December 20th

Karl Kaul (20-12-1906 - 21-04-1985) German composer

Karl Kaul
[Kartothek A-K page 156]

Karl Kaul composed direct mates and selfmates.

Kaul, Karl
Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1961

#3

6 + 1

Show Solution

1.Sf5-e7 ! ZZ

1...Kf6-g7 2.Qh3-h8+ Kg7xh8 3.Bg1-d4#
1...Kf6xe7 2.Qh3-e6+ Ke7-d8, Ke7-f8 3.Bg1-b6, Qe6-f7#
1...Kf6-g5 2.Bg1-d4 Kg5-f4 3.Qh3-f5#
1...Kf6-e5 2.Qh3-e6+ Ke5-f4 3.Qe6-f5#

Nice sacrificial and flight-giving key, star-flight of the black King.

Albert Abramovich Grigorian (20-12-1925 - 2009) Armenian composer

Albert Grigorian
[Grigory Popov]

Albert Grigorian composed direct mates, helpmates and series movers and was a prolific composer.

Grigorjan, Albert Abramowitsch
Rochade Europa, May 2009 (2381)

ser-#23

3 + 6

Show Solution

1.Kg1 2.Kf1 3.Ke1 4.Kd2 5.Kc3 6.Kb4 7.Kb5 8.Ka6 9.Kb7 10.Kc8 11.Kxd8 12.Ke7 13.Kf6 14.Kg5 15.Kh4 16.Kxg3 17.Kf2 18.g4 19.g5 20.g6 21.g7 22.g8=S 23.Sf6#
An almost closed circuit by the white King. Excelsior. Minor promotion.

Владимир Ильич Тимонин (20-12-1939 - 03-08-2011) Russian composer and FIDE Master (Vladimir Ilich Timonin)

Vladimir Timonin
[Grigory Popov]

Vladimir Timonin was specialized in threemovers.

Тимонин, Владимир Ильич
Всероссийский конкурс 1964
1^st Prize

#3 v

8 + 11

Show Solution

Set play:

1. ... Bxe3 2. Sb5+ Kxe4 3. Qxa8#
1. ... Rxe3 2. Sb7+ Kxe4 3. Qd5#

1. Qe2! (2. Qf3 [3. Se8, Sb7, Sf7, Sb5, Sf5, Sc4, Qf5#])

1. ... Rxe3 2. Sb5+ Kxe4 3. Sc3#
1. ... Bxe3 2. Sb7+ Kxe4 3. Sc5#

Reciprocally changed variations. Siers battery. Selfpinning. Remote selfblock.

Eric Huber (20-12-1971) French-Romanian composer and International Master

• Born and raised in France, moved to Romania at 26 and was initiated into chess composition by Valeriu Petrovici.
• IM in solving, International Judge in fairy problems, collaborator of some magazines: the Romanian "Buletin Problemistic", Paul Răican's "Quartz", the international "Mat Plus" edited by Milan Velimirovic, and the early "e4 e5".
• Specialized in fairy problems and frequent co-author with Vlaicu Crişan.
• Wrote with the same accomplice Vlaicu Crişan "Aurora - A Collection of 100 Chess Problems by Yoshikazu Ueda". 
• Organizes and judges with Vlaicu the yearly Tzuica Tourney, dedicated to helpselfmates.
• Recklessly started a blog dedicated to chess composers in January 2012 but miraculously survived the ordeal - at least until the end of 2012.

Huber, Eric
Quartz, 2001

hs#4

MarsCirce b) bRa6->e8

4 + 4

Show Solution

a) 1.Be1 Kf2 2.e5 Bf1 3.Bc3+ Ke1 4.Rc1+ Ra1#
b) 1.Rd2 Rc8 2.Kb7 Ke3 3.Ka6 Bb5 4.Rd4+ Rc1#
Specific batteries and pins, exchange of roles.

Huber, Eric
Die Schwalbe 206^th TT, 2011
1^st Prize

h#2

2 solutions Take & Make

7 + 6

Take & Make:
When capturing, the capturing piece must make an additional move, like the piece captured. If this extra move isn't possible, then the capture is illegal. Checks are orthodox. Pawns may never appear on the bottom rank (1st rank for white, 8th rank for black). The move isn't finished until after the extra move has been made. Rebirths, promotions, etc, occur after the extra move.

Show Solution

1.Bxc5-c6 Bxd2-h2+ 2.Kxh2-c7 dxc6-a8=Q#
1.Rxd5-d6 Rxg1-f2 2.Kxf2-f8 cxd6-d8=S#
Zilahi, exchange of functions.
Cycle of capturing units: bBg1xwPc5xbRd2xwPd5xbBg1