March 27th

Fritz Karge (27-03-1914 - 09-07-2001) German composer

Fritz Karge was a prolific composer, with successes at the beginning of 1940s. An 'atypical key' problem is the following:

Karge, Fritz
Die Schwalbe, 1983 (4306)
Prize

#2* v

7 + 10

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Kxc4[a] 2.Qc6#[A]
1...Kxa4[b] 2.Qxb4#[B]
1...Kxa6[c] 2.Qxb6#[C]

1.Qd5+?

1...Kxa4[b] 2.Sxb6#[D]
1...Kxa6[c] 2.Sxb4#[E]
but 1...exd5!

1.Qe5+!

1...Kxc4[a] 2.Sxa3#[F]
1...Kxa4[b] 2.Sxb6#[D]
1...Kxa6[c] 2.Sxb4#[E]
1...Kc6 2.Sxa5#

Kurt Ewald (27-03-1931 - 14-01-2025) German composer

Kurt Ewald
[Die Schwalbe Fragebogen 1960 page 29]

Kurt Ewald was a collaborator of Die Schwalbe and another heterodox specialist, with unusual ideas. His obituary was published on the website of the German Chess Federation.
In 2016 he published an anthology of his problems "Einige meiner Schachprobleme".

Ewald, Kurt & Geissler, Norbert
Harmonie, 1992
2^nd Prize

h#3

b) wSc1->wRc1

8 + 9

Show Solution

a) 1.Sd3-f2 Sc1-e2 2.Ke4-d3 Bf4-c1 3.Sf2-e4 Se2-f4 #
b) 1.Re5-d5 Rc1*f1 2.Sd3-e5 Bf4-c1 3.Rd5-d3 Rf1-f4 #
Unpinning for White and Umnov for Black.

Ewald, Kurt
Schach-Echo, 1962
1^st Prize

s#3

12 + 8

Show Solution

1.Bc6!
1...bxa6/b6/bxc6/b5 2.Ra4/Rb4/Rc4/Rd4 ~ 3.e4 g3#
Pickaninny.

Wladimir W. Sokolow (27-03-1950) German composer

Wladimir Sokolow is another prolific composer, fond of direct miniatures.

Sokolow, Wladimir W.
Прапор перемоги 5^th Dec 1987 (217)
Special Prize

#2*

5 + 2

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Kc3 2.Be5#
1...c3 2.Bf2#

1.Bc7! ZZ

1...Kc3 2.Be5#
1...Kc5 2.Qb6#
1...c3 2.Bb6#