n l:lilttl SUPPLEfTIENT THE PROBLEfIflST NI L rssuE 13 JULY 1994 B D Stephenson, 9 Roydfield Drive, Waterthorpe, SHEFFIELD, 519 6ND M McDowell, 136 St. Luke's Road, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA,Essex, SS2 4AG J R Coward, 25 Elmwood Avenue, HARROW. Middlesex. HA3 8AJ EDITOR: SOLUTIONS EDITOR: SELECTIONS EDITOR: All originals printed here take part in the normal Problemist toumaments, so that publication in this supplement is equivalent to publication in the main magazine. For this supplement, I am looking for straightforward originals of all types. ldeally, they should be pointed, well constructed, and have entertainment value. lf you think that you have anything suitable, please submit it to me at the address above. I would appreciate it if composers would submit problems cleady drawn or stramped on diagrams, please. I would also be happy if composers could somehow hide the solution, so that I may have a chance of solving their originals. Many thanks! The supplement has its own unified solving ladder and all are eligible to enter it. Prizes are in line with the main magazine. Before I introduce this issue, I must apologise for errors in issue 11. In the diagram on the front page, the wPal should, of course, be on a2. S K Balasubramanian points out an error on p.87. In problem (6) 1.8c6? is retuted by 1...Kb4! because of 2.8b5? KaS! 3.Sc6 # and not by the capture of the wB, as stated. The error was the result of some cursory analysis by yours truly. The problem is even better than we thought! An extra page of originals this issue, to try and decrease my somewhat enlarged stock, and to provide increased holiday solving. In the rest of the issue, John Coward introduces one of his favourite problems, Colin Russ revisits the work of Adolf Anderssen, and I present a conection to that Nanning #3. BDS SELECTIONS In each of 12 issues I have tried to give some guidance to solvers. This time I would just like to comment on one of my fiavourite problems. lt is a mutate by Tony Lewis with I changed mates, the set and actual mates totalling 13. On both counts it seems to go beyond past achievements, even from the heyday of the (now unfashionable) mutate over 50 years ago. A task problem usually contains some unavoidably cumbersome or contrived features. A pendular structure, for example, can be employed to achieve several changed mates. The only feature here is the wRhS which turns out to be a camouflage piece, completing the initial block but having no post-key function. However, such a device has long been accepted, especially in a complete block problem, even where there is much less variety of play. Indeed, Tony's problem is hardly recognisable as a task. He even has the free setting he so often achieves (i.e. the absence of pawn plugs which are so hard to avoid in any waiting problem - try it yourself!). The highest art is the concealment of one's art. R T LEWS The Prcblemist. 198/. 1.Oxb5! () Set 1...BbO 2.Oxa8# 1...BbB 2.axa8# 1...8xc5 2.OxaB # 1...Bc6 2.Oxa2 # 1...d3 2.BeG # 1...e6, e5 2.OdO # 1...58- 2.O(xle6 # 1...Sxe4 2.8e6 # 1...S2- 2.Rxd4 # 1...8b7 2.Qxb7 # I see the caDture key, though not ideal, as only a slight blem- ish at most. There is a complete block both pre- and post-key, so the key provides nei- ther a threat nor mate after an unDrovided black move; yet it sur- renders 5 set mates and substitutes no dual mates. The usual objections to capture hardly apply. lt is not a bad key, adding to the guard on c4 and c5 but reducing it on d6 and e6. Actual 2.cxb6# 2.c6# 2.Oxc5 # 2.Qc4 # 2.Sc3 # 2.Sxf6 # 2.Alxld7 # 2.Rxd4 # 2.Rxd4 # 2.Oxb7 # I write as something of a connoisseur of mutates and nothing of a problem judge, but it surprises me that this one has not received greater recognition. JRC
Transcript
nl:lilttl SUPPLEfTIENT
THE PROBLEfIflSTNI L
rssuE 13JULY 1994
B D Stephenson, 9 Roydfield Drive, Waterthorpe, SHEFFIELD, 519 6NDM McDowell, 136 St. Luke's Road, SOUTHEND-ON-SEA,Essex, SS2 4AGJ R Coward, 25 Elmwood Avenue, HARROW. Middlesex. HA3 8AJ
EDITOR:SOLUTIONS EDITOR:SELECTIONS EDITOR:
All originals printed here take part in the normalProblemist toumaments, so that publication in thissupplement is equivalent to publication in the mainmagazine.
