February 6th

Adolf Engerth (06-02-1860 - ?) Polish composer

Engerth, Adolf
The Chess Monthly, 1883

#4

10 + 11

Show Solution

1.Rh6 ! (2.Qc6+ Sxc6 3.Be6+ Kd4 4.Rh4#)

1...Sc3 2.Qxc3 (threatens 3.Rd6+ exd6 4.Sf6#; 3.Bf5 ~ 4.Be4#; and 3.Qb4 ~ 4.Qe4#)
1...Sd4/Sc7/Sd6 2.R(x)d6+ exd6 3.Sf6+
1...Kd4 2.Rh4 (3.Be6#) 2...Kd5 3.Qc4+ Kxc4 4.Be6# or 2...Sc3/Sd6 3.Be6+ Se4+ 4.Rxe4#
1...e6 2.Rh4 (3.Qc4+ Kxc4 4.Bxe6#)
2...Sc3 3.Qxc3 (4.Sf6#)
2...Sd4 3.Sf6+ Kxe5 4.Qc7#
2...Sd6 3.Sf6+ Kxe5, Kd4 4.Qa1/Qc3, Qc3#
2...Sc7 3.Bxh3/Bf5/Bh5

Many white sacrifices.

Benjamin Glover Laws (06-02-1861 - 21-09-1931) British composer and editor

Benjamin Glover Laws [The Problemist]

You may find some biographic details and a very interesting lecture by Laws on The Problemist's website.
The very same lecture clarifies the origin of the chess problem term "Cook":

I often saw Horwitz about this period and as the question regarding the origin of the term “Cook” was then being discussed in problem circles, I asked him if he could throw any light on the subject. He corroborated the statement which had been made that Kling (who had frequently collaborated with him in end-game and problem study) would on Horwitz greeting him with: “I have a raw idea,” ironically reply “Well, I will cook your raw idea.” If Horwitz's account can be relied upon, this should settle a debated point.

Laws seems to have been the originator of the reflex stipulation.
Laws also wrote a 26-page booklet "The Artistry of the Chess Problem, with special reference to the beauties of the three- and fourmover" that can be read on Anders Thulin's site.

Laws had an exceptional career punctuated with many prizes. Here is a 1st prize from 1892:

Laws, Benjamin Glover
Jamaica Gleaner, 1892
1^st Prize

#2*

8 + 5

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Be6 2.Qxe6#
1...Bd7/Bc8 2.Qxg2#
1...Sc7 2.Rxc7#
1...Sd7/Sa6 2.Qxa8#

1.Rd7! (2.Qd5#)

1...Kxd7 2.Sde5#
1...Be6 2.Qxe6#
1...Bxd7 2.Qxg2#
1...Sxb6 2.Sce5#
1...Sc7 2.Rxc7#
1...Sxd7 2.Qxa8#

Flight giving key, defences on same square (d7), Model mates.

And another one from 1948:

Laws, Benjamin Glover
The British Chess Magazine, 1948 (7845)
1^st Prize, July-December

#3

7 + 3

Show Solution

1. Sc5! (2.Sd7+ Kg5 3.Bd2#)

1... Kg5 2. Bd2+ Kf6 3. Sd7#
1... Ke5 2. Sd3+ Kd4, Kf6 3. Bc5, Be7#
1... Bc3 2. Bxc3+ Kg5 3. Se6#
1... Bd4 2. Se4+ Ke5 3. Bd6#

Flight-giving key, Model mates.

Johannes Dusold (06-02-1871 - 24-08-1946) German composer

Dusold, Johannes
Deutsche Schachbund, 1929
2^nd Prize

#2

11 + 9

Show Solution

1.Qd1! (2.Sf5#)

1...Bxg5/Ba5+ 2.Ka5#
1...Rd2 2.Kxb3#
1...Rd3/Bxd1 2.Kc4#
1...Qe4 2.Sxe4#
1...Bd3 2.Kxc3#
1...Bxb5 2.Kxb5#

5 mates given by the royal battery.

Josef Rašovský (06-02-1881 - 18-12-1961) Czech composer

Rašovský, Josef
Tidskrift för Schack, 1910

#2*

5 + 4

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Qxa3 2.Rxa3#
1...Bc1/Bxa3/S~ 2.Rxc1#

1.Rcb3! ZZ

1...Bc3/Bxd4 2.Rb1#
1...Qxa3 2.Rxa3#
1...S~ 2.Bxb2#

Aristocrat, model mates.

