CONTENTS :
Eight E m i n e n t Composers i
T h e Problemist's V o c a b u l a r y 4
N o t a t i o n 9
Eugene B. Cook 11
Samuel Loyd 16
W i l l i am Meredith 32
George E. C a r p e n t e r 41
W i l l i am A. Shinkman 48
D. J . Densmore 64
H e n r y W a l d Bettman 72
O t t o W u r z b u r g 85
Epilogue II 138
ABOUT THE BOOK : This is a collection of profound and ingenious chess problems composed by
eight of the most outstanding American composers—160 masterpieces in all,
with commentary and solutions in full detail. Any chess enthusiast working
through this treasury will discover one subtle and exciting master problem
after another, and a thorough reading cannot fail to augment the skill and
style of any player, no matter how advanced. In his presentation the author
also goes a long way toward helping the relatively unskilled player to master
these ingenious problems.
The work of these composers (with the single exception of Sam Loyd's) is
currently unavailable in any other book, being either out of print or previously
uncollected.
In a group of prefatory essays, the author—an internationally famous
problemist, chess writer and editor, well-known as a judge in problem
tourneys—provides a brief historical survey of chess problem composition
in America, a detailed vocabulary of the specialized terms used in his commentaries
and in discussing chess problems in general, and a short explanation
of the notation used. This introductory material is especially helpful
to those who wish to find an inroad of study to the expanding world of
chess excitement that this book has to offer.
