Ke6 g5#
b) 1...Bh2 2.Re6 g3 3.Ke5 Bc6 4.Sf6 g4#
Chameleon echo mates.

Alphonse Grunenwald (29-01-1916 - 18-05-2000) French composer

Grunenwald composed mostly direct mates and helpmates. In order to give an idea of his style, we have selected three problems: #3, h#2 and fairy h#6.

Grunenwald, Alphonse
Suddeutschen Rundfunk, 1959
2^nd Prize

#3

7 + 4

Show Solution

1.d4 ! ZZ

1...Se2~xd4 2.Sa4+ Kd1 3.Sc3#
1...g2 2.Sd3+ Kd1 3.Sf2#
1...Sf5~ 2.Sc4+ Kd1 3.Se3#

Siers battery, block.

Grunenwald, Alphonse
diagrammes, 1983

h#2

3.1.1.1

6 + 6

Show Solution

1.Qc4 Ra5 2.Qc7 Rd5#
1.Qb5 Rc4 2.Qe5 Rc6#
1.e6 Ra7 2.e5 Rd7#

Tempo.

Grunenwald, Alphonse
Feenschach, 1952

h#6

g4: Nightrider

2 + 5

Show Solution

1.Na7 g4 2.e1=N+ g5 3.Nb7 g6 4.f1=N g7 5.Nh5 g8=N 6.Nb8 Nd2#
A classical problem. Promotion, Excelsior, selfblock.

Олександр Вікторович Мочалкін (29-01-1951 - 11-08-1996) Ukrainian composer and FIDE master (Oleksandr Viktorovich Mochalkin)

Aleksandr Mochalkin
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Мочалкін, Олександр Вікторович
Ukrainian Sports Committee, 1986
1^st Prize

#2 vv

6 + 6

Show Solution

1.Qf8? (2.Qf1#)

1...Sxd5[a] 2.Bd3#[A]
1...Rxc5[b] 2.Qxc5#[B]
but 1...Rf6!

1.Qd7? (2.Bd3#[A])

1...Sxd5[a] 2.Qxd5#[C]
1...Rxc5[b]/Rd6 2.Qxa4#[D]
but 1...g5!

1.Qb7! (2.Qb4#)

1...Sxd5[a]/Sb5/Sa6 2.Qb5#[E]
1...Rxc5[b]/Rb6 2.Bd3#[A]

Zagoruiko 3x2 in which move 2.Bd3# appears as a threat in one try and on each of the black defences. Meredith.

Мочалкін, Олександр Вікторович
Odesa 88, 1988
1^st Prize

#2*

11 + 5

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Bb6 2.Qxb6#
1...Bc5 2.Qxc5#
1...Bb8 2.Qb6#/Qc5#

1.Scb2[B]? (2.Be3#[C])

1...Bxd3+[a] 2.Rxd3#[D]
1...Sf3[c] 2.Rb4#[A]
but 1...Sc4[b]!

1.Qg6? (2.Be3#[C])

1...Bxd3[a] 2.Qxd3#[E]
1...Se4/Sf3[c]/Sxc4[b] 2.Qxe4#[F]
but 1...Bg2!

1.Rb4[A]! (2.Sxd2#)

1...Bxd3[a] 2.Be3#[C]
1...Sxc4[b] 2.Rxc4#[G]
1...Sf3[c] 2.Scb2#[B]
1...Bc5 2.Qxc5#

Dombro-Zagoruiko, Reversal, black correction. Somov B2, Anti-Roels.
[Anti-Roels: Somov where the defence pins the threat-piece]

Mochalkin also knows how to compose helpmates:

Мочалкін, Олександр Вікторович
Санкт-Петербургский конкурс 1994
1^st Prize

h#2

4 solutions

6 + 13

Show Solution

1.Bf4 Kc2+ 2.Ke4 Kc1#
1.g5 Kd3+ 2.Kf5 Kxe3#
1.Re7 Kc4+ 2.Ke6 Kc5#
1.Qd6 Kb3+ 2.Kd5 Ka3#

Doubled King batteries, creation of King battery, Anderssen theme.
Cross of bK, cross of wK, remote selfblocks, echo mates.

Виктор Владимирович Кичигин (29-01-1949) Russian composer (Viktor Vladimirovich Kichigin)

Victor Kichigin
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Кичигин, Виктор Владимирович
Schach, 1976 (8010)
1^st HM

#3

7 + 10

Show Solution

1.Qh7! (2.Qxe4+ Kxe4 3.Rxc4#)

1...Rc5 2.Qd7+ Rd5 3.Sb5#
1...Bxh7 2.Sxe6+ Kd5 3.Rb6#

Anders Elis Waldemar Olson (29-01-1901 - 22-01-2004) Swedish composer

Anders Olson
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Olson, Anders Elis Waldemar
Magyar Sakkvilag 1925 1/2e Prix

s#2

13 + 8

Show Solution

1.Sf6! ZZ

1...g5 2.Sg4
1...c5 2.Bc4
1...c6 2.Be4
1...cxb6 2.Qa4
1...cxd6 2.Sd5
1...g6 2.Bxg6
1...gxf6 2.Bf5
1...gxh6 2.Sh5

Double Pickaninny.