Lars Richard Carlson (06-02-1885 - ?) American composer

Carlson, Lars Richard & Nelson, Nels H.
Good Companion, May 1922

#2* v

8 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Sf4/Qh5/Qh6/Qh7/Qxh8/Qe4/Qxg3/Qg5/Qf6/Bg4 2.Qe4#[A]
1...Re6/Bf5/Be8/Bb5/Ba4 2.Sf5#
1...Rf7/Rh7/Be6 2.Bxe5#[B]

1.Be4? (2.Qd5#)

1...c6 2.Qa4#
1...c2 2.Qa1#
1...Qxe4 2.Qxe4#[A]
1...Be6 2.Bxe5#[B]
1...Bc6 2.Qa7#
but 1...Sf4!

1.Bf7! (2.Qd5#)

1...Sf4/Qe4 2.Qe4#[A]
1...c6 2.Qa4#
1...c2 2.Qa1#
1...Re6 2.Sf5#
1...Rxf7/Be6 2.Bxe5#[B]
1...Bc6 2.Qa7#

Pickabish, transferred mates.

László Apró (06-02-1907 - 29-11-2000) Hungarian composer and FIDE Master

László Apró
Új Magyar Sakkfeladvány Antológia / Szerkeszto G.Bakcsi Budapest, 1979. P. 98, III.
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

László Apró was a monumental composer who excelled in all genres. His helpmates are notable for the innovations they brought at their time:

Apró, László
Boletim da UBP, 1970
1^st Prize

h#2

2 solutions

7 + 8

Show Solution

1.Sxb3 Rd8 2.Sd4 Sef4#
1.Sxd7 Ba2 2.Se5 Sdf4#

Loss of tempo.

Apró, László
Schach-Echo, 1971
Prize

h#3

b) bKc7->e4

5 + 15

Show Solution

a) 1. Bc8 Bb5 2. Bd7 Be5+ 3. Kc8 Ba6#
b) 1. Be5 Bf2 2. Bd4 Bf5+ 3. Ke5 Bg3#

Umnov, echo mates.

Peter Asbury-Smith (06-02-1929) British composer

Asbury-Smith has composed in varied genres: fairy, retro, direct mates, etc.

Asbury-Smith, Peter
British Chess Magazine, 1957

#2* v

9 + 6

Show Solution

Set play:

1...S~[a] 2.Bxf2#[A]/Be5#[B]
1...Sf4 2.Bxf2#[A]
1...Bc4/Bxb7 2.Rxc4#

1.S5e3? (2.Rd5#)

1...Se5[a]/Sb4[a] 2.Bxe5#[B]
1...Rxf3[b] 2.Sc2#[C]
1...Sf5[c] 2.Sxf5#[D]
1...Bc4/Bxb7 2.Rxc4#
but 1...Sf4!

1.Sf4! (2.Rd5#)

1...Se5[a]/Sxf4/Sb4[a] 2.Bxf2#[A]
1...Rxf3[b] 2.Se2#[F]
1...Sf5[c] 2.Se6#[E]
1...Bc4 2.Rxc4#
1...Bxb7 2.Rc4#/Rxd3#

A beautiful twomover with 3 changed mates between the try and the actual play.

Asbury-Smith, Peter
feenschach, 1972 (593)
1^st Prize

sh==50 Francfort

16 + 2

{Francfort: When a piece captures (King included), it takes the nature of the captured unit (without changing colour). A King capturing becomes a royal unit.}

Show Solution

1.Kf1 2.Kg2 3.Kh3 4.Kh4 5.Kxg5(RK) 6.RKxg4(SK) 7.SKh6 8.SKxg8(QK) 9.QKxg6(BB) 10.BKh5 14.BKxe2(PK) 15.e1=RK 16.RKxg1(BK) 17.BKxf2(PK) 18.f1=SK 19.SKxe3(PK) 21.e1=RK 22.RKxe4(PK) 25.e1=RK 26.RKxe5(PK) 30.e1=SK 31.SKf3 32.SKe5 33.SKc6 34.SKxa7(RK) 35.RKxa8(SK) 37.RKxe6(PK) 42.e1=RK 43.RKxe7(PK) 48.e1=RK 49.RKa1 50.RKxa4(PK) Kxb2(PK) ==
Both Kings end up transformed into Pawns.

