Walter Grimshaw

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Walter Grimshaw (1850)
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 rd f8 g8 rd h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 bl b6 c6 d6 nl e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 pl c5 d5 kd e5 f5 g5 nd h5
a4 b4 kl c4 d4 e4 pd f4 pl g4 bd h4
a3 b3 c3 ql d3 e3 f3 pd g3 h3 nd
a2 b2 c2 pl d2 e2 f2 g2 h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1
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Mate in 5.

Walter Grimshaw (March 12, 1832 – December 27, 1890) was a 19th century composer of chess problems. In 1854 he won the first ever chess problem solving competition in London. He is perhaps best known for giving his name to the Grimshaw, a popular problem theme.

This is one of his problems, a mate in five (white moves first, and must checkmate black within five moves against any defence) first published in the Illustrated London News in 1850. The key (see chess problem terminology) is 1.Bc8 (see algebraic notation) which threatens 2.Qc5# or Qd2#. To defend, black plays 1...Bxc8 white plays 2.Qf6 (threatening 2...c4#) and now a Grimshaw interference comes into play: black can defend by cutting off the white queen from the defence of d6 with 2...Ne6 or 2...Be6, but this interferes with the rook's guard of e5, and so allows 3.Qe5#. If instead black plays 2...Re6, this interferes with the bishop's guard of f5 which is significant after 3.Qd4+ Kxd4 4.Nf5+, because the knight cannot be captured. Instead, there follows 4...Kd5 5.c4#.

Walter Grimshaw (1852-1854)
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 nd c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 kl h7
a6 qd b6 pd c6 bl d6 e6 f6 g6 h6 pd
a5 b5 c5 d5 rl e5 f5 g5 h5 pl
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 kd f4 pd g4 h4 nl
a3 b3 c3 pd d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 pl
a2 b2 c2 pl d2 e2 pd f2 pl g2 h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 rl h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Mate in 3.

The second example is one of Grimshaw's better-known problems, a mate in three composed for a competition organised by the Chess Players Chronicle, 1852-54. The key is the paradoxical 1.Rf1, sacrificing a strong white piece. This carries the threats 2.Nf3 (leading to various mates delivered by the d5 rook) and 2.f3+ (leading to knight mates on f5 or g2). Black's obvious defence, 1...exf1Q is answered by 2.Nf3 Kxf3 3.Rd2#. After 1...f3 (giving black a flight at f4), white plays his rook back to where it came from (a switchback) to take advantage of the newly opened fourth rank: 2.Rg1 any 3.Rg4#.

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