chess composition A chess problem, also called a chess composition, is a puzzle set by the composer using chess pieces on a chess board, which presents the solver with a particular task. For instance, a position may be given with the instruction that White is to ...

, a motif is basic element of a move in the consideration why the piece moves and how it supports the fulfillment of a stipulation. Any move may and often does contain multiple motifs. Some

composition schools A composition school is a group of composers or a style of composition purportedly shared by a group of composers, often from the same area or who studied in the same place. The membership of almost all groups is assigned by others and disputed ...

put specific emphasis on motivation in chess problems, especially strategical school and Slovak school. A composition where a maximum number of a certain motif occurrences is shown is called a task, even if the term task is more general.

Classification of motifs

Motifs may be classified according to various viewpoints. In the usual twomovers they might be: * Positive - those working towards the accomplishment of the stipulation ** Attacking - positive motifs of white moves ** Weakening - negative motifs of white moves * Negative - those tending to hinder the accomplishment of the stipulation ** Defensive - negative motifs of black moves ** Harmful - positive motifs of black moves Similar classification is valid for all directmates,

selfmate A selfmate is a chess problem in which White, moving first, must force Black to deliver checkmate within a specified number of moves against their will. Selfmates were once known as sui-mates. Example The problem shown is a relatively simple examp ...

reflexmate The problem to the right is a fairly recent example, successful in the World Chess Composing Tournament despite only a single phase of play present. It is by Štefan Sovík and is a reflexmate in two moves. The key is 1.Qh5! and White threatens ...

s and other problems with antagonistic aims of sides, while for

helpmate A helpmate is a type of chess problem in which both sides cooperate in order to achieve the goal of checkmating Black. In a helpmate in ''n'' moves, Black moves first, then White, each side moving ''n'' times, to culminate in White's ''nth'' mov ...

s and other help-problems only positive/negative level is applicable.

Contents of motifs

The basic orthodox motifs are: * Preventing the move of other unit (includes taking of a flight of the king) * Allowing the move of other unit (includes creating of a flight of the king) * Guarding of some square or line * Unguarding of some square or line * Attacking of king (checking) In

fairy chess Fairy chess is the area of chess composition in which there are some changes to the rules of chess. The term was introduced by Henry Tate in 1914. Thomas R. Dawson (1889–1951), the "father of fairy chess", invented many fairy pieces and new ...

some other motifs are possible.

Forms of motifs

Any of the above-listed motifs may be presented in various forms. In orthodox chess problems these forms include: * Capture (prevents move of captured unit, allows move of king to square previously guarded by captured piece) * Line opening (allows move of pieces along opened line, guards square on the opened line, checks by opening the line) * Line closing (prevents move of pieces along closed line, unguards square on the closed line, removes checks by closing the line) * Blocking (prevents move of the king or any other piece to the blocked square) * Unblocking (allows move of the king or any other piece to the unblocked square) * Pinning (prevents move of pinned piece, unguards square previously guarded by pinned piece) * Unpinning (allows move by the unpinned piece, guards square by unpinned piece) *

Exchange sacrifice In chess, the exchange is a situation in which one player exchanges a (i.e. a bishop or knight) for a rook. The side which wins the rook is said to have ''won the exchange'', while the other player has ''lost the exchange'', since the rook is ...

In the fairy chess, other forms of motifs are possible, e.g., allowing the move by a grasshopper by providing the hurdle or allowing the capture by a piece by patrolling in

Patrol chess Patrol chess is a chess variant in which captures can be made and checks given only if the capturing or checking piece is guarded (or ''patrolled'') by a friendly unit. Non-capturing and non-checking moves are played as normal. The variant was in ...

. While studies also may contain problem motifs, they often contain usual tactical motifs. {{Chess Chess problems