December 25th

William Anthony Shinkman (25-12-1847 - 25-05-1933) American composer

William Shinkman
[Wikipedia]

William Shinkman was a very prolific composer (more than 3,500 problems), 672 of them in "The Golden Argosy" which can be downloaded and read from here.
His surprising and paradoxical keys owed him the surname of "the Wizard of Grand Rapids". He composed many classics.
More about him on ChessProblem.net by Gary Kevin Ware.

Shinkman, William Anthony
Huddersfield College Magazine, Oct 1877
1^st Prize

#2

5 + 4

Show Solution

1.Ba4! ZZ

1...d6 2.Sbc7#
1...f6 2.Sdc7#
1...f5 2.Qg8#
1...Kxd5 2.Bb3# !
1...e4 2.Qxe4#

Ambush, flight-giving key and switchback of the white Bishop.

Shinkman, William Anthony
St. John's Globe, 1890
1^st Prize

#3

5 + 6

Show Solution

1.Kh4-g5 ! (2.Qh5-f3+ Ke4-e5 3.Qf3-f5#)

1...Bf1xg2/Bf1-e2 2.Qh5-e2+ Ke4-d5 3.Sc2xb4#
1...Bf1-d3/Ke4-e5 2.Qh5-e8+ Ke4-d5 3.Sc2-e3#
1...Ke4-d5 2.Qh5-f7+ Kd5-e5/e4, Kd5-c6 3.Qf7-f5, Sc2-d4#
1...Ke4-d3 2.Qh5-d1+ Kd3-c4, Kd3-e4 3.Sc2-a3, Qd1-d4#
1...d6-d5 2.Qh5-h7+ Ke4-e5 3.Qh7-e7#

Complex of model mates after a superb key.

Shinkman, William Anthony
Deutsche Schachzeitung, Sep 1893

#4

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Ba8-h1 ! ZZ
1...Kg1xh1 2.Ke3-f2 h4-h3 3.Kf2-f1 h3-h2 4.Sg4-f2#
1...h4-h3 2.Bh1-g2 ! ZZ and now two possibilities:

2...h3-h2 3.Sg4-e5 ~ 4.Se5-f3#
2...h3xg2 3.Se1-f3+ Kg1-h1, Kg1-f1 4.Sg4-f2, Sg4-h2#

The second Bishop sacrifice 2.Bh1-g2! is the high point of the problem.

Shinkman, William Anthony
Sunny South, 1891
2^nd Prize

s#3

7 + 8

Show Solution

1.Rh7-h8 ! (2.e7xd8=B+ Kc7xc8 3.Qd5-c6+/Qd5-b7+ Bg2xQ#)

1...e6xd5 2.e7xd8=Q+ Kc7-c6 3.Sc8xa7+ Qa3xa7#
1...Kc7xc8 2.e7xd8=R+ Kc8-c7 3.Qd5-b7+ Bg2xb7#
1...Sd8-c6 2.e7-e8=S+ Kc7xc8 3.Qd5xc6+ Bg2xc6#

White Allumwandlung.
Secondary variations:
1...Bg2-f1/Bg2-h3 2.Qd5xd8+ Kc7-c6 3.Sc8xa7+ Qa3xa7#
1...Sg8xe7 2.Bf6-e5+ Kc7xc8 3.Qd5-b7+ Bg2xb7#

Карл Артур Леонид Иванович Куббель (25-12-1891 - 18-04-1942) Russian composer (L.I. Kubbel or K.A.L. Kubbel)

Leonid Kubbel
[Wikipedia]

Leonid Kubbel was a prolific and remarkable composer of endgame studies and problems. He was considered as one of the greatest study composers. He collaborated with chess magazines such as "Shakhmatny Listok" and published two compilations of his compositions during his lifetime.

Timothy Whitworth published in 1994 his complete endgame works in "Leonid Kubbel’s Chess Endgame Studies" (2nd complete edition, 2004). Yaakov Vladimirov and Yuri Fokin published in 1984 the soberly titled "Leonid Kubbel" including more than 700 problems and studies by K.A.L. Kubbel, a detailed biography and a critical apparatus.
See also Alexandr Baturin below for another book about Kubbel's works.

Куббель, Карл Артур Леонид Иванович
Skakbladet, 1935
1^st Prize

#2 v

13 + 7

Show Solution

1.Se1? (2.Qg3#) but 1...Sf5!
1.Se5! (2.Qg3#)

1...Kxe5 2.Bb8#
1...Sf5/Rxb4 2.Sg6#
1...Se3/Be3/Bf2/Bc3/Qxb4 2.Sd3#

Somov.

