Илья Степанович Шумов (16-06-1819 - 07-1881) Russian composer (Ilya Stepanovich Shumov)
Ilya Shumov was
one of the best Russian chess players of the time and the author of the first Russian book about chess composition. His is also the author of many figurative problems, such as the 5-mover "T":
Шумов, Илья Степанович
Schachzeitung, 1856
Show Solution1.Qe2-c4+ ! Ke6-f6 2.Re4-f4+ Kf6-g5 3.Rf4-f5+ Sh6xf5 4.Qc4-g4+ Kg5-f6, Kg5-h6 5.Qg4xf5, Se3xf5#
Figurative problems often have crude keys, but this one has no dual and some sacrifices.
Robert (Robin) Charles Olivier Matthews (16-06-1927 - 19-06-2010) British composer and International Master
Robin Matthews was a renowned economist and one of the world's best composers of threemovers.
He wrote "
Chess Problems: Introduction to an Art" (1963) with Michael Lipton and John M. Rice.
Matthews, Robin Charles Olivier
Die Schwalbe, 1953
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Re7-d7 ! (2.Qb3-c2+ Qh4-c4 3.Sc8-e7#)
1...Rg3-g4 2.e3-e4 (3.Qb3-c2/Qb3-d5#) 2...Sa8-c7+ 3.Rxc7#
1...Bh6-g5 2.f5-f6 (3.Sc8-e7/Rd7-d6#) 2...Sa8-c7+ 3.Rxc7#
Two main variations with Novotny by a white Pawn.
Matthews, Robin Charles Olivier
British Chess Federation, 1953
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Qa6-b5 ! (2.Rf4-f3+ Kd3-e4 3.d2-d3#)
1...Ba7-c5 2.Rg6-e6+ ~ 3.Qb5xc4#
1...Rc7-c5 2.Rg6-d6+ ~ 3.Rf4xd4#
1...Rd7-d5 2.Rg6-c6+ ~ 3.Qb5xc4#
1...Bf7-d5 2.Rg6-b6+ ~,Bh7xe4 3.Rf4xd4, Rf4-f3#
Two pairs of variations with Grimshaw on d5 and c5, with similar interfering moves of the white Rook on the 6th rank.
Secondary variation: 1...Qh8-f6 2.Rg6-h6+ ~ 3.Rh6-h3#
Ангел Златанов (16-06-1938) Bulgarian composer (Angel D. Zlatanov)
Angel Zlatanov composes direct mates and selfmates. He enjoys in particular direct mate miniatures such as
this model mates threemover. Here is another, heavier one:
Златанов, Ангел
Šahs/Шахматы (Rīga) 1988
1
st Prize
Show Solution1.Rb1-e1 ! (2.Re1xe5 ~ 3.Qd8-e7#)
1...f5-f4 2.Sf6-h7 (3.Sh7xg5#) 2...Kf7-e6 3.Qd8xd7#
1...d7-d6 2.Sf6-d5 (3.Qd8-e8#) 2...Kf7-e6 3.Qd8-g8#
1...Kf7-e6 2.Qd8-f8 ~ 3.Ba4xd7#
Model mates.
Mário Matouš (16-06-1947 - 04-07-2013) Czech composer and FIDE Master
Mário Matouš is best known for his endgame studies, but he also composed problems. Some of Mario's studies have been compiled on the website
jmrw.com [broken link].
Chess coach Vladimir Grabinsky also quoted 10 studies by M.Matouš
on his site, ARVES mentioned him and tens of his studies in their
Hall of Fame, and John Beasley published
a version of the EG obituary by Emil Vlasák.
Matouš, Mário
Olympijská Súťaž 1982
4
th Prize
Show Solution1. Rg8! ZZ
1... Rd8 2. exd8=S+ Kc8 3. S8c6+ Kd7, Kb7 4. Rd8, Rb8#
1... Rf8 2. exf8=B Kc8 3. Bd6+ Kd7, Kb7 4. Rd8, Rb8#
1... Rxg8+ 2. fxg8=B Kc8 3. e8=Q+ Kb7 4. Bd5#
White minor promotions.
Matouš, Mário
Chavchavadze MT, 1987
2
nd Prize
Show Solution1. Se5+ Ke4
{1... Kd4 2. g6 Bh6 3. Sf3+! Sxf3 4. Bxf3}
2. g6
{2. Sf7 Bxg5+ 3. Sxg5+ Kf4}
2... Bh6 3. Sf7 with two variations:
3... Bf8 4. Bd1 Kf5 5. Bc2+ Kf6 6. Sc7! Sxg6 7. Se8+ Kxf7 8. Bb3#
3...Bg7 4. Bd1 Kf5 5. Bc2+ Kf6 6. Sb6! Sxg6 7. Sd7+ Kxf7 {7... Ke6 8. Bxg6 +-} 8. Bb3#
Two echo mates. The variations are deftly differentiated by the 6th white move.
Mario Matous was a genius in study composing. He was
ReplyDeleteone of the best ever. Altough this matter for e.g. in the magazine
"die Schwalbe" only some words were spent to memorize him.
It is very sad in chess composing in generell that great chess composer get only very, very small attention!
I have updated the links related to Mario Matouš.
DeleteThe best homage is the Arves page in their Hall of Fame.