NI L

THE PROBLEfIflST

SUPPLEfTIENT

l:lilttl

rssuE

13

JULY 1994
EDITOR:

SOLUTIONS EDITOR:
SELECTIONS EDITOR:

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

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

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.

BDS
SELECTIONS

I have tried to give some

solvers. This time I would just like to

In each of 12 issues

guidance

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

caDture

complete block both

pre- and post-key, so

the key provides neither a threat nor mate

after an

unDrovided

black move; yet it sur-

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.

see the

key, though not ideal,

as only a slight blemish at most. There is a

R T LEWS
The Prcblemist. 198/.

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.

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 #

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

98

soLUTloNs (MARCH

mum use of minimal material.' (J.Gill)

1994)

PSl90 (Saks) 1.Bh2l 0 1...Kb8/Kc6/Kd8 2.Ra3/Rg6/Rg8

miniature - fiar from novel.' (B.P.Barnes)

# 'Y-flights in

'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

# 'A

#) 1...Rd4/Qa4/Rh7 2.Qh6/Qxf5/

neatly-constructed Meredith featuring tries

which fail through W self-interference.' (MM) 'Ordinary'
despite the tries.' (J.Quah) 'Beautifully clear thematic try

Qe3

problem.'(CJM)
PS192 (Lang & Stephenson) 1.Qf2! (2.Qxd4 #) 1...e5/
Sx2,Sc3/Rxd3/Rc4+ 2.Qfl/Re5/Sb6/dxc4 #'Good unpin
of the BS, and changed mate after 1..Rxd3 (set 2.Qxd3
#). Note 1.Qe3? e5!.' (BPB) 'Sacrificial step-back leads to
5 mates.' (CJM)'Surprising key.' (B.Kerr)

PS193 (Petite) 'l.Sxb5! (2.c4 #) 1...b1=a,B/Sxc2lcxb5l

c4lBc3/Qa2lsd6+,Sb6/Sxe7+lRxf7+ 2.Qes/Qh1/Qxa8i
Rd4/Sxc3/Bxc6/R(x)d6/Sxe7/Bxf7 # 'ln the basic Ceara
theme (named by its inventor E.F.C.Costa after one of

the states of Brazil) a wP threatens mate by

double-square move. Black defends in 5 ways: pinning,

capturing, obstructing the P on the 3rd rank, occupying or
guarding the threat square. Over time the idea has been
extended, as for example in this problem by Charles
Ouellet from The Problemist July 1989, Q1s1Bq2/
5P2l2RB3p/3kpp 1Kb2P 1RP I l2PP2p1 tS(2P 151 l2Qs2 #2

1.gxf5 which shows

no less than ten different

Black

defence motifs, the most interesting being the prospective flight-giving 1...Rxc3 (l leave it to solvers to work out
the 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 #'bS
unoins of Q and S differentiate the WQ mates. Reminds
me of my unsuccessful C7538 from May 1988.' (8PB)
'Lots of interesting pinning effects including two doublepin 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 the
ambush theme, preparing to guard a2 after the interven-

ing knights have moved. The switchback after 1..1(xa2

completes a charming miniature.' (MM) 'Neat switchback.' (KD) '2.Rh5 proved surprisingly difficult to spot.'
(JO)

PS196 (Petite) 1.8d6! (2.8e7+ Kh6 3.Sfl #) 1...8h5

2.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 elegant

strategic problem. Black defends by threatening to

interpose or capture, but blocks his own king.' (JQ) 'Neat

mating nets.' (BPB) Alex Eftinger points out that the only
function of the BRhl is to prevent a dual mate in the
1..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 Kds
3.8b3+ Kes 4.QeG #'An echo looked unlikely with this
material. High risk of anticipation, but quite something if it

survives! (JQ) 'Excellent key and fine echo from an

attractive setting.' (KD)

PSt98 (Grin) 1.Kb4 Kd4 2.Ra4 Sc4 #;1.Ra7 So4+ 2.Ka6

Rb6; 1.Ras Sc8+ 2.KaO Rb6 #'There is a thin border line

between cooks and weak extra solutions.' (BPB) 'Maxi-

PS199 (Kardos) (a) 1.Kb5 Bds 2.8b6 Bc4 #; (b) 1.KaB

Rds 2.Sa7 Rd8 # '(b) fails to match the more interesting
selfpin/unpin sequence of (a).' (BPB) 'Attractive B/R role
reversal.'(KD)

