September 30th

Hieronymus Fischer (30-09-1843 - 08-01-1927) German composer

Hieronymus Fischer wrote with W.A. Shinkman "Humor im schach" (1904) a compilation of 160 problems, of which many selfmates.

Fischer, Hieronymus
Bamberger Schachklub, 1903

s#3

12 + 4

Show Solution

1.Qe1-a1 ! ZZ

1...Ra5xa4 2.Rh6-h5+ Kg5-f6 3.Se5-c4+ Ra4xa1#
1...Ra5xd5 2.Se5-f7+ Kg5-g4 3.Qa1-d1+ Rd5xd1#
1...Ra5-b5 2.Sg7-e6+ Kg5xf5 3.Qa1-b1+ Rb5xb1#
(1...Ra5-c5? 2.Qa1-c1+ Rc5xc1#)

A rather modern concept.

September 29th

Josef Lepping (29-09-1905 - ?) German composer

Josef Lepping composed direct mates with few pieces on the board or selfmates such as this one. Here is a typical moremover:

Lepping, Josef
Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1926

#4

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Rb3-b2 ! ZZ

1...Kc5-c4 2.Kd7-d6 c6-c5 3.Kd6-e5 Kc4-c3 4.Ke5-d5#
1...Kc5-d5 2.Rb2-b4 Kd5-c5 3.Bf6-e7+ Kc5-d5 4.e2-e4#

September 28th

Ernst Baumgarten (28-09-1886 - 14-05-1976) German composer

Ernst Baumgarten, 1973 [Wikimedia]

Ernst Baumgarten composed multimovers, in the Bohemian and later in the strategic style, and also helpmates and selfmates.

Baumgarten, Ernst
Kockelkorn-Gedenkturnier, 1921
2^nd Prize

#3

8 + 9

Show Solution

If immediately 1.Sg8-e7 (2.Se7xg6#) d3-d2!
1.Bc7-b8 ! (2.Ra2-a7 [3.Ra7-h7#] 2...Sd4-f5 3.Se1-f3#)

1...Bb1xa2 2.Sg8-e7 ~ 3.Se7xg6#
1...Rh2xa2 2.Sg8-e7 (3.Se7xg6#) 2...Ra2-a6/d3-d2 3.Se1-g2#

(1...Rh2-c2 or 1...Rh2-f2 are followed by 2.Ra2xR)

September 27th

Sigmund Herland (27-09-1865 - 15-08-1954) Austrian- Romanian composer

Sigmund Herland
[Kartothek A-K page 130]

Sigmund Herland was a chess player and composer
A collection of 327 selected problems by Sigmund Herland was published by Ekaterina Yaremska-Iliescu and can be read and downloaded from [Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / Library and Archives Canada].

Sigmund Herland composed in all genres (studies, direct or fairy problems, in Bohemian or strategic style) and was often very creative and original.
Sigmund Herland also composed what can be considered as the forerunner of the first cyclic Babson task (composed by Peter Hoffmann, Schach 2005). The story of this problem,published by Alain C. White in the Theory of Pawn Promotion, was evoked by Steven Dowd in his "Skittles" on ChessCafe.

Herland, Sigmund
Theory Of Pawn Promotion, 1912
1^st Prize

#4

13 + 8

Show Solution

1.c6-c7 ! (2.c7-c8=Q ~ 3.Qc8-f5 ~ 4.Qf5-g5# or 2.c7-c8=S ~ 3.Sc8-d6 ~ 4.Sd6-f5#)
1...a2-a1=Q/B 2.c7-c8=S
1...a2-a1=S 2.c7-c8=Q
1...a2-a1=R 2.a7-a8=B (3.Ba8-f3 ~ 4.g4-g5#) 2...a3-a2 3.Ba8-e4 ! Kh4xg4 4.Be4-g6#
Promotions Q-S, S-Q, R-B and B-S.

