I spent my lunch break thoroughly engaged with a chess puzzle by celebrated Czech composer František Richter (1913-1971). Richter, who earned an International Master of Chess Composition posthumously in 2016, is most commonly known for his endgame studies but, as you can see below, he was a multifaceted composer whose works on direct mates areContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve this #Chess Puzzle! 83”
Tag Archives: chess composers
Betcha Can’t Solve this #Chess Puzzle! 82
I spent my afternoon today revisiting a couple of my favorite chess puzzles composed by Johan Axel Åkerblom (10/21/1904 – 6/5/1980). Åkerblom was a strong chess player and a professional journalist from Avesta, Sweden. However, he is most famous for his chess compositions and his contributions in this field earned him the FIDE title ofContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve this #Chess Puzzle! 82”
Chess Position Worth Sharing! 156
In classical music, “variation” is a technique composers use to present material in an altered form. Oftentimes, this altered material is a variation on a theme. Similarly, chess composers use variation on a theme to create a companion piece by slightly altering the position to create a secondary puzzle. In Chess Positions Worth Sharing 155,ContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing! 156”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 70
Today’s puzzle of interest is a mate in 2 with many carefully placed ingredients. I was struck by this chess problem’s modern design and surprised by the fact that it was composed over a century ago in 1920. Not only is this chess puzzle a beautiful reminder of how much is possible on the chessboardContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 70”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 69
My Facebook friend Michael Pasman recently became a World Champion. More specifically, Michael won first place and thus the gold medal for the Studies category in the 10th FIDE World Cup in Composing. Michael Pasman is well known in the chess puzzle community for his compositional knowledge, creativity and his high output of outstanding studies.ContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 69”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 67
When well composed, mate in 2 chess problems are highly enjoyable which is why I share so many of these gems with the Daily Chess Musings community. Tonight’s puzzle was definitely well composed and although I had never heard of Gyula Andre before, I now have a deep respect for his talent as a composer.ContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 67”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 147!
Spent 27 minutes of my time this evening working out the solution to this beautiful endgame puzzle by Leonid Kubbel. It was time we’ll spent! White to move and win (Leonid Kubbel, 150 Endspielstudien, 1925). For those who are unfamiliar with Kubbel’s work, he composed many of the finest endgame studies of the early partContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 147!”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 66
Some of my favorite endgame studies have the reader playing from a disadvantage with the goal being a draw. In tonight’s puzzle, White is down to a single bishop versus Black’s four pawns but still can draw with perfect play. Enjoy… White to play and draw (U. Venäläinen, 1st Prize in Suomen Shakki, 1969.)
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 65
Some mate-in-3 compositions are much trickier than others. This particular chess puzzle by Erich Ernest Zepler is diabolical! White to move and mate in 3 (by Erich Ernest Zepler from the January 1925 Chemnitzer Wochenschach).
A Question for Chess Composers?
My question to fellow chess composers is, “What is the preferred method of determining whether a chess composition is unique or if the composer has unintentionally duplicated someone else’s creation?” As an example, I am including a position I recently composed to test my students at the Fremont Summer Chess Camp. As far as IContinueContinue reading “A Question for Chess Composers?”