Places + Photos

Prague - Saar Loop - Austria³ -  Switzerland -

Episodes + Encounters

High noon! - Made in Germany - Family - Premature Birth - Curiosity at Birth - Spider-Man Thin and Resilient - The day of one’s birth -

Poems + Prose

Poems - stories - notes

Publications + Problems

Firstling - # 1: Schachpartien... - books - essays... ... Schachkompositionen...

Efficiency + Elegance

(pre-) School - educations - professions  -... elegant solutions as inner richness ...

Reflections + Reality

T.I.M.E. - Limits of new Reality 2.0 -

  'Lost and Found'... in Translation!

Dear Reader, I chose to write this autobiography in English, a language that I embraced later in life and mastered through an unusual and largely self-directed journey.

 b

"English is weird. It can be understood - through tough thorough thought though!"

The world is a spiritual vessel
and time was invented to make it blossom.

Die Welt ist ein Geistgefäß,
und die Zeit wurde erfunden, damit es erblüht.

 世界是一只精神的容器，
时间是为了让它开花而被创造的。

 Le monde est un vase spirituel,
et le temps a été inventé pour le faire fleurir.

El mundo es un recipiente espiritual,
y el tiempo fue inventado para hacerlo florecer.

Il mondo è un vaso spirituale,
e il tempo è stato inventato per farlo fiorire.

Ang mundo ay isang espiritwal na sisidlan
at ang oras ay naimbento upang ito'y mamulaklak.

To Internalize More Experience! (T.I.M.E.) 

Prague

Special days like Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and death anniversaries bring into sharp focus the enigmatic nature of time itself. As I delve into the task of jotting down my memoirs, I've come to perceive life as a kind of imperfect album.

 This album, marked by the passage of time, is characterized by a blend of distortion and clarity. The act of remembering is often flawed – memories can be forgotten, confused, or even conflated. Yet, it's not solely a process of loss or distortion. There's also a deep beauty in how we preserve, deepen, and venerate our experiences. Certain moments, once ordinary, become imbued with profound significance as they are revisited and reflected upon over the years.  This duality of memory – its ability to both obscure and illuminate our past – fascinates me.

 The understanding that our recollections are not mere recordings but dynamic, living beings, evolving with each revisitation, brings a certain humility and wonder to the act of reminiscing.  It reminds us that our experiences, though imperfectly remembered, are rich patchwork tapestries woven from the threads of both fact and feeling.

 → = link!   = book, booklet, Essay I vacation, voyage, trip, meeting

Prélude: 1940 - 1949

1940

  A world at war. My future homeland, the Saarland, changed hands, changed hopes – but somehow, life persisted. So did love.

 1941

 1942

 1943

 1944

 1945

1946

 Post-war dust, and first signs of rebuilding. The world learned to walk again – with tired feet, but new dreams. My future parents found each other in the midst of it all. Stars aligned, slowly.

 1947

 1948

1949

May 23:

 The Federal Republic of Germany is founded. At a solemn meeting of the Parliamentary Council, the Basic Law is officially proclaimed. Germany receives a new beginning.

 So do my future parents – though on a more romantic level...

 August ~15-21: A Summer Night's Dream.

 On one of those warm summer nights, most likely between August 15 and 21, a child is quietly conceived – not yet known, but somehow already expected. If that child would later be born on April 11, four weeks ahead of schedule, this would be the most probable moment of origin. No name yet, no voice, not even a heartbeat.  But already on the guest list of time.

 Prelude

 Three wishes.

 In my youth, at the tender age of fifteen, I made three wishes to life’s fairy godmother.

 Despite my success in a special class for mathematics and physics—and having graduated a year ahead of schedule—my heart was set on studying psychology and philosophy. This decision, shaped by early readings of relevant works, set me on a path I would follow with clarity and purpose: first earning a diploma, then pursuing a second academic journey toward a doctoral degree in psychology.

 My second dream was to become a freelance author—especially of non-fiction books and articles on a wide range of topics. My classmates often teased me for this ambition, but time proved me right.

 The third wish—concerning life and love—was the deepest. In German culture, there is a saying: “Love is not everything in life, but without love, everything is nothing.”

 The longing to share my life with a true and lasting love was a wish she seemed to understand instantly.

 From that point on, life gained momentum. At 22, I fulfilled my first dream and became a psychologist—the youngest at my university. But life, as it often does, unfolded with unexpected turns. Within just a year and a half, I suffered the heartbreaking loss of both my beloved parents. An early marriage blessed me with two gifted sons, yet the relationship, marked by her infidelity, turned from dream to nightmare and ended in divorce. Several good relationships followed—some grew into deep friendships, others faded with the challenges of distance and circumstance.

 From that point on, life gained momentum. At 22, I fulfilled my first dream and became a psychologist—the youngest at my university. But life, as it often does, unfolded with unexpected turns. Within just a year and a half, I suffered the heartbreaking loss of both my beloved parents.

 An early marriage blessed me with two gifted sons, yet the relationship—marked by her infidelity—turned from dream to nightmare and ended in divorce.

 Several mostly good relationships followed—including even a brief Las Vegas marriage! Some evolved into deep and lasting friendships, while others quietly dissolved under the weight of time, absence, and the complexities of love stretched across continents.

 True and enduring love finally found me at 52 and marked the joyful beginning of life’s “second phase” with my beloved wife, Lilian—a Filipina with German citizenship.

 After completing my doctorate in experimental psychological research, I found the work in academic institutions intellectually rich, yet emotionally unsatisfying. I longed for a deeper connection with real people—for a way to apply psychology that brought tangible help to individuals like you and me.

 This longing led me down the long road of practice. As a vocational psychologist, I encountered a wide range of individuals: people with physical, mental, or psychological disabilities—including many with learning difficulties or developmental challenges—survivors of accidents and illnesses, and many others facing life’s cruelties. Together with my team, I provided scientifically grounded guidance and psychological assessments, helping to build new, government-funded paths toward education, retraining, and self-determined futures.

 Over four decades, I experienced tens of thousands of such encounters. The psychological reports alone filled sixty thick volumes. Each page holds a story—a journey through hardship, renewal, and regained dignity. These experiences deepened my understanding of resilience and the human spirit.

 Throughout it all, I found joy and solace in writing. Over the years, I published thirty books and countless other works—my “brainchildren,” the realization of my second dream. In my youth, I was a regional chess champion, but soon exchanged the smoke-filled tournament halls for the quieter, more reflective realms of writing and teaching—including writing about chess itself: ten books and more.

 My works often reflect the ethics of Jesus and, increasingly, the subtle wisdom of Laozi. I found the Daoist ideals of naturalness and harmony to be remarkably refined in their simplicity and deeply relevant to our modern lives. Daoist philosophy became a guiding light in both my private and professional life.