Herland, Sigmund
Tidskrift för Schack, 1908

#5

11 + 7

Show Solution

1.Bc3-h8 ! ZZ

1...g6-g5 2.Sh5-g7 Rb2xb3(c2) 3.Sg7-e6+ Rb3-b2 4.Se6-d4 ~ 5.Sd4-b3(c2)#
1...g6xf5 2.Sh5-f4 f5xg4 3.Sf4-e6 g4-g3 4.Se6-d4 Rb2xb3, Rb2xc2 5.Sd4xb3, Sd4xc2#
1...g6xh5 2.c6-c7 (3.c7-c8=Q ~ 4.Qc8-c3 ~ 5.Qc3xb2#) 2...h5xg4 3.c7-c8=R g4-g3 4.Rc8-c3 Rb2xb3, Rb2xc2 5.Sd4xb3, Sd4xc2#

September 26th

The Hong Oe (26-09-1895 - 21-02-1967) Indonesian composer

The Hong Oe was a known Indonesian composer who defeated A. Alekhine in a simultaneous game in 1933.

Oe, The Hong
Boletim da UBP, 1962

#4

10 + 6

Show Solution

1.Ba4-d1 ! ZZ

1...h7-h6 2.Se6xf4+ Kh5-g5 3.Sf4-h5 (4.f3-f4#) 3...f5-f4 4.Ra2-a5#
1...Kh5-h6 2.Ra2-a4 ZZ 2...Kh6-h5 3.Ra4xf4 ZZ 3...Kh5-h6, h7-h6 4.Rf4xh4, Rf4xf5#

A difficult key and some hidden variations.

September 25th

Frans Hansson (25-09-1887 - 28-08-1968) Swedish composer

Frans Hansson composed mainly heterodox problems but also direct mates such as this interesting 5-mover which was retained in the FIDE Album 1914-1944. Frans Hansson was also mentioned by "The Games and Puzzles Journal #16 vol.2" in 1999 as a contributor of numerous articles to "Fairy Chess Review" on 'dissections and tours and other topics'.

Hansson, Frans
Svenska Dagbladet, 1932 (1182)

h#3

Setplay

6 + 6

Show Solution

Set play: 1. ... Sh4 2. Kxd5 Sg2 3. Sc5 Sf4#
Real play: 1. Sf2 Bh8 2. Sd3 Sg7 3. Kd4 Se6#
Batteries in chameleon echo.

September 24th

Ladislav Cimburek (24-09-1867 - 27-02-1915) Czech composer

Ladislav Cimburek was a Bohemian composer.
Ilja Mikan selected 108 of his problems in an issue of "Galerie československých skladatelů" (Gallery of Czech composers) which can be downloaded here.

Cimburek, Ladislav
Prachskij Kongress, 1891
1^st Prize

#4

6 + 7

Show Solution

1.Qh4-g3 ! (2.Bf4xd6 [3.Qg3-f4/Qg3xd3#] 2...Ke4xf5 3.Qg3-f4+ Kf5-g6 4.Bc4-f7#)

1...Ke4-d4 2.Qg3xd3+ Kd4-c5 3.Bf4xd6+ Kc5-c6 4.Bc4-b5#
1...Ke4xf5 2.Qg3-g5+ Kf5-e4 3.Bc4-d5+ Ke4-d4 4.Bf4-e3#
1...Sf8-g6 2.Qg3-e3+ Ke4xf5 3.Bc4-e6+ Kf5-f6 4.Bf4-g5#

Three chameleon echo mates.

