Laimons Mangalis Lover of Chess Bob Meadley with Peter Wong

2016

Contents Acknowledgement 3 Laimons Mangalis – Lover of Chess 4 A Glimpse into L.M.’s Home 12 Laimons Mangalis’s Chess Problems 14 Some Letters, Games and Research 107 Laimons’ chess history 114 Games from the Adelaide Invitational Tourney 1953 117 In Memoriam Laimons Mangalis 122 Laimons and The Australian Problemist 123 Laimons and South Australian chess publications 128

Photos 133 Laimons’ Chess Clippings 139 Assorted scans 140 A.J. Fink Tourney USA 158 Scoresheets of the Adelaide Invitational Tourney 1953 161 Laimons’ columns in The Sunday Mail 182 The Problemist article on Laimons 197

Acknowledgement There are a lot of people to thank regarding the life of Laimons Mangalis. His daughter Baiba provided the majority of family material and the photos. His chess side was a team effort of Jim Jones, Ken Fraser, John van Manen, Arthur Willmott, Geoff Foster and Brian Tomson. Many of these chess friends are gone now because of the thirty year delay but at last it is ready for Australia’s good chess problem website, OzProblems.com, ably looked after by Peter Wong, the webmaster. Thanks to all. Bob Meadley 2016.

Laimons Mangalis – Lover of Chess Laimons was born in Riga, Latvia on the 16th November 1911 and was the son of Jekabs Mangalis (5 Oct. 1880-Feb. 1964). It is not known who taught the lad to play chess but his daughter Baiba Ford thinks it may have been Jekabs. His lifelong friend Karlis Ozols remembered Laimons loved chess as a schoolboy. The game was very popular in Latvia and Karlis wrote: ‘The cold winters and long nights gave Latvian boys not much choice for sports. Chess was played in the Primary and Secondary Schools and very much in the Universities. Even our girls played chess. Milda Lauberte, the first wife of Lucijs Endzelins won the fourth place in the Ladies Championship at Stockholm. I played my first ever tournament game against Laimons in some club championship. Later we both played for our University Chess Club. I, with the firsts, Laimons with the seconds.’ Laimons attended school in Riga and won a scholarship which enabled him to work with the Government Forestry Department as a public servant and attend Riga University studying agricultural science. The outbreak of war prevented him finishing the course. In Riga he edited the Crosswords, Chess and Bridge magazine until 1940 and from April 1937 to 1940 he, along with A.Melnbardis, J.Fride and A.Koblenz, edited the fortnightly chess magazine Sacha Maksla (Art of Chess). He was secretary of the Latvian Chess Federation for a lengthy period and was inspired by Latvia’s 1924 Paris Olympiad victory when Herman Matisons and F.Apsenieks won the gold and silver medals, with Latvia finishing fourth overall. This small country of two million people gave chess a proud place in the hearts of all Latvians if one can judge by later Olympiads: The Hague 1928-14th; Hamburg 1930-10th; Prague 1931-6th; Folkstone 1933- 9th; Warsaw 1935 -9th; Munich 1936-6th; Stockholm 1937-11th; Buenos Aires 1939-7th. Laimons did not play for the national team as he wasn’t quite strong enough nor was he ever selected as non-playing captain but he had a deep involvement in the organisational and compositional side of chess. Gunnars Berzzarins: ‘His forte really was problem composing in which field he was internationally renowned. This was his first love of the chess board, dating back to the 1930s in independent Latvia. Laimons also had a flair for writing and organising. One could conceivably call him “The Latvian Purdy”. I first met him in Riga in 1939 during the interschool chess tournament, in which I was a competitor and Laimons was tournament director. These secondary school team tournaments had a habit of petering out through lack of organising drive. When Laimons was appointed director in 1939, he approached – as I later learned – each principal of the competing schools and extracted their undertaking that they ensure their teams do not fall by the wayside. This was a most successful tournament thanks to the energy and organising ability of the director.’ At least as early as 1936, endings and chess problems composed by Laimons appeared in magazines such as the Deutsch Schachzeitung, the Hungarian Revista Romana de Sah and Phillip Sergeant’s Endgame at Chess. We know from Chess World Feb. 1957 that he had then 200 problems to his credit and in a letter to the Problemist Jan. 1983 on discussions of an anticipated problem he wrote: ‘…as a refugee I had to leave everything behind in Riga including my problems.’ His pre-war compositions and some post-war are sparse in this collection. He continued, ‘I was only an unknown

composer from Riga.’ He was a strong solver in the Deutsch Schachzeitung competitions during 1936/7 taking 2nd place in the June 1936 event and =4/5th in the June 1937 event. War came and with it the end of Laimons’ University career and life as all Latvians knew it. In August 1940 Latvia was incorporated as a Republic of the Soviet Union. In 1941 Germany overran Latvia and in 1944 Russia invaded again and Laimons left his homeland for Germany where he spent the remaining war years in Neustadt U Boat Schnell Refugee Camp in Schlezwig-Hollstein. He had a younger brother Arijs who was last heard of in England but not much is known as Laimons like many men did not like talking about it to family. Gunnars Berzzarins wrote an excellent article for Chess World p.154+ 1948 which gives a post-war insight: ‘….Quite a vivid chess life has developed in Displaced Persons (D.P.) Camps in Germany. There is a Latvian Chess Players Association there uniting about 500 players with activities divided between the British and American Zones of occupation. Soon after the war ended and the D.P. camps were organised, chess life began to develop too. Its curve began to ascend in 1946 when the Championship of the American Zone was won by Lucijs Endzelins, an old fox who had played in the Latvian National Team during the years of independence. The British Zone followed the example and Augusts Rankis, another prominent Latvian player, emerged as the champion. The Baltic Chess Teams Tourney held in Augsburg in 1946, saw the Latvian team of Endzelins, Rankis, Ozols, Dreibergs, Zirnia and Zemgalis as winners. In August 1946, a small Latvian chess magazine Sacha Pasaule (Chess World) was established. The writer of these lines was partly responsible for this and one of the editors until his immigration.’ Possibly Laimons was also involved as the Chess World (Australia) by Fred Hawes, Feb. 1957 p.36 states, ‘Subsequently he contributed to ‘Sacha Pasaule’ (Chess World) a chess magazine in the Latvian language circulating in the USA.’ Likewise Karlis Ozols wrote, ‘After the war in Lincoln USA was published by A. Liepnieks, a Latvian Chess Magazine, ‘Sacha Maksla’. Laimons was editor of the Problem Section. In Germany, I think a Latvian Chess Magazine was published after the war with the same name ‘Sacha Maksla’ but I could not tell if Laimons took any part in it.’ On the 5th Jan. 1947 Laimons won 5th place in the Latvian Championship of the ‘English Zone’ in Germany at Volterdingenas evidenced by a trophy Baiba has in her possession. There was good cooperation with the German Chess Authorities and many tourneys were played. Gunnars Berzzarins finished off that Chess World article with ‘But the D.P. players, though persistent and patient in their struggle, eager to maintain the good name of Baltic Chess, even in exile, are meanwhile despairingly trying to find another country that would welcome them, as they never can and do not want to stay in Germany. Maybe after a few years some of them will fight for the maple leaf, some for the stars and stripes, some for the wattle. But nearly all sincerely hope that one day they will meet in one place and play in one team.’ Gunnars was to have that wish fulfilled in Australia as did many other great Baltic players such as Romanas Arlauskas, Francisek Sulik, Karlis Ozols, Bruno Strazdins, Stojanovski, Karlis Lidums, Karlis Reintals, Robert Zile, Walter Poder, Saarepere, Arthur Janelsitis, Alexsandrs Lemezs, Lucius Endzelins, Zorich and Laimons Mangalis. In August 1948 Laimons was in a transit camp in Hamburg and left for Australia in September arriving in December. All displaced male persons arriving in Australia worked on some Government sponsored project and many of the expatriates were in a camp of 800 at Bonegilla near Albury. Earlier in Feb. 1948 fifteen Albury players went to the Camp to find out how good they were and

did not win one game! What a tremendous impact they made on Australian Chess. It could be said that but for them Australian Chess would not be as advanced as today. He worked on contract with the South Australian Engineering and Water Supply Department at a campsite which is the campus today of Flinders University but as a result of back trouble he went to one of the recording companies, Phillips or HMV in a clerical position until April 1949. Baiba: ‘Then he worked for Adelaide Motors in a clerical position rising to become their Credit Manager at the time of the “takeover”.’ Arthur Willmott wrote, ‘I first met him in 1949 a couple of weeks after he came to Australia, he wandered into the Adelaide Chess Club one evening. He and I spent a lot of time talking about chess problems. He never went to bed before 2am. Reckoned he couldn’t sleep if he went earlier and it was not unusual for us to be on the phone together for 3 or 4 hours at a time.’ One begins to understand what made him tick. He loved all things of the mind. It did not take him long to send problems to Chess World (CW) and five are featured in the 1949 year on pages 175 and 271. ‘Adelaide Chess had received a very enthusiastic boost with Endzelins, Arlauskas, Lidums, Berzzarins, Mangalis, Stojanowsky and Zorich,’ wrote Cecil Purdy in CW of March 1950. Laimons played in the South Australian Championship that year finishing =5th. A fine result when one considers some of the above masters who played. Endzelins and Arlauskas took 1st and 2nd. In Round 7 Laimons could have won a piece from Arlauskas but played a draw by repetition due to time trouble. He was a good player but not a master. And perhaps the romance in his life put him off his chess! He married Dzidra Laimdota Dzenis in Adelaide on 23 March 1951. She was 30, he, 39. The end of the year had some good and bad results for Laimons. He became the proud father of Baiba Jana born 24 Dec. 1951 (and doubtless destined forever to get only one present for Birthday/ Christmas). The bad result was an operation for a slipped disc just before Baiba’s birth. He commenced work with Adelaide Motors as a clerk around this time with the family living at Lockleys an Adelaide suburb and he remained with the firm until his retirement as credit manager in Dec. 1976 but that was a long way off. CW of August 1952 has a letter of his unhappy about the use of the Swiss System in the Adelaide Championship when only nine players entered. Purdy agreed with him that the only true test was a round robin and not a 6 round Swiss. And he proved the point in the 1952 SA Championships held later that year when in a 9 round tourney a fantastic sextuple tie for the title was possible prior to the last round. Bowman, Berzzarins, Berrriman, Hortovanyi, Purkalitis and Laimons were all tied with David Bowman winning and Laimons finishing =5 th! The event of 1953 was undoubtedly the Interstate Invitational Chess Tournament held in Adelaide from Nov. 2nd to 14th when a virtual Australian Championship line-up in Steiner, Endzelins, Hanks, Berriman, Ozols, Purdy, Crowl, Miller, Berzzarins, Purkalitis, Mangalis and Lidums made up the field. The Tourney was organised by the Matisons Chess Club which was so named to honour the memory of the late amateur World Chess Champion Herman Matisons of Latvia (27 Dec. 1894-16 Nov. 1932). Matisons won first prize at the Paris 1924 Olympics prior to which he was unknown outside his own country. Both Euwe and Colle were in that tourney and the players present helped form the Federation Internationals des Echecs (FIDE) and thus cement forever a place for themselves in chess history.

The organising committee of the Matisons chess club for the tourney was Laimons, Karlis Lidums and Gunnars Berzzarins with Lidums, the honorary secretary of the Club, the driving force. It was a huge success for the organisers and for Lajos Steiner, a complete victory with the score of 10½/11. Some considered this his best performance in Australia. The locals were pleased to see Endzelins 2 nd though 3 points behind the winner. In CW Dec. 1953 Cecil Purdy wrote: ‘All the ex-Latvian players are very likeable personalities, and at chess hard to beat. Mangalis, indeed, was too hard for Purdy and Hanks to beat – he beat them instead, and these two wins provided the bulk of his score… His play tends to be nervous and inconsistent, but intrinsically he is a strong player…’ Praise indeed from Purdy who always was a fine judge of chess strength. To be scrupulously fair Purdy suffered badly with flu through most of the event. But he was very impressed with the Latvian Australians organisational ability as he reiterated in CW p.271 1954 under the heading ‘Our New Australians – a Tribute’. (See two LM games later.) And whilst the International Tourney was the chess event of the year for Laimons on the family scene his wife Dzidra presented him with a pigeon partner for Baiba in her brother Juris Jekabs Mangalis who was born 13 August 1953. Life was on the upturn for him and the horrors of war must have faded a little. Laimons was a strong chess player in these years and Purdy had him pegged. He was inconsistent. He’d finished =6th to the winner Endzelins in the SA Championship of 1953 yet a little earlier he’d finished =2nd to Miller in the City of Adelaide Championship with Endzelins 3rd! The chess events of 1954 included the State match against Victoria with Laimons winning his game on Board 6 against H.Andreasson but Vic. won 4½/3½. He tried again to win the Adelaide Club Championship but finished =2nd with Lidums to F.Sulik who was in crushing form. A game of his against Laimons is in CW 1954 p.242 and was a disaster for LM who refused to castle! He continued to play but more and more chess problems were starting to hold him. There was a fine draw on Board 3 against Wolfgang Leonhardt in the State match against WA in 1933 and an =3rd in the State Championship of that year. 1956 highlights included the match against NSW on 22 Sept. where on Board 7 he lost to R.Benda and his 6th in the State Championship. This was virtually the end of his chess playing career at State and Rep. level but he played with the Matisons Chess Club all his life. In CW of Feb. 1957 in the chess problem section were three problems of Laimons including two overseas prize-winners. The editor Fred Hawes: ‘A name familiar to Australian chess players and composers alike is that of Laimons Mangalis, of South Australia. Mr. Mangalis has proved himself a strong player and a problemist of marked ability. A very modest gentleman, in his correspondence with me he mentions nothing of his international success, but as these are known to me I am able now in this formal way to convey to him my sincere congratulations… His three-movers are essentially dynamic and strategic in character; his two-movers are marked by ‘try plays’ or by prekey characteristics which are resolved or changed in the solution proper. Such problems are difficult to conceive and as difficult to solve. Mr. & Mrs. Mangalis and their children – a girl of 5 and a boy of 3½ – live in the pretty Adelaide suburb of Goodwood. It is our wish that they may long be spared to share together a very happy life in the land of their adoption.’ Lovely words by Fred Hawes – he was a good problem friend of Laimons.

It was from this time that he started to edit chess columns in the SA newspapers and through the kindness of Arthur Willmott I have a good collection of Laimons’ clippings which were kept in school exercise books. The Adelaide Advertiser was the first paper to cover chess regularly postWW2. Gunars Berzzarins started it in 1950 and Laimons took over from ca Feb. 1957 to Aug. 1974. There were no regular problems and it concentrated on chess news, club matches with occasional items on international chess. There didn’t appear to be any specific day and it was not uncommon for it to appear four days in a row. A small column of about 50-75mm on average, but most valuable from a historical viewpoint. It would appear he wrote single articles as early as 1955 for the papers. The Sunday Mail chess column was run by Arthur Miller and then Laimons. One I have is from 1955 and another is an excellent article from the Sunday Mail of 2 Feb. 1957 called ‘At least, let’s play chess, too’. In this article Laimons put the point that chess was an ally of other sports such as cricket and football and that all could be played without detracting from each other. One interesting stat. given was that there were 20 million chess players in the world. The Advertiser had the odd photo of Lucijs Endzelins appearing regularly. There is an excellent photo of Laimons playing Nicholas Koshnitsky aged 12 of Highgate Primary School Chess Club in the 1 Nov/1965 issue. The column always encouraged chess in schools and went to some trouble recording results. Another photo was included in a 1966 column where Karlis Lidums was going overseas to invite European Grandmasters to Australia for a nation-wide tourney. Presumably this was early leg-work for the 1971 tourney in Adelaide. Laimons also conducted chess problem solving competitions in the Advertiser in the Jan/Aug 1966 issues and these were quite popular. And simuls were often held at the Home for Incurables in Fisher Street Fullarton for the New Building Fund. It would have been a sad day when the Advertiser decided to close the chess column in Aug. 1974. One non-chess item from an issue between1967-1970 is worth quoting: ‘Chess writer Laimons Mangalis, after an argument in Rundle Street this week with a parking inspector over a sticker received before his time ran out, appealed to the Council authorities. A Town Hall official said that the registration number on the sticker was not Mr. Mangalis’s. Another motorist had placed his sticker on Mr. Mangalis windscreen in the expectation that Mr. Mangalis would promptly pay the fine without studying the sticker.’ I do hope he got out of that one! There was another short-lived column in the Advertiser from 12/1/1966 to 1969. It was quite a lengthy column and mostly twice as large as that in the Advertiser. It concentrated on local chess events. In one issue sent to me by Arthur Willmott, Laimons had expanded the column to include problems and he used the pseudonym ‘Black Knight’. Laimons will best be remembered for his column in the Sunday Mail which ran from May 1959 and was later under Alan Goldsmith’s guidance. Laimons was in the chair until his death in September 1982. Well over 23 years and one of the longest running chess columns in an Australian newspaper under one editor. Arthur Willmott sent me some of his copies of this column and it was a newsy affair. There was always a problem solving competition, the local news and sometimes instructional articles and international games as well as local derbies. I suspect a fairly vigorous correspondence went on between Laimons and the solvers as he sent me a letter from Fred Burr in 1980 who I’m sure was one of his many ‘regulars’. That would be why he was such a good editor as he was in love with chess and keen to help others love it as he did. From the issues of the Sunday Mail that I have the column was about 120mm x 140mm high and an important item in SA Chess Promotion. And so the scene was set for a move away from first class chess due to his increased involvement in editing and problem composition. In October 1960 all South Australians must have been proud

when Lucijs Endzelins became Australian Champion. The Adelaide Congress included the two Russians Averbach and Bagirov who finished 1st and 2nd with Endzelins 3rd a ½ point in front of Koshnitsky and Purdy. Endzelins was only the second South Australian to become Australian Champion, the first being Henry Charlick in 1887. They had to wait a long time and Endzelins did it hard only scoring 1½ points in the first 5 rounds. What a fight-back and what a thrill for all his countrymen including Laimons! Laimons correctly solved Fred Hawes Christmas Problem Tourney in CW Feb. 1961 and composed a 26 consecutive check problem for the April issue – ‘a splendid effort’ wrote Hawes. In 1962 Laimons was =1st with Comins Mansfield in the Sun-Herald International Problem Tourney – a great result. There were 137 problems from composers in 27 countries. The Australian Problemist was born that year and Laimons joined in April and contributed many problems to its pages. One very good article by him called ‘The Change of Plan’ is included. The Australian Problemist was a rare magazine with a small print run and it folded in June 1964. He supported the British Chess Problem Society and its magazine The Problemist from at least 1951. Thirty-six of his problems here have been found with the last published in Jan. 1983. He loved the British Chess Federation Tourneys and supported those from 1936/7 with a gap to 52/53 and then most years to 73/74. The problems are mostly lost as only the prize-winners rated a diagram. I think he composed about 28 problems for the 13 Tourneys entered. In the British Chess Magazine he sent in two problems in the March and May issues of 1952 with a 3-er getting a 2nd Commendation. In 1965 he put back on the players mantle and entered the City of Adelaide Championship finishing =5th with 5 points behind the four winners who were all on 6 points. No draws for him and his score was +5-4. An interesting anecdote came from Alex Goldstein: ‘Regarding Laimons: I first met him in 1953 when I visited Adelaide on holidays. He was struggling on a small job with a wife and two kids, but unlike Bill Whyatt he was a gregarious fellow who enjoyed the company of people, a good dinner and a chess talk… Regarding his chess production… I can state that I have never seen a substandard problem by him. The last time we corresponded was in 1966 when we – the Australian composers – decided to send a book to Comins Mansfield on his 70th birthday. A sheet of paper with the inscription was sent to Bill, Laimons, myself… and when signed glued to the book and posted. A very warm letter from Mansfield was the reward.’ Laimons’ chess clippings have filled in the remaining years as these were his chess interests plus playing for the Matisons Chess Club. What a nice photo of Mr and Mrs Koshnitsky is in the 26 Sept. 1966 issue of the Advertiser on that unique occasion when they both won their State Titles. Laimons wrote, ‘Never before in Australian Chess History have both titles been held by a man and his wife in the same year.’ The death of theatre critic Cecil de Boehme on 1 March 1967 is pasted in and he must have been a friend of Laimons as he was also a staff member of the Sunday Mail. The 11 April issue has a fine photo of the Filipino Master Rudolfo Jan Cardoso playing Nick Vassilaropoulos, A. Driscoll and Maris Cekulis with the good result of +2=1 (blindfold). The 27 March 1968 issue contained information on the 155 school teams entered in the SA Junior Chess League that year! And later Rodney Birbeck and Maris Cekulis broke the world chess endurance record on the 19th May 1968 after 36 hours and 21 minutes and 298 games. Maris defeated Rodney 149½/148½ , wrote Laimons. There is a nice photo in the 20th May issue. Walter S. Browne became Australia’s

first Grandmaster in October 1969 and Laimons battled with Frank Sulik for the 1970 State Championship but lost out after a great start of 4/4. The event of 1971 in South Australian chess was the Karlis Lidums Tourney. Nancy Benko did a great job compiling a book on the event which is a collector’s item today. Bernie Johnson did the tourney bulletins. It brought together some of the world’s best players in Portisch, Schmid, Matanovic, Browne, Gheorghiu, Bachtiar, Prins and all the best Australians. Lajos Portisch won from Schmid, Browne and Ghorghiu in the huge tourney of 155 players. A high point for South Australian and Australian Chess. Publicity was tremendous and everyone talked about it. Laimons was on the Appeals Committee with FIDE International Judge Prins and Derek Wilson. But it all ran smoothly and proved Australians could run a world class tourney successfully. Karlis Lidums celebration of his 60th birthday by the donation of $10,000 was a credit to his family and the chess community did the rest. Sadly Laimons’ wife died in September. In 1972 Professor Euwe was in Adelaide in early April. What a thrill that must have been for local chess and one imagines Laimons met him. The remaining years saw him continue to support the Matisons Club as well as take an interest in major tourneys. In Feb.1975 John Grefe of the USA, Eugenio Torre and Glenn Bordonada of the Phillipines were there for the Australian Open won by Max Fuller. Laimons would have enjoyed this event. By mid-76 he was still playing top board for Matisons which finished =7th in the A Grade Finals. Chess was booming with regular junior events, club matches, ladies tourneys and by late 1979 a huge chess set valued at $12,000 with a 1 metre high King had been donated by British Columbia to Adelaide City Council. Bill Hartston the English Master visited for the 1981 Goolwa and Laimons capped off a good chess year when Matisons won the Pennant Inter-Club competition with Karlis Lidums and him as reserve players. It must have been satisfying – he’d been in Adelaide for 34 years and lived to see the growth of chess in his State. He had played his part in that growth especially with his editorial duties and when death claimed him on the 8th September, 1982, the tributes came from many quarters. Koshnitsky gave a fine write-up in the Sun-Herald, Alan Goldsmith wrote movingly of Laimons’ ‘mane of silver hair and a constant cigarette, he always gave me the impression that he was composing a problem while playing his games – an artist using the chess board as his easel.’ A Memorial Tourney was held with a perpetual trophy in Jan. 1983 with Robert Cowley winning from 30 players including juniors. He would have liked that and been proud to know his friend Karlis Lidums presented the prizes. Pride is one thing; satisfaction another, and Barry Morrison, President of the Primary Schools Organising Committee of the SA Junior Chess League summed up Laimons: In 1960 I was teaching at a little school on the edge of the Nullabor Plains and towards the end of the school year I saw a problem solving competition in the Sunday Mail. My chess knowledge at the time was limited. I barely knew how the pieces moved. However I had a look at the problems, thought they were terribly simple and sent off my answers. When the results were announced I was stunned to find that all four of my answers were wrong! (Surprise! Surprise!) I was so incensed I wrote to ‘L.M.’ immediately to suggest my answers must be correct.

