iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Alvey began composing chess problems at the age of 17 and first came to prominence in 1911 when he took second and fourth prizes from a field of 123 in the two-move section of a tourney organized by the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times. (2/2) SOLUTION: chess.w00tness.info/26/107.html

chess.w00tness.info

Key move and solutions to

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Chess problem for the week of Oct 5, 2026: By G.C. Alvey (1890 - 1929), published in the "Surrey Weekly Press" in 1919. White to move and checkmate in two moves. (1/2) FEN: 7n/6K1/8/3pk3/1Q3NB1/5R2/8/2br4 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: g7, Queen: b4, Rooks: f3, Bishops: g4, Knights: f4; Black - King: e5, Rooks: d1, Bishops: c1, Knights: h8, pawns: d5. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

100

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The winning advantage may appear many moves prior to the actual checkmate. It is not always necessary to solve all the way to checkmate. Most studies are best solved with the aid of a chess board. (3/3) SOLUTION: chess.w00tness.info/26/106.html

chess.w00tness.info

Key move and solutions to

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Hints: The objective of this study is to find the best sequence of moves that gives White a winning advantage. This could be a passed or promoted pawn; a forked, skewered, trapped, or captured enemy piece; a superior position; or a checkmate. (2/3)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Chess study for the week of Sep 28, 2026: By Josef Kling (1811 – 1876), a German chess master and chess composer, published in "Chess Weekly" in 1849. White to move and win. (1/3) FEN: q7/8/8/8/5R2/4k3/7R/4K3 w - - 0 1 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #chessstudy

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess study on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: e1, Rooks: h2 f4; Black - King: e3, Queen: a8. The instructions for solving the chess study are, "White to move and win".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This problem won first place in its category in the Canadian Spectator Problem Tourney of 1880. (2/2) SOLUTION: chess.w00tness.info/26/105.html

chess.w00tness.info

Key move and solutions to

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Chess problem for week of Sep 21, 2026: By William Atkinson (1835 - 1887), published in "Canadian Spectator" in 1880. White to move and mate in 3 moves. (1/2) FEN: 1b6/5p1B/pPNp1R1r/Pk2p3/4N2P/Q3p3/3nP3/3KB3 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: d1, Queen: a3, Rooks: f6, Bishops: e1 h7, Knights: e4 c6, pawns: e2 h4 a5 b6; Black - King: b5, Rooks: h6, Bishops: b8, Knights: d2, pawns: e3 e5 a6 d6 f7. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in three moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

This problem won first place in its category in the Ottowa Citizen Problem Tourney of 1885. (2/2) SOLUTION: chess.w00tness.info/26/104.html

chess.w00tness.info

Key move and solutions to

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Chess problem for week of Sep 14, 2026: By William Atkinson (1835 - 1887), published in "Ottowa Citizen" in 1885. White to move and mate in 2 moves. (1/2) FEN: 1bNn1B2/nr6/Kp4R1/1p1k1r2/p2p1P2/1p4N1/B3Q3/2R4b w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: a6, Queen: e2, Rooks: c1 g6, Bishops: a2 f8, Knights: g3 c8, pawns: f4; Black - King: d5, Rooks: f5 b7, Bishops: h1 b8, Knights: a7 d8, pawns: b3 a4 d4 b5 b6. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

This problem won first place in its category in the Canadian Spectator Problem Tourney of 1880. (2/2) SOLUTION: chess.w00tness.info/26/103.html

chess.w00tness.info

Key move and solutions to

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Chess problem for the week of Sep 7, 2026: By William Atkinson (1835 - 1887), published in "Canadian Spectator" in 1880. White to move and mate in two moves. (1/2) FEN: 5N2/4pp2/1p1BrR2/3k4/1Q4n1/K2B4/8/5n2 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: a3, Queen: b4, Rooks: f6, Bishops: d3 d6, Knights: f8; Black - King: d5, Rooks: e6, Knights: f1 g4, pawns: b6 e7 f7. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

120

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Chess problem for the week of Aug 31, 2026: By J.W. Abbott, published in "English Chess Problems" in 1876. White to move and checkmate in four moves. (1/2) FEN: 8/3B4/3N2p1/3kB3/3PR1P1/2p5/2P5/2K5 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: c1, Rooks: e4, Bishops: e5 d7, Knights: d6, pawns: c2 d4 g4; Black - King: d5, pawns: c3 g6. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in four moves".