 After years of research, I published several volumes on Laozi’s timeless and poetic Daodejing—the most translated book in the world, alongside the Bible. These works are not merely academic texts, but invitations to reflect on the deeper currents of life. My translations and commentaries aim to make Daoist insight accessible to modern readers—serving as a compass for navigating today’s complex world, enriched by recent scientific perspectives as well as my own comparative studies, including a color-coded analysis of the six oldest textual sources.

 Other books followed—on nothingness, the quantum world, death, love, and humor; and finally, on reality and the great German polymath, Leibniz.

 I am deeply grateful for a life both rich in meaning and truly fulfilling—above all, for the love of my life.

 The long garden path of my childhood home was only a prelude to the intricate, flowering garden of the human condition.

*1950

 I was born on April 11, 1950 – As my mother told me at high noon, like Goethe (Dichtung und Wahrheit). Yes, it says so on my birth certificate – 12:00 sharp. Right in the middle of the day, when shadows are shortest, and clarity reigns.

 Chosen by my older brother, then almost nine years old, from a book with thousands of names: Hilmar – the fight-famous one. Old Germanic: – hil- (from hiltju, hiltja) = fight, – -mar = famous. (Masculine form: Hilmar, Feminine form: Hilma!). Thank you - beautiful and rare enough!

 In the beautiful Saarland: Near the Saarschleife, the famous loop of the river Saar – a gentle twist of geography where even the river seems to hesitate before moving on.

  Saar Loop

Made in Germany... by

Frieda Ebert (1920-1974) ❤ ❤ Alois Ebert (1906-1972)

 12:00 High noon!

 It was a Premature Birth: six weeks of fighting for survival...

 "They say I am now baptized.

 I have no idea what that means — but I’m sure I’ll find out later. For now, I can only trust what I’ve heard…”.

  “Curiosity at Birth”

  My lifelong curiosity revealed itself early — perhaps inspired by Easter, I arrived four weeks ahead of schedule.

 The official plan had been elegant: I was to be born precisely on May 11, 1950 — my mother’s 30th birthday. A noble intention! A monument to German precision.

But life had other ideas. On Easter Tuesday, after my mother had overexerted herself hanging laundry, I suddenly decided: Now is the time! Exactly at 12:00 noon — in the middle of the day, in the middle of the century.

 *

 Following the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel — medically known as the birth canal — I arrived in the world as a fragile bundle of just three pounds: eight months in the womb and only half the expected weight.

 The first lesson in life came not in words, but in maternal action. My mother had unwittingly summoned me early with one last tug on the laundry line. From that moment on, her vigilance began.

 Day and night, my parents watched over me in shifts, listening to every breath — guarding me from the edge.

Spider-Man: Thin and Resilient. 

 Though I was frail, these early challenges seemed like nature’s way of preparing me for a life that would demand perseverance and adaptability—gifts I would carry, unknowingly, from day one.

 I was born prematurely, weighing less than 1.5 kg ("with diapers," as my mother joked). My fragile frame required daily visits from a special nurse, since even my mother wasn’t allowed to bathe me at first.

 Yet through her tireless care—and perhaps gallons of breast milk—I soon transformed into a lively toddler. People marveled at how early I began to walk and talk… a portable walkie-talkie! :-)

 The day of one’s birth is often seen as just a date; in truth, it is woven into the fabric of world events, composing what might well be the true satire of life.” On this very day—April 11, 1950—as Hungary transitioned into a republic and my mother looked forward to her 30th birthday four weeks later, fate seemed to wink at my arrival with a hidden smile.

 The world was in motion all around us: In Yugoslavia, the government launched a sweeping process of debureaucratization and decentralization, dissolving several ministries in favor of newly formed councils.

 In Jordan, people went to the polls in parliamentary elections that also served to ratify the annexation of Eastern Palestine. And far across the seas, the United States was extending its influence in Europe, as the transport ship Exilona docked that very day in Naples — delivering weapons under the NATO alliance.

UFO: Bad UFOs, Good Timing

 But perhaps the most intriguing event—coming exactly one month after my birth—was the now-legendary UFO sighting in McMinnville, Oregon.

 On my calculated birthday, May 11th, 1950, a farming couple, Mr. and Mrs. Trent, captured two of the earliest and most captivating photos of an unidentified flying object.

 Mrs. Trent first noticed the silent, disk-shaped object gliding toward their farm in the evening sky. In a rush of excitement, she called her husband and fetched a camera. Their quick action produced two remarkable photographs of a metallic, saucer-like craft with a pronounced dorsal bulge—something between a silver hat and a space-age turtle.

 These These photographs have stirred fascination and skepticism for decades. Despite detailed computer analysis and enhanced imaging—which estimated the object to be over 70 feet in diameter—no one has ever proven the photos to be fabricated. This largely ruled out the typical ‘hubcap hoax’ theories. Even more telling, the Trents never profited from their pictures, making deception seem unlikely. And yet, small inconsistencies—such as the exact time of day the photos were supposedly taken—continue to invite speculation.

 As I reflect on such events, I can't help but smile at the cosmic choreography between fate and coincidence.

 Was my birthday simply aligned with history's curiosities... or something more? Am I, in a whimsical sense…an extraterrestrial myself?

 The iconic photo taken by Paul Trent on May 11, 1950 — the day I was supposed to be born! :-) source 

 “Farmer Paul Trent, a frugal man from McMinnville, Oregon, took two pictures of a flying saucer above his house on May 11, 1950 — Mother's Day that year. He showed the negatives to the local newspaper editor, who printed them.

 LIFE magazine later ran the story, noting that the photos showed no signs of tampering and that the object shone like silver, made no noise nor smoke, and disappeared after a minute or two. The Trents never profited from the images, adding credibility to their account.”

 Am I, in a whimsical sense,
an extraterrestrial myself? :-)

 Perhaps, like that metallic saucer, I too was destined to spark curiosity and questions. Just as the Trents' camera captured a fleeting moment of mystery in the skies, my reflections seek to capture the fleeting yet profound moments that define a life.

 Decades later, these images remain iconic, featured in countless documentaries and debates, embodying humanity’s eternal fascination with what lies beyond our understanding.

 Perhaps my journey through life, like that saucer in the sky, is meant to hover briefly... leaving behind questions, wonder, and just a hint of the extraordinary.

NEIL A. = ALIEN (!)

*

HILMAR ALQUIROS =
LIQUORISH ALARM! :-)

(I do not drink any alcohol!)

April 1950

Der weltgeschichtliche Rahmen

→ MY EUrope! Geographically, Politically, Psychologically. NATO, Euro, GDP...

