November 30th

Gustaaf Josephus Nietvelt (30-11-1897 - 15-11-1961) Belgian composer

Gustaaf Nietvelt
[Article by G. Nietvelt about the Schiffmann Defence
Revista de Sah 1928 p.131]

Gustaaf Nietvelt was the founder of the Belgian magazine "De Problemist" (1927-1931) which later merged with "Het Schaakleven".
He mostly composed twomovers. His name was given to a black defence.
"Nietvelt defence: A black unit selfpins itself because the threat must unpin it by withdrawal. The selfpinning must be used thereafter."

Nietvelt, Gustaaf Josephus
Skakbladet, 1931
2^nd Place

#2*

9 + 6

Show Solution

Set play:

1...Kd4[a] 2.Sc3#[A]
1...Kc6[b] 2.Qd7#[B]
1...Rd4 2.Sc7#
1...Rxe4 2.Qxe4#

1.Qh1! (2.Sc3#[A])

1...Kd4[a] 2.Sec5#[C]
1...Kc6[b] 2.Sd6#[D]
1...Rd4 2.Sc7#
1...Rxe4 2.Qxe4#

Changed mates.

František Jelínek (30-11-1902 - 02-06-1958) Czech composer

In the series "Gallery of Czech composers", Ilja Mikan dedicated a booklet to František Jelínek which can be downloaded and read from here.
František Jelínek was, of course, a Bohemian composer.

Jelínek, František
Národní politika, 16^th Jun 1937 (61)

#3

5 + 12

Show Solution

1.Se2-d4 ! (2.Sd4-b3+ c4xb3+ 3.a2xb3#)
1...Rf6-c6 2.a2-a4 (3.a4xb5#) 2...b5xa4 3.Ra6xa4#
1...Rf7-c7 2.Kc2-c1 ~ 3.Sd4-c2#
Two black self interferences determine the white play.

Jelínek, František
Lidová demokracie, 7^th May 1950

#3

6 + 12

Show Solution

1.Ka8-b7 ! (2.Sb8-d7 [3.Sd7-f6#] 2...Ke8xd7 3.e7-e8=Q#)

1...Rc1-e1 2.Re6xe1 ~ 3.Bg4-d7#
1...f3-f2 2.Re6-e2 ~ 3.Bg4-d7#
1...d4-d3 2.Re6-e3 ~ 3.Bg4-d7#
1...Ba3-b2 2.Sh6-f5 (3.Sf5xd6#) 2...g6xf5, Ke8-f7 3.Bg4-h5, e7-e8=Q#

Олег Евгеньевич Ефросинин (30-11-1956) Russian composer and FIDE Master (Oleg Evgenyevich Efrosinin)

Oleg Efrosinin
[Grigory Popov]

Oleg Efrosinin is a journalist and direct mate composer.

Ефросинин, Олег Евгеньевич
Archakov-60 JT, 1998
1^st Prize

#4

12 + 10

Show Solution

1.Qa1-f1 ! (2.Bg5xd8/Bg5-f6 Sg1xh3 3.Sf3-d2+ e3xd2 4.Qf1-f3#)

1...Bb8-d6 2.Ba2-d5+ Bg8xd5 3.Se2-g3+ Bd6xg3 4.Qf1-d3#
1...Rd8-d6 2.Rc5-e5+ Re8xe5 3.Sf3-d2+ Rd6xd2 4.Qf1-f4#
1...Re8-e6 2.Se2-g3+ h4xg3 3.Qf1-c4+ Rd8-d4 4.Qc4xd4#

Line-opening sacrifices, Grimshaw.

René Olthof (30-11-1959) Dutch composer

René Olthof
[NIC]

René Olthof composes endgame studies. He is also the supervisor of "New In Chess Yearbook" and an interview of him can be read here.

Olthof, René
EG (magazine) 1982

+

4 + 5

Show Solution

1. d7+ Kf8 2. Bh6+ Kg8 3. Sc8
{3. Sd5? Sc6 =}
3... Rxc8
{3... Sc6? 4. d8=Q+ Sxd8 5. Se7#}
4. dxc8=B ! Sf7 5. Bg7 h5 6. Be6 Rh6+
{6... Rh7 7. Bxf7# ; 6... Kh7 7. Kxf7}
7. Bxh6 Kh7 8. Bf8 Sh6 9. Kg5 Sg4 10. Bf7
{10. Kxh5? Sf6+ 11. Kg5 Se8 =}
10... Se5
{10... Sh2 11. Kxh5 Sf3 12. Bg6+ Kg8 13. Bd6 +- ; 10... Se3 11. Bxh5 +-; 10... Sf2 11. Bxh5 +-}
11. Bxh5 and White wins.
Full detailed solution here.

Abdelaziz Onkoud (30-11-1972) Moroccan composer and Grandmaster

Abdelaziz Onkoud, ISC 2005
[Christian Poisson]

Abdelaziz Onkoud is the dynamic webmaster of the website Onkoud.com and its composing tourneys. He is a very prolific composer, the driving force of Moroccan composers, an o.t.b. IM, composition IM since 2013, GM since 2023, and an already experienced International Judge.

He composes mostly direct mates or helpmates in 2 or 3 moves, but sometimes composes studies or ventures into the realm of selfmates or fairy problems.
His awarded problems can be seen here and his themes here.

Onkoud, Abdelaziz
Sakkélet, 1996 (11-12/6254)
1^st Prize

#3

11 + 10

Show Solution

1.Ke5-e4 ! (2.Sc4-e5#)

1...Rg5xf5 2.g7-g8=Q+ A Bh7xg8 3.Qf1xf5# B
1...Bh7xf5+ 2.Qf1xf5+ B Rg5xf5 3.g7-g8=Q# A
1...Sb7xd6+ 2.Sc4xd6+ C Bc7xd6 3.d7-d8=S# D
1...Bc7xd6 2.d7-d8=S+ D Sb7xd8 3.Sc4xd6# C

Double reciprocal exchange of white moves.

Onkoud, Abdelaziz
diagrammes, 2001 (4702)
4^th Prize

h#2

b) bPd2->c2

9 + 11

Show Solution

a) 1. Rxd6 Bxe5 2. Rg6 Sxc3#
b) 1. Bxf5 Sxc3 2. Bd7 Bxe5#
Strategic blend of battery play, annihilations, line closings and orthogonal-diagonal correspondence.