Rudolf Heinrich Willmers was widely known as a brilliant player - the trill was his specialty - and composer... for the piano (source), but he also composed chess problems. "Musicians and Chess" reports the following anecdote:
While playing Schumann's 'Carnival' in a piano recital in Copenhagen, Willmers stopped suddenly, wrote on his cuff, and then continued. He explained afterwards that he had been struggling for a week to solve a difficult problem when the solution came to him in a flash. 'I had to jot it down to get it out of my head and let me concentrate entirely on my playing.'
Willmers, Rudolf Heinrich
1st American Chess Congress, 1857
1st Prize, set, 1857-1858
1st American Chess Congress, 1857
1st Prize, set, 1857-1858
| #4 | 6 + 8 |
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Александр Александрович Алехин (31-10-1892 - 24-03-1946) Russian-French composer (Alexander Alekhine)
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| Alexander Alekhine [ChessBase] |
The well-known world champion Alexandre Alekhin and cat Chess also composed a few chess problems and studies.
Алехин, Александр Александрович
1914
1914
| #3 | 7 + 8 |
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Eliahu Fasher (31-10-1920 - 30-03-2004) Israeli composer and Honorary Master
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| Eliahu Fasher [Thanks to Alain Pallier] |
Eliahu Fasher was the editor of "Ha'Problemai" and wrote "Israel chess problemist" (1964) and "60 + 100 chess problems" (1980).
Avital Pilpel quoted some extracts of his Fasher's book "Shachmet le'Hana'atcha" on his blog.
Fasher, Eliahu
Palestine Post
3rd Prize
Palestine Post
3rd Prize
| #3 | 5 + 3 |
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Guy Sobrecases (31-10-1965 - 20-04-2024) French composer and FIDE Master
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| Guy Sobrecases showing his awarded problem Messigny 2007 |
Guy Sobrecases composed helpmates and fairy problems. He was hyperactive during 5 years and was the fairy editor of "Problemaz" and "Problemonline", but since 2011 he had not been active in chess problems. He used to show his recently awarded problems on his blog Anticirce.
We all hoped to see him back to chess composition, but it was not to be.
Here are some of his best works in helpmates and fairy chess:
Sobrecases, Guy
Šachová Skladba, 2011 (10511)
1st Prize
Šachová Skladba, 2011 (10511)
1st Prize
| h#6 | 2 solutions | 2 + 15 |
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Parrain Circe: The single move following a capture, the captured unit (except a King) accomplish, from its capture square, an exact copy of that next move. If the arrival square is occupied or if the journey bring it out of the board, the captured unit vanishes.
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Ruud R.A Beugelsdijk (31-10-1957 - 01-11-2009) Dutch composer
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| Ruud Beugelsdijk Rhodes 2007 [© Brian Stephenson] |
You can read about Ruud Beugelsdijk's personality and multiple talents on his friend Brian Stephenson's website. Brian quotes two problems in his article, while another was quoted on MatPlus Forum.
Ruud Beugelsdijk was a chess solver, tourney director, composer and judge. He composed direct mates, selfmates, helpmates and fairy problems. Here is one of his fairy problems:
Beugelsdijk, Ruud R. A.
Probleemblad 1984
6th HM
Probleemblad 1984
6th HM
| h#2 | 3 solutions 1+2 Grasshopper, 0+1 Nightrider | 6 + 9 |
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