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MatPlus.Net Forum General American composers Malcolm Sprey and John Meyers: does anyone know of their whereabouts?
 
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(1) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Monday, Sep 2, 2013 19:40]

American composers Malcolm Sprey and John Meyers: does anyone know of their whereabouts?


Two names from the 80s and I believe young(at the time) upcoming talents when Dave Brown had a flourishing column in Chess Life and the beginning of the new Good Companions era.....curious to know anything-does anyone have information?
 
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(2) Posted by Steven Dowd [Monday, Sep 2, 2013 23:29]; edited by Steven Dowd [13-09-02]

Malcolm Sprey:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=78160357

Obit:

https://www.hawken.edu/ftpimages/291/misc/misc_95051.pdf
 
 
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(3) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Monday, Sep 2, 2013 23:37]

Steven-
I saw he won a 1st Pr. back in 1985. Did he have much of a composing career? Did he have contact with the names of the day in what i gathered was a siginificant geographical location for US Chess composers? Any reasons for such an early death?
 
   
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(4) Posted by Steven Dowd [Monday, Sep 2, 2013 23:48]; edited by Steven Dowd [13-09-02]

I just posted his obit, Eugene. I don't know. We American composers don't tend to keep up with each other; we had a GM gone and buried for a year before anyone cared to check up on him. Usually when I try to find info on one I hit a brick wall. The USCF MSA doesn't have any results for him OTB after 1991. There is a picture of him and his chess team circa 1980 on sale at Ebay.

The only problem I can find by him in the three databases I use (PDB, Meson, YACPD) is a cooked helpmate bishop minimal. Maybe you could post his first prize as a more fitting remembrance?
 
   
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(5) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 01:03]; edited by Eugene Rosner [13-09-03]

I would like to, but I don't have any old chess life copies-it would appear in 1986 with the 85 #2 award. It didn't make it into the FIDE Album. I will try to do some research and may call USCF tomorrow to see if they could help.
 
 
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(6) Posted by Steven Dowd [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 01:06]

John W Meyers appears to have curtailed his chess activities in the late 90s, when his tournament directorship expired. It looks like he was active in both OTB and composition up until about that time, and still seems to be living in Wisconsin, so you might want to try and contact him.
 
   
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(7) Posted by Steven Dowd [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 01:45]

I have a mostly complete run of Chess Life, but could only access these (I have respiratory problems and accessing the issues always kicks up my dust allergies. I should make pdfs.)

Malcolm Sprey, Chess Life, December 1985, Problem 93, Mate in two

(= 9+10 )


Malcolm Sprey, Chess Life, July 1985, Problem 44, Mate in two

(= 11+11 )


He also had a problem in the June 1985 issue to which I have only the solution beginning with 1. Rh1! - solution given in the August 1985 issue.
 
   
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(8) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 03:09]

yes, the lower one is the 1Pr. thanks for digging this out. Nice flight giving key 1.Sd4(2.Sxf5#) with some nice battery play. Incomplete halfpin.
 
   
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(9) Posted by Arno Tungler [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 09:43]

The cooked helpmate (PDB: P0521524) could be corrected with the beneath if you are satisfied with just the three line openings by the bPPP.

Malcolm Sprey
1422 U.S. Problem Bulletin 54 07-08/1987
(Version)
(= 2+7 )

h#6 C+
1.Bg7-b2 Kb1*b2 2.c4-c3 + Kb2*c3 3.d5-d4 + Kc3*d4 4.e6-e5 + Kd4*e5 5.Rg6-f6 Ke5*f6 6.Bb3-g8 Kf6-g6 #

For the four line-openings you can also do in 5,5 moves but them without the neat key:

Malcolm Sprey
1422 U.S. Problem Bulletin 54 07-08/1987
(Version)
(= 2+7 )

h#5.5 C+
1...Kb1*b2 2.c4-c3 + Kb2*c3 3.d5-d4 + Kc3*d4 4.e6-e5 + Kd4*e5 5.Rf7-f6 Ke5*f6 6.Bb3-g8 Kf6-g6 #
(Also correct with bQf7 if you prefer four checks in a row...)

(I post those here as it is not desired to post corrections of problems inside the PDB database.)
 
   
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(10) Posted by Steven Dowd [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 12:09]; edited by Steven Dowd [13-09-03]

I believe Arno it is only considered unacceptable to post corrections in the PDB if the author is still alive since that removes their chance to correct the problem, or in some cases, like with feenschach, to send the correction there first so it can be published. In this case, neither the magazine or the author are alive.
 
   
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(11) Posted by Arno Tungler [Tuesday, Sep 3, 2013 13:28]

@Steven, Yes, it is not "unacceptable" but "undesirable" as the database is not foreseen as a forum or discussion-board where you can propose different versions as is often done here on the forum but just as a database where you can search for already published positions. In the comments you can indicate where a possible correction can be found or even add such positions with a diagram and the proper source indication. That is better than to have different ideas without diagrams and proper source in such a place that is not designated for it.
Obviously these are only my explanations that I learnt from those supporting that wonderful project - I agree with them but have no real saying about it as I am currently no contributor and have no deeper understanding of all the issues. However, I very much appreciate all the work that is put into the site and mentioned this point as I understand it. Maybe I am wrong...
 
   
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(12) Posted by Eric Huber [Wednesday, Sep 4, 2013 20:54]

In WinChloe database there is another problem by Malcolm Sprey:

Malcolm Sprey
7th HM, Schulte Memorial 1992-93
(= 7+6 )
#2 (7+6)
 
   
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(13) Posted by Eric Huber [Wednesday, Sep 4, 2013 21:04]

And by John W. Meyers you might enjoy the following Circe twomover:

John W. Meyers
1st Place, Israel – USA 1988-89
(= 11+13 )
#2 (11+13)
Circe

An immediate 1.exf3(bPf7)+ would fail because of 1...fxe6(wPe2)! Hence the tries and key occupying the rebirth square f7:
1.Bf7? [2.exf3#] 1…Sd3!
1.Rf7? [2.exf3#] 1…Rxf2!
1.Sf7? [2.exf3#] 1…Rh5!

1.f7! [2.exf3#]
1…Rh5 2.Rxf1#
1…R×f2 2.Qxd2#
1…f×e2 2.Qxe2#
1…Sd3 2.exd3#
 
 
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MatPlus.Net Forum General American composers Malcolm Sprey and John Meyers: does anyone know of their whereabouts?