July 22nd

Théodore Adrien Louis Herlin (22-07-1817 - 02-11-1889) French composer

[Problemiste.fr]

Théodore Herlin published his first problem in 1845 and until 1860 all his originals were published under the name of "L'Anonyme de Lille". He was noticed and is still remembered for his strategic problems and especially for the Herlin ambush.

Herlin, Théodore Adrien Louis
Le Palamède, 15^th Apr 1845 (39)

#4

5 + 2

Show Solution

1.Kd6-c7 ! ZZ
1...Ka6-a5 2.Bd4-f6 Ka5-a6 3.Bf6-d8 Ka6-a5 4.Kc7-b7#
The Herlin manoeuvre: the Bishop places itself behind the fore piece of the battery (pericritical move).

Another example:

Herlin, Théodore Adrien Louis
La Régence, 1849

#5

7 + 3

Show Solution

1.Ba4-e8 ! ZZ
1...Kd5-c5 2.Be8-g6 Kc5-d5 3.Bg6-b1 Kd5-c5 4.Bb1-a2 Kc5-d5 5.Kb3-b4#
In this example, the white King is already placed on the diagonal.

Something rather different:

Herlin, Théodore Adrien Louis
La Régence, 1860
2^nd Prize

#5

10 + 7

Show Solution

1.Ka1-b2 ! ZZ
1...Ba7-b8 2.a6-a7 Bb8xa7 3.Rh1-a1 Ba7-b8 4.Ra1-a8 Bb8-a7 5.Ra8-h8#
First achievement of this task (4 corners by the white Rook).

July 21st

Edward Bagehot Schwann (21-07-1872 - 07-09-1902) British composer

Edward B. Schwann composed direct mates in 2 or 3 moves.
This threemover is a good training for solvers, as well as this one:

Schwann, Edward Bagehot
Akademisches Monatsheft für Schach, 1898 (13-14/152)

#3

8 + 5

Show Solution

1. Sc3! (2. Qd5+ Kf4, Kf6 3. Bh6, Sg4#)

1... Kf4 2. Se2+ Ke3, Ke5 3. Bh6, Sg4#
1... Kd4 2. Se2+ Kc4, Ke3, Ke5 3. Qg8, Bh6, Sg4#
1... Ba2 2. Qe4+ Kf6 3. Qe7/f4/f5#
1... Sxf2 2. Qg7+ Kf4 3. Qg3#

Good flight-giving key and model mates.

July 20th

Maximilian Philipp Friedrich von Klett (20-07-1833 - 01-10-1910) German composer

Philipp von Klett [Wikipedia.de]

Philip Klett was renowned for composing extremely hard to solve problems, often with hidden zugzwang and many variations. He composed direct mates.
In 1878 he published "P. Klett Schachprobleme. Mit einer Einführung in die Theorie des Schachproblems" including 112 problems. It can be downloaded and read from here. The book was reissued 100 years later by John D. Beasley as "A Selection of Chess Problems by Philip Klett, with a solving commentary" (British Chess Magazine, 1978).

Von Klett, Maximilian Philipp Friedrich
Schachprobleme, 1878

#4

12 + 7

Show Solution

1.Be3 ! (2.Qh1+ Kxe5 3.Sf7#)
1...Bh2 2.a3 ZZ

2...Sb2~ 3.Qxc4+ Kxc4 4.Be6#
2...Kxe5 3.Qxf6+ Kxf6 4.Sg4#
2...fxe5 3.Qe4+ Kxe4 4.Bb7#

3 Queen sacrifices
Other variations:
2...Sb5~ 3.Qd4+ Kc6 4.Qc5#
2...Bh2~ 3.Qh1+ Kxe5 4.Sf7#
2...f5 3.Bb7+ Kxe5/Ke6 4.Qe7#

Von Klett, Maximilian Philipp Friedrich
Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1875 (3989)

#4

9 + 12

Show Solution

1.Sa4! (short threat 2.Sc3/Sb6 ~ 3.Sd4/Sc5# or longer threat 2.Sd4+ Kd5 3.Rc5+ Ke4 4.Sc3#)
1...Kd5 2.Rb1! (3.Sc3+ ~ 4.Sd4 or 4.Sa5#) 2...Kxc6 3.Sb6! (4.Sxa5#) Kxb6/Kb5 4.Sd4#
Amazing hidden moves.

July 19th

Erich Racz (19-07-1908 - 21-09-1982) Romanian-German composer

Erich Racz was a twomover composer.

