June 26th

Hans Michael Erdenbrecher (26-06-1909 - 03-08-1990) German composer

Hans Michael Erdenbrecher
[Die Schwalbe Fragebogen 1960 page 27]

Hans Michael Erdenbrecher composed mainly three- and moremovers. In 2005 (2007 2nd edition) was published "Hans Michael Erdenbrecher: Ein Nicht Vergessener Problemkomponist Aus Mittlefranken : Eine Kleine Auswahl Seiner Probleme und Schachaufgaben," a 24-page compilation by Rudolf Glenk.

Erdenbrecher, Hans Michael
Die Schwalbe, Feb 1972
1^st Prize

#3

4 + 6

Show Solution

1.Qf5-g5 ! (2.Qg5-h4+ Re8-e4, Kd4-d5 3.Qh4xd8, Qh4-c4#)

1...Kd4-e4 2.Qg5-g4+ Ke4-d5 3.Qg4-c4#
1...Rd8-d5 2.Qg5-g1+ Kd4-e4,Re8-e3 3.Qg1-g4,Qg1xe3#
1...Rd8-d6 2.Qg5-f4+ Kd4-d5,Re8-e4 3.Qf4-c4,Qf4xd6#
1...Rd8-d7 2.Qg5-g4+ Kd4-d5,Re8-e4 3.Qg4-c4,Qg4xd7#

Echo manoeuvres by the wQ.

Tibor Ébend (26-06-1911 - 12-08-1951) Hungarian composer

Ébend, Tibor
Rakéta, 1941
1^st Prize

#2

8 + 12

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Sfxd4[a] 2.Sxd3#[A]
1...Scxd4[b] 2.Sfxg4#[B]
1...Rxd4[c] 2.Qxe6#[C]

1.Bxe6! (2.Qxd6#/Rd5#)

1...Sfxd4[a] 2.Sc4#[D]
1...Scxd4[b] 2.Sexg4#[E]
1...Rxd4[c] 2.Rf5#[F]

3 changed mates on three different selfblocks on the same square (Stocchi).

Paul Quindt (26-06-1901 - 13-02-1961) German composer

Not much information was available about Paul Quindt, but the two following problems are more than eloquent:

Quindt, Paul
DSB, 1942

#4

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Kd4! ZZ
1...a5 2.Kc3! axb4+ 3.Kb2! b3 4.cxb3#
In this miniature fourmover, all black moves are forced.

Quindt, Paul
Die Schwalbe, 1954
7^th HM

h#3

2 solutions

3 + 3

Show Solution

1.Sf5 Bh8 2.Bf4 Rg7 3.Ke5 Re7#
1.Bf4 Ba1 2.Sf5 Rb2 3.Ke5 Re2#
Double white Indian on the long diagonal, reciprocal 1st and 2nd black moves (Sf5/Bf4), line openings.

Fritz Loepert (26-06-1922 - 08-01-1995) Brazilian composer

Fritz Loepert
[O problemista]

Fritz Loepert published his chess problems in his only book, "Mate 1982" in 1982. Some of them certainly deserve to be quoted more often. A short biography (in Portuguese) used to be found on the website of the Brazilian Problemists (webmaster: Leo Mano - now Broken Link). Now some information about Fritz Loepert is available on this blog (thanks to Peter Krug for the tip).

Löepert, Fritz
Mate, 1982

#4

9 + 10

Show Solution

1.Qh8-a8 ! (2.Sf6xd7+ Ke5-d5 3.Qa8-a2#)
             1...e4xf3 2.Qa8-a1 (3.Qa1-e1#)
                                        2...h6xg5 3.Qa1xh1 ZZ
                                                                  3...Ke5xf6 4.Qh1-h8#
                                                                  3...d4-d3 4.Qh1-a1#
                                                                  3...f3-f2 4.Sf6xd7#
[secundary variation: 2...f3-f2 3.Qa1xh1 ~ 4.Sf6xd7/Qh1-e4#]
The white Queen visits the 4 corners by a beautiful roundtrip.

Loepert's favourite stipulation was selfmate.

Löepert, Fritz
Mate, 1982

s#5*

6 + 7

Show Solution

Set play: 1...bxc3#
How can this position be reached again with Black to play?
1.Rc3-d3 ! Kh8-h7 2.Rd3-g3+ Kh7-h6 3.Rg3-g6+ Kh6-h7 4.Rg6-c6+ Kh7-h8 5.Rc6-c3 b4xc3#
Another Rundlauf, this time by the white Rook.

Wolfgang Unzicker (26-06-1925 - 20-04-2006) German o.t.b. Grandmaster

Wolfgang Unzicker, although he seems not to have composed any endgame study, was nonetheless granted the title of International Judge for endgame studies in 1958.
Did he compose any study?

František Richter (26-06-1913 - 19-08-1971) Czech composer and International Master

František Richter composed studies and problems (direct mates, selfmates). His style in studies can remind that of Jindrich Fritz.
His obituary was published in Šachové umění, November 1971.
Here is a rather simple study to begin with:

Richter, František
«64» 1929 (384)
3^rd Honorable Mention

+

5 + 4

Show Solution

1. Qh1+
{1. g6? Bxg6+}
1... Bh7 2. Qxh7+ Kxh7 3. g6+ Kh8 4. g7+ Kh7 5. Sf6+ Kh6 6. g5+! Bxg5
{6... Kxg5 7. Se4+ Kh6 8. Sxd2 Bxd2 9. g8=Q +-}
7. g8=S#

And a Bohemian problem with a shorter stipulation, but more exacting for the solver:

Richter, František
K.Traxler MT, 1937
6^th Prize

#3

7 + 6

Show Solution

1.Be4-b7 ! ZZ
A difficult key. The Bishop must keep access to the c8-g4 diagonal (hence not 1.Ba8?) and must not prevent 2.Qc2-c7 (therefore 1.Bc6? Se4!). Four variations ensue:

1...Kf4xg3 2.Bg1-h2+ Rh1xh2 3.Qc2xh2# or 2...Kg3xh3 3.Bb7-c8#
1...Rh1xg1 2.Qc2-d2+ Kf4xg3 3.Qd2-h2#
1...Rh1xh3 2.Bg1-e3+ Kf4-g4/Kf4xg3 3.Qc2xg6# or 2...Kf4xe3 3.Qc2-d2#
1...Sc3-e4 2.Qc2-c7+ Se4-d6 3.Qc7xd6# or 2...Kf4xf3 3.Bb7xe4#