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| (1) Posted by Michael McDowell [Monday, Jun 21, 2010 17:09] |
Robin Matthews
Sad news. Robin Matthews, one of Britain’s greatest composers of three-movers, died on 19th June, three days after his 83rd birthday.
As a tribute to Robin here is an example of a theme which has proved popular on this forum.
R.C.O.Matthews
1st Prize Observer 1964
 (= 12+9 )
Mate in 3
1.Bc6 (>2.Re3+)
1…fS random 2.Rxe7+ Re6 3.Rxe6
1…Sg6 2.c3 >/dxc3 3.cxd4/d4
1…Se6 2.Kxb2 >3.Sc4
1…Sd5 2. Sb5 >Bxc6 3.Bxd4
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| (2) Posted by Jean-Marc Loustau [Tuesday, Jun 22, 2010 10:06]; edited by Jean-Marc Loustau [10-06-22] |
A big loss… Robin was not only one the greatest from Britain but one of the greatest in the world… May be he has not composed a great deal of problems (compared to some other composers), but several are so great and striking that his name will remain alongside the most famous top-names in the history of the 3#...
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| (3) Posted by Juraj Lörinc [Tuesday, Jun 22, 2010 12:05] |
While I am by no means threemover composer, I love them and I started to like them thanks to the selection of works of R. Matthews (acquired in 2000 thanks to my small help with Cyclone - you see, cyclone themes leading me to classical ones, what a development!). I will always remember him through his work.
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| (4) Posted by seetharaman kalyan [Tuesday, Jun 22, 2010 14:07] |
Sad news. Great loss to the problem world. Many of his three-movers were striking and stay long in ones memory. His book 'Chess Problems, Introduction to an art' co-authored by Lipton and Rice was a classic. That and the book on Whyatt (Whyatt's style was of course quite different) made me understand and enjoy the three-movers. His erudite comments in the Problemist column were always interesting and instructive. He will be missed by all chess problem lovers.
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| (5) Posted by Miodrag Mladenović [Tuesday, Jun 22, 2010 23:09] |
Very sad news. I always enjoyed his problems and in my opinion he was one of the greatest threemover composers ever. Big loss for our small chess problems community.
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| (6) Posted by shankar ram [Friday, Jun 25, 2010 19:01] |
I had a brief correspondence with him in the 80s while preparing an article on the Jacobs theme for feenschach. Coincidentally he had just then finished composing a #3 showing a new twist on this theme, which was later published in the problemist. He was generous with his encouragement.
Like Seetharaman said, his book with Rice and Lipton was a major influence on me too. As befits a person of his stature in the academic field, his writings always demonstrated a deep knowledge along with the feeling of wonder and curiosity about the subject.
A great loss for all of us.
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| (7) Posted by Jacques Rotenberg [Monday, Jun 28, 2010 03:10] |
So many problems of him are memorable that it seems difficult to choose one to show...
However, I specially remember how I was stunned by the following one :
Robin C.O. Matthews
2nd Match de l'amitie
1967-70 1st place
 (= 11+9 )
3#
1…Rb8 a 2.Rd2+!! A
1…Ra8 b 2.Re2+!! B
1.d7! [2.d8=Q+ Ké6 3.Qd7‡]
1…Rb8 a 2.Re2+!! B
1…Ra8 b 2.Rd2+!! A
1…Sf7 2.B×f7+ Kd6 3.d8=Q‡
A marvellous blend of simplicity and complexity, how a so simple key can provoke such great changes !
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| (8) Posted by seetharaman kalyan [Tuesday, Jun 29, 2010 11:50]; edited by seetharaman kalyan [10-06-29] |
Mr.Mathews explained the motive for the change in the above problem : "In a direct battery the rear piece should not be attacked while in an indirect battery it is the front piece that should not be attacked". Yes. Simple but complex!! Even with the explanation it took me a long time (when I first saw the problem) to work out why the white continuations were interchanged !
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| (9) Posted by Jacques Rotenberg [Wednesday, Aug 18, 2010 04:26] |
One of his best known :
R.C.O. Matthews
The British Chess Magazine 1954
1st Prize (= 11+13 )
3#
1.Qb5! block !!
1…Bc3 2.Rd8 ! [3.Q×c5‡] (2.Rd7?)
1…Bd2 2.Rd7 ! [3.Q×c5‡] (2.Rd8?)
1…Bg3 2.R×h7 ! [3.Sf6‡] (2.B×h7?)
1…Bf2 2.B×h7 ! [3.Sf6‡] (2.R×h7?)
1…Ree4 2.Qc4+ R×c4 3.B×e6‡
1…Rge4 2.B×e6+ R×e6 3.Qc4‡
1…Rf4 2.S×f4+ g×f4 3.Qc4‡
1…Se7,Sg7 2.Q×c5+ d×c5 3.Rd8‡
1…b3 2.Q×b3+ c4 3.Qb5‡
Roman, Anti-dual, Wurzburg-Plachutta
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