October 4th

William Alexander Beers (04-10-1883 - 04-01-1942) American composer

Williams Beers was a Good Companion composer. He composed direct mates.

Beers, William Alexander
The Chess Review, Jun 1935 (303)
Prize, Honor

#3

8 + 6

Show Solution

Lovers of corner-to-corner moves will be delighted:
1.Bh1-a8 ! ZZ
1...Ba1xb2 2.Qh7-b7 ! Kb1-c1, a2-a1 3.Qb7-h1, Ra5xa1#
1...Kb1xb2 2.Qh7-h1 ! Kb2-b3 3.Qh1-b7#
The problem is remarkable by the 2 sweeping Queen moves along the diagonal h1-b7 and b7-h1.
Secondary variation: 1...Kb1-c1 2.Sb2-a4 ~ 3.Qh7-h1#

Bruno Zastrow (04-10-1905 - 17-04-1948) German composer

Bruno Zastrow was an excellent solver, as recalled die Schwalbe 215 : A.H. Kniest used to give him the Schwalbe originals for checking.
He mostly composed selfmates.

Zastrow, Bruno
Die Schwalbe, 1943
Prize

s#5

4 + 2

Show Solution

1.Se4-d2 ! ZZ
1...a7-a6 2.g7-g8=B ! a6-a5 3.Bg8-a2 a5-a4 4.Sd2-b3 a4xb3 5.Ba2-b1 b3-b2#
1...a7-a5 2.g7-g8=R ! a5-a4 3.Sd2-b1+ Ka3-b3 4.Rg8-g2 a4-a3 5.Rg2-b2+ a3xb2#
Economical presentation of two minor promotions.

Hermann Weißauer (04-10-1920 - 02-08-2014) German composer and Honorary Master

Hermann Weißauer
[Wilfried Neef, Die Schwalbe]

Hermann Weißauer had a multifaceted activity: he composed three- and moremovers; he was an International Judge; he launched the German Solving Championship in 1978; and he also wrote articles and books.

He was an editor for the chess magazine "Rochade Europa", wrote the booklet "Richard Schattner und seine Schachaufgaben" in 1998 and the book "P.A. Orlimont und seine Schachaufgaben" (1999, Kuhn-Murkisch-Serie).

You may read his obituary in German Schachbund.de.

Weißauer, Hermann
Schweizerische Arbeiter-Schachzeitung, 1978
1^st HM

#3

10 + 9

Show Solution

1.Re8-e6 ! (2.Re6xd6+ Sf7xd6 3.Ra5xc5#)

1...Bb2xe5 2.Sd1-c3+ Be5xc3 3.Bd3-c4#
1...Re2xe5 2.Sd1-e3+ Re5xe3 3.Sc6-b4#
The white sacrifices are meant to force Black to open white lines.
1...Sf7xe5 2.Sc6-b4+ Kd5-d4 3.Re6xd6#

Radu Voia (04-10-1922 - 06-12-2006) Romanian composer

Radu Voia
[Wikimedia]

Radu Voia was a chess player and sports journalist who collaborated with the "Revista Română de Şah". He was a member of the Romanian solving team that became World champion in 1948. He composed mostly studies and became an International Judge.

Voia, Radu
Magyar Sakkélet, 1951 (34)

+

5 + 3

Show Solution

1. c7 Sxc4 ! 2. Kxc4 Rxg6 ! 3. Se7
{3. c8=Q ? Rc6+ 4. Qxc6 stalemate}
3... Rc6+ ! 4. Sxc6+ Kb6 5. c8=R ! avoiding 5.c8=Q? stalemate and winning.

Ιωάννης Καλκαβούρας (04-10-1961) Greek composer (Ioannis Kalkavouras)

Ioannis Kalkavouras
[Grigory Popov]

Emmanuel Manolas presented Ioannis Kalkavouras on his blog in 2008.
Like many Greek problemists, he was influenced by the chess problem columns of Triantafyllos Siaperas. He composes in all genres and in varied styles.

Kalkavouras, Ioannis
Best Problems
1^st Prize

#2

11 + 9

Show Solution

1.Sg3[A]? (2.Sc4#)
1...Rc2[b] 2.Rh5#[B] but 1...Rc1[a]!
1.Sh4[C]? (2.Sc4#)
1...Rc1[a] 2.Rh5#[B] but 1...Rc2[b]!
1.Rh5[B]! (2.Sc4#)

1...Rc1[a] 2.Sh4#[C]
1...Rc2[b] 2.Sg3#[A]
Secondary variations:
1...Rg5 2.Rd2#
1...Qa6 2.e8Q#/e8R#
1...Qxe7+ 2.Qxe7#
1...Bxd6 2.Qxd6#
1...Rxh5 2.Rd1#

Reversal and Banny.

Kalkavouras, Ioannis
Mat Plus, 2009 (35/1374)

h#3

b) wPd5<->bRf2

6 + 9

Show Solution

a) 1.Rb3 dxc6+ 2.Kc3 Rd1 3.Rc2 Bd4#
b) 1.Bb3 f3+ 2.Kc4 Bb6 3.Rb5 Rd4#
White critical moves in diagonal-orthogonal correspondence.