Raffaele Arturo Caponetti (06-02-1907) Italian composer

Caponetti, Raffaele Arturo
Il Due Mosse, 1958
2^nd Commendation

#2*

8 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Sxh5[a] 2.Sh7#[A]
1...Sf5[b]/Bf5 2.Sf7#[B]
1...Bc2/Bd3/Ba2 2.Rg1#

1.Rc2! (2.Rg2#)

1...Sxh5[a] 2.Sfe4#[C]
1...Sf5[b] 2.Sde4#[D]
1...Bxc2 2.Rg1#

Two changed mates.

Karel Sobek (06-02-1908 - 25-05-2004) Czech composer

Karel Sobek was a prolific composer.

Sobek, Karel
Telescacco 2000, Nov 1999

h#2

2 solutions

5 + 8

Show Solution

1.Re5 Rg6 2.Rf5+ e5#
1.Rg7 Rc6 2.Rg4+ Rxc3#

Unpinning and crosschecks.

His greatest success seems to be the following :

Sobek, Karel & Libiš, Zdeněk
Šachové umění 1995
1^st-2^nd Prize

#3

8 + 9

Show Solution

1.Qd8 ! (2.Sc6+ Kc3 3.Qxa5#)

1...Se3 2.Rxf4+ Kc3, Kxe5 3.Qxa5, Qf6#
1...Kxe5 2.Qg5+ Ke6, Kd4 3.Qe7, Qf6#
1...Kc3 2.Qxa5+ Kd4 3.Sc6#

Reflex white moves, switchback of wQ.

Martin Folkmann (06-02-1909 - 1943) Slovak composer 

Folkmann, Martin
Dresdner Anzeiger, 1927
4^th Prize

#4

6 + 10

Show Solution

1.Be5! (2.Bd6#)

1...Se8 2.Bd4 (3.Bc5#)
2...Rc7 3.Bc3 (4.Bb4#) Qxc3+ 4.Rxc3#
2...axb5 3.Bc5+ b4 4.Bxb4#

A classical manoeuvre Ba1-e5-d4-c3.

Cornelis Hendricus Lamboo (06-02-1910) Dutch composer

Lamboo published problems only in the Netherlands.

Lamboo, Cornelis Henricus
Nederlandse Bond van Probleemvrienden JT, 1951
2^nd HM

#3

14 + 9

Show Solution

1.Kc2 ! (2.Re3+ Bxe3 3.Sg3#)
1...Rd2+ 2.Kxd2 (3.Qc2#) 2...Be3+ 3.Rxe3#
1...Rd3 2.Qa8+ Rd5, Rxa8 3.Qxd5, Sxf6#
1...Rxf5 2.Kb1 (3.Qc2#) 2...Rd5 3.f5#
1...Sxf5 2.e8=Q/R+ Re5, Se7, Rxe8 3.Qa8, f5, Sxf6#
1...Bxf5 2.Qa8 (3.Qxd5#) 2...Be6, Rxa8 3.f5, Sxf6#
Umnov, battery play.

Erich Ernst (06-02-1920 - 17-01-2011) German composer and player

Erich Ernst was president of Schwarzach chess club and mostly composed miniatures.

Ernst, Erich
Badische Neueste Nachrichten, 1998

#4

2 + 4

Show Solution

1.Kd2 ! ZZ
1...Ka1 2.Qh8 (2...Kb1 3.Qh1#)
2...Bb1 3.Qh1 Ka2 4.Qa8#
Black Platzwechsel (exchange of places) and corner-to-corner moves.

Heinz Faust (06-02-1928) German composer

Faust, Heinz
Nostalgia 1974

#2

8 + 9

Show Solution

1.Qh2! ZZ

1....c4 2.Bxd4#
1....d3 2.Qb2#
1....d5 2.Re6#
1....e2 2.Qxe2#
1....e6 2.Sf7#
1....f3 2.g4#
1....fxg3 2.Qxg3#
1....f5 2.Qh8#
1....g4 2.gxf4#

White battery. 9 different mates appear following the bPs' moves.

Robert Tony Lewis (06-02-1933 - 31-10-2012) British composer 

Tony Lewis

 
Tony Lewis was president of the British Chess Problems Society for many years. He is famous for his mutates which earned him the nickname of Mutateman.
His obituary by Michael McDowell can be read on The Problemist's website.