Куббель, Карл Артур Леонид Иванович
Nová Praha, 1927
1^st Prize

#3

12 + 9

Show Solution

1.h4-h5 ! (2.Sh6xf7+ Ke5xf5 3.Sb3xd4#)
1...Qd1-a1 2.c2-c4 (3.Qc6-d5#) 2...d4xc3 ep. 3.d2-d4#
1...Qd1-g1 2.e2-e4 (3.Sh6-g4/Sh6xf7/Qc6-d5#) 2...d4xe3 ep. 3.d2-d4#
Two similar variations with echo mates.
Secondary variations:
1...Qd1xd2 2.Sb3xd2 (3.Sd2-f3/Sd2-c4#)
1...Sb7-d8 2.Qc6-c5+ Ke5-e4 3.Qc5xd4#

Куббель, Карл Артур Леонид Иванович
Rostov Komite Fizkultura i Sport, 1941
1^st Prize

+

5 + 7

Show Solution

1. Sc7!
{1. c6 ? f2 -+ ; 1. cxd6 ? Sxd6 -+}
1... dxc5
{1... f2 2. Sxe8 f1=Q 3. Sxd6+ Kd5 4. e8=Q Qh3+ 5. Kg5 Qg3+ 6. Kf6 ! Qh4+ 7. Kf7 Qh5+ 8. Ke7 Qxe8+ 9. Sxe8 a4 10. Sf6+ Kxc5 11. Ke6 Kc4 12. Kxe5 a3 13. Sxh7 +-}
{1... Sxc7 2. cxd6 f2 3. dxc7 f1=Q 4. c8=Q Qf4+ 5. Kxh7 Qh4+ 6. Kg6 Qxe7 7. Bf8 Qa7 8. Bc5 +-}
2. Sxe8 f2 3. Sd6+ Kd5 4. e8=Q f1=Q 5. Qxe5+ Kc6 6. Kxh7 Qh3+ 7. Kg6 Qg4+ 8. Kf6 !
and White wins.

Александр Андрианович Батурин (25-12-1909 - 05-08-1981) Russian composer (Alexandr Andryanovich Baturin)

Alexandr Baturin was an editor for "Шахматы в СССР" (Shakhmat v SSSR) and composed mostly modern twomovers and strategic threemovers. He was an International Judge.
He wrote a compilation of 577 problems by Leonid Kubbel in 1958 "Избранные задачи Л. И. Куббеля".

Батурин, Александр Андрианович
Magyar Sakkvilág, 1947
3^rd Prize

#3

11 + 15

Show Solution

1.Rf6-d6 ! (2.Sd5-e3+ Kd4-c3, Kd4xe3 3.Se3-d1, Qc1xd2#)

1...Ba1-c3 2.Sd5-f6+ Kd4-e3 3.Sf6xg4#
1...Sg1-f3 2.Sd5-f4+ Kd4-c3, Kd4-e3 3.Sf4-e2, Rf2xf3#
1...Sd2-e4 2.Sd7-f8 (3.Sf8-e6#) 2...Se4-g5/g6-g5 3.Qc1-e3#
1...Sd2-c4 2.Sd7-b8 (3.Sb8-c6#) 2...Sc4-a5 3.Qc1xa1#
1...b4-b3 2.c2-c3+ Ba1xc3, Kd4xd3 3.Qc1xc3,Sd7xe5#
1...g6-g5 2.Qc1xd2 (3.Sd5-f6/Qd2-e3#)

Siers battery.

Kauko Virtanen (25-12-1931 - 24-07-2023) Finnish composer

Kauko Virtanen, 2002
[Finnish Chess Problem Society]

Kauko Virtanen was an International Judge who composed direct mates and helpmates.
He also held a popular chess problem column in Suomen Kuvalehti between 1976 and 1979. The columns were later published in a book:

Kauko Virtanen's book:
Musta ratsupyörä
Suomen Kuvalehden shakkipalstat vuosina 1976-1979

Virtanen, Kauko
1^st WCCT, 1972
1^st Place, 1972-1975

h#3

8 solutions

5 + 14

Show Solution

1.Sd5-b4 Se4-d2 2.Kd4-c3 Sf7xd6 3.Sf5-d4 Sd2-b1#
1.Sd5-c3 Se4-f2 2.Kd4-c5 Sf7xd6 3.Kc5-b4 Sf2-d3#
1.Sd5-e3 Bc4-d5 2.Kd4-d3 e5xd6 3.Sf5-d4 Sf7-e5#
1.Sd5-f4 Sf7xh6 2.Kd4xe5 Se4-g3 3.Sf5-d4 Sh6-g4#
1.Sd5-f6 Sf7-h8 2.Kd4xe5 Se4-g3 3.Sf5-d4 Sh8-g6#
1.Sd5-e7 Sf7-h8 2.Kd4xe5 Se4-f2 3.Ke5-f6 Sf2-g4#
1.Sd5-c7 Se4-c3 2.Kd4-c5 Sc3xa4+ 3.Kc5-c6 Sf7-d8#
1.Sd5-b6 Se4xg5 2.Kd4-c5 Sg5-e6+ 3.Kc5-c6 Sf7-d8#
An amazing task - 8 solutions finishing with a mate by a White Knight and black Knight's wheel on the first move.

