May 17th

Wilhelm Steinitz (17-05-1836 - 12-08-1900) German composer (and o.t.b.World Champion)

Wilhelm_Steinitz [Wikipedia]

Wilhelm Steinitz was of course the first World Champion, before Emmanuel Lasker won the title in the 1894 match, but he also composed some studies of which the best known is the following:

Steinitz, Wilhelm
Dufresne: Sammlung leichterer Schachaufgaben (2. Teil)
1882 (18)

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4 + 2

Show Solution

1. h7+ Kg7 2. h8=Q+ (nowadays a classical sacrifice)
2...Kxh8 3. Kf7 Rf1+ 4. Bf6+ Rxf6+ 5. Kxf6 and White wins.

Richard Eugene Cheney (17-05-1908 - 30-08-1967) American composer

Richard Eugene Cheney
[Problem 83-86, 1962 page 190]

Richard Cheney composed about 300 problems, most of them three- or fourmovers. He was also an International Judge.

Cheney, Richard Eugene
Mem. Emery, 1932

#3

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Ra2-e2 ! ZZ

1...Ba1-b2 2.Rb7xb2 (3.Re2-c2#)
1...Kc3-d3+ 2.Re2-b2+ Kd3-c3 3.Rb7-b3#
1...Kc3-c4+ 2.Re2-b2+ Kc4-c5, Kc4-c3 3.Rb7-c7, Rb7-b3#

The good flight-giving key builds a battery and allows two checks.

Rene Van Dooren (17-05-1943) Belgian composer
Rene Van Dooren composes twomovers.

Van Dooren, Rene
Schach-Echo, 1983
2^nd Prize

#2*

9 + 8

Show Solution

Set play:
1...Kd4 2.Bxf6#
1...Qa2/Qb1 2.Qxc3#
Try: 1.Qb4? (2.Sf7#) but 1...Bb3!
Try: 1.Qd2? (2.Sg6#) but 1...Bc2!
1.Rd3! (2.Sg6#)
1...Kxf4 2.Qh2#
1...Rxf4 2.Rc5#
Give and take key.

Юрий Михайлович Антонов (17-05-1948) Russian composer and FIDE Master (Yuri Mikhailovich Antonov)

Yuri Antonov composes mostly twomovers.

Антонов, Юрий Михайлович
Die Schwalbe, 1978 (2486)
1^st Prize

#2* v

9 + 7

Show Solution

Set play:
1...Kf5[a] 2.Qg6#[A]
1...Sd7[b]/Se6/Sb3/Sb7/Sa4 2.Bxd3#[B]
Try:
1.Sc4? (2.Qe5#)
1...Kf5[a] 2.Qe6#[C]
1...Sd7[b] 2.Qd5#[D]
but 1...d2!
1.Sf3! (2.Qe5#)
1...Kf5[a] 2.Bxd3#[B]
1...Nd7[b] 2.Qg6#[A]
Zagoruiko, reciprocal.

Rainer Paslack (17-05-1950) German composer and FIDE Master

Rainer Paslack

Rainer Paslack composes twomovers.

Paslack, Rainer
Die Schwalbe, 2003
2^nd Prize

#2 vv

11 + 8

Show Solution

1.Se2? (2.Qc5#)
1...Bd4 2.dxc4#
1...Qxb4+ 2.Sxb4# but 1...Rd4!
1.Sb3? (2.Qc5#)
1...Rd4 2.Sc3#
1...Qxb4+ 2.Sxb4# but 1...Bd4!
1.Sf5! (2.Qc5#)
1...Rd4 2.Se3#
1...Bd4 2.Qg8#
(1...Qxb4+ 2.Sxb4#)
The black Grimshaw at d4 is the center of the whole problem and is exploited differently in tries and in real play.
Changed mates, Somov B2.

Иван Иванович Антипин (17-05-1953) Russian composer (Ivan Ivanovich Antipin)

Ivan Antipin composes direct mates, helpmates and selfmates.

Антипин, Иван Иванович
13-й МК З.Бирнов, МИГ (Волгоград) 1996
2^nd Prize

#3

9 + 9

Show Solution

1. Sh4! (2. Sf4 [3. Bd5#] 2... gxf4 3. Rxf4#)
1... dxc5 2. Rf5 (3. Re5#) 2... Bc7, gxh4 3. Sf6, Rf4#
1... Ba5 2. Rf4+ gxf4 3. Sf6#
1... Rc7 2. Bd4 ~ 3. Sc3#
1... Rd7 2. exd7 (3. Re6#) 2... Bxf6, gxh4 3. Sxf6, Rf4#
1... Rb5 2. e7 (3. Re6#) 2... gxh4 3. Rf4#
1... Rb4 2. Sxb4 ~ 3. Bd5#
1... Rf7 2. exf7 (2.Sb4 dual)
Rich play with subtly differentiated variations.