|
The Problemist, September, 2011 |
|
Written by Michael McDowell
|
|
The September issue contained a report on activities at the WCCC at Jesi, where the UK
team took silver in the World Chess Solving Championship, behind Poland. John Rice
presented problems from a recent composing match between Israel and Serbia, and Michael
Lipton discussed the birth of the Banny theme. Awards included Fairies 2006 (judge Hans
Gruber), Helpmates 2009 (Ricardo de Mattos Vieira), and Retros 2009-10 (Hans Gruber).
Browsing in the library covered John Beasley's 1978 selection of problems by 19th century
German composer Philipp Klett. In the Supplement Chris Feather examined the
helpmates of former Problemist columnist Bill Trumper, Bernd Gräfrath presented his Desert
Island selection of books on retros, Michael McDowell reworked a famous problem by T. R.
Dawson, and David Shire's problem alphabet reached N for Nightwatchman.
|
Philipp Klett
Schachprobleme, 1878
Mate in 4
|
1.Rg6 (>2.Rxe6 or 2.Qxg7+)
1...Qxg6 2.Kb4 (>3.Qa1) Qg1 3.Ba8!
1...Qxb3 2.Rxd6+ Kc4 3.Bd5+
1...Qd7 2.Qxd7 or Rxd6+ etc.
The black queen is decoyed to g1, after which a subtle retreat of the bishop into the corner
sets up a zugzwang. A well-concealed idea.
|
|
Saul Shamir & Paz Einat
5th Place, Israel v. Serbia Match, 2009
Helpmate in 3: (b) swap a5 and h7
|
(a) 1.Rf2 Bxf4 2.Qg5 Bd2 3.Kh6 Rh4
(b) 1.Bf2 Rxf4 2.Qc4 Rh4 3.Kb4 Bd2
Very well matched line-play following the unusual twinning.
|
|
Gerald F. Anderson
4th Prize, The Problemist, 1970-1971
Selfmate in 3
|
1.Bh7 (-)
1...Bxc5 2.Sg4+ K~ 3.Sxe3+ Bxe3
1...Bc7, e7, f8 2.Rd6+ Bxd6 3.bxc3+ Sxc3
1...Bxe5 2.Rg6 > 3.bxc3+ Sxc3; 2...cxb2 3.c3+ Sxc3
1...S(b8) ~ 2.Rb4+ Sxb4 3.bxc3+ Sxc3
1...cxb2 2.Sg6+ Be5 3.c3+ Sxc3
A beautifully constructed selfmate by a former BCPS President, used in the WCSC. The key is a
critical move across g6 in preparation for two shut-offs of the bishop’s guard on b1.
|
|
|
Last Updated on Saturday, 19 November 2011 13:48 |
2011 