‘Australian Chess Problems and News in Overseas Journals’

Bob Meadley continues his excellent work on problem history with the publication of Australian Chess Problems and News in Overseas Journals. This document is a compilation of Australian problem items in overseas publications, primarily the British Chess Magazine, from the late 19th century to 1920. Tourney results and award-winning problems are quoted aplenty, along with other news items. You will find representative works by eminent Australian composers such as A. Charlick, J.J. O’Keefe, and A. Mosely, as well as overseas greats who gained prizes in Australian tourneys. Many compositions are accompanied by perceptive comments from B.G. Laws, the problem editor of BCM. In some instances, Bob even reproduces the full articles, e.g. ‘Problem Tourneys in Victoria’ by Andrew Burns, and ‘Some Australian Novelties’ by Henry Tate. Bob’s interesting annotations are also interspersed through the text, providing explanatory notes and his editorial views. You can download the free document in the PDF-format using the above link.

Here is a classy two-mover cited in Overseas Journals. The key and threat are long-range queen moves: 1.Qg1! (2.Qg7). No less than five black defences occur on the same square, yielding a variety of mates: 1…Seg2 2.Qxa1, 1…Bg2 2.Qxh2, 1…Rg2 2.Qe3, 1…Shg2 2.f6, and 1…Qg2/Qxg1 2.Bf4. The good by-play makes further use of the white queen – 1…Qg3 2.Qxg3, 1…Bd4 2.Qxd4, and the R + P battery – 1…Sg6+ 2.fxg6.