Laimons sent back two foolscap pages of explanations of why my answers were wrong. I was greatly impressed that a man would be so helpful to a complete stranger – especially one who was obviously a total chess idiot. When I finally returned to Adelaide I thought that if chess could produce people like ‘L.M.’ then I should investigate it. I went out to Norwood and learnt a lot from Bert Kohn and John Riches and from the thrashings my opponents gave me. Then I went to St. Peters College, got mixed up with kids chess, met the Koshnitskys and have been a worker for Junior Chess ever since. Had Laimons not taken the time to write to me in 1960 none of this would have occurred. (SA Chess Bulletin Nov. 1982)

A Glimpse into L.M.’s Home by Baiba Ford The house was always full of chess figures – not the Bobby Fischers or the world grandmasters, but the pawns, knights and kings of the chess board. In our house, there was not just one chess board, but many. Large ones, small ones, pocket size sets, all of them were easily portable from one room to another. For as long as I can remember, these were always strewn around the house, all set up with games in progress. We were usually (reasonably) careful not to disturb these arrangements, but there’s no doubt that our much favoured cat must have at least on several occasions rearranged the odd pawn or queen… I wonder how those games turned out?? As a young child, I was aware of many comings and goings that were all to do with chess. It all seemed like some secret club, and that only the initiated could possibly understand all those strange hieroglyphics and diagrams. I cannot now remember when Dad taught me to play chess, but I do remember playing with childish enthusiasm and a thrilled sense of “I can beat you, Dad”! Those were the days! That was before I realised that chess was more than just a game of chequers, that there was slightly more to it than killing of men and shouting ‘checkmate’. Many years later, in Malaysia, I taught Dad to play mahjong, and from then on we were more evenly matched. Dad always enjoyed playing mental games, solving whodunits, and fantasising writing crime novels to rival Agatha Christie. He was never much interested in physical sports, at least not from a participant’s point of view, although he did enjoy watching basketball and golf tournaments on TV. He always played guessing games with us, centred mainly on world geography and history, and encouraged us to play any mentally stimulating games. Scrabble became a favourite for a while, and we used to sit around the kitchen table, dictionaries at hand, explanations and definitions readied, battling to the last point. I was always impressed with my father’s command of the English language – learning a new language at age 40 is never easy, but to master its intricacies as well as he did was really an achievement. When I was in high school and doing very well in my English classes, Dad would usually ask me to help revise his weekly Sunday Mail chess column. This was only to help him with the more obtuse points of English grammar – to help with the ‘have hads’, ‘should have hads’ and ‘had hads’, for the game itself remained indecipherable to me. I became more familiar with chess terms, the concept of the end game. The names of the grandmasters and their personalities, but the lure of the game eluded me still. I’m sure Dad was always just a little disappointed that he hadn’t been able to instil in me a real love of the game. I had learnt the basic mechanics but never appreciated what made the game so compelling to many. Nevertheless, I was always proud of his abilities in the chess field and was thrilled to see his trophies or his photo in the paper. But we were even more amazed and thrilled to open up the Mail every Sunday, and there, in the most important part of the paper – the ‘funnies’ section – was Dad’s chess column and his name in print! It was so good to be able to say, “My Dad writes for the Sunday Mail! What does your Dad do? Amazingly enough, however, I never fully appreciated the esteem Dad had earned as a problem composer. I knew that this was his main pleasure and interest in the chess field, more so than just playing tournament chess, but I did not realise how well-known he had become. I knew he had many

foreign correspondents with whom he played correspondence chess, but my youthful impatient self never could understand the point of such interminable games. His desk was always cluttered with chess journals in three or four languages – Russian, Latvian, English or German – and all the stamp pads and chess stamps for his column. (It was always a treat to play with those!) On his desk, too, were always one or two pocket chess sets with an ongoing game or problem in composition; newspaper clippings; and myriad notes on problems, games, tournaments and meetings of the chess association. Mum was always asking him to tidy up ‘the mess’ on his desk, but to my knowledge, he never did. He knew exactly where everything was and to what it pertained, even if, to the untrained eye, the general effect was ‘a mess’. Yes, chess was very much an integral part of our household, touching us in many ways. Chess was my father’s one abiding interest, even though in later years his pleasure in other games grew. The challenge of the chessboard, and its mental stimulation, never waned. I won’t say that his life revolved around chess, but certainly chess was an ever-present orbiting planet in his world. (1984)

Laimons Mangalis’s Chess Problems Digital problems following are not in chronological order. The problems were in order in LM’s exercise books and finished at No.131. To compare with the exercise books the letters and numbers such as “LM56” given in brackets indicate that is Problem No.56 in Laimons’ exercise books. A list follows to simplify chronology. No.1 in Laimons’ first book is the CW July 1949 3-er which is numbered 90 in the digital collection. Laimons’ Book 1 goes from Problems 1-30 (1949-1952); Book 2 31-54 (1952-1955); Book 3 55-179 (1955-1957); Book 4 71-95 (1957-1962) and Book 5 96131 (many loose) (1963-1971). No pre-WW2 problems (see Note to No.19). Numbering in Laimons Mangalis’s five exercise books compared to Digital collection numbering. Mangalis Left Column, Digital Right: LM/Digital 1 90 2 89 3 91 4 93 5 101 6 102 7 43 8 94 9 95 10 103 11 44 12 104 13 105 14 106 15 107 16 108 17 109 18 110 19 45 20 111

LM/Digital 34 119 35 50 36 120 37 121 38 122 39 51 40 52 41 53 42 124 43 125 44 54 45 126 46 55 47 127 48 128 49 129 50 56 51 57 52 130 53 58

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33

54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

112 40 113 114 46 115 47 116 48 117 118 81 49

6 59 131 60 41 60A 132 133 134 135 60B 61 136

LM/Digital 67 137 68 62 69 96 70 138 71 63 72 7 73 64 74 65 75 66 76 67 77 68 78 69 79 139 80 99 81 70 82 140 83 97 84 98 85 100 86A 141 86B 71 87 72 88 80 89 42 90 73 91 82 92 83 93 74 94 142 95 84 96 85 97 75 98 87 99 88

LM/Digital 100 86 101 143 102 144 103 76 104 9 105 78 106 145 107 146 108 147 109 148 110 149 111 79 112 150 113 151 114 10 115 11 116 152 117 153 118 154 119 12 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131

13 17 18 155 156 20 157 15 159 160 161 118

Not in LM 1 2 3 4 5 8 14 16 19 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 77 92 123 158 162

There are 132 problems in LM’s books counting 86A and B as two problems. The fault in numbering was caused by duplication whilst gathering problems and later omitting duplicates. Thirty-one extra problems were found. There are more pre-WW2 waiting to be found. In CW Feb. 1957 Fred Hawes wrote LM’s output was ‘about 200 problems’. Since then ‘about 84’ appeared making his total ‘about 300’ at most. We have 162. Magazines examined to gather the problems were The Problemist 1930>; British Chess Magazine 1930-84; Problem (Zagreb) some missing; British Chess Federation Award 1930-197?; Chess World 1930-1963; Assorted overseas Magazines of Whyatt and Ravenscroft; FIDE Albums 1914-1976; The Australian Problemist 1962/4; Weekly Times/Melbourne Leader (Whyatt research); Ken Fraser of State Library of Victoria sent the first three DSZ & RRS; Arthur Willmott had Laimons’ five exercise books with 131 problems in them. Laimons left them to Koshnitsky who gave them to Arthur who lent them to me. On completion of this job they go back to him.

No.1 Deutsche Schachzeitung May 1936 No.18102

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+p+-zP-+& 5+-zPpzp-+P% 4pwQ-+-sN-+$ 3zP-+-vl-+-# 2-+-+-zp-zp" 1+-+-+K+k! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (7x8) Key 1.Qd4 waiting. If 1…exd4 2.Nd3 B-any 3.Nxf2. If 1…Bxd4 2.Ne2 any 3.Ng3 or 1…Bxf4 2.Qxf2 any 3.Qg2 or 1…e4 2.Qxe3 d4 3.Qxe4. If 1…exf4 2.Qd1 any 3.Qf3. Try 1.Qc3? exf4!

No.2 Deutsche Schachzeitung May 1937 No.18321

XABCDEFGHY 8R+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-zp-+N+-+& 5+k+P+-+-% 4-zp-+-+-+$ 3+r+P+-+K# 2P+P+-+-+" 1+-wQ-+L+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x4) Key 1.Qb2 waiting. If 1…Rxb2/Ra3/Rc3/Rxd3 2.d4/c4/a4/Bxd3.

No.3 Revista Romana De Sah (Romania) March 1938

XABCDEFGHY 8-vL-tR-+L+( 7+-sNP+-+-' 6-zp-tr-+-+& 5+-+-+-zP-% 4-zP-+k+Pzp$ 3+-zP-+-+P# 2Q+-zPp+pmK" 1+-+-sNltr-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (14x8) Key 1.Nb5 waiting. If 1…Ke5/Kf4/Rc6 or d5/Re6/Rf6/Rh6/Rg6/Rd4/Rd3/Rxd2 2.Qc4/Qd5/Qa8/Bxe6/gxf6/gxh6/Bh7/cxd4/Qb1 or c2/Qxd2 then 2…Rh1.

No.4 BCF Tourney No.22 July 1937 6th Commendation

XABCDEFGHY 8Kvl-+Q+-tr( 7zpn+RsNp+-' 6l+nzPkzP-+& 5wq-+p+-zP-% 4-zp-zp-+-+$ 3+-+N+-vL-# 2-+-+-+L+" 1+-tr-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x13) Key 1.Qc8 threat 2.Rd8. If 1…Rxc8/Qc7/Ne5/Nxd6/Nxe7/Ncd8/Nc5/Nbd8 2.Bh3/Bxd5/Nf4/Rxd6/Rxe7/Rc7/Bxd5/Rb7. Judges R.Bridgewater and E.Westbury: ‘A good key exchanging the battery. Some interesting interferences by BNs.’

No.5 The Problemist March 1951 No.3074

XABCDEFGHY 8-mK-+-+-mk( 7+-zpQ+-+P' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-+-+PzPN% 4-zp-+-+-+$ 3vl-+-+-+-# 2l+-+-+-+" 1wq-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x6) Key 1.Qe7 threat 2.Qf8+ Kxh7/Bg8 3.g6/Qxg8. If 1…b3 2.Qf7 b2 3.Qg7. If 1…Bg8 2.Qf8 Qa2 3.Qg7 or 1…Bf7 2.Qxf7 Qg7 3.Qxg7. Solvers’ comments: ‘Amusing pawn bivalves with good economy (A). Deceptive lightweight (B).’

No.6 (LM54) The Problemist March 1955 No.3556

XABCDEFGHY 8-wQn+-+-+( 7+-+-+N+n' 6-+-zpp+-vL& 5mKp+-+-tr-% 4-zp-+-mk-+$ 3zpRvl-+P+L# 2R+l+-zPP+" 1+-wq-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x12) Key 1.Qxb5 threats 2.B or Qxg5+ Nxg5 3.Q or Bxg5. If 1…d5 2.Qe2 d4+/Qg1/else 3.Qe5/Qe3/g3 or 1…e5 2.Qd7 e4+/Nf6/else 3.Qf5/Bxg5/Qg4. If 1…Bf5 2.g3+ Kxf3 3.Qe2 or 1…Be5 2.g3. Solvers’ comments: ‘Self-pinning key followed by pretty unpins (I). The BPs unpin the WQ and then on discovering check, they interfere with the BBs.’

No.7 (LM72) The Problemist July 1957 No.3826

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-sn( 7+-+p+-zpL' 6K+-wQ-vlq+& 5tRN+-+-vL-% 4-+-+k+-+$ 3+-zp-+R+-# 2-+-+nzPP+" 1+-+-+l+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x9) Key 1.Qxd7 threat 2.Re3. If 1…Be5+/Bd4+/Be7+ or Bd8+/Ke5 2.Qc6/Nd6/Qe6/Nxc3.

Solvers’ comments: ‘Three fine cross checks (C). Two self-blocks (EB). WQ gives two direct parries (I). Key gives a flight (S). Quite difficult (HH).’

No.8 The Problemist May 1958 No.3925 2nd HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+rtrl+-+( 7vL-+-+-zp-' 6-+-+Q+-wq& 5tRn+p+-zpp% 4-sNk+-+-+$ 3zPpsN-+R+-# 2-zP-+-+-+" 1+-snK+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x12) Key 1.Nbxd5 threat 2.Ra4. If 1…Rxd5+/Nxa7/Nd3/Nd6/Nxc3+/Na2 2.Qxd5/Qe4/Ne3/Nf6/Rxc3/Qe2. Solvers’ comments: ‘Square vacations by BN and unpinning of WN (H). Three nice unpins by BNs (I). The three unpins are cleverly differentiated. ’ Judge Colin Vaughan.

No.9 (LM104) The Problemist Sept. 1964 No.4685 3rd Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-zp-+p+L' 6-vlrzP-vL-mK& 5+p+-+P+-% 4-+-+ksN-zp$ 3wQ-+-+R+-# 2n+p+l+P+" 1+N+r+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x11)

Key 1.Qb3 threat 2.Qe6+ fxe6 3.fxe6. If 1…Bc4 2.Qxc2+ Bd3/Rd3 3.Qxc6/Nd2. If 1…Rc4 2.Qxb5 Rc5/Bc5/Bd4/else 3.Qxe2/Qe8/Qd5/Qe8 or Qe5. If 1…Bxf3 2.Qxf3 or 1…Rd5 2.Qxd5 or 1…Rc5 2.Qe3. Solvers Comments: ‘Grimshaws on c4/d3 with a try 1.Qa8. An intricate idea finely portrayed (T.C.D.Ricketts).’ Judges’ comments p.533 May 1965 The Problemist. Whyatt and Goldstein were the Judges.

No.10 (LM114) The Problemist March 1966 No.4824

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+Q+( 7+N+pzpn+-' 6-+p+-zp-tR& 5+-+-mkrzP-% 4-zP-+p+-+$ 3+-mKpzP-sNl# 2L+-zP-+-+" 1vL-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x10) Key 1.Nd6 threat 2.Nxf7. If 1…Kxd6/Nxd6/N-else/exd6/fxg5 2.Qb8/Kb3/Nc4/Qe8/Kc4. Solvers’ comments: ‘Good key and the defences neatly separate the two discovered checks by the WK. Unusual and clever (EWB). Quite a surprise to see a flight given on the diagonal at right angles to that of the battery (AJF).’

No.11 (LM115) The Problemist Sept. 1966 No.4879

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+K+-' 6-+pvl-vL-+& 5tR-zpp+k+-% 4-+-zPpzp-tR$ 3+p+pzp-+-# 2-wQ-+-zP-+" 1+-+-+N+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x11) Key 1.Qc1 threat 2.Qxe3 fxe3/f3/else 3.Nxe3/Qg5/Qh3. If 1…cxd4 2.Rxd5+ cxd5 3.Qc8 or 1…d2 2.f3 exf3/else 3.Qb1/Rh5. If 1…e2 2.Ng3+ fxg3 3.Qg5. Solvers’ comments: ‘An original triple version of line opening for the WQ by three pairs of black pawns (T.C.D. Ricketts).’

No.12 (LM119) The Problemist May 1967 No.4944

XABCDEFGHY 8-+N+-vlq+( 7mK-zPp+rzp-' 6lzpk+-zp-+& 5+p+-+Q+-% 4-zp-zP-+-+$ 3sN-+-+-vLL# 2-+-+-+-sn" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x12) Key 1.Kb8 threat 2.Na7. If 1…Bxc8/Be7/Bd6/Bc5 2.Qxb5/Qxd7/Qe4/d5. Cooked by 1.d5+ Kc5 2.Bf2. Try 1.Nxb6? Bd6!

No.13 (LM120) The Problemist July 1967 No.169

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+Qvl-+( 7+pzpNsn-zp-' 6lzP-+k+P+& 5+pvL-zp-+-% 4p+-+P+-+$ 3tR-+KzP-+-# 2PzPLtR-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (13x10) Key 1.Bb4. (Set 1…c6 2.b3 axb3 3.Rxb3 b4.) If 1…cxb6 2.Bxe7 Bxe7 3.Kc3 b4 or 1…c6 2.Bc5 b4 or 1…c5 2.Bxc5 b4. Solvers’ comments: ‘The main point is the gaining of the tempo and the change of mate with the BB’s exchanging functions (R.L.Spencer Palmer, Editor).’

No.14 The Problemist July 1967 No.4956

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+-+( 7vl-+-+p+-' 6p+-+-zP-+& 5tr-+k+-+K% 4p+-+-+-tR$ 3+nwQ-+NvL-# 2-sn-zpR+-+" 1+L+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x10) Key 1.Qc8 threat 2.Be4. If 1…Nd3/Rc5/Nc5/Bc5/Bc6 2.Qc4/Qd7/Rd4/Qxa8/Qf5. Tries 1.Qc7? Bd4! or 1.Re7 or e8? Nc5! Solvers’ comments: ‘Spicy mixture of self blocks and interferences (I.Smith).’

No.15 (LM127) The Problemist Nov. 1967 No.175

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+k+ltR( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+PwQ-zpP+& 5zp-zPp+P+-% 4L+-mKn+-+$ 3+p+PtR-+-# 2p+-+-+-+" 1vL-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (11x8) Key 1.Bb2. If 1…a1=N 2.Re1 Nc2 or 1…a1=B 2.Qxf6 Bxb2 or 1…a1=R/Q 2.c7+ R/Qxa4. Solvers’ comments: ‘What I would call a royal zugzwang (W.V. Nelson). Awful key (GFA).’

No.16 The Problemist Nov. 1967 No.130

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-sN-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-+nmK-mk-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2L+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Helpmate in 3 (a) Diagram (b) Move Ba2 to a8 (a) 1.Nf6 Bf7 2.Kh6 Kf4 3.Nh7 Nf5; (b) 1.Nf4 2.Bf3 2.Kh4 Kf6 3.Nh3 Nf5. Not Twins but mirrors. Sadly cooked (a) 1.Kh5 Nf5 2.N-any Kf4 3.N-any Bf7. (b) 1.Kh5 Nf5 2.N any Kf6 3.N any Bf3.

No.17 (LM121) The Problemist Jan. 1968 No.184 1st Commendation

XABCDEFGHY 8-vL-mk-vl-tR( 7+-sN-zp-zpP' 6-sN-+L+P+& 5zp-zp-+-+-% 4P+p+-+-+$ 3+-+lzp-+-# 2PmKP+P+-+" 1+-+R+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (13x9) Key 1.Rg8 c3+ 2.Kxc3 c4 3.Rxg7 Bxg7. Set 1…c3+ 2.Ka3 c4 3.Bg8! e6. Solvers’ comments: ‘A fine work of art in the classical style (P.Moutecidis). A mutate issue presenting in both set and solution. A very quiet White and a somewhat turbulent Black (Dr. E.D).’

No.18 (LM122) The Problemist July 1968 No.202

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6p+-zpR+Q+& 5vL-+p+-+-% 4PmK-mk-+-+$ 3zPP+-zpP+-# 2-+-+P+-+" 1+-+-+-+r! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (9x6) Key 1.Qf5 threat 2.Re4+ dxe4 3.Qc5+ dxc5. If 1…Rh4 2.Qc2 any 3.Qc5+ dxc5 or 1…Rc1 2.Bb6+ Rc5 3.Ba7 a5. Solvers’ comments: ‘The check by the bishop and subsequent quiet withdrawal is grand (KRC).’

No.19 R.Dillman, Dr. E.Zepler & L.Mangalis Frankfurter Gen Anzeiger 1937

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5zp-+-+-+-% 4k+-sn-+-+$ 3zp-+-+-+-# 2K+-+-+-+" 1+Q+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 4 (2x4) Key 1.Qb7 Nb5 2.Qe4+ Nd4 3.Qb1 N-any 4.Qb3. Set 1…N-any Qb3. ‘A very good problem with Set mate in 1’ – T.Kardos. In Jan. 83 The Problemist p.295, a letter from LM is quoted by Barry Barnes: ‘Some years before the war (unfortunately I can’t tell the exact year for as a refugee I had to leave everything behind in Riga, including my problems) I sent a mirror version of the Dillman problem to Deutsche Schachzeitung. To my astonishment, it appeared under the name of Dr. E.Zepler. Only then did I notice at the bottom of the page a note: “The same position was received a fortnight later from L. Mangalis in Riga”. It left me wondering – had the celebrated Dr. Zepler sent it a fortnight later would there also have appeared a similar note at the bottom of the page? Most likely the problem would have appeared as Dr. E. Zepler and L.Mangalis. Anyway I was only an unknown composer from Riga. The question still remains: whose problem is anticipated – Dillman’s or Dr. Zepler’s? Only Deutsche Schachzeitung can supply the answer!’ (BM: Laimons had died by then. Arthur Willmott let the Problemist know.)

No.20 (LM125) The Problemist Sept. 1972 No.350

XABCDEFGHY 8-+L+-sN-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+p+nzp-+& 5+-zpltrkzpQ% 4-+p+pzP-vl$ 3+-zPpmK-zpR# 2-+-zP-zPP+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (10x13) Key 1.fxg5 waiting. If 1…Bxg5+ 2.f4 exf3 e.p. or 1…fxg5 2.Qf3+ exf3. If 1…gxf2 2.Rf3+ exf3. Solvers’ comments: ‘An unusual feature of the e.p. capture is forcing Black to mate by elimination of all other moves and not by check (CGR).’

No.21 (LM131) The Problemist Nov. 1972 No.356

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+QsN-+& 5+p+-+R+-% 4lzp-+-vl-vL$ 3+p+p+kzpL# 2-zP-+-zPN+" 1+-+KtR-+n! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (10x9) Key 1.Rf1 waiting. If 1…Nxf2+ 2.Ke1 d2 or 1…gxf2 2.Qe2+ dxe2. If 1…d2 2.Qxb3+ Bxb3. Solvers’ comments: ‘Pretty and varied mates following a fine key (ILS).’

No.22 The Problemist Sept/Oct 1977 No.561

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-vL( 7+-+-+Ntr-' 6-+p+L+-+& 5+-sN-+-+-% 4-+-mkn+-tR$ 3+Rzp-+-+-# 2pzp-+-+QzP" 1trl+-+-mK-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (9x9) Key 1.Kh1 waiting. If 1…c2 2.Qxc2 Bxc2 or 1…Bc2+ or Bd3+ 2.Qg1+ Rxg1. If 1…Ke3 2.Rxe4+ Bxe4 or 1…Kxc5 2.Qf2+ Nxf2. Solvers’ comments: ‘Surprising unpinning key and 4 good variations (D.A.Smedley). Difficult with two flights (JMG).’

No.23 The Problemist Nov.-Dec. 1977 No.572

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+l+( 7+-zpPzpk+p' 6-+P+-+-zp& 5+-vLK+P+P% 4-+LwQPzP-+$ 3+-+-+-+p# 2-+-+p+-zP" 1+-+-tR-sn-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (12x9) Key 1.Qh8 waiting. If 1…Nf3 2.Qg7+ Kxg7 or 1…Kf8+ 2.Ke5! Nf3. If 1…e6+ 2.Ke5 Nf3 or 1…e5 2.Qf6+ Kxf6. Solvers’ comments: ‘Excellent anticipatory key for black king flight with double self-pin. (JKH).’

No.24 The Problemist July 1978 No.617

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-vLR+-+( 7+-+-+-zp-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-+p+-zp-% 4-+ptrl+-+$ 3+-zPp+PmKQ# 2-zp-zp-tR-zP" 1+Lvlrmk-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 5 (9x12) Key 1.Qd7 g6 2.Qa4 g4 3.Bg5 gxf3 4.Kh3 Kxf2 5.Qxd1 Bf5. Cooked by 1.Bxg5 g6 2.Qf5 gxf5 3.Kg2 f4 4.Kh1 Kxf2.

No.25 The Problemist Jan. 1979 No.6176

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+L+-+( 7zp-zp-zpN+-' 6KvlP+kwqR+& 5+-+rtrptR-% 4-+Q+-+-+$ 3+N+-zp-+p# 2-+-+P+-vL" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x11) Key 1.Rxf5 threat 2.Rxe5. If 1…Rxf5/Re4/Qxg6/Bd4/Kxf5 2.Nd8/Qxd5/Bd7/Nxd4/Qg4. Solvers’ comments: ‘You can’t really beat a good Block Threat like this (BPB). Good with changes and added mate (AJF). Diabolical change after 1…Qxg6 (JC). Unexpected flight gift key (RM & GW). Delightful (JKH & JLS). Good solvers problem and also a collector’s item (RG).’

No.26 The Problemist May 1979 No.664

XABCDEFGHY 8-sN-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-zP-mk-zpN+& 5+-+-tRrzpp% 4-+-+R+ltr$ 3zp-+-vLp+p# 2Lzp-+-zP-wQ" 1+K+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (10x11) Key 1.Rf4 waiting If 1…gxf4 2.Rxf5 Bxf5 or 1…fxe5 2.Rxf5 Bxf5. If 1…Rxf4 2.Rf5 Bxf5 or 1…Rxe5 2.Rf5 Bxf5. Solvers’ comments: ‘4 pins on the diagonal, very original (C.G. Rains). Black force cleverly immobilized (CRF). BR not BP at h4 for sake of legality. Why should not the 32 men be placed at will? (ILS). Striking pattern of pins (JLS).’

No.27 The Problemist July 1979 No.6234

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-zp-+Q+-' 6-+-zp-+-+& 5mKpmkLzp-+-% 4ptr-+-+-tr$ 3+-+lsN-+-# 2-+-+-vL-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (5x9) Key 1.Ba8 threat 2.Qd5. If 1…c6/Rb or Rhd4/Kd4/Be4/Bc4 2.Qa7/Qxc7/Nd1/Nc4/Ng4.

Solvers’ comments: ‘Definitive setting of this aided shut-off theme (BPB). Fine clearance key with self-blocks and interferences (JC). Unusual battery problem (AJF). Good key (JKH). With no fewer than 9 close tries by the B (RCM). Neat shut-offs (JLS). Delightful medley of line opening and selfinterference with a flight (IS).’

No.28 The Problemist July 1979 No.673

XABCDEFGHY 8-vl-mkN+-+( 7+-tR-zpP+-' 6-+-+Lzp-+& 5+-+-+P+-% 4-+-+-vL-zp$ 3+-+-+-+p# 2-+-+-wQptr" 1+-+-+-mK-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (8x8) Key 1.Bxh2 waiting. If 1…Bxc7 2.Qb6 Bxb6 or 1…Ba7 2.Qd4+ Bxd4. Set 1…Bxc7 2.Nxc7 Rh1 and 1…Ba7 2.Rxa7 Rh1. Solvers’ comments: ‘Surprising capture of set play mating piece (CEHS). A cheeky one! Set play is convincing (AJF). Delightful mutate with 2 changes (CGR). Only two solvers really objected to key (PSV).’

No.29 The Problemist Sept. 1979 No.671

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-+-+p+-% 4-+-vLq+p+$ 3zp-+-+-+n# 2p+-+p+-zp" 1wQ-mK-sN-+k! xabcdefghy Helpmate in 2 (a) Diagram (b) Ne1 replaces a3 (4x10) (a) 1.Ng1 Bxg1 2.hxg1=R Qh8; (b) 1.Qb1+ Nxb1 2.axb1=N Qxa8. Solvers’ comments: ‘Three obstructions must be removed before either mate can be visualized. Underpromotions provide the necessary magic (JLS). Highly quotable and likely to win new friends for helpmates (BPB). Spectacular (DN). A beauty, and not at all easy (GW) –sums up the general opinion.’

No.30 The Problemist Nov. 1979 No.6293

XABCDEFGHY 8-tR-+-+-+( 7+-zpp+-+K' 6P+kvl-+-+& 5zp-+-zpQ+-% 4-+-+-+N+$ 3vLp+-sN-+-# 2r+q+-+-+" 1+-tR-+-snl! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x11)

Key 1.Qd3 threat 2.Rxc2+ b or Rxc2 3.Qb5. If 1…Rb2 2.Qg6 Nf3/else 3.Qe4/Nxe5. If 1…Bb4 2.Nxe5+ Kc5 3.Rb5 or 1…Bc5 2.Nxe5 or 1…Be4+ 2.Qxe4. Solvers’ comments: ‘Very tricky pinning. Nice try 1.Qg6? Rxa3! (JKH). WQ visits all vacant squares on c2-h7 to meet subtle defence 1…Rb2 (RB).’

No.31 The Problemist Nov. 1979 No.694

XABCDEFGHY 8Q+-+-+L+( 7+-zpkvl-sNP' 6-+R+-+-+& 5+-zp-zP-zP-% 4-zpP+-+-+$ 3+p+-+-+-# 2-mKp+pvL-+" 1sn-trlsN-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (11x11) Key 1.Be3 waiting. If 1…Bf8 2.e6+ Ke7 3.Bxc1 Bxg7 or 1…Bd6 2.Be6+ Ke7 3.Bxc1 Bxe5 or 1…Bd8 2.Be6+ Ke7 3.h8=Q Rb1. If 1…B-else 2.White x B Rb1. Solvers’ comments: ‘2 partial and 1 complete incarceration of BB (PSV). Subtle use of BK to free diagonal mates (AJF). Neat control of BB (RB). Pity that BB star could not be made (NAB).’

No.32 The Problemist Jan. 1980 No.6316

XABCDEFGHY 8-sn-vLK+-+( 7+-+p+N+-' 6-+-trkvlp+& 5+p+-+-zP-% 4psN-+P+-+$ 3+n+-+-+-# 2-+QzPp+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x10) Key 1.d4 threat 2.d5+ Rxd5 3.exd5. If 1…Nxd4 2.Nd3 any 3.Nc5 or Nf4. If 1…Bxd4 2.Qd3 Be3/else 3.Qxd6/Qh3 or 1…Rxd4 2.Qc3 Rxe4/else 3.Qxf6/Qh3. Solvers’ comments: ‘Neat Novotny effects on d4 (JKH). Black has trouble keeping an eye on the c8h3 diagonal (RM). Delightful (JWM).’

No.33 The Problemist Jan. 1980 No.708

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+-+( 7+k+-+-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+NwQ-+-+-% 4-+-+-+LzP$ 3+-+-+-vLK# 2-+-+-+PzP" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 6 (8x2) Key 1.Nc7 Kb8 2.Qb6+ Bb7 3.Nb5+ Ka8 4.Qd8+ Bc8 5.Bd7 Kb7 6.Qa5 Bxd7.

Solvers’ comments: ‘Vitality of “bishop-in-corner” settings is amazing (ILS). Few solvers could say this was easy! (ED). With its repeated zugzwang motif, this runs No.707 close (RB). Beautiful composition (W.Kingston).’

