Chess Composers: May 2nd

Julius Zdeněk Mach (02-05-1877 - 02-12-1954) Czech composer

Julius Zdeněk Mach was a great specialist of the Bohemian school. He was the editor of many columns that were famous for the level of the published works: "Zlata Praha", "Svetozor" or "Prager Presse". He wrote "Šachové úlohy 1908-1916" (1917) which is the sequel of the Christmas series book "Ceske Melodie: Eine Sammlung Von 202 Schachaufgaben" (1908) dedicated to problems by Pospisil.

"Chess Chimes from Prague" is a collection of 5 of his problems on a cylindric board (download here).
V.Kotěšovec, J.Brada, J.Beasley and M.Dragoun have compiled 357 unorthodox problems by Z.Mach in "Exoproblemy dr. Zdenka Macha" (1996), because beside the cylindric board, the chinese pieces also interested Z.Mach and he published many problems in the "Fairy Chess Review". Another collection of Mach's problems can be downloaded here.

Julius Mach also invented the fairy piece Vao (the Bishop equivalent of the Chinese Pao).

Let's start with a miniature:

Mach, Julius Zdeněk
BCPS, 19^th Dec 1932
2^nd Prize

5 + 1

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The following threemover remains within the domain of the Bohemian style:

Mach, Julius Zdeněk
Wiener Schachzeitung, 15^th May 1901
4^th Prize

5 + 13

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Finally, a selfmate which is not too easy to solve, although there are only two variations:

Mach, Julius Zdeněk
Zlatá Praha, 1924

s#7

4 + 2

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Karl Adolf Koefoed Larsen (02-05-1896 - 22-12-1963) Danish composer and International Master

K.A.K.Larsen
[Dansk Skakproblem Klub]

Karl Adolf Koefoed Larsen was probably the most important Danish chess composer. He composed more than 600 problems in all genres. He became International Judge in 1956 and was the editor of the Danish chess problem magazine "Magasinet" from 1930 until 1958 and of the "Skakbladet". His father was Peder Andreas Larsen, who was also a problemist.

The twomover theme Larsen is named after him: in a crosscheck variation, a black piece and a white piece are unpinned.

K.A.K. Larsen had 32 problems published in the FIDE Album, but has not been granted the title of IM.
K.A.K. Larsen originated the idea of the Dansk Skakproblem Klub (Danish Chess Problem Society).

Larsen, Karl Adolf Koefoed
Skakbladet, 1935
1^st Prize

10 + 7

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Larsen, Karl Adolf Koefoed
Skakbladet, 1956
1^st Prize

s#3

13 + 6

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Giuseppe Brogi (02-05-1900 - 17-01-1976) Italian composer

Giuseppe Brogi was specialized in twomovers and in retro and fairy problems. He invented the Marine pieces. He published more than 1000 problems. He was the editor of the problems section of the "Italia Scacchistica" from 1955 until 1959. He published in 1969 "Il problem. Terminologia e tecnica".
The twomover theme Brogi requests a quadruple threat ABCD and black defences that cyclically prevent two of these four threats (AB,BC,CD,DA) in four variations. The theme was requested in the 17th thematic tourney of the Italian magazine "Il Due Mosse" in 1962 and was presented in the below problem:

Brogi, Giuseppe
Il Due Mosse, 1962