OzProblems

Australian Chess Problem Composition

Welcome to OzProblems.com, a site all about chess problems in Australia and around the world! Whether you are new to chess compositions or an experienced solver, we have something for you. Our aim is to promote the enjoyment of chess problems, which are at once interesting puzzles and the most artistic form of chess.

Problem of the Week


732. Leonid Makaronez
Original

An in-depth introduction to the art of chess composition, examining various problem types and themes.

Prominent Australian problemists write about their involvement in the contemporary problem scene, and present some of their best compositions.

A comprehensive collection of Australian chess problem materials, including e-books, articles, magazines and columns (all free downloads).

A chess problem blog by Peter Wong, covering a range of subjects. The main page provides a topic index.

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Walkabout

The Java theme


19 Nov. 2024

The Java theme, mostly seen in two-move problems, exemplifies the idea of dual avoidance. The latter term means that after a certain black defence, White apparently has a choice of two mating moves (a dual), but one must be discarded for a subtle reason. This basic effect takes a special form in the Java theme, which focuses on how two white line-pieces control the flight-squares next to the black king. A black move, which seems to permit a dual, cuts off a white line that guards a flight; in the mating response, White must avoid closing another white line that targets the same square, as that would allow the king to escape. The theme is named after the island where an early exponent, the British composer Harry Tuxen, was residing in the 1930s.