May 18th

Carl Eckhardt (18-05-1894 - 12-12-1954) German composer

Carl Eckhardt
[Kartothek A-K page 80]

Since we do not have much information about Carl Eckhardt, except his card on page 80 of the Kartothek A-K let his problems evoke him.
First, a logical moremover:

Eckhardt, Carl
Die Schwalbe, Aug 1951

#5

7 + 6

Show Solution

1.Rc8? (2.Rc4+ Kxd5 3.Sc3,Sb6#) but 1...Rc1!
1.Rb8! (2.Rb4#) Be1 2.Rc8 (3.Rc4+ Kxd5 4.Sb6#)

2...Rg8 3.Rxg8 (4.Rg4#)
         3...Bg3 4.Rg4+ Bf4 5.Rxf4#
         3...b1=Q 4.Rg4+ Qe4 5.Rgxe4,Rexe4#

Secondary variation: 2...Ba5 3.Rc4+ Kxd5 4.Rc3+,Rc5+
Hamburg theme.

Secondly, a selfmate with interesting pin play:

Eckhardt, Carl
Neue Leipziger Zeitung, 1929
1^st Prize

s#2

13 + 10

Show Solution

1.Sc6-a5! (2.Sa5-c4+ b5xc4#)

1...Rb1xb4 2.Rf5-d5+ Qc5xd5#
1...Sf8-d7 2.e4-e5+ Sd7xe5#
1...Sg5xe4 2.Bb4xc5+ Se4xc5#

The white Pe4 and Rf5 are half-pinned and the play shows three ways in which this can be exploited.

Thirdly, a tricky helpmate :

Eckhardt, Carl
Die Schwalbe, 1928
1^st Prize

h#4

4 + 2

Show Solution

1.a1=Q+ Kb5 2.Qe5+ c5 3.Kd5 Rf6 4.Qe4 Rd6#
The two checks and the bQ anticipatory selfpin (ASP) are still very fashionable in helpmates.

Colin V. Vaughan (18-05-1917 - 06-07-2001) British composer and Honorary Master

Colin Vaughan
[© Hannu Harkola]

Colin Vaughan composed twomovers, helpmates and constructional problems and was an International Judge. For Colin Vaughan, a chess problem had to be a puzzle. Try to solve this one:

Vaughan, Colin V.
TT, U.S. Problem Bulletin, 1981
1^st Prize

#2

12 + 10

Show Solution

1.Sc5+!
1...Kxb6 2.Sa4#
1...Re4+ 2.Sxe6#
Checking key and double-check mates.

Vaughan, Colin V.
British Chess Federation, 1952
1^st HM

#2

9 + 9

Show Solution

1.Qc4! (2.Qd3#)

1...Qxh3 2.Qxd5#
1...Se3 2.Sdf2#
1...Sf4 2.Shf2#
1...Sf6 2.Sxg5#
1...Sc7 2.d5#
1...Sb6 2.Qxe6#

Black correction of the Sd5 unpinned by the key.

Emil Klemanič (18-05-1967) Slovak composer and GrandMaster

[goja.sk]

Emil Klemanič composes direct mates and helpmates as well as fairy direct mates. He obtained the title of FIDE Master in Solving in 2002 and in composing in 2004. He is one of the prominent Slovak problemists: he was the most selected composer in the book "Selected chess compositions by Slovak authors 1993-1998".

The following problem was selected in the FIDE Album:

Klemanič, Emil
Probleemblad, 1987
6^th HM

#2

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.Se7? (2.Sd6#[A])
1...exd5[a]/e5[b] 2.Qxf5#[D]
but 1...f3!
1.Qh5? (2.Bf3#/Qf3#)
1...f3 2.Qxf3#
1...Rxh5 2.Sf6#[B]
1...Se1/Se5 2.Re5#[C]
but 1...Rf1!
1.Bf6? (2.Rd4#[E])
1...cxd5[a]/exd5[a]/e5[b] 2.Sd6#[A]
1...Rxf6 2.Sxf6#[B]
1...Se1/Sf2/Sc1/Sdb2/Sb4 2.Qxe6#/Re5#[C]
1...Se5/Sdc5 2.Rxe5#[C]
but 1...c5!
1.Re7! (2.Qxf5#[D])

1...cxd5[a] 2.Sd6#[A]
1...e5[b] 2.Rd4#[E]
1...Kxd5 2.Bf3#
1...Rh5/Rf6 2.Sf6#[B]
1...Se5 2.Rxe5#[C]

Flight giving key, Levman, transferred mates, pseudo Le Grand, Ukrainian.

Klemanič, Emil & Packa, Ladislav
Memorial Wertheim, 1994
1^st Prize

h#2

b) bKa3 c) bKf4

9 + 15

Show Solution

a) 1.Bxe5 Bxe5 2.Rc3 Rxc3#
b) 1.Rxc3 Rxc3 2.Sc4 Sxc4#
c) 1.Sxc4 Sxc4 2.Be5 Bxe5#
Cyclic Zilahi and cycle of black moves AB-BC-CA.