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The Problemist, July 2003 |
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Written by Michael McDowell
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An obituary of the late Grandmaster of Composition Milan Vukcevich took
prominent place in the July Problemist. In addition a collection of
Milan's compositions, which was published just a few days before his
death, was extensively reviewed by John Rice.
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Milan Vukcevich
2nd Place, 6th WCCT, 1996-2001
Mate in 5
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Over the years Milan Vukcevich was a high scorer for the USA in the World
Chess Composition Tournaments. Here White's surprising aim is Qd8 mate,
and a series of checks must be played in the right order to clear a path.
For example 1.Bxe3+? dxe3 2.Se4+ fails because of 2…Rxe4. Similarly
1.Se4+? and 1.Re5+? fail because Black retains a double guard on a
checking square. One of the pieces on a5, b4 or c3 must be decoyed before
the checks can start.
1.Kh2! threatens 2.Qg1 mate, giving the variations
1...Rb1 2.Bxe3+ dxe3 3.Re5+ Sxe5 4.Se4+ dxe4 5.Qd8,
1...Rc1 2.Re5+ Sxe5 3.Se4+ dxe4 4.Bxe3+ dxe3 5.Qd8, and
1...Qa1 2.Se4+ dxe4 3.Bxe3+ dxe3 4.Re5+ Sxe5 5.Qd8.
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A report on a lecture by David Shire was illustrated with a number of
examples featuring echoes, defined by David as “related features
which are similar but at the same time different”.
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Ernest Pogosyants
3rd Prize, Lokker Memorial Ty., 1974
White to play and win
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Pogosyants shows a number of stalemate traps.
1.Rg1 a1Q 2.Bg6+ Kf8 3.Rxa1 e1Q (4.Rxe1? stalemate)
4.Ra8+ Ke7 5.Re8+ Kf6 (6.Rxe1? stalemate)
6.Sf2! wins by threatening 7.Rxe1 and 7.Se4.
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Other articles included a lecture given by Klaus Wenda at Pitlochry on
the fairy condition Anticirce, and reports on the problem meetings at
Andernach and Messigny. In the Supplement Denis Saunders revisited some
of his old compositions and John Rice presented a selection of problems
by the greatest composer of the Good Companions era, Arnoldo Ellerman.
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Arnoldo Ellerman
1st Prize, Guidelli Memorial Tourney, 1925
Mate in 2
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1.Rd7 (2.Qf4)
1...Qd4 2.Sd6;
1...Qe5 2.Sc5;
1...Qh8+ or 1…Qf2 Sd8;
1...Rd4 2.Re7;
1...Bf3 2.Qd3;
1...Bf2 2.Qxh1;
1...Qxb7+ Bxb7
Arguably Ellerman's greatest problem. Complex interference play shown with
perfect construction. Note that 1.Rd8? fails because after 1...Qf2! the
rook blocks the knight's potential mating square!
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 12:07 |
2003 