June 14th

Alberto Mari (14-06-1892 - 26-08-1953) Italian composer

Alberto Mari
Умнов Е.И., Шахматная задача ХХ века: 1901-1944 г
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Alberto Mari was one of the great European problemists member of the Good Companions. He was the editor of "L'Alfiere di Re" and of "L'Italia Scacchistica".

Mari, Alberto
Tijdschrift vd NSB, 1929
1^st Prize

#2

11 + 11

Show Solution

1.Sf6! (2.Bc3#)

1...exf6 2.Bxf6#
1...Sb4/Re4 2.Se4#
1...Bc7/Rd7 2.Sd7#
1...Rc7 2.Qb6#
1...d2 2.Sd3#
1...Qc4 2.S2e4#
1...Rd4 2.Bd6#

Grimshaw on c7, Schiffmann variation 1...Qc4.

Comins Mansfield (14-06-1896 - 28-03-1984) British composer and Grandmaster

Comins Mansfield in his twenties

Comins Mansfield

[Source of both photos:  Pioneers of Devon Chess]


Comins Mansfield became International Judge in 1957 and was the first Briton to be awarded the FIDE title of Grandmaster, 4 years before Tony Miles.
He was president of the British Chess Problem Society from 1949 until 1951 and president of the PCCC from 1963 until 1971. He was probably the greatest twomover composer of the 20th century.


"A Genius of the Two-Mover" in Alain C. White's Christmas Series, proposes a selection of 113 problems by Comins Mansfield, with commentary. It can be read here. "Adventures in composition" by C. Mansfield in Alain C. White's Overbrook Series, is an autobiographical treatise on the composition of two-movers, with 110 examples. It can be read here.

Mansfield, Comins
Schiffmann MT, Revista Română de Şah, 1931
1^st Prize

#2

12 + 8

Show Solution

1.Sd5! (2.Sc3#)
1...Qxe5 2.Sf4#
1...Qxg4 2.Sge7#
1...Qxg6 2.Be6#
The three variations exploit the selfpinning of the black Queen with battery mates.
Secondary variation: 1...Kxd5 2.Qb7#

Mansfield, Comins
The British Chess Magazine, 1930
1^st Prize

#2 v

9 + 7

Show Solution

1.Qd3[A]? (2.Qxe4#)
1...Bxd3[a] 2.Bxd3#[B]
but 1...Sc3!
1.Rc2[C]! (2.Qd7#)
1...Bd3[a] 2.Qxd3#[A]
1...g5 2.Sh4#
1...Bxf3 2.Rg2#
1...Bxc2 2.Bxc2#
1...Bxd5 2.Rc6#
Black correction, Anti-reversal, Switchback.

Rui de Carvalho Nascimento (14-06-1914 - 03-09-2012) Portuguese composer and Honorary Master

Rui de Carvalho Nascimento (1978)
[Wikipedia]

Rui de Carvalho Nascimento is the author of "Problemas de Xadrez" (1986) and "Problemas de Xadrez II" (1995). He composed mostly twomovers.
More information about him can be found in Portuguese on Wikipedia and a 2004 photo of him on xadrezpt.com [broken link].

Nascimento, Rui De Carvalho
Stratford Express, 1949
Prize, (Originality)

#2

9 + 9

Show Solution

1.Se2? (2.Rd4#) but 1...Bb4!
1.Sc2? (2.Rd4#) but 1...Sf5!
1.Sb5? (2.Rd4#/Sc7#)but 1...Sf5!
1.Sxe6! (2.Sc7#)
1...Sf5 2.Sf4#
1...Kxe6 2.Qxf7#
1...Bb4 2.Qa2#
1...Sxg6/Sg8/Sc8 2.Rd4#
Barnes, changed mates.

Nicolaas Cortlever (14-06-1915 - 05-04-1995) Dutch composer

Nicolaas Cortlever was o.t.b. IM and the author of some analytical endgame studies.