Lincoln, Robert A. & Lewis, R. Tony
Phénix, 1995
1^st Prize

#2* vv

10 + 10

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Rc3/Rcb1/Ra1/Rd1/Re1/Rf1/Rg1/Rh1/Bc2[a] 2.Qxc3#[A]
1...g4[b]/Qxh4/Qh6/Qh7[c]/Qxh8/Qe2/Qg6[d] 2.Re2#[B]
1...f3 2.Qh2#/Qg3#
1...c5 2.Rd5#

1.Sg3? (2.Qf5#)

1...Bc2[a] 2.Sc4#[C]
1...gxh4/g4[b] 2.Rxh5#[E]
1...Qh7[c]/Qg4[e] 2.Sxf7#[D]
but 1...Qg6[d]!

1.Sd4? (2.Qf5#)

1...Bc2[a] 2.Sxc6#[F]
1...gxh4/g4[b] 2.Rxh5#[E]
1...Qh7[c]/Qg6[d] 2.Sf3#[G]
but 1...Qg4[e]!

1.Se3! (2.Qf5#)

1...Bc2[a] 2.Sec4#[H]
1...gxh4/g4[b] 2.Rxh5#[E]
1...Qh7[c]/Qg4[e]/Qg6[d] 2.Sg4#[I]

Zagoruiko.

Imants Dulbergs (06-02-1936 - 14-04-2018) Latvian composer

Imants Dulbergs [gramata21.lv [broken link]]

 
Imants Dulbergs was an original composer who was not afraid to step off the beaten tracks. One of his best problems is the following:

Dulbergs, Imants
Šahs, 1972
1^st Prize

#9

10 + 10

Show Solution

Main plan: 1.Ka8? g1Q!
The plan is to get a bR to f3 in order to interfere with bBh1 on the long diagonal and to enable the manoeuvre Ka8 and b8R/Q+.
1.Kc7! Rc1+ 2.Sc3! Rxc3+ 3.Kb8 Rcf3 4.Ka8! Rxa2+ 5.Ra5! Rxa5+ 6.Kb8 Raf5 7.Bf7+ Rxf7 8.Ka8 Rc3 9.gxf7#
Roman theme.

Peter Durst (06-02-1954) Slovak composer 

Peter Durst has a predilection for twomovers with changed mates, but also composes studies.

Durst, Peter
Vychodoslovenske noviny, 1987
Prize

#2*

11 + 7

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Sxd7[a]/Sa6[b] 2.Qa8#[A]
1...Re3/Rd2/Rxc2[c]/Rf2/Rg2/Reh2 2.Sxe3#[B]
1...c4[d] 2.bxc4#[C]
1...Be5/Bf4/Bg3/Bh2/Bc7 2.Rxc5#
1...Re4 2.fxe4#

1.Bc8! (2.Rxc5#)

1...Sd7[a]/Sa6[b] 2.Bb7#[F]
1...Rxc2[c] 2.Se7#[D]
1...Kc6/c4[d] 2.Sb4#[E]

Changed mates.

Odd Øivind Bergstad (06-02-1956) Norwegian composer

Odd Øivind Bergstad

Odd Bergstad composes direct mates and studies.

Bergstad, Odd Øivind
Tidskrift för Schack, 1981 (2182)
1^st Honorable Mention

+

5 + 5

Show Solution

1. Kb2 Sb3 2. Kxa2 Sc1+ 3. Kb1
{3. Ka3 Sxd3 4. exd3 Sc7 5. h6 Sb5+}
{3. Kb2 Sxd3+ 4. exd3 Ke5 5. Sxc5 Sxc5 $1 6. h6 Sxd3+}
{3. Ka1 Sxd3 4. exd3 Ke5 5. Sxc5 Sb4 6. d4+ Kf5 7. Se4 Sc2+}
3... Sxd3 4. exd3 Ke5 5. Sxc5 Sb4 6. d4+ Kf5 7. Se4 Sd5 8. Sg3+ Kf4 9. h6
{9. Kc2 Sf6 10. h6 Sh7}
9... Sf6
{9... Se7 10. d5 [10. h7 {or} Sg6 11. Kc2 Sh8 12. Kb3 Kg5 13. d5 Kg6 14. d6 Kxh7 15. d7 Sf7 16. Ka4 Kg7 17. Kb5 Kf6 18. Kb6 Ke7 19. Kc7] 10... Ke5 11. d6 Kxd6 12. Sf5+}
10. Sh5+ the final fork wins