PS200 (Koludrovic) (a) 1.Re2 Rc3+ 2.Qe3 Be6 #; (b)

l.Rgs Be6+ 2.894 Rc3 # 'Two black lines cut-off and a
third rendered ineffective by a pin. An idea worth working
on.' (JQ) 'Black is bottled up with amazing speed.' (BK)
'Reciprocal interchange of white moves, but no originality.'(BPB)
PS201 (Geissler) 1...Rh8 2.Rh1 Bxhl 3.8b3 RaB # 'A
bishop and rook platzwechsel (exchange of squares) of
maximum distance shown in the minimum possible
number 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.Bb1

Sb3 #: 1.Re4 exf4 2.Rel Se3 3.Rb1 Sc2 #; 1.Se4 Kb3
2.Sc3 Sa3 3.Sb1 Sc2 #'Three black pieces block bl via
e4l' (AE) 'Crystal clear theme and clean construction.'
(JQ) 'Some unity beween solutions, but gives an overall
impression of being nailed together.' (BPB)

PS203 (Heiskanen & Pitkanen) 1.Qe1! 0 Ka4,Ka2

2.b8=Q Ka3 3.Qt4 Ka2 4.h8=Q Ka3 5.Qhc3+ Ka2 6.Q$<f3
Sxf3 7.Qb1+ Qxb'l #'An enjoyable problem, and perhaps
one to encourage solvers to try longer selfmates. Not
difficult, as it is clear what W must aim to do.' (JQ) 'At
least the first move was easily found....' (KD) 'A sense of
achievement 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.Ras

14.Ka7 Rxas; 5.h1=S 8.Sb4 10.Kb5 12.Sa5 14.Ka7 Rxas

'Well known bridge-building technique.' (AE)

'Worth

showing to encourage more complex sequences.' (BPB)

'BP should have started on h2.' (JQ, sim. BK) 'The
composer points out that the length of the problem can
be artificially increased by one move by starting the BK in
check on a2 ot a3.' (MM) 'As pointed out by ideal mate
expert Eugene Albert, this is completely anticipated by
Norman Macleod, 1st HM., Spingaren, 1978 which has
the hP starting on h2 and the position reflected left to
right.'(BDS)
PS206 (Rice) 1.K98! (2.597) 1...Rxb7(wRb7)/Qxb7(wQb7)/Rxfs(wRfs)/Bxf5(wBf5) 2.Rb8/Qc8/Rf8/Bg6'Easy, but
suitably instructive half-pin.' (BPB)'Excellent construction. The bBg4 and bRcs prevent Q checks while also
giving variations. The rook also prevents dual mates after

1..Qxb7.' (JQ) 'Fascinating Fairy form. After

1..Qxb7(wQb7) 2.Qc8l RxcS(wRc8) is illegal self-check.'

(KD) 'Nice, clear illustration of the theme.' (BK) 'l well
remember this being composed in the bright sunlight in
the garden of the then Balkan Pik restaurant on the last
day of the Andernach meeting in 1993.' (BDS)

PS207 (Buglos) 1.Rfd3? (2.Rf5 #) 1...Rxh8(+wBcl) or

Rx7(+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.Re3

but 1...Kxf3!(+wRh1); 1.Rffs! (2.Rd3)

1...Ox6(+wPf2)/

Rxl/(+wp12ypr68(+wBcl ) 2.Rd6/Rd7/Rd8'Nice Circeaided mates up the d-fi|e, but the tries are of no real

substance.' (BPB) 'Hardly any solvers have detailed

t.Se2?, and

doubt whether

a try

which allows its

refutation has much value.'(MM)

1993 Ladder: S.Kirilow scored 59 in November for a
total of 98. V.S.Sergeyev scored 79 in November for a
total of 453: however I would echo PSV's comments on

p.329 of the May Problemist - Mr.Sergeyev is not a

BCPS member and his solutions are always extremely

late.

MM

other unless it is mate. For instance, in PS251, \Mite

cannot play 1.Rxg8+ because, although it is check, it is
not mate.

Composers will note from the ratio of problems

presented that I am short of three and more movers and
selftnates, but that other genres are well stocked for the
rest of the year!
Send your solutions and comments to Michael McDowell (address on front page) within 2 months of

receiving this issue. Enjoy your solving!

BDS

ORIGINALS
The #2 under PS226 to PS23{ means 'Vvhite to play
and mate in two moves against any defence.' PS232 to
PS234 are also directmateq but longer.
Vvith the very formal PS227 we welcome our first
Welsh contributor. This is the first of several problems
that he has sent me. In PS230, the team of Lewis and
McDowell continue with their search for originality with
model mates combined with strategy in the #2.
Our longer directmates are all light positions that
hope will give pleasure to solvers.