• April 1950: Die Europäische Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl (EGKS) wird gegründet – ein entscheidender Schritt auf dem Weg zur späteren Europäischen Union. (Ein symbolischer Auftakt für Kooperation statt Konfrontation – in einer Zeit, die vom Kalten Krieg geprägt war.) ¹

• 5. April 1950: Agnetha Fältskog wird geboren – später eine der vier Stimmen, die als ABBA die Welt verzauberten. (Ein anderes „Gesangswunder“ als die Sirenen der Lüfte...) ²

• 10. April 1950: Dag Hammarskjöld beginnt seine Tätigkeit als UN-Generalsekretär – ein stiller Visionär, der später zum Märtyrer des Friedens wird. ¹

• 25. April 1950: Der St. Lawrence Seaway wird eröffnet – ein ingenieurtechnisches Meisterwerk, das erstmals Ozeanschiffen den Weg tief ins Herz Nordamerikas öffnet. ¹

The Historical Backdrop

• April 1950: The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) is founded — a pivotal step toward what would later become the European Union. (A symbolic beginning for cooperation instead of confrontation — in a time shaped by the Cold War.) ¹

• April 5, 1950: Agnetha Fältskog is born — destined to become one of the four voices that, as ABBA, would enchant the world. (A different kind of "singing wonder" than the sirens of the skies...) ²

• April 10, 1950: Dag Hammarskjöld begins his tenure as UN Secretary-General — a quiet visionary who would later become a martyr for peace. ¹

• April 25, 1950: The St. Lawrence Seaway opens — a marvel of engineering, granting ocean-going ships access deep into the heart of North America for the first time. ¹

11. April 1950:

• Prinz Rainier III. besteigt den Thron von Monaco. (Er wird Jahrzehnte später durch seine Heirat mit Grace Kelly zur Ikone der royalen Romantik – vielleicht ein Hauch von Glamour, der deinen Geburtsmoment adelte?) ¹

• Ein amerikanischer B-29-Bomber wird von sowjetischen Jagdflugzeugen über Lettland abgeschossen – (ein Symbol für die geopolitischen Spannungen jener Tage, der Kalte Krieg war voll entbrannt). ²

• Dein Geburtstagszwilling ist u.a. der US-amerikanische Schauspieler Bill Irwin, ein vielseitiger Mime, Clown und Tänzer. (Humor und Leichtigkeit – da schimmert fast dein späteres „Buch des Humors“ durch.) ³

• In Deutschland erscheinen an diesem Tag wie gewohnt die Zeitungen: Hamburger Abendblatt, Münchner Abendzeitung u.a. (Ein normaler Tag im jungen Nachkriegsdeutschland – aber auch der Beginn eines außergewöhnlichen Lebens...) ⁴

• Prince Rainier III ascends the throne of Monaco. (Decades later, through his marriage to Grace Kelly, he would become a symbol of royal romance — perhaps a touch of glamour that ennobled your moment of birth?) ¹

• A U.S. B-29 bomber is shot down by Soviet fighter planes over Latvia — (a stark emblem of the era's geopolitical tension, as the Cold War blazed into full intensity) ²

• I share your birthday with American actor Bill Irwin, a versatile performer, clown, and dancer. (Humor and lightness — already a faint glimmer of your later Book of Humor?) ³

• In Germany, newspapers such as the Hamburger Abendblatt and Münchner Abendzeitung are published as usual. (An ordinary day in young postwar Germany — and the beginning of an extraordinary life...) ⁴

1951 – House in Luisenthal / Völklingen

Floor plan sketch drawn by my brother. The kitchen – “Kü” – marks the place of my earliest memory.

 My earliest memories reach back to our first home - our house in Luisenthal / Völklingen - before we moved to our new house.

• Crawling(!) up the stairs toward the rooms of our friends and tenants – a grand journey for small knees and boundless curiosity.

• A vivid(!) memory: the room, the people, the quiet, solemn mood – the evening before my grandfather’s death †29.11.1952.

• Sitting on my aunt's lap, waiting for St. Nikolaus! Will he come with Knecht Rupprecht and his birch rod... or with presents?!

 And believe it or not –
at the age of three, already in the new house, I tried to preserve my oldest memory and told my father about:

 Sitting at the kitchen table, my mother nearby…enchanted by tiny toys hidden in a black-and-gold Chinese(!) tea tin –

  無 Could this place have shaped my lifelong love of tea

and my affinity for Chinese Daoism? :-)

 We moved to our new house in Altenkessel, a neighboring community that later became part of Saarbrücken. Perched high above the valley and surrounded by forest, Altenkessel (‘Old kettle’) – a small community of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants – offered a peaceful, elevated childhood.

 Behind our house stretched a long, beautiful garden – with various fruit trees, a sandbox, a goldfish tank, and, in the beginning, even a few chickens.

 Across the street lived other children, and I had even more playmates at my maternal grandmother’s house, conveniently located just around the corner.

 Over time, I began to form my first real friendships – a significant step for a pseudo-only child like me, since my brother, nine years older, had already developed his own world of interests. Still, he had a positive influence on me. He looked after me, played with me, and taught me a lot. Later, he liked to joke that I had asked him “a million questions” every single day.

 Despite having experienced several serious illnesses, I was fortunate to grow up in a safe, secure, and loving home – from the age of two to twenty. I was happy and curious. I received my entire education there, until I earned my bachelor’s degree at age twenty.

 I lived – and loved – the springtime of my life in this homely world.

 I grew up “bilingually” in Saarland. Alongside the strong local Saar dialect spoken everywhere, I learned a completely different language at an early age: My mother read me the original Grimm fairy tales and Wilhelm Busch’s illustrated stories before bedtime. Thanks to her, I acquired High German much earlier than most children.

 Before long, I knew many of the stories by heart. My mother taught me to read, and my father introduced me to the basics of arithmetic – all before I ever entered school.

 I was weak and shy, but always curious. And somehow, I amazed my grandparents, uncles, and aunts.

 Christmas tree...

 I was tested for premature school enrollment— bright enough, but considered too physically fragile after a difficult surgery followed by sepsis(!)

 Elementary school began. Our teacher sometimes played the violin in class! ♫

At home, my brother Günther—nine years older—filled the air with Boogie, Rock ’n’ Roll, and Belafonte’s Calypso! ♫

Games, games!

 Merels (Nine Men’s Morris), playing cards, draughts, Chinese checkers... The most frequent victims were several aunts without fixed working hours. They played patiently, even when losing repeatedly.

→  

  'First Love'! Rösli ❤ →

        I Austria ³

          I Switzerland

          I Liechtenstein...

My Teens: 1960 - 1969

Content

→Prélude: 1949

→My Childhood: 1950 - 1959

→My Teens: 1960 - 1969

→My Twenties: 1970 - 1979

→My Thirties: 1980 - 1989

→My Forties: 1990 - 1999

→My Fifties: 2000 - 2009

→My Sixties: 2010 - 2019

→My Seventies: 2020 - 202x

→Appendix

A New School, a New Decade, a New Chapter in Life.

