November 4th

Fernand Calvet (04-11-1910 - 04-01-1998) French composer

Fernand Calvet published numerous problems - usually fairy problems, in collaboration with Pierre Monréal who invented the Circe fairy condition or with other French problemists). Fernand Calvet invented the Anticirce condition.
He was also an excellent solver.

Calvet, Fernand
feenschach, 1971

ser-=12

5 + 7

ser-=12: White plays 12 consecutive moves and stalemates Black.

Show Solution

1. h8=Q 2. Qxf8 3. Q8xb4 4. f8=S 5. Se6 6. Sxd4 7. Sxb5 8. d8=R 9. Rxa8 10. Rb8 11. a8=B 12. Bxb7=
Allumwandlung.

Calvet, Fernand & Oudot, Jean
The British Chess Magazine, 1964
1^st Commendation

#2

h8, g3, h2: Lion

10 + 12

The Lion moves like a Queen but beyond a hurdle.

Show Solution

1.b6-b7 ! ZZ
1...LIg3-c7,LIg3-d6,LIg3-e5
2.Sa5-c6, Qa6xd6, Kf4xe5#
1...d4-d3, e4-e3, h4-h3, d5xc4, g7-g5+, g7-g6/Bh7-g6, Bh7xf5
2.Kf4-e3, Kf4-f3, Kf4xg3, Kf4xe4, Kf4-g4, Kf4-g5, Kf4xf5#
1...Qa8xb7 2.Qa6xb7#
1...Kb8-c7 2.b7xa8=S#

Яков Вульфович Россомахо (04-11-1935 - 02-04-2024) Russian composer and International Master (Yakov Vulfovich Rossomakho)

Yakov Rossomakho
[liveinternet.ru]

Yakov Rossomakho is a twomover specialist but also composes longer direct mates (such as this #3).
He is the editor of the magazine "Zadachy i etjudy" and an International Judge.

Россомахо, Яков Вульфович
Мемориал Л. Куббеля 1992
1^st Prize

#2 v

12 + 10

Show Solution

1. Se~? [2. Sd4 [B] , Qxd5 [D] #]
but 1... Bc3 [c] !
1. Sd7? [2. Qxd5 [D] #] (2.Sd4#?)

1... Rxf8 [a] 2. Se7 [A] #
1... Se6~ 2. S(x)d4 [B] #
1... Bc3 [c] 2. Qg4 [C] # (2.Qg5#?)
but 1... Ra2 [f] !

1. Sf7! [2. Sd4 [B] #] (2.Qxd5#?)

1... Rxc8 [g] 2. Se7 [A] #
1... Sd7 2. Sh6#
1... Sg4+ 2. hxg4#
1... Bc3 [c] 2. Qg5 [G] # (2.Qg4#?)
1... f3 2. Qxf3 [E] # (2.Qg4#?)

Dual avoidance, white correction. The try and key both unpin a black S.

Steen Boe Christensen (04-11-1950) Danish composer

Steen Christensen
[Problemskak]

Steen Christensen started composing in 1966 and composed little - mostly fairy problems (Haaner Chess and Sentinelles are his favourite conditions). He tested 77% of the FIDE Album problems until 1988 and published the results.
He wrote "TERMINOLOGI I SKAKOPGAVER: BRÆTTER OG BRIKKER", a terminology of fairy conditions and pieces, in 1998.

Christensen, Steen Boe
Thema Danicum, 1980
2^nd Prize

ser-h=15

6 + 8

Show Solution

1. f1=B 2. e1=Q 3. Qxe3 4. Qxd4 5. e3 6. e2 7. e1=R 8. Ra1 9. d1=S 10. Bc4 11. Ba2 12. Bb1 13. Ra2 14. Qa1 15. Sb2 Bc1=
Black Allumwandlung, pin stalemate.

Stanislav Vokál (04-11-1950) Slovak composer

Stanislav Vokál
[rubriky.net]

Stanislav Vokál composes in all genres. If you are interested, you can consult his selected problems on his website.

Vokál, Stanislav
Memorial A Pongracz - 1990
1^st Prize

s#4

12 + 13

Show Solution

1.Qb3-a4 ! (2.Sb4-d3+ Kc5-d5 3.Qa4-d4+ e5xd4 4.Sd3-f4+ Rf3xf4#)

1...Ba1xc3 2.Sb4-a2+ Bc3-b4 3.Qa4xb4+ Kc5-d5 4.Sa2-c3+ Rf3xc3#
1...Qe1-e3 2.Sb4xc2+ Kc5-d5 3.Qa4-a5+ Qe3-c5 4.Sc2-e3+ Rf3xe3#

A black unit moves to the square (c3/e3) where the white Knight will come later to force the mate by the black battery; this black unit is pinned in the meantime.

Gunter Jordan (04-11-1952) German composer

Gunter Jordan, Frank Richter and Norbert Geissler

Gunter Jordan is the editor of "Gaudium" whose archive can be found on the Italian website "Accademia del problema". You can find issue 124 (31st October 2012) here.
He composes in all genres, but mostly fairy problems.

Jordan, Gunter
Problemkiste, Sep 2008 (178/7168)

h#3

b) Stipulation h=3

2 + 9

Show Solution

a) 1.d2-d1=S Rf1xf2 2.Rg1-e1 Rf2xe2 3.Kh1-g1 Re2xe1#
b) 1.Re2-e1 Rf1xe1 2.e3-e2 Kf3-e3 3.f2-f1=B Ke3xd2 =
Argentine theme: h#/h= twins.

Theodore Hermann Keidanski (04-11-1865 - 00-12-1938) Polish-German composer (later Keidanz and Kaidanz)

Hermann Keidanski
[Wikipedia]

Hermann Keidanz was a chess player and analyst born in Pomerania who lived in Berlin, then New York and came back to Berlin in the 1920s.
He composed endgame studies and direct mates. Some of his studies can be found on the Arves website.
He wrote the chess problem anthology "The chess compositions of E. B. Cook of Hoboken" which you can read here.

Keidanski, Theodore Hermann
American Chess Bulletin, Nov 1907 (11/300)
Dedicated to Professor Isaac L. Rice

#4

11 + 9

Show Solution

1.d6! with 4 variations by the c7 pawn:
1...c5 2.♘d3 c4 3.♘b2 c×b2 4.c3#
1...c6 2.♗a2 ~ 3.♗c4 ~ 4.♗d3#
1...c×d6 2.e×d6 e5 3.♘d5 ~ 4.♘f6#
1...c×b6 2.♗a7 b5 3.♗e3 ~ 4.g6#