October 20th

Karl Fabel (20-10-1905 - 03-03-1975) German composer and International Master

[source]

Karl Fabel
[© Hannu Harkola]

Karl Fabel composed in all genres with a marked preference for miniatures and for problems with retroanalytical contents. In 1936 he wrote the book "Kleinkunst" together with Massmann and Palatz and afterwards numerous other books, such as "Rund um das Schachbrett", the last book being "Introduction to Retrograde Analysis" (1974).
In 2014 Friedrich Friedel gave examples of problems quoted by Karl Fabel in "Kurioses Schach" on ChessBase.

Fabel, Karl
Die Schwalbe, 1940
4^th Prize

#3

5 + 5

Show Solution

1.Ra1 ! ZZ

1...Kxh2 2.Qb1 ZZ 2...Sg1~, Rg2~ 3.Qh1, Qxg1#
1...gxh2 2.Bd1 ZZ 2...Sg1~ 3.BxS#

An elegant combination of known themes (Indian and Turton) - the Palatz theme.

Fabel, Karl
Problemas, 1973

s#4

Maximummer

3 + 7

Show Solution

1.Be4-h7 ! ZZ
1...Rb8-b4 2.Be7-g5 Rb4-h4 3.Bh7-e4 0-0 4.Bg5-d2 Rf8-f1#
Asymmetric solution in a symmetric position.

Fritz Hoffmann (20-10-1932 - 12-07-2016) German composer and FIDE Master

Fritz Hoffmann
[source]

Fritz Hoffmann composed twomoves, helpmates and endgames and was an International Judge. He specialised in symbol problems such as letter problems. He has written several books about chess composition: "Schachkonturen" (1992) or "Tausend Jahre Schachprobleme Band 4" reviewed by Günter Büsing in die Schwalbe April 2000, quoted on berlinthema.de.

Hoffmann, Fritz
Schweizerische Arbeiter-Schachzeitung
1^st Prize

#6

8 + 13

Show Solution

1.Bd2-e3+ ! Kd4-c3 2.Sf7-g5 (3.Sg5xf3 ~ 4.Be3-d2#)
2...Rh8-h3 3.Sg5-e4+ d5xe4 4.Sf6-d5+ Ba8xd5 5.Be3-g5 ~ 6.Bg5-f6#
Square clearances.

Hoffmann, Fritz
Magyar Sakkélet, 1970

h#5

2 + 6

Show Solution

1.Kg7-h8 Bb2-c3 2.b3-b2+ Ka1-a2 3.b2-b1=B+ Ka2-a1 4.Bb1-a2 Bc3-b2 5.Ba2-g8 Bb2xd4#
Switchback of both King and Bishop.

Jean-Pierre Boyer (20-10-1935 - 12-11-1986) French composer and International Master

Jean-Pierre Boyer was a twomover specialist and International Judge. He wrote an "Initiation aux échecs" (1981).

Boyer, Jean-Pierre
Die Schwalbe, 1969
3^rd Prize

#2 vvv

8 + 9

Show Solution

1.Ke2? Bc4! or 1.Ke4? Bd1! or 1.Ke3? Ra3! all fail due to the pinning of the wSd3.
1.Kg3! (2.Se5#/Sf4#)
1...Ra3 2.Rxe6#
1...gxh6 2.Qxg4#
1...e5 2.Sxe5# or 1...Sf7 2.Sf4#

Mario Figueiredo (20-10-1950 - 20-09-1995) Brazilian composer

"Boletim da UBP". 1982. Maio/Agosto. № 42. Р. 457.
[Thanks to Александр Никитин]

Mario Figueiredo composed mostly helpmates and was an International Judge. He was Jose Figueiredo's son.

Figueiredo, Mário
TT, Boletim da UBP, 1993
4^th Prize

h#2

2 solutions

7 + 9

Show Solution

1.Ra3xa2 Sb6-d5 2.Ra2xf2 Sa6-b4#
1.Ra3xa6 f2-f4 2.Ra6xb6 Ba2-d5#
Zilahi, selfpinning.

Bernd Gräfrath (20-10-1958) German composer

Bernd Gräfrath
[source: © André Schulz, schachbund.de]

Bernd Gräfrath is a philosopher specialized in Philosophy and Ethics of Technology.
He is also a chess composer interested in helpmates, fairy and especially fairy retro problems (fairy proof games) and an International Judge.
More information about him on Wikipedia.

Gräfrath, Bernd
Mat Plus (25/640) 2007
Special Prize

hs#4

Duplex

5 + 3

Duplex: The stipulation must also be achieved interchanging the functions of White and Black.

Show Solution

1.Qg2 Kb1 2.Ba1 Bg7 3.Kh7 Qf7 4.Qb2+ Bxb2# (Black battery creation and critical move Ba1)
Duplex:
1.Kb1 Qc3 2.Bg7 Qc2+ 3.Ka1 Kxg7 4.Qf7+ Kxf7# (White royal battery creation)

Gräfrath, Bernd
Mat Plus (39-40/1763) 2010

PG11

DuellistChess

13 + 12

Duellist Chess: if the piece that moved last time can legally move again, it must.

Show Solution

1.d4 d6 2.d5 Bf5 3.f3 Be4 4.fxe4 e5! 5.dxe6 e.p. Sf6 6.e7 Sd5 7.exf8=S Sc3 8.Sd7 Sxb1 9.Sf6+ Qxf6 10.Sf3 Qxf3 11.exf3 0-0
Note: 4...e6? would force 5.e5 because of the DuellistChess condition, hence 4...e5!
Valladao task (thematic moves in bold), Ceriani-Frolkin.