 I began attending the Gymnasium in Völklingen – a nine-year school program I completed in eight, thanks to two 7-month “compressed” school years, as the Saarland adapted to the West German education system. Later, the school was renamed the Einstein School – no joke!

 We studied, stepwise, three (!) foreign languages:

- French – logical at the French border, but rarely spoken in real life – and mostly forgotten.
- Latin – taught by a remarkably boring teacher. At age fifteen, it earned me the only bad grade of my school career. (Later “ironed out” – today, I speak Latin only with the Pope!)
- English – introduced far too late, and only for two short school years. Later, I taught myself: first to read it (for university), then to speak it (in the Philippines), and finally to write – English instead of German.

 This was also the year I truly learned chess – at first from my father. I played with my brother, friends, and especially with my best friend Wolfgang – and even joined the new school chess club.

Meningitis: Setback & Solace

 A serious illness struck: meningitis. For four years (!), persistent headaches made reading painful. But there was comfort – even salvation – especially in one thing: the blessing of classical music. Mozart. Beethoven. Bach.

 My pocket money, along with what I earned tutoring other students in mathematics, went into building my own private musical refuge. I bought high-quality recordings of famous concerts – featuring piano, violin, and other great instruments – but above all: opera singers.

 Eventually, I invested in a new sound system, financed through tutoring sessions with older students. For many years, all the way until I turned eighteen at university, this became a steady source of income – quite unusual for an eleven-year-old, especially among classmates who preferred pop hits over Puccini.

Tracing the Roots - A Silent Echo from 1715

 Still standing after more than 300 years – the oldest preserved grave of my ancestors:

Margareta Ebertz, née ?, *~1660 – †16.9.1715, Alken / River Mosel, Germany.

 She is listed as “No. 257” in my family tree – starting with 1 for me, 2 and 3 for my parents... 257(!), in the 9th(!) generation. But our documented line reaches back even further – across 14(!) generations.

 The oldest documented grave in our family lies in a historically protected cemetery, just beside the chapel on the hill – still preserved and officially listed as of 2009.

 This discovery marked the beginning of my research into our family history – on both my father’s and mother’s side – eventually tracing them back to the 1600s(!). It all began with the painstaking study of old handwritten church books. Later, I teamed up with an older great-cousin, Friedrich Ebert, who had already compiled extensive genealogical records and even hosted family reunions.

 Beside my growing collection of classical music recordings, chess books had become my constant companions. From 1963 to 1968, I earned enough money for both hobbies – always by tutoring beautiful schoolgirls in mathematics. A gentle blend of intellect and heart, one might say...

 Beside my growing collection of classical music recordings, chess books had become my constant companions. From 1963 to 1968, I earned enough money to support both passions – always by tutoring beautiful schoolgirls in mathematics. A gentle blend of intellect and heart, one might say... ❤

 Chess club!

 I joined the local chess club, and from then on studied chess more seriously and intensely than before – when I had only occasionally played within the school chess club.

 A rich year full of new impressions and expressions!

- College level: Special Mathematics / Physics branch. We soon dove into topics like calculus and complex numbers—heady stuff for teens, but I loved it! And still, I taught math privately—my first side career, well-funded in coins.

 - Dancing course - Shaared between our school and the neighboring high school for girls... :-)

- Chess: I reached a small tournament success at our club and was ranked No. 8 among Saarland youth. But I soon stopped playing in tournaments—too much smoke in the air (then still allowed)! → Still, I wn a first loca. championship.

            Local chess champion

- Track & Fields: My 100m sprint: 12.5 seconds – with poor shoes and no training!

 → Pictured: My “anti-gravity experiment”  in the old straddle style.

Pain Gone – Clarity Rising

 At fifteen, I could finally read without pain again.

 Alongside other books, I began delving into Einstein, Freud, general psychology, and the timeless questions of philosophy and metaphysics. They soon became the intellectual pillars of my adolescence.

 Final decision: I would study psychology and philosophy – and let cosmology remain a beloved hobby.

         “Clarity rising.”

Writing

Compass and Calling

 At fifteen, I confidently declared to my classmates—already post-voice break and in my finest chest voice—that I would one day write nonfiction books. This bold proclamation was, unsurprisingly, met with uproarious laughter.

 But the idea of diving deeply into a subject, mastering its intricacies, and then sharing that knowledge with others—elegantly, precisely, and perhaps with a touch of wit—appealed to me far more than contributing yet another title to the boundless sea of novels. And so it came to pass: several nonfiction books eventually found their way into the world, while not a single novel ever emerged from my imagination.

 Even as a child, however, I had begun writing poetry. Life itself seemed suffused with poetry—its essence waiting to be distilled into verse. I sensed that condensed thoughts might reflect the deeper structure of reality, if only we listened closely enough.

Compass and Heart

 Through all my scientific, psychological, and practical endeavors, writing remained my compass and foundation. At its heart lay poetry, the enduring passion that my 15-year-young self had so clearly recognized as his destiny.

 Through all my scientific, psychological, and practical endeavors, writing remained my compass and foundation. At its heart lay poetry—the enduring passion that my 15-year-young self had so clearly recognized as his destiny.

 Grade 11 and 12 — each compressed into 7 months! A special program to align the Saarland school system with that of the Federal Republic. 

 First dance lessons... and Beate became my first real girlfriend. She remained close for several years.

       ❤

Grade 13 (in Germany: 13 years total; EU: often 12) → full access to university level.

 Many hobbies flourished in parallel:
Music, movies, literature, poetry, philosophy, psychology, cosmology…
 Also: track and field, table tennis, karate (briefly — health limits),

 Chess tournaments — I reached regional master level.

Radio

Enttäuschung

Dreißig Euro! ruft verlockend,
sie – er dreht sich, atemstockend
um und sieht: es war die Kesse –
Strafmandaten-Politesse!
 

~Disappointment

"Just thirty Mark! - she called so sweet...
He turned around, mid-city street –
And saw, with breathless disbelief:
The sassy parking-ticket chief!

 This little poem was one of my first to be “published”—in a live radio show on   - Bayrischer Rundfunk/Nürnberg, 14.4.1980 /0.30 Uhr (!). I phoned it in, and the editor on the other end burst into hearty laughter. From hundreds of entries, mine was chosen and read on air—a small but joyful spark at the very start of my creative journey. ✨

 Abitur - final exams in Gymnasium, grade 13.

 University: Began studies at → Saarland University: Founded on Franco-German cooperation after World War II, this campus became my intellectual home starting in 1968. Embedded in forests!

  → Self-taught English (Phase 1): reading academic texts.

