April 9th

Ефим Наумович Рухлис (09-04-1925 - 05-02-2006) Ukrainian-Uzbek-Israeli composer and FIDE Master(Efim Naumovich Rukhlis)

Efim Rukhlis
[selivanov.ru]

International Judge and twomover composer, Efim Rukhlis revolutionized the twomovers in the 1960s with his theme, that involves at least two transferred mates and on the same black defences two changed mates.
He composed more than 300 Ideal-Rukhlis twomovers, according to Milan Velimirović in his article "Ideal Ruchlis - A comprehensive overview" in Mat Plus Review, 9-10. Spring-Summer 2009.

Let's see an example from 1946:

Рухлис, Ефим Наумович
Свердловский конкурс 1946
1^st-2^nd Prize

#2

9 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Bd4 2.Qe4#
1...Rd4 2.Sc3#

1.d4! (2.Sb6#)

1...Bxd4 2.Sf6#
1...Rxd4 2.Sb4#
1...Rd3 2.Qxe4#
1...Bd3 2.Sc3#
1...Sxd7 2.Qe6#

Grimshaw, Rukhlis

Геннадий Владимирович Чумаков (09-04-1942) Russian composer and FIDE Master (Gennady Vladimirovich Chumakov)

A.Melnichuk, Gennady Chumakov and M. Kostilev, Tver 2011
[© Alexander Melnichuk]

Gennady Chumakov is a helpmate composer. He has obtained many successes and seems to enjoy composing in collaboration with Fadil Abdurahmanovic or E.Fomichev.

Чумаков, Геннадий Владимирович
XIV командное первенство России 2001
2^nd-3^rd Prize

h#2

b) bBa2->g2 c) bBa2->c2

7 + 10

Show Solution

a) 1. Rxf5 Bf4 2. Bxf7 Rxh6#
b) 1. Sxf7 Be5 2. Sxh5 Sh4#
c) 1. Rxh5 Bh4 2. Bxf5 Sh8#
Cyclic Zilahi, cyclic annihilation of white pieces.

Puiu Popescu (09-04-1947) Romanian composer

Puiu Popescu is a twomover and helpmate composer.

Popescu, Puiu
Phénix, 2003

#2

5 + 3

Show Solution

1.Qg7! (2.Qa7#)

1...Rb1 2.Qxe5#
1...Qe6 2.Qd4#
1...Qe7/Qb8 2.Qd4#/Qc3#/Rd5#
1...Qf6/Qxg7 2.Rd5#
1...Qc3+/Qd6 2.Qxc3#
1...Qb2 2.Rd5#/Qc7#
1...Qc7+ 2.Qxc7#

The key makes this problem fun to solve.

Михайло Іванович Мишко (09-04-1958 - 01-01-2018) Ukrainian composer and FIDE Master(Mikhail Ivanovich Mishko)

Mikhail Mishko
[superproblem.ru]

Mikhail Mishko was born in Belarus and moved to Donetsk after the Chernobyl accident. He was a selfmate composer specialized in long problems and he often associated with Valery Kirillov.

Мишко, Михайло Іванович
Шахматная композиция 1998
1^st HM

s#30

5 + 2

Show Solution

Main plan: 1. h4? Kd6 2.Qa6+ Rb6 2.Qd3+ Kc6? 3.Qe4+ Kd6 4.Qe7+ Kc6 5. Sb8+ Rxb8# but 3...Ke6! 3. Qe4+ Kf7! and the black King flees.
1. Ke7! Kc7 2. Qd8+ Kc6 3. Qc8+ Rc7 4. Qa8+ Rb7 5. h4 Kc7 6. Qd8+ Kc6 7. Qc8+ Rc7 8. Qa8+ Rb7 9. h5 Kc7 10. Qd8+ Kc6 11. Qc8+ Rc7 12. Qa8+ Rb7 13. h6 Kc7 14. Qd8+ Kc6 15. Qc8+ Rc7 16. Qa8+ Rb7 17. h7 Kc7 18. Qd8+ Kc6 19. Qc8+ Rc7 20. Qa8+ Rb7 21. h8=S Kc7 22. Qd8+ Kc6 23. Qc8+ Rc7 24. Qa8+ Rb7 25. Kd8 Kd6 26. Qa6+ Rb6 27. Qd3+ K~ 28. Qe4+ Kd6 29. Qe7+ Kc6 30. Sb8+ Rxb8#
Systematic manoeuvre.

Sven Trommler (09-04-1966) German composer and Grandmaster

Sven Trommler (left) and Wieland Bruch (right) at Meerane, 2006
[Die Schwalbe]

Sven Trommler composes in all genres and the best way to show his style is to reproduce two of his problems: a selfmate and a helpmate.

Trommler, Sven
Schach-Report, 1993
2^nd Prize

s#4

8 + 13

Show Solution

1.Rf1-f2 ! (2.Sd2xe4+ d5xe4 3.Be3-f4+ e5xf4 4.Qe2-g4+ f5xg4#)
1...Qe6-d6 2.Be3-f4+ e5xf4 3.Qe2-g4+ f5xg4 4.Sd2xe4+ d5xe4#
1...Rf7-g7 2.Qe2-g4+ f5xg4 3.Sd2xe4+ d5xe4 4.Be3-f4+ e5xf4#
Play of a horizontal third-battery and cycle of moves ABC-BCA-CAB.

Trommler, Sven
Persijanow-50 JT, 2006
1^st Prize

h#2

3 solutions

4 + 8

Show Solution

1. Qd7 Bxg7 2. Sg5 Qf6# (2...g5/Rg5?)
1. Qe7 Be5 2. g5 Qf5# (2...Sg5/Rg5?)
1. Qf7 Bb4 2. Rg5 Qd6# (2...Sg5/g5?)

Unpins of wB and wQ, selfblocks, dual (trial) avoidance.