Reno Gazette-Journal Reno, Nevada Saturday, May 27, 1972 - Page 5
EVANS ON CHESS
C. Mansfield, England
Problem: (05/27/1972) White mates in two.
Stockfish Analysis.
Problem Solving Hints
Have you ever been tempted to sample the goody at the top of this column? Problems are like bonbons: neither does much for our chess or waistline, but the appetite endures.
The composed problem is in the nature of “art for art's sake” since its themes are seldom useful in actual play. White — always the hero — is overwhelmingly ahead in material and is given the task of mating in 2 or more moves. It might be argued that the spontaneity of a real game is lost; yet the composition of problems is an art form in its own right.
Solving or composing problems can be rewarding and aesthetic mental exercise. The novelist Nabokov devised a book of problems in his spare time.
The 2-mover is a fluffy confection. Some connoisseurs consider it insubstantial, yet it is precisely this artificiality and purity which attracts composers.
Try to work in your head directly from the diagram; but set it up on your own board if you haven't developed this knack or the problem still has you stumped. Visualization will come with practice.
Use the process of elimination to find the key move. Try every possible Black defense until you find one which works, if you can, before going on to the next White try. Someday you might even stumble over a rare “cook,” an alternate solution unforeseen and unintended by the composer. This renders a problem unsuitable.
A composed problem combines grace, harmony and economy. Every piece on the board serves a specific function and there is no meaningless clutter. The solution rarely starts with a check or capture. The trick is to threaten mate by means of a subtle key move; the second move springs the guillotine.
Composing contests are held regularly all over the world. This selection was awarded first prize in 1970 by Chess Life for charm and elegance.
PROBLEM SOLUTION: Note that crude tries fail. Thus 1 Q-N6ch? K-Q4. Similarly 1 N-Q8ch? is foiled by BxN As usual there is only one foolproof key move: 1 Q-K6! Now put yourself in Black's shoes to try and frustrate the threat of 2 QxN mate. If 1 … KxN 2 Q-Q7. If 1 … NxBP 2 R-QN3. If 1 … N-Q7 2 N-R5. If 1 … N-B6ch 2 RxN, etc. In other words, for every Black try there is one and only one refutation.