100

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

More Hints: The winning advantage may appear many moves prior to the actual checkmate. It is not always necessary to solve all the way to checkmate. Most studies are best solved with the aid of a chess board. (3/3) SOLUTION: chess.w00tness.info/26/101.html

chess.w00tness.info

Key move and solutions to

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Chess study for the week of Aug 24, 2026: By R. Bianchetti, published in "L'Italia Scacchistica" in 1925. White to move and win. (1/3) FEN: 7k/8/5r2/8/8/2R5/8/K1B5 w - - 0 1 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #chessstudy

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: a1, Rooks: c3, Bishops: c1; Black - King: h8, Rooks: f6. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and win".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I do not necessarily make them usable for others but I do make them usable for myself by adding comments, help screens, and error checking so, if I revisit the code in a few years, I have clues as to what the code is doing. (2/2)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I’m more of a hobbyist now but, yes! The CLI programs I vibe code are niche programs that address a particular need at the time. I do not publish them because they are AI generated and anyone who needs similar functionality can provide a similar prompt and get a similar result (more or less). (1/2)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Chess problem for the week of Aug 17, 2026: By J.W. Abbott (1840 - 1923), published in "The Illustrated London News" in 1874. White to move and checkmate in three moves. (1/2) FEN: 5B2/7p/5p1K/3Bk3/2P3R1/8/5P1N/8 w - - 0 1 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #chessproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: h6, Rooks: g4, Bishops: d5 f8, Knights: h2, pawns: f2 c4; Black - King: e5, pawns: f6 h7. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in three moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Joseph William Abbott is known for his work in chess composition, particularly for his collection titled "121 Chess Problems" published in 1887. This work features a variety of tactical enigmas, focusing on 2-move and 3-move checkmate problems. (2/2) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Chess problem for the week of Aug 10, 2026: By J.W. Abbott (1840 - 1923) and published in "Counties Chess Association" in 1886. White to move and checkmate in two moves. (1/2) FEN: 3R4/4K3/5p2/5p2/8/3BkNQ1/8/8 w - - 0 1 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #chessproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: e7, Queen: g3, Rooks: d8, Bishops: d3, Knights: f3; Black - King: e3, pawns: f5 f6. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

120

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I post a pawn study or an endgame study the fourth week of each month. You might enjoy those more because they generally force you to calculate more deeply than a #2 or #3 problem.

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

2.Nc4 is not mate. Keep trying.

000

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

I agree but then that was not the point of the problem. Problems are composed from scratch for artistic purposes. Puzzles, on the other hand, are derived from real game situations and serve as tactical training exercises.

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Pulitzer published a collection of his chess compositions entitled "Chess Harmonies" in 1894. The book's circulation was private and thus limited. An expanded second edition with a public circulation was planned but never materialized. (2/2) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Chess problem for the week of Aug 3, 2026: By Walter Pulitzer (1878 - 1926), published in "The Baltimore News" in 1892. White to move and checkmate in two moves. (1/2) FEN: 8/1p6/1Q1p2p1/4p1P1/p2pk3/P7/BN1B3N/5K2 w - - 0 1 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #chessproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: f1, Queen: b6, Bishops: a2 d2, Knights: b2 h2, pawns: a3 g5; Black - King: e4, pawns: a4 d4 e5 d6 g6 b7. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

chess.w00tness.info

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Johann Sehwers was a Baltic chess composer, linguist and teacher. Sehwers had an on-again, off-again relationship with chess, always putting his studies and career before chess. Despite this, he created almost 100 studies and published 87 of them. (2/4)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Chess study for the week of Jul 27, 2026: Composed by Johann Sehwers (1868-1940) and published in "Düna-Zeitung" in 1902. White to move and win. (1/4) FEN: 4N3/q7/3p4/p7/k7/4P3/1K1P4/5R2 w - - 0 1 #chess #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #chessfeed #chessstudy

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess study on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: b2, Rooks: f1, Knights: e8, pawns: d2 e3; Black - King: a4, Queen: a7, pawns: a5 d6. The instructions for solving the chess study are, "White to move and win".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Corio is memorialized by the Cozio Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7), an old-fashioned, uncommon choice for Black's third move in the Ruy Lopez and by Cozio's Mate, a common method of mating named after a study Cozio published in 1766. (3/3) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

000

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Carlo Cozio, the Count of Montiglio and Salabue, was an Italian chess player and theorist. He is best remembered for the book "Il giuoco degli scacchi", a two volume work totaling 700 pages. Corio completed the manuscript in 1740 but it was not published until 1766. (2/3)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Chess problem for the week of Jul 20, 2026: By Carlo Francesco Cozio (1715 – 1780), published in "Il giuoco degli scacchi" in 1766. White to move and checkmate in three moves. (1/3) FEN: 8/8/8/8/pN6/3K4/8/k7 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: d3, Knights: b4; Black - King: a1, pawns: a4. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in three moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Oops! It is. Give me a few to correct it