For this supplement, I am looking for straightforwardoriginals of all types. ldeally, they should be pointed, wellconstructed, and have entertainment value. lf you thinkthat you have anything suitable, please submit it to me atthe address above. I would appreciate it if composerswould submit problems cleady drawn or stramped ondiagrams, please. I would also be happy if composerscould somehow hide the solution, so that I may have achance of solving their originals. Many thanks!
The supplement has its own unified solving ladder andall are eligible to enter it. Prizes are in line with the mainmagazine.
Before I introduce this issue, I must apologise forerrors in issue 11. In the diagram on the front page, thewPal should, of course, be on a2. S K Balasubramanianpoints out an error on p.87. In problem (6) 1.8c6? isretuted by 1...Kb4! because of 2.8b5? KaS! 3.Sc6 # andnot by the capture of the wB, as stated. The error wasthe result of some cursory analysis by yours truly. Theproblem is even better than we thought!
An extra page of originals this issue, to try anddecrease my somewhat enlarged stock, and to provideincreased holiday solving. In the rest of the issue, JohnCoward introduces one of his favourite problems, ColinRuss revisits the work of Adolf Anderssen, and I presenta conection to that Nanning #3.
BDS
SELECTIONS
In each of 12 issues I have tried to give someguidance to solvers. This time I would just like tocomment on one of my fiavourite problems. lt is a mutateby Tony Lewis with I changed mates, the set and actualmates totalling 13. On both counts it seems to go beyondpast achievements, even from the heyday of the (nowunfashionable) mutate over 50 years ago.
A task problem usually contains some unavoidablycumbersome or contrived features. A pendular structure,for example, can be employed to achieve severalchanged mates. The only feature here is the wRhS whichturns out to be a camouflage piece, completing the initialblock but having no post-key function. However, such adevice has long been accepted, especially in a complete
block problem, even where there is much less variety ofplay. Indeed, Tony's problem is hardly recognisable as atask. He even has the free setting he so often achieves(i.e. the absence of pawn plugs which are so hard toavoid in any waiting problem - try it yourself!). Thehighest art is the concealment of one's art.
I see the caDturekey, though not ideal,as only a slight blem-ish at most. There is acomplete block bothpre- and post-key, sothe key provides nei-ther a threat nor mateafter an unDrovidedblack move; yet it sur-renders 5 set matesand substitutes nodual mates. The usualobjections to capturehardly apply. lt is not abad key, adding to theguard on c4 and c5but reducing it on d6and e6.
I write as something of a connoisseur of mutates andnothing of a problem judge, but it surprises me that thisone has not received greater recognition.