Cortlever, Nicolaas
Schakend Nederland, 1983 (1950)
4^th Honorable Mention

+

6 + 6

Show Solution

1. Rg2 !
{1. Bd6? g3 2. Rxf3 Qb7 3. Raf2 Qb1+ (3... g4? 4. Rh2#) 4. Rf1 Qe4 5. Kg1 Qd4+ 6. Kh1 Qe4; or 1. Be1? g3 2. Rxf3 Qc6 3. Raf2 Qe4 4. Bc3 Kh4}
1... fxg2+
{1... Qf5 2. Bf2 Qe5 3. Re3 Qb8 4. Rg3+ Kh4 5. Re7; 1... Qxc5 2. Bf2 Qc7 3. Rg3+ Kh4 4. Rgxf3+ Kh5 5. Rfe3}
2. Kg1 Qc6
{2... Qf5 3. Be1+ g3 4. Rxg3+ Kh4 5. Rf3+}
3. Re3
{3. Ra3? Qxc5+; 3. Rb3 Qa4! 4. Re3 Qd1+ 5. Be1+ g3 6. c6 Qd4 7. Bf2 Qd1+}
3... Qc8
{3... Qxc5 4. Bf2+ g3 5. Rxg3+}
4. Rb3
{4. c6? Qxc6 5. Rc3 Qc8 6. c5 (6. Re3 Qc6 7. Kf2 g1=Q+) 6... Qc6}
4... Qc6 5. Rc3 Qc8 6. c6 Qxc6 7. c5 Qc8 8. c6 Qg8 9. c7 Qc8 10. Ra3 Qg8 11. c8=Q +- and White wins thanks to the battery.

Wolfgang Dittmann (14-06-1933 - 05-02-2014) German composer and International Master

Rainer Paslack, Wolfgang Dittmann, Hartmut Laue,
Carsten Ehlers & Arnold Beine, Meerane 2006
[Die Schwalbe]

Wolfgang Dittmann was also an International Judge in retro problems. He composed direct mates and selfmates but recently started composing only retro problems, especially AntiCirce Proca Retractors, for which he was famous.
His book "Der Blick zurück" (2004) is a reference work for retrograde analysis theory and practice.

Dittmann, Wolfgang
O-O, 1979
1^st Prize, ex aequo

Castling in 1 before 4 moves Defence retractor Type Proca

2 + 7

Show Solution

Tries:
Back: 1. Kf2-e1? f4xe3ep! 2. e2-e4 e4xd3ep 3. d2-d4 b4xa3ep
Back: 1. Rh4xRh1? Rh2-h1+! 2. Rb4xBh4 Bd8-h4+ 3. Rb1xBb4 Rd2-h2+!!
Solution:
Back: 1. Rh4xQh1 Q-h1+ 2. Rb4xBh4 B-h4+ 3. Rb1xBb4 B-b4+ 4. Ra1-b1, then 1. 0-0-0!

Dittmann, Wolfgang
Die Schwalbe, 1989
1^st Prize

#5

b5, f4, d3, e2: Nightrider

7 + 12

Show Solution

1.Nf4-d8 ! (2.Nf7+ Nxf7 3.Nxf7#)
1...Ne2-c1 2.Nd3-f4 (3.Nf4xg6#) and two variations:

2...Nc1-e2 3.Bb8-d6 (4.Nd8-f7#) 3...Nb5xd6 4.c5xd6 (5.Nd8-f7#) 4...Ne2-c1 5.Nf4xg6#

2...Nb5-a3 3.Bb8-e5 (4.Nd8-f7/Nf4xg6#)  and two variations:

3...Nc1xe5 4.Nf4xg6+ Ne5xg6 5.Nd8-f7#
3...Na3xe5 4.Nd8-f7+ Ne5xf7 5.Nf4xg6#

Исаак Шулимович Бирбрагер (14-06-1935) Russian composer (Isaak Shulimovich Birbrager)
Isaak Birbrager was a strong player, journalist and composer.

Бирбрагер, Исаак Шулимович
Revista Română de Şah, 1959
1^st Prize

#2

7 + 8

Show Solution

Set play:
1...Re6[a] 2.Bg4#[A]
1...Rg6[b] 2.Be4#[B]
1...h5 2.Qxh5#
Tries:
1.Scd5? (2.Qxf6#)
1...Re6[a] 2.g4#[C]
1...Rg6[b] 2.Se3#[D]   but 1...Bb2!
1.Sh5? (2.Qxf6#)
1...Re6[a] 2.Be4#[B]
1...Rg6[b] 2.Bg4#[A]   but 1...Kg6!
Real play:
1.Sfd5! (2.Qxf6#)
1...Re6[a] 2.Be4#[B]
1...Rg6[b] 2.Bg4#[A]
1...Kg6 2.Bh5#
Zagoruiko, Reciprocal.

Gérard Doukhan (14-06-1954) French composer and FIDE Master

Gérard Doukhan is a twomover composer.

