William A. Shinkman (Part II)

William Shinkman (1847-1933) was one of America's greatest chess composers, ranking perhaps only behind Sam Loyd. He is said to have published over 3,500 problems.

Many are collected in The Golden Argosy: 600 Chess Problems,by William Anthony Shinkman, Otto Wurzburg, Alain Campbell White and George Hume published by the "Chess Amateur" in 1929.

For an introduction to the world of chess problems, check out Australia's FIDE Master of Chess Composition Peter Wong's "Peter's Problem World".

Take a look at the following challenge, perhaps Shinkman's best known. White to move and checkmate in 8 moves.

Tim Krabbé gives the solution to the problem, as well as a fascinating tale of a problemist, Bader Al-Hajiri, who wanted to make sure that the above position was legal -- and then wanted to find out the shortest game that could lead to that position -- in his Chess Curiosities Open chess diary: "The Kuwait Immortal".

The following, published in White Rooks in 1910, is a checkmate in 3 moves, White moving first.

This final problem, published in the Dubuque Chess Journal in 1874, is likewise a checkmate in 3 moves.

Answers will be provided in a later post.