BCPS

The July Problemist contained a report on the 1st European Chess Solving Championship, won by Finland ahead of Great Britain and Serbia & Montenegro. Historical articles dominated, with Australian problemists Bob Meadley and Geoff Foster selecting from the work of their late countryman J.J. O’Keefe, and Michael Lipton unearthing some “buried two-move treasure” from the period 1914-1928. In the Supplement Michael McDowell went back further to rework a problem by the famous mid-19th century player Lionel Kieseritzky. Chris Reeves continued his investigations into Tertiary Threat Correction, and the Ukranian duo of Valentin Rudenko and Viktor Melnichenko summarized the results of their research into en passant defences. Yochanan Afek stepped in as judge to make the rather belated award for studies from 1990-1991, while John Beasley’s In the library article reviewed B.H. Wood’s collection of 19th century problems from the column of the Illustrated London News.

In the Supplement David Shire explained the popular fairy piece the grasshopper, and strong solver Fred Holt revealed his thought processes while solving a moremover from the January issue. Paul Valois corrected an old Havel three-mover, and John Rice quoted from the three-movers of the late Friedrich Chlubna.

Robert Thomson 1st Prize, Midweek Sports Referee, 1928 Mate in 2

A well-keyed problem from one of Scotland’s finest composers, with some intriguing line effects and dual avoidance. 1.Qh8 Waiting 1...Kxd5 2.Qa8 1...S random 2.Qd4 1...Sxe3 2.Sc3 (2.S5f6?) 1...B random 2.S5f6 (2.Sc3?) 1...Bxd5 2.Qh4 (2.Bd3?) 1...exd5 2.Qe8 (2.Qh4?) 1...f2 2.Qh1 1...e5 2.S7f6

J. J. O'Keefe & W. J. Smith 1st Prize, Good Companions, 22/02/1917 Mate in 2

An excellent solving problem, with a double-flight-giving key which disrupts the three set variations 1...d5+ 2.Sc5, 1...bS any 2.Rd4 and 1...eS random 2.Bg2. 1.Rf2 (2.Qe6) 1...d5+ 2.Qe7 1...Kd5 2.Qf5 1...Ke3 2.Rf4 1...bS any 2.Qd4 1...Sd3, Sf3 2.Qf3

Vitaly Kovalenko 5th Comm., The Problemist, 1990-1991 White to play and win

Black is threatening mate, and 1.Bh3? fails after 1…Re8+ 2.Bc8 Rxc8+. White plays for mate by 1.Bc6! Rh5 2.Be8! Rh8 3.a8S+ Ka6 4.Sc7+ Kb6 5.Sd5+ Ka6 6.b5+ Ka5 7.b4.