JRC
98mum use of minimal material.' (J.Gill)
PS199 (Kardos) (a) 1.Kb5 Bds 2.8b6 Bc4 #; (b) 1.KaBRds 2.Sa7 Rd8 # '(b) fails to match the more interestingselfpin/unpin sequence of (a).' (BPB) 'Attractive B/R rolereversal.'(KD)
PS200 (Koludrovic) (a) 1.Re2 Rc3+ 2.Qe3 Be6 #; (b)l.Rgs Be6+ 2.894 Rc3 # 'Two black lines cut-off and athird rendered ineffective by a pin. An idea worth workingon.' (JQ) 'Black is bottled up with amazing speed.' (BK)'Reciprocal interchange of white moves, but no original-ity.'(BPB)
PS201 (Geissler) 1...Rh8 2.Rh1 Bxhl 3.8b3 RaB # 'Abishop and rook platzwechsel (exchange of squares) ofmaximum distance shown in the minimum possiblenumber of moves.' (MM) 'Attractive long-range moves.'(JQ) 'Lacking in artistic value.' (A.Ettinger) 'Very witty.'(KD)
PS202 (Bakcsi & Zoltan) 1.8e4 a6 2.Bxd3 SaS 3.Bb1Sb3 #: 1.Re4 exf4 2.Rel Se3 3.Rb1 Sc2 #; 1.Se4 Kb32.Sc3 Sa3 3.Sb1 Sc2 #'Three black pieces block bl viae4l' (AE) 'Crystal clear theme and clean construction.'(JQ) 'Some unity beween solutions, but gives an overallimpression of being nailed together.' (BPB)
PS203 (Heiskanen & Pitkanen) 1.Qe1! 0 Ka4,Ka22.b8=Q Ka3 3.Qt4 Ka2 4.h8=Q Ka3 5.Qhc3+ Ka2 6.Q$<f3Sxf3 7.Qb1+ Qxb'l #'An enjoyable problem, and perhapsone to encourage solvers to try longer selfmates. Notdifficult, as it is clear what W must aim to do.' (JQ) 'Atleast the first move was easily found....' (KD) 'A sense ofachievement on solving this one!' (BK)
PS204 (Geissler) 1...b8=a 2.Ke4 Qf4+ 3.Kh7 f8=S;.1...f8=B 2.KeS b8=Q+ 3.Kas Bb4'Highly ingenious.' (JG)'Substantial content for such a light twin-free setting.'(JQ) 'Beautiful economy, coherence and difficulty.' (BK)
PS205 (Sikdar) 5.h1=R 7.Rb4 9.Kc5 10.Rb5 11.Ras14.Ka7 Rxas; 5.h1=S 8.Sb4 10.Kb5 12.Sa5 14.Ka7 Rxas'Well known bridge-building technique.' (AE) 'Worthshowing to encourage more complex sequences.' (BPB)'BP should have started on h2.' (JQ, sim. BK) 'Thecomposer points out that the length of the problem canbe artificially increased by one move by starting the BK incheck on a2 ot a3.' (MM) 'As pointed out by ideal mateexpert Eugene Albert, this is completely anticipated byNorman Macleod, 1st HM., Spingaren, 1978 which hasthe hP starting on h2 and the position reflected left toright.'(BDS)
PS206 (Rice) 1.K98! (2.597) 1...Rxb7(wRb7)/Qxb7(wQ-b7)/Rxfs(wRfs)/Bxf5(wBf5) 2.Rb8/Qc8/Rf8/Bg6'Easy, butsuitably instructive half-pin.' (BPB)'Excellent construc-tion. The bBg4 and bRcs prevent Q checks while alsogiving variations. The rook also prevents dual mates after1..Qxb7.' (JQ) 'Fascinating Fairy form. After1..Qxb7(wQb7) 2.Qc8l RxcS(wRc8) is illegal self-check.'(KD) 'Nice, clear illustration of the theme.' (BK) 'l wellremember this being composed in the bright sunlight inthe garden of the then Balkan Pik restaurant on the lastday of the Andernach meeting in 1993.' (BDS)
