Chess problems don’t need to be overly complex or daunting to be valuable; often, the simplest puzzles can offer fresh insights and deepen our understanding of the game. Even straightforward positions can reveal elegant ideas, subtle tactics, or positional themes that we might overlook in more complicated scenarios. Such is the case with this particularly elegant Mate in 2 puzzle by 19th century chess master and composer, Bernhard Horwitz.
White to move and mate in 2 (Bernhard Horwitz, The Chess Chronicles, 1846)
Bernhard Horwitz (1822–1891) was a renowned 19th-century chess master and prolific composer, celebrated for his competitive play and chess problem compositionS. Born in Neustrelitz, Germany, Horwitz emigrated to England, where he became an influential figure in the chess community. He was known for his sharp tactical skills and innovative problem designs, often collaborating with fellow composer Josef Kling on numerous acclaimed compositions. Beyond his playing career which included defeating Henry Bird in an 1851 chess match, Horwitz is best remembered for authoring several important texts on chess theory and problems, helping to shape modern chess problem literature. Of these, my favorite is Horwitz’s Chess Studies (1851) which contains dozens of truly great endgame studies.
Bernhard Horwitz
Ultimately, a simple puzzle can be just as enriching as a challenging one, reminding us that learning and enjoyment in chess often come from appreciating its subtlety and elegance, no matter how modest the position may appear.