Chess composer
Encyclopedia
A chess composer is a person who creates endgame studies
or chess problem
s. He usually specializes in a particular genre
, e.g. endgame studies, twomovers, threemovers, moremovers, helpmate
s, selfmate
s, fairy problem
s. Moreover, every composer has his own preferred style of composing, allowing his sorting according to so-called composition schools.
Some chess composers produce huge numbers of chess compositions, while others try to achieve as much quality as possible and present new works only rarely.
It is possible for chess composers to gain official FIDE title
s, usually for a given number of problems published in FIDE Album
s. For example, Milan Vukcevich
was an International Grandmaster of Chess Composition, as well as an International Master player.
The PCCC
(Permanent Commission for Chess Composition) is a branch of FIDE regulating the awarding of titles such as International Grandmaster, International master, Master FIDE and International Judge for chess composition.
Besides clearly attributable chess problems there are many ones that might be attributed to none of these or to more of them. Today, many chess composers do work in the area of multiple schools regularly.
Endgame study
An endgame study, or just study, is a composed chess position—that is, one that has been made up rather than one from an actual game—presented as a sort of puzzle, in which the aim of the solver is to find a way for one side to win or draw, as stipulated, against any moves the other side...
or chess problem
Chess problem
A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by somebody using chess pieces on a chess board, that presents the solver with a particular task to be achieved. For instance, a position might be given with the instruction that White is to move first, and checkmate Black in two...
s. He usually specializes in a particular genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
, e.g. endgame studies, twomovers, threemovers, moremovers, helpmate
Helpmate
A helpmate is a type of chess problem in which both sides cooperate in order to achieve the goal of checkmating Black. In a helpmate in n moves, Black moves first, then White, each side moving n times, to culminate in White's nth move checkmating Black...
s, selfmate
Selfmate
A selfmate is a chess problem in which white, moving first, must force black to deliver checkmate within a specified number of moves against his will. Selfmates were once known as sui-mates.The problem to the right is a relatively simple example...
s, fairy problem
Fairy chess
Fairy chess comprises chess problems that differ from classical chess problems in that they are not direct mates. The term was introduced before the First World War. While selfmate dates from the Middle Age, helpmate was invented by Max Lange in the late 19th century. Thomas Dawson , pioneer of...
s. Moreover, every composer has his own preferred style of composing, allowing his sorting according to so-called composition schools.
Some chess composers produce huge numbers of chess compositions, while others try to achieve as much quality as possible and present new works only rarely.
It is possible for chess composers to gain official FIDE title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s, usually for a given number of problems published in FIDE Album
FIDE Album
The FIDE Albums are publications of the world chess governing body, FIDE, via the Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions , containing the best chess problems and studies of a certain period ....
s. For example, Milan Vukcevich
Milan Vukcevich
Milan Radoje Vukcevich was a Yugoslav scientist, chess International Master, Grandmaster chess problem composer, and writer....
was an International Grandmaster of Chess Composition, as well as an International Master player.
The PCCC
Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions
The Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions is the highest body governing the official activities in the chess composition, mandated by FIDE.Currently 39 countries are represented in the PCCC.Main duties of the Commission include:...
(Permanent Commission for Chess Composition) is a branch of FIDE regulating the awarding of titles such as International Grandmaster, International master, Master FIDE and International Judge for chess composition.
Schools of composition
Composition school in chess composition is a particular style of creating chess problems, putting emphasis on different aspects of the problem contents and attracting interest of important number of chess composers. The best known composition schools, as they evolved historically, are:- old German school put emphasis on complexity and difficulty of solution and model mateModel mateA model mate is a type of pure mate checkmating position in chess in which not only is the checkmated king and all vacant squares in its field attacked only once, and squares in the king's field occupied by friendly units are not also attacked by the mating side , but all units of the mating side A...
in the main variation, the most suitable genres were fourmovers and fivemovers, - Bohemian school puts emphasis on artistic beauty and number of variations finished by model mates, the most suitable genres were threemovers and fourmovers,
- English school demanded dual-free play in all variations and put emphasis on varied motivation in high number of variations,
- American school puts emphasis on originality and presence of surprising elements in the solution,
- new German schoolNew German SchoolThe New German School is a term introduced in 1859 by Franz Brendel, editor of the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik to apply to certain trends in German music...
(also known as logical school) requires logical structure of solution and purity (or economy) of aim, the longer genres are more suitable, - new Bohemian school combines requirements of new German school and Bohemian school,
- strategical school puts emphasis on complexity of motivation in high number of variations, both defence and harmful motifMotif (chess composition)In chess composition, a motif is basic element of a move in the consideration why the piece moves and how it supports the fulfillment of a stipulation. Any move may and often does contain multiple motifs...
s should be unified whenever possible, mostly in twomovers and threemovers, - Soviet school is highly developed level of strategic school,
- new-strategical school requires changes of variations or move functions between phasesPhase of playPhases of play are parts of a chess problem which happen, as it were, concurrently rather than consecutively.Each problem has at least one phase: the post-key play or actual play; that is, the play after the key...
, - Slovak school requires changes of motifs between phases.
Besides clearly attributable chess problems there are many ones that might be attributed to none of these or to more of them. Today, many chess composers do work in the area of multiple schools regularly.
External links
- http://www.arves.org/Biografie.htm - Biographical and other data on Endgamestudy composers.