July 13th

Ionel Razu (13-07-1908) Romanian composer

Ionel Razu composed mostly direct mates.

Razu, Ionel
Revista Română de Şah, 1984
2^nd Prize

#2

12 + 7

Show Solution

1.Sd3! (2.Sf2#)

1...Kxd3 2.Se5#
1...Rxh3 2.Sh4#
1...Rc5+ 2.Sxc5#
1...Sd4+ 2.exd4#
1...Sb4+ 2.Sxb4#

A nice flight-giving, check-allowing key and good battery play.

Emil Melnichenko (13-07-1950) Czech - New-Zealand composer

Emil Melnichenko
[jmrw]

Emil Melnichenko composes endgame studies.
52 of his studies have been compiled by jmrw on his site ; besides, jmrw quotes John Beasley who provided biographical information.
Emil Melnichenko is a talented composer who has won many prizes, such as 1st Prize in Tim Krabbé-60 JT in 2003, here commented by the celebrated writer (PDF version of the award here).

Melnichenko, Emil
Rossi-80 JT Best Problems, 2005
1^st Prize

=

5 + 4

Show Solution

1. Bd5 Sb7+ 2. Kc6 Sxd4+ 3. Kc7 Ke5 4. Bxb7 Sb5+ 5. Kb6 Sxd6+ 6. Kc6 Sxb7 7. Bb6 Sd6 8. Bc7 Rd4 9. Kd7 = the pinned bS immobilizes the black forces.

Melnichenko, Emil
ЮК Б.Олимпиев, Уральский проблемист 2001
1^st-3^rd Prize

=

2 + 4

Show Solution

1. Rb4 !
{1. Rd2 ? Be6+ 2. Kg5 Sc4 3. Re2 Ke7; 1. Re4+ ? Kd7 2. Rb4 Be6+ 3. Kf3 Bd5+ 4. Kg4 Be5 5. Kf5 Bc3 -+}
1... Be5 !
{1... Be6+ 2. Kg5 Be5 3. Re4 Sc4 4. Rxe5 Sxe5 5. Kf6 =}
2. Re4 !
{2. Kf5 ? Bc3 3. Rb7 Sc4 4. Ra7 Sd6+ 5. Kf4 Be6 6. Rh7 Sf7 -+; 2. Rb5 ? Sc4 3. Rb7 Se3+ 4. Kg5 Be6 5. Ra7 Sd5 6. Rh7 Se7 7. Rh4 Bd7 -+}
2... Sc4 3. Kf5
{3. Re2 ? Bb1 4. Re1 Bd3 5. Kf3 Ke7 6. Rd1 Bf5 -+}
3... Bb1 ! 4. Ke6 ! Bb8 !
{4... Bxe4 stalemate}
5. Rh4 !
{5. Rxc4 ? Ba2 6. Kd5 Ba7 -+ ; 5. Rg4 ? Kf8 ! 6. Rg1 Bh7 7. Rf1+ Ke8 8. Rg1 Se3 9. Rg7 Bf5+ 10. Kf6 Bd6 11. Ra7 Bc8 12. Ra8 Kd7; 5. Re2 ? Bd3 6. Ra2 Sb6 7. Ra1 Bc4+ ; 5. Rd4 ? Bg6 6. Rh4 Bf7+ 7. Kf6 Be5+ 8. Kf5 Bd6 9. Rh7 Be7}
5... Kd8 6. Rd4+ ! Ke8 7. Rh4 ! Kd8 8. Rd4+ Ke8 9. Rh4 draw by repetition of position.

Владислав Валерьевич Нефёдов (13-07-1958) Russian composer and International Master (Vladislav Valeryevich Nefyodov)

Vladislav Nefyodov
[popovgl.narod.ru]

Vladislav Nefyodov composes direct mates and, mostly, helpmates. He has been twice member of the Russian team who has won the World Composition Championship by Teams.

Нефёдов, Владислав Валерьевич
Shakhmatnaya Kompositsyia, 2002
1^st-2^nd Prize ex-aequo

h#2

b) move c4 a5

6 + 11

Show Solution

a) 1. Sf6 c8=S 2. Ke6 Bh3#
b) 1. Qd6 c8=B+ 2. Kc6 Rc2#
Anticipatory self-pin on the first black move. Exchange of functions between wRe2 and wBg2. Minor promotions.

Albertus Marinus Koldijk (13-07-1917 - 06-10-2005) Dutch composer and Honorary Master

Albertus Koldijk was a direct mate composer and judge.
He is also renowned for the Thema-Boek, a description of main direct mate themes written in collaboration with Frederik Nanning, and for other works (such as his compilation of E. Visserman's compositions).

Koldijk, Albertus Marinus
Elk Wat Wils Wedstrijd 1938
Prize

#2 v

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Rf2? (2.Rxe7#)
1...Qxe8 2.Qf4#
but 1...Qe6!
1.Bh7! (2.Qd6#)
1...Qe6 2.Qd4#
1...Ke6/Kf6 2.Qxe7#
Give-and-take key. Moves by Queens on the pin lines (1...Qe6 and 2.Qd6).