No.34 The Problemist Jan. 1981 No.6438

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-mK( 7+-tR-+-+-' 6l+-+Q+pzp& 5vl-+n+-+-% 4N+-zp-+-tr$ 3+-+ksNPzp-# 2R+-+-+-+" 1+n+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x10) Key 1.Nc4 threat 2.Qe2. If 1…Re4/Ne3/Bd2/Ndc3/Nbc3/Nf4 2.Qxe4/Ne5/Ncb2/Nc5/Rd2/Qe4. Tries 1.Ng4? Nbc3! or 1.Nf1? Ne3! or 1.Nd1? Nbc3! Solvers’ comments: ‘Difficult to label but for complexity hard to beat (BPB). A solving competitor’s nightmare. Very trying problem but good nevertheless (JKH). Tries galore. A very enjoyable problem (RCMcW). The nightmare caused several solvers to fall out of bed (RB).’

No.35 The Problemist Jan. 1981 No.762

XABCDEFGHY 8-vl-+-snrvL( 7zp-+-zp-+-' 6r+-+pwqn+& 5+L+-+p+-% 4-zp-sN-wQ-zp$ 3+-mk-+-+P# 2R+-+-+pmK" 1+R+-+-sNl! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (9x15) Key 1.Nb3 threat 2.Qg3+ B or hxg3. If 1…Rxa2 2.Qc7+ Bxc7. If 1…Nxh8 2.Qe5+ B or Qxe5 or 1…Nxf4 2.Ne2+ Nxe2 or 1…Rd6 2.Qd2+ Rxd2. If 1…e5 2.Qd4+ exd4 or 1…Ne5 2.Qc4+ Nxc4. Solvers’ comments: ‘3 unpins of WQ (WEFF). Well varied WQ play (RB).’

No.36 The Problemist March 1981 No.6458

XABCDEFGHY 8-wQ-+-+l+( 7vL-+-+-+-' 6-+-+pzp-+& 5+-+-+p+-% 4-+-sNk+-tr$ 3+-+-+-zp-# 2L+K+-+-sn" 1+-+-+-sN-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (6x8) Key 1.Qb4 threats 2.Nc6/Ndf3. If 1…Ke3/Ke5/Kf4/e5/f4 2.Nxf5/Nc6/Ndf3/Ne6/Qe1. Solvers’ comments: ‘Made especially attractive by lack of WPs (BPB). Key gives 2 flights and sets up subtle batteries for half a N-tour (JEC). Well controlled battery play (AJF). Fine key and 4

battery openings (DAS). Self-blocks on flights after excellent key giving 2 flights but double threat robs part of the magic (SL).’

No.37 The Problemist March 1981 No.774 4th HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-zp-+-+-' 6-+P+-+-+& 5+-+-+p+-% 4-+Pzp-zP-+$ 3vL-zPP+K+p# 2p+R+N+p+" 1tR-+-vlkwql! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (10x10) Key 1.Bc5 waiting. If 1…Qh2 2.Ng3+ Kg1 3.Re2 Qxg3. If 1…dxc3 2.Bxg1 h2 3.Be3 g1. If 1…h2 2.Ba7 dxc3 3.Bf2 Qxf2. Solvers’ comments: ‘Quiet continuations not easy to find (JWM). Neat self-blocks on e2 & e3 (WEFF). Piece de resistance is the strategy after 1…Qh2 (JKH). A real puzzle (HG).’

No.38 The Problemist Nov. 1982 No.6683

XABCDEFGHY 8-vlltrrsN-+( 7+-+-zp-+-' 6-+-+L+-+& 5+-+-+-wQ-% 4-+-mkPzp-+$ 3+R+P+-+-# 2K+-zP-+-+" 1+-+-sn-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x8)

Key 1.Rc3 threat 2.Qc5. If 1…Rd5/Ba7/Be5/Bd6/Bxe6+/Nxd3 2.Qxd5/Qg7/Qg1/Qd5/NxB/Rc4. Solvers’ comments: ‘Try 1.Bd7? e6! induces the same mates which occur after different post key defences. Very nice by-play (BPB). Forced by strong defence 1…Nxd3 (EWB). Nowotny 1.Bd7 tempted (JWM). Good key decoying BN and enticing check on WK (JKH).’

No.39 The Problemist Jan. 1983 No.6711

XABCDEFGHY 8-+R+rvl-+( 7+Lsn-+-+-' 6-+-zpl+-+& 5tr-+-+p+-% 4p+Nmk-zP-vL$ 3wQpsnp+-+K# 2-+-sN-zP-+" 1+-tR-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x12) Key 1.Ne3 threat 2.Nf3. If 1…Bd5/N3d5/N7d5/d5/Rd5 2.Nxf5/Rc4/Rc4/Bf6/Qb4. Solvers’ comments: ‘Composer (sadly belated) reckoned 17 black & white line openings after five d5 defences. Fit to test Lloyds Bank champion solvers under pressure (BPB). Good arrival correction and avoidance of duals – well unified problem (DS). Familiar idea but 5 interferences on d5 very nicely done. Best 2-er (EWB). Brilliant exposition of black self-interferences at d5 including Grimshaws (JKH). 5-fold separation on d5 (DAS).’

No.40 (LM22) Problem (Zagreb) March 1952 No.161 L.M. “Lockeys” Australia

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+NwqL+( 7+-vl-+-+r' 6l+psnrzp-+& 5tR-snk+-+-% 4-+p+-zp-+$ 3+-+P+N+p# 2-+-+P+-mK" 1+-wQ-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x13) Key 1.Qxf4 threat 2.Qd4. If 1…Ne4/Nb5/Nf7 or Rh4/N-else 2.dxe4/dxc4/Nxc7/e4. (BM: My collection is missing Nos 10-30 of Problem.)

No.41 (LM58) Problem (Zagreb) Sept. 1953 No.756

XABCDEFGHY 8-+K+-+-+( 7vL-zP-+-+-' 6Lvl-+N+-+& 5+N+pzpP+R% 4-+n+k+p+$ 3tR-+-+-zP-# 2p+-zPn+P+" 1wQ-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (13x8) Key 1.Qf1 threat 2.Ng5. If 1…Bf2 or Be3/Nf4/d4/Nd6+ or Nxa3 2.d3/Nc3/Bb7/Nd6.

No.42 (LM89) The Australian Problemist June 1962 No.34

XABCDEFGHY 8-sN-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5zp-+-+ltR-% 4k+pzP-+-+$ 3+-vL-+-+-# 2PmKp+-+-+" 1+-wQ-+R+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x5) Key 1.Qb1 waiting. If 1…cxb1=Q 2.Rxb1 B-any/Kb5 3.Rxa5/Ka3. If 1…Kb5 2.Ka3+ cxb1=Q 3.Rxb1 or 1…B-any 2.Rxa5. Solvers’ comments: ‘Very striking key (C.S.Kipping). No first reaction to such a key. Witchcraft at its best (M.Fox). The WK is active (W.C.Coomber).’

No.43 (LM7) Chess (UK) June 1950 Special Mention

XABCDEFGHY 8-vL-vl-mK-+( 7zP-+N+Q+-' 6-+pzpp+Nzp& 5+-+k+-zp-% 4R+-+-+-+$ 3+-+Psnrsn-# 2-+p+-+L+" 1+-+l+-+q! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x13) Key 1.Qf4 threat 2.Rd4. If 1…Ngf5/Bf6/Ne4/e5/c5/Nef5/Nc4/Ne2/Be7+ or Bb6/gxf4 2.Qe4/Qxd6/dxe4/Qf7/a8=Q/Qc4/dxc4/Qxf3/Ne7/Nxf4.

No.44 (LM11) Die Schwalbe Oct. 1951 Informal Tourney 2nd Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+qsNQ+( 7+-+-zP-vl-' 6-vLp+-mkN+& 5+-sn-+-+-% 4-+-+-+PmK$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x5) Key 1.Bd8 waiting. If 1…Qd8/Qxg6/Qxf8/Qf7 or Qd7/Bxf8/Qxe7/B-else/N-any 2.exd8=Q/e8=Q/exf8=N/e8=N/exf8=Q/Bxe7/Nh7/Qe6.

No.45 (LM19) Die Schwalbe Jan/Feb 1952 Informal Tourney 1st Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+L+-+Rsn( 7vlP+K+kzpP' 6-+R+-zp-+& 5tr-zpP+P+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x7) Key 1.Kc7 threat 2.Be6+ Ke7 3.d6. If 1…Bb8+ 2.Kd8 Bc7+/else 3.Rxc7/Be6. If 1…Bb6+ 2.Kd6 Bc7+/else 3.Rxc7/Be6. Tries 1.Kd8? Bb6+! or 1.Kd6? Bb8+! Solvers’ comments: ‘Langschirttiger Laufer macht kinzest – schirttigen Doppelromen (B.Sommer).’

No.46 (LM25) Die Schwalbe July/Aug. 1952 4th Prize International Tourney

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-sN-+-+-' 6LsnRzpQzppmK& 5+-zP-+-+-% 4-zp-mkNzP-+$ 3+qsnl+-+-# 2-zp-+-zP-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (9x10) Key 1.Ng3 threats 2.Qe3/Qf6. If 1…Nc4 2.Qd5+ Nxd5 3.Nb5. If 1…Nbd5 2.Qe5+ d or fxe5 3.Ne6 or 1…Ncd5 or Ne4 2.Qe4+ Bxe4 3.Ne2. If 1…Qxe6 2.Nxe6+ Kd5 3.Rxd6 or 1…Bb5 or Bxa6 2.Qe3+ Kc4 3.cxb6/cxd6. If 1…Nb5 2.Qxf6+ Kc4 3.Bxb5/cxb6/cxd6. Try 1.Nd2? Ne4! 2.Qxb3 Nxf2.

No.47 (LM27) The Weekly Times Dec. 1952 No.6938 1st Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+kvL-+-+( 7+pzPn+-+-' 6-+-+-+-wQ& 5sNK+P+-+-% 4-+p+-+l+$ 3+-zP-+-+P# 2-+P+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (9x5) Key 1.Qe6 threat 2.Nxb7 Kxb7/else 3.Qa6/Nd6. If 1…Bxe6 2.Nxc4 N-any/else 3.Nb6/Nd6. If 1…b6 2.hxg4 bxa5 3.Qa6. Try 1.Nxc4? Be2!

Judge A.Goldstein: ‘A layered problem with a good threat and 3 models. The construction is weak and the key, though sacrificing the Queen, pins a Black man, which is not pleasant.’

No.48 (LM29) Die Schwalbe Informal Tourney Sept. 1952 4th Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+K+( 7+N+pzp-+-' 6-+-+k+-+& 5+P+-zppzP-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-zP-# 2-zP-+-+-+" 1+-sN-+-+Q! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x5) Key 1.Ne2 waiting. If 1…d6 2.Nc5+ dxc5 3.Qc6 or 1…f4 2.Nd4+ exd4 3.Qe4. If 1…d5 2.Qh6+ Kd7 3.Qc6 or 1…e4 2.Nf4+ Ke5 3.Qh8. Try 1.Nd3 f4 2.Nxf4+ Kf5.

No.49 (LM33) Melbourne Chess Club Tourney May 1953 2nd HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7zp-wQltr-+-' 6-+PtRN+-+& 5+-+-mkpzP-% 4-+-+-zp-+$ 3+-mKPtr-+q# 2-+-+R+-+" 1+-vL-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x8)

Key 1.Kc4 threat 2.Bb2. If 1…Bxe6+/Re4+/Rxe2 2.Rd5/d4/Bxf4. Set 1…Bxe6/Re4 2.Rd7/Bxf4. Tries 1.Nd4? Re6! and 1.Nc5/Nd8/Nf8? Qh6! Judge A.Goldstein: ‘Two common variations in the set play change into two cross checks. The position is original and spry.’ (1st Place Ottavio Stocchi.)

No.50 (LM35) Problem (Zagreb) Informal Tourney May 1953 2nd Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+N+-mK( 7wqp+-zPL+l' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-sn-mk-+p% 4R+-+N+-+$ 3wQpzp-vL-sn-# 2-+-+ptR-vl" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x11) Key 1.Nd2 threat 2.Bd4. If 1…Nf5/Nce4/Nc-else/Qxa4/cxd2 2.Nf3/Nc4/Qd6/Qxc5/Qb2. Set 1…Bxe4/Bf5 2.Bd4/Bf4. Tries 1.Ng5? Ne4! 1.Nf6? Nf5! and 1.Nxc5? Qxa4! This problem was 13th among 72. Judge F.W.Nanning.

No.51 (LM39) BCF Tourney No.72 Heathcote Memorial Tourney Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8L+-+-+-+( 7+q+p+-+-' 6-+-+P+-+& 5+P+rsNp+R% 4Rvl-vLk+P+$ 3+-+-zp-zP-# 2-+N+P+-+" 1wQ-+K+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (13x7) Key 1.Nxd7 threat 2.Nf6. If 1…Rxd7 2.Rxf5 Bd6/Rxd4+/Rd5/else 3.Bc5/Qxd4/Rf4/Re5. If 1…Qxd7 2.Qc1 Bd2/f4/else 3.Bc3/Re5/Qxe3. If 1…Be7 2.Bxb7 f4/B- 3.Bxd5/Nc5 or Nf6. Tries 1.Rxf5? Rc5! or 1.Bxb7? dxe6! Judge V.L. Eaton: ‘A complex ditheme featuring Black halfpin play followed by interference unpins in shut off mates from a concealed white battery. With a better key this would rank higher.’ (84 problems in Tourney.)

No.52 (LM40) BCF Tourney No.73 Heathcote Memorial 1952-53 3rd Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8-wqrvl-+-+( 7+-+-wQ-+K' 6-+-sn-+p+& 5+-+-sn-sNR% 4L+k+-+l+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2N+-tR-vL-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x8)

Key 1.Nf7 threat 2.Nxe5. If 1…Nf3/Nd3/Nc6/Ne-else/Nf5/Nb5/Nd-else/Rc5/Qb5 or Qb2 2.Qe2/Rc2/Rc5/Rd4/Qe6/Qb4/Rd4/Rd4/Nxd6. Judge A.Daniel: ‘The black Ns provide original variety, particularly after 1…Nf3 and 1…Nb5.’ (112 problems in Tourney.)

No.53 (LM41) Die Schwalbe Informal Tourney 1953 2nd HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+r+NvLl+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6r+-+-zp-+& 5+-+-mkPsn-% 4Rvl-zp-+P+$ 3+-+PzP-mK-# 2-+-sN-+Qzp" 1+-+-+-+L! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (11x9) Key 1.Qb7 threat 2.Nf3+ Nxf3 3.Qe4. If 1…Rac6 2.Qb5+ Rc5/Bc5/Bd5 3.Bd6/exd4/Qxd5. If 1…Rcc6 2.Qe7+ Re6/Bxe7/Be6 or Ne6 2.Nc4/exd4/Qxf6. Wurzburg-Plachutta. Tries 1.Rxb4? Rc4 2.Rxc4 Nf3! or 1.Qf2? Ne4+ 2.dxe4 dxe3! Also 1.Qxh2? dxe3! or 1.Kxh2? dxe3!

No.54 (LM44) L’Italia Scacchistica Informal Tourney 1953 1st Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-sN-+( 7+-zp-tr-zp-' 6-+K+-zpR+& 5+-+-zPk+N% 4-vl-+-zPp+$ 3zpL+-tR-zp-# 2r+-zp-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x11) Key 1.e6 threat 2.Rg5+ fxg5 3.Re5. If 1…Bd6 2.Bd1 Rc2+/else 3.Bxc2/Bxg4 or 1…Bc3 2.Bd5 Rxe6+/else 3.Bxe6/Be4. Judge A.Chicco. (37 Problems in Tourney.)

No.55 (LM46) Yugoslavian Informal Tourney 1954 1st Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-mK-+-+( 7zppsNN+-+-' 6l+Pmk-+-+& 5+-+Pzp-+-% 4L+-+p+-+$ 3+-+-+p+-# 2-+r+-tr-+" 1+Q+-vl-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (7x10) Key 1.Qa1 threat 2.Qxe5. If 1…Bc3 2.Qg1 Rg2/else 3.Qc5/Qg6. If 1…Rc3 2.Bb3 Bc4/Rc4/else 3.Qa3/Qxe5/Ne8. If 1…Rb2 2.Qc1 and 3.Qh6 or Qc5.

Republished in CW Feb. 1957. Solvers’ comments: ‘One of the best (M.Fox). Highly entertaining (W.Whyatt). An intricate network of interferences set with consummate skill (T.C.Gallery).’ Judge W.Massman. 1st prize-winner J.J.Reitveld disqualified. (48 problems in Tourney.)

No.56 (LM50) Express Wieczorny (Poland) 3-move Miniature Tourney 1954 5th HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-mK-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-+Nmk-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-sN-zP-+-# 2-+-+-tR-+" 1+-+l+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (5x2) Key 1.Rf4 threats 2.Nf6/Nb4/Nb6. If 1…Ba4 2.Nf6 Bd1 or Bd7/B-else 3.Nd7/Ng4. If 1…Bb3 2.Nb4 Ba4 or Bd5/B-else 3.Nd3/Nc6. If 1…Bc2 2.Nb6 Bb3 or Bd3/B-else 3.Nd7/Nc4. Try 1.Rf6? Ba4! 10th place among 193 entries. Judge Marian Wrobel.

No.57 (LM51) Yugoslavia Informal Tourney 1955 Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8n+-+-+-+( 7zp-+-+-+-' 6rzP-+-+-+& 5mk-+-+-+-% 4-zp-vLN+-+$ 3+p+L+-+-# 2-sN-mK-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x6) Key 1.Kd1 threat 2.Nd2 and 3.Nxb3. If 1…Rxb6 2.Nc5 Rb5/else 3.Nc4/Nxb3. If 1…Nxb6 2.Nc3 bxc3/else 3.Bxc3/Nc4. Judge K.Fabel.

No.58 (LM53) Probleemblad (Holland) March/April 1955 Informal Tourney 2nd HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-vL-+-+-+( 7+-+p+-+p' 6-+-+p+-+& 5tR-sn-sN-snR% 4p+-+k+p+$ 3+-mK-+-wQL# 2-+-+-+p+" 1+-+-+-+l! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x10) Key 1.Nxg4 threat 2.Nf6. If 1…Kd5/Kf5/Sf3 2.Qf3/Qd3/Qf4. Set 1…Kd5/Kf5 2.Qd3/Qf3. 5th place in 72 problems. Judges Albarda, Burback and Goldschmeding. Republished in CW Feb 1957. Solvers’ comments: ‘Complex interchange of pins (T.Gallery). A very entertaining problem (A.Scott). Excellent (F.Hirst).’

No.59 (LM55) The Problemist July 1955 C.S. Jacobs Memorial Tourney 3rd Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8Kvl-wQR+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+P+PsNLtR& 5+-+pmk-+n% 4-+ptr-+P+$ 3zp-+-zPp+-# 2-tr-+-sn-+" 1vL-+-+N+q! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (12x11) Key 1.Nd2 threat 2.Rxh5+ Qxh5 3.Nxf3. If 1…Rbxd2 2.Bc2 Bd6/else 3.Nd7/Qxd5 or Qxb8. If 1…Rdxd2 2.Bd3 Bd6/else 3.Nd7/Qxd5 or Qxb8. If 1…Rf4 2.Be4 Bd6/else 3.Nd7/Qxd5 or Qxb8. If 1…Nxf6 2.Nxc4+ Rxc4/dxc4 3.Qxb8/Qxd4. If 1…Nh-else 2.Qe7 Rb7/else 3.Bxd4/Sd7. WB shuts off BRs to regain the original square. 3rd place among over 50 problems. Judge C.S.Kipping: ‘The idea is most original.’

No.60 (LM57) Australian Problem Society Theme Tourney in Problem (Zagreb) Sept. 1955 2nd prize

XABCDEFGHY 8-+R+-vL-+( 7+P+-mK-+-' 6-+-+L+-+& 5trpsnN+-+-% 4-+kwq-+-tR$ 3+-tr-+-+-# 2n+P+p+p+" 1+-+-wQl+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x10) Key 1.Kf7 threat 2.Rxc5. If 1…b4/Rxc2/Rf3+ 2.Nxc3(Nc7?)/Nb4(Nf4?)/Nf6. If 1…Qe4/Qf4+/Qg4/Qxh4 2.Rxe4/Rxf4/Rxg4/Qxh4.

Tries 1.Ke8? Ra8! and 1.Bg7? g1=Q! Judge M.Wrobel: ‘An interesting problem with 3 thematic variations. White has to control a flight and this can be done in two ways. The differentiation is based on unpinning of a black piece – a principle used in all correct entries.’ (2-ers must show dual avoidance in at least 2 variations.)

No.60A (LM59) L’Echiquier de Paris Sept/Oct 1955 Theme Tourney 4th Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-mK( 7+-wQpmkpsNN' 6l+-+pzp-+& 5+p+-+Pzp-% 4-+-+-+P+$ 3+-zp-+-+-# 2-+-tr-zP-+" 1+-+R+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x10) Key 1.f4 (sacrifice) threat 2.fxg5 (sacrifice) fxg5/else 3.f6/gxf6. If 1…e5 2.fxe5 (sacrifice) fxe5/Rd6/else 3.f6/exd6/exf6 or 1…gxf4 2.g5 fxg5/else 3.f6/gxf6. Theme is sacrifice of the key piece. Sacrifice of the same piece in threat. Sacrifice of the same piece in another variation. Judge Dr. W. Speckman.

No.60B (LM64) American Chess Bulletin Sept/Oct. 1956 1st HM

XABCDEFGHY 8L+-+-+l+( 7+-+Ptr-+-' 6-+-+-vL-wQ& 5+-sN-+-+R% 4KzPk+-+-+$ 3tR-vlrzPN+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+n+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x6) Key 1.Bd4 threat 2.Qa6. If 1…Re6/Be6 2.Bd5/Ne5. Try 1.Ne6? threat 2.Rc5, 1…Bd4(Rd5)/Rd4(Be5)/Rd-else 2.Bd5/Ne5/Rxc3, 1…Rxe3!

No.61 (LM65) Deutsche Schachzeitung Oct. 1956 1st HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-sn-+-+( 7+p+rzpp+-' 6nmKp+-+-+& 5+-+-mk-zP-% 4-+-+P+-+$ 3wQN+-+-+l# 2L+N+-tR-+" 1+-+-tR-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x9) Key 1.Nc5 threat 2.Qg3. If 1…f5 or Ne6/Rd3/Kd6 2.Nxd7/Nxd3/e5. Tries 1.Nc1? Ne6! or 1.Nd2? Rd3!

No.62 (LM68) El Ajedrez Espanol Jan. 1957 2nd Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-sN-+-+( 7+-wqp+-+l' 6-+p+-+-tR& 5+psNkzP-+R% 4-zP-vlp+Q+$ 3+K+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-vL" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x8) Key 1.Nxe4 threat 2.Nf6. If 1…Qxe5/Bxe5/Bxe4 2.Rd6/Nc3/Qg8. Set 1…Qxe5/Bxe5 2.Qxd7/Qd1.

No.63 (LM71) Suddeutche Schachzeitung 1957 6th HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-wQ-tR-sn-+( 7+-+-+-+N' 6-+-snktr-+& 5+-vL-+p+-% 4-mKN+-zp-+$ 3+-+-+l+-# 2-+-+L+-+" 1+-+-tR-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x7) Key 1.Ne5 threat 2.Qxd6. If 1…Ke7/Kxe5/Kd5 2.Re8/Bxf3/Bc4 Black N pinned thrice. If 1…Nf7/Ne4/Nd-else 2.Nxf8/Bc4/Ng5 Continued defence. 12th among 96 problems. In FIDE Album 1956/8.

No.64 (LM73) BCF No.84 Tourney Sept. 1957 11th HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+L+Rsn-+( 7+-+r+nzp-' 6-+p+-+pvl& 5+-+lzpkzp-% 4-+p+N+R+$ 3+P+-wQP+-# 2-+N+PmK-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x12) Key 1.Kg3 threat 2.Qf2 Bxe4/else 3.fxe4/Ne3. If 1…Be6 2.Qa7 Rd3/else 3.Qxf7/Ne3 or 1…cxb3 2.Qxb3 Bxe4/else 3.Qxf7/Ne3. If 1…Bxe4 2.fxe4+ Kf6 3.Qf3 or 1…Nd6 2.Nxd6+ Kf6 3 Qxe5 or 2.Qxg5+/Rxg5+. Cooked by 1.Qc5 threat 2.Ne3. If 1… Bxe4 2.Qe7 threats 3.Ne3/Qxf7. Placed 15th in 77. Judge E. Boswell.

No.65 (LM74) Deutsche Schachzeitung Oct. 1956 1st HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+L+( 7+lsnr+-+p' 6R+N+p+-+& 5+N+-+-tR-% 4-+-zp-mkpzP$ 3+p+K+-zp-# 2rvL-zPP+p+" 1+n+-+-wQ-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (11x13)

Key 1.Ra8 threat 2.Rf8+ Rf7 3.Rxf7/Qxd4. If 1…Bxa8 2.Nbxd4 Nd5/Rxd4+/else 3.Nxe6/Qxd4/e3 or Qe3. If 1…Bc8 2.Ncxd4 Nd5/Rxd4+/else 3.Nxe6/Qxd4/e3 or Qe3. If 1…Rxa8 2.Bxd4 Nd5/Rxd4+/else 3.Be5/Qxd4/Qe3. If 1…Nxa8 or Ne8 2.Bxe6 threats 3.Rf5/Rg4. If 1…Rd8 2.Rxd8 threats 3.Rxd4/Rf8/Qxd4.

No.66 (LM75) Probleemblad Sept/Oct 1957 4th HM

XABCDEFGHY 8N+l+-vL-+( 7+-sNp+-+-' 6-+pzP-+P+& 5+pmk-+KtRp% 4-zpr+-+-+$ 3+-vlPzp-+-# 2-+-tR-+-+" 1+-wQ-+L+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (11x10) Key 1.Rd1 threat 2.Qxe3+ Rd4/Bd4 3.Kf6/Ke4 or Kf4. If 1…Rd4 2.Kf6+ Rd5+ 3.d4. If 1…Bd4 2.Ke4+ Be5+ 3.d4. If 1…Rh4 2.Qxe3+ Bd4/Rd4 3.Rc1/Kf6. If 1…Bh8 2.Qxe3+ Rd4/Bd4 3.Rc1/Ke4 or Kf4. If 1…Bd2 2.Qxc4+ bxc4 3.Ke4. If 1…b3 2.Qa3+ Kd4/else 3.Bg7/Qa7. If 1…Kd4 2.Kf4 threats 3.Qxe3/Bg7. If 1…Rf4+ 2.Kxf4+ Kd4 3.Qxe3 or Bg7. Tries 1.dxc4? e2! or 1.Rc2? Rd4! 7th among 35 problems. Judges J.Albarda/J.Burbach/C. Goldschmeding.

