8/31/2019 – This month Study of the Month columnist SIEGFRIED HORNECKER looks at the WCCI, or World Championship in Composing for Individuals, and the legacy of Nenad Petrović (pictured). As per a rather new rule, the best compositions there automatically qualify for the official FIDE Album, which will be covered in a follow-up article. | Photo: Arves.org

7/27/2019 – Study of the Month columnist SIEGFRIED HORNECKER outdoes himself this month with a tour de force including eight studies! You can truly spend the entire month with this one. Featured first is Sergiy Didukh (pictured), a Ukrainian studies composer who invented the term “thematic wrong try”. Enjoy! | Photo: Arves.org

6/29/2019 – When on May 26th 2017, in Netanya, a man died during the preparations to celebrate his 80th birthday, the jubilee turned into a memorial for one of the greatest study composers from Israel. Many chess composers have an endless love and passion for chess, but he also had it for raising other young talents. | Photos: Arves.org

6/1/2019 – Many will know the Austro-Hungarian (and later Czechoslovakian) Richard Réti as a world-class player, but also as a great composer of endgame studies, so — in time for his 130th birthday — we continue our exploration of European chess composers with him. (Read part 1) | Photo: Ernst & Cesanek, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

5/25/2019 – Many will know the Austro-Hungarian (and later Czechoslovakian) Richard Réti as a world-class player, but also as a great composer of endgame studies, so — in time for his 130th birthday — we continue our exploration of European chess composers with him. As it would go too far to analyse his entire biography, just the important details will be given here, while also exploring the history of the Réti manoeuvre. | Photo: Ernst & Cesanek, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

4/27/2019 – It's the last Saturday of the month, so time once again to enjoy some studies and compositions (plus some Eastern philosophy) curated by our expert SIEGFRIED HORNECKER, whose April subject is Iuri Akobia of the Georgian School of composition. Photos contributed by David Gurgenidze. | Image: Robbert van der Steeg [CC BY-SA 2.0] via Flickr

3/30/2019 – It's the last Saturday of the month, so time once again for a featured study (actually "studies" as there's rarely been just one!) from our expert SIEGFRIED HORNECKER, who focuses his attention in March on Artur Mandler (1891 to 1971) a prolific chess composer. | Photo: Archiv Bondarenko [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Wikimedia Commons

2/23/2019 – Composer Mark Liburkin is the focus of "Study of the Month" author SIEGFRIED HORNECKER. Little is known of this study composer born in 1910, but his "chameleon echo" is sure to delight and we fill in the biographical gaps as best we can. And, as usual, don't miss the instructive studies!

1/26/2019 – "Study of the Month" author SIEGFRIED HORNECKER returns to his deep dive into Czech chess composers with a fascinating column on Oldřich Duras. The fourth column in this mini-series builds upon his research from the second half of 2018. See also: Part 1: Prokop’s poetry, Part 2: Prokeš from Prague and Part 3: Miroslav Havel. Of course, don't miss the instructive studies!

12/29/2018 – The final "Study of the Month" examines the legacy of American composer Alain C. White. Our study guide and expert SIEGFRIED HORNECKER explains how White "was far ahead of his time — half a century or more". In fact, Hornecker is already looking ahead to 2022 when many of White's works are slated to enter the public domain, much to the benefit of chess study fans (and future Study of the Month columns) everywhere.

11/24/2018 – It is said it is better to lose a friend than a good joke — or in this case a pun. Today our study expert SIEGFRIED HORNECKER presents a talented composer born in Hamburg on December 16th, 1899, but who lived for many years in Vienna. "The soul of an artist had its price with Heuäcker valuing beautiful, aesthetic chess more than practical necessities". | Photo: GFHund CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10/27/2018 – 2012 was a strange year. Amid World Championships and Olympiads a Bohemian master was awarded the GM title for chess composition. Our study expert SIEGFRIED HORNECKER delves into the life and work of “Miroslav Havel” (a pseudonym). His speciality was "model mates" — problems with three or more checkmate variations where all white pieces (except possibly the king) participate in the checkmate.