Racz, Erich
Die Schwalbe, 1976

#2* v

12 + 8

Show Solution

Set play:
1...Sd5[a] 2.Qf5#[A]
1...Be5[b] 2.Sg5#[B]
1...Sb5 2.Qd5#
1...Rcc5/Rc7/Rd6 2.Sd6#
1...Re6/Rd5 2.Qf4#
1...Qb4/Qxa4/Qd4 2.Bd3#
Try:
1.Rd5? (2.Sg5#[B]/Qf5#[A])
1...Re6/Rg6/Sxd5[a]/Bh6 2.Qf5#[A]
1...Rf6/Be5[b] 2.Sg5#[B]
1...Rxd5 2.Qf4#   but 1...Bf6!

1.Bb7[C]! (2.Sd6#)
1...Sd5[a] 2.Qf5#[A]
1...Be5[b] 2.Sg5#[B]
1...Sb5 2.Bxc6#/Qd5#
1...Bf8 2.Sf6#
1...Rd5 2.Qf4#

Rudenko theme.

July 18th

Johannes Kohtz (18-07-1843 - 05-10-1918) German composer

Johannes Kohtz met Carl Kockelkorn when they were still pupils and they engaged in chess composition. They published their first problem when they both were 17. Kohtz and Kockelkorn published their book "Das Indische Problem" in 1903 and "Zur Kenntnis des Schachproblems", a compilation of Bayersdorfer's problems, in 1902.
Even after the death of his close friend Kockelkorn on July 16, 1914, Kohtz still published his problems under both authors names. (source: Wikipedia).

He created the famous Roman theme with Carl Kockelkorn.
"A good defence to a threat is eliminated (usually by means of a foreplan) and a bad defence by the same unit (not previously available) is introduced."

Kohtz, Johannes & Kockelkorn, Carl
British Ty. 1866
2^nd Prize, Set

#3

10 + 6

Show Solution

1.Qf8-f1 ! (2.Ke1-e2 ~ 3.Qf1-b1/Qf1-f3#)
1...Sb6-~ 2.Qf1-f3+ Ke4xf3 3.Ba2-d5#
1...Sb6-c4 2.Qf1-d3+ Ke4xd3 3.Ba2-b1# (2...Ke4-d5 3.Ba2xc4#)
1...Sd8-c6/Sd8-f7 2.Ba2-b1+ Ke4-d5 3.Qf1-f7#
1...Sd8-e6 2.Qf1-f5+ Ke4xf5 3.Ba2-b1#
3 wQ sacrifices.

July 17th

Zdenek Oliva (17-07-1941) Croatian composer

Zdenek Oliva composes helpmates and fairy problems, especially good series problems.

Oliva, Zdenek
feenschach, 2002

Ser-=80

1 + 16

Show Solution

1.Kh6 13.Kxa6 28.Kxc8 45.Kxa8 62.Kxc7 64.Kxa5 66.Kxb3 67.Kxa2 71.Kxe5 72.Kxd4 75.Kxf7 76.Kxg6 77.Kxh5 80.Ke2 =
World length-record with a white King minimal and this type of stipulation (serial direct stalemate).

Oliva, Zdenek & Koludrović, Branko & Pernarić, Josip
23^rd TT Problemkiste, 2002
2^nd Prize

ser-h=25

11 + 10

Show Solution

1.c1=S 2.Sd3 3.Se5 4.exf2 5.f1=R 6.Rf5 ... 9.g1=B 10.Be3 11.Bg5 12.Bf6 ... 16.gxh2 17.h1=B 18.Bc6 23.d1=Q 24.Qd7 25.Qe8 fxe8=Q=
Black AUW plus bB and wQ promotions.
Consecutive unpinnings of the black units.

July 16th

August Alexander Johann von Cywinski de Puchala (16-07-1829 - 01-01-1905) Austrian composer

August von Cywinski de Puchala composed direct mates. Ralf Krätschmer quotes Kohtz & Kockelkorn, who wrote in their book "Das indische Problem" in 1903: "Wir halten ihn für einen der größten Schachstrategen" [We consider him as one of the greatest chess strategist] while Walther von Holzhausen thought he was the most significant foreplan master of the early period ("als den bedeutendsten Vorplan-Meister der Frühzeit").

Ralf Krätschmer provides more details on his site berlinthema.de.

Von Cywinski De Puchala, August Alexander Johann
Illustrirtes Familien-Journal, 1858

#4

8 + 10

Show Solution

1. Sf3! (2.Qxd4#)
1...Bxf3 2. Be4
       2...Bxe4 3. Qc3 (4.Qxb4#) bxc3, Rd1 4. b4, Qxc4#
       2...cxb3 3. Qxb3 Rxe4 4. Qd5#
Secondary variation:
1...Qxf3 2.Sd7+ Kd5 3.Qxf3+ Re4 4.Qxe4#
After 2...Bxe4 the black Rook is obstructed and can no longer guard c4 and in the same time free the flight square d4 for the black King.