No.67 (LM76) Chess Life Sept 1957 Gamage Memorial Tourney 3rd Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+-+( 7+-+p+N+-' 6-zpn+-zp-+& 5+R+-+p+-% 4Pzpktr-+-vl$ 3+psN-wQL+K# 2-vL-+p+-+" 1+-+rsn-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x13) Key 1.Nb1 threat 2.Na3 bxa3 3.Qb3/c3. If 1…R1d3 2.Bxe2 Nf3/else 3.Qc1/Nd2. If 1…R4d3 2.Qxe2 Bg3/else 3.Bd5/Nd6. 1…Rxb1 2.Bxd4 Nxf3 or Nc-any/Bg3 3.Nd6/Bd5. If 1…Nd3 2.Qxd4+ Nxd4 3.Nd6. If 1…Nc2 2.Q or Bxe2+ R4d3/R1d3 3.Nd6/Nd2. Try 1.Nd5? Rxd5! 2.Qxe2+ R1d3. 44 entries. Judges G.F. Anderson and E.Holladay. In FIDE Album 56/58.

No.68 (LM77) Chess Life Nov.1957 Gamage Memorial Tourney 1st HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-tRR+-+( 7+-+-vLp+-' 6-+-+-+-mK& 5+-+N+-+l% 4-zp-mk-+-+$ 3+-+-+qwQ-# 2-sN-+-+L+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x5) Key 1.Qc7 threat 2.Bc5. If 1…Qe3+/Qf4+/Qf6+/Ke4/Qxd5/Qc3 2.Nf4/Qxf4/Bxf6/Qf4/Bf6/Qf4 or Bf6.

Set 1…Qe3+/Qf6+/Qxd5 2.Qxe3/Nxf6/Rxd5. Try 1.Bxb4? f6! Fourth among 134 entries. Judges V.Eaton and E. Hassberg.

No.69 (LM78) Chess Life Feb. 1968 A.J. Fink Memorial Tourney 2nd Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8-+n+-+-+( 7+-+pzpNtrn' 6Q+-+-+-vL& 5mKp+-+-wqP% 4-zp-+-mkp+$ 3+-+-+-sN-# 2-vl-+-zPP+" 1+l+LtR-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x12) Key 1.Qxb5 threat 2.Re4+ Bxe4 3.Ne2. If 1…e5 2.Qxd7 e4+/else 3.Qf5/Qxg4 or Qd2. If 1…d5 2.Qe2 d4+/else 3.Qe5/Qxg4 or Qd2 or Qe3. Judge Walter Jacobs: ‘The highly thematic key leaps to the eye. The WQ is unpinned in two variations, and in each its quiet move off the line of the pin is followed by a check with black interferences, permitting the queen to return to the pin line with mate. It seems that a WP could be saved by moving Bd1 to h5.’ (BM: LM did not include this one with his companion Tourney problems No.159 & 160 but it may be this one was lost as LM was then recording his problems on pieces of scrap paper.)

No.70 (LM81) Main Post Dec 24 1958 2nd Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-sn-vl( 7+-+L+P+-' 6-+-zpnzP-zp& 5tR-+l+-+-% 4-+P+k+NwQ$ 3+P+-sN-zP-# 2-+p+P+-mK" 1+q+rtR-vL-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (14x10) Key 1.Kh1 threat 2.Nh2+ Ke5 3.Nf3. If 1…Ng6 2.Nf5 Kxf5+/Bd-any/else 3.e4/Nf2/Nxd6. If 1…Bxf6 2.Nf2+ Ke5+/Kxe3+ 3.Qe4/Ne4. If 1…Kd4+ 2.Nxd5+ Ke4 3.Nc3. If 1…Nc5/Nf4/Ng5 2.Bf5+ Kd4+ 3.Nxd5. Tries 1.Qh5? Ng7! 2.Nf5 Ne8 or 1.Nxd5? c1=Q!

No.71 (LM86B) Deutsche Schachzeitug Dec.? 1961 2nd Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-wQ-+( 7+-+L+p+r' 6-+-zp-+p+& 5+p+k+ptR-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3wqPzPNtR-vLp# 2-+-sNP+-+" 1+-vl-+K+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x11) Key 1.Re4 threat 2.Rd4. If 1…Qa4/Qb4/Rh4/Qc5 2.Qxd6/Qxa8/Qxf7/Nf4. Tries 1.Re8/Re7/Re6/Rf3? threat 2.e4, 1…Qb4/Qa4/Rh4/Bxd2!

No.72 (LM87) Sydney Morning Herald Tourney 29 Oct.1961 No.659 =1st Prize with C.Mansfield

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-zp-+RsnK' 6-+-mkpzp-+& 5+-+-+P+Q% 4-zP-+-sN-sN$ 3tr-+p+-+-# 2ltrq+-+-vL" 1+-+-tR-+L! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x10) Key 1.fxe6 threat 2.Rd7. If 1…Bxe6/Qc6/d2+/Qa4 or Qg2/Nxe6/Bd5 2.Ne2/Ng2/Nd3/Qc5/Nf5/Qxd5. Judges F. Hawes and F. Ravenscroft: ‘A fine example of problem architecture in which economy and mobility are nicely exemplified. The key move sets a direct threat to which Black has 6 defences of which 3 constitute the theme; a tableau of play in which the battery forepiece in regressive discoveries interprets the idea of dual-avoidance. Technical skills are in evidence thus in the variation1…Qc6 2.Ng2 and 1…Bxe6 2.Ne2. The intricate opening and closing of both black and white lines of guard are of quasi cross valve designs whilst 1…d2 2.Nd3 is a full valve design blooded as valve defence with the check as a complimentary feature. A splendid problem throughout.’

No.73 (LM90) American Chess Bulletin Sept/Oct. 1962 1st HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+NsN-+n+( 7+-zp-+-+-' 6L+-+-+-tr& 5+-mk-+-+q% 4-+-+P+-zp$ 3+RzP-+-+-# 2-zP-+-+P+" 1tr-+Q+-vlK! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x8) Key 1.Bb5 threat 2.Nb7 (Change of Plan: instead of moving anti-critically the bishop settles on the critical square). If 1…Ra7/Rb6/Qd5 2.Qxg1/Qxh5/Qxd5. Tries 1.Bf1/Be2/Bd3? threat 2.Rb5, 1… Ra5/Rb6/Qe8! Also 1.Rb4? Qf7! or 1.Ra3? Rxa6!

No.74 (LM93) The Australian Problemist Informal Tourney 1962 1st Prize No.54 Oct. 1962

XABCDEFGHY 8-+L+-+Qsn( 7mK-zp-vLq+-' 6N+-zp-zP-+& 5+-+k+N+R% 4P+-zp-vl-+$ 3+p+PtR-+-# 2-+r+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x9) Key 1.Bxd6 threat 2.Nb4. If 1…c6+/c5+/cxd6+/Rc4/Bxd6 2.Nc7/Bb7/Ne7/Qg2/Ne7. Solvers’ comments: ‘Excellent puzzling key (B). Cross-checks, disc. ch., and long range mate by Q after 1…Rc4 with double sacrifice of key-piece; could one ask for more? (Fe). A neat change from

set-play in which one WN substitutes for the other (F). The two self-blocks by Pc7 are first rate (T). Three cross checks neatly shown but of course often anticipated (W).’ Judge G.W. Chandler.

No.75 (LM97) Sahs (Riga) Informal Tourney 1963 1st Prize No.3 Feb. 1963

XABCDEFGHY 8QtR-+-+-+( 7tR-mKp+-+-' 6-zPlsN-zpp+& 5+psNk+p+P% 4-zP-vLpzPrvl$ 3+-zP-zP-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (13x10) Key 1.b7 threat 2.Nc8 & 3.Nb6. If 1…Bg5 2.Rh8 any 3.Qg8 or 1…Bg3 2.Ra1 any 3.Qa2. Tries 1.Rab7? Rg2! 2.Rh8 gxh5 or 1.Rbb7? gxh5! 2.Ra1 Rg2. (BM: A lovely double Bristol.)

No.76 (LM103) Deutsche Schachzeitung Sept. 1964 2nd Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-sN-+-zP& 5tR-+-+-mK-% 4-+pmkp+-+$ 3zP-+n+-+Q# 2-+-tR-+-+" 1+-+L+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x4)

Key 1.Qd7 waiting. If 1…Kc3/Ke3/c3/e3 2.Nxe4/Nxc4/Qa7/Qg7. Tries 1.Qg2? e3! or 1.Qh2? c3! Meredith.

No.77 Krusfa Mikla Sachs Bridzs Riga 3rd Prize 1935 (Reprint DSZ Dec.1936)

XABCDEFGHY 8-mK-+-+-+( 7zp-zp-+-+-' 6-+-+-+p+& 5+-zP-zPPsN-% 4-vl-zpQzPN+$ 3+nzPP+p+-# 2-+-+-zpp+" 1+-+lsnrtrk! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x14) Key 1.Qa8 threat 2.Ne4 & 3.Ng3. If 1…Na5 2.Kxc7 any 3.Qh8 or 1…Nxc5 2.Kxa7 any 3.Qh8. If 1…Nd2 2.Kb7 any 3.Qh8 or 1…gxf5 2.Qc6 any 3.Qh6. 1st prize E. Fualgins of Riga, 2nd to S.S. Lewmann of Moscow. (BM: Surprising Laimons did not include this one in his collection.)

No.78 (LM105) Sahs (Riga) Dec. 1964 2nd Prize

XABCDEFGHY 8-tR-+-+L+( 7+-+-+-zP-' 6-+-zp-zp-+& 5+PmkpzpN+-% 4Ptr-+-wQ-mK$ 3vLP+-+pzp-# 2nsN-+-vlR+" 1+-+-+l+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (12x11)

Key 1.Qg4 threat 2.Nd4 B or exd4/Bxb5/else 3.Qc8/Rxb5/Ne6. If 1…d4 2.Qe4 d3/else 3.Qc4/Qd5 or Qc6. If 1…e4 2.Qf4 e3/else 3.Qd4/Qxd6 or 1…Bxb5 2.axb5 threats 3.Nd3/Na4. If 1…Be3 2.Rc2+ Bc4/Sc3 3.Nd3/B or Qxb4. “Dedicated to my father Jekabs Mangalis.” (Died Feb. 1964.)

No.79 (LM111) Sahs 1965 1st Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+l+-wQ-+( 7vl-+-+-zP-' 6r+r+-+R+& 5+-sN-mkp+p% 4R+-+-+-+$ 3vL-zpPsNL+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+K! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x8) Key 1.Ne6 threats 2.Qxf5/Qf6. If 1…Rxe6/Bxe6/Rc5/Bc5 2.Qxf5/Qf6/d4/Nc4. Try 1.Rh4? threats 2.Nc4/d4, 1…Ra4!

No.80 (LM88) Weekly Times 7/3/1962 No.7904 Dedicated to Fred Hawes & Frank Ravenscroft

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-trN+lmK( 7+QzPpvlp+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5tR-zP-mk-zPR% 4-+Lzp-zpP+$ 3+-+-+-tr-# 2-+-+PsNq+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (12x10) Key 1.e4 threat 2.Qd5 If 1…dxe3 ep/fxe3 ep/Qxe4/d5/f5/f6 2.Qb2/Nd3/Qxe4/cxd6 ep/gxf6 ep/gxf6. Solvers comments: ‘Congrats to the author for a very fine problem. Here is a challenge: Can 4 technically sound ep variations be shown in a two-mover? (Fred Hawes).’ (BM: There are four here; what does he mean?)

No.81 (LM32) Die Schwalbe Oct/Nov. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8-tR-+Lsn-+( 7zp-+pmk-+-' 6P+-+-zp-+& 5+-zP-wq-+-% 4-+Kzp-sN-+$ 3vLQ+-tR-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x7) Key 1.Kb5 threat 2.Qf7. If 1…d5/Qe6/Ne6 2.c6/Nd5/Ng6. Set 1…d5+/ Qe6+ 2.cxd6 ep/Nd5. (See the Australian Problemist article on page 131.)

No.82 (LM91) The Australian Problemist Oct. 1962

XABCDEFGHY 8-+l+rvl-+( 7tR-+pmkL+K' 6-+P+P+-sn& 5vL-tr-zP-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x7) Key 1.exd7 threats 2.dxc8=Q/d8=Q/dxe8=Q /dxc8=N. If 1…Nxf7/Rxe5/Bg7 or Bb7 or Rxa5/Rd8/Kxf7/Bxd7 2.dxc8=Q/d8=Q/dxe8=Q/dxc8=N/d8=N/Rxd7. Try 1.cxd7? threats 2.dxe8=Q/d8=Q//dxc8=N, 1…Nxf7! LM: ‘Fleck Theme in try and solutions with pawn promotion. 1…Kxf7 gives a new thematic promotion.’

No.83 (LM92) The Australian Problemist Oct 1962 FC17

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+pzp-+p' 6-+-+-mk-+& 5+-+-+-zp-% 4-+-mKLzp-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! abcdefgh (a) Black retracts his last move, (b) White retracts his last move, (c) White mates in one (2x6) (a) Retract Kf6 to e6 leaving WPf6, (b) Retract WPf6 to e5 leaving BPf5, (c) Play Be5.

Solvers’ comments: ‘This is a very tricky position requiring the reinstatement of two captured pieces; strangely a restored WQ is unable to do the work of a humble pawn (FR)’.

No.84 (LM95) The Australian Problemist Dec. 1962 No.68

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-tR( 7+-+qzp-+K' 6-+-+-+-zP& 5+-+k+-+-% 4-zPNsN-+-+$ 3+-zPPwQ-+-# 2-+-+-+r+" 1+-+-+-+L! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (10x4) Key 1.Qxe7 waiting. If 1…Qe6 2.Qf7 Qxf7 or 1…Qc6 2.Qb7 Qxb7 or 1…Qd6 2.Qd7 Qxd7. If 1…Qc7 2.Qf7+ Qxf7 or 1…Q-else 2.Qd7+ Qxd7. No solution: 1.Qxe7 Qf5+ 2.Nxf5.

No.85 (LM96) The Australian Problemist Feb. 1963 No.73

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-mK-wQ-tR-' 6-zpL+-+-+& 5vlRzpN+-+-% 4-+kvL-+ptr$ 3zpN+p+-+-# 2P+-zp-+-+" 1+n+n+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x11)

Key 1.Be5 waiting. If 1…g3/R-any/Nbc3/Nd-any/B-any 2.Qxh4/Rxg4/Nxd2/Ne3/Nxb6. The Change of Plan. Initial Plans (tries threatening 2.Qe4): 1.Ba1? Nbc3! or 2.Bg1? Nf2! or 3.Bf6? g3! These tries show opening of 4th rank. 1.Qe4? g3! is improvement to Initial Plan. Solvers' comments: ‘The WB’s possible clearing key is cleverly limited to one particular square and that square the only one which superficially appears to be obstructive (SC).’

No.86 (LM100) The Australian Problemist April 1963 No.95

XABCDEFGHY 8k+-+-+-+( 7+-+N+-+-' 6P+n+-+-+& 5+N+-zP-+-% 4-+-zP-+-+$ 3zP-+-+p+-# 2-+-mK-+-+" 1+-vL-+-+L! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (9x3) Key 1.Kd1 waiting. If 1…Nxd4 2.Be3 Ne6 or Nxb5/N-else 3.Bxf3/Nc7. If 1…Nxe5 2.Bf4 Nc4 or Nxd7/N-else 3.Bxf3/Nb6. If 1…N-else 2.Bxf3+ N-any 3.BxN. Try 1.Nb6+ Kb8 2.Bxf3 Na7! Solvers' comments: ‘An interesting battle between the minor pieces. Construction excellent as with all L.M.’s problems (R). Pretty symmetrical; I would be proud of this one (Ro). Light but tasty. A good example for young composers to follow (W).’

No.87 (LM98) The Australian Problemist April 1964

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-vl-+( 7vLPtr-+-+-' 6Q+-+-zp-+& 5+rsn-zpp+-% 4-zP-mk-+-+$ 3snLsN-+-tR-# 2-zPpsNR+-+" 1+-mKl+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x11) Key 1.Bc4 threat 2.Rd3 (vacates b3 but prevents Nb3). If 1…Nxc4/e4/Rb6/Bxe2 2.Nb3/Qxf6/Nf3/Nxe2. Plan Change (tries threatening 2.Nb3): 1.Bd5 Bh6! or 1.Be6 e4! or 1.Bf7 Rxf7! or 1.Bg8 Rf7!

No.88 (LM99) The Australian Problemist April 1964

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+-+Q+-+-% 4-+p+-+-tr$ 3+-zp-mk-vLP# 2-+-+-+-+" 1tR-+-mK-+R! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (6x4) Key 1.Qe5+. If 1…Re4/Kf3/Kd3 2.Qxc3/0-0/0-0-0. Change of Plan: 1.0-0-0? Re4! or 1.0-0? Rd4! The demise of The Australian Problemist was one issue away – June 1964, the last.

No.89 (LM2) Chess World July 1 1949 No.378

XABCDEFGHY 8-+K+-+-+( 7vL-+N+n+-' 6L+pzpp+Q+& 5tr-+k+-+-% 4-+pvl-+-+$ 3+-+P+-+-# 2q+psnP+-+" 1+-+N+-+l! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x12) Key 1.Qg7 threat 2.Qxd4. If 1…Rc5/Nb3/Bxa7/c5/Ne5/Nf3/Bxg7/e5 2.Nb6/Bxc4/Nc3/Bb7/Nf6/e4/Ne3/Qxf7. Tries 1.Qg1? e5! or 1.Qf6? Ne5!

No.90 (LM1) Chess World July 1 1949 No.379

XABCDEFGHY 8R+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-zp-+-+-+& 5+k+L+-+-% 4-zP-+-+-+$ 3+-zP-+-+-# 2-mK-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (5x2) Key 1.Ra4 KxR 2.Bc4 b5 3.Bb3. (BM: This is Problem No.1 in LM’s 1st Exercise Book. It infers he started placing his problems in books that year. Jim Jones solved many of LM’s problems for me in 1984 as did Arthur Willmott who did some earlier research in 1983 and sent me the first letter LM sent to him when he started

composing. This is an excellent example of how composers work. It is undated but ca 1982 and is in this collection. The pre-war problems were found by the late Ken Fraser of the State Library of Victoria.)

No.91 (LM3) Chess World July 1 1949 No.380

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7zp-+-+-+K' 6-+-zp-sN-+& 5zp-+N+-+-% 4P+-+-+-+$ 3+P+k+-+-# 2-+-+-wQ-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x4) Key 1.Ng8 waiting. If 1…Ke4 2.Qe3+ Kxd5/Kf5 3.Ne7/Nh6 or 1…a6 2.Nge7 Ke4 3.Qe3.

No.92 Chess World Nov.1 1949 No.402

XABCDEFGHY 8-+l+-+Q+( 7+-+-tr-+-' 6q+p+-tR-+& 5+-zp-mk-zPp% 4-sN-+-+LmK$ 3tr-sn-sNPzP-# 2-sn-tR-+-+" 1vL-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x10)

Key 1.Qd8 threat 2.Qd6. If 1…Rd7/Bd7/Nb5/Ne4/Nc4/Qd3/Re6 2.Re6/Qc7 or Qb8/Nc4/f4/Nd3/Nxc6/Rf5. Solvers’ comments: ‘Probably the author’s best two-mover (Fred Hawes).’

No.93 (LM4) Chess World Nov.1 1949 No.408

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+-zp-+& 5+-+-+-+-% 4-+-+-zp-+$ 3wQ-+-zpP+-# 2-+-+K+NvL" 1+-+-+N+k! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x4) Key 1.Qa8 waiting. If 1…f5 2.Ngxe3 fxe3 3.f4 or 1…Kxg2 2.Qg8+ Kh3/Kh1 3.Qg4/Qg1.

No.94 (LM8) Chess World Sept. 1 1950 No.496

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-vLn+-+( 7zpN+-+p+-' 6n+-+-+-+& 5sNp+p+-+-% 4-+-mk-zP-+$ 3+-+-+Pzp-# 2-+-mK-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x8)

Key 1.Bh4 threat 2.Bxg3 & 3.Bf2. If 1…Nb4 2.Nb3+ Kc4 3.N7a5 or 1…Nc5 2.Nc6+ Kc4 3.Nba5. If 1…Nd6 or Nf6 2.Bf6. Solvers’ comments: ‘Good key; neat self-blocking at b4 and c5 (FTH).’

No.95 (LM9) Chess World Jan.1 1951 No.534

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+p+-' 6-zpNzp-zPp+& 5+Kvlk+-sN-% 4-zp-+-zpP+$ 3+Pzp-+PzP-# 2-+P+P+-+" 1+-vL-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (11x9) Key 1.Be3 waiting. If 1…Bxe3 2.gxf4 B-any 3.e4 or 1…fxe3 2.f4 Bd4 3.Ne7 or Nxb4. If 1…fxg3 2.Bd4 any 3.e4 or 1…Bd4 2.Bxd4 fxg3 3.e4. Note 1.gxf4? Be3 2.Bxe3 stalemate. Now remove b4 and play 1.gxf4 Be3 2.Bd2! cxd2/Bxd2 3.c4/e4. In the actual solution the BB is decoyed.

No.96 (LM69) Chess World Feb. 1957 No.572

XABCDEFGHY 8-+N+-+-+( 7+-+-tR-+l' 6L+-+Pzp-+& 5tR-zpnmkr+-% 4-+-+-zp-+$ 3+Q+-+K+-# 2-vl-zP-+-vL" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x8)

Key 1.Rd7 threat 2.Qxd5. If 1…Kxe6/Kd4/Nc3/N-else/c4 2.Re7/Qxb2/d4/Qe3/Qe3. Solvers’ comments: ‘Unmask of black knight and half-pins very fine (M.Fox). A fine variation is the black correction 1…Nc3 completing the half-pin. Fully thematic key with switchback (T.Gallery). Interesting idea; the black knight is pinned thrice on its original square (W.Whyatt).’

No.97 (LM83) Chess World April 1961 No.772

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+rsn( 7tR-+-+-+l' 6-wQNzP-+kzp& 5+-+n+-+p% 4-+-+-+-zP$ 3mKp+-+-trL# 2-vL-+-+Rvl" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x10) Key 1.Qxb3 threat 2.Qd3. If 1…Nf6/Nc3/Nd-else/Re8 or Rf8 2.Ne5/Qe6/Ne7/Rg7. Not 1.Qd4? Nc3! Solvers’ comments: ‘Quite interesting (Scott). Splendid 3-stage defence by Knight (Whyatt). Selfpinning key, interesting variations by Knight (Lapin). Unpin of queen (Fox).’

No.98 (LM84) Chess World April 1961 No.773

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-snpzp-+-+& 5+-mk-snpwQ-% 4p+-vl-+-+$ 3zP-sN-vL-+-# 2LsN-+-+-zp" 1+-+-+-+K! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x9) Key 1.Bc4 waiting. If 1…Nbxc4/Nb-else/Nexc4/Ne-else/f4/Bxe3/d5 2.Nbxa4/Ncxa4/Nd3/Ne4/Ne4/Qxe3/Qe7. Set 1…Nb-any/Ne-any/f4 2.Nbxa4/Nd3/Nd3. Try 1.Be6? Nd5! Solvers’ comments: ‘Intricate changes in 3 variations (Fox). Splendid changes of play (Cox). Wonderful. Superb changes from a comparatively small force (Lapin). Mangalis shows his talent in these 2-ers (Whyatt).’

No.99 (LM80) Chess World April 1961

XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-+-+R+( 7+rsn-sn-+-' 6-+-+pzpp+& 5+-+L+-+R% 4q+-mk-mK-+$ 3zPP+PsN-zp-# 2Q+PsN-vL-vl" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy 26 Consecutive checks (12x11)

1.c3 Kc5 2.b4 Rxb4 3.axb4 Rxb4 4.cxb4 Qxb4 5.Qc4 Qxc4 6.d4 Qxd4 7.Ne4 Qxe4 8.Bxe4 g5 9.Rxg5 fxg5 10.Rxg5 e5 11.Rxe5 Nd5 12.Rxd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 gxf2. Solvers’ comments: ‘Splendid effort (FTH).’ (BM: I wonder what the world record is?)

No.100 (LM85) Chess World May 1961 No.735

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+PwQ-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5tR-zp-+P+-% 4-zpk+NtR-zp$ 3+pzP-+-+K# 2-zpr+-zP-+" 1+L+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x7) Key 1.Qg2 waiting. If 1…bxc3/Kd5/Kd3/Rxc3+/R-else 2.Nxc5/Rxc5/Qf1/Ng3/Rxc5. Set 1…Rxc3+ 2.Nxc3. Solvers’ comments: ‘An interesting changeover following the cross check (FR).’

No.101 (LM5) Chess (UK) March 1950

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+K+-+( 7+L+P+-+-' 6-+N+-+-+& 5zP-zp-vL-vlR% 4P+k+N+-tR$ 3+p+-wqQ+-# 2-zpptr-+-+" 1+-sn-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x9) Key 1.Bc3 threat 2.Ne5. If 1…Qd4/Qf4/Nd3/Kd5/Rd5/Bf4 or Bf6 2.Nd6/Nxd2/Qf7/Qf7/Ba6/Ba6.

No.102 (LM6) Chess May 1950

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-tr-+-+( 7zp-+rtRpvL-' 6K+P+-sN-wQ& 5sN-mk-+-+-% 4-+p+-vl-+$ 3+-zP-+-+-# 2-+-+R+Lwq" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x8) Key 1.Bf8 threat 2.R7e5. If 1…Bd6/Rd5/Rxe7Rxf8/Kd6 2.Qe3/Ne4/Nb7/Nxd7/Rxd7. LM: ‘Maskavas Tema + Bristols.’ Solvers’ comments: ‘Interesting (ARC). Key sets powerful battery (W.E.Caine). 1…Rd5 allows 2.Ne4 but stops 2.Nb7.’

No.103 (LM10) Al Hamishmar (Israel) 20/7/1951

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+Q+( 7+nzp-zP-+-' 6-+NzPP+K+& 5+-+-+N+P% 4-zpL+k+pzP$ 3vlp+-+pzPl# 2-+n+-vL-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (12x10) Key 1.Qh7 threat 2.K-any & 3.Nf-any. If 1…Bb2 2.Kh6 Bg7+ 3.Nxg7 or 1…Bc1 2.Kg7 Bh6+ 3.Nxh6. If 1…Nd4 2.Kf6 Nxf5/Nxd6/else 3.Qxf5/Nxd6/Nxd4 or 1…Ne3 2.Kg5 Nxf5/Nxd6/else 3.Qxf5/Nxd6/Nxe3. If 1…Nxd6 2.Nxd6+ cxd6 3.K-any.

No.104 (LM12) Die Schwalbe Oct. 1951

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+rtr( 7vl-+L+-tRp' 6-zp-vL-+-mK& 5+N+k+-+-% 4-+pzPp+pzp$ 3+-+N+-+-# 2-+n+n+-+" 1wQ-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x13) Key 1.Be7 threat 2.Nc7. If 1…Bb8/Rc8/cxd3/Nc3/Nxa1/exd3 2.Qxa8/Rg5/Qa2/Nf4/Nb4/Qh1. Tries 1.Ba3/Bb4/Bc5/Bh2/Bg3/Bf4/Be5/Bf8? Bb8/Nxa1/bxc5/g3/hxg3/Nc3/Rc8/Rxf8!

