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MatPlus.Net Forum General Obituaries
 
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(161) Posted by Darko Šaljić [Sunday, Apr 28, 2019 09:26]

One of the most imaginative and unique composers in history. Every single of his work was a revelation for me. I'm really sorry, big loss.
 
 
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(162) Posted by Wilfried Neef [Thursday, May 2, 2019 16:06]

Dieter Kutzborski was one of the finest Moremover-composers (some of his 3-movers including) ever. All his problems are breathing deep originality!
You may check this statement by reading the book ("Verschlüsselte Steine") mentioned by Siegfried in this thread. Dieter felt that problems should be pure pieces of art, and he declined any touch of commerce, therefore he did not sent in for FIDE-Album and others, and therefore he is not so well-known as he could be!
 
   
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(163) Posted by Jacques Rotenberg [Friday, May 3, 2019 00:57]

Dieter Kutzborski
Schach-Aktiv 2006
2nd Prize
(= 9+9 )

16#

1.Kg6! [2.Rh8‡] Bb1+ 2.d3![3.f7#, 3.Bb3#] B×d3+ 3.Kh6 [4.f7‡, Bb3+] Bc4 4.Bb5![5.B×f5+] Ba2 5.Kg6 Bb1+ 6.e4! B×e4+ 7.Kh6 Bd5 8.Bc6 Ba2 9.Kg6 Bb1+ 10.Rf5!! B×f5+ 11.Kh6 Be6 12.Be4! B×d8 13.Bh7+ Kf7 14.Bg6+ Kg8 15.f7+ B×f7 16.Bh7‡

2.Rf5? B×f5+ 3.Kh6 R×b6!!
 
   
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(164) Posted by Eugene Fomichev [Wednesday, May 8, 2019 13:52]

Vladimir Mikhailovich Voronin (31.3.1950 - 8.3.2019), Tim city (Kursk region), the russian doctor of psychiatry, phothographer, chess composer, collector of chess books, amateur of direct miniatures passed away on March 8th. RIP, my friend.
 
   
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(165) Posted by Jacques Rotenberg [Tuesday, Jun 11, 2019 23:26]

About the problem above by DK, I have the feeling that this excellent problem is not the first to show a triple roman decoy with Lepuschutz.
Can someone show what have been done before?
Thank you
 
   
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(166) Posted by Marjan Kovačević [Saturday, Jun 15, 2019 04:17]

It took several months before we got to know the very sad news about death of Robert (Bob) Burger (June 21, 1931 - February 6, 2019).
Most of the contemporary problemists knew this outstanding person only by his name above some excellent chess compositions. Even that part of his enormous creativity remained largely uncovered. He didn't send his problems to the Album FIDE, neither he published a collection of his problems, and it is questionable if he held the records of them. His only visit to world congresses of chess composition was in 1980, and contacts with chess composers out of USA were mostly by mail and email.
In chess composition, Bob seemed to care more about good chess play and ideas than about formalities. However, he was gladly and successfully composing for team thematic matches and tourneys, including the last WCCT. I had the privilege to communicate and compose with him from 2010 to the end of 2016, when Bob stopped using email. The joint composing was a pleasure of communication, and exchanging letters in the first place.
This was the way to learn he had been the same Burger who won the famous simultaneous game against Bobby Fischer, in 12 moves, and the one who later wrote the outstanding book about legendary World champion. Bob had ten children and tens of different jobs, hobbies, and interests, including passion for marathon running. His joyful and imaginative letters, always brought new and exciting projects. We shall never know all the articles and books he authored, co-authored or ghost authored in different fields - from advertising, nutrition and sport to science and art.
 
   
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(167) Posted by Neal Turner [Thursday, Jul 4, 2019 19:42]; edited by Neal Turner [19-07-04]

This has appeared on The Guardian site - it seems endgame specialist Timothy Whitworth has died (no dates given).
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jul/03/timothy-whitworth-obituary

Now I see that this was already announced in May's Problemist.
 
