May 22nd

Emilian Dobrescu (22-05-1933) Romanian composer and Grandmaster

Emilian Dobrescu, 2008
[ionivan.ro]

Emilian Dobrescu was the first Romanian Grandmaster in 1989. He is a composer of twomovers and endgame studies, who became famous for his Q vs R+B analytical studies.
About his career as an economist you may read this article.

Emilian Dobrescu is co-author (with Virgil Nestorescu) of "Compoziţia şahistă în România" (Chess composition in Romania, 1973) and "Studii de şah" (Chess studies, 1984). He has approached the chess study as a possible application of the principles of the Pareto optimality ("Chess Study as a Multi-Criteria System", EG No.123, Vol. VIII, 1997). His book "Chess Study Composition" (ARVES, 1999) was considered as “Book of the Year” by ARVES.

To see many of his studies, please browse through JMRW website.
Nowadays, Emilian Dobrescu no longer composes.

The following study can give an idea of his style:

Dobrescu, Emilian
Schweizerische Schachzeitung, 1979
Special Prize

+

5 + 5

Show Solution

1. Rc4+ Kb5 2. Rd4+ Kc6 3. Be4+ Kb5 4. Rd5+ Kc6 5. Rxe5+ Kd7 6. Rd5+ Kc6 7. Rd4+ Kb5 8. Bd3+ Kc6 9. Rc4+ Kb5 10. Bxg6 Kxc4 11. Bf7 Bg5+ 12. Kd1 Kd5 13. Bb8 +-
There are often systematic manoeuvres in Emilian Dobrescu's studies. Here the black pawn e5 is eliminated by such a manoeuvre, the bQ is changed against the wR and the pinned bS is helpless in the final position.

Emilian Dobrescu was also a very good twomover composer:

Dobrescu, Emilian
3^rd WCCT, 1986
1^st Place

#2 vvvv

7 + 12

Show Solution

1.Sd7? (2.Qe4#) but 1...Bg6!
1.Sc4? (2.Qe4#) but 1...b4!
1.Sg4? (2.Qe4#) 1...Sd2 2.Qxe3# but 1...Sxf3!
1.Sd3? (2.Qe4#)
1…Sxf3 2.Qg4#
1…Bg6 2.Qd7#
1…b4 2.Qc4# but 1...Sd2!
1.Qf5! (2.Qe4#)
1…Sxf3 2.Sxf3#
1…Sd2 2.Rd3#
1…Bg6 2.Sxc6#
1…b4 2.Rc4#
Self-obstruction, changed mates.

László Zoltán (22-05-1942 - 18-12-2008) Hungarian composer

László Zoltán
[magyarsakkszerzok]

László Zoltán is mostly known for his very long collaboration with György Bakcsi, but he did compose problems by himself:

Zoltán, László
Magyar Sakkélet, Sep 1965 (3314)

h#2

b) wSa3->g6

8 + 8

Show Solution

a) 1.Qg7-e5 Bb3-c2+ 2.Ke4-d5 Sb5xc7#
b) 1.Rc1-c4 Rf5-f6 2.Ke4-d5 Sb5-c3#
Interferences, anticipatory self-pin, pin mates. All white units participate to the mate.

Here is another problem by the Hungarian duo:

Bakcsi, György Jr. & Zoltán, László
Problemkiste, Feb 2001 (133/5342)

ser-h#11

b6: Equihopper

2 + 6

Show Solution

1.EQf4 2.d4 3.d3 4.d2 5.d1=EQ 6.EQf7 7.e3 8.e2 9.e1=EQ 10.EQg7 11.EQb8 axb8=EQ#
Varied Equihopper play, promotions and sacrifice.

Yngve Kjell Gustav Bladh (22-05-1897 - 06-10-1972) Swedish composer

Yngve Bladh
Problem, September 1969
[Thanks to Александр Никитин ]

Yngve Bladh was a selfmate composer. He also occasionally composed endgames.

Bladh, Yngve Kjell Gustav
Tidskrift för Schack, 1951
1^st Prize

s#4

10 + 8

1.Qb5-d3 ! ZZ
1...Bh7xf5 2.Kf6xf5+ Kh6-h7 3.Kf5-f4+ Kh7-h8 4.Kf4xe3 Bh4xg5#
1...Bh7-g8 2.f7-f8=Q+ Kh6-h7 3.Qf8xg8+ Kh7-h6 4.Qg8-f7 Bh4xg5#
The key is an anticipatory and remote self-block.