 |
Joseph KriheliSoviet chess composer
Date of Birth: 10.05.1931
Country:  Georgia |
Content:
- Soviet Chess Composer
- Chess Composition Achievements
- Key Theme: False Trails
- - 1.Cg8? faces a simple black parry: 1...Rh2! (1...Kg8 2.Qe8)
- Cooperative Checkmate Problems
- - I. 1.Kd3 b4+ 2.K:b4 Kc7 3.Kc6 Ke6
Soviet Chess Composer
Igor Kricheli(1942-2021) was a prominent Soviet chess composer and a Candidate of Physics.
Chess Composition Achievements
Kricheli was awarded the title of International Grandmaster of Chess Composition in 1984. He excelled in long-range problem composition, securing first place in the 15th USSR Championship in 1984. Additionally, he achieved second place in the 10th and 14th championships and third place in the 12th, 13th, and 16th championships.
Throughout his career, Kricheli garnered a remarkable collection of accolades in both national and international competitions. He was awarded approximately 500 distinctions, including 250 prizes (90 of which were first prizes).
Key Theme: False Trails
Kricheli's compositions often featured the "false trail" theme, where an apparently logical move for White leads to a disadvantage. For example, in one of his compositions:
- 1.Cg8? faces a simple black parry: 1...Rh2! (1...Kg8 2.Qe8)
- White avoids this false trail by shifting the play from the "h" file to the 8th rank: 1.Cg6! Kpg8 2.Qd5+ Kph8 3.Qd8+ Cg8 4.Cf7 Kph7 5.Qd3+ Kph8 6.Qh3+ Ch7
- White has now achieved the same position as before, but with the queen on the desired square.
- The maneuver is repeated: 7.Cg6! Kpg8 8.Qe6+ Kph8 9.Qe8+ Cg8, and now 10.Ch7! Kxh7 11.Qh5# (10...g5 11.Qxg8#)
Cooperative Checkmate Problems
Kricheli was also a pioneer in cooperative checkmate problems, where Black assists White in checkmating Black. In one of his famous examples:
- I. 1.Kd3 b4+ 2.K:b4 Kc7 3.Kc6 Ke6
- II. 1.Rc6 b3 2.K:b3 Kb6 3.Kd4 Kd7The route of the black knight is ingeniously motivated by tempo threats from the white pawn.