Volodea Vaisman (25-12-1937) Romanian-French composer

Volodea Vaisman
[IulianCeausescu]

Volodea Vaisman is o.t.b. IM, trainer and maybe he has forgotten that he once composed this threemover:

Vaisman, Volodea
problem (Zagreb) 1960 (1555)

#3

12 + 12

Show Solution

1.Qh7-g6 ! (2.Sa4-c5 ~ 3.Qg6xe6#)

1...Ba1-d4 2.Kg2-f1 (3.Qg6xe6#) 2...Bb3-c4+ 3.Re4-e2#
1...Bb3-c4 2.Kg2-g1 (3.Qg6xe6#) 2...Ba1-d4+ 3.Re4-e3#
1...e7xd6 2.Kg2-g3 (3.Qg6xe6#) 2...Ba1xe5+, Rb7-e7 3.Re4-f4, Sa4-b6#

Dual avoidance: the destination of the white King depends on Black's selfblock.
Secondary variation: 1...Ba1xe5 2.Re4-d4+ Kd5xd4, Be5xd4 3.Qg6-d3, Qg6xe6# 

Unto Heinonen (25-12-1946 - 17-09-2022) Finnish composer and Grandmaster

Unto Heinonen
[© Hannu Harkola]

Unto Heinonen "composed everything", as Juraj Lörinc put it on his website, where he shows 5 fairy problems by the Finnish composer. He was also a remarkable Proof Games composer.
His article about the Ceriani-Frolkin theme can be read on Problemskak.
On PDB you can discover his sh=42 with Rex Solus beating the record established by Zdravko Maslar in Problem, 1958 (sh=34).
A selection of 11 of his problems by Paul Raican was published in Quartz 55 (p.926-928).

Heinonen, Unto
Die Schwalbe, 1989
1^st Prize

h#3

4 solutions

2 + 16

Show Solution

1.Kd5-e4 e7-e8=S 2.Be6-d5 Kd8-c8 3.Ra4-d4 Se8xd6#
1.Kd5-c4 e7-e8=Q 2.Qb5-d5 Qe8-d7 3.c6-c5 Qd7xa4#
1.c6-c5 e7-e8=R 2.Kd5-c6 Re8-e7 3.d6-d5 Re7xe6#
1.Be6-f7 e7-e8=B 2.Kd5-e6 Be8xc6 3.Qb5-d5 Bc6-d7#

White Allumwandlung combined with the black King's star.

Heinonen, Unto
Springaren, 1999
1^st Prize

r#2

10 + 9

Show Solution

1.Rc8-e8 ! (2.Bf8xb4 Ba5xb4#)

1...b2-b1=Q/R+ 2.Bd3xb1 Rb4xb1#
1...Kf7-g8 2.Re8-e7 Rb4-b5#
1...Rh8xf8 2.~ Rb4-b5#

Heinonen, Unto
harmonie, 1991
2^nd Prize

h#4

2 solutions Circe h7, d1: Pao

3 + 3

The Pao is a chinese piece: moves like a Rook, captures like a Rook over a hurdle.

Show Solution

1.b1=B PAd2 2.exd2(PAd8)+ Kxd2(pd7) 3.Be4 PAa8 4.Bb7 PAxb7(Bc8)#
1.e2 PAa1 2.bxa1=B(PAa8) Kxe2(pe7) 3.Bh8 PAg7 4.Kd8 PAxh8(Bf8)#
Chameleon echo mates after specific Circe play.

Александр Н. Буянов (25-12-1958) Russian composer (Alexander Buyanov)

Alexander Buyanov
[Facebook profile]

Alexander Buyanov composed few direct mate problems.

Буянов, Александр Н.
МК Д.Банный-65, Шахматная композиция 1997 (20/)

#2*

7 + 7

Show Solution

Set play:
1... Bd8 a 2. Bc4# A
1... Sh5 b 2. Se3# B
1. Se4! (2. Sf6#)
1... Bd8 a 2. Se3# B
1... Sh5 b 2. Bc4# A
Reciprocally exchanged mates, Somov.

Андрей Н. Журавлёв (25-12-1963) Russian composer and FIDE Master (Andrey N. Zhuravlev)

Andrey Zhuravlev
[Wikipedia]

Andrey Zhuravlev has composed more than 300 twomovers, threemovers, moremovers and helpmates. Three of his problems are presented on his Wikipedia webpage.
He is also a chess trainer, master of sports and was champion of Russia in 2015.

Журавлёв, Андрей Николаевич
U.S. Problem Bulletin, 1994 (/3150)
3^rd Prize

#2

12 + 9

Show Solution

1.Ba1? (2.Sf6#(A))

1...Rf7+(a) 2.Sf2#(B)
1...Kxd5 2.Qb7#(C)
[1...Bxd5/Rxd5 2.Sf2#]
but 1...Rc3!

1.Qb7!(C) (2.Sf2#(B))

1...Rf7+(a) 2.Sf6#(A)
1...Kxd3 2.Qb1#
1...Bxd3/Rxd3 2.Sc3#

[1...Rg7 2.Sf6#(A)/Sc3# dual]
Le Grand, pseudo Le Grand.