Cimburek, Ladislav
Zlatá Praha, 22^nd Apr 1887

#4

4 + 8

Show Solution

1.Qb1-h1 ! (2.Qh1xh4+ Kg5-f5 3.Ra4-e4 [4.Qh4-f4/Qh4-g4#] 3...g6-g5 4.Qh4-h7#)
1...Kg5-h6 2.Ra4xh4+
           2...Kh6-g7 3.Rh4-h8 [4.Qh1-h7/Qh1-h6#] 3...f6-f5 4.Qh1-a1#
           2...Kh6-g5 3.Qh1-e4 (4.Qe4-g4/Qe4-f4#) 3...f6-f5 4.Qe4-e7# {or dual 3.f2-f4+ Kg5-f5 4.Qh1-d5#}

Three echo mates, marred by a dual in the 3rd variation. Adding a black pawn on c6 would allow getting rid of the dual 3.f2-f4+ and keeping only the echo mate with 3...f6-f5 4.Qe4-e7#. There would then be a side variation 1...Kg5-f5 2.Qh1-e4+ Kf5-g5 3.Qe4-f4+ Kg5-h5 4.Qf4xh4#.

September 23rd

Gerardus Hendrikus Drese (23-09-1902 - 09-08-1980) Dutch composer and International Master

Gerardus Drese
[Jubileumboek 1931-1981]

Gerardus Drese composed direct mates and selfmates. 62 of his problems were compiled in the 5th issue of Dr. Niemeijer's series "Probleemcomponisten".
He was an International Judge.

Drese, Gerardus Hendrikus
Ruy Lopez Chess Club Tourney, 1933-35
1^st Prize

#3

8 + 11

Show Solution

1.Kb8-b7 ! (2.Qf3-d3+ Bf2-d4 3.Bb2-a3#)

1...Bf2-e3 2.Qf3-e4 (3.Qe4xe6#) 2...e6-e5/xd5 3.Ra5-d5#
1...Bf2-d4 2.Bf5xe6 ~ 3.Qf3-d5#
1...Bf2-c5 2.c6-c7 ~ 3.Qf3-c6#
1...Bf2-b6 2.Bb2xf6 (3.Bf6-e5/Bf6-e7#) 2...e6xf5 3.Qf3-d5#

Secondary variation:
1...Qg1-b1 2.Qf3-a3+ Bf2-c5 3.Qa3xc5#
Logical problem, black Bristol as a defense motive and black correction.

Drese, Gerardus Hendrikus
Probleemblad, 1951
1^st Prize

s#2

7 + 7

Show Solution

1.Sc6xa7 ! (2.Qa6-d6+ Rd5xd6#)

1...Qa4-d1/Qa4/c2/Qa4xd7/Qa4-c4 2.Qa6-a5+ Rd5xa5#
1...Qa4-b3/Qa4-c6+/Qa4-b5/Qa4-b4 2.Qa6-b7+ Qb3xb7#
1...Qa4xa3 2.Sa7-b5+ Rd5xb5#
1...Qa4xa6 2.d7-d8=Q/B+ Rd5xd8#
1...Rd5-~+ 2.Qa6-b7+ Bh1xb7#
1...Rd5-b5+ 2.Qa6-c6+ Bh1xc6#
1...Rd5-a5+ 2.Qa6-b7+/Qa6-c6+ Bh1xQ#

Rich battery and pin play.

September 22nd

Martin Gohn (22-09-1895 - 1957) Romanian composer

Martin Gohn
[Source: Miniaturi în alb şi negru, Virgil Nestorescu 2010]

Martin Gohn composed mainly moremovers and endgame studies.

Gohn, Martin
Deutsches Wochenschach, 1917 (1519)

=

3 + 3

Show Solution

1. Kf5 !
{1. Kf6 ? Kg8 2. e5 Bc7 3. e6 Bd8+ ! 4. Kf5 f6 5. Kg6 Kf8 6. h4 Ke7 7. Kf5 Ba5 -+}
1... Bd6
{1... Bc7 2. e5 Bd8 3. e6 f6 4. Kg6 Kg8 5. h4 ! =}
2. e5 Be7 3. e6 f6 4. Kg6 Kg8 5. h3 !
{Festina lente 5.h4? would lose a tempo in comparison with the solution}
5... Bd8 6. h4 Be7 7. h5 Bd8 8. h6 Be7 9. h7+ Kh8 10. Kf7 Bd8 11. Ke8 Ba5 12. Kf7 =

