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) German composer

Kurt Ewald
[Die Schwalbe Fragebogen 1960 page 29]

Kurt Ewald is a collaborator of Die Schwalbe and another heterodox specialist, with unusual ideas.
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#