This week we return to the direct mate, with a splendid threemover, by two of the
great composers of the Soviet era.
The key is 1.h7, threatening 2.h8=Q+, 2.h8=S or 2.Sf3+. Black has four thematic defences,
all of which involve moving his d-pawn, so as to include in the defence the Ra7.
1...dxc6 2.Sbxc6+ Kd5 3.e4#,
1...dxe6 2.Sf3+ gxf3 3.exf3#,
1...d6 2.Rf5+ Kxd4 3.e3#,
1...d5 2.Sd3+ cxd3 3.exd3#.
By-play variations are 1...Se7 2.Bxe7 (>3.Re4, h8=Q#) and 1...Sf6 2.h8=Q (>3.Re4, Qxf6#).
Problems which use all four possible initial moves of a white pawn show the Albino
theme, whilst those that feature the equivalent by a black pawn show the Pickaninny
theme. What we have here is a superb combination of the two – each of the black
pawn’s moves results in a mate by one of the possible moves of the white pawn.