   
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(168) Posted by Branislav Djurašević [Friday, Jul 5, 2019 13:09]; edited by Branislav Djurašević [19-07-05]

Last night, at 10:30 PM, our dear colleague Miodrag Mića Radomirović (8.04.1951-4.07.2019) has died of stroke-related complications. He was born on April 8th 1951 in Kosovo where he also lived and worked for a long time. He was an extremely considerate man; one couldn't hear a single bad word from him against anyone. He was also a strong Candidate Master in OTB. He even played at the Youth and State Championships of Yugoslavia as a representative of Kosovo. All his colleagues from Serbia knew how strong a chess problem composer he was, although he had only 2 problems in the FIDE Albums. His last quality problem (sent to the FIDE Album 2016-2018) won the 3rd prize at the Strategems 2018 tournament, where the judge himself acknowledged that the first three rewards were almost equal. The editor of the 3-move problem section also liked that problem very much. As a co-author of that problem, I too am very proud to have known him both as a colleague and as a friend. He was a member of Serbian team at WCSC and WCCT.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tOFz-xHOQpfcAUEwS37pcHgtNctzEc6p

His problems will forever live in the databases of chess problems and our hearts. Deepest condolences to his family, and may he enjoy eternal glory!
 
   
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(169) Posted by Rauf Aliovsadzade [Friday, Jul 5, 2019 23:55]

My sincerest condolences on the passing away of Miodrag Radomirović.
 
   
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(170) Posted by Branislav Djurašević [Tuesday, Jul 9, 2019 11:16]; edited by Branislav Djurašević [19-07-09]

Please look at photos from Miodrag Radomirovic commemoration in Chess Club Belgrade held yesterday evening with some his chosen problems (see pdf) and fully commented by GM Marjan Kovačević during the presentation are here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=17yMJUOELOrd8gHUiTsdMIrtuPHXnq1Lu
 
 
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(171) Posted by Sarah Hornecker [Tuesday, Aug 27, 2019 04:47]; edited by Sarah Hornecker [19-08-27]

It is with great shock that I must announce that the death of the world-renown Pál Benkö at 91 was reported by the USCF.

Benkö has published over 100 studies (hhdbv has 146 entries by him). He was a lover and advertiser of the chess study and problems, and the most recent award he won demonstrated also his great writing skill: "The Royal Game - A Problemist's Version" in the Chess Life August 2018 issue has received the "Special Achievement" prize of the Chess Journalists of America.[1]

Benkö was a contributor not only for Chess Life, but also for EG, ChessBase, and likely many other places where chess problems and studies were published.

http://new.uschess.org/news/pal-benko-dies-age-91/
[1] http://new.uschess.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Benko-Aug-2018-Royal-Game.pdf and http://www.chessjournalism.org/awards2019/The-Royal-Game%3A-A-Problemist's-Version---Chess-Life-August-2018

I am not in the position to write an eulogy that would do justice to Mr. Benkö, to whom I have looked up as maybe not an inspiration for composing but for a lifelong ability to enjoy chess composition. My happiness to have a great man, a world star of chess, being an active study and problem composer, soon will be only a memory, but I am today thankful to him for all the joy he has brought us, for all the great works he has created to advertise problem chess to the general public, and the studies that remain to be replayed and admired.

EDIT: Please see also the last photo, made by Susan Polgar last week. https://www.chess.com/news/view/pal-benko-dies-1928-2019
Photo and Twitter message of Susan Polgar, herself a (former?) chess composer: https://twitter.com/SusanPolgar/status/1165979606391971842/photo/1

EDIT2: I found one final problem by Pal Benko, published posthumously on 26 August 2019 by Susan Polgar. If this is correct, it will be reprinted many times!

https://gamesmaven.io/chessdailynews/news/the-final-gift-a-masterpiece-composition-to-the-chess-community-by-pal-benko-kmjxCeXak0emg5lpfp6b1Q/

 QUOTE 
This is a a Help Mate Composition! From the starting position, White starts the game and checkmates Black by En Passant on the 9th move!