PS235

to

PS240

are helpmates in which

Black,

playing first, co-operates with Vvhite so that \Mite can

mate Black in the number of moves specified. In PS237
as well as the two solutions there is a set play solution in
which \/write plays first and mates Black on his second
move. PS239 is a H#4 but without Black's initial move.
PS241 to PS243 are selfmates in which White plays
first and forces Black to mate him. The twinning in PS241
progressivq
is
that is, each change from (c) onwards is
made from the previous twin position, rather than from
the diagram position.
The lmitator in PS244 is a colourless, non-checking,
non-capturable, non-capturing piece that exactly imitates
each move as it is played. A move is illegal if the
corresponding lmitator move is blocked by another unit or
by the board edge.
PS245 is a serieshelpmate in 10 moves, in which
Black plays 10. consecutive moves (without White playing
at all) to reach a position where White can mate in one.
The grasshopper in PS246 (abbreviation 'G') moves
and captures on Queen lines by hopping over the first
man of either colour standing on one of those lines to the
square beyond that man as long as that square is either
empty or occupied by an enemy piece. In PS246 the bG
can go to bl or d5, and if there were white pieces on
those squares, it would capture them.
PS247 is a selfstalemate in 3 in which Vvhite plays
first and forces Black to stalemate him. There is a trick to

KOOCING THE B-B-BRISTOLI

Space for another instalment from my lecture. The title
this time is a bit of a cheat, as although the reconstructed
problem 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.
(A) FAFGEYERSTAM
The solution is 1.Kf4l
Nuova Rivista, 1886
(2.Ba3+ Rxa3 3.Rd7
#) with the thematic

variation 1...fxeS+
2.Ks5 (3.6 #) Bxfs
3.Kh6&4.895#and

the supporting

#) fxe5/Ra5,Rd7
4.895/R(x)d7 #. The
white king walks
the diagonal from

up
e3

to h6 in order to clear
the way for the bishop
to mate on 95. A clear
example of the Bristol
theme, even if the
clearance is made in three moves rather than in the more
normal one.
set out to cure
this oroblem of two
(B) BDS

Version of (A) - original

faults. Firstly, there is

a short threat and, inevitably,

a longer

Secondly,

it

one.

suffered
from what I considered
be somewhat

to

heavy

construction.

After considerable efforts I came up with

this problem, and perhaps familiarity with the rules of

chess as they used to be years ago, would be useful!

PS2/18, PS249, PS250 and PS252 feature the Circe
condition. When captured, a piece (not a K) is immediately replaced on its square of origin (game array square)
if that square is empty; in the case of R, B or S on the
square of the same colour as that on which it was
captured. Thus a wR captured on h8 (a black square)
would be replaced on a1, provided that a1 was empty; if
al was occupied the R would be removed from the board
as in a normal capture. Pawns go to the initial square of
the file they were captured on. A replaced R is deemed
not to have moved for castling purposes.
With PS25l, Ronald Turnbull presents more 'buried
treasure' (see PS135 in issue 7) with Gheckless chess.
\Mth this condition, neither side is allowed to check the

line

1...8xf5 2.Kxf5 (3.ex6

#) Sg3+ 3.hxg3 (4.ex6

(B) which I was pretty

happy with. The threat
is now full length and

fewer units

have
solves
by 1.Ke4! (2.dxe6+
Kxe6 3.8a2+ Kd7 4.e6

been used.

#);

lt

'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 dual
threat that was present in (A). My only regret is that the
position of the black king is not as open in (B) as it is in
(A).

BDS

PS228 RA LINCOLN
(usA)

PS226 I SHANAHAN
(Australia)

#2 ftries)

PS229 G MARIZ
(Pottugal)

PS23O RT LEWS &

M MCDOWELL

(Cheftenham & Southend)

PS231 E BATTAGL]A
(taty)

#2 Crries)

PS232 V PYPA
(Ukraine)

PS233 L VITALE
(tatY)

PS234 E SIMBOLON
(lndonesia)

101

PS235 E FASHER

PS236 C JONSSON
(Sweden)

(ls/a,eD

H#2

PS238 L VITALE
(tatY)

PS241 YASURKOV
(Russra)

S#2 (b) Rd7>e6;

(c) Ph7->gO in (b); (d) -Qa7 in (c)

(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

PS246 A J SOBEY

UHAMMARSTROM

(Hindhead)

(Sweden)

H#3

H#3% lmitator aB

SH#10

PS247 M OLAUSSON

PS248 J MAYHEW

(Sweden)

