January 30th

Samuel Loyd (30-01-1841 - 10-04-1911) American composer

Samuel Loyd [Wikipedia]

Does Sam Loyd need any introduction? Please refer to the Wikipedia webpage which also quotes the famous Excelsior problem that is reproduced below.

Loyd, Samuel
The Era (London) 13^th Jan 1861 (337)
2^nd Prize

#5

8 + 10

Show Solution

1.b4 ! (threatens 2.Rf5 [3.Rf1#] Rc5 3.bxc5 ~ 4.Rf1#)
1...Rc5 2.bxc5 (3.Rb1#)
2....a2 3.c6 (4.Rf5 ~ 5.Rf1#)
4...Bc7 4.cxb7 ~ 5.bxa8=B/Q#
Excelsior.

Markus Ott (30-01-1960 - 01-10-2021) Swiss composer

Markus Ott composed direct mates or fairies or proof games. Here is a sample of his art in direct mates:

Ott, Markus
Phénix
3^rd Prize

#4

7 + 9

Show Solution

1.Bb2 ! (2.Rxd4+ Qxd4 3.Sd2+ Qxd2 4.Bb3#)

1...Sd3 2.Sa5+ Sxa5 3.Bb3+ Sxb3 4.Rc2#
1...d3 2.Bxd3+ exd3 3.Rc2+ dxc2/Qc3 4.Sd2# or 2...Sxd3 3.Rc2+ Qc3 4.Sd2#

Cycle of 3^rd and 4^th White moves, white sacrifices.

Markus Matthias Manhart (30-01-1969) German composer and FIDE Master

Markus Manhart
[Franz Pachl - Schach mit Partner]

Markus Manhart composes many problems in collaboration, especially with Franz Pachl. We have selected a work composed by him alone:

Manhart, Markus Mathias
Harmonie, 1991
1^st Prize

h#3

3.1.1... g8, a7, e6: Grasshopper

4 + 11

Show Solution

1.Bc4 Ga5 2.Kd4 Gg6 3.Ge4 c3#
1.Rc4 Gg6 2.Kd5 c3 3.Se4 Ga5#
1.c4 c3 2.Kd3 Ga5 3.e4 Gg6#

Complete cycle of white moves (Ga5, Gg6 and c3).

August Wilhelm Eduard Franke (30-01-1832 - 22-02-1891) German composer

Franke, August Wilhelm Eduard
Schachzeitung, 1851

#4

9 + 4

Show Solution

1.Bc6! ZZ
1...Kg4 2.Ba4 Kf5 3.Bd1 Kg4 4.e4#
The pericritical manoeuvre is quite unusual for 1851.

Gyula Beck (30-01-1889 - ?) Hungarian composer

Beck, Gyula
Magyar Sakkvilág, 1925
1^st HM

#2

10 + 7

Show Solution

1.Rf4! zz

1...Kd6/Ke7 2.c8=Q#
1...Ke6 2.c8=Q#/c8=B#
1...Ke8/Kc6 2.c8=Q#/c8=R#
1...Kc8 2.Sb6#

Complete block with an unexpected key.

Вячеслав Семёнович Владимиров (30-01-1934) Russian composer and FIDE Master(Viacheslav Semyonovich Vladimirov)

Viacheslav Vladimirov
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Владимиров, Вячеслав Семёнович
Запорізька правда 1963
1^st Prize

#2

6 + 4

Show Solution

Tries are skipped.
1.Qh1! (2.Rd2#)

1...Kd5+[a] 2.Rgg6#[F]
1...Kf3+[b] 2.Rgc2#[E]
1...Kd3 2.Qxh7#
1...d3 2.Rg4#
1...e2 2.Rg3#

Four battery mates after a good flight-giving key.

Kazimierz Strzala (30-01-1939) Polish composer

Strzała, Kazimierz
Revista Română de Şah, Oct 1985
1^st Prize

#2* v

11 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:

1...dxc4[a] 2.Rd7#[A]
1...dxe4[b] 2.Rd6#[B]
1...Rh1 2.Bxf2#

1.Sc5? (2.Qxd3#)

1...dxc4[a] 2.Rd6#[B]
1...dxe4[b] 2.Rxe4#[C]
1...Kxc4 2.Sb3#
but 1...Qf1!

1.Se5! (2.Qxd3#)

1...dxc4[a] 2.Rxc4#[D]
1...dxe4[b] 2.Rd7#[A]
1...Kxe4 2.Sc6#
1...Qf1 2.Sxf3#

Yes, Zagoruiko it is. The thematic mates of the set play reappear in try and real play.

Ernest Haslam Harvey Jerrard (30-01-1890 - 08-11-1978) Australian composer [Thank you Dr Dowd!]

Jerrard, Ernest Haslam Harvey
The Brisbane Courier, 22^nd May 1920 (2200)
1^st Prize

#2*

11 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Qd5 2.Bf5#
1...Rd3 2.Bb3#
1...Rxd4 2.Bc4#
1...Ra1/Re1/Rf1/Rg1/Rdh1 2.d5#
1...Nxf7 2.Bxf7#

1.Kg5! (2.Sf6#)

1...Rd3 2.Bb3#
1...Rxd4 2.Bc4#
1...Qd5+ 2.Bf5#
1...Sxf7+ 2.Bxf7#
1...Rxg3+ 2.Sxg3#

Another good key and 4 battery mates.
Accessorily, theme Somov B2 is also realized.