February 11th

Arthur James Mosely (11-02-1867 - 15-04-1930) Australian composer

Arthur Mosely
[from G.Foster and B.Meadley's article in the Problemist]

Some biographical details about Mosely and about his activity at the Brisbane Courier can be found on our Australian friends' website Ozproblems: this is an article by Geoff Foster and Bob Meadly published in The Problemist, November 2005.

Mosely, Arthur James
Good Companion, Apr 1914
2^nd Prize

#2*

10 + 10

Show Solution

Set play:

1...c4[a]/Bd6[e] 2.Sb6#[A]
1...Sc6[b]/Sc8[c] 2.Qxc6#[B]
1...b4[d] 2.Bc4#[C]
1...Be5[f] 2.Be4#[D]
1...Sxg6/Sh7/Se6[g]/Sd7 2.Qe6#[E]
1...Bc7 2.Sxc7#

1.Sc4[M]! ZZ

1...bxc4[a] 2.Bxc4#[C]
1...Sc6[b] 2.Sab6#[A]
1...Sc8[c] 2.Qb7#[K]
1...b4[d] 2.Be4#[D]
1...Bd6[e] 2.Qxd6#[J]
1...Be5[f] 2.Rxe5#[N]
1...Sxg6/Sh7/Se6[g]/Sd7 2.Qe6#[E]
1...Bc7 2.Sxc7#

The first ideal Rukhlis in mutate form. It was fascinating to discover this problem in Milan Velimirovic's article in Mat Plus Review.

Jan Hartong (11-02-1902 - 29-01-1987) Dutch composer and International Master (Honoris Causa)

Jan Hartong
Problem, February 1968
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Jan Hartong is a revered giant of chess composition. Dr. Niemeijer wrote an interesting book comparing Hartong with Lev Loshinsky: "Twee zielen Twee gedachten" (1959) as well as a monograph dedicated to Jan Hartong in the "Probleemcomponisten" series (no.IV, 1946).
(It seems that J.Hartong also participated to the 1923 Margate congress: see the group photograph on Chess Notes 4122).
Let's pick some of Hartong's works selected in the FIDE album:

Hartong, Jan
Tijdschrift vd KNSB, 1943 (8566)
1^st Prize

#3

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.Bd2 ! (2.Qxc5+ Sxc5, Rxc5 3.Sb2, Bxd3#)

1...Rdd6 2.Qf6 (3.Qc3#) 2...Se5, Rd4, Rxf6 3.Sb2, Qxa6, Bxd3#
1...Rad6 2.Qxd7 (3.Qb5#) 2...Rb6, Rc6, Rxd7/Bc6 3.Sxb6, Qxd5, Sb6#
1...d6 2.exd5 (3.Bxd3#) 2...b2, Sd3~ 3.Ba2, Sb2#
1...fxe4 2.Qxe4+ Rd4 3.Bxd3#

A threemover with unusual quiet white moves after the three black defences on d6.

Hartong, Jan
problem (Zagreb) 1954
1^st Prize

#3 vvv

12 + 10

Show Solution

1.gxf5+? Qxb4!
1.g5+? Bxb4!
1.gxh5+? Bc4!

1.Kb1! (2.Bf4 ~ 3.Qxg3#)

1...Qe5 2.gxf5+
1...Qd5 2.gxh5+
1...Qc5 2.g5+

A famous threefold realization of the Munich theme in #3.

Hartong, Jan
British Chess Magazine, 1953
1^st Prize

#2* v

9 + 11

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Re6/Bh7/Bd5 2.Qd5#[A]
1...Re5/Rd8/Rc8/Rb8/Ra8/Rf8/Be6 2.Qxe5#[B]
1...Sh5/Sf5 2.Qf5#
1...Se6 2.Qd5#[A]/Qe5#[B]/Qf5#

1.Se6? (2.Qe3#)

1...Bd4[a]/Rxf1[a] 2.Qd5#[A]
1...Qg3[b] 2.Sxg5#[C]
1...Rd4[c] 2.Qe5#[B]
1...Qf2 2.Sxg5#[C]/Sxf2#
1...Sf5 2.Qxf5#
1...Rd3 2.exd3#
1...Sf3 2.exf3#
but 1...Qxg4!

