Our cover problem is a helpmate classic showing a complete bS wheel, an amazing achievement in a h#3 before the computer age! The problem is topical because the composer Kauko Virtanen has recently published a book titled Musta ratsupyörä. The title translates quite simply as The Black Knight Wheel.
The book consists mainly of chess columns from the magazine Suomen Kuvalehti, edited by Kauko in 1976-1979. In addition to the columns there is a short biography, basic information about chess problems and photos taken on different occasions.
The columns deal, of course, mainly with chess compositions but also with correspondence chess and OTB encounters. The quoted problems in the columns range from top-class compositions to the first efforts of enthustiastic readers. The popular columns were important for the development of many currently active problemists, Mikael Grönroos, Timo Kallio and Jorma Paavilainen, to name but a few. Kauko is known for his unique style of writing, for the ability to link together ideas from chess, arts and sciences, and quite possibly this is the secret of the columns' success!
On p. 4 we invite ST members and others to the Finnish Quick Solving Championship and to the society's annual meeting on February 21. On the same page we list ST members and other well-known problemists celebrating their anniversaries in 2004.
Please note that Kari Valtonen, GM in solving, a long-time editor of problem chess column in Suomen Shakki, co-author of problem books, a successful composer etc., turns 50 on April 26. To mark his anniversary, an international formal composing tourney is announced. See p. 4 for details, and please reprint the announcement!
The ST summer tourney 2003 was a national competition for problems showing tempo move(s). Altogether 18 problems by 12 composers were judged by Lennart Werner and the award is on pp. 6-10. For our foreign readers, we publish the award also in English.
On p. 12 Marko Ylijoki writes about the Luukkonen theme, which was mentioned in a recent StrateGems issue (misspelled Luukenen in SG). On the following page Toma Garai depicts a typical chess problemist.
The problemists in Lahti celebrated the 10th anniversary of their association with an international competition. The prize-winning problems and the sole Finnish entry among the awarded problems is on p. 14. On p. 16 there are international composing competition announcements, plenty to choose from!
The originals columns start from p. 17 and offer surely many hours of enjoyment for keen solvers. The latest official solvers' ratings are on p. 26.
In the Selected Helpmates column, pp. 28-30, Marko Ylijoki deals with a development of an idea showing switchbacks by the mating piece. On p. 31 we have a theme example to the Kari Valtonen 50 JT, with an interesting background story on how the composing took place in a concentration camp during the Second World War.
ST 2/2004 is due to appear in April.
Published 13th February 2004