700 Selected Chess Problems

1 700 Chess PROBLEMSSELECTED FROM THE COMPOSITIONS OFMrs. W. J. BAIRD[1902]An Electronic EditionAnders Thulin, Malm 2002-11-185 PREFACEThe Chess Problems contained in this volume are the product ofthe labour and recreation of some fourteen years. I say labour, because I am not such a Chess enthusiast as to believe that a col-lection such as this can be produced without persistent applica-tion partaking of the nature of work; and recreation, becausethe work has been a pleasure how great a pleasure only a com-poser can fully realize.

2 Although a large number of the problemshave been republished in numerous papers at home and abroad,only the name of the publication in which each originally ap-peared is given. Exclusive of the prize list, in about a dozen caseswith a view to an improvement, they have been more or less resetsince their first appearance. The six added to this collection in let-terpress at the end of the Solutions are the last the best of my belief there is not a single instance of a dualcontinuation, and not being an admirer of dual mates, they arevery few and far list of prize Problems will be found, but it must not be takenfor granted that it contains the essence of the are given in full for the benefit of those who are not faradvanced in the Problem Art.

3 As will be seen, red represents theWhite, and blue the Black May, 1902 CONTENTSList of Prize Problems :Two Movesproblem1 286 Three Moves287 601 Four Moves602 625 Five Moves626 630 Self-Mate Problems :Two Moves631 669 Three Moves670 687 Four Moves688 694 Five Moves695 698 Six Moves699 to TO THE ELECTRONIC EDITIONThe original edition was published by Henry Sotheran & Co, Lon-don, the original preface indicates, it was printed in redand this edition, solutions have been converted from descriptivenotation to algebraic, using the letter S to indicate knights.

4 Thedistinction between plain, double and discovered mates presentin the original has not been retained, except as far as lines thatwere considered separate because of this distinction have alsobeen kept separate in this edition. One example of this is the firstand third line in the solution to problem omitted from the original solutions, indicated by &c. , have been added, in brackets. An extra section, containing publishing information (with occa-sional corrections of problem source), and notes about the prob-lems taken from Mrs.

5 Baird s notebooks has been added after dates given in the original proved to be the date of theaward given. The present edition tries to make this clearer byprinting them together with the award, rather than with thesource, as in the original. In the original several unnumbered Problems were given in let-terpress: these Problems have been set in diagrams, and, if associ-ated with another numbered problem, given the same numberfollowed by A, B, C, etc. in brackets. The six diagrams appearing8baird: 700 Chess problemslast in the two-mover section were originally printed at the end ofthe solutions section.

6 All Problems have been computer tested, using MatthieuLeschemelle , except for the last two problemswhich were checked with Popeye. Only four unsound problemswere found:307, 627,643and 697. In those very few cases where computer testing showed thepresence of moves or variations not completely covered in theoriginal, these have been added to the solution in brackets, and setin italics. Occasional errors in mating moves have been silently am very grateful to C. P. Ravilious, who generously made hisnotes on the original publishing dates as well as the history ofsome of the Problems , taken from Mrs.

7 Baird s own notebooks,available for this edition. I also wish to thank the Library of the British Chess Problem Soci-ety for preserving Mrs. Baird s notebooks and for making themavailable for research and Thulin9 PRIZE Problems , the following List, all were Open Competitions with the ex-ception of the Southern Counties Chess Journal and Sussex ChessJournal,which were limited to Sussex Moves1st Prize (Self-mate), Southern Counties Chess Journal6352nd Prize, Sussex Chess Journal402nd Prize, West Sussex Times and Standard682nd Prize, shoreditch Citizen1182nd Prize, Wallasey and Wirral Chronicle1622nd Prize (Tie)

8 , Southern Counties Chess Journal1702nd Prize Manchester Weekly Times(also3rd for Best Set with No. 331)1792nd Tie, Morning Post2772nd Tie, with No. 545,1st Prize in Leisure Hour(Ladies Competition)2792nd Prize (Self-mate), Hackney Mercury6513rd Prize, Sheffield Weekly Independent63rd Prize, Brighton Society (Informal Competition)2433rd Prize, Southern Counties Chess Journal257 Hon. Men., Sheffield Weekly Independent164 Hon. Men., East Central Times184 Hon. Men., Hackney Mercury200 Hon. Men., Hackney Mercury Tourney, conducted in British Chess Magazine245 Hon.

9 Men. (Self-mate), Brighton SocietyProblem in letterpress under Problem No. 666666a10baird: 700 Chess problemsThree Moves1st Prize, Manchester Weekly Times2871st Prize, Hackney Mercury3291st Prize, Southern Counties Chess Journal3911st Prize, Cricket and Football Field (Half-yearlyCompetition)4221st Prize, Southern Counties Chess Journal4301st Prize, Sussex Chess Journal4521st Prize, British Chess Magazine (Monthly Competition)5111st Prize, Leisure Hour (Ladies Competition)5451st Prize, Sussex Chess Journal5611st Prize, Kentish Mercury5621st Prize, Cricket and Football Field (Half-yearlyCompetition)

10 5912nd Best, Leeds Mercury Weekly Supplement3142nd Prize (Special), Cricket and Football Field (Half-yearly Competition)4833rd Prize, East Central Times4363rd Prize, Sheffield Weekly Independent5163rd Prize, Southern Counties Chess Journal583 Hon. Men., Manchester Weekly Times (also 3rd for BestSet with No. 179)331 Hon. Men., Bristol Mercury407 Hon. Men., Hackney Mercury418 Hon. Men., Bristol Mercury480 Hon. Men., Hackney Mercury Tourney, conducted inBritish Chess Magazine588 Hon. Men., Bristol Times and Mirror,1902 (Since theselection of the Problems for this volume) 597 Two Mover.