November 21st

Frederick E. Gamage (21-11-1882 - 24-12-1956) American composer

Frederick Gamage
[Source: Illustrated Western Weekly News, cca 1910
scan © Michael McDowell]

Frederick Gamage was specialized in two and three-movers and was one of the precursors of the American composition.
In 1941 Alan White published "Frederick Gamage. An artist in Chess problem" which contains 100 selected problems and can be downloaded and read from here.
In 2004 Mike Prcic published the anthology "Frederick Gamage".

His name was given to a problem theme.
Gamage theme: White can directly unpin a black piece because Black has just interfered with it.

Gamage, Frederick E.
The Brisbane Courier, 1915
1^st HM

#2

9 + 8

Show Solution

1.Rc1! (2.Rc4#)
1...Sd6 2.Qxe7#
1...Bc3 2.Qb1#
1...e6 2.Qh7#
Three Gamage variations (bRc6 is unpinned by the Queen move, because it was interfered by the previous black move Sd6, Bc3 or e6)
Secondary variations:
1...Bb6 2.Qxc6#
1...Se3 2.Sf2#
1...Sd2 2.Re1#

Gamage, Frederick E.
The Falkirk Herald, Keeble MT, 1940
1^st Prize

#2

10 + 7

Show Solution

1.Qb1! (2.Qc1#)

1...Rxa3 2.Sg6#
1...Rxg4+ 2.Sxg4#
1...Bc4 2.Sf7#
1...Bd7 2.Sc4#
Four battery mates by wSe5.
1...Sb3 2.Qxb3#
1...Sc4/Rac4/Rcc4/Bd3 2.Rd3#

Gamage, Frederick E.
The Pittsburgh Leader, 1910
1^st Prize

#3

11 + 10

Show Solution

1.Qc1-c2 !
(with two threats: 2.Be4-f3 [3.Bf3-g4#] 2...Rd3xf3 3.Qc2-e4# and 2.Se2xd4+ Rd3xd4 3.Be4-f5#)

1...Sa1xc2 2.Sf6-d7 [3.Sd7-c5#] 2...Ke6xd7 3.Be4-f5#
1...Rd2xc2 2.Be4-f3 [3.Bf3-g4#] 2...Rd3xf3 3.Qc2-e4#
1...Ba4xc2 2.Be4-c6 [3.Bc6-d7#] 2...Sa7xc6 3.c7-c8=Q/B#

Secondary variation:
1...Rd2xe2 2.Qc2xd3 [3.Be4-f5/Be4-d5/Qd3-c4/Qd3-h3#]

Аркадий Иванович Ярославцев (21-11-1924 - ?) Russian composer and FIDE Master (Arkady Ivanovich Yaroslavtsev)

Arkady Ivanovich Yaroslavtsev
[Source: Александр Никитин]

Arkady Yaroslavtsev is a direct mate and helpmate composer.

Ярославцев, Аркадий Иванович
Шахматы в СССР 1964
1^st Prize

#3

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.Bh6-f4 ! (2.Qh5-f3+ Re5-e4, Bf5-e4 3.Kd2-c2, Kd2-e3#)

1...Bb2-c1(c3)+ 2.Kd2xc1(c3)+ Kd5-e4, Bf5-d3 3.Qh5-f3, e2-e4#
1...Re5xe2+ 2.Kd2xe2+ Kd5-e4 3.Qh5-f3#
1...Re5-e4 2.Kd2-c2+ Re4-d4+ 3.e2-e4#
1...Bf5-b1/d3 2.e2-e4+ Bb1/d3xe4 3.Bg6xe4#
Several pin mates and a spectacular variation 1...Re4 with counter-check and double pin mates.

Secondary variation: 1...h2-h1=Q/B 2.Qh5xh1+ etc.

Ярославцев, Аркадий Иванович
Šahs/Шахматы (Rīga) 1962
2^nd Prize

h#2

4 solutions

4 + 7

Show Solution

1.Rc5-c2 Rc8-c3 2.Rc2-b2 Rc3-f3#
1.Rc5-c3 Rc8-c4 2.g5-g4 Rc4-f4#
1.Rc5-c4 Rc8-c5 2.d5-d4 Rc5-f5#
1.d5-d4 Rc8-c6 2.d6-d5 Rc6-f6#

Gábor Cseh (21-11-1974 - 02-08-2001) Hungarian composer and FIDE Master

Gábor Cseh
[magyarsakkszerzok]

Gábor Cseh was a specialist of helpmates, especially strategical longmovers with promotions and hidden play. He also composed some direct mates and fairy problems. He was a brilliant composer who passed away prematurely in a car tragic accident (involving a glass door - specifies Manfred in a Comment).

Cseh, Gábor
Toma Garai-60 JT, diagrammes, 1997
1^st Prize

h#2

4.1...

6 + 13

Show Solution

1.Kxf5 Qg1 2.Kf6 Rf7#
1.exf5 Sb4 2.Ke5 Re7#
1.Re3 Qc6+ 2.Kd4 Rd7#
1.Kxd3 Qd6+ 2.Kc3 Rxc7#
The white Rook is unpinned four times by the Black King on f6, e5, d4 and c3.

Cseh, Gábor
The Problemist, 1997
1^st Prize

h#10

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.h6 d8=Q 2.h5 Qd5 3.Sxh4+ Qg2+ 4.Sxg2 e8=B 5.h4 Bc6 6.Sf4+ Bg2 7.Sd5 b6 8.Sc7 b7 9.Sxa8 bxa8=Q 10.Bxg2+ ~ 11.Qxg2#
A fantastic solution with 2 Queen promotions and far-fetched play by the bS.

The curious readers should also check this h#5 with an incredible Zilahi or this h#4.5 with two pairs of Queen promotions.

Михаил Николаевич Храмцевич (21-11-1966) Belarusian composer and International Master (Mihail Nikolayevich Hramtsevich)

Mihail Hramtsevich, Poltava 2007
[Selivanov.ru]

Mihail Hramtsevich is an eclectic composer and obtains notable results in all genres. He made significant contributions to the WCCT, usually in collaboration with other authors. His problems show a predilection for cycles of white moves.
An article about him and 24 of his problems can be found in the Belarusian magazine Albino 45/46-2005 pg.7-8.

Храмцевич, Михаил Николаевич
Уральский проблемист 2005
1^st Prize

s#3

11 + 14

Show Solution

1.Ra6-a5 ! (threatening 2.Ra5xb5+ A Ba4xb5+ 3.c3-c4+ B Bb5xc4#)

1...Be5xd4 2.c3-c4+ B Kd5-c5 3.Re4-e5+ C Sc6xe5#
1...Be5-d6 2.Re4-e5+ C Bd6xe5 3.Qe8xc6+ D Rg6xc6#
1...b4xc3 2.Qe8xc6+ D Rg6xc6 3.Ra5xb5+ A Ba4xb5#

White cycle of moves AB-BC-CD-DA.