No.105 (LM13) The Hindu 14/10/1951

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-vL-+-tR( 7+-+-+-+-' 6psN-+-+p+& 5mk-zp-+-+-% 4Pzp-+-+p+$ 3+p+-+-+-# 2-zP-+-+-+" 1+-+-+K+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x7) Key 1.Rh4 waiting. If 1…g3 2.Nd5+ Kxa4 3.Nc3 or 1…c4 or g5 2.Rxg4 any 3.Rg5.

No.106 (LM14) Norsk Szakkblad Nov. 1951

XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-+-sn-+( 7+-zp-+l+-' 6Pvl-+-+-+& 5+-zpQ+-+R% 4-zPp+p+p+$ 3+psN-zP-zP-# 2-zP-tR-zPPmK" 1mk-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (12x11) Key 1.Kg1 threat 2.Rh1 & 3.Kh2. If 1…Ng6 2.Qxe4 any 3.Qb1. If 1…Ne6 or Bxh5 2.Qxc4 any 3.Qf1 or 1…Nd7 2.Qc6 any 3.Qa4. If 1…cxb4 2.Qa5+ Bxa5 3.Rxa5.

No.107 (LM15) Die Schwalbe Nov/Dec. 1951

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-mk( 7+-tR-+-+-' 6-+-+-sn-+& 5+-+-sN-+-% 4-+-+-+-mK$ 3zP-+-+-tR-# 2-+-+-+-wQ" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (6x2) Key 1.Qd2 waiting. If 1…Ng8/Nh7/Ng4/else 2.Ng6/Nf7/Qd8/Qh6 Tries 1.Qg2/Qf2/Qe2/Qc2/Qb2/Qa2? Nd7/Nd7/Ng4/Ne4/Nd7/Nd5! Also 1.Rg5/Rgg7/Rcg7? Nh5/Nd7/Ng4!

No.108 (LM16) Norsk Sjakkblad Dec. 1951

XABCDEFGHY 8-tR-+-+-+( 7+-+-tr-+-' 6-vL-+-+-+& 5zp-zP-+-snR% 4Pmk-zp-+LwQ$ 3+P+-+-+-# 2-+P+-+-+" 1mKN+-+-vll! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x7) Key 1.Bd1 threat 2.c3. If 1…Be4/Re4/Ne4/Re3 2.Qe1/Ba7/Bc7/Qxd4.

No.109 (LM17) Springaren Jan. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-tr-+( 7+-+pzp-+-' 6-+-+-+PvL& 5mK-wQ-sN-tr-% 4-sN-+-mkp+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-vlL+P+nzP" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x9) Key 1.Nc4 threats 2.Qxg5/Bxg5. If 1…d5/e5/Bf6/Be5/Bd5 2.Qf2/Qxf8/Qf5/Qxe5/Nxd5. Try 1.Nf7? Bf6!

No.110 (LM18) Springaren Jan. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8K+-+-+-+( 7+-+-vL-+-' 6-+psN-+-vl& 5+-zPn+-+-% 4n+-+-mk-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy White to draw (4x5) Main Line: 1.Bh4 Nxc5 (a) 2.Nf7 Bf8 (b) 3.Nd8 Nb4 4.Be7! Bxe7 5.Nxc6 Nxc6 stalemate. The other lines are (a) 1…Bf8 2.Nf7 Bxc5 3.Nd8 Nb4 4.Kb7=. 1…Bg5 2.Bxg5+ Kxg5 3.Nf7+ Kf5 4.Nd8 Nb4 5.Kb7=. 1…Kg4 2.Be1 Nxc5 3.Nf7 Be3 4.Nd8 Ne7 5.Bb4 & 6.Bxc5 Bxc5 7.Kb7=. (b) 2…Bg7 3.Nd8 Nb4 4.Be7 Bd4 5.Bxc5 Bxc5 6.Kb7=.

Tries 1.Nc8? Ke5! not 1…Nxe7 2.Nxe7 Bf8? 3.Ng6+ wins. Or 1.Nf7? Nxe7 2.Nxh6 Nxc5 3.Nf7 Ne6 4.Kb7 c5 5.Nd6 Ke5 6.Nc4+ Kd5! Black wins.

No.111 (LM20) BCM March 1952 No.8588

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+-zp-+& 5+-+-+Pzp-% 4-zp-+-+-+$ 3+K+-+-+p# 2R+-zpN+-wQ" 1+kvlrsnNvL-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (7x9) Key 1.Qh1 threat 2.Qe4+ Nc2/Nd3 3.Qxc2/Qxd3. If 1…Ng2 2.Bd4 Bb2 3.Nxd2. If 1…Nf3 2.Qxf3 any 3.Qd3 or Qe4. Tries 1.Qc7/Qd6/Qxh3? Ba3!

No.112 (LM21) Die Schwalbe March 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-vl-tR-+( 7+-snKzpN+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+pwQL+-+-% 4R+-sN-mk-+$ 3+-+-sn-+P# 2-+Ptr-zP-+" 1+-vL-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x7) Key 1.Be4 threat 2.Qe5. If 1…Ncd5/Rxd4/Ned5/Kxe4/Nc4 or Ng4 2.Ne6/Nd6/Ne2/Ng5/Qf5.

No.113 (LM23) BCM May 1952 No.8602

XABCDEFGHY 8-vl-+-+-wQ( 7+N+-+-tRn' 6-+r+q+-+& 5+-zpPmkrvLP% 4-+p+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+N# 2-zPL+-+nmK" 1+-+R+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (11x9) Key 1.Bd2 threat 2.Bc3. If 1…Kf6+/Kd4+ or Kxd5+/Qxd5/Rf4 or Rf3 2.Rc7/Bf4/Re7/Rg5.

No.114 (LM24) Die Schwalbe June 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-+-+-+( 7+-+-wQ-+-' 6Lzp-zp-zp-+& 5+r+-+N+K% 4-+kvl-sNp+$ 3zP-zp-zp-zPp# 2-+P+-+-+" 1+-+q+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x12) Key 1.Qd7 threat 2.Qxb5. If 1…Qb1 2.Qxd6 Be5/Bc5/Bd5/Qxc2 or Qd1/else 3.Nxe3/Qd3/Qxd5/Qxb4/Qxd4. Try 1.Qxd6? threat 2.Qb4, 1…Bc5!

No.115 (LM26) Bergens Schakklub 50th Jubilee Tourney Aug. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8Qwq-+-tr-+( 7+-+p+-+N' 6NzpnvL-zP-+& 5vl-+kzP-+-% 4r+-zp-+-+$ 3+-+P+KzpL# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (9x10) Key 1.Kf4 threat 2.Bg2+ Ke6 3.Ng5. If 1…Ra2 2.Nb4+ Bxb4 3.Qxa2. If 1…Rg8 2.Nc7+ Qxc7 3.Qxg8. If 1…Bd2+ 2.Kf5 any 3.Bg2.

No.116 (LM28) Die Schwalbe Sept. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8QmK-sN-+-vL( 7+-zpP+-+-' 6-zpR+-+pzp& 5+p+k+-zp-% 4-+-zp-+P+$ 3+ptr-+rsN-# 2Psn-+-zP-+" 1+-+-+-+L! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (11x12) Key 1.axb3 threat 2.Kxc7 Rxc6/Rc5/else 3.Qxc6/Bxf3/Rc4 or Rxc3. If 1…Na4 2.Kxc7 Nc5 3.Rd6. If 1…Nc4 or Rxb3 2.Ne6 any 3.Nxc7. If 1…Re3 2.fxe3 any 3.Bxf3. Tries 1.Kxc7? Nc4! 2.Ne6 Nd6 or 1.Bf6? Rc5! 2.axb3 Rc3 or 1.Rxc3?+ Kd6! 2.Bf6 Rxf6. Also 1.Nf7? Rxc6! 2.d8=Q+ Ke6.

No.117 (LM30) Die Schwalbe Oct/Nov. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8l+-vl-+-mK( 7+Q+-+-sn-' 6-zP-vL-+-+& 5zp-+n+-tR-% 4r+-+k+-+$ 3+Nzpp+-+R# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+L+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x9) Key 1.Qa6 threat 2.Qxd3. If 1…Nf4/Nb4 or Rc4/Ne3/Rd4 2.Re5/Qc4/Bf3/Nc5. Set 1…Nf5/N-else/d2 2.Rg4/Qh7/Bc2.

No.118 (LM31) Die Schwalbe Oct/Nov. 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8-wql+-+-+( 7vL-zpp+-+-' 6-tr-+Q+-+& 5+Nsnp+-tR-% 4p+-+N+K+$ 3tR-+Lmk-zp-# 2-+p+pvl-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x13) Key 1.Qh6 threat 2.Rg6. If 1…c6/Ne4/Nxd3/Nb3/Rxb5/d6+/Ne6 or Rxh6 2.Re5/Re5/Re5/Rxd5/Rxd5/Rf5/Bc2.

No.119 (LM34) Die Schwalbe March 1953

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-sNn+-+( 7zp-+N+-zPl' 6n+-+-+-+& 5tR-trk+-vlR% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+PzP-wQq+-# 2-+-+-+L+" 1+-mK-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x8) Key 1.Qf4 threat 2.c4. If 1…Qe4/Be4 or Bd3/Nd6 2.Qd2/g8=Q/Nf6.

No.120 (LM36) Die Schwalbe June 1953

XABCDEFGHY 8Q+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+p+-+-+& 5zPPmK-+p+-% 4-+PvL-zPp+$ 3+-+P+-zP-# 2-+-+P+Pzp" 1+-+-+L+k! xabcdefghy Mate in 6 (12x5) Key 1.Qa6 cxb5 2.Kb4 bxc4 3.Kc3 cxd3 4.Kd2 dxe2 5.Ke1 exf1=Q+ 6.Qxf1.

No.121 (LM37) Problem (Zagreb) 17/18 August 1953

XABCDEFGHY 8-mK-sN-tRL+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-vL-wQ-+l+& 5+-zpp+-+r% 4PsNkvl-+-+$ 3+R+p+-+r# 2P+-+Pzp-+" 1+-+-+-+q! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (11x10) Key 1.Rf4 threat 2.Qc5. If 1…Be4 2.Ndc6 Be5/Be3/Bd-else/else 3.Bxd5/exd3/Qxc5/Na5. If 1…Qe4 2.Nbc6 Be5/Be3/Bd-else/else 3.Bxd5/exd3/Qxc5/Na5. Try 1.Bc7? Be5! Cooked by 1.Nb7 threat 2.Na5, 1…Be5/Be3 2.Nc6/Bxc5. Fixed by adding WPb7.

No.122 (LM38) Springaren Aug. 1953

XABCDEFGHY 8-+K+-+-+( 7+-+p+-+-' 6-+-zP-+-wQ& 5+N+-+P+-% 4-+-+-zp-+$ 3+-vL-+-vl-# 2k+LzP-tr-+" 1+-+-+n+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x6) Key 1.Qh1 threat 2.Qd5 or Qa8. If 1…f3 2.Qg1 B-any/R-any/N-any 3.Qg8/Qa7/Qa1. 1…Rf3 2.Qxf3 threats 3.Qd5/Qa8. If 1…Rg2 2.Qxf1 threats 3.Qa1/Qb1/Qc4.

No.123 Chess Feb. 1950 No.1459

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+q+-vL( 7+L+rtR-+-' 6Q+-+-+lzp& 5+r+-+-+-% 4-zp-+-mkPzP$ 3+Rvl-+p+K# 2-+-zP-+-+" 1+-+-sN-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x9) Key 1.Qc6 threat 2.Qxf3. If 1…Rbd5 2.Qc4+ Rd4/Bd4/Be4 3.Be5/Rxf3/Qxe4. If 1…Rdd5 2.Qf6+ Bxf6/Bf5/Rf5 3.Rxf3/Qxh6/Nd3. If 1…Rd3 2.Nxd3+ Bxd3 3.Qxf3. If 1…Be4 2.Qxe4. Solvers comments: ‘Plachutta interference by BRs and BBs (C.S.Kipping).’ Cooked by 1.Qf6+ Rf5 2.Bg7 Qf8/Bxf6/else 3.Re4/Rxf3/Bxh6. Fixed by adding BNf8.

No.124 (LM42) Sahovski v Jestnik March 1952

XABCDEFGHY 8k+N+K+-+( 7+rzp-zp-+-' 6N+-+P+-+& 5+P+-+-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+L+-+-zp" 1+-+-+-+Q! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (7x5) Key 1.Kd7 waiting. If 1…c6+ 2.Kxc6 Rb8/Ra7/R-else 3.Nc7/Nb6/KxR or 1…c5+ 2.Qxb7+ Kxb7 3.Be4.

No.125 (LM43) L’Italia Scacchistica June 1953

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+p+-' 6-wQ-+-+-+& 5tr-+l+kzpK% 4-+p+p+-+$ 3+-+-zp-vL-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (3x8) Key 1.Qc7 threat 2.Qe5. If 1…Be6 2.Qe7 f6/Bd5/B-else/else 3.Qh7/Qe5/Qxf7/Qxg5. If 1…f6 2.Qd7+ Be6 3.Qh7 or 1…Ke6 2.Qd6+ Kf5 3.Qe5 or 1…B-else 2.Qxf7. Try 1.Qd6? Bc6! 2.Qe7 f6 or Be8.

No.126 (LM45) American Chess Bulletin Nov/Dec. 1953

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+L+-+( 7+-+KtR-+p' 6-+Nzp-+-sn& 5+-zpk+n+-% 4-+pvl-+-+$ 3+-zp-zpP+-# 2-+P+P+-+" 1+-+-+-tR-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (8x10) Key 1.Rxe3 threat 2.Re5+ B or dxe5 3.e4. If 1…Bxe3 2.Rg5 B-any/N-any 3.e4/Bf7 or 1…Nxe3 2.Rd1 Nf-any/Nh-any 3.e4/Bf7.

No.127 (LM47) Die Schwalbe July/Aug 1954

XABCDEFGHY 8N+-+-+-+( 7mK-+-mkP+-' 6R+-zp-+-+& 5+-+Q+-zp-% 4-+-+-+N+$ 3+-vL-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x3) Key 1.Ne5 threat 2.Qxd6. If 1…Kd8 or Kf6/Kf8/dxe5 2.f8=Q/Ng6/Bb4.

No.128 (LM48) Problem (Zagreb) June 1954

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+L+( 7+-+p+r+r' 6pwQ-sNn+-zp& 5+-+kvl-+R% 4-zPpsn-+-+$ 3+-zpl+psN-# 2-+-+P+-+" 1+-+R+-+K! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x11) Key 1.Nc8 threat 2.Qd6. If 1…Bf5/Rf5/Nf5/Ng5 2.Qb7/Qc5/e4/Ne7. Try 1.Ne8? Ng5! Anticipated by K.Wenzel Schach Echo 1933 2B5/r2rlp2/4nNlQ/1R2bklP/p4npP/K1N2bp1/4P3/5R2. Key 1.Ng8.

No.129 (LM49) Die Schwalbe Nov/Dec. 1954

XABCDEFGHY 8-+N+-tR-mK( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+-+p+-+& 5tr-+-mk-+n% 4-+-tR-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-sn-+-wQL+" 1+-vl-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (6x6) Key 1.Rg4 threat 2.Qd4. If 1…Nf4/Nf6/Be3/Bf4/Ra4/Rd5 2.Rg5/Qxf6/Qxe3/Qxb2/Qc5/Re4. Tries 1.Rb4/Rd8/Rd2/Rh4/Ne7? 1…Nc4/Rd5/Bxd2/Nf4/Rd5!

No.130 (LM52) Arbejder Skak (Denmark) March 1955

XABCDEFGHY 8-mK-+-+N+( 7+-+-vL-+-' 6Nzpkzp-+-+& 5trr+-zp-+-% 4P+-zp-+-+$ 3+-+Q+-+-# 2-+L+-+-+" 1+-tR-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x7) Key 1.Qg6 threat 2.Qxd6. If 1…Kd5/Kd7 2.Be4/Bf5 (Bristols), 1…Rd5 2.Qe8. Try 1.Qf5? threat 2.Be4 (Bristol), 1…Rd5/Rc5 2.Qc8/Nb4, 1…d3!

No.131 (LM56) Die Schwalbe July/Aug. 1955

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+p+-wQ-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5zp-+-+-+-% 4rzp-+N+-+$ 3zpPtr-+-+p# 2P+-mK-zp-zp" 1+-+-+Lvlk! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (6x11) Key 1.Qxb7 threats 2.Ng3/Nf2. If 1…Rc2+ 2.Kd3 Rc3+/Rd2+/Rc6 3.Nxc3/Nxd2/Ng3. If 1…Rd3+ 2.Kc2 Rc3+/Rd2+/Rf3 3.Nxc3/Nxd2/Ng3. Set 1…Rc2+/Rd3+ 2.Kxc2/Kxd3 any 3.Ng3.

No.132 (LM60) Die Schwalbe June 1956

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-tr-+-' 6-+-+-+-vL& 5+Q+-+L+-% 4r+-mk-sN-+$ 3+P+-+lmK-# 2-+-zP-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x4) Key 1.Nd3 threat 2.Qc5. If 1…Re4/Be4/Ra5 or Rc4/Re5/Rg7+/Rc7 2.Qd7/Be3/Qc4/Qxe5/Bxg7/Qe5 or Be3. Set 1…Re4/Be4 2.Qd5/Ne2.

No.133 (LM61) Die Schwalbe July/Aug. 1956

XABCDEFGHY 8r+-+ktr-+( 7+-+-+pzPK' 6-+P+-zP-+& 5+-+Nvl-+-% 4-+-+R+-+$ 3+-+n+-+-# 2-tR-+-+-+" 1+l+Q+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x7) Key 1.Qa4 threat 2.Qxa8. If 1…Rc8/Rd8/Ra-else/0-0-0/Rh8+ 2.c7/Nc7/Rb8/Qa6/gxh8=Q.

No.134 (LM62) Weekly Times 22/8/1956

XABCDEFGHY 8-+l+-+-+( 7+N+-+-+-' 6-sNR+p+Qzp& 5+-zp-mk-+-% 4K+-vl-wq-+$ 3+n+-+P+p# 2L+-tR-+-vL" 1+-+-tr-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x10) Key 1. Nd5 threat 2.Qh5. If 1…Be3+/Bd-else+/Kxd5/exd5/Rg1 2.Qe4/Bxf4/Rxc5/Qf6/Qe4. Set 1…Bd-any+ 2.Nc4.

No.135 (LM63) Weekly Times 29/8/1956

XABCDEFGHY 8-mK-+-+-+( 7+-+k+L+-' 6-+N+p+-+& 5zPpzp-zP-+-% 4-vLP+P+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-zP-+-+" 1tR-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (10x4) Key 1.Ra4 waiting. If 1…cxb4 2.cxb5 b3 3.Rd4 or 1…bxa4 2.Ba3 Kxc6 3.Be8. If 1…bxc4 2.Bc3 Kxc6 3.Be8.

No.136 (LM66) Probleemblad Nov/Dec. 1956

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-vLL+n+-' 6-+-+-+RwQ& 5+NmK-+-zp-% 4-+-zpk+-+$ 3tR-+-+-sn-# 2-+PzP-zP-+" 1+-+l+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x6) Key 1.Qf8 threat 2.Qa8. If 1…Nd8/Nd6/Ne5 2.d3/Re6/Nd6. Try A 1.Qg7? threat 2.Qxd4, 1…Ne2/Nf5/Ne5 2.f3/Bc6/Qxe5, 1…d3! Try B 1.Rxg5? threats 2.Qc6/Bc6, 1…Nxh6/Nxg5/Ne5 or Nd8 2.Bc6/Qc6/Re5, 1…Nd6! Try C 1.Rf6? threats 2.Bc6/d3, 1…Be2/Nd8/Ne5 2.Bc6/d3/Nd6, 1…Nd6!

No.137 (LM67) Weekly Times 9/1/1957

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-+-+-' 6-+K+-+-+& 5zp-+-vl-+-% 4k+-+N+-+$ 3zP-+-+-+-# 2p+R+-+-+" 1sN-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (5x4) Key 1.Rb2 threat 2.Nc5+ Kxa3 3.Rb3. If 1…Bxb2 2.Nc5+ Ka3 3.Nc2. If 1…Bd4 2.Rb3 B-any 3.Nc3/Nc5 (dual 2.Rxa2). If 1…Bd6 2.Nc3+ Kxa3 3.Rb3. If 1…Kxa3 2.Rb3+ Ka4 3.Nc5. Try 1.Rxa2? Bd4!

No. 138 (LM70) American Chess Bulletin Theme Tourney May/June 1957 1st HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-tRq+n+( 7+N+-sNP+p' 6-+p+k+-+& 5+-vl-zp-vLQ% 4-+-zP-+-+$ 3tr-tr-+-+l# 2-+p+-tR-mK" 1+-+-+L+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x11) Key 1.Qf3 threat 2.Bxh3. If 1… Rxf3/Bf5/Bg4/Qxf7/N-any/exd4 2.Bc4/Qxf5/Qxg4/Qxf7/Qf6/Qe4.

The Tourney Theme was: ‘A try closes a black line to set up a threat and the key also closes a black line (the same line or different one) to set up a threat.’ Try 1.Bd3? threat 2.Qxh3, 1…Rxd3/Bf5/Bg4/Qxf7/exd4/Nxe7/Nh6 2.Nxc5/Bxf5/Qxg4/Qxf7/Q or Re2/Rf6/Qxh6, 1…Nf6! Tries 1.fxe8=Q? exd4! or 1.Re2? Qxd8!

No.139 (LM79) Deutsche Schachzeitung Dec 1957 or Jan. 1958?

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+L+-+( 7+-vL-vl-+n' 6p+-+r+-+& 5mKP+-+-+-% 4-zpP+k+Pzp$ 3+-zp-zPNzP-# 2-+P+NzPP+" 1+R+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (14x8) Key 1.Rb3 threat 2.Nd2+ cxd2 3.f3. If 1…Rd6 2.Rxb4 Bf6 or Rd3/else 3.Bg6/Nxc3. If 1…Rf6 2.gxh4 Bd6 or Rxf3/else 3.Bc6/Ng3. If 1…Ng5 2.gxh4 Bd6/else 3.Bc6/Ng3. Tries 1.gxh4? Bxh4 2.Rxb4 Bxf2 or 1.Rxb4? Bxb4+ 2.Kxb4 a5+.

No.140 (LM82) Chess Life July 20 1959

XABCDEFGHY 8-vl-+-+-+( 7zp-+-+-+-' 6R+-zpNtRL+& 5+-zpkzp-snK% 4-+-zp-+-+$ 3+P+-+-+-# 2-+nwQP+-+" 1+l+-+N+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x10) Key 1.Nxd4 threat 2.Nxc2. If 1…c4/e4/cxd4/exd4/Nf3 or Nxe6/Ne4/Nc-any 2.Ra5/Rf5/Qa5/Qxg5/e4/Bf7/Ne3. Set 1…c4/e4 2.Qa5/Qxg5.

No.141 (LM86A) Problem (Zagreb) June 1961 No.1782

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7vl-+-+-+-' 6-+-zppzp-+& 5+-+-zp-+-% 4-+pzpKsn-tr$ 3+-+-+Q+p# 2-+-+ntr-+" 1+-+-wqk+l! xabcdefghy Helpmate in 4 (2x15) 1.Ng2+ Qf4 2.c3 3.Kd3 3.c2 Qh2 4.Nc3 Qxh1. But cooked by 1.Rg4 Qxh1+ 2.Rg1 Qh2 3.Rf3 Kxf3 4.Qf2+ Qxf2. Also 1.Qd1 Qxh1+ 2.Ng1 Qf3 3.Rg4 Qb3 4.Rg2 Qxd1.

(BM: This problem was discussed by Whyatt and Ravenscroft with LM. None got it sound. See Ravenscroft letters.)

No.142 (LM94) Sacha Pasaule Nov. 1962

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7tR-+-zP-+-' 6-+pzP-+-+& 5+pzPk+-mK-% 4-vL-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+N+-# 2-+-+-zP-+" 1+-sN-+L+-! xabcdefghy (a) Mate in 2 (10x3) (b) Turn board 90º clockwise (a) 1.e8=B waiting. If 1…Ke6/Ke4 2.Bf7/Bxc6. (b) 1.Bxe7 waiting. If 1…Kd4/Kf4 2.Bxf6/Bd6.

No.143 (LM101) Deutsche Schachzeitung July 1962

XABCDEFGHY 8-mK-mk-+-+( 7+p+-+-sNp' 6-zppzpLzP-zp& 5+-+-vL-+-% 4-sN-+-+-+$ 3sn-+-+-sn-# 2-+p+-+-wQ" 1+-wq-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (7x11) Key 1.Qh1 threat 2.Qxc6 bxc6 3.Nxc6. If 1…Qxh1 2.Bxd6 Nb5/Nf5 3.Be7/Bc7.

If 1…Nxh1 2.Kxb7 any 3.Nxc6 or 1…Ne4 2.Qh5 Nxf6/else 3.Bxf6/Qe8. Tries 1.Kxb7? Qh1! 2.Qxh1 c1=Q or 1.Bxd6? Qf4! 2.Bxf4 Nb5 or 1.Qg2? Ne4!

No.144 (LM102) Sahs (Riga) 1963

XABCDEFGHY 8-+N+-+nvl( 7+-+-+-+r' 6-zp-vL-+qtR& 5+P+kzp-zPN% 4-mK-+-+Q+$ 3+-zp-zP-+-# 2l+L+n+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (10x10) Key 1.Qf5 threat 2.Be4. If 1…Nf6/Ng3/Bb1/Qxf5/Qxd6+ 2.Qxe5/Nf4/Bb3/Nxb6/Rxd6. Try 1.Bf5? threat 2.Qe4, 1… Nf6/Ng3/Bb1/Qxf5/Qxd6+ 2.Be6/Qd1/Qc4/Nxb6/Rxd6, 1…Nxf4!

No.145 (LM106) Problem (Zagreb) 91/94 1964

XABCDEFGHY 8qtr-+-+-+( 7+P+-+-+-' 6-+-+-+-+& 5+p+-+K+-% 4-+-+-+-zP$ 3mk-+-+l+R# 2P+-vL-+-tR" 1+-snr+-sn-! xabcdefghy Helpmate in 2 (7x8)

1.Ka4 bxa8=N 2.Bb7 Nb6. But cooked by 1.Qa4 Be3 2.Bh1 Bc5.

No.146 (LM107) Deutsche Schachzeituing July 1965

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+Kzp-tRp' 6-+-zpPzp-zP& 5+-+P+k+-% 4-wQ-zPp+N+$ 3+-+-zP-+-# 2-zP-+PzpLzP" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (13x7) Key 1.Qe1 threat 2.Qxf2. 1…fxe1=Q 2.Nf2 Qxf2/Qxe2 3.Bh3/Be4. If 1…fxe1=N 2.Bh3 and 3.N moves. If 1…f1=Q 2.Qxf1.

No.147 (LM108) Weekly Times 1 Sept. 1965

XABCDEFGHY 8-sN-+k+-+( 7+-+-zP-+-' 6-+-zp-+K+& 5+-snN+-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+p+-+-# 2-+-vL-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (5x4) Key 1.Bh6 threat 2.Bf8 & 3.Nf6/Nc7. If 1…Nd7 2.Nc7+ Kxe7 3.Nc6. If 1…Ne6 2.Nf6+ Kxe7 3.Nc6.