S=3

(see text)

PS25O J M RICE
(Surbiton)

#2

Cice

sols; Gsshopper

PS249 C POISSON
(Fnnce)

(Plymouth)

H#3 4 solutions: Circe

lr2Circe

PS25I RTURNBULL

PS252 B P BARNES
(Rochester)

(Thomhiil)

#2

Circe

f5

103

TURNING AN ANDERSSEN INTO AN

INDIAN
by
Colin Russ

c)

cAHRUSS

Original - aflerA Anderssen

AANDERSSEN

Aufgaben far Schachspieler, 18/,2

probfems, Aufgaben

irr Schachspieler
(1842), the title (=
f

Problems for Chessp/ayers) reflecting his

own double interests.
runs:

as being afterAnderssen. rather than a ver-

sion of his (A)

later comooser

letter was accompanied by his suggested (D) (play as in (C)). This eliminates
a superflous element contained in the key of (C), viz., the
immobilisation of the black pawn on e5, both in the short
term and in the mate
along the diagonal.
The attention paid to
D) W SPECKiTIANN
Original - version of C

aim, in that it is not

motivated exclusivelv

by the preparation of
the interference on the
critical square, E. The
same school would attiach cardinal value to

the try 1.BB? in (D),

as it is truly thematic:
it fails only because it

#4

(scheme)

garded

is not critical, whereas

the same move in (G)
fails also because

Black retains the resource e4! For my part, I take the latter point entirely. On
the other question, I was rather happy to think that my
solver had the admittedly easy task of finding the right
critical move, dealing with the black pawn (so not
1.8d5?...1.8d8?). I was pleased too, that the white force
in (G) undercut Anderssen's by two pawns. \Mth such
matters are problemists' friendly debates concerned.

A NANNING #3 SAVED!

1.Bd8

realised

that 1.8e7 also solves.

His proposal, (B), is in
a note to the solution
of (A), and is not diagrammed, so it is perhaps most fairly re-

as "just

thought", to be elaborated.

I decided to see whether Anderssen's idea could

indeed be put to Indian use, but without Indian cooking,

and came up with (C) (1.8e4 Kh2 2.K94 h3 3.Kf3 Khl

that pawn would lead

German theoreticians

to describe my key as
revealing impurity of

on that square to follow, he would have anticipated

an Indian. Breuer must

than

does the latter). However, Dr Speckmann's

Thanks to this oroblem, the manoeuvre is termed an AndeFsen mate. lt

has ofien been pointed out that, if only Anderssen had
incorporated a preliminary move by the dark-squared
bishop northwestwards across 6, with the interference

(1...Kxhs 2.K97, etc.,

as in (A)). Now, the
critical move is there
(as key), and we have

(the

former term concedes

more originality to the

on the third move, preventing stalemate, and

then discovers mate.

Loveday's pioneering use of the Indian mechanism just

three years later. Such a move is termed critical and the
square which the piece in question traverses, only to find
itself cut off on the other side (for good AI ill), is the
critical square. In brief, the Indian enriches the Anderssen process.of stalemate avoidance and discovered
mate with a preliminary critical move.
ln his Beispiele zur
ldeengeschichte des
B) J BREUER
Schachproblems
Beispiele zur ldeengeschichte des
(1892), Josef Breuer
Schachptoblems, 1982
suggested amending
(A) to anive at (B),

to

regard my rendering

3.K6 Kh4 4.K96 #.

The white king interferes with the bishop

surely have

to leam from
Dr Speckmann that no
prised,

was kind enough

1.8h5 KxhS 2.K97 h6

with the key

was

(A) seemed to exist, at

least in miniature. He

known composition is
(A). lt appeared in his
collection of his own

The solution

#). I

pleased, but also sur-

similar reworking of

The chess development of Adolf Anderssen, the great

nineteenth century German Master, was unusual. He first
became known as a composer, and emerged only
subsequently as one of the finest players of his age. He
is still remembered for two games in particular: the
immoftal (v. KieseriEky, 1851) and the evergreen (v.
Dufresne, 1852).
Anderssen's best

A)

4.K93

In the May issue, I presented a #3 by Nanning that

had no solution and appealed for somebody to correct it.
lwas surprised and delighted when I got a response from

two leading

problemists

very quickly indeed.

lt

is

extremely good to know that lhe Problemist Supplement

is read by such people! lt was also very interesting to see
how two experts dealt with the same problem!
First through my letterbox was Jean Morice who sent
two versions. (A) (on the next page), in which the only
change has been the removal of the wPc2 from the

original position, gets round the difficulty neatly by

arranging a mate on c2 after the king flight. The solution

is 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 the
double threat, and this led Jean to have another go.