PS207 (Buglos) 1.Rfd3? (2.Rf5 #) 1...Rxh8(+wBcl) orRx7(+wPf2)/Be5 2.R3d4/R5d4 # but 1...Qx6!(+wPf2);1.5e2? (2.Ra5,Rb5,Rc5,Rdf5,Rg5,Rh5 #)1.'..Qxf6(+wPP) or RxhS(+wBc1) or RxF(+wPf2) 2.Re3but 1...Kxf3!(+wRh1); 1.Rffs! (2.Rd3) 1...Ox6(+wPf2)/Rxl/(+wp12ypr68(+wBcl ) 2.Rd6/Rd7/Rd8'Nice Circe-aided mates up the d-fi|e, but the tries are of no real
soLUTloNs (MARCH 1994)
PSl90 (Saks) 1.Bh2l 0 1...Kb8/Kc6/Kd8 2.Ra3/Rg6/Rg8# 'Y-flights in miniature - fiar from novel.' (B.P.Barnes)'Long distance battery bombards the BK into submission.'(C.J.Morse)
PS191 (Lincoln) 1.S96? 1...Rd4!; 'l.Sxfs? 1...Qa4!; 1.Sf3?1...Rh7!; 1.S92! (2.Rh4 #) 1...Rd4/Qa4/Rh7 2.Qh6/Qxf5/Qe3 # 'A neatly-constructed Meredith featuring trieswhich fail through W self-interference.' (MM) 'Ordinary'despite the tries.' (J.Quah) 'Beautifully clear thematic tryproblem.'(CJM)
PS193 (Petite) 'l.Sxb5! (2.c4 #) 1...b1=a,B/Sxc2lcxb5lc4lBc3/Qa2lsd6+,Sb6/Sxe7+lRxf7+ 2.Qes/Qh1/Qxa8iRd4/Sxc3/Bxc6/R(x)d6/Sxe7/Bxf7 # 'ln the basic Cearatheme (named by its inventor E.F.C.Costa after one ofthe states of Brazil) a wP threatens mate by a
double-square move. Black defends in 5 ways: pinning,
capturing, obstructing the P on the 3rd rank, occupying orguarding the threat square. Over time the idea has beenextended, as for example in this problem by CharlesOuellet from The Problemist July 1989, Q1s1Bq2/5P2l2RB3p/3kpp 1Kb2P 1RP I l2PP2p1 tS(2P 151 l2Qs2 #21.gxf5 which shows no less than ten different Blackdefence motifs, the most interesting being the prospec-tive flight-giving 1...Rxc3 (l leave it to solvers to work outthe rest!).' (MM) 'Strange collection of Black defences'(Jo)
PS194 (Saunders) 1.Sh6! 0 1...Sxe7/Sxh8/Qxe7/gxh3/Rf-/Rh-/Sf4+ 2.Qe4/QfS/Rxd5/Sf3/S(x)fl/Sxg4/gxf4 #'bSunoins of Q and S differentiate the WQ mates. Remindsme of my unsuccessful C7538 from May 1988.' (8PB)'Lots of interesting pinning effects including two double-pin mates.' (JQ)'Surprising block.' (K. Dewhurst)
PS195 (Huseynli) 1.Rh2! 0 1..]<xa2 2.Rh5 & 3.Ra5 #;1...S- 2.Sb3+ Kb1 3.Rb2,Sa3 # 'The key illustrates theambush theme, preparing to guard a2 after the interven-ing knights have moved. The switchback after 1..1(xa2
completes a charming miniature.' (MM) 'Neat switch-back.' (KD) '2.Rh5 proved surprisingly difficult to spot.'(JO)
PS196 (Petite) 1.8d6! (2.8e7+ Kh6 3.Sfl #) 1...8h52.Se6+ Kh6/K6 3.Bf8/Sd7 #; 1...S94 2.Sfl+ K6 3.Se8 #;1...K6 2.Sf7 (3.Se8 #) Bbs 3.Sh5 #'A simple yet elegantstrategic problem. Black defends by threatening tointerpose or capture, but blocks his own king.' (JQ) 'Neatmating nets.' (BPB) Alex Eftinger points out that the onlyfunction of the BRhl is to prevent a dual mate in the1..S94 variation.