No.148 (LM109) Weekly Times 8 Dec. 1965

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+-mk-+-' 6-+-tR-zp-vL& 5+-zPntr-+L% 4-+Q+p+RsN$ 3+l+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+nmK-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x7) Key 1.Qxe4 threat 2.Nf5. If 1…N1e3/N5e3/Rxd4 2.Qh7/Qb7/Rxd4.

No.149 (LM110) Sahs 1965 N.17

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-vL-vl( 7+-+p+Lwqp' 6-+-tRn+-mk& 5+-+p+K+-% 4-+-zP-+-+$ 3+-+-zp-wQ-# 2p+P+Pzp-sn" 1trl+-+R+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 2 (9x13) Key 1.Rh1 waiting. If 1…f1=Q+/f1=B/f1=N/Qxf8 2.Qf4+/Qh3+/Qxe3+/Qg6+ Qxf4/Bxh3/Nxe3/hxg6. Set 1…Nxf1 or Ng4/Nf3/Qxf8 2.Qxe3+/Qh4+/Qg6+.

No.150 (LM112) Sahs 1965 N.24

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-sNN+-sn( 7+-+-+-zpL' 6-+-+-+r+& 5zP-vL-mk-+-% 4KtR-+-+P+$ 3+P+ptrp+P# 2-zP-zp-zP-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (12x8) Key 1.Rb5 threat 2.Bxe3+ Ke4 3.Nd6. If 1…Re4+ 2.Bb4+ Kd4/Kf4 3.Bc3/Rf5 or 1…Rxg4+ 2.Bd4+ Kf4/Kxd4 3.Bxe3/Nc6. If 1…Rd6 2.Bxd6+ Kd4 3.Nc6 or 1…Rb6 2.Bxb6+ Kf4 3.Bxe3. If 1…Nf7 2.Bxe3+ Ke4 3.Bxg6. LM: ‘All pieces active in mating; each delivers mate.’

No.151 (LM113) Deutsche Schachzeitung Dec. 1965

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+R+-+p' 6-zp-+-+ltR& 5+Lmk-+N+-% 4K+-+-zp-+$ 3+p+-trp+-# 2-zP-+-sN-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x8) Key 1.Nd4 waiting. If 1…Re4/R-else/Be4/B-else 2.Nd3/Nxb3 or Ne6/Ne6/Rc6. Set 1…R-any/B-any 2.Nd3 or Ne4/Rc6. Try 1.Rd8? Be8!

No.152 (LM116) Deutsche Schachzeitung June 1966

XABCDEFGHY 8-+K+L+-+( 7+NzP-zP-+-' 6-vLR+-zpN+& 5zP-+k+-+-% 4-zP-+-tr-+$ 3zp-zP-trP+p# 2-+-+-+-wq" 1wQ-sn-+-vl-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (13x9) Key 1.Qb1 threat 2.Qf5+ Rxf5/Re5 2.c4/Qd7. If 1…Ree4 2.c4+ Rxc4 3.Rd6 or 1…Rfe4 2.Bf7+ Re6/Kxc6 3.Rc5/b5. If 1…Re5/Q-any 2.c4+ Rxc4 3.Rd6 or 1…Nd3 2.Qb3+ Rc4 3.Qxc4. Tries 1.c4+? Rc4 2.Rd6 Qxd6 or 1.Bf7+ Re6 2.Rc5+ Bxc5.

No.153 (LM117) Weekly Times 16 Nov. 1966

XABCDEFGHY 8-+N+Lvll+( 7+p+-+p+-' 6-tR-+-zPp+& 5+-zPk+-zP-% 4-zP-zP-zP-+$ 3+-+QzP-+-# 2K+-sn-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (12x7) Key 1.Re6 threat 2.Re5. If 1…Kxe6/fxe6/Nc4/Nf3/Bd6 2.d5/Nb6/Qe4/Qb3/Rxd6. Set 1…Ne4/N-else/Be7/Bd6/Bxc5/Bh7 2.Qb3/e4/Nxe7/Rxd6/dxc5/Bxf7.

No.154 (LM118) Weekly Times 7 Dec. 1966

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-zpp+-+-' 6-+-+-+R+& 5+-zPk+p+-% 4-+-zP-mKp+$ 3+-zP-+-+-# 2l+-snQ+-+" 1+-+R+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (7x7) Key 1.c6 threat 2.Qb5. If 1…dxc6/Bc4/Nc4/Ne4/Nb3 2.Qe6/Qe5/Qg2/Qxa2/c4. Try 1.Qb5? threat 2.c6, 1…c6/Bc4/Nb3 2.Rd6/Qxd7/c4, 1… Ne4!

No.155 (LM123) BCF Tourney No.114 Nov. 1967 Commended

XABCDEFGHY 8-+L+N+-+( 7+-tR-zp-vL-' 6rmk-+K+-+& 5zp-+PzP-+-% 4p+P+Qzpp+$ 3+-+pvlp+-# 2-tr-+-+q+" 1+l+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (9x13) Key 1.Bh6 threat 2.Qxe3+ fxe3 3.Bxe3. If 1…Bg1 2.d6 f2/else 3.Qd4/Qc6 or Qb7. If 1…Re2 2.Qg6 d2/else 3.Qxb1/Kxe7 or 1…Rb5 2.c5+ R or Bxc5 3.Rb7. Tries 1.Qg6? d2! or 1.d6? f2! Judge C.J.R. Sammelius: ‘Interference of two black pieces after critical moves. The position of B on g7 is not very happy.’ 8th in 47 entries.

No.156 (LM124) Deutsche Schachzeitung 2/8/1967 ??

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-wQn+-sN( 7wq-+-+-vL-' 6-+N+p+-+& 5+-+psnk+-% 4-tR-+-+-+$ 3+-+-zP-+P# 2-+-+-+-vl" 1+-+-+L+K! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x7) Key 1.Rg4 threat 2.Qg5. If 1…Nxg4/Qxg7/Qxe3/Bf4/Nf6 2.Bd3/Nd4/Ne7/Rxf4/Qxf6. Try 1.Qh4? threat 2.Qh5, 1…Qxg7/Qxe3/d4/N5-any/Bf4/Nf6 2.Nd4/Ne7/e4/Bd3 or Qg4/Q or Rxf4/Qxf6, 1…Nxg7! Focal points d4/e7.

No.157 (LM126) BCF No.121 Nov. 1969

XABCDEFGHY 8ksnR+-+-+( 7zpr+-zp-+-' 6l+-+-+-+& 5trpmK-+-+-% 4p+-wQLzp-+$ 3tR-+-+P+-# 2-zPP+P+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (9x1) Key 1.Kb4 waiting. If 1…e5 2.Qe3 fxe3 3.Kc3 b4 or 1…e6 2.Qd6 e5 3.Kc5 b4 (dual 2.Qd2 e5 3.Kc3 b4). Set 1…e5 2.Qd6 b4.

No.158 BCF Tourney No.121 Nov. 1969 5th Commendation

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+N+( 7+-+p+-+-' 6-zP-mk-vl-tR& 5+Ptr-+Pzp-% 4-wQ-+KzP-+$ 3+-zp-tR-vL-# 2L+p+-+P+" 1+-sN-+-+-! xabcdefghy Selfmate in 3 (13x7) Key 1.Kd3 waiting. 1…gxf4 2.Kxc2 fxg3 3.Kb1 c2. If 1…g4 2.Qd4+ Rd5 3.Ke4 Rxd4. Judge E.Holladay: ‘The mate following the WK march has a familiar look, but the switchback by the King in the second line of play and moves by line-pinned black units in both lines of play help to produce a satisfying result.’ (BM: Many of Laimons’ BCF Tourney problems that did not win an award are lost. It is estimated he sent 28 problems to these tourneys from 1936 to 1974.)

No.159 (LM128) Fink Memorial Tourney 5/2/1969 4th HM

XABCDEFGHY 8rvlqsn-+-+( 7+-+-zp-+L' 6-wQl+-+-+& 5+-+-+-vL-% 4-+Ptr-zPpsN$ 3sN-+Pmk-+-# 2-+R+Pzp-+" 1+-+R+Ksn-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (12x11)

Key 1.Qb2 threat 2.Qc1. If 1…Rd7/Rd6/Rd5 or e4/Rxf4/Rxc4/Rxd3/Nxe2/Nf3 or Bg2+ 2.Nf5/f5/Ng2/Qb6/Nxc4/Rxd3/Rxe2/Ng2. Try 1.Nb5? threat 2.Qxd4, 1…Ne6/Be5/Ba7/Nxe2/Nf3 or Bxb5 or Bg2+ 2.Nf5/fxe5/f5/ Rxe2/Ng2, 1…Qd7! Judge C. Mansfield.

No.160 (LM129) Fink Memorial Tourney 3rd HM

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+lsn-vl( 7+-+p+-trR' 6-+-zPpsNkzp& 5+-+-+q+N% 4-+-+-+pzP$ 3+-+-+Q+-# 2-+L+-+R+" 1mK-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x10) Key 1.Nxg4 waiting. If 1…Kf7/Kxh7/Kxh5/R or Nxh7/R-else/Q-any/e5/Bf7 2.Nxh6/Nf6/Rxh6/Ne5/Nf6/Rxh6/Qxf5/Nf6 or Rxh6. (LM gave an alternative: take off the BPe6 and add a WPd5. Key 1.Nxg4 threat 2.Qxf5.)

No.161 (LM130) South Africa 30/6/1967?

XABCDEFGHY 8-+rtR-vL-+( 7+-zPlsNP+-' 6-zP-+p+-wQ& 5zp-mk-+-+P% 4ptr-+-zP-+$ 3sN-zp-zp-+-# 2-+P+-+-mK" 1+-+R+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 3 (13x9) Key 1.Rd6 threat 2.Qg5+ Kxd6 3.Qe5. If 1…Rxb6 2.Rd5+ exd5 or Kb4 3.Nc6. If 1…Rd4 2.Rc6+ Bxc6 or Kb4 3.Nd5. If 1…Rb-else 2.Rc6+ Bxc6/Kb4/Kd4 3.Nxc8/Nd5/Rc4.

No.162 “Introduction to The Endgame at Chess” 1939 by P.W. Sergeant p.39 L. Mangalis 1936

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7mk-+-+-mK-' 6p+-+-+-+& 5+-+-+-+-% 4-+P+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-zP" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy White wins (3x2) 1.Kf6 Kb6 2.Ke6 a5 3.Kd5 a4 4.c5+ Kb5 5.c6 a3 6.c7 a2 7.c8=Q a1=Q 8.Qb7+ wins the Q. If 5…Kb6 6.Kd6 a3 7.c7 Kb7 8.Kd7 wins. But L.P. Flower in BCM 1942 p.14 found a flaw as 4.Kd4 wins easily, e.g. 4…a3 5.Kc3 Kc4 6.h4 or 4…Ka5 5.Kc3! a3 6.h4. PWS does not give the source.

Some Letters, Games and Research Arthur Willmott part letter 30/7/1985: …I first met him in 1949 a couple of weeks after he came to Adelaide… Early in 1981 LM showed me a problem that he had been working on for quite some time and had arrived at the position shown on diagram 1. He told me he was not happy with: 1. The BP at h7 (to prevent a cook 1.Ng6). 2. The c4 square being guarded by three pieces. 3. The B e6, he mentioned the Be6 could be replaced by a WP but the try would be lost. That means the Be6 is only there for the sake of the try, not taking part in the actual solution, so will have to try to overcome these faults. Diagram 1

XABCDEFGHY 8-vlltrrsN-+( 7+-+-+-+p' 6-+-+L+-+& 5+-+-+-wQ-% 4-+-mkPzp-+$ 3+P+-+P+-# 2KsN-zP-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (9x7) Some months later he showed me the result of his patience, diagram 2, the BP h7 removed, the c4 square guarded by only two pieces, and the B e6 now taking part in the solution – 1…Nd3 2.Rc4. This problem was published in The Problemist Nov. 1982, and I consider it to be one of his best 2-movers. Try 1.Bd7? Bxd7 2.Qd5 or 1…Rxd7 2.Ne6 or 1…e5 2.Qg1 but 1…e6! 2.?? Key 1.Rc3 threat 2.Qc5. If 1…Bd6/Bxe6+/Be5/Rd5/Ba7/Nxd3 2.Qd5/Nxe6/Qg1/Qxd5/Qg7/Rc4 The same three mates appear in both the try and the solution, but after completely different black defence moves. 1…Ba7 2.Qg7 and 1…Nd3 2.Rc4 are additional mates. See No.38 in Digital collection. This problem was not in LM’s five exercise books indicating many of his problems must have been in another lost book.

Diagram 2 is below. It was completed Sept. 1981 (8x8). It was just as economical – 16 pieces.

ABCDEFGH 8-vlltrrsN-+( 7+-+-zp-+-' 6-+-+L+-+& 5+-+-+-wQ-% 4-+-mkPzp-+$ 3+R+P+-+-# 2K+-zP-+-+" 1+-+-sn-+-! xabcdefghy In an earlier letter dated 26/3/1983 Arthur was making up diagrams of LM’s problems together with solutions which are now incorporated in my two LM problem books. But best of all he included a copy of a letter written by Laimons to him with a brief preface by Arthur: ‘…During my early days of problem composing Laimons was a great help to me, and after sending one of my first problems to him I received the following letter:’ Dear Mr Willmott, Thank you very much for the problem you have sent to me. Firstly the good news: I am pleased to see that you have a good fundamental idea of a problem. You have observed economy, not putting on the board any pieces not taking part in the problem. The key is good (though nothing exceptional) allowing a check. Now the bad news: There is a dual 1.Nc5 Re5 2.Qc4 or Qa2. A dual automatically cancels a problem, but this can be easily remedied by adding a black pawn at b5. The main shortcoming however is that the problem is rather elementary. The mates are not very spectacular or interesting, but the days of spectacular or super subtle keys belong to the past for the simple reason that this field has been almost completely exhausted. The main requirement of today’s modern problem is a theme, and there is a galore of themes – tries, change of mates, radical changes etc etc; this may sound to you like mumbo jumbo, but as you seem to be interested in composing I shall offer you a few hints so you can understand what I am talking about. Try to solve the enclosed problem No.1 (It is my problem that I have sent to The Problemist some time ago.) After having solved it, you may feel disappointed at not finding anything spectacular in it (unless you have spotted the theme). Examine closely the try and the solution. The try is 1.Bd7 threatening 2.Qd5 and 2.Ne6 (The old Nowotny theme in which white interferes with BR and BB creating two threats) 1…Rd7 2.Ne6, 1…Bd7 2.Qd5, 1…e5 2.Qg1; But 1…e6 2?

Solution 1.Rc3 threatening 2.Qc5;1…Be6 2.Ne6;1…Bd6 2.Qd5;1…Be5 2.Qg1. The theme is – The same three mates appear in both the try and the solution but after entirely different black defence moves. 1…Ba7 2.Qg7 and 1…Nd3 2.Rc4 are additional mates, but they are not thematic. When I started on the problem the first matrix I arrived at is shown in diagram 2 but I was dissatisfied with A. The BP at h7 (to prevent a cook 1.Ng6). B. The c4 square being guarded by three pieces. C. The Key. D. The main flaw – the Be6 which almost cancels the problem and you will see that the Be6 can be substituted by a white pawn; it would change the solution (Key 1.b4 but the try would be lost. It means that the bishop is there only for the tries sake, not taking part in the actual solution, and that is a very bad flaw, so I had to remedy it. In the final version the bishop takes part also in the solution: 1.Rc3 Nd3 2.Rc4 (the bishop guarding c4). I hope this will help you in a small way. Yours Sincerely L. Mangalis And this is the problem Arthur explained in his first letter dated 30/7/1985. This is a version of Arthur’s problem sent to Laimons:

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+N+l+( 7+-tR-zp-+-' 6-zp-+-+-vl& 5+-+k+-+r% 4-mK-zp-zp-+$ 3+-+N+-+-# 2-+-+Q+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (5x8) Key 1.Nc5 threat 2.Qe4. If 1…Re5/Bh7/bxc5+ 2.Qc4 or Qa2/Qe6/Rxc5. And it prompted Laimons to reply as earlier. Laimons commented: ‘A good problem with economical white force and no white pawns, but by moving the whole position one file to the left, replacing one BB with a N and removing 2 B pawns it reduces the number of pieces from 13 to 11. Result a saving of 2 pieces and an addition of two new variations. LM’

He then sent Arthur his altered problem which would have helped Arthur’s skills:

XABCDEFGHY 8-sn-sN-vl-+( 7+R+-+-+-' 6p+-+-+-+& 5+-mk-+-+r% 4K+p+-+-+$ 3sN-+-+-+-# 2-+-wQ-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (5x6) Key 1.Nb5 threat 2.Qd4. If 1…Rd5/Rh4/Nc6/Bg7/axb5+ 2.Qb4/Qg5/Ne6/Qd6/Rxb5. Amazing how Laimons was able to improve Arthur’s problem. At this time not long after Laimons’ death I wrote to Arthur re a proposed booklet on LM and also asked him how he composed: ‘You asked – do these just flit into my head – well not quite. The 2-er that I have been working on lately, I started with the ideal of trying a double half pin with perhaps a queen or rook sacrifice key. After some hours and about 30 odd sketches of all the different positions I had arrived at I’m almost satisfied with it, but instead of the double half pins it has finished up with 4 Novotny interferences on the one square, and that’s the sort of thing that seem to happen with quite a few of my problems… 8/2/1983.’ Arthur had many problems of Laimons’ and 41 of which had won distinctions and he had every one of LM’s Sunday Mail columns for the 23 years that he wrote for that paper. Laimons had made a great problem convert in Arthur who was a strong player. Gunars Berzzarins was a very strong chess player and friend of Laimons’. 1/11/1990 Dear Bob, I hope you do not mind being addressed like that although we have never met. John van Manen mentioned your name to me saying you were writing a book on Laimons and whether I could contribute a “pen picture”. Our contacts over the years have nearly all been in the field of chess. Here then are some jottings which you may use anyway you wish. 1. Latvia I first heard of him as the editor of the Latvian chess magazine “Sacha maksla” (The Art of Chess), which appeared between 1936 and 1940 (when the Red Army marched in). I

understand there were other editors. I do not have copies of that magazine. He had a reputation as a problemist, an area which never attracted me, therefore I can make no further comment. I first saw him during the 1939/1940 high school’s team championship of Riga, which L. was running. I cannot say “I met him”, as there was no opportunity for it, but I got the impression of a man in control of events. I think this was the only interschool chess tournament he organized and had been brought in to avoid some shortcomings in previous competitions. 2. Germany Over 100,000 Latvians left Latvia at the end of the World War II to get away from the dreaded Soviets, who had been the occupying force in 1940/1941. Some escaped to Sweden, the majority to Germany – where, after the war they were looked after by the UNRRA, later renamed the IRC, living mostly in Displaced persons’ camps. A very vigorous cultural, sporting and chess life flourished there in 1946 and 1947, before further migration (USA, Canada, Australia etc.) started. The Latvians ran individual camp tournaments, inter-camp matches, matches against local German clubs, championship of the British and American zones of occupation etc. The best players, such as Endzelins, Ozols, Zemgalis, Rankis and others were invited to top German tournaments (although ineligible for championships). The Latvians themselves organized international tournaments with the participation of highranking Germans and Displaced persons of various nationalities. The 1947 Latvian championship of the British zone was run in haste and L. qualified for the final, where he tied for third. The tournament story in the Latvian chess magazine in Germany “Sacha Pasaule” (Chess World) published by me and two friends (both now in the USA) mentions his “wit and optimism creating good camaraderie among the players”. 3. Australia After two years at the Bonegilla Migrant camp I moved to Adelaide and took a position in the office of Adelaide Can Service, where later I was joined by Lucijs Endzelins and L. In chess this would have undoubtedly been the strongest Austin dealership in the country! I soon moved on, but we played together in the newly formed Matisons club, which began to win interclub championships regularly. L. never won a major tournament in Adelaide, although he always was a dangerous opponent. I think his real loves were problems and chess journalism. When I relinquished writing chess for “The Advertiser” to take over basketball, I recommended L. After all, he had already run a magazine when I was just pushing pawns. The Chief of Staff accepted the recommendation and thus began L.’s long association with the “Advertiser” later as chess columnist with the “Sunday Mail”, which he prepared up to his untimely death. I found him as a person thorough, painstaking, good organizer, one who would hold firm views and maintain them in the face of stiff opposition. He had a good sense of humour, was a highly strung extrovert, a heavy smoker.

Thinking more about his tournament chess I wonder whether it was his artistic inclination which over the board was often not a match for a more practical opponent. …If there is anything else you want to know about L. among the Latvian chess players, do not hesitate to ask – I will try my best to find the answer. Unfortunately most of his chess compatriots are no longer with us – Endzelins, Purkalitis, Janelaitis… Yours sincerely Gunars Berzzarins PS. In 1957 I published a book in Latvian on the 1956 Olympic Games. I asked L. to read through the MS, which he did and made a number of helpful hints and criticisms. Gunars replied 19/1/1991 and he corrected a lot of name spellings in the LM manuscript and added: ‘Just a comment: both LM and I were happy to see JUNIOR chess develop in Adelaide; when we arrived, chess was regarded as an old men’s game. Bowman and Berriman were two brilliant youngsters, but only exceptions to the rule. SA junior championships were held, but progress came with the start of chess in schools, i.e. interschool tournaments.’ The late Karlis Ozols, former Australian Chess Champion wrote a nice letter on 30/6/1983: Dear Mr. Meadley, Yes I knew Laimons quite well from Latvia. I played my first ever tournament game against Laimons in some club championship. Later we both played for our University Chess Clubs, I with the firsts, Laimons with the seconds. On your questions:1. The name was ‘Crosswords, Chess and Bridge’ and Mangalis was editor till 1940. 2. From 1936-1940 he was co-editor with A. Melnbardis, J. Tride and D. Koblencz “Sacha Maksla” (Art of Chess). 3. Mangalis was actor in the Latvian Chess Federation, but never played in our national team, or been selected as non playing captain. 4. After the War in Lincoln USA was published by A.Liepniiks, the Latvian Chess Magazine “Sacha Maksla”. Laimons took part as Editor of the Problem Section. In Germany, I think was published after the War a Latvian Chess Magazine with the same name ‘Sacha Maksla”, but I could not tell if Laimons took any part in it. 5. I do not know who taught Chess to Laimons but Chess was very popular in Latvia and in 1924 in Paris Olympiad Latvia won the Gold Medal and Silver Medals I.H. Matison and Fr.Apscheniiks. Third was Max Euwe. Laimons was prominent in Chess already as a schoolboy. Laimons’ chess playing strength was equal to average Australian Grade A player. 6. The cold winters and dark nights give Latvian boys not much choice for sports so Chess was very popular. Chess was played in the Primary and Secondary Schools, and very much in the University. Even our girls played Chess. Milda Lauberte, first wife of Lucijs Endzelins won the fourth place 1937 Stockholm in the Ladies Championship. Sorry I do not know Laimons’ family. I have some contact with Laimons in Adelaide as he worked for ‘Adelaide Advertiser’ and ‘Sacha Masla’ in the USA, and asked from me some Chess news. We played together in the H.Matison Memorial Tournament in Adelaide won by L.Steiner.

Laimons was a quiet man, and was a very good bridge player too. In Adelaide he played for H.Matison Chess Club. Latvian. I hope my information will help you. With kind regards yours faithfully K.Ozols. (BM: Some of the letter was put in the biography.)

Laimons’ chess history My good chess friend the late John van Manen (1922-2000) wrote up Laimons’ chess history from the SA Chess Bulletin: 13/12/1962-12/1963 Publicity Officer of the SACA, Committee Member and President Matisons Club (K.Lidums Sec) 1/1964-12/1973 Auditor SACA 1965 SA Delegate to the ACF 1963 Vytis Invitation Lightning Tourn. Group 2 -=3rd 5/8 Interclub (Matisons) Rd 1 1/0 (H.Helmsko) Rating 1964 1870 (14/16) 1964 Interclub Bd 2 Rd 1-Bye, Rd 2 lost to Dr.R. Condon,Rd 3 Lost to I.Zorich, Rd4 won from B.Foster,Rd 5 drew with R.Arlauskas,Rd 6 won off B.Leach, Rd 7 Won off B.Kazanski,Rd 8 Won off W.Opulskis, Rd 9 Won off L.Zoldi, Rd 10 Won off G.Bienert, Rd 11 Won off P.Sanders. +7=12 (75%) SA Lightning Chess Class 1 8/11 (3 rd) Finals 1½/5 (5th) SA Championship Oct. 1964 4th 7/11 Matisons CC 10/14 (=2nd) 1965 Feb. issue page 24 (Vol.3 No.2) “Laimons Mangalis, the new delegate to the ACF, is a strong A grade and lightning player for Matisons Club. He has achieved international fame as a problem composer. As the chess columnist for the Sunday Mail he has brought chess into South Australian homes for many years. As the chess reporter for the Advertiser he is a familiar figure at all tournaments. He is never too busy to help junior players with his knowledge and advice”. Game against S.Warwyck p.10 LM won in 43 March: Rating: Mangalis 1980. Koshnitsky 2120, Endzelins 2290, Arlauskas 2030, L.Hort 2130, J.Hortovanyi 2000, F.Sulik 2300, G.Berzzarins also 1980, i.e. Mangalis 7/8th place. April: Ratings revised: Mangalis now 1960 (9/11th place) Matisons Open Lightning Tourney 1.Lucius Endzelins 14½/16 Mangalis 2nd 10/16 Interclub Brd 1 & 2 Rd 1 1-0 D.Hoster, Rd 2 1-0 Boris Kazanski, Rd 3 1-0 J.Hickman, Rd 4 1-0 P.Sanders, Rd 5 1.0 D.Keane, Rd 6 0-1 L.Skulte, Rd 7 0-1 B.Foster, Rd 8 0-1 I Zorich Rd 9 Bye Rd 10 1-0 C.Manhood +6-3=0 Matisons won the A Grade Competition (for 9th time!) Lightning (SA) Teams Championship 9/11/1965 Mangalis Matisons Team 3rd +9=2-3 LM was =3rd in the Matisons Open Lightning Tourney in May (F.Sulik won) G.Koshnitsky won Knockout Tourney from LM. LM 5th in SA Championship State Lightning Championship 9/11/1965 Mangalis 4th +6=0-4 1966 Ratings: Mangalis 1880 (10th in top 27)

Festival of Arts Lightning Tourney 22/3/1966 Mangalis prelim 1 2nd 5/7 Final ½ with J.Hortovanyi 4/5 Interclub Bd 2 (A ‘Swiss’) Rd 1 ½-½ A.Kind, Rd 2 ½-½ P. Kalinovsky, Rd 3 1-0 A.Janelsitis, Rd 4 1.0 A.E. Miller, Rd 5 ½-½ A.Cuntala, Rd 6 1-0 forfeit, Rd7 ½-½ W.Cornish, Rd 8 ½-½ D.Deane, Rd 9 1-0 C.Hudson, Rd 10 10 T. Toricj, Rd 11 ½-½ S.Warwyck,Rd 12 ½-½ R Arlauskas, Rd 13 1-0 C.Hudson, Rd14 0-1 J.Riches +6=7-1 (a bit more peaceful than in 1965! JvM!) Simul Carnival 17/9/1966 Mangalis +16=3-1 (several games adjudicated) LM’s rating 1900 at end 1966 1967 Mangalis auditor of the SA Junior Chess League 24/2/1967 (already since 1965) Also 1968. Grade Matches:-Board 1 Rd 1 absent; Rd 2 0-1 Les Horton, Rd 3 ½-½ A Janelsitis,Rd 4 0-1 D.Hester, Rd 5 1-0 P.Sanders,Rd 6 0-1 B Kazanski 0-1, Rd 7 0-1 L.Endzelins 0-1 +1=1-4 (Board 1 was tough) Matisons fielded a weak team and did badly.2nd last. SA v Qld Brd 8 Mangalis vs H.Lilburn 1-0 23 moves. Game available. He did not play in the State Lightning Tourney. Nor in the SA v Vic match semi-finals. Matisons did not field a team in the inaugural Pennant Teams Competition. 1968 His rating dropped to 1810. Grade Matches Brds 2/3 Rd 1 0-1 P.Kalinovsky, Rd 2 ½-½ I. Skulte, Rd 3 1-0 J.Hatch, Rd 4 ½-½ A.Hind, Rd 5 1-0 R Birbeck, Rd 6 0-1 R.Arlauskas, Rd 7 Bye, Rd 8 0-1 A.Hind, Rd 9 Bye again! +2=2-3 He played in the State Lightning Championship 13/9/1968 Prelim 6.5/10 (7th) Lightning Tourney 21/11/1968 Group 1 6/9 consolation 3/5 1st/2nd 1969 Grade Matches A Grade Rd 1 did not play, Rd 2 ½-½ H.Bernick Jr, Rd 3 1-0 J.Szeremenda, Rd 4 1-0 L.Skulte, Rd 5 0-1 J.Hortonvanyi, Rd 6 did not play, Rd 7 1-0 G.Pilkington, Rd 8 Did not play, Rd 9 1-0 A.Jameison +4=1-4 Mattisons 2nd Pennant Team Matches Rd 1 ½-½ R. Jasinski, Rd 2 0-1 W.England ,Rd 3 did not play, Rd 4 ½-½ A Jameison, Rd 5 did not play, Rd 6 did not play, Rd 7 1-0 S.Beda +1=2-1 Mattisons 1st 1970 Mangalis now rated 1730 (going down). Grade Matches 4th brd Rd1/2/3 did not play, Rd 4 1-0 P.Burnett, Rd 5 1-0 A. Bevan, Rd 6 did not play, Rd 7 1-0 R. North, Rd 8 did not play, Rd 9 did not play. +3=0-0 (On bottom board!) Pennants (Sept) Rd 1 0-1 W. England, Rd2/3/4/5/6 did not play, Rd 7 1-0 W. Anthoney +1=0-1 Mattisons ¾ In Sept. 1970 Laimons finished 2nd in the SA State Championship to F.Sulik. He was only a half point behind but lost his game to Frank S.

