Chris J. Feather

Known English chess composer, one of the best authors of helpmates of various kinds. It always pays to read his elaborate and well pointed comments about originals in magazines all around the world. He is also known as a man that refuses to publish his works in FIDE Album and - as you can see from following examples - it is really unfortunate for their readers as without his helpmates the picture of chess composition from given period isn't as colourful as it might be.

Following selection he sent me in April and I am proud to present it here. In the below provided 7 problems, first you can read CJF's own comment, then solution and finally my own comment.

(For another selection of CJF's works see my impressions from solving Scrapings 3.)
Chris J. Feather
BCM March 1975

The point of this problem can be seen if you find out why 1.Qc1? or 1.Rg1? will not work.

1.Qd1 Rxd1 2.Kd6 Sf4#

1.Rg2 Bxg2 2.Kxc6 Sc3#

Sacrifices motivated by lack of pure tempo moves. Simple? Surely not!









h#2 (5+11)
2.1.1.1
Chris J. Feather
Schach June 1975

A somewhat unusual Zilahi; but the main idea was the method whereby the white first moves are differentiated.

1.Bxb8 Bd5 2.Sc7 Bxg5#

1.Rdxd8 Bc6 2.Sd7 Rxb3#

Of course, black must make critical moves and then close own lines - white must hurry to avoid battery checks. Nice analogy.









h#2 (5+9)
2.1.1.1
Chris J. Feather
Il Duale 1978

White Grimshaw with dual avoidance. Il Duale was a short lived Italian magazine.

1.Ra3 Re6 2.Rg3 Sfh6#

1.Rb3 Be6 2.Rg3 Sd6#

White must close a2-f7 line and the only way to do that is to close it on e6. This costs him covering of e4 or g4 square - that must be recovered by battery mate.









h#2 (7+5)
2.1.1.1
Chris J. Feather
Moultings 12 - 1993

(The stipulation is 1 white move for series helpmate in 3 moves.)

Platzwechsel cycle (QK/KR/RQ).

1.Sd1 -» 1.Qc5 2.Kd5 3.Qd6 Se3#

1.Ba5 -» 1.Kc5 2.Rd6 3.Kc6 Rc7#

1.Bd8 -» 1.Rc5 2.Qc6 3.Rd5 Se4#

Good cycle - I like the way it is prepared by white introductory moves.









1w -» ser-h#3 (4+4)
3 solutions
Chris J. Feather
Szachista 1997

Double triple avoidance, first at White's first move and then at Black's second.

1.Rh4 Se4 2.Be3 Sg3#

1.Sf5 Sxd3 2.Bf2 Sf4#

1.Sd5 Sb3 2.Bh2 Sxd4#

Black must unpin Sc5 and open h1-d1 line. He must do that very carefully.









h#2 (5+11)
3.1.1.1
Chris J. Feather
Buletin Problemistic 1999

This really needs to be solved in order to appreciate the motivations of the moves.

a) 1.Qxa4 Be8 2.Qxe8+ fxe8Q 3.Rc2 Qxe3#

b) 1.Rg1 Rg8 2.Rxg8+ fxg8Q 3.Bd2 Qxc4#

Good echo diagonal-orthogonal leading to rather unexpected model mates. White must sacrifice line pieces as he must evacuate line for black piece sacrificing itself on promotion square but it mustn't rest on pin line too. This way we get Bristols in airy position.









h#3 (7+8)
b) b3 -» f2
Chris J. Feather
Shakmatna Misl 1999

The WR and WB perform unusual round trips along a single line in each case.

a) 1.Rd6 Rxe6 2.Kd5 Rh6 3.Rg6 c4+ 4.Ke6 Rxg6#

b) 1.Qd3 Bxe4 2.Kd4 Bh7 3.Qg6 c3+ 4.Ke4 Bxg6#

Echo diagonal-orthogonal with capture on square where bK will be mated, critical move and model mate by capture on initial square of white mating line piece. Nice strategy for two-phase long helpmate.









h#4 (3+13)
b) wBg6

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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