PS197 (Wllmott) 1.Ob6l (2.Ke3 Kd 3.Ke4 Kc3 4.Od4 #)'f ...Kd3 2.Qc5 Ke4 3.Bc2+ Kf4 4.Qf5 #;1..Kd 2.Ke3 Kds3.8b3+ Kes 4.QeG #'An echo looked unlikely with thismaterial. High risk of anticipation, but quite something if itsurvives! (JQ) 'Excellent key and fine echo from anattractive setting.' (KD)
PSt98 (Grin) 1.Kb4 Kd4 2.Ra4 Sc4 #;1.Ra7 So4+ 2.Ka6Rb6; 1.Ras Sc8+ 2.KaO Rb6 #'There is a thin border linebetween cooks and weak extra solutions.' (BPB) 'Maxi-
substance.' (BPB) 'Hardly any solvers have detailedt.Se2?, and I doubt whether a try which allows itsrefutation has much value.'(MM)
1993 Ladder: S.Kirilow scored 59 in November for atotal of 98. V.S.Sergeyev scored 79 in November for atotal of 453: however I would echo PSV's comments onp.329 of the May Problemist - Mr.Sergeyev is not aBCPS member and his solutions are always extremelylate.
MM
ORIGINALS
The #2 under PS226 to PS23{ means 'Vvhite to playand mate in two moves against any defence.' PS232 toPS234 are also directmateq but longer.
Vvith the very formal PS227 we welcome our firstWelsh contributor. This is the first of several problemsthat he has sent me. In PS230, the team of Lewis andMcDowell continue with their search for originality withmodel mates combined with strategy in the #2.
Our longer directmates are all light positions that I
hope will give pleasure to solvers.PS235 to PS240 are helpmates in which Black,
playing first, co-operates with Vvhite so that \Mite canmate Black in the number of moves specified. In PS237as well as the two solutions there is a set play solution inwhich \/write plays first and mates Black on his secondmove. PS239 is a H#4 but without Black's initial move.
PS241 to PS243 are selfmates in which White playsfirst and forces Black to mate him. The twinning in PS241is progressivq that is, each change from (c) onwards ismade from the previous twin position, rather than fromthe diagram position.
The lmitator in PS244 is a colourless, non-checking,non-capturable, non-capturing piece that exactly imitateseach move as it is played. A move is illegal if thecorresponding lmitator move is blocked by another unit orby the board edge.
PS245 is a serieshelpmate in 10 moves, in whichBlack plays 10. consecutive moves (without White playingat all) to reach a position where White can mate in one.
The grasshopper in PS246 (abbreviation 'G') movesand captures on Queen lines by hopping over the firstman of either colour standing on one of those lines to thesquare beyond that man as long as that square is eitherempty or occupied by an enemy piece. In PS246 the bGcan go to bl or d5, and if there were white pieces onthose squares, it would capture them.
PS247 is a selfstalemate in 3 in which Vvhite playsfirst and forces Black to stalemate him. There is a trick tothis problem, and perhaps familiarity with the rules ofchess as they used to be years ago, would be useful!
PS2/18, PS249, PS250 and PS252 feature the Circecondition. When captured, a piece (not a K) is immedi-ately replaced on its square of origin (game array square)if that square is empty; in the case of R, B or S on thesquare of the same colour as that on which it wascaptured. Thus a wR captured on h8 (a black square)would be replaced on a1, provided that a1 was empty; ifal was occupied the R would be removed from the boardas in a normal capture. Pawns go to the initial square ofthe file they were captured on. A replaced R is deemednot to have moved for castling purposes.
With PS25l, Ronald Turnbull presents more 'buriedtreasure' (see PS135 in issue 7) with Gheckless chess.\Mth this condition, neither side is allowed to check the
other unless it is mate. For instance, in PS251, \Mitecannot play 1.Rxg8+ because, although it is check, it isnot mate.
Composers will note from the ratio of problemspresented that I am short of three and more movers andselftnates, but that other genres are well stocked for therest of the year!
Send your solutions and comments to Michael Mc-Dowell (address on front page) within 2 months ofreceiving this issue. Enjoy your solving!
BDS
KOOCING THE B-B-BRISTOLI
Space for another instalment from my lecture. The titlethis time is a bit of a cheat, as although the reconstructedproblem illustrates the Bristol theme, it wasn't cooked,and all that I have done is improved the construction.