       First Publication! :-)

 Schachpartien ...: Stellvertretendes erstes Beispiel:  # 001: Partie Ebert – Schorr, Saarland, 1969
 (Kommentar von Otto Benkner) Saarbrücker Zeitung 1969 (Wochenendbeilage „Heim und Freizeit“) 1 S.

Firstling - first published Game:

White: h.e. (Altenkessel)
Black: Schorr (Emmersweiler)
(„Heim und Freizeit“ / 20.XII) („Home and Leisure“, Dec 20)
Saarbrücker Zeitung, 1969 (played on Nov 9, 1969)

 Position after Black's 13th move!

 1.e4 Nf6 Alekhine Defense 2.e5 Nd5  3.c4 Nb6  4.d4 e6!?  5.Nc3 Bb4 6.f4 d5 – new and paradoxical, yet not easily refuted – 7.c5 N6d7  8.Nf3 b6!  9.cxb6 axb6  10.Be2 (10.Bd3!) c5!? – Long-term Saarland Champion Otto Benkner recommended 10...Ba6(!) 

11.0-0 0-0  12.Be3 Nc6  13.Bd3!! ... – a trap: seems like a tempo loss after the next move ...

13... Ba6!?  14.Bxh7+!? First sacrifice Kh8? – Black feared: 14...Kh7 15.Ng5+ Kg6(?) 16.Qd3+ f5 17.Qg3+  18.Bxf5+ Kxf5 19.Qg5+ Ke8(?)  20.Nd5! or  19...Kg8(!) 20.Nd5 Be6! 21.Rc1! But simply: 15...Ng5!! 16.fg5 Bf1 17.Kf1! cd4 18.Bd4 Bc5: and White still has a lot of work ahead if he wants to win ...!

15.Ng5! g6(!)  16.Nf7+!?  Second sacrifice! For the gallery ... (16.Be1! Kg7 17.Qh4(!) ... 18.f5!)

16... Rf7:  17.Bg6: Rg7(!) (17...Re7? 18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.Rf3! Bf8(!) 20.f5! )

18.Qh5+ Kg8  19.Rf3! Bf8(!) (19...Qe7? 20.Bh3 Kf8 (20...Tg6? 21.Bh8!) 21.f5! Tg8 22.Bg5!).

20.f5!? (also 20.Rg3(!) Qc7 21.dc5: )

20... cd4:? – The losing move... more resistance 20...Sg6:(!) 21.fxg6: De8! 22.Rf6(!) cd4: 23.Bh6! or  20...fxg5(!) 21.Bf5: 21...Se7!

21.Bh3 Sg6:  22.fxg6: Kf8 – Now everything is forced. 
23.Qh8+ Tg8  24.Qg7+ Ke8  25.Qg8+:  – Black resigned after a few more harmless moves... (The simplest win 25...Kd7 was: 26.Qd8+! Rd8 27.Rh3!!).

 With all the help from Black – an amusing "firstling"!

(Moon landing year 1969)

Elke ❤

Edna ❤ A true sister in spirit compare → 1983!

"G-Punkt." ❤ → ❤ …  After 14 years of love and care, I became the victim of a hate crime. I never counterattack. Silent closure is Daoist wisdom.

Content

→Prélude: 1949

→My Childhood: 1950 - 1959

→My Teens: 1960 - 1969

→My Twenties: 1970 - 1979

→My Thirties: 1980 - 1989

→My Forties: 1990 - 1999

→My Fifties: 2000 - 2009

→My Sixties: 2010 - 2019

→My Seventies: 2020 - 202x

→Appendix

 The 1970s marked more than the passage from youth to adulthood—they were the crucible in which I began to truly grow up. Not merely in years, but in understanding, responsibility, and resilience.

 It was a decade of studies and scholarship, of work and writing, of friendships and first losses, of love gained and love betrayed. Each moment—bright or bruised—added a layer to the self I would become.

 Balancing education, work, love, and grief  tested my resilience and shaped the person I became.

Encountering the Daodejing

 At the age of 20, during my studies in psychology and philosophy, I encountered Laozi's → Dàodéjīng. It hit me like a brick wall (or perhaps the Great Wall of China!). So, in the midst of my studies and my first marriage, I stumbled across the Dao, which spoke to me in a way nothing else ever had. Laozi’s words weren’t just philosophy; they were practical wisdom for living. "The world is a spiritual vessel..."

 Daoism immediately offered me the most natural philosophy imaginable! It taught me to stay centered—even when life surged forward at full speed. I wanted to write about it later, when in addition to my studies and my intellectual education,  I would have enough life experience...

 I now understand why it is the most translated book in human history—after the Bible.

:-)

 Fifty years later, a car with DAO on its number plate parked beside our neighbor’s house.

 Within just a few pages, I knew I was holding no ordinary book. I sensed instantly that this text would accompany me for the rest of my life. It was not meant to be devoured quickly, but read slowly, …like a deep breath for the soul. Each line resonated as though it were already inscribed somewhere within me—something remembered, not learned.

 The Dàodéjīng’s roughly 1,000 lines—written in concentrated poetic form—offered a vision of the whole: a glimpse into the essence behind all things. Far from dark or obscure, as some claim, it spoke with the quiet, luminous clarity of universal truth—perceptible to those who learn to live in rhythm with the world around them.

 A lifelong study of the Dàodéjīng 道德經 by Lǎozǐ 老子 began, which grew into a spiritual companion through many of life’s changes. Over the decades, I explored the Chinese original as well as hundreds of translations—in German, English, and French—together with interpretations and commentaries by great minds: the incomparable pioneer Victor von Strauß, the wise and empathetic Richard Wilhelm, and the brilliant analyst Karl Jaspers, whose commentary remains unmatched to this day.

  Even Albert was impressed... :-)

  → Lǎozĭ  Dàodéjīng  → The Tao of Dào

Bachelor level exams (at age 20!)

         # 002: Methodenkritisches Experiment zum Semantischen Differential.

A pivotal year:

 My first mini-apartment, driving my father’s car, and the beginning of a new serious relationship… all while preparing for a demanding series of Bachelor exams.

 It was the year I first stood fully on my own—and somehow didn’t fall. With only a minimum of money but a full heart, I lived the humble and happy life of a student, already preparing to marry at the age of 21(!).

Feedback

Der Mensch, der sicher auch schon dachte,

bevor er sich Gedanken machte,

ließ sich vom Denken nur beschenken

und dachte, ohne nachzudenken

Doch ließen der Gedanken Mächte,

ihn überlegen, wie er dächte,

so trieben ihn des Denkens Grillen

zum Denken um des Denkens willen

Bald denkt er viel und grübelt lang,

und mitten im Gedankengang

dünkt ihn, daß er sich übernehme -

wozu denn solche Denkprobleme?!