In addition, the game MUST include all the SPECIAL chess moves (at least from one side) such as Pawn Promotion, Castling, En Passant (in addition to the final checkmate), and Discovered Check. There is only one possible solution (according to Benko himself).

He was very proud of this Help Mate Masterpiece and asked me to share it with all of you! This was his final request to me.

Enjoy!

 
   
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(172) Posted by Alain Villeneuve [Tuesday, Aug 27, 2019 20:12]

I associate with the feelings expressed, Rest in peace (Dieu ait son âme). Pal Benkö was a world-class player (beating Bobby Fischer 3 times), top composer in studies and problems. He gave the good example, unfortunately not much followed.

Just a remark about the "Benkö gambit". As far as I know, he did not invent this gambit, he just popularized it, using his famous name. This gambit was first played in the game Thorvaldsson-Vaitonis, 1936, so it is "Letton gambit" ! When I was young (a long time ago), nobody spoke about "Benkö gambit", it was "Volga gambit". If I am not wrong, Pal played this gambit for the 1st time in 1967 againt M. Vukić !
 
   
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(173) Posted by Alain Villeneuve [Thursday, Aug 29, 2019 00:10]

Sorry, not "latvian gambit" but "lithuanian gambit" !
 
   
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(174) Posted by Sarah Hornecker [Saturday, Aug 31, 2019 19:03]; edited by Sarah Hornecker [19-08-31]

While I still don't know Benkö's intended solution to his final problem, Reddit user "candidate_master" seems to have found an unintended solution:

http://www.reddit.com/r/chess/comments/cww7yo/has_anyone_solved_pal_benkos_final_chess_problem/

 QUOTE 
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.c4 dxc3 {Additional En Passant} 5.Bb5 cxb2 6.O-O {Castling} 6...bxa1=Q {Pawn Promotion} 7.Re1 Ke7 8.e5 d5 9.exd6# {Discovered Check is Checkmate by En Passant} 1-0


Points of note (i.e. why it can't be intended): The second and third move can be reversed, the promotion is not unique.
 
   
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(175) Posted by Alain Villeneuve [Saturday, Aug 31, 2019 20:32]

Also 6...bxc1=R.
 
   
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(176) Posted by Joost de Heer [Saturday, Aug 31, 2019 23:29]

 QUOTE 

the game MUST include all the SPECIAL chess moves (at least from one side)

This game includes white ep and castling, and black ep and promotion. So none of the sides has done all special moves.
 
   
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(177) Posted by Jorma Paavilainen [Monday, Sep 23, 2019 08:48]

We have lost our good friend and chess colleague Harri Hurme (2.6.1945 – 23.9.2019).
Harri was an IM solver and a FIDE master for compositions with 12,83 FIDE Album points. He was also a FIDE master in OTB chess and represented Finland in many international competitions, including three Chess Olympiads.
Harri was the vice chairman of the Finnish Chess Problem Society for more than three decades and participated actively in PCCC/WFCC congresses. His first participation was in 1978 and Vilnius congress in August 2019 was his last one. He was in the Finnish solving team in almost every WCSC competition, winning several team medals and an individual bronze in Bratislava 1993.
He will be greatly missed.
 
   
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(178) Posted by Marjan Kovačević [Monday, Sep 23, 2019 14:05]

My deepest condolences to Harri's family and all Finish chess problemists.
Harri was a chess composer of subtle taste. I will remember his sharp eye and excellent memory from discussion we had during many congresses.
 
   
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(179) Posted by Yochanan Afek [Saturday, Oct 5, 2019 01:50]

Sad news indeed. A gentle person whom I was always pleased to meet and to exchange ideas. My sincere condolences to Harri's family and to the Finnish chess and chess composition communities.
 
   
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(180) Posted by Michael McDowell [Sunday, Oct 13, 2019 20:21]

Christopher Jones informs me that György Bakcsi died on 11th October.

One of the truly great composers.
 
   
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MatPlus.Net Forum General Obituaries