1971 Grade Matches:- Ist level Rd 1 1-0 J.Riches, Rd 2 ½-½ R. Cowley, Rd 3 0-1 R.Arlauskas, Rd 4 ½-½ A Naco, Rd 5 ½-½ C.Hudson, Rd 6 0-1 F.Sulik, Rd 7 1-0 N. Vassilaropolous (later just Vass) Rd 8 P. Kalinovsky, Rd 9 ½-½ P. Sanders +2=4-3 G.Koshnitsky played for Adelaide 1 but not against Matisons. Pennant Rd 1 0-1 P.Kalinovsky, Rd 2/3 did not play, Rd 4 ½-½ L Skulte, Rd 5 ½-½ F. Sulik, Rd 6 did not play Rd 7 ½-½ C. Hudson +0=3-1 His rating was 1840 and he was the 10th best player in SA. 1972 His rating was 1780 and he was 15th. Grade:- Rd 1 1-0 A Naco, Rd 2 0-1 F.Sulik, Rd 3 Bye, Rd 4 1-0 N.Vass…, Rd 5 1-0 P.Kalinovsky, Rd 6 1-0 R.Hickman, Rd 7 ½-½ R.Cowley, Rd 8 1-0 R.Arlauskas, Rd 9 0-1 P.Sanders, Rd 10 0-1 D.Hester Sept 1972 Pennants:-Rd 1 1-0 K Walsh, Rd 2 ½-½ F.Sulik,Rd 3 0-1 A.Goldsmith, Rd 4 ½-½ N.Vass, Rd 5 ½-½ P.Sanders, Rd 6 ½-½ P.Kalinovsky 1973 May Grade Tourney:- Rd 1 LM vs P.Kalinovsky 1-0,Rd 2 vs B.Stokes 0-1, Rd 3 Vs P.Sanders 1-0 Rd 4 vs R.Arlauskas 0-1,Rd 5 vs N.Vass… 1-0, Rd 6 vs D.Hester 0-1F Rd7 vs F.Sulik ½-½,Rd 8 vs R.Hickman 0-1, Rd 9 vs T.Blackford 0-1 Oct. 1973 Pennants:- Rd 1 did not play, Rd 2 vs R.Cowley 1-0, Rd 3.vs P.Kalinovsky½-½ Rd 4 P.Sanders ½-½ 1974 LM’s Rating was 2040 (New ELO Rating system lifted all ratings) Grade Matches:-Rd 1 vs P.Kalinovsky 0-1,Rd 2 vs P.Sanders 0-1,Rd 3 vs R.Arlauskas 0-1,Rd 4 vs H.Clieves 0-1,Rd5 vs D.Hester ½-½, Rd 6 D.Glynn 0-1F, Rd 7 vs F.Sulik 0-1, Rd 8 vs R.Hickman ½-½. (A terrible Grade series for LM.) Pennants:- Rd 1 vs R.Hickman 0-1, Rd2 v N.Vass… 0-1, Rd 3 v G. Santucci 1-0. Rd 4 vs C. Cloudsdale ½-½, Rd 5 did not play. There were no individual results published in 1975 His rating was 1965 (BM: Apologies for any misspelt names.)

Games from the Adelaide Invitational Tourney 1953 A Mangalis chess game – Laimons wins The Adelaide Invitational Tourney at Matisons Chess Club Nov. 1953. C.J.S. Purdy came down with a virulent flue in the 4th round and met Laimons in the 6th. CJSP did score 4/6 in the remaining Rounds 7-12 as well as a win in Round 5 when he defeated Karlis Ozols. Purdy called the tourney ‘his worst performance in 20 years’ and would not withdraw as he did not believe in it. He even wrote that his play in Rounds 1-4 was ‘poor’. Lajos Steiner won from Endzelins. Laimons finished second last but with wins over John Hanks and Purdy and 2 draws with Purkalitis and Lidums. John van Manen wrote, ‘I feel the game should be included in a Mangalis bio. It is always quite a feat to beat Cecil, whether he is in top form or not.’ Round 6, Purdy (White) – Mangalis (Black) 1.d4 d5 25.h3 Nc4 2.c4 e6 26.Qd3 g6 3.Nc3 Nf6 27.Qd4 Qd6 4.Nf3 c5 28.Bd3 Nb6 5.cxd5 Nxd5 29.Be4 Rc8 6.e4 Nxc3 30.Bf3 Rc4 7.bxc3 cxd4 31.Qe3 Rc2 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 32.Rc1 Rxa2 9.Bd2 Qa5 33.g3 Nc4 10.Bc4 b5 34.Qe8+ Kg7 11.Bd3 0-0 35.Qc6 Qf6 12.0-0 Bxd2 36.Qxf6+ Kxf6 13.Nxd2 Nc6 37.Re1 Ne5 14.Nb3 Qb6 38.Bg2 Nc4 15.Qe2 a6 39.Re8 Nd6. 16.Rad1 Rd8 40.Rb8 a5 17.Bb1 Bb7 41.Rb6 Ke7 18.d5 Ne5 42.Ra6 a4 19.dxe6 Qxe6 43.Ra7+ Kd8 20.Nc5 Qb6 44.Ra6 Kc7 21.Nxb7 Qxb7 45.Rc6+ Kd7 22.Rd5 Qe7 46.h4 b4 23.Rfd1 Rxd5 47.Rb6 b3 24.exd5 Re8 48.Kf1 b2 White resigns.

A real Crowl game – Laimons loses Laimons was on the receiving end this time from Frank Crowl (1902-1964), one of Australia’s strongest players. C.J.S. Purdy wrote the game up in Chess World 1954 June p.143: ‘Characteristic wins by Crowl are all too rare nowadays, but here is one. By the way, somebody once wrote to us saying it was wrong to call Crowl “the Australian Nimzovich” – he didn’t understand what we meant, namely, that Crowl was to Australia what Nimzovich was to the world. From the Adelaide Invitational Tourney.’ Round 11, Mangalis (White) – Crowl (Black) Giuoco Piano (notes by CJSP) 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 People sometimes ask how ‘Giuoco Piano’ ought to be pronounced. Avoid clumsily saying it in four syllables but on the other hand it is pedantic to give the exact Italian sound – near enough is “Joko” but sounding the ‘J’ as in French e.g. “j’adoube”. And of course “Piano” like the direction in a musical score to play softly. 4.0-0 d6 5.c3 Bb6 6.d4 Qe7 7.d5 Nd8 8.a4 a6 9.a5 Ba7 10.Bd3 f6! Having got all his pieces practically on his back row, Crowl feels happy and launches an attack. 11.b4 g5! The difference between White’s pawn-storm and Black’s is that Black’s is getting somewhere – because White has castled early, a traditionally unwise policy in this opening. 12.Be3 Bxe3! Nonchalantly opening a file for White’s Rook, because he sees White cannot use it to advantage. 13.fxe3 h5!! 14.c4 h4 15.Be2 g4 16.Nfd2 Qg7 17.Nc3? Qg5 White now makes an oversight that loses a pawn, but Black’s position is probably strong enough to build up a win from anyway. One of those exceptional games in which it is good to build your attack first and develop afterwards. It came about because White closed the centre with Pd5 and also used up time with dubious pawn moves. The rest is not without interest. 18.Ra3 Qxe3+ 19.Kh1 Qg5 20.Na4 Ne7 21.c5 Nf7 22.cxd6 Nxd6 23.Rc3 f5 24.exf5 Nexf5 25.Bxg4 Ng3+! 26.Rxg3 hxg3 27.Bxc8 Rxh2+ 28.Kg1 Qe3+ 29.Rf2 Qxf2 mate. (BM: Amazing game. Black hasn’t moved his Queen Rook, Queen Bishop or King.)

Further games from the Adelaide Invitational Tourney 1953 Round 3, John Hanks (White) – Laimons Mangalis (Black) 1.d4 d5 13.bxc3 b5 25.Be5 f6 2.c4 e6 14.Bb3 Bb7 26.Bd4 Qc7 3.Nc3 Nf6 15.0-0 c5 27.e5 f5 4.Bg5 Be7 16.c4 b5xc4 28.Bb2 Bb7 5.e3 0-0 17.Bxc4 c5xd4 29.f3 g5 6.Nf3 c6 18.Nxd4 Nb6 30.h3 h5 7.Qc2 h6 19.Bb3 aRc8 31.eRd3 Bd5 8.Bh4 bNd7 20.Qb1 Ba6 32.Kh1 g4 9.Rd1 d5xc4 21.fRe1 Bb4 33.f3xg4 h5xg4 10.Bxc4 Nd5 22.Re3 Nc4 34.Rg3 Qh7 11.Bg3 Qa5 23.Bxc4 Rxc4 35.Kg1 Kf7 12.e4 Nxc3 24.Nb3 Qb6 36.h3xg4 Qh4 Terrific game by Laimons. Round 2, Laimons Mangalis (White) – Lucijs Endzelins (Black) 1.e4 d6 13.Rb1 Be6 25.Rbb2 Rd1+ 2.d4 Nf6 14.b3 Qa5 26.Rf1 Bc4 3.Nc3 g6 15.0-0 Rad8 27.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 4.Bc4 Bg7 16.b4 Qb6 28.Kf2 f5 5.Nge2 0-0 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 29.Nd2 Bd5 6.Bg5 Nxe4 18.Bd3 Qc7 30.a4 Kf7 7.Nxe4 d5 19.f4 Qd7 31.a5 Kf6 8.Bd3 dxe4 20.Ng3 Bxd4 32.Nf1 e5 9.Bxe4 c6 21.cxb4 Qxd4+ 33.fxe5+ Kxe5 10.c3 Nd7 22.Qf2 Qxf2+ 34.Ng3 h5 11.Bc2 Nf6 23.Rxf2 Rxd3 35.h3 h4 12.Qd2 Qb6 24.Ne4 Rfd8 36.Ne2 g5 Laimons was not in the hunt. Round 4, Laimons Mangalis (White) – P.Purkalitis (Black) 1.e4 e6 13.Nb3 Nh5 25.Qxc7+ Bxc7 2.d4 d5 14.g3 dRe8 26.g4 Nf6 3.exd5 exd5 15.Nc5 Qb6 27.Nxf7 Rf8 4.Bd3 Bd6 16.Nxe6 Rxe6 28.Ne5 Kc8 5.c3 Nf6 17.hRe1 Qc7 29.Ng6 Rf7 6.h3 h6 18.c4 dxc4 30.Ne7+ Kd7 7.Qc2 c6 19.Bxc4 Re7 31.Nf5 Ne4 8.Be3 Be6 20.Bd2 dNf6 32.Be3 h5 9.Nf3 Qc7 21.Rxe7 Qxe7 33.f3 Ba4 10.bNd2 bNd7 22.Re1 Qc7 34.Re2 Nd6 11.0-0-0 0-0-0 23.Ne5 Nd5 35.Nxd6 Kxd6 12.Kb1 Kb8 24.Bxd5 cxd5 36.f4 hxg4

37.Qd3 Rxg4 38.Rxg4 Qxg4 39.g3 Rg8 40.Kf2 Rh8 41.Rg1 Rh2+ 42.Ke3 Qf3+ 43.Kd4 Qxd3+ 44.Kxd3 Rxb2 45.g4 Bxb3 46 axb3 White resigns

37.Nc3 Rd3 38.Na4 g4 39.hxg4 fxg4 40.Nc5 Rg3 41.Kf1 Ra3 42.Nxb7 g3 43.b5 h3 44.Rb1 hxg2+ 45.White resigns

37.hxg4 g6 38.Kc2 Rh7 39.f5 gxf5 40.gxf5 Bc7 41.Bf4+ Kd7 42.Be5 Rf7 43.f6 Bd8 44.Bb8 Rxf6 45.Bxa7 Ra6 Draw (further moves obscure)

Round 10, G.Berriman (White) – Laimons Mangalis (Black) 1.e4 e4 16.dxc4 Bc5+ 32.Rfd1 Ke7 2.Nf3 Nc6 17.Kh1 0-0 33.Kf3 Bf5 3.Bb5 Nd4 18.e5 Ng4 34.Rxb8 Rxb8 4.Nxd4 exd4 19.Ne4 Bb4 35.Nxf5 gxf5 5.0-0 c6 20.Bd2 Bxd2 36.Rd6 Rb2 6.Bc4 Nf6 21.Nxd2 Rfd8 37.Rxc6 Rxa2 7.Re1 d6 22.Ne4 a6 38.Rc7+ Ke8 8.c3 b5 23.h3 Nh6 39.Kg3 a5 9.Bf1 Qb6 24.Nd6 Nf5 40.Ra7 a4 10.Qc2 Bd7 25.Rad1 Ng3+ 41.Kh4 Rxg2 11.cxd4 Qxd4 26.Kh2 Nxf1+ 42.Rxa4 Kf8 12.d3 Qe5 27.Rxf1 Be6 43.c5 Rc2 13.f4 Qc5+ 28.b3 bxc4 44.Kg5 Rxc5 14.Qxc5 dxc5 29.bxc4 Rab8 45.Kxf5 Rc6 15.Nd2 c4 30.Rb1 Kf8 46.Ra3 Rg6 31.Kg3 g6 47.Ke4 Kg7 Round 8, Lajos Steiner (White) – Laimons Mangalis (Black) 1.d4 d5 8.a3 b5 15.Bh6 Re8 2.Nf3 e6 9.Ba2 Bd6 16.Ne4 Nf6 3.c4 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 17.Qe2 Nxe4 4.Nc3 dxc4 11.Bg5 Be7 18.Bxe4 Bxe4 5.e3 c5 12.Rc1 Bb7 19.Qxe4 Nd7 6.Bxc4 cxd4 13.Bb1 Nd5 20.Qb7 Nf6 7.exd4 a6 14.Qc2 g6 21.Ne5 Qb8 Round 7, Laimons Mangalis (White) – K.Ozols (Black) 1.e4 e6 14.Nd2 b5 27.Rh2 bNd2+ 2.d4 d5 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 28.Ka2 Ne4 3.e4xd5 e6xd5 16.a3 0-0 29.g4 eNd6 4.Bd3 Nc6 17.f4 Bxd3 30.Qg3 Re7 5.c3 Bd6 18.Qxd3 aRb8 31.Qh4 f5xg4 6.Qc2 Bg4 19.Nf3 Na5 32.Rxg4 Nf5 7.Be3 gNe7 20.h4 Nc4 33.Qh3 Nh6 8.h3 Bh5 21.h5 bRe8 34.Rg5 Qxh3 9.Nd2 Bg6 22.Ng5 f5 35.Rxh3 Rf6 10.0-0-0 Qd7 23.Nf3 Nc6 36.Rf3 Nf7 11.Nb3 b6 24.Ne5 c6Na5 37.gRg3 Nd3 12.Ne2 a5 25.Kb1 Qe6 38.Nc1 Nd2 13.Bf4 a4 26.dRg1 Nb3 39.Rd3 Ne4

48.f5 Rg1 49.Kf4 Kf8 50.f6 Rf1+ 51.Rf3 Rg1 52.Kf5 Ke8 53.Re3 Kd7 54.Rd3+ Ke8 55.Rd6 Re1 56.Rd5 Rh1 57.Ra5 h5 58.Ra8+ Kd7 59.Rf8 Rxh3 60.Rxf7+ Ke8 61.Rh7 Rh1 62.e6 Black resigns

22.Qf3 Qd6 23.Bg5 Kg7 24.Qf4 Rac8 25.Bh6+ Kg8 26.g4 Qd5 27.g5 Qe4 28.gxf6 Qxf4 29.Bxf4 Bxf6 resigns

40.gRf3 Rf5 41.h6 g6 42.Ne2 Nf7 43.Ng3 Nxg3 44.Rxg3 Rxf4 45.Nc6 Re6 46.Nb4 c6 47.Rh3 Ng5 48.hRe3 Ne4 49.Re1 g5 50.Rh3 fRf6 51.Nd3 & Black won (remaining moves indecipherable) Anyone interested in Knight manoeuvres will love this game. Great game.

Round 11, Laimons Mangalis (White) – Karlis Lidums (Black) 1.e4.c5 14.b3 Rfe8 27.Ne4 Rf5 2.Nf3 d6 15.Nf3 Ng4 28.Qd1 Rh5 3.d4 cxd4 16.Bf4 Nf8 29.g4 Rh3 4.Nxd4 Nf6 17.e5 Ng6 30.Bg3 Rch8 5.Bb5+ Bd7 18.Bg3 dxe5 31.Qf3 Nf5 6.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 19.Rfe1 f6 32.gxf5 gxf5 7.Qe2 a6 20.Nh2 Nxh2 33.Bxe5 Rxf3 8.0-0 e6 21.Qxh5 Kf7 34.Bxc7 fxe4 9.c4 Be7 22.Qe2 Ba3 35.Rxe4 Rfh3 10.Nc3 0-0 23.Rc2 Rh8 36.Bb6 Bd6 11.h4 h5 24.h5 Ne7 37.Rd2 Rh1+ 12.Bg5 Rc8 25.Bxh2 g6 38.Kg2 R1h2+ 13.Rac1 Qc7 26.Qf3 Rxh5 39.Kf1 Rh1+

40.Ke2 Bb4 41.Rd7+ Kg6 42.Rxb7 Kf5 43.Re3 Ra1 44.a4 Re1+ 45.Kf3 Reh1 46.Rg7 a5 47.Rd3 e5 48.Rd5 Rb1 49.Bxa5 Rxb3+ 50.Kg2 Bxa5 51.Rxa5 Rc8 52.c5 Rc3 53.Rg3 Draw

Round 6, Gunnars Berzzarins (White) – Laimons Mangalis (Black) 1.e4 e5 7.0-0 a6 13.Qf3 Rh7 19.Ng5 Rh5 2.Nf3 Nc6 8.Bxc6 bxc6 14.e6 Qh4 20.Nxe4+ Ke5 3.d4 exd4 9.Nxd4 Nb8 15.exf7+ Kd7 21.Nbc3 Rh4 4.Bc4 Nf6 10.f4 g6 16.Qe3 Kd6 22.Bg5 Rxe4 5.e5 d5 11.f5 c5 17.Nf3 Qe4 23.Bf6+ 6.Bb5 Nd7 12.fxg6 hxg6 18.Qxe4 dxe4 Black resigns A wild game by Laimons. Why not 16…Qxh2+?

In Memoriam Laimons Mangalis For over 30 years Laimons Mangalis belonged to the elite of Latvian chess players in Australia, a group that included Australian champions Lucijs Endzelins and Karlis Ozols. He helped to forge many of the title wins by the Latvian Matisons chess club in the fifties regarded as well-nigh invincible. Yet his forte was problem composing, in which field he was internationally renowned. This was his first love of the chess board, dating back to the 1930s in independent Latvia. Laimons had a flair for writing and organising. One could conceivable call him “the Latvian Purdy”, as he conceived a Latvian chess magazine as early as 1937 called ‘Sacha Maksla’ (The Art of Chess). It covered local and international events, games and problems. He was also editor of a magazine for chess, bridge and crossword puzzles. I first met him in Riga in 1939 during the interschool chess tournament, in which I was a competitor and Laimons was tournament director. These secondary school team tournaments had a habit of petering out through lack of organising drive. When Laimons was appointed director in 1939, he approached – as I later learned – each principal of the competing schools and extracted their undertakings that they will ensure that their teams do not fall by the wayside. This was a most successful tournament thanks to the energy and organising ability of the director. His pen was active in Australia, too. In the fifties he became chess correspondent of ‘The Advertiser’, which gave full coverage of all the big local events. Later ‘The Sunday Mail’ started a chess column with Laimons as editor and he continued to delight his many fans until his untimely death on September 8, 1982. Gunars Berzzarins G.Berzzarins was a team-mate of Laimons Mangalis in the Matisons chess club, City of Adelaide champion 1950 & 1952 and former chess writer of ‘The Advertiser’ and ‘The Sunday Advertiser’. He was a former junior chess champion of Latvia. Arthur Willmott sent me this on 6 June 1983. It had come from Gunars Berzzarins. I incorporated some of it into Laimons biography.

Laimons and The Australian Problemist During January 1962 the problemists of Australia were canvassed about their own magazine. This was brought about by Fred Hawes retirement from his problem column in Chess World in November 1961 p.236. He wanted it to continue and the editor Cecil Purdy would give any new offer his consideration. Fred Hawes had given many years to the chess problem starting in The Austral and then onto Australasian Chess Review in 1929 to 1961.There had been ups and downs such as the 1948 Q&A and the relevance of problems in Chess World but they continued. So no new offer was made. Perhaps the problemists hoped for a better world with their own magazine where they had full control. It worked well but for the outside influence of the printer. Cecil Purdy had enough worries with the printing of his magazine and one wonders if he knew Chess World would fold six years later in 1967. Fred was elected President of the Australian Chess Problem Club and 15 problemists excluding Laimons at the time of writing were supportive. Fred hoped to encourage young members as the lifeblood of the ACPC. The Club had its aims and the final aim was the rock they perished on. It was about doing their own printing and if that had been achieved doubtless it would have had a longer run. The magazine came out every two months emulating its British counterpart. What I liked were the obituaries and historical articles which fleshed out the people who loved problems. The first contained obits of Fred Bennett (1867-1961) and Terry Gallery (1912-1961). It was astonishing that Fred had lived for 93 years. Both had been strong players in their early lives. Terry had 1000 solvers in his Sunday Telegraph column. Fred had composed 1000 problems! The magazine encouraged articles by members and ‘Simultaneous Unpin’ by J.L. Beale was the first and there were 16 original problems in that first issue. Laimons joined not long after and was welcomed in the April issue. He quickly wrote about linkage between the Australian Chess Federation (ACF), the International Problem Board (IPB) and the members. He wanted linkage with the FIDE standing committee on problems: The proposals drafted in your letter would meet my approval but for point 3 (3.That the club is quite willing to co-operate with the official Australian representative on the IPB (Mr. J.L.Beale)). The IPB exists only “on paper” and is not producing at present any constructive work except for a few occasional lines in “The Problemist” by C.S.Kipping. The factual international body for problemists is the FIDE’s permanent Committee for problems, which has proved its efficiency by organising several congresses (attended by problemists from many countries, including USA and England), conducting problem tourneys, publishing a problem “Album” of selected 600 problems (the next one is in preparation), standardising problem nomenclature, etc. The committee is approved by all leading English composers, including C.Mansfield and is opposed only by C.S.Kipping. I propose to amend paragraph 3 as follows:-“The club should establish contact with the FIDE’s permanent committee for chess problems and appoint an Australian representative on the committee. Most problemists have that first FIDE Album which was for 1956/8 (published 1961). I can remember Frank Ravenscroft showing it to me and how pleased he was that Australian problemists had problems in it. I have his copy with the characteristic pinned comments/solutions inside which he also did in Chess World for all solutions. Laimons, Fred and Frank had problems featured in that first volume.

It was tricky though as Laimons could have easily put the IPB rep. John Lindsay Beale offside with his amendment. Beale was a lovely man judging by his response and he agreed that FIDE ‘problems’ as run by Nenad Petrovic was replacing the IPB and that contact with FIDE was essential. (Petrovic was editor of Problem (Zagreb) a most amazing magazine as anyone who has a copy will agree.) It was all very smoothly done by Fred Hawes and Mr. Beale became the FIDE correspondent. There was already a 16 book library which was managed by Bill Whyatt. Vas Lapin was the editor of The Australian Problemist. H.Cox wrote in about the “circulating library” of the previous organisation called ‘The Australian Chess Problem Club’ and offered 10 of his books to post to members who when finished forwarded them to the next member. Laimons’ first problem in the magazine was in No.3 for his 1st in the Sun-Herald Tourney (No.72) and an original No.42. He also critiqued problems under the letter ‘L’. No.4 of August saw the first mention of the “Proposed History” which became a wonderful source for later problemists. The first article dealt with the Brisbane Courier. Laimons dedicated his No.80 to Fred and Frank Ravenscroft. October 1962 No.5 had Laimons’ first article called ‘Rewarding Field for Pawn Promotion’ and included Problems (B) 44 and (C) 82 along with (A) by H.W. Bettman from Good Companions 1923:

XABCDEFGHY 8ltr-sn-+-+( 7vLkzP-+n+-' 6-+R+-+-+& 5+-+R+-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3mK-+L+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (6x5) One must be an incorrigible optimist to dig in a field of pawn-promotions (in two movers) for new gems. The field seems to be done over so thoroughly that even finding of a flint stone could be considered a great fortune nowadays. It is only natural, as pawn promotion is one of the oldest if not the very oldest problem theme. Thus renewed attacks on task promotions by eager composers may be rewarded only with bitter disappointment and frustration.