Drum denkt er nunmehr mit Bedacht

Gedanken, die ihm zugedacht -

so lebt und stirbt er zweckgerichtet:

das Denken hat sich selbst vernichtet ...

1970(!!)

An Uncommon Start to Life

 At just 21, I found myself already married, studying, and juggling responsibilities that most students don’t face until much later in life. My approach to academia was never ordinary—I saw education not merely as a career step but as a gateway to deeper understanding. Around this time, Daoism began to influence my outlook, offering me a new way to perceive life—as a flow rather than a series of hurdles

Master level exams (at age 22!)

 Artist and friend: Otto Lackenmacher, Saarbrücken/Berlin.

My favorite of Otto's works: atypical but timeless art, socially critical, painting the paria...

 My brother's daughter was born, not long before my father died... My niece and Godchild Kerstin ❤

    →

Love and Loss... and Love

 The early years of my marriage were filled with shared dreams, yet also marked by profound loss. The death of my great father hit me deeply. The fleeting nature of time became personal. Grief, while heavy, became a teacher—deepening my sense of presence and gratitude.

5

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1972
Dedicated to Dr. Werner Speckmann

  #3

 And here comes my very first real composition ('Erstling' = Firstling): a three-mover that makes it clear why a certain theme keeps sneaking into my chess problems (as should become evident throughout this book as well …):

1.Rd1? But the pawn on c2 turns out to be quite a nuisance – hence:
1.0–0–0! c2  2.Rd5! Kg8  3.Rd8#

 Castling and Anderssen interference at the "threshold to the miniature," as Dr. Werner Speckmann called the eight-stone problems—the title of one of his booklets. His writings, along with A.H. Kniest’s “Diagrams and Figures,” were my first guideposts into the art of chess composition.

64(!) - The board is full.

A very strange Ultimate Fairy condition:
"White tries to win the game against best resistance of Black(!)"

'Free Game'

White: h.e. - Black: E.A.

Europa-Rochade / Version, 1987 (played in Germany, 1972!)

Position after Black’s 8^th move!

 The game proceeded as follows:

1. e4 e5  2. d4 exd4  3. c3 dxc3
4. Bc4 … – the well-known double gambit line: usually follows 4. … bxc2 5. Bxb2 –
4. … Bc5!? – a novelty!
5. Ne3 Qf6!? – Black declines the second pawn –
6. Nc3 c6(!) – or also 6. … Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. Bg5 …
7. Bg5 Qg6
8. Qd2!? … – a subtle trap! –
8. … h6 – just as planned … and now!?
9. Be3!! …

White now invites a feast on g2, evoking the theme of the 'Immortal Game' (Anderssen – Kieseritzky, Casual Game, London 1851)!

9. … Qxg2? – and the Queen bites - the black pieces were guided by a woman’s hand!) - 9... Bxe3!? – allowing dynamic chances for White and a series of sharp continuations, for example: 10. Qxe3 Nge7!

10. Bxc5!! … – the race is lost; even after 10. … d5(!) White’s attack can’t be stopped: 11. O-O-O Qxf3 12. exd5 Nbd7(?) 13. cxd6 bxc6(?) 14. Re1 Kd8 15. Nxb5! (or 10. … Qxf3? 11. Qxd6! – and Black has no answer to … Qd8# – similar to the real game!)

10. … Qxh1+ 11. Ke2 Qa1: 12. Qd6! Qxb2+ – the usual revenge checks –

13. Kd3! … – the checks are running out: the desperate: 13. … Qxc3+? would still be hopeless despite double rook capture, as Qf8# is threatened or, after the knight leaves g8, Qe7# analogously.

13. … Kd8(!) – but even this move was countered by White with a prepared mate!

14. Qf8+ Kc7  15. Bd6+ Kb6  16. Qd8#

The Chess Game and Problem Chess

 One later short story, → The Chess Game, grew from a real-life encounter in a world I came to know deeply. As a teenager, I fell in love with chess—it seemed to come to me effortlessly. Club tournaments, simultaneous exhibitions, blindfold games, regional championships (especially in blitz chess)—I embraced them all, only to leave them behind soon after due to the pervasive cigarette smoke of the time, which I found intolerable.

 Problem chess, however, ignited a deeper, more enduring creativity within me. It became a passion that spanned over 20 years, bringing with it extraordinary international friendships, awards, and countless books and articles of my own. Along the way, I met several world champions—from Botvinnik (personally in a small scientific circle) to Kasparov (in his Frankfurt 2000 simul against 40 players) —and many other legendary grandmasters and experts, partly because of my chess publications.

 Castling and Anderssen interference at the "threshold to the miniature," as Dr. Werner Speckmann called the eight-stone problems—the title of one of his booklets. His writings, along with A.H. Kniest’s “Diagrams and Figures,” were my first guideposts into the art of chess composition.

 Master Diploma, Psychologist at 22(!)
 At just 22, I became a fully qualified psychologist—the youngest graduate in the entire university.
My master’s thesis: Untersuchungen zur Zahlenfolgeninduktion.  (Studies on numerical sequence induction).

 But life brought challenges, too: My father had passed away, I was already married, and I had to begin earning a living. I accepted a job in the beautiful city of Münster—where my then-wife planned to complete her own studies.

Both parents gone – Doctorate postponed

 My dear mother passed away not long after my father—both gone within just over a year. The loss was profound.

 My doctorate was postponed. Instead, I pursued a specialized qualification in Vocational Psychology for working with all kinds of challenged fellow human beings.

 #6: Einige Lerneffekte bei Aufgaben zur Zahlenfolgeninduktion, co-authored with Prof. Dr. Werner H. Tack.

 Those years became a balancing act of profession, breadwinning, family life, close friendships, and competitive chess tournaments...

Beginning to publish

 My writing journey expanded: I began publishing not only academic articles but also broader reflections—a first step in a lifelong habit of writing.

  I Texel/Netherlands

 That same year brought a joyful pause: A memorable vacation on the island of Texel, Netherlands—our first real trip together.

1 To Mate or Not to Mate

Mate in 2 moves

3

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung I/1975

#2

1.N~? Kc4!; 1.Nf5?! Ke6! (2.Qd6+ Kf7!)
1.Rf6? Kc6! (1...Ke5?  2.dc5#;  1...Kd4  2.Rf5#)

1.Nc8! Kc6  2.Qd6#,  1...Ke6  2.Qd6#,  1...Ke4  2.Qf3#,  1..Kc4  2.Nb6#

 Key of choice, star-flights of the black king – all white pieces are placed on the edge after the key move!

7

Hilmar Ebert (mit A. Lehmkuhl)

Deutsche Schachzeitung IV/1975

#3

1.Kf4? f1Q+?  2.Nf3+! (2...Kg2  3.Rh2#), but 1...Ne6+!  2.Be6:+ Kh2!; 1.Nf3+? Kg3!