'104

(A) J

MORTCE

Version of Nanning, 1953

This setting makes

me wonder whether
the composer originally had a wP at c2?
Did he then notice the
double threat and get
rid of the pawn without noticing the refutation 1...Kds?

A STUDY AND A SERENADE

\Nhile at the Bratislava PCCC last year, I bought a
copy of Eesf Sfudies by David Gurgenidze, a book that I
can heartily recommend to any study enthusiast who is
not familiar with that compose/s work, and even to those
who are! In it there is one study that brought back a flood
of memories as soon as I set eyes upon it. lt took me
back to a day in 1978.
ln those days I was in the habit, as I am now, of
aftending the quarterly Friday night meetings of John
Roycroft's Chess Endgame Study Circle (CESC) in
London. Then, I was living in the West Country and
would spend the weekends after the meeting with
Richard Harman and his wife Olive in Stroud Green. I

(B) J MORTCE
Version of Nanning, 1953

Wth (B), at the exoense of a less economical sefting, Jean

gets rid of the double
threat. The solution is
as before except that

only the

2.Sxe6+

threat works and the

subsidiary lines are

slightly different:1...Sxc6+ 2.Qxc6+

Kes 3.f4 #; 1...KdS
2.cA+ Ke4 3.Re3 #.

look back upon these weekends as oases of tranquility in

a very busy life, but the real reason for them was for me
to gain familiarity with the famous Harman classified
index of chess endgame studies that Richard had been
developing for many years, and that I had agreed to take
over responsibility for as soon as was necessary.
During this time, Richard was acting as director of the
Roycroft Jubilee study tourney, and we decided to use
the entries as my practice in looking for anticipations in
the index. First thing'on Saturday morning I opened an

envelope ftom Georgia, and out came a study by a

composer that I then hadn't heard of, and that was
destined to be
awarded 2nd Prize by

D GURGENIDZE
2nd Ptize, Roycroft Jub., 1 979

the tourney judge

A

John Roycroft.

The solution

l.Rgl f2 (i)

(c)

B INGRE

Version of Nanning, '1953

No sooner had

4.Rf3+ Kg7 5.R93+

KfG 6.Rggl with the

lngre's

echoed lines 6...KeS

(C) arrived. Here, by

7.Rgel (iii) 1-0

getting rid of
'1

...Sxc6+

the
variation,

Bengt has provided for

the flight and improved
the economy of the
original. The threat
and the thematic variations are as given
before, but this time
the flight gives rise to

'1...Kds 2.Qb5+ Ke4

3.Qf5 #.

runs
2.Rf1

61=Q+ (ii) 3.Rxdl e2

studied Jean's efforts

when Bengt

dia-

gram of it is alongside.

and

6...Kf5 7.Rdfl 1-0.

1...e2 2.Rxf3+

(D

Ke7

3.Re3+ & 4.Rxe2 1-0;

(ii) 2...e2 3.Rx2+ Kg7
4.R93+ & 5.Rh2 #; (iii)

.Kb2? exd 1 =Q
= or 7.Rdf1? (say)
7

8.Rxd1 Ke4 9.Kc2 Ke3

fxgl=Q 8.Rxgl Kf4

=.

This simple but elegant echo had me asking Richard for

details of other work by the same composer. The judge's
on it was 'A miniature whose
charm grows, and grows!' and, sixteen years later, I still
agree with him.
Being introduced to the work of David Gurgenidze
might be considered enough luck for one day, but more
was to follow! Evenings at Stroud Green were spent in
listening to records, and this particular evening Richard
asked me if there was anything that I wanted to listen to.

enthusiastic comment

It is good to see an old problem corrected, especially

one this good. Many thanks to both Jean and Bengt. Of
course, these things must always be a matter of taste,
but I prefer (C).
As I wrote above, response to this article has been
encouraging. Perhaps, when space permits in future
issues, I may present more old, unsound problems for
correction.

Solvers and synthesisers should be advised. I shan't

be caught nanning again! Well, not for a while anyway...

BDS

As I had recently discovered the work of the

English

composer Ralph Vaughan-Wlliams, I suggested that

anything by him would be of interest. ln response,

Richard played the Serenade To Music. This was my first

hearing of that work, and I sat entranced from the time it
started till the time it ended. At that time I thought that it
was the most beautiful piece of music that I had ever
heard, and, sixteen years later, I still think so.

BDS