Gohn, Martin
Revista Română de Şah, 1947

+

6 + 6

Show Solution

1. f3+ and there are two echo variations:

• 1... Kg5 2. c7 ! Rc5 3. e7 Ba4 4. Sd4 Rc1

{4... Rxc7 5. Se6+ Kf5 6. Sxc7 !}
5. Sc6 !
{Novotny}
5... Bxc6
{5... Rxc6 6. e8=Q !}
6. c8=Q +-

• 1... Kh4 2. e7 Re5 3. c7 Bf5 4. Sxf4 Re1

{4... Rxe7 5. Sxg6+ +-}
5. Se6 !
{Novotny ; 5. g4 ? Rxe7 6. Sxg6+ Bxg6 7. c8=Q Re2+ wins back the Queen}
5... Rxe6
{5... Bxe6 6. e8=Q ! }
6. c8=Q ! +-

September 21st

Fritz Schetelich (21-09-1891 - 06-07-1940) German composer

Fritz Schetelich composed direct mates and selfmates.

Schetelich, Fritz
Chemnitzer Tageblatt, 1924

#3

4 + 3

Show Solution

1.Ra1-h1 ! (2.Rf4-f1 ~ 3.Rf1-g1#)
1...Kg2-g3 2.Rh1xh5 Kg3-g2 3.Rf4-g4#
1...Kg2xh1 2.Ke2-f2 ~ 3.Rf4-h4#
Three different mates with this material is a good achievement.

September 20th

Осип Самойлович (Самуилович) Бернштейн (20-09-1882 - 30-11-1962) Russian-French composer (Ossip Samoylovich Bernstein)

Ossip Bernstein
[Wikipedia]

Details about Ossip Bernstein's eventful and hectic life from Russia to France and Spain can be found on Wikipedia. Besides being an outstanding chess player (see his 1954 game against Miguel Najdorf), he also composed a few chess problems.

Бернштейн, Осип Самойлович
Deutsches Wochenschach, 1907

#3

4 + 5

Show Solution

1.c4-c5 ! ZZ

1...Sd8-~ 2.Sd6xb7+ Ka5-b5 3.a2-a4#
1...b6-b5 2.a2-a3 b5-b4 3.a3xb4# or 2...Sd8-~ 3.Sd6-b7#
1...b6xc5 2.Sd6-c4+ Ka5-b5 3.a2-a4#

Model mates.

September 19th

Claus Grupen (19-09-1941) German composer

Claus Grupen
[Uni. Siegen]

Claus Grupen is a physicist specialized in Astroparticle Physics.
He has composed chess problems since the 1970s and is fond of moremovers miniatures or Merediths.

Grupen, Claus
Problem Observer
2^nd Prize

#5

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Kb7-c6 ! ZZ
1...Kh4-g4 2.Ba6-c8+ Kg4-h4 3.Bh6-g7 Kh4-g5 4.Kc6-d5 ZZ and the mate follows:
4...Kg5xf4 5.Bg7-h6# or 4...Kg5-h4 5.Bg7-f6#
Good economy.

September 18th

Ottavio Stocchi (18-09-1906 - 04-03-1964) Italian composer

Ottavio Stocchi
[Wikipedia]

Ottavio Stocchi mostly composed direct mates in 2 and was a leading twomover composer in the 1950s. He was also an International Judge and he left his name to a twomover theme.
Stocchi theme: Triple avoidance (n-fold avoidance) on self-blocks (at least three) played on the same square.
Oscar Bonivento compiled and commented his problems in "Raccolta completa dei 933 problemi di Ottavio Stocchi. Diagrammi e commenti dei 111 Primi Premi" (1995).

