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The Problemist, March 2004 |
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Written by Michael McDowell
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The March issue featured a report on the Final of the 2003-2004 Winton
Capital British Chess Solving Championship, won by the leading Dutch
solver Dolf Wissmann, with David Friedgood taking the British title.
Chris Feather contributed the second part of a comprehensive article on
two-move helpmates where a pinned black piece captures the pinner, and
Michael Lipton reviewed two-move miniatures featuring the Zagoruyko
theme. Other articles included Rene Millour’s examination of a Sam Loyd
classic, and John Rice on changed play following Schiffmann defences.
John Beasley’s “In the Library” article covered
Im Banne des Schachproblems by Ado Kraemer and Erich Zepler, one
of the best problem collections ever published. In the Supplement,
Colin Russ presented compositions by composers who are better known as
players and Brian Stephenson completed his discussion of how to solve
proof games.
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Yochanan Afek
Journal, 2004
White to play and win
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An attractive composition by the studies editor of
The Problemist which was used in the British
Solving Championship Final. White will win easily on
material if he manages to save the trapped knight. 1.Bg2 is
necessary to prevent 1...Bf1 followed by 2...g2, and now
Black can only attempt to draw by winning the knight:
1...Kc8 2.Kc5 (aiming for 3.Kd6 and 4.Sc7) 2...Kb8 3.Kd6
(White’s move order must be exact; not 3.Sb4? Bh7 4.Kd6 a5!)
3...Kxa8 4.Sb4 Bb5 5.Sa6! Bxa6 6.Kc7 B moves 7.Bxb7 mate.
If 5…Bc6 then 6.Bxc6 bxc6 7.Kc7 g2 8.Kc8 g1Q 9.Sc7 mate.
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Ado Kraemer & Erich Zepler
Deutsche Tageszeitung, 1932
Mate in 4
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To quote John Beasley: “At their best these composers offer
a surprising key, piquant play, and a clear logical
motivation for what happens: just what the customer is
looking for.” If the white bishop tries to approach
f3 via, say, d3 and e4, Black defends by simply promoting
the b-pawn. 1.Ra1 decoys the black bishop by threatening
2.Bg2 mate. After 1...Bxa1 White returns to his original
plan with 2.Bd3, and after 2...b2 3.Bb1! puts Black in
zugzwang, forcing 3...f2 4.Be4.
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Paul Keres
3rd Prize, Suomen Shakki, 1944
Mate in 2
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The famous Estonian grandmaster Paul Keres was also a competent composer,
and a collection of his problems was published in 1999. This prizewinner
combines an unusual Nowotny at d4 (unusual because the mates only become
possible after the captures) with a Grimshaw at f6.
1.Sd4 (2.Rd7)
1...Rxd4 2.Sc3
1...Bxd4 2.Qb3
1...Rf6 2.Re5
1...Bf6 2.Bxf7
1...Qh4 2.Sxe3
1...Bc6 or Bc8 2.Bc6
1...Be5 2.Rxe5
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 12:37 |
2004 