Thomas Rayner Dawson

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For the American General, see Thomas Dawson.
Thomas Rayner Dawson
Fairy Chess Review, 1947
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Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 nl b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 pd g2 h2
a1 kd b1 c1 kl d1 e1 f1 g1 h1
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Series-helpmate in 17 moves. Black makes 17 moves, then White makes a move, delivering checkmate.
Onitiu, Petrović, Dawson & Fox
1st Pr. Kniest TT. 1930, FIDE Album 1914-1944/III
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 dd b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 dd g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 pd b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2 dd
a1 kd b1 c1 kl d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 dl
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Mate in 8 (with grasshoppers Ga8, f7, h2 and h1)

Thomas Rayner Dawson, British chess problemist (28th November, 1889 Leeds - 16th December 1951)

Thomas Dawson published his first problem, a two-mover in 1907. His chess problem compositions include 5,320 fairies, 885 direct mates, 97 self mates and 138 endings. 120 of his problems have been awarded prizes and 211 honorably mentioned or otherwise commended. He cooperated chess composition with Charles Masson Fox.

Dawson invented many fairy pieces and new conditions. He introduced the popular fairy pieces grasshopper, nightrider and many other fairy chess ideas.

He was founder editor (1922-31) of The Problemist the journal of the British Chess Problem Society. He subsequently produced The Fairy Chess Review (1930-51), which began as The Problemist Fairy Chess Supplement. At the same time he edited the problem pages in The British Chess Magazine (1931-51).

Contents

[edit] Problems

Solution of first problem is: 1.Ka2 2.Ka3 3.Kb4 4.Kc3 5.Kd3 6.Ke2 7.Ke1 8.f1R 9.Rf2 10.Ke2 11.Kd3 12.Kc3 13.Kb4 14.Ka3 15.Ka2 16.Ka1 17.Ra2 Nb3#

Solution of second problem is: (1.Gh3 Gh4 2.Gh5 Gh6 3.Gh7 Gh8 4.Ge7 Gd7 5.Gc7 Gb7 6.Ga7+ Ga6 7.Ga5+ Ga4 8.Ga3#

This problem is strange case of incidence: thematic tourney prescript problems with grasshoppers without limiting number of the moves. Identical problem was sent independently by four composers. [1]

[edit] Chess publications

The list of Dawson's chess publications include:

  • Caissa's Playthings - series of articles in Cheltenham Examiner, 1913
  • Retrograde Analysis (with W. Hunsdorfer), 1915
  • Fata Morgana (with Birgfeld, Nanz, Massmann, Pauly), 1922
  • Asymmetry (with W. Pauly), 1928
  • Seventy Five Retros, 1928
  • Caissa's Wild Roses, 1935
  • C. M. Fox, His Problems, 1936
  • Caissa's Wild Roses in Clusters, 1937
  • Ultimate Themes, 1938
  • Caissa's Fairy Tales, 1947

The last five titles were collected as Five Classics of Fairy Chess (Dover Publications 1973) ISBN 9780486229102

[edit] References

  1. ^ Petrovič, Nenad (1949), Šahovski problem, Šahovska centrala, p. 142 

[edit] External links