1.Kf6! Kg4  2.Nf5! Kh5:  3.Bf3# (2...Kf4  3.Rh4+)
1...Kh2  2.Nf5+ Kg1  3.Rh1#, 1..f1Q+  2.Nf5+ Kg4  3.Rh4#

 Choice of a distancing key move, which moreover leads to a model mate after a surprising rook sacrifice.

10

Hilmar Ebert

Welt am Sonntag, 6. VII. 1975

#4

1.Qg2? (1...b3?  2.Qd2!); 1.Qe4+? (1...Ka3?  2.Qc2); 1.Qc6? (1...b3?/Ka3?  2.Qc3!/2.Qc2!);
1.Qh8? (1...b3?/Kb2?  2.Qc3/Qd4!); 1.Qh7? (1...Ka3?/Kb3?  2.Qc2+) 1...b3!

1.Qg1!! The smallest possible approach...:
1...Ka3  2.Qd1 b3  3.Qd4 b4  4.Qa7#
1...b3  2.Qe1 b4  3.Qe5 Ka3  4.Qa5#
1...Kb3  2.Qd4! Ka3  3.Qb2:+ Ka4  4.Qa2#
2...Ka4 3.Kb2: Ka5  4.Qa7#

 Subtle key with quiet continuations in the 3 main variations.

11

Hilmar Ebert

Welt am Sonntag 5.X.1975

#4

1.Qa8? (threatens 2.Qe8#) 1...Rf4+?  2.Kf4:! Kg6  3.Qg8+ Kh5  4.Qg4#, 2...f5  3.Qg2! ... (2...Kh4  3.Qh1#) fails only because of: 1...Re4!! (threatens 2.Qf7#) 2.Qe4: stalemate!
1...Rf4?  2.Kf4:+! f5  3.Qf5:+ Kh4  4.Qg4#

Analog: 1...Rh1?!  2.Qh1:#; 1...Rh2?  2.Qf3+ Kh4  3.Qg4#; 1...Rh3?  2.Qe4(g2) etc.; 1...Ra4+  2.Qh1+! Rh4  3.Qf3+(d1+) and mate (Rb4,c4,d4,g4 analog) also fails only for:  1...Re4!

 Thus, the key move 1.Qa2!! (threatening 2.Qf7#) has the advantage of purity of aim, still keeping an arrow in its quiver even against 1...Re4?! 2.Qh2+ Rh4 3.Qe2+ Rg4 4.Qxg4#, while 1...Rf4+ is neatly handled by 2.Kxf4 Kg6 3.Qg8+ Kh5 4.Qxg4#.

1.Qa2!! Tf4+(!) 2.Kf4: Kg6 3.Qg8+ Kh5 4.Qg4# (2... f5 3.Kf5: Kh4 4.Qh2#)

1... Re4 2.Qh2+ Rh4 3.Qe2+ Rg4 4.Qg4:#

 Despite the abundance of mating pictures, a logical selection is made to avoid stalemate. Key selection, battery dismantling.

12

Hilmar Ebert (& A. Lehmkuhl)

Die Schwalbe VIII-IX/1975

Fide-Album 1974-76

#4

1.Rg2+? (1..Kh1?  2.Nf2#) 1...Kf1!
1.Kc1? (1...Kf1?  2.Rh2! Ke1/Kd3  3.Bf3/Kd2) 1...d3!

1.Nf2! Kh2  2.Ne4+! Kh3  3.Be6+ Kh4  4.Rh2#
2...Kg1  3.Ng3 d3  4.Rg2#
2...Kh1  3.Ng3+ Kg1  4.Rg2#
1...Kf1  2.Nd3! Kg1  3.Re2! Kf1  4.Re1#
1...d3  2.Nd3:+ Kf1  3.Rh2! Kg1  4.Rh1#

 A double self-obstruction by the white knight and tempo moves add spice to this "bouquet of Bohemian mates".

14

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung XII/1975

#5

1.Kc3? Kg1: 2.?
1.Qf6! Kg1:  2.Kc3! Kh2(h1)  3.Qh4+! Kkg1  4.Kd2 Kf1  5.Qe1#

 Sacrifice for effect...  ('Wirkungsopfer') ...a deepening of a well-known four-piece idea by Sam Loyd.

Mate in 8 moves

18

Hilmar Ebert

Welt am Sonntag, 27.IV.1975
Version by Manfred Dobrowolski: 5325. Deutsche Schachzeitung VII/1988

#8

1.Be2! Rf8  2.Bg4 b3  3.Bd7 Rf6  4.Bc8 Rb6 5.Bf5! Rb4  6.Bh3 Rg4 7.Bg4 b2  8.Bf3#
(5.La3? Rb6!; 4.Rc7? 5.Bd6!; 2... Rc6? 3.Bf8! ... #7).

 Final version of a series of bishop/rook duels. Dobrowolski's version saves one pawn while keeping the same sequence of white moves.

 The bishop directs the rook to the check-free g-file: ein so-called 'Roman' in minimal form.

Mate in 10 moves

22

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung XII/1975

Chess Almanac 1976/77

#10

1.Ba8!! b4 2.Kb7! Kh1 3.Kc6 Kh2 (!) 4.Kd5 Kh1 5.Ke4 Kh2 (!) 6.Kf3 Kh1 7.Kf2+ Kh2 8.Rd5! Kh1 9.Td1+ Kh2 10.Rh1#

 Indian with a record number of intersections for miniatures (6!). Therefore also reprinted in the Chess Almanac 1976/77, kind of an award.

Weekdays and Life Rhythms

 Amid growing professional and personal responsibilities—and while planning for children—I wrote this poem about the strangely repetitive rhythm of the week. A little sigh, a little smile... and maybe a subtle reflection on the treadmill of modern time. :-)

Weeks…

On Monday starts the week, I bet:

All work and worries' warning -

On Tuesday evening I set

My clock for Wednesday morning

And Thursday creeps along, and hence

A paradox: so still -

Then Friday undermines the sense

Of Goddess Freyja - till...

All Saturday must compensate!

All Sunday is for rest -

Horrific, how you see too late

Eternal Monday's quest...! :-)

Hilmar Alquiros

Wochen...