Doukhan, Gerard
Die Schwalbe, Aug 1983 (4386)
1^st Prize

#2

vvv

13 + 9

Show Solution

1.Sxe3? (2.Qd5#[B]) 1...Rd7 2.Qf5#   but 1...Sc3!
1.Sb2? (2.Rxe3#[A])   but 1...Bb4!
1.Sb6? (2.Qd5#[B]/Rxe3#[A])
1...Sc3/Bxb6 2.Rxe3#[A]
1...Bxd4 2.Raxd4#/Rdxd4#/Rxe3#[A]
1...Bb4 2.Qd5#[B]
1...Rd7 2.Qf5#/Rxe3#[A]   but 1...cxb6+!
1.Sxf3[C]! (2.Sxg5#)
1...Rf5[a] 2.Qd5#[B]
1...Be7[b] 2.Rxe3#[A]
1...Kxf3/Rg7 2.Qg4#
1...Rxf3 2.Sd6#
Rudenko, Barnes.

Miodrag Mladenović (14-06-1964) Serbian composer and Grandmaster (Миодраг МЛАДЕНОВИЋ)

Miodrag Mladenović
[Wikipedia]

Miodrag Mladenović is Grandmaster in composing and solving. He is Slobodan Mladenović's son. More about his problems on the Serbian Problemists website.

He composes mostly directmovers and selfmates. 6 of his best reflexmates have been analyzed by Juraj Lörinc on his website.

Mladenović, Miodrag
Mat Plus, 1997
1^st Prize

#3*

5 + 9

Show Solution

Set play:
1...Qg2-f1/Qg2-e2 [a] 2.Qb4-d6+ [A] Kd5xe4 3.Sf3xg5# or 2...Kd5-c4 3.Bc8-a6#
1...Qg2xf3 [b] 2.Qb4-c5+ [B] Kd5xe4 3.Bc8-f5#
1.Bc8-a6 ! (2.Qb4-c4+ Sa5xc4 3.Ba6-b7#)
1...Qg2-f1/Qg2-e2 [a] 2.Qb4-c5+ [B] Kd5xe4 3.Sf3xg5#
1...Qg2xf3 [b] 2.Qb4-d6+ [A] Kd5xe4 3.Ba6-d3#
1...Bh8-d4 2.Qb4xd4+ Kd5-c6 3.Qd4-d6#
Reciprocal variations.

Mladenović, Miodrag
The Problemist, 2005
1^st Prize

#3

10 + 12

Show Solution

1. Sd3? (2. Sc3+ Sxc3 3. Sc5# or 2. Sc5+ Sxc5 3. Sc3#)
1... Sf~ [a] 2. Rxe2+ [A] fxe2 3. Rge3#
1... Sxd3 [b] 2. Rxg4+ [B] Sf4 3. Qd3#
1... Sd5 [c] 2. Sd6+ [C] exd6 3. Qxh7#
But 1... Se6!
1. Sd5! (2. Sbc3+ Sxc3 3. Sxc3# or 2. Sdc3+ Sxc3 3. Sxc3#)
1... Sf~ [a] 2. Sd6+ [C] exd6 3. Qxh7#
1... Sd3 [b] 2. Re2+ [A] fxe2 3. Rge3#
1... Sxd5 [c] 2. Rxg4+ [B] Sf4 3. Qd3#
Lacny.

Martin van Essen (14-06-1980) Dutch composer

Martin van Essen is a player, solver and composer. One of his successes was his 2nd prize in the Humor Study tournament 2004 won by Sergiy Didukh - details on Tim Krabbé's diary.

Van Essen, Martin
Avni-JT50, 2005
1^st Prize

=

6 + 9

Show Solution

1. Rxb2 Rc1+ 2. Qxc1 Rd1+ 3. Kh2 Qd5
{3... Qd3 4. Qxd1 Qxd1 5. Sg3}
4. Rxh5+ Kxh5 5. Sf4+
{5. Sg3+ Kg6 6. Qc2+ Rd3}
5... exf4 6. Rb5 Qxb5 7. Qxd1+ Qe2 8. Qxe2+ f3+ 9. Qe5+ Bxe5+ 10. Kxh3 Kg5 draw.
A spectacular study with many sacrifices on both parts.

Dieter Kutzborski (14-06-1947 - 27-04-2019) German composer

Dieter Kutzborski in 1968
[SSZ 1968, page 132]

Marcel Tribowski has been kind enough to attract our attention to this composer. Although Dieter Kutzborski was one of the very best contemporary three- and moremover composers, his work is unfortunately not as well-known as it should be. He refused to submit his problems to FIDE-Albums, which means that he will not be granted a FIDE title for composing and this might explain why his work is somewhat overlooked.

