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Kabe Moen

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By-Play

Favorite Mansfield Cross Checkers

10/9/2015

 
Comins Mansfield was the greatest two move composer and my personal favorite chess problem composer.  Every single one of his problems is a work of art.  So when I thought about a blog post of Mansfield's problems I realized that there would be too many problems for just one entry.  I would have to pick a specific topic.  In a two move problem it is nice when white will let his king be checked.  When white counters this check with another check that does not capture the checking piece it is called a cross check.  Mansfield, as in every other aspect of the two mover, was an absolute master of the cross check.  

Mansfield, Comins
Good Companions 1917

#2
11 + 5


Here is one of Mansfield's most famous problems.  The key interferes with wRe3 and grants a flight square.  More importantly the key unpins bSc4 allowing black to fire his battery at the wK.  The three white batteries all fire and what transpires is amazing.

Mansfield, Comins
La Settimana Enigmistica 1935

#2
9 + 7


White has a half battery set up on the 6th rank.  Two other batteries are aimed at the king.  This time the wK walks into trouble.  What follows is five cross checks: four from blacks R+B battery and one from the bR on e1.

Mansfield, Comins
British Chess Federation 19th Tournament 1935

#2
8 + 8


This time the key gives the bK two flight squares allowing black to use its royal battery.  No white pawns were used in this masterpiece. 

Mansfield, Comins
Adventures in Composition 1944

#2
11 + 9


Here is a problem that Mansfield stuck at the beginning of his book Adventures in Composition (an absolute classic).  The B+K battery is ready to be fired but the king is bottled up.  The key gives a flight square and the four thematic black defenses do three things: check the wK, self pin, and open a flight for the wK to move.   

Mansfield, Comins
L'Echiquier 1929

#2
9 + 8


We end with a gem that only has one cross check but it is beautiful one.  The key unpins the bQ, allowing her to check by capturing on d5.  However, now she is pinned again and the bishop may move right back to the square it started on.  In other words: a cross check switch back.  

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    Chess Problems

    On the side I like to dabble in chess problem composition.  I am mostly interested in two and three move direct mates.  I hope to convey the beauty and logic of chess problems with this blog. In the entries are some of my favorite problems and my own problems.  Before looking at the problems I suggest reading this introduction to the chess problem world by the British Chess Problem Society.  Also, here is a list of terminology  and themes.   Here is a link to my problems on yacpdb.

    ARTICLES

    1. "Choose wisely" The Problemist Supplement, Sept. 2016

    2. "Double checking white in a two mover" StrateGems July 2016

    3. "Double check without capture" The Problemist Supplement, January 2018

    4. "The disappearing Nowotny: Part I" The Problemist Supplement, March 2018

    5. "The disappearing Nowotny: Part II" The Problemist Supplement, May 2018

    6. "The disappearing Nowotny: Part III" The Problemist Supplement, July 2018

    7. "Castling with half-battery and Fleck themes" StrateGems, July 2018

    8. "The Baku Nowotny" StrateGems, January 2019

    9. "The Romanian Nowotny with Fleck" The Problemist, March 2019

    10. "Mirror Image" The Problemist Supplement, May 2019

    11. "White King in Check" Problemas, July 2019

    12. "A Simple Mechanism", StrateGems, July 2019

    13. "Miniatures with castling and (partial) Fleck" Problemist Supplement, September 2019

    14. "Taking the Straitjacket off the Fleck" The Problemist Supplement, November 2019

    15. "Unforced threats" The Problemist Supplement, May 2020

    16. "Ojanen in Miniature" The Problemist Supplement, May 2020

    17. "Developments in the Finnish Nowotny" The Problemist, July 2020

    18.  "Categorising  the Fleck theme" The Problemist, January 2021

    19.  "Masking the Bristol"  The Problemist Supplement, March 2021

    20. "My love of the Novotny" StrateGems July 2021

    21. "Masked Novotny" The Problemist Supplement, November 2021


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