Some time ago (A)came to my attention.The solution is 1.Kf4l(2.Ba3+ Rxa3 3.Rd7#) with the thematicvariation 1...fxeS+2.Ks5 (3.6 #) Bxfs3.Kh6&4.895#andthe supporting line1...8xf5 2.Kxf5 (3.ex6#) Sg3+ 3.hxg3 (4.ex6#) fxe5/Ra5,Rd74.895/R(x)d7 #. Thewhite king walks upthe diagonal from e3to h6 in order to clearthe way for the bishopto mate on 95. A clearexample of the Bristoltheme, even if the
clearance is made in three moves rather than in the morenormal one.
I set out to curethis oroblem of twofaults. Firstly, there isa short threat and, in-evitably, a longer one.Secondly, it sufferedfrom what I consideredto be a somewhatheavy construction.After considerable ef-forts I came up with(B) which I was prettyhappy with. The threatis now full length and4 fewer units havebeen used. lt solvesby 1.Ke4! (2.dxe6+Kxe6 3.8a2+ Kd7 4.e6#); 'l...exds+ 2.Kfs
(3.e6 #) BxeS 3.K96 & 4.8f5 #; l...Bxes 2.Kxe5 (3.dxe6#) Sf3+ 3.gxB (4.dxe6 #) exdS 4.Bf5 #. I used the dualthreat that was present in (A). My only regret is that theposition of the black king is not as open in (B) as it is in(A).
BDS
(A) FAFGEYERSTAMNuova Rivista, 1886
(B) BDSVersion of (A) - original
PS226 I SHANAHAN(Australia)
PS229 G MARIZ(Pottugal)
PS232 V PYPA(Ukraine)
PS23O RT LEWS & M MCDOWELL
(Cheftenham & Southend)
PS233 L VITALE(tatY)
PS228 RA LINCOLN(usA)
PS234 E SIMBOLON(lndonesia)
PS231 E BATTAGL]A(taty)
#2 ftries)
#2 Crries)
PS235 E FASHER(ls/a,eD
PS238 L VITALE(tatY)
PS241 YASURKOV(Russra)
S#2 (b) Rd7>e6;(c) Ph7->gO in (b); (d) -Qa7 in (c)
101
PS236 C JONSSON(Sweden)
H#2 (b) Bd1->e1
PS239 A WILLiTIOTT(Austra,lia)
Ps,242 HBFBOUMEESTER(Nethedands)
PS237 J MAYHEW(Plymouth)
H#2 (set play) 2 solutions
PS24O KFUNK&EMASANEK(Gemany)
PS2/B S ROTHUVELL(Gemany)
PS24 UHAMMARSTROM(Sweden)
PS247 M OLAUSSON(Sweden)
PS25O J M RICE(Surbiton)
PS248 J MAYHEW(Plymouth)
PS25I RTURNBULL(Thomhiil)
PS246 A J SOBEY(Hindhead)
PS249 C POISSON(Fnnce)
PS252 B P BARNES(Rochester)
SH#10H#3% lmitator aB H#3 2 sols; G€sshopper f5
S=3 (see text) H#3 4 solutions: Circe lr2Circe
#2 Cice #2 Circe
A) AANDERSSENAufgaben far Schachspieler, 18/,2
B) J BREUERBeispiele zur ldeengeschichte desSchachptoblems, 1982
TURNING AN ANDERSSEN INTO ANINDIAN
byColin Russ
The chess development of Adolf Anderssen, the greatnineteenth century German Master, was unusual. He firstbecame known as a composer, and emerged onlysubsequently as one of the finest players of his age. Heis still remembered for two games in particular: theimmoftal (v. KieseriEky, 1851) and the evergreen (v.
Dufresne, 1852).