Dieter Kutzborski is the co-author, with Wolfgang Dittmann and Armin Geister, of "Logische Phantasien. Herbert Grasemann und seine Schachaufgaben."
Herbert Grasemann told in "Schach ohne Partner für Könner" how Berlin problemists met Dieter Kutzborski for the first time; this passage was translated into English by Daniel Maxwell and published on ChessProblem.net by Gary Kevin Ware.

Kutzborski, Dieter
Die Schwalbe, Dec 1969
1^st Prize

#4

10 + 13

Show Solution

1.a3-a4 ! ZZ

1...Sh1-g3 2.Rg5-d5 ! (3.Sf3-g5/Rd2-d4#) with the two variations:
2...Ra5xd5 3.Rd2-d4+ Rd5xd4 4.Sf3-g5#
2...Rd8xd5 3.Sf3-g5+ Rd5xg5 4.Rd2-d4#

1...Sh1-f2 2.Rd2-d5 ! (3.Rg5-e5/Sf3-d2#) with the two variations:
2...Ra5xd5 3.Sf3-d2+ Rd5xd2 4.Rg5-e5#
2...Rd8xd5 3.Rg5-e5+ Rd5xe5 4.Sf3-d2#

And many secondary variations such as:
1...e6-e5 2.Sh6-g8 (3.Sg8-f6#) 2...e5xf4 3.Sg8-f6+ Ke4xe3 4.Rd2-e2#
Plachutta with dual avoidance.

Kutzborski, Dieter
Schach-Aktiv, 2007
1^st Prize

#15

9 + 13

Show Solution

1.Bb2? (2.Bc1#) does not work: 1...Qa3!
1.e6? (2.Be5#) Qb8 2.Bb2! ~ 3.Bc1# is an improvement, but 1...Qa1! refutes the try. White must find a way to force Qb8:
1.Be3+! Kg3 2.Bg1+ Kf4 3.Rf3+ Ke4 4.Rc3+! Kf4 5.Be3+ Kg3 6.Bd4+ Kf4 7.e6 ! Qb8
(The first part of the plan is achieved: 7...Qa1 was inefficient because of 4.Rc3, but now White must go back to the initial position, because wRc3 is preventing the manoeuvre Bd4-b2-c1#)
8.Be3+! Kg3 9.Bg1+ Kf4 10.Rf3+ Ke4 11.Rb3+! Kf4 12.Be3+ Kg3 13.Bd4+ Kf4 14.Bb2 ~ 15.Bc1#
A very logical moremover.

Slavko Radovanović (14-06-1949 - 18-07-2013) Serbian composer

Slavko Radovanović composed direct mates, helpmates and selfmates.
The Serbian Problemists have quoted a selfmate on this page.

Радовановић, Славко
6^th Place
Liga Problemista, 2000 (2)

h#2

4 solutions

5 + 8

Show Solution

1.♔d8 ♗e6 2.♗×c6+ ♘×c6#
1.♔f8 ♗c4 2.♗e7 ♘d7#
1.♔f6 ♔f4 2.♖e7 ♘g4#
1.♔d6 ♔d4 2.♕e7 ♘c4#
Star of the black King, echo mates.
Three selfblocks on e7.

Heikki Lukkarinen (14-06-1918 - 18-10-1941) Finnish composer

Heikki Lukkarinen
[Heikki Lukkarinen Shakkitehtävät | Chess Compositions]

I shall quote the cover of Jorma Paavilainen's book "Heikki Lukkarinen Shakkitehtävät | Chess Compositions" which presents all 132 Lukkarinen's known compositions, with comments in Finnish and English:

Heikki Lukkarinen was a talented composer, who was only 23 years old when he lost his life in WWII. He published his first compositions at the age of fourteen and soon became one of Finland's leading composers.

Lukkarinen, Heikki
Suomen Shakkiliitto, 1934 1^st Prize
Helsingin Sanomat, 29 Apr 1934

#2

7 + 13

Show Solution

1.♘h4! ~ 2.♕g5#
1...♔e3+ 2.♗f5#
1...♔g4+ 2.♗f3#
1...♘d3 2.♗d5#
1...♘d5 2.♗d3#
The key gives a flight and exposes the white King to checks. Star of the white Bishop and cross-checks