Saturday, March 17, 2012

March 17th

Frank Richter (17-03-1966) German composer and International master

Frank Richter
[lsvmv.de]

Undoubtedly Frank Richter is the best known composer in today selection. He masters many genres with amazing success. He composes direct mates and selfmates, with incursions into the fairy domain.
Since 1996 he has also been editing the German chess problem magazine Harmonie.
You may read an interview about him and problem chess in German in two parts : here and here.

Let's admire the German master in action in a splendid long selfmate, in which the unexpected ending will amaze everybody:

Richter, Frank
Probleemblad, 2003 (Z222)
1st-2nd Prize


s#10 12 + 11

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Franz Schrüfer (17-03-1823 - 06-08-1909) German composer

Franz Schrüfer
[Wikipedia.de]


Franz Schrüfer was an excellent composer whose works are almost forgotten nowadays. You can admire his classic style in this fourmover. Can anyone cure its dualistic threat?


Schrüfer, Franz
Turnier des Deutschen Schachbundes, 1883
3rd Prize


#3 8 + 7

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Jonas Ephraim Cauveren (17-03-1883 - 28-05-1943) Dutch composer

Jonas Ephraim Cauveren

Jonas Ephraim Cauveren was particularly successful in the Bohemian threemover field. He was also an o.t.b. player (see 4 of his games here).
A tough nut to crack is:

Cauveren, Jonas Ephraim
Tijdschrift vd NSB, 1926
2nd Prize


#3 8 + 9

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František Zedek (17-03-1897) Czech composer

Zedek was a typical Bohemian composer.

Zedek, František
Lidové noviny, 1923
4th HM


#3 5 + 8

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Miroslav Katětov (17-03-1918 - 17-12-1995) Czech composer

Miroslav Katětov composed occasionally, so his output is not so impressive. However the following endgame, published when he was aged 18 must be quoted here:

Katětov, Miroslav
Ceskoslovensky Sach, 1936
3rd Prize


+ 4 + 2

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Louis Ceril Schade van Westrum (17-03-1923 - 22-09-1998) Dutch composer

Fans of logical problems will be delight to discover the name Louis Ceril Schade van Westum. A fantastic composition with successive preparatory plans can be seen in his top class problem:

Schade Van Westum, Louis Ceril
De Probleemvriend, 1944
1st Prize


#5 6 + 13

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Veikko Samuel Salonen (17-03-1919 - 26-08-1992) Finnish composer

Veikko Salonen is a name we encountered during our research of examples for WCCT-9 theme B. His outstanding composition from the FIDE Album realizes the theme in 5 variations!

Salonen, Veikko Samuel
Suomen Shakkiklubi, 1942
3rd Prize


#3 6 + 13

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Андрей Андреевич Хачатуров (17-03-1917 - 06-07-2013) Russian composer (Andrey Andreevich Khachaturov)

Andrey Khachaturov will remain in the history of chess problemists for his double in USSR Championship from 1992 (although, ironically, USSR had ceased to exist in 1991) in the selfmate section: 1st place (with bKd4 instead of e4) & 2nd-3rd place.
His obituary was published in magazine "64" of August 2013 (thanks to SH and Stefan64 for sources).

Хачатуров, Андрей А.
Magyar Sakkélet, 1977
2nd Prize


#3 11 + 5

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3 comments:

  1. Jonas Cauferen
    netherland
    17.03.1883 - 28.05.1943
    see below:
    http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=31274
    In my database standing also netherland, which is why I again checked

    ReplyDelete
  2. Louis Ceril Schade van Westum
    or
    Louis Ceril Schade van Westrum
    ?
    both names I saw on the internet very often.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are right on both regards: Cauveren was Dutch and the correct spelling seems to be "van Westrum".
    The name is registered as "van Westum" in YACPDB and in "Chess composers' names in various alphabets", but it is "van Westrum" on PDB.
    Thank you for the data about Cauveren too.

    ReplyDelete