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chess problems


This is the logo of my chess-club. It was made by the Dutch artist Piet van der Linden.

My chess-problems have been published earlier on my friend Robert Krouwel's website, under the head Speciaal, Curiosa 1-8..

This is one of my earliest compositions. After mate in three the initials SZ of a former friend will appear on the board:

Solution:

1.Ld3-c4†        Kc6-f5

2.Dg8xh7†       Kf5-f4

3.Pe1xg2††




The second composition results after three moves into the initials LK:

Solution:

1.Tb7-h7†        Kh5-g5

2.Lb4-e7†        Kg5-f5

3.d3xe4††.



At the occasion of the 50th wedding anniversary of my former parents-in-law I composedd two problems, one with mate in four, and one with mate in three moves. At the end of the first one, the initials of the bride and bridegroom are visible on the board.

Solution:

1.Lf4-e5†        Ld6xe5†

2.Dh2xe5†       Pf7xe5

3.Pc1-e2†        Kd4-e4

4.Tf3-f4††




The second one results in the number of the years they were married:

 

Solution:

1.c3-c4†          Kd5-e5

2.Pe1-f3†        Ke5-f4

3.Pg5-h3††.



At the occasion of the doctoral promotion of Heleen Pott, I composed this mate in five:

 


Solution:

1.Dg2xf2†        e3xf2

2.Th2xf2†        Kc2-c3 (or Kb3)

3.Ta1-a3†        Kc3-c4

4.Pb7-a5†       Kc4-d5

35.Pe6-f4††.

 




At the occasion of the opening of “Lokaal56” at Enschede I made the following mate in SEVEN (a long cherished wish). The nicest thing of this composition is not so much that there are three white rooks (that may happen, isn't it?) but that the mate is done ultimately by the piece of which you expect it least.


Solution:

1.a3-a4†          Kb5-b4

2.Dd4-c3†       Td3xc3

(2…..Kc5? 3.b4†  Kd5  4.Txd3†  Lxd3  (or 4…..Ke4) 5.Dd4††)

3.Le5xc3†       Kb4-c5

4.b3-b4†         Kc5-d5

5.Tf2-f5†         e7-e5

(5…..Le5? 6.Txe5††. Or 5…..Ke4? 6.Pd2 or Te3††. This is the first reason why there is a third rook on h3)

6.Pf1-e3†

(This is the second reason why there is a rook on h3: the knight on e3 cannot be taken by the black king when he goes to e4).

6…..                Kd5-e4

7.Ph1-f2††.




Originally, this was a mate in five, which has been lost. By moving some pieces it became a mate in 6. The resulting initials are of the secretary of my chess club, Ingrid Regout, who had been in charge for 11 (5 + 6) years. The composition ends, as seems self-evident in this case, with a sacrifice of the Dueen. The initial position is:

Solution:

1.Ld1xe2†       Kd3-d4

2.f2xe3†           Lf4xe3

3.Lg1xe3†        Kd4-e5

4.d5xc6†          Pa6-c5

5.Db5xc5†       d6xc5

6.Ta5xc5††.



This composition is in honour of Lambert Nicolaes, who was 60 years member of my chess club on 1 september 1999. It is a mate in six: one move for each 10 years of his membership. At the end the initials L and N can be seen on the board. In the initial position, the chess to the king has to be undone. There are two white queens in the game. This gives the opportunity to bring a twofold sacrifice of the queen: the dream of every chess-player. Moreover, there are three white bishops, which is not impossible, but is, in a certain sense, a flaw to this composition. This is to remember us that nothing in life is perfect.

Solution:

1.a2xb3†          La4xb3†

2.Da3xb3†       Pc1xb3

3.Dd1-e2†       Tf2xe2

4.Lf3xe2†        Kc4-d5

5.Pe4-f6†         g7xf6

6.Pg8xf6††



At the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the chess club at Heerlen, I composed this problem.

            1.a6-a7†          Kb8-c7

(at 1…..Kxa7 the answer is 2.Ta2† Kb8 3.Ta8† Kc7 4.Tc8††)

            2.Pb6xa8†       Kc7xc6

            3.Pc4-a5†        Kc6-d5

            4.Pa8-c7†        Kd5-e5

            5.Pa5-c4†        Ke5-f4

            6.Tg2-g4††