Anderssen's bestknown composition is(A). lt appeared in hiscollection of his ownprobfems, Aufgabenf irr Schachspieler(1842), the title (=Problems for Chess-p/ayers) reflecting hisown double interests.The solution runs:1.8h5 KxhS 2.K97 h63.K6 Kh4 4.K96 #.The white king inter-feres with the bishopon the third move, pre-venting stalemate, andthen discovers mate.Thanks to this orob-
lem, the manoeuvre is termed an AndeFsen mate. lthas ofien been pointed out that, if only Anderssen hadincorporated a preliminary move by the dark-squaredbishop northwestwards across 6, with the interferenceon that square to follow, he would have anticipatedLoveday's pioneering use of the Indian mechanism justthree years later. Such a move is termed critical and thesquare which the piece in question traverses, only to finditself cut off on the other side (for good AI ill), is thecritical square. In brief, the Indian enriches the Anders-sen process.of stalemate avoidance and discoveredmate with a preliminary critical move.
ln his Beispiele zurldeengeschichte desSchachproblems(1892), Josef Breuersuggested amending(A) to anive at (B),with the key 1.Bd8(1...Kxhs 2.K97, etc.,as in (A)). Now, thecritical move is there(as key), and we havean Indian. Breuer mustsurely have realisedthat 1.8e7 also solves.His proposal, (B), is ina note to the solutionof (A), and is not dia-grammed, so it is per-haps most fairly re-garded as "just athought", to be elabo-rated.
I decided to see whether Anderssen's idea couldindeed be put to Indian use, but without Indian cooking,and came up with (C) (1.8e4 Kh2 2.K94 h3 3.Kf3 Khl
103c) cAHRUSSOriginal - aflerA Anderssen
4.K93 #). I waspleased, but also sur-prised, to leam fromDr Speckmann that nosimilar reworking of(A) seemed to exist, atleast in miniature. Hewas kind enough toregard my renderingas being afterAnders-sen. rather than a ver-sion of his (A) (theformer term concedesmore originality to thelater comooser thandoes the latter). How-ever, Dr Speckmann'sletter was accompa-
nied by his suggested (D) (play as in (C)). This eliminatesa superflous element contained in the key of (C), viz., theimmobilisation of the black pawn on e5, both in the short
D) W SPECKiTIANNOriginal - version of C
term and in the matealong the diagonal.The attention paid tothat pawn would leadGerman theoreticiansto describe my key asrevealing impurity ofaim, in that it is notmotivated exclusivelvby the preparation ofthe interference on thecritical square, E. Thesame school would at-tiach cardinal value tothe try 1.BB? in (D),as it is truly thematic:it fails only because itis not critical, whereasthe same move in (G)fails also becauseBlack retains the re-
source e4! For my part, I take the latter point entirely. Onthe other question, I was rather happy to think that mysolver had the admittedly easy task of finding the rightcritical move, dealing with the black pawn (so not1.8d5?...1.8d8?). I was pleased too, that the white forcein (G) undercut Anderssen's by two pawns. \Mth suchmatters are problemists' friendly debates concerned.
A NANNING #3 SAVED!
In the May issue, I presented a #3 by Nanning thathad no solution and appealed for somebody to correct it.lwas surprised and delighted when I got a response fromtwo leading problemists very quickly indeed. lt isextremely good to know that lhe Problemist Supplementis read by such people! lt was also very interesting to seehow two experts dealt with the same problem!
First through my letterbox was Jean Morice who senttwo versions. (A) (on the next page), in which the onlychange has been the removal of the wPc2 from theoriginal position, gets round the difficulty neatly byarranging a mate on c2 after the king flight. The solutionis 1.Ba3! (2.Qc2+ Kds 3.d # or 2.Sxe6+ KdS 3.Sxc7,Sf4#) 1...Re5+ 2.Sb5+ Qc4/Kds 3.Qxc4/Sxc7 #: 1...Qhs+2.Sf5+ Kds 3.Sxe3 #; 1...Sxc6+ 2.Qxc6+ Kes 3.SR #;1...Kd5 2.4+ Ke4 3.Qc2 #. The only bad point is thedouble threat, and this led Jean to have another go.