Stocchi, Ottavio
Tijdschrift vd KNSB, 1954
2^nd Prize

#2 v

7 + 7

Show Solution

1.Sc4? (2.Rf4#)
1...Be3[a] 2.Bd3#[A]
1...Bc7[b]/Re3[b] 2.Sf2#[B]
1...Rf3 2.Bxf3#
1...e5 2.Sf6#
but 1...Rf1!
1.Sd1! (2.Rf4#)
1...Be3[a] 2.Sc3#[D]
1...Re3[b]/Bc7[b] 2.Sdf2#[C]
1...Rf3 2.Bxf3#
1...e5 2.Sf6#
Grimshaw.

Stocchi, Ottavio
L'Italia Scacchistica, 1937
1^st Prize

#2

9 + 9

Show Solution

1.Bg8 ! (2.Rf5#)

1...Re6 2.Sb4#
1...Be6 2.Ra5#
1...e6 2.Rd4#

Three self-blocks on e6 with dual avoidance effects (line opening for Black).
1...Ke6 2.Rxf8#
1...e5 2.Rxd7#
1...Re5 2.Qxe5#

September 17th

Johannes Seeberger (17-09-1843 - 11-11-1879) Austrian composer

Johannes Seeberger was one of the best composers of direct mates in three and more moves of his time.
He gave his name to a moremover theme:
Seeberger theme : Black Cheney-Loyd where the intercepted piece can't move. Then White plays a waiting move to oblige the intercepting piece to move.

Seeberger, Johannes
Illustrirtes Familien-Journal, 1860

#4

8 + 6

Show Solution

1. Ra8! (2.Rf8+ Bf7 3.Rxf7#)
1...Bxa8 2. Ba3 (3.Bxc5 ~ 4.Bd6#)
2...Sb7 3. Be7 ! h5 4. Bg5#
Seeberger with the black Bishop as the intercepted piece and the black Knight as the interceptor.

September 16th

Hugo Rohr (16-09-1865 - 09-12-1937) German composer

Hugo Rohr was specialized in selfmates. He composed more than 1300 problems, of which 600 were published.
This one is a particularly good specimen:

Rohr, Hugo
La Stratégie, 1900
1^st Prize

s#4

8 + 8

Show Solution

1.Sb2-c4 ! (2.Sc4-e5 2...a4-a3/f6xe5 3.Ke3-e4 a4-a3/f6xe5 4.Qh3-d3+ Rg2-e2#)

1...b5-b4 2.Ke3-e4 ~ 3.Ra2-a1+ Kf1-e2 4.Qh3-g4+ Rg2xg4#
1...b5xc4 2.Bh4-f2 a4-a3 3.Ke3-d2 Kf1xf2 4.Qh3-f3+ Kf2xf3#

Battery mates. The variation 1...b5xc4 is especially subtle, as the black royal battery is built during play.

September 15th

Jan Smutný (15-09-1867 - 31-10-1936) Czech composer

Jan Smutný
[Ceskoslovensky Sach 1937 page 170]

Jan Smutný published problems under the pseudonym Josef Opočenský. He composed direct mates.

Smutný, Jan
Český spolek šachovní 1898
4^th Prize

#3

8 + 6

Show Solution

1.Rf3-f7 ! ZZ

1...Kd4-e5 2.Bd2-c3+ Ke5-d6 3.Sc5-b7#
1...a4-a3 2.Sc5-b3+ Kd4-e5 3.Bd2-f4#
1...Kd4xc5 2.Rf7-d7 (3.Qh1-c1#)
1...Bg6-e4/Bg6-h5/Bg6xf7 2.Qh1xe4+ Kd4xc5 3.Bd2-b4#
1...Bg6-f5 2.Rf7-d7+ Kd4-c4(xc5), Kd4-e5 3.Qh1-c1, Qh1-a1#

A fair variety of mates.