1.Sf5! (2.Qe3#)

1...Bd4[a]/Rxf1[a] 2.Sd6#[D]
1...Qg3[b] 2.Sxg3#[F]
1...Rd4[c] 2.Sf6#[E]
1...Sxf5 2.Qxf5#
1...Rd3 2.exd3#
1...Sf3 2.exf3#
1...Qf2 2.Sxf2#

Three changed mates between try and real play. Grimshaw, Stocchi.

Hartong, Jan
The Problemist, 1927
1^st Prize

#2

8 + 14

Show Solution

Have you got the key? The least likely move is the solution: 1.Kxa6! exposes the white King to no less than 3 black batteries. Check the variations to convince yourself.

Further read: Hartong's task of 6 thematic variations of the organ pipes theme.

Евгений Иванович Умнов (11-02-1913 - 22-07-1989) Russian composer and IM(Evgheni Ivanovich Umnov)

Evgheni Ivanovich Umnov
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Evgheni Ivanovich Umnov
[Thanks to Valery Surkov]

Yes, this is the Umnov of the Umnov theme.
You can read in Zadachy i Etyudi 5/1928 his article about the Goethart theme and his picture.

Умнов, Евгений Иванович
Moskauer Schachklub, 1938
1^st Prize

#3

10 + 11

Show Solution

1.Bb4 ! (2.dxc5+ Ke7 3.Qxf6# and 2.Bxc5+ Kxd5 3.Sxf6#)

1...Sxd4 2.Qb5! (3.Qxc5#) 2...Sxb5, Kxd5 3.Bxc5, Qc6#
1...Bxd4 2.Qf6! (3.Qxe6#) 2...Bxd5, Bxf6, Kxd5 3.Qf8, Bxc5, Qe5#
1...Kxd5 2.Sxf6+ Kd6 3.Bxc5#
1...Ke7 2.Qxf6+ Kd6 3.Qxe6/dxc5#

Umnov theme

Умнов, Евгений Иванович
Задачи и этюды 1928
Prize

h#2

5 solutions b7, a5, h3, b2, f2: Grasshopper

11 + 8

Show Solution

1.Kg5 d8=S 2.Kh6 Sf7#
1.Kf6 d8=R 2.Sf5 Rf8#
1.Kf4 d8=Q 2.Gf5 Qxh4#
1.Ke6 d8=B 2.Kxd6 Rc6#
1.Ke4 d8=G 2.Rg4 d5#

Super AUW.

Roald Bukne (11-02-1925 - 10-10-1997) Norwegian composer and chess player

Bukne, Roald
Deutsche Schachzeitung (3773)
1^st Prize

#2*

9 + 7

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Bf4[a]/Bg3[a]/Bh2[a]/Bd6[a]/Bb8[a] 2.Sc3#[A]
1...Bf6[b]/Bg7[b]/Bh8[b]/Bd4/Bb2[b]/Ba1[b] 2.Sdc7#[B]
1...Sf6/Sf8/Sxc5/Sb6/Sb8 2.Rb6#
1...Bc3/Bc7 2.Sxc3#[A]/Sdc7#[B]

1.Bb4! ZZ

1...Bf4[a]/Bg3[a]/Bh2[a]/Bd6[a]/Bb8[a] 2.Sd4#[C]
1...Bf6[b]/Bg7[b]/Bh8[b]/Bc3/Bb2[b]/Ba1[b] 2.Sec7#[D]
1...Rxb4[c] 2.Sc3#[A]
1...axb4[d] 2.Sdc7#[B]
1...Sf6/Sf8/Sc5/Sb6/Sb8 2.Rb6#
1...Bd4/Bc7 2.Sxd4#[C]/Sec7#[D]
1...Bd3 2.Bxd3#
1...Bxe2 2.Qxe2#

Rukhlis.

Gheorghe Tănase (11-02-1945) Romanian composer

Tănase, Gheorghe
Buletin Problemistic 1998
Dedicated to Mihai Olariu

h#3		6 + 6
b)	-bPf3
c)	bKe4->a4
d)	bKe4->h3

Show Solution

a) 1. d1=S e7 2. Sc3 e8=S 3. Sd5 Sd6#
b) 1. d1=B e7 2. Bg4 e8=B 3. Bf5 Bc6#
c) 1. d1=R e7 2. Ra1 e8=R 3. Ra3 Re4#
d) 1. d1=Q e7 2. Qf1 e8=Q 3. Qg2 Qh5#

Babson-task. (This is the second Babson task of this blog).