#4 (scheme)
'104(A) J MORTCE
Version of Nanning, 1953
(B) J MORTCE
Version of Nanning, 1953
(c) B INGREVersion of Nanning, '1953
This setting makesme wonder whetherthe composer origi-nally had a wP at c2?Did he then notice thedouble threat and getrid of the pawn with-out noticing the refuta-tion 1...Kds?
Wth (B), at the ex-oense of a less eco-nomical sefting, Jeangets rid of the doublethreat. The solution isas before except thatonly the 2.Sxe6+threat works and thesubsidiary lines areslightly different:-1...Sxc6+ 2.Qxc6+Kes 3.f4 #; 1...KdS2.cA+ Ke4 3.Re3 #.
No sooner had I
studied Jean's effortswhen Bengt lngre's(C) arrived. Here, bygetting rid of the'1 ...Sxc6+ variation,Bengt has provided forthe flight and improvedthe economy of theoriginal. The threatand the thematic vari-ations are as givenbefore, but this timethe flight gives rise to'1...Kds 2.Qb5+ Ke43.Qf5 #.
It is good to see an old problem corrected, especiallyone this good. Many thanks to both Jean and Bengt. Ofcourse, these things must always be a matter of taste,but I prefer (C).
As I wrote above, response to this article has beenencouraging. Perhaps, when space permits in futureissues, I may present more old, unsound problems forcorrection.
Solvers and synthesisers should be advised. I shan'tbe caught nanning again! Well, not for a while anyway...
BDS
A STUDY AND A SERENADE
\Nhile at the Bratislava PCCC last year, I bought acopy of Eesf Sfudies by David Gurgenidze, a book that I
can heartily recommend to any study enthusiast who isnot familiar with that compose/s work, and even to thosewho are! In it there is one study that brought back a floodof memories as soon as I set eyes upon it. lt took meback to a day in 1978.
ln those days I was in the habit, as I am now, ofaftending the quarterly Friday night meetings of JohnRoycroft's Chess Endgame Study Circle (CESC) inLondon. Then, I was living in the West Country andwould spend the weekends after the meeting withRichard Harman and his wife Olive in Stroud Green. I
look back upon these weekends as oases of tranquility ina very busy life, but the real reason for them was for meto gain familiarity with the famous Harman classifiedindex of chess endgame studies that Richard had beendeveloping for many years, and that I had agreed to takeover responsibility for as soon as was necessary.
During this time, Richard was acting as director of theRoycroft Jubilee study tourney, and we decided to usethe entries as my practice in looking for anticipations inthe index. First thing'on Saturday morning I opened anenvelope ftom Georgia, and out came a study by acomposer that I then hadn't heard of, and that was
D GURGENIDZE2nd Ptize, Roycroft Jub., 1 979
destined to beawarded 2nd Prize bythe tourney judgeJohn Roycroft. A dia-gram of it is alongside.The solution runsl.Rgl f2 (i) 2.Rf161=Q+ (ii) 3.Rxdl e24.Rf3+ Kg7 5.R93+KfG 6.Rggl with theechoed lines 6...KeS7.Rgel (iii) 1-0 and6...Kf5 7.Rdfl 1-0. (D
This simple but elegant echo had me asking Richard fordetails of other work by the same composer. The judge'senthusiastic comment on it was 'A miniature whosecharm grows, and grows!' and, sixteen years later, I stillagree with him.
Being introduced to the work of David Gurgenidzemight be considered enough luck for one day, but morewas to follow! Evenings at Stroud Green were spent inlistening to records, and this particular evening Richardasked me if there was anything that I wanted to listen to.As I had recently discovered the work of the Englishcomposer Ralph Vaughan-Wlliams, I suggested thatanything by him would be of interest. ln response,Richard played the Serenade To Music. This was my firsthearing of that work, and I sat entranced from the time itstarted till the time it ended. At that time I thought that itwas the most beautiful piece of music that I had everheard, and, sixteen years later, I still think so.
