Sunday, March 11, 2012

March 11th

Milan Radoje Vukcevich (11-03-1937 - 10-05-2003) American Grandmaster in chess composition

Milan Radoje Vukcevich [Vivacity inc]

Today is the 75th anniversary of Milan Vukcevich's birth.

Milan Vukcevich was a prominent American chess player (3rd in US closed Championship in 1975, his games here ) and composer. About his personality the best is to quote from an eulogy written by Michelle Vukcevich in 1983 (the eulogy was itself quoted in a biographical sketch centered on Milan's scientific achievements):
Milan was a continual, tireless educator. He gave lectures and encouraged students throughout his career and absolutely shined in the classroom. He believed that the evolutionary driving force of humanity is increased knowledge. He, himself, was constantly learning new things. He couldn't sit still for two minutes without a chess board or a science magazine in his hand. To his students he was an inspiration, to search for truth and understanding. And he was a counselor, to search for their personal growth...

Milan Vukcevich composed in all genres (orthodox, studies, fairy problems,...). His pet theme was the Bristol and his famous article about the Bristol can be found in the MatPlus.org archive, which can be downloaded from here (open the 'bristol.html' file).

Friday, March 9, 2012

March 10th

Stuart Shirley Blachburne (10-03-1857 - 05-08-1934) New Zealander composer

In this Otago Witness tourney, Blachburne won also the 1st prize, but the 3rd prize is funnier to solve:

Blachburne, Stuart Shirley
Otago Witness, 1899
3rd Prize


#2 7 + 6

Show Solution

Thursday, March 8, 2012

March 9th

Григорий Яковлевич Левенфиш (09-03-1889- 09-02-1961) Russian player and composer (Grigory Yakovlevich Levenfish)

Grigori Levenfish [Wikipedia]


Grigory Yakovlevich Levenfish was a leading Russian chess grandmaster of the 1920s and 1930s. He was twice Soviet champion. Here for more details about his chess career.
Grigory Levenfish composed endgame studies with Vasili Smyslov and he also wrote "Rook Endings" together with the former World Champion (Smyslov admitted that all of the hard work was carried out by Levenfish.)
We have selected a game-like study from that book:

Смыслов, Василий Васильевич & Левенфиш, Григорий Яковлевич
1957


+Black to move 3 + 3

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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

March 8th

ვაჟა ნეიძე (08-03-1937 - 11-02-2020) Georgian composer and International Master (Vasha Neidze)

Vasha Neidze
[© Hannu Harkola]


Vasha Neidze was one of the current leading headmasters of terrific Georgian endgame school. He was one of the founders of the Georgian Chess Composition society in Tbilisi, together with Akobia, Kalandadze, Gurgenidze. His endgames always show artistic qualities, as we can admire in the following study:

Neidse, Wascha
Молодость Грузии 1983
1st Prize, Nadareishvili JT


+ 5 + 5

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

March 7th

Jacobus Peet (07-03-1831 - 24-04-1914) Dutch composer

Jacobus Peet is merely known for his "Kegelschach" compositions, where the black King is surrounded by all his pawns. The most challenging to solve, due to silent second white moves, seems to be:

Peet, Jacobus
Deutsches Wochenschach, 1907
4th Prize


#4 3 + 9

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Monday, March 5, 2012

March 6th

Although he was not a chess composer, let's have a thought for Ken Whyld, the chess historian (6 March 1926 – 11 July 2003) and The Ken Whyld Association named after him and in his memory.

Adolf Wilhelm Fritsch (06-03-1897 - 31-07-1972) German composer

Fritsch, Adolf Wilhelm
2575 Schach 03/1957
Prize
s#4 8 + 6

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Sunday, March 4, 2012

March 5th

Siegbert Tarrasch (05-03-1862 - 17-02-1934) German player, theoretician and composer

Siegbert Tarrasch
[Wikipedia]


Beside being one of the strongest players and most influential chess teachers of his time (Praeceptor Germaniae), Siegbert Tarrasch made also important contributions to endgame theory (R+P vs R). He also demonstrated that the bad Bishop can also assist the promotion of marginal pawn through zugzwang (see this endgame study). We selected a nice and easy struggle for promotion:

Tarrasch, Siegbert
1912


+ 3 + 2

Show Solution