Alexander Vasilyevich Galitsky

Alexander Galitsky

Alexander Wassiljewitsch Galizki (formerly written Galitzki) ( Russian Александр Васильевич Галицкий ; born February 21, 1863 , Russkije krai ( Vyatka Governorate ); † November 18, 1921 in Saratov ) was a Russian country doctor and chess composer .

Chess composition

Galizki is one of the classics of Russian chess composition. In 1886 he began composing chess problems and took part for the first time in a composition competition organized by Raduga magazine . In his career he published more than 1900 tasks, over 1000 remained unpublished. He mainly composed three and multi-trainers.

Galizki appreciated the beauty of the pure mate picture and also recognized the importance of an interesting game of both sides, the key move and the natural arrangement of the pieces on the chessboard. He did not strive for tournament success. A total of 30 works by the master received awards, 10 of them first prizes.

His tasks with just a few figures were particularly popular. Below is one of his 200 miniatures .

Alexander Galizki
Magyar Sakkújság, 1912

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Checkmate in eight moves

Solution:

1. Ke3 – f4 A give-and-take key move , the e5 escape square is taken from the king , but d4 is given instead. Kd5 – d4
2. Sa7 – c8 Kd4 – d5
3. Nc8 – e7 + Kd5 – d4
4. Ne7 – g6 Kd4 – d5
5. Ng6 – e5 Kd5 – d4
6. Ne5 – d3 Kd4 – d5
7. Nd3 – b4 + Kd5– d4
8. c2 – c3 ideal matt

The author

Alexander Galitsky

As his main task Galitsky saw the popularization of his beloved art, the search for truth in the chess composition which was just beginning to develop.

Alexander Galizki's theoretical work on chess composition is still relevant today. In the article Fundamentals of the Art of Chess Problems , Alexander Galizki wrote:

“The first prerequisite for a task is the existence of an astute idea, which can either consist of the mated picture or the moves of the white and black pieces. As for works of art, the existence of a good idea is insufficient for tasks; rich content is necessary in order to embody this content in an artistic form, that is, it should be expressed sufficiently clearly and concisely to ensure that the task on which the task is based Idea takes on a dominant meaning in it. "

The Schach-Heine

Illustrative material can be compiled from Galizki's works and the entire history of the origin and development of the chess problem can be followed. Each of his tasks contains a paradoxical, original idea presented in an economical, ideal form.

The Swedish composer Johan Ros called Alexander Galizki the Schach-Heine and chess composers around the world agreed with this opinion. In this way, the great magician and magician of the chess composition Alexander Vasiljewitsch Galizki is reminded of the sublime and poetic.

Web links

• Galizki's compositions on the PDB server

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Kyrylo Volodymyrowytsch Urussow, Jewgen Wassylowytsch Fomitschow: Aleksandr Galizki - Schachmatny Gejne. Part 1, Poltava 2010, ISBN 978-966-8036-57-6 , p. 7 (Russian)
2. ↑ Jakow Georgijewitsch Wladimirow: Mnogochodowyje sadatschi. Anthology of Chess Composition of Russia in the 19th and 20th Centuries, Part III. Moscow 2008, ISBN 978-966-8419-47-8 , p. 151 (Russian)