This next three-mover in our series is composed by Dobrusky, this time as a solo performer. It’s a bit tougher than the last one.

When I visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, I am in awe of the magnificent works of art displayed there. I once told a chair of a university art department that my definition of art was, “If I can do it, it isn’t art.” Well, I can’t compose problems, either! They are truly art. I can’t even solve most of them! However, it gives me great aesthetic pleasure to give them a try, see the solution and then play through it noticing how each chess piece and pawn is there for a reason. I learn, too, some interesting ideas that every now and then become helpful over the board. For the next few days, you will get to try your hand at three-movers, noticeably tougher than two-movers. You might just get this first example, a mate in three composed by Chocholous and Dobrusky over a hundred years ago.

White is threatening a mate in one. How does Black best turn the tables on White?

Black (O.Duras in 1900 vs. M. Vitacek) plays a combination of great imagination here to win the game. A nice Friday challenge for you!

It has been great fun hearing from long time readers of this column. Quite a few have written to tell me how much they’ve learned from the puzzles. I have tried to mix pure enjoyment composed problems (mate in two, three, etc.) with practical game positions. With the practical ones, I’ve tried to keep pointing out themes. Today’s position is from Ward-Downey from 1901 and tests whether you remember one of those themes. I hope you do! There’s something amiss in Black’s position. Can you take advantage of it?

There are several ways to mate in three here. See if you can find them.