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| Siegbert Tarrasch [Wikipedia] |
Beside being one of the strongest players and most influential chess teachers of his time (Praeceptor Germaniae), Siegbert Tarrasch made also important contributions to endgame theory (R+P vs R). He also demonstrated that the bad Bishop can also assist the promotion of marginal pawn through zugzwang (see this endgame study). We selected a nice and easy struggle for promotion:
Tarrasch, Siegbert
1912
1912
| + | 3 + 2 |
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Александр Васильевич Галицкий (05-03-1863 - 18-11-1921) Russian composer (Aleksandr Vasilievich Galitzky)
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| Aleksandr Galitzky [Wikipedia] |
Alexander Galitzky is considered a genius of chess composition. His light and natural positions will always attract new solvers. The following composition is a classic I always show to people who never solved chess problems before:
Галицкий, Александр Васильевич
Шахматный журнал 1900
Шахматный журнал 1900
| #3 | 3 + 3 |
Interestingly enough, if the position is rotated with 180 degrees it has another solution!
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The next problem, honored with top distinction, is also considered a "purely classic" composition:
Галицкий, Александр Васильевич
Шахматный журнал 1894
1st Prize
Шахматный журнал 1894
1st Prize
| #2 | 7 + 5 |
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Aleksandr Galitzky also wrote influential and still topical books about chess composition, such as "К теории составления задач" (About the theory of chess problems). He was called by Swedish composer Johan Ros "the chess Heine", for his original and paradoxical ideas, always presented in ideal and economical form.
Maximilian Israel Feigl (05-03-1871 - 30-11-1942) Austrian composer
Max Feigl is one of the most representative figures of the so-called "Viennese School", together with Samuel Gold. His problems, many distinguished with 1st Prize, can provide a challenge for solvers even nowadays. He sometimes used the pseudonym Mephisto and often composed with Richard Teichmann (for instance Tidskrift för Schack 1904 or 1st Prize, Wiener Mode 1903).
He died in the Theresienstadt concentration camp.
Feigl, Maximilian
Dresdner Anzeiger, 1925
1st Prize
Dresdner Anzeiger, 1925
1st Prize
| #3 | 7 + 13 |
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Feigl, Maximilian
Tidskrift för Schack, 1914
1st Prize
Tidskrift för Schack, 1914
1st Prize
| #4 | 10 + 12 |
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Δημήτριος Καπράλος (05-03-1927 - 06-02-1994) Greek composer (Demetrius N. Kapralos)
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| Demetrius Kapralos To Mat, September 1956 [source: chess-problems-gr] |
Demetrius Kapralos is one of the most remarkable exponents of Greek chess composers, who succeeded to get three times the 2nd place in WCCT. His compositions exhibit imagination in skillful settings.
For more details about Kapralos and his life and works, please refer to the article on chess-problems-gr by Emmanuel Manolas.
Kapralos, Demetrius N.
Probleemblad, 1956
1st Prize
Probleemblad, 1956
1st Prize
| #2* | 7 + 12 |
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A real puzzle: which is the correct flight-giving key?
Kapralos, Demetrius N.
03. WCCT
2nd Place
03. WCCT
2nd Place
| #2 | 10 + 12 |
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Георги Александров Попов (05-03-1934) Bulgarian composer (Georgy Aleksandrov Popov)
Georgy Popov wrote a book about chess composition: "Изблици на шахматно творчество" (Outbursts of chess creativity, 2004). He is not a prolific composer, but he deserves to remain in the history of chess composition at least for the remarkable following problem.
In order to thwart black checks, White must immediately set up a battery. The question is: which one will succeed?
Попов, Георги Александров
Themes 64, 1959
1st Prize
Themes 64, 1959
1st Prize
| #2 vv | 8 + 10 |
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Vladimir Podinić (05-03-1980) Serbian solver and composer
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| Vladimir Podinić, Belgrade May 2007 |
Vladimir Podinic is better known as an excellent solver than as a composer. However he is able to compose successfully and even in a very short time frame, as his following problem from Quick Composing Tourney in Rio shows:
Podinić, Vladimir
Rio de Janeiro BK, 2009
2nd HM
Rio de Janeiro BK, 2009
2nd HM
| h#2 | 2.1... | 5 + 4 |
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