In the first issue of this magazine we saw a problem in which the author had utilized a terrific force of 25! men in order to achieve six promotions, while Bettman had done it with 11 men 40 years ago.(A) After 1.Rd7! occur six promotions, a maximum for a R/P battery. A maximum of five promotions for a B/P battery, also in a Meredith, is shown in (B) (1.Bd8!).[No.44] But all this refers only to promotions in conventional problems. It would be worthwhile to investigate the possibilities in two-ers of the modern trend. For instance, promotions in the virtual play problems or coupled with other themes. (C) [No.82] shows the Fleck theme with four thematic promotions (the fifth promotion is not thematic). There is also a thematic try, 1.Ped7 with four threats – Pe8=Q/Pd8=Q/Pc8=Q and Pc8=N. 1…Nf7 2.Pc8=Q, 1…Re5 2.Pd8=Q, 1…Bg7 or Bb7 or Ra5 2.Pe8=Q, 1…Rd5 2.Pc8=N. The fifth promotion, nonthematic, occurs after 1…Kf7 2.Pd8=N. The thematic try 1.Pcd7, with three threats, is defeated only by 1…Nf7. Laimons continued with No.81 calling it “Joke or Reality?”: ‘Is it possible that a pinned piece still remains pinned after being unpinned? If you think this is leg-pulling, see the solution.’ Set 1…d5+ 2.cxd6 ep mate. Key 1.Kb5 pinning the Pc5 and threatening 2.Qf7. 1…d5 unpins the white pawn, but… the pawn still remains pinned as it can’t do the ep capture. Therefore 2.c6 mate. And he finished the month with No.83, a retractor for Frank Ravenscroft’s Fairy Chess column. The fifth issue continued with Brisbane Courier history and 12 original problems. The first year of publication was completed with Vol.1 No.6 Dec. 1962 and a lot of memorial dates were listed going back to J.B. of Bridport who died in 1863. He was a clever miniature composer. The Australian Problem History continued on the Brisbane Courier and Laimons sent in an original selfmate 2-er (No.84). The Jas. E. Smith Duplicating Service printed the magazine and wished all well for 1963. It seemed that diagram and piece setting was done by Vas Lapin. Many readers would not know of stencil printing on duplicators but there were no photocopiers then. Vas had to glue the diagrams to the stencil prior to printing. He was a busy lad and probably did the research on the Brisbane Courier history. In the first issue of Vol.2 Laimons included a 2-er (No.85) and in the next he won 1st prize with No.74 for the Australian Problemist 2-er Tourney for 1962. Alex Boudantzev was unlucky as his problem was anticipated by a 1950 problem and missed out. The anticipation judge was Herr Albrecht for judge Guy Chandler. Laimons had another original 3-er on p.25 (No.95). Sadly Fred Hawes’ death was announced. He had died 20 April 1962. Vol.2 No.3 contained a four page article on Fred with reminiscences by Cyril Fethers and H.J.Tucker. His loss was a massive blow. The History was deferred until the August issue. It was interesting to see a note by the late Dr. O’Keefe who said ‘Next to the incomparable A.C.White, I would say that Arthur Mosely was the greatest judge of our times.’ Bill Whyatt was the new President and the Brisbane Courier History was completed. In memoriam dates included 100 years since Galitsky’s birth, 25 years since Kuskop died and 15 since Fothergill passed on. Names we have forgotten. There was a nice tributary article on Terry Gallery in No.5 but in No.6 came the terrible news that Jim Smith of the Duplicating Service was going to England. Just as the magazine settled it was on the ropes. The editor pushed ahead with a big article on Australian Problem History but it all had to be shortened. The second year finished Dec. 1963.

It was to be April 1964 before Vol. 3 No.1 appeared and Laimons had a prophetic article called The Change of Plan which seemed also to echo the magazine’s end. The article had five of his problems and one by V.Bartolovic (A) 71, (B) 73, (C) 85, (E) 87 and (F) 88. (D) below was by V. Bartolovic, Problem (Zagreb) 1961:

XABCDEFGHY 8Q+l+-tr-+( 7+-vL-+-+p' 6ptR-+-+p+& 5+-+-zPkzp-% 4-+-+-+p+$ 3+-+-zP-+-# 2L+-+-+-tR" 1+K+-vl-+-! xabcdefghy Mate in 2 (8x9) The finding of a new problem theme would not be so difficult except that invariably someone has found and presented the idea in a better form years before. The only “kudos” the “lucky finder” can have is drawing the attention of other problem composers to all undisclosed possibilities of this theme and developing it by carrying out some research work. So coming forward with my “Change of Plan” theme I do not pretend having found anything new or original. I know only too well that something in this field has already been presented (See D). However I feel that it had not been exploited systematically and therefore a further research would be worthwhile. The “Change of Plan” may appear similar to the “change of threat” as the Editor of “American Chess Bulletin”, E, Holladay, has pointed out to me. However, there is a marked difference between both themes. In change of threat it may be just a plain change from one threat in the try, to another one in the actual play without both threats having anything in common thematically. In change of plan, the change is strictly thematical. The tries, at least two, should be of the same character and must produce the same threat. The character of the key move, which produces a different threat, must be opposite to the one shown in the tries. It can be seen in (A) that by moving the white rook upwards (Bristol) the e file is vacated for the pawn allowing the threat 2.Pe4. 1.Re8? Rh4/Qa4 2.Qf7/Qd6; but 1…Qb4! 2.?? 1.Re7? Qa4!; 1.Re6? Rh4! As none of these rook moves succeed in achieving the goal White changes his initial plan by abandoning the Bristol manoeuvre and plays 1.Re4!. So the file instead of being vacated becomes blocked by the rook. In some cases the theme can also be enriched by a thematical sideline which could be called “an improvement to the initial

plan”. White can try to vacate the line also by moving the rook sideways: 1.Rf3?. This however is defeated only by 1…Bd2!. To produce the threat Rb5 in (B) the bishop at a6 moves anti critically 1.Bf1? Pe6/Rb6/Qe8 2.Nb7/Qh5/Qd5; but 1…Ra5! 2.?? 1.Be2? Rb6!; 1.Bd3? Qe8!. The improvement to the initial plan: 1.Rb4? threatening 2.Rc4, also fails because of 1…Qf7! Therefore 1.Bb5! threatening 2.Nb7. So the bishop instead of moving anti critically settles just on the critical square. In (C) all White’s efforts (Ba1, Bg1, Bf6) to produce a threat by opening the fourth rank for his queen fails to solve the problem. The key, 1.Be5! waiting, changes the initial plan in two respects. Firstly – although the bishop clears the fourth rank he simultaneously cancels the effect by closing another vital line. Secondly the problem is changed from “threat” in virtual play to “no threat” type in actual solution. (D) is a proof of what I said in the first place about anticipation. This problem, of which I was unaware appeared some six months before I “struck” the idea of change of plan. Four Holzhauzen moves, Qg2, Qc6, Qd5, Bd5, in as many unsuccessful tries, are dropped for 1.Rb4 in the solution. In (E) the bishop moving to d5, e6, f7 and g8 vacates b3 for the knight (threat Nb3) but eventually settles down on c4 (threat Rd3) making 1.Nb3 impossible. I wish to take this opportunity to thank my problem friend A.Goldstein of Melbourne for finding the most appropriate name for the theme. The name “Change of Plan” was his suggestion and I feel that no better name could be found to describe the theme. To conclude this article on a lighter note I include also (F) leaving it to the reader to find out themselves which is the correct solution – 0-0 or 0-0-0. I have an uncanny feeling that they will have to change their plan. Laimons Mangalis. And in the final issue of June 1964 Vol. 3 No.2 C.S. Kipping had died in England. A giant loss for the UK as he just about “did it all” in The Problemist and it was now split into sub-editors. Vas Lapin held over some December solutions for the “next issue” but it didn’t appear. Laimons supported it well – a great pity it died on the vine. Arthur Willmott ran his problem magazine for five years just using photocopies. But they didn’t exist in the 1960s. How times have changed. Bob Meadley

Laimons and South Australian chess publications SA Chess started in July 1949 as the South Australian Chess Association Review with the letters SACAR diagrammed inside a Pawn on the cover. It was the official organ of the SACA with editor David Bowman and covered local chess. The games published were all to be South Australian. The contents were inter-club matches, Championships, club news including rural chess with games. By issue 4 the name had been changed to SA Chess and the editor from No.6 was to be A.E. Miller. Chess stories were an unusual content and one of the first was ‘Castles in Spain’ written by ‘Alec. Hine’. A game appeared between Sancho Panza and Don Quixote. Alec. Hine was prolific and ‘Knights in Mayfair’ started in No.10 (April 1950) and ran for weeks. I could not find the conclusion but may have missed it. There were also some ‘Chess Maxims’ aimed to improve one’s play. These were by ‘Artful Dodger’. By the time No.27 came along in Sept. 1951 a problem section started under the guidance of ‘Black Knight’. This was Laimons and he had the series copyrighted and thought it would help players appreciate problems. It was a very early attempt to encourage Australians to understand chess problems though he admitted some very useful articles had appeared in ‘Gambits’ huge column in the Melbourne Weekly Times. (Probably the editor was J.L. Beale in the Weekly Times.) The series continued until November 1952-No.41 when Part 13 appeared. It stated Part 14 would be in the next issue but it did not appear and in a search to December 1953 when the magazine finished No.14 never appeared. A word of caution here as in The Chess Literature of Australia and New Zealand p.118 it states the last issue of the SA Chess was Oct. 1953 but I have Nov. and Dec. which were John van Manen’s copies. It is strange as that issue was a happy one with some articles to be continued. So something happened unless it did continue and we do not know of copies from 1954 onwards. The next magazine of the SACA appears to be the South Australian Chess Bulletin or SACB as it was called. It started Dec/Jan.1962/3. There is no mention of the missing years 1954-1962. The magazine started with the first six issues at normal book size (16cm wide x 20cm high) and then became a foolscap size (20cm wide x 33cm high) and with the new look, typing was simplified with stencils no longer sideways and page numbers easier than before. The stapling and folding was simpler too. (Many older people will remember stencils in the early 1960s which were typed on a manual typewriter and then placed on the gestetner (duplicator), inked and run off. The typewriter had a non-ribbon setting which punched the letters through the thin stencil. Quite effective and one could reuse the stencil if it was stored with a cover sheet over the ink sections.) It was a very good monthly publication with nice printing and interesting articles. It was important not to be boring and interminable lists of players, results, matches, etc. were that but of predominant interest to the players involved. To give relief, stories were included and one called ‘The Red Indian Defence’ by ‘Psycho’ (July 1963) was very funny. The articles varied and a ‘Wants List’ from M.V. Anderson of the State Library of Victoria appeared. He was gathering all and sundry and wanted early and rare SACBs.

The editor in 1964 was Bill England who followed J.Riches. They were good editors. Feb. 1964 had a detailed explanation of the Rating System, a bit dry, but followed by something distinctly wet by Max Euwe, ‘The alcohol problem and Alekhine’. Euwe seemed relaxed about it but his compatriot Botvinnik certainly was not! In Sept. 1964 another good article was ‘Percentages for A Grade Interclub players’. The top rank was 100% by Gunnars Berzzarins but on two games only. Laimons had a 75% result. There was a good three-part story on the Albin Counter Gambit followed by a terrific simul game analysis by the loser, one H.Crout against a top-ranker Tony Cuntala. Crout had learned the game at age 49! He studied the books and was convinced ‘more people would be interested in this glorious fighting game, chess, if they realised how exciting it is.’ His annotations were on the money. Likewise J.Hickman’s notes in his loss to Laimons in the SA Championship make one feels one is there with the players. In Jan. 1965 Mrs Koshnitsky began her long run as editor and her husband Garry had this to say about the retiring editor Bill England: ‘I wonder how many readers of this Bulletin had any idea of the work and effort which went into it every month! Interstate, and even overseas, the S.A. Bulletin has received much deserved praise, and every chess player in the State owes a debt of gratitude to its Editor, Bill England. But even he would not have been able to do the job without the help of his willing contributors; the voluntary typist; his wife, Molly, who did all the duplicating; and the team of voluntary workers who gave up an evening every month to assemble it. All this voluntary work has saved the S.A.C.A. much money, the only cost during the year being that of materials. Unfortunately Bill had to give up this job at the end of December so this issue is being brought out by an emergency committee.’ (BM: Very true and I think back to Bernie Johnson who put out Chess in Australia year after year for nil financial reward. And I suppose Brian Jones found the going too tough when he closed down the Australasian Chess Magazine at the end of 2013. Digital was so much easier when one reads the above.) The SACB gave a plug to The Australian’s newspaper chess column which is still going today under editor Paul Broekhuyse. The two previous editors were Bernie Johnson (and hopefully he made a little money here) and then Phil Viner from 1983 to 2015. In the May 1965 issue a tribute was paid to the Weekly Times’ chess editor in Victoria. John Lindsay Beale was that man. The tribute: ‘The most comprehensive chess column in Australia with two problems, a game study, four or five annotated games and overseas and Australian news.’ The opening of the Rundle Chess Studio on 24 July was beautifully described by the main designer, local Architect and chess player Boris Kazanski. It looked the goods but sadly they were evicted a few weeks later. Frank Crowl’s obit was on p.109 and a speculative story on the origin of “zugzwang” by John Bradley implicating Paul Morphy. This was new to me (p.142). The year ended with thanks to Mrs England and helpers for all the monthly work with duplicating the SACB and getting it out. 1966 Laimons was the Publicity Officer of the SACA. He had become Auditor in Jan. 1964 and the Publicity Officer’s position was vacant. He was Auditor still in 1966 and continued until 1973 but did not stand in 1974. He was in his early 60s and the ‘Objects and Powers’ of the SACA were growing as chess grew. As Auditor he had to ensure all funds were spent on those ‘Objects and Powers’. It was voluntary and only expenses were paid. One year on the Balance Sheet the expenses

were $10. He called for “interesting” games in the SACB June 1968 for his columns in the Sunday Mail and Chronicle so was promoting local chess wherever he could. It was surprising to read that from April 12 the Chess Centre of South Australia would replace the newly found room of the lamented Rundle Chess Studio. The money was raised by issuing $20 debentures @ 6%. The SACB was always lively reading and they were all at a garden party for the Latvian Lutheran Church where the Lightning Tourney was won by Lucijs Endzelins with Karlis Lidums =2nd with Joe Hortovanyi and D.Rudd with Boris Kazanski and Laimons bringing up the rear. Likewise the Vytis Club Social Lightning Tourney saw Boris and Laimons bring up the rear again. Koshnitsky won. The Festival of Arts at Elder Park was another but Laimons and Joe H. won it! M.V.Anderson of the State Library of Victoria had another request for A.C.White Christmas Series Problem books as well as chess history relics such as books signed by the famous players of yesteryear, minute books of lapsed club, etc. It was nice to read of the Melbourne Chess Club Centenary Tourney 1866-1966 with good prizes. The SACA nominated Miss Margaret Elliott as “Miss Chess” in the ‘Sport Girl 66 Quest’. This was a first and chess was no longer an old man’s game. The inaugural country teams Championship was held with only three teams playing: Whyalla, Woomera and Murray Bridge. Whyalla won. And then the Mount Gambier Chess Club was discovered! It didn’t know of the SACA nor vice-versa! The amazing result of the year was when Garry and Evelyn Koshnitsky both won their Men’s and Women’s State Championships. A unique double that hasn’t been topped. There was a working bee under Mr. Tesser to double the area of the Chess Centre. Paul Dosza was living in the flat above and kept the Centre open. It was also nice to see the new magazine Chess in Australia promoted in the SACB. As the year ended the finances of the SACA were OK with the Centre rent three months in advance. Laimons’ rating increased to 1900 at year end. And Koshnitsky played 3 simuls in country NSW on his way to Sydney at Leeton, Wagga and Cowra. I must hasten on as one can get captured reading the SACB. In the SACB Dec. 1969 was a very interesting editorial by Evelyn Koshnitsky which is worth repeating: This number brings to a close the seventh volume of the SA Chess Bulletin and the fifth volume under my editorship. With the assistance of my husband I was instrumental (under some protest) in bringing out the pilot number in December, 1962. John Riches took over the Editorship in 1963 with Bill England looking after the production side. Owing to pressure of work John was forced to give up the editorship at the end of his first year and Bill England stepped into the breach for the following years. This was perhaps

the golden year of the Bulletin with Bill bringing forth bigger and better numbers every month. Unfortunately Bill was forced to give up editorship and publication for health reasons after only twelve months. The pool of talent suddenly appeared to have evaporated as the officers of the Association searched around for a new incumbent. Somebody came up with the bright idea “What about Mrs.K?” and with many misgivings I accepted the position for what I thought would be a twelve month sentence. Instead of receiving a reduction in time for good behaviour the sentence has now been extended for a sixth term! Without good assistance I would never have been able to continue. First of all I purchased an electric typewriter and duplicator and while I was becoming accustomed to the vagaries of machines Mrs. England began to duplicate at least half the pages. For the past two years Mrs. Hunt has given up a day each month to typing. Each month Mrs. Rowe sticks all the names on the wrappers and also assists in putting it together. Many members of the Association may not be aware that every month there is a Bulletin working bee at the Chess Centre to put it together, staple the pages and wrap them for bulk postage. For the privilege of cheaper postal rates all the Bulletins have to be pre-sorted into postcode order and this is quite an undertaking. To get it out requires about 6-8 people for 1½ - 2 hours and it is usually the same few faces seen at Bulletin bees, my husband and Mr. de Jong stapling and the rest of us sorting and wrapping. The subscribers would never get their Bulletin without this working party and it has been passed by the S.A.C.A. Council that each club must give the name of a volunteer (one for each team) who will be willing to be rostered for duty. Volunteers should give a telephone number where they can be contacted. Clubs are requested to give the names and telephone numbers of their volunteers to Mr. Harkin who has undertaken to get the working party together each month. Lastly I would like to thank all those contributors through the years without whom these pages would have been very dull. (Owing to lack of space some contributions are held over from this month.) I feel sure that all readers will enjoy the amusing article and the Daffynitions by Bill England which appear in this Christmas number. Best wishes for the festive season and may your games be many and brilliant in 1970. E.Koshnitsky. And that is why the SACB continued because they did it all with a great group of volunteers. To conclude this story here is her ‘POSITION VACANT’ from the SACB Oct. 1972 p.111: ‘Bulletin Editor, Grade Match Secretary, Tournament Secretary, After eight years as the editor of SACB I find that I can no longer carry on with a very arduous, though interesting job. To bring out the Bulletin, collect news, write nearly all of it, see that it is typed (I have always typed a lot of it, very often all of it – Stella Hunt, when able, has typed 6-8 pages) duplicate it and be responsible for distribution has not always been easy. The Bulletin has never been late or missed out on any month, no mean feat over an 8-year period. Perhaps a new editor will bring a new fresh look. He, or she, has my best wishes. Cliff Holl and David Colhoun are both giving up their positions as they are leaving Adelaide. E.Koshnitsky.’

There was a new SACB Editorial Committee of four: Messrs Glistak, Kelly, Hickman and Yudkin with Mrs Koshnitsky distributing. They paid tribute to her work as editor since 1965. One surprise was LM’s rating which went up to 2040 placing him in SA’s ‘Top 20’. This appears to conflict with earlier ratings such as 1730 in 1970. But was clarified on p.3 of Jan. 1973 when the 1973 ratings changed to the ‘ELO’ system of FIDE. This allowed for direct comparison of Australian ratings to overseas. The old system for a 1700/1800 rating was in ‘ELO’ 2012/2071 and 2000 in the old rating was 2188 in ‘ELO’. In January 1976 the SACB came to an end and only two years earlier they had bought sufficient duplicating paper to ensure the existence of the Bulletin indefinitely. But the paper could still be used. The editor Miss Nash had University studies and handed over to Mr. R. Horsley at end 1976 but perhaps a new magazine was planned as the Chess Newsletter took over from Jan. 1977 to June 1982 when Caissa was the current magazine, and he lived long enough to enjoy it. Laimons was a tremendous all-rounder. A very strong player, not quite at the top, a first class problemist with many awards and a great supporter of junior and senior chess with his voluntary work. His chess columns in the Advertiser and the Chronicle were an asset. The latter closed in August 1969 due to the changeover to offset printing. His column in the Sunday Mail was his shining light. (BM: The SACB was a good read for me as Laimons owned the Bulletins as his name and postal address are on most on them. He passed them onto John van Manen as the Historian of the ACF and John had them beautifully bound. I bought them with a lot of John’s library in 1994.)

Photos

Laimons Mangalis 027181 Neustadt Holst 118DPACS ca 1947

Laimons Adelaide ca1955-58

Latvian Players in the Matisons Memorial Tourney in Adelaide 1953 Front Row from Left: G.Berzzarins, K.Lidums Back Row from Left: P.Purkalitis, K.Ozols, L.Endzelins, L.Mangalis

Nov. 1. 1965 A Simul in Adelaide. Laimons playing Nicholas Koshnitsky aged 12. (See later scan for more detail.)

From Sunday Mail 16 May 1979 Laimons in a club match. (See scan for further detail)

A lovely photo of the Ford family. Father Colin Ford, Mother Baiba Ford (nee Mangalis – Laimons’ daughter) Daughters Izander (Za) and Aleksandra (Aleks) Photo taken not long after Aleks’ birth 10 Dec. 1983.

Laimons’ Chess Clippings Arthur Willmott kindly lent me most of Laimons’ collection and they are listed below: 28/2/1957 – 26/12/1958 Book 1 8/1/1959 – 1/7/1961 Book 2 5/7/1961 – 20/9/1964 Book 3 1/10/1964 – 31/5/1967 Book 4 1/6/1967 – 27/8/1970 Book 5 These clippings are glued into exercise books and are very comprehensive. 1. Adelaide Advertiser

2. Sunday Mail

23/3/1963 – 7/1/1967

Book 1

3. Adelaide Chronicle

12/1/1966 – 5/1/1967 12/1/1967 – 23/12/1967 4/1/1968 – 26/12/1968 2/1/1969 – 14/8/1969

Book 1 Loose Loose Loose

4. Assorted Loose Clippings of the 1971 Karlis Lidums Tourney. 5. Cover Folder of the 1953 Invitation Chess Tournament Adelaide Nov. 1953. Plus 10/11 of Laimons’ scoresheets missing only his game with A.L.Miller. The five exercise books contain occasional photographs which have been scanned. The Karlis Lidums Tourney Clippings from Jan. 1971 are mostly by Laimons. Nancy Benko’s book and Bernie Johnson’s tourney Bulletins have left a permanent record but the clippings add colour. The 1953 Tourney is valuable and has been scanned for this book. The writing in the score sheets is not good and hopefully all the games are correct in the algebraic transcripts. The collection was sent by Arthur to enable a booklet to be published in the mid-1980s. That didn’t occur for various reasons but they are a valuable set of records for chess history and need to be digitised. That is a large task and then for historical purposes all the chess players’ names need to be indexed. Bob Meadley

20/5/1968

Clipping of Endzelins dated 12 April 1960. From the Advertiser.

From a newspaper dated 6 Jan. 1966. The girl above is Suzanne Schuberth, 17, of NSW. Suzanne, Lesley and Hamme were a trio of photos split here for convenience.

Newspaper Jan.6. 1966 as above. On the left is Lesley Dormer, 14, of SA and Hamme van der Wel, 15, of NSW.

Mr. Laimons Mangalis, of Matisons Chess Club makes his move against Nicholas Koshnitsky, 12, of Highgate Primary School Chess Club. Simul at below. (One player in a chess tournament in Adelaide on Saturday afternoon lay on her back in a wheel cot; others were confined to wheel chairs. Members of the Home for Incurables Chess Club were hosts to between 30 and 40 members of the SA Chess Association at the home in Fisher Street, Fullerton. Miss Coralie Woods, confined to a wheel cot without the use even of her hands, made her move through a friend sitting beside her. The club formed two years ago has its own badge with the motto “By Courage We Conquer”. It was its second annual invitation tournament. The matron of the home (Matron C.L.Watt), who was made a club life member by the president Miss D.Pain said the club had given patient enthusiasts a great interest and valuable contact with outside people.)

Undated ca 1966.

11 April 1967.

Undated ca 1960.

Lucius Endzelins, a 51 year old Latvian who migrated to Adelaide in 1949, yesterday came from an apparently hopeless position to become Australian chess champion for 1960. He is the first South Australian to become an Australian champion. A cashier employed by a city motor firm, Endzelins had scored a half-point out of a possible four points after four rounds of the championship had been played and was not even considered a possibility for the title. “After being beaten I didn’t care so much how I played,” he said last night. “The tension was off and I felt happy-go-lucky about my games. “But I started to improve, I made fewer mistakes and, well, there it is.” He said. Endzelins scored 9½ points out of a possible 15. In points he finished behind the Russian grandmaster Y.Averbakh (14 points) and his fellow Russian grandmaster V.Bagirov (12 points), but he takes the Australian title because it is only open to resident players. Averbakh wins first cash prize of £150 and Bagirov second cash prize of £100. At the end of play on Thursday Endzelins was in third place, a half-point behind C.Purdy (NSW), Australian champion on four occasions, and G.Koshnitsky (NSW), Australian champion in 1932 and 1939. But yesterday both made errors and

were beaten, Purdy by J.Hanks (Vic.) and Koshnitsky by E.Basta (Vic.). Endzelins had his chance and, by beating Dr. P.Kalinovsky of Yorketown, SA champion in 1958, he emerged with a half-point lead to take the title. The New Zealand champion, O. Sarapu, whose final game will be decided this morning, may score the same number of points as Endzelins, but he is not eligible for the Australian title. (Text under photo.) Undated ca 1960.

Undated.

Undated. It is good to have more photos of Lucijs Endzelins.

Undated.

Undated.

.

Clipping dated 19 Sept. 1964.

Clipping dated 19 April 1958: Three schoolgirls who would rather play chess than knit sat down with 232 boys at Adelaide High School last night. The girls were members of school and college teams competing in an annual inter-school chess championship. The number of teams has grown from five in 1950 to 46. SA boys have won four successive Australian junior championships since 1955 – J.Hortovanyi, A.Irving, J.Ferguson and D.Rudd. Seventeen year old Ursula Lisners (Unley High School) gets her love for chess from her father Mr. E.Lisners, who was champion of a POW camp for Latvians at Seehorf (Germany) during the war. Ursula’s brothers, Charles and John were also competitors last night. Youngest player was 11 year old Peter Brandon (St. Michael’s College):“I’ve been playing chess for nearly two years”, he said. “It’s the best game there is – apart from tennis.”

Cover page of A.J.Fink Memorial Tourney pamphlet. A type of vellum.

Signatures on the back of the lovely tournament memorial pamphlet. That is Laimons Mangalis the “LM” at the bottom right hand corner.

The crosstable for the 1953 Adelaide Invitational Tourney.

Undated ca 1958.

The previous scan shows ‘Black Knight’ – Laimons of course, from the Chronicle.

All these columns are from the Sunday Mail.

Following is the Problemist article on Laimons that appeared in the July 2009 issue. Geoff did a good job and Baiba received a copy.