January 6th

Paul Răican (06-01-1957) Romanian composer and editor of French-speaking magazine Quartz.

Răican, Paul
Mat Plus, 2007 (27/781)
Special Prize

#7

Maximummer KoeKo PWC (Circé échange) b) wKd4-->b5  s#7

2 + 2

Show Solution

a) 1.dxe8=R [+bRd7] ! Z
1...Rg7 2.Ke5+ Rd7 3.Re7+ Kxe7 [+wRf6] 4.Rf8 Rd4 5.Kf6+ Kxf8 [+wRe7] 6.Re8 Rd8 7.Kg7#
b) 1.Kc6 ! Z
1...Re5 2.Kc7 Re8 3.dxe8=Q [+bRd7] Rg7 4.Qe5+ Rd7 5.Kc8 Rd4 6.Qb8 Rd8+ 7.Kxd8 [+bRc8] Ke7#

Răican, Paul
898 Phénix 13 06/1991
Dedicated to M.Rittirsch
1st Prize

SPG 4.0		15 + 16
Dynamo Chess

Show Solution

1. Be3[d2-f4] Qd3[pd2]+ 2. Sb1R[b1=S] Sd2 3. Qb1[Kd1] Sb3[Bd2] 4. Bc1[Bd2] [Bf1]+
Platzwechsel of the two white Bishops!

Leon Loewenton (Löwenton) (06-01-1889 - 23-09-1963) Romanian composer

Leon Loewenton
[Source: stere.ro]

Leon Loewenton was an engineer, strong chess player (member of the Olympic Romanian Team) and composer. He composed in varied genres, especially fairy and selfmates, but also retro problems.
He wrote "Metodele strategice şi tactice ale jocului de şah" (1949) which can be read on stere.ro.
He also wrote the memoirs "Urmăriti de Gestapo" (Hunted by the Gestapo, 1944, about his experience in occupied France in 1940-1944), also available for download on stere.ro.

Loewenton, Léon & Nestorescu, Virgil
L'Italia Scacchistica, 1954
1^st HM

#2

11 + 5

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Qxd3[a] 2.Nec6#[B]
1...Bc5/Qc6/Qb4/Qxd5[b]/Qb3/Qa2 2.Nac6#[A]
1...Qc3 2.bxc3#

1.Nd7! (2.Qe4#)

1...Qxd3[a] 2.Qe5#[D]
1...Qxd5[b] 2.Bc3#[C]
1...Kxd3+ 2.Be3#
1...Kxd5+ 2.Nb6#

The excellent key gives two checking flights. Two mates are changed.

Gyula Tóth (06-01-1905 - 15-02-1975) Hungarian composer

Tóth, Gyula
Fonyodi Jarasi TST, 1963
3^rd Prize

#2

14 + 6

Show Solution

1.Qe7! (2.Qf6#)

1...d4 2.Bxd4#
1...Nd7 2.N6d4#
1...Rxc5 2.d4#
1...Rh6 2.N2d4#

4 mates on the same square.
Secondary variations:
1...Kxf5 2.Qg5#
1...Bxe6+ 2.Qxe6#

Валерій Олександрович Неботов (06-01-1935) Russian-Ukrainian composer (Valery Alexandrovich Nebotov)

Nebotow, Waleri A.
PS904 The Problemist Supplement 41 07/1999

h#2		3 + 5
AntiCirce
2 solutions

Show Solution

1. exd1=R[bR>a8] d8=S 2. Ba6 Sc6#
1. exd1=B[bB>c8] dxc8=Q[wQ>d1] 2. Ka6 Qa1#

Hans Rasmussen (06-01-1937) Danish composer

Rasmussen, Hans
Schach, 1961 (3821)
3^rd Prize

#2

9 + 8

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Rd5/Rxd4[a]/Rc7/Rb7/Ra7/Re7 2.Bxd5#[A]
1...Qb7/Qb8/Qa6/Qe6/Qxf6/Qc5/Qxd4[b]/Qd8/Qa5 2.Nc5#[B]
1...Bf2/Bxd4[c] 2.Nxf2#[C]
1...f4 2.Bg6#

Tries:

1.d5+?

1...Qd4[b] 2.Nc5#[B]
1...Bd4[c] 2.Nf2#[C] but 1...Nc4!

1.Ne1? (2.Qd3#)

1...g3 2.Qf3#
1...Bxh2 2.Qe3#[D]
1...Qe6 2.Qxe6#[E] but 1...Rxf7!

1.Nf4! (2.Qd3#)

1...Rxd4[a] 2.Qd5#[F]
1...Qxd4[b] 2.Qe6#[E]
1...Bxh2/Bxd4[c] 2.Qe3#[D]
1...g3 2.Qf3#

Stocchi and Plachutta themes.

Fredrik (Fritz) af Geijerstam (06-01-1852 - 18-10-1890) Swedish composer

Fritz af Geijerstam
[Source: Problem 127-132 1969 page 30]

Fredrik af Geijerstam was the first composer to realize a white Allumwandlung in an orthodox problem.
He also wrote an anthology of his problems "96 schackproblem jämte problemteoretisk inledning" (BNF catalogue).

Af Geijerstam, Fredrik
Deutsche Schachzeitung 1882-09

#4

12 + 10

Show Solution

1.Re8!
threatens 2. Bxc3+ Kf7 3.g8=Q/Bxh5#]
1...c2+ 2.Kc1 bxa5 3.g8=R and 4.Rf5#
2...b:c5 3.g8=B and 4.Bd8#
1....Bc2+ 2.Ke1 Bxd3 (Bd1) 3.Bxc3+ Kf7 4.g8=Q#
1...bxa5 2.g8=S+ Kf7 3.Re7+ and 4.Rc8#

Allumwandlung