Григорий Фёдорович Марковский (29-01-1937) Russian composer (Grigory Fedorovich Markovsky)

Markovsky is presently one of the best twomover composers. His preference goes to transferred/changed mates.

Марковский, Григорий Фёдорович
Знамя труда 1988
1^st Prize

#2

10 + 9

Show Solution

1. Rd4? (2. Qh3#)

1... fxg3 2. Sxg3#
1... Rh1 2. Sxc3#
but 1... Rb5!

1. Re3? (2. Qh3#)

1... Rb5 2. Sxc3#
1... fxg3 2. Qf3#
but 1... Rh1!

1. Sxc3! (2. Qh3#)

1... Rb5 2. Re3#
1... Rh1 2. Rd4#

Salazar, Banny.

Ladislav Polacek (29-01-1923) Slovak composer

Polacek is a direct mate composer with some notable results, among which the following 4-mover:

Polacek, Ladislav
Schachverein Eutin JT, 2000
1^st Prize

#4

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.Rc7! (2.Be4+ Bxe4 3.Rxc3+ Rxc3 4.Qe2#)

1...Bf3 2.Rxc3+ Rxc3 3.Qe2+ Bxe2 4.Be4#
1...Rg2 2.Qe2+ Rxe2 3.Be4+ Bxe4 4.Rxc3#
1...Qg6 2.Rxc6 (3.Rxc3+ Rxc3 4.Qe2#)
(1...Qc8 2.Bxc6 [3.Be4#] Qa8/Qb7/Sd2 3.Bxa8,Rd7+/Bxb7,Rxb7,Rd7+/Be4+,Qc4+)

Complete cycle ABC/BCA/CAB of the white moves Be4, Rxc3 and Qe2 and cyclic Zilahi.

Bernhard Schauer (29-01-1929 - 15-04-1995) German composer and International Master

Schauer is known for some remarkable logical direct mates such as:

Schauer, Bernhard
Schweizerische Schachzeitung, 1990
1^st Prize

#6

10 + 7

Show Solution

Logical try:
1.f6? (2.Sf5#) but 1...Rxf6!

1.Bg1! (2.Bf2+ Bg3 3.Bxg3#) Bb6 2.c5 (3.Bf2#) Bxc5 3.Bh2 (4.Bg3#) Bd6 4.f6 (5.Sf5#) Rc5 5.e5 (6.Bg3,Sf5#)
   3...Bf2 4.Bf4 (5.Bg5#) Rg6 5.fxg6 (6.Bg5,Sf5#)
       4...Be3 5.Rxe3 (6.Bg3,Bg5#)
The Roman decoy allows a Novotny.

Schauer, Bernhard
1e Prix Die Schwalbe, 1974

h#2

7 + 7

Show Solution

1.Rd3 Bf3 2.Rd6 Bd5#
1.Re3 Sf3 2.Re6 Se5#
1.Rf3 Be3 2.Rf7 Bf4#

Pelle moves by bR, closing of black lines, creation of white battery, unpin.
(Of course it was selected in the 1974-76 FIDE Album).

Irving Chernev (29-01-1900 - 29-09-1981) American composer

Chernev, Irving
source unknown, 1960

+

2 + 1

Show Solution

1. a4? Ke4 2. a5 Kd5 3. a6 Kc6 4. a7 Kb7 5. a8D+ Kxa8=
1. Kf5! Ke3 2. Ke5! Kd3 3. Kd5! Kc3 4. Kc5! Kb2 5. a4 wins
One of the ideas that gave birth to the endgame that won the 2010 Study of the Year title.

Jens Peter Marinus Ottesen Pedersen (29-01-1896 - 18-09-1968) Danish composer

Pedersen, Jens Peter Marinus Ottesen
Kryds-og Tvaersbladet, 1934
Prize

#2

9 + 7

Show Solution

1.Qg7! (2.Qxg4#)

1...Rdxe5 2.Sab5#
1...Sg5/Sh2/Sfxe5/Sd2 2.Rd2#
1...Scxe5 2.Rb4#
1...Rexe5/Rg8 2.Se6#

Nietvelt theme.

John Angus Erskine (29-01-1873 - 27-04-1960) New Zealander composer

Erskine, John Angus
Australian Columns, 1915
1^st Prize

#3

5 + 7

Show Solution

1.Bd7! (2.Sd6+ Kd3/Kd5 3.Bf5/Qd2#)

1...Sd~ 2.Be6+ Kd3 3.Sef2#
1...Sa~ 2.Qc3+ Kd5 3.Sgxf6#
1...Kd5 2.Sexf6+ Kc4/Kd6 3.Se5/Qe5#
1...Kd3 2.Sef2+ Kc4 3.Se3#
(1...Sc3 2.Qxc3+ Kd5 3.Sgxf6,Qd3#)

A Bohemian-style Kiwi problem with model mates.