MARK RUBERY CHESS
Chess problems originated in medieval Europe where composers were aware of and used such tactical devices as batteries, decoys, interference, self-blocks and square vacation. The principal European innovation was the requirement to give mate in a set number of moves, and if this could not be done the problem was regarded as unsound. In the 1840s there was a surge of interest in problems because they could be regularly available in newspaper columns and periodicals. In 1846 Alexandre published an encyclopedia on problems in an attempt to bring together all the known problems of the game up to that time. However, so great were the changes taking place that his book was almost immediately out of date. The two-mover was for a long time neglected as it was not able to contain many of the complex ideas that longer problems can accommodate, but skilled composers were able to inject many tactical elements to give it a new lease of life.
The following problem being a case in point ...
WHITE TO PLAY AND MATE IN TWO
All Black’s available moves are already provided with a white mate, for example if the b5-knight moves, then Nd4#, or if the d6-knight moves, then Qe4#. Thus if White had a pure waiting move, then the problem would be solved. However, there is no pure waiting move, for example 1 Bb3 would give Black the extra possibility of 1 ... a2.
Perhaps the most inconsequential chess book ever written was uncovered by acclaimed chess historian, Edward Winter, is The End Game by Marvin Howard Albert (Alexandria Press and Print, Seattle, 1966). The entire contents, page by page, are as follows:
Front cover, Blank, Blank, Blank, Title page, Blank (except for copyright notice) Blank, A 15-line poem, Blank, An eightline Lasker quote and part of a chess design, Title (The End Game) and part of a chess design, Blank A 14-line poem, Blank, Blank (except for a notice that the print-run was 22 numbered copies),A four-line quote from “Herman (sic) Hesse”, Blank, Blank Blank Back cover (caption for an Alekhine v Capablanca position, with the diagram missing).