September 14th

Pierre Biscay (14-09-1905 - 30-07-1969) French composer

Pierre Biscay
[Problemiste.fr]

Pierre Biscay was first a solutionist (French solving champion in 1927 and 1928) and afterwards became interested in strategic moremovers and elaborated theories about the thematical try and the periforms which were publicized by André Chéron in "Les Echecs Artistiques" in 1934. He founded the Union des Problémistes de France in 1935 and was also the president of the French Chess Federation from 1932 until 1954. He was also an International Judge. Four of his problems are quoted on problemiste.fr.

Biscay, Pierre
Die Schwalbe, 1930
1^st Prize

#4

9 + 5

Show Solution

1.Rg3-g7 ! (2.Rf4-g4 ~ 3.Rg4-g2 ~ 4.Rg2-h2#)
1...h7-h5 2.Sg8-h6 h5-h4 3.Sh6-g4 Kh1-g1/g2 4.Sg4xf2#
The threat shows a neat Brunner-Turton doubling.

September 13th

Josef Křivohlávek (13-09-1919 - 17-03-2015) Czech composer

Michel Caillaud and Josef Křivohlávek
[YouTube]

Josef Křivohlávek published "Šachové úlohy:výběr 1953-88". He demonstrated his showmanship at Marianka 2011.
Recently, as mentioned in a comment by Ivan Skoba, a book containing 139 selected problems of Josef Křivohlávek was published.

Křivohlávek, Josef
ÚV ČSTV, 1979
1^st Prize

#3

8 + 7

Show Solution

1.Sc2-b4 ! (2.d3-d4+ Qc5xd4/Rd5xd4 3.c3xd4#)
1...Rd5xd3 2.c3-c4+ Rd3-c3, Rd3-d4, Ra6xa1 3.Ba1xc3, Sb4-d3, Sb4-c6#
1...Ra6xa1 2.Sb4-c6+ Qc5xc6 3.d3-d4#
Exploitation of a halfpin.

September 12th

Roland Lecomte (12-09-1925 - 02-10-2016) French composer

Roland Lecomte & Jean Morice
[Maroc-echecs]

Roland Lecomte was the editor of the chess column of the newspaper "Combat". He was an International Judge and a chess journalist for AFP.

Lecomte, Roland
StrateGems, 1999

h#3

4.1.1...

4 + 14

Show Solution

1.Kd6-e6+ Kb8-a8 2.Se7-d5 b7-b8=Q 3.Sh6-f7 Qb8-c8#
1.Kd6-d7+ Kb8-a8 2.Be5-b8 Ka8xb8 3.Se7-c8 b7xc8=Q#
1.Kd6-c6+ Kb8-a8 2.Se7-d5 b3xa4 3.Rg7-c7 b7-b8=S#
1.Kd6-d5+ Kb8-a8 2.Se7-c8 b7xc8=Q 3.Bh1-e4 Qc8-c4#
4 different promotions of wPb7 depending on the square where the bK goes.

September 11th

Otto Zimmermann (11-09-1892 - 24-07-1979) Swiss composer

Otto Zimmermann was a chess player who had his best results in the 1920s. He composed direct mates.

Zimmermann, Otto
Schweizerische Schachzeitung, 1964
1^st Prize

#3

9 + 8

Show Solution

In the diagram position, 1...Re4-e7+? 2.Sc6xe7 or 1...Re4-b4+? 2.Sc6xb4 are followed by a mate by the King battery. The key exposes the white King to a new check:
1.Kb7-a6 ! (2.Sc6-d4/Sc6-e5#)
1...Re4-a4+ 2.Ka6-b5 ! (3.Sc6-d4/Sc6-e5#) 2...Ra4-a5+, Ra4-b4+ 3.Sc6xa5, Sc6xb4#
1...Re4-e6 2.Rh1-g1 (3.Rg1-g3#) 2...f5-f4 3.Bh3-g4# or 2...Re6xc6+ 3.Qa8xc6# or 2...Bf8-d6 3.Sc6-d4/Sc6-e5#