July 23rd

Carel Christiaan Wilhelm Mann (23-07-1871 - 30-11-1928) Dutch composer

Carel Mann
[Jan van Reek]

Carel Mann was the first Dutch composer with international importance. He enjoyed studies with two Queens and some light figures and his studies and problems often showed Zugzwang.

Jan van Reek und Henk van Donk wrote about him "Carel Mann" (1991). An interesting extract, about Carel Mann's paranoid schizophrenia, can be found here.

Mann, Carel Christiaan Wilhelm
Tijdschrift vd NSB, 1911

+

3 + 4

Show Solution

1. Se5+ with two variations:

• 1... Kf5

2. Qb1+ Ke6
{2... Kf4 3. Qb4+}
3. Qxb6+ Kd5 4. Qa5+ Kd6
{4... Kd4 5. Qb4+ Kxe5 6. Qe1+}
5. Sxf7+ Kd7 6. Qa4+ Ke7 7. Qe4+ Kd7 8. Qd4+ Kc7
{8... Ke6 9. Qd6+ Kf5 10. Qf6+ Kg4 11. Se5+ Kg3 12. Qf3+ Kh2 13. Sg4+}
9. Qa7+ wins
(9...Kc8 10.Sd6+ or 9...Kc6 10.Qa4+ win the bQ).

• 1...Kg3 

2. Qc3+ Kf2 3. Qd2+ Kf1 4. Qd1+ Kf2
{4... Kg2 5. Qe2+ Kh1 6. Qe4+}
5. Sd3+ Kg2
{5... Kg3 6. Qg1+ Kf3 7. Qf1+ Kg3 8. Qf2+ Kg4 9. Qf4+ Kh3 10. Sf2+ Kg2 11. Se4 +-}
6. Qg4+ Kh1 7. Qh4+ Kg2 8. Qf2+ Kh3 9. Qg1 Qa4 10. Sf2+ Kh4 11. Qh2+ Kg5 12. Qh6+ Kf5 13. Qf6#

Another of his problems has remained famous and is reproduced in anthologies:

Mann, Carel Christiaan Wilhelm
De Amsterdammer, 8^th Jan 1893

#4

2 + 4

Black is in zugzwang: 1...f5 2.Qh4# or 1...Kf5 2.Qd5# but White cannot keep this position. What can White do?

Show Solution

1.Qa8!
1...Kh6/Kh5 2.Qh8+ Kg5 3.Qh1 ! back to the initial position, with Black to play.
Secondary variation:
1...f5 2.Qd8+ Kh6 3.Qh8+ Kg5 4.Qh4#

Norbert Ringeltaube (23-07-1908 - 14-11-2002) German composer

Norbert Ringeltaube
[Die Schwalbe Fragebogen 1960 page 127]

Norbert Ringeltaube was a priest and composed direct mates, helpmates and fairy problems.

Ringeltaube, Norbert
Die Schwalbe, Sep 1967 (32-33/2514)
4^th Prize
version of Aleksandr Bulavka (2010)

h#4

SetPlay

6 + 6

Show Solution

Set play: 1... Sc7 2.Ke3+ S3d5+ 3.Ke4 Sb5 4.Rd4 Sbc3#
Solution: 1.axb4 Sxb4 2.Ke3+ Scd5+ 3.Ke4 Sa2 4.Rd4 Sac3#
Interchange of the two wSs, in two solutions, in two different ways.

Ringeltaube, Norbert
feenschach, 1972 (25^th TT)
3^rd HM

h#4

3 + 14

Show Solution

1.Qxf3 Kd3 2.Qf8 Kxe2 3.Bh1 Kxf1 4.Qa8 Bxc7#
Another interchange, this time for bB-bQ. The motivation of the last black move is hideaway.

Александр Петрович Кузнецов (23-07-1913 - 01-07-1982) Russian composer and International Master (Aleksandr Petrovich Kuznetsov)

Aleksandr P. Kuznetsov
[popovgl.narod.ru]

Aleksandr Petrovich Kuznetsov was, like Anatoly Kuznetsov below, an International Judge... they both composed endgame studies and problems.
You can find a selection of studies by Aleksandr Petrovich Kuznetsov on jmrw's website.

Кузнецов, Александр Петрович
Šachové umění 1981 (6035)
3^rd Prize

+

7 + 3

Show Solution

1. Rf5+ ! Kxf5 2. Kg7 Re8 3. Kf7 Rxe6
{3... Rh8 4. g4+ ! Kg5 5. e7 Rh7+ 6. Kf8 Kf6 7. g5+ ! +-)
4. g4+ Ke5 5. g5 Kd5
{5... Kf5 6. g4+ Ke5 7. c4}
6. c4+ Ke5 7. g4 +- the black Rook is lost.

Кузнецов, Александр Петрович
Tidskrift för Schack, 1978
3^rd Prize

=

6 + 4

Show Solution

Black has ominous threats to the badly placed white King.
1. Ra1+ Kb6 2. Ra6+ Kxa6 3. b5+ Ka5
{3...Kb6? 4.Rd6+ Qxd6 stalemate}
4. b6+ Ka6 5. b7 Qc6 6. Rd7 Kb6
{6...Qxd7?? 7.b8=Q? Qc6+ -+ but 7.b8=S+! +-}
7. Re7 Qa4+ 8. Kb8 Qa2 9. Rg7 Qe6 10. Ka8 Qc6 11. Re7 Qa4+ 12. Kb8 Qa2 13. Rg7 position repetition and draw.

Анатолий Георгиевич Кузнецов (23-07-1932 - 23-07-2000) Russian composer and (Anatoly Georgevich Kuznetsov)

Anatoly Kuznetsov

[© А.О.Никитин 2012]

Anatoly Kuznetsov was an International Judge and endgame composer, with many successes in orthodox field such as this one. He was also the editor of the problem column in "Shakhmaty v SSSR" (Chess in the USSR) since 1971 and the author of many articles about chess composition.

You can find a selection of studies by Anatoly Georgevich Kuznetsov on jmrw's website.

A beautiful systematic movement can be admired in the following study:

Кузнецов, Анатолий Георгиевич
Шахматы в СССР 1962
2^nd Prize

=

7 + 3

Show Solution

1.Rg7+ Kxh6 2.Bf8 Kh5 3.Rg5+ Kxh4 4.Bе7! Kh3 5.Rg3+ Kxh2 6.Bd6! Bg2 7.Rf3+ Kg1 8.Bс5+ Kh2 9.Bd6+ =
Move repetition and draw.

Alexander Lehmkuhl (23-07-1950 - 20-08-2013) German composer

Alexander Lehmkuhl

[feenschach 20/1974 page 219]

Alexander Lehmkuhl composed in all genres (#,s#,h#, fairies). Chess was his hobby and chess problems his great love.

Lehmkuhl, Alexander
harmonie, 1990

h#2

SetPlay a8: Nightrider b8, e8, h5: Grasshopper

5 + 7

Show Solution

Set play:
1...Na8-g5 2.f6xg5 d7xe8=N#
1.Ge8-c8 Gb8-f4 2.e5xf4 d7xc8=G#
Phoenix theme - the captured unit is reborn by promotion.