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Stamma was a regular at Slaughter's Coffee House in St Martin's Lane, London, a center of 18th-century English chess, and was considered one of England's strongest players. He was defeated quite handily by Philidor in a famous match in 1747, which was the beginning of Philidor's rise to fame. (2/3)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Chess problem for the week of Jul 13, 2026: By Philippe Stamma (1705 – 1755), published in "Essai sur le Jeu des Echecs" in 1737. White to move and checkmate in two moves. (1/3) FEN: 8/4R3/1bkpP3/1Np5/2P5/4p3/3r3r/1R2K3 w - - 0 1 #ajedrez #chess #échecs #schaak #schach #chessproblem #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: e1, Rooks: b1 e7, Knights: b5, pawns: c4 e6; Black - King: c6, Rooks: d2 h2, Bishops: b6, pawns: e3 c5 d6. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

The book is noteworthy because it brought Middle Eastern ideas and concepts on the endgame to Europe and helped revive European interest in the endgame. (3/3) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

000

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

The book was originally published in France as "Essai sur le jeu des echecs" in 1737. It was translated into English and published in England, with additional problems, as "The Noble Game of Chess" in 1745. (2/3)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Chess problem for the week of Jul 6, 2026: By Philippe Stamma, published in "The Noble Game of Chess" in 1745. White to move and checkmate in two moves. (1/3) FEN: 8/5k1N/R2P4/4K1R1/4P3/6p1/5n2/3r1r2 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: e5, Rooks: g5 a6, Knights: h7, pawns: e4 d6; Black - King: f7, Rooks: d1 f1, Knights: f2, pawns: g3. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in two moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

He also composed motets, preludes, and pieces for organ, a minuet for strings, and songs. Dagnino was also a chess composer and a contributor to the chess magazines "L'Eco degli Scacchi" in 1916 and "L'Italia Scacchistica" in 1917 and 1918. (3/3) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

000

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Luigi Eduardo Dagnino (1876 - 1944) was an Italian musicologist, composer, and chess composer who served as a professor of music history at the Pontificio Istituto di Musica Sacra in Rome. He authored works including a monograph on Marco Enrico Bossi and "L'archivio musicale di Montecassino". (2/3)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Chess problem for the week of Jun 29, 2026: By Luigi Eduardo Dagnino, published in "L'Italia Scacchistica" in 1917. White to move and checkmate in four moves. (1/3) FEN: 8/7p/6kP/4B1N1/6K1/4P1P1/8/8 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessproblem #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachproblem

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess problem on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: g4, Bishops: e5, Knights: g5, pawns: e3 g3 h6; Black - King: g6, pawns: h7. The instructions for solving the chess problem are, "White to move and checkmate in four moves".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

This could be a passed pawn, a captured piece, a better position, or checkmate. It is not always necessary to solve all the way to checkmate. Most studies are best solved with the aid of a chessboard. (5/5) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

000

Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Sehwers found the effort of composition without a chessboard very strenuous and, at his wife's request, never attempted it again. HINTS: The objective of this study is to find the best move sequence giving White a winning advantage…. (4/5)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

The study presented here (Number 29 in his book) was composed without the aid of a chessboard. Confined to bed while recovering from a near fatal case of pneumonia, various chess images started appearing in Sehwers' mind so he composed the study by dictating the details to his wife. (3/5)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Johann Sehwers was a Baltic chess composer, linguist and teacher. Sehwers had an on-again, off-again interest in chess, preferring his studies and career to chess. Despite this, Sehwers created almost 100 studies, 87 of which he published in a collection, "Endgame Studies", in 1922. (2/5)

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Chess study for the week of Jun 22, 2026: By Johann Sehwers (1868-1940), published in "Rigaer Tageblatt" in 1908. White to move and win. (1/5) FEN: 6B1/8/N7/8/8/2Kp4/Qp1p4/b1k3n1 w - - 0 1 #chess #chessfeed #chessstudy #ajedrez #échecs #schaak #schach #schachstudium

A diagram illustrating the starting position of the chess study on a chess board. The chess pieces are arranged as follows, White - King: c3, Queen: a2, Bishops: g8, Knights: a6; Black - King: c1, Bishops: a1, Knights: g1, pawns: b2 d2 d3. The instructions for solving the chess study are, "White to move and win".

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Stamma's book also introduced algebraic chess notation in an almost fully developed form before the now obsolete descriptive chess notation, as espoused by Philidore, had evolved. (3/3) SOLUTION:

chess.w00tness.info

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Mark Babik @ic3ix.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Philipp Stamma (1705 – 1755), was born in Aleppo, Ottoman Syria, and later lived in England and France, was a chess master and a pioneer of modern chess. His book, "Essai sur le jeu des echecs", originally published in 1737, helped revive European interest in the study of the endgame. (2/3)

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