Am Montag fängt die Woche an:

die Arbeit und die Sorgen -

am Dienstag abend stell' ich dann

die Uhr für Mittwoch morgen

der Donnerstag, er schleicht dahin,

ganz paradox und leise -

der Freitag untergräbt den Sinn

des Worts in gleicher Weise

der Samstag kompensiert en gros!

der Sonntag gilt als Schontag -

entsetzt spürst du dann irgendwo

das Ewige am Montag ...! :-)

Hilmar Alquiros

9

Hilmar Ebert

Die Schwalbe VI/1976

#4

1.Qg5? (1...Kh1:?  2.Qh4+ Kg1  3.Kd2:!; 1...Kf1?  2.Qf4+ Kg1  3.Nf2 Kf1  4.Nh3#)
1...Kh2!; 1.Kd2:? (1...Kf1?) 1...gh:1Q!; 1.Qg4,f2+? Kh2!
1.Qg3! Kh1:!  2.Qh4+!! Kg1  3.Kd2: Kf1  4.Qe1#

 Pure mass sacrifice! ... here as a logical foreplan with the switchback of the white Queen.

 At first, the moves look absurd – no solver would try them! Only by embracing the paradox of the mass sacrifice does the hidden logic and the queen’s elegant switchback appear! :-)

Mate in 3 moves

4

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung IX/1976

#3

1.Kb3?? Stalemate.
1.Kb4? Ka2  2.Dc2? Stalemate.
1.Qg2? (Ka2? 2.Qc2!) Kc1! or 1.Kc3? (Kc1? 2.Qh1#) Ka2!
1.Qe4+? (1..Ka2?  2.Qc2! ~ 3.Qb3#) 1...Kc1!

1.Kb5!! Ka2  2.Qc2! Ka3  3.Qa5#

 A distant key move with continued stalemate avoidance.

4*

Hilmar Ebert

leninske plemia, II 1988

 #6

1.Nc3+? Ka3! 2.c7? stalemate.
1.Na3!! Ka3:  2.c7 Ka2(!)  3.c8Q Kb1:  4.Kb5!! Ka2  5.Qc2 Ka3  6.Qa4# (4.Kb3?? or 4.Kb4? Ka2 5.Qc2 stalemate).

 Extension of the 5‑man problem: With an initial knight sacrifice, rook sacrifice, and stalemate avoidance.

Helpmate in 4 moves

35

Hilmar Ebert

Stern, 29.VII.1976

h#4

1. Kd2 Qe7:! Im Hilfsmatt ein Opfer!
2. Kc3 Kd6 3. Kb4 Kc6+ 4. Ka5 Qa3#

 Helpmate-Indian introduced by a surprising self-pin and switchback of the critical piece.

41

Hilmar Ebert

feenschach, XI–XII/1976
2. ehrende Erwähnung

h#4

1.c6 Ba7: 2.Qb6+! Kb6: 3.Kd8 Kc5 4.Kc7 Bb6#

 "Schwarze Partieanfangsstellung" („SPass“!): A festive composition in the tradition of SPass positions (special black starting positions) purely for entertainment, not legally playable. Here very tricky due to two unexpected switchbacks! A minimal form and a genuine “Dark Doing” (against all 16 black men) – an automatic eye-catcher!

3 Modern Art on the Board

Seriesmate

51

Hilmar Ebert (with A. Lehmkuhl)
Fairy Chess, 1976

s#11

 Another little „SPASS-“ Problem ("FUN-") problem with a direct series-move solution:

1.h4! 2.h5 3.h6 4. hxg7 5. gxh8=R! (5. gxh8=Q? – 12 moves!)

6.Rh7 7.Rf7 8.Kg6 9.Kh7 10.Rg8 11.Rf8#

 Excelsior march with a surprising rook promotion.

* 7.7.77 (!) Münster: Benjamin ❤ *

→

     Two years later... Happy father, happy son!

"GEDANKENEXPERIMENTE"... :-)

•  MENSA (IQ-Club) of Germany + Austria: Winner of the Annual Problem Solving Championship.

•  Publications on chess...

•  Experimental research for doctorate: Pioneer of Trimodal factor analysis(!)
  1) Prof. Peter R. Orlik, Sozialpsychologie und Methodenlehre.
  2) Prof. Werner H. Tack, Methodenlehre und Mathematische Psychologie.

24

Hilmar Ebert

Wenigsteiner im Hilfsmatt, 1977
Dedicated to Dr. John Niemann

h#3

1.Rh3!! Qc8! 2.Kg4 Kf6+  3.Kh5 Qh3#

 Dr. Niemann’s declared favourite in his book on helpmate Wenigsteiner compositions! – other rook moves always carry a decisive strategic disadvantage...: A preparatory sacrifice in the key move & ambush of the white queen behind the king! Asymmetry in White’s second move, ideal mate.

25

Hilmar Ebert

feenschach, 1977

Special Honorable Mention

h#3

a) Diagram
b) Bishop from e7 to b3

a) 1.d2! de7  2.d1=R! e8=Q!  3.Rd3 Qe5#
b) 1.b2! d7  2.b1=N! d8=B! 3.Nc3 Bb6#

 Allumwandlung (= „Total promotion“ by John Rice).

 In a), even compared to mere switchbacks (return moves) by the black king (with White to move), there is a tempo-loss trick involved. b) ends in an ideal mate in the center of the board.

27

Hilmar Ebert

feenschach, 1977 (Version)

h#3, 0.2.1.

a) Diagram
b) Nc2 → c5

a) I) 1. … Na3!  2. Kb2 Ra2+  3. Kc1 Rc2#
II) 1. … O–O–O!  2. Kb3 Rd3+  3. Ka2 Ra3#

b) I) 1. … Rb1!  2. Kc2 Rb2+  3. Kc1 Nd3#
II) 1. … O–O–O!  2. Kb4 Rd4+  3. Ka3 Ra4#

 Four different ideal mating patterns, two castlings – arranged in another “Two-by-two design”!

28

Hilmar Ebert

Zeit-Magazin, 1977

Oster-Preisausschreiben ('Easter Puzzle Contest')

h#3

1.Qf5! Rc6  2.Nf4 Re6+  3.d5 exd6 e.p.!!#

 White’s en passant capture opens the maximum of 3 lines!

29

Hilmar Ebert (& A. Lehmkuhl)

feenschach, 1977

4. Preis

h#3*

* 1. … Bc6:  2. Qd5 Be1  3. Qe4 Nd4#

1. Bf1! Nd6  2. Bc4 Be1  3. Be2 Be4#

Try: Pin, Unpin, Switchback of the black queen, Cross mate

Solution: Change of Unpin, Block and Mate … quite a load for a three-mover!

36

Hilmar Ebert

Schach-Echo, 1977

h#4*

* 1... Qd5+ 2.Kc7 Kb3 3.Kb6 Kc4 4.Ka5 Qxb5#

1.Na7!! Qa8+ 2.Kc7 Kb3 3.Kb6 Kc4 4.Ka5 Qa7# (ideal mate)

 A second Mouse-trap ("Mausefalle") in a Wenigsteiner!: A passive knight sacrifice in the try, active in the solution, with a change in both move and mate.

36*

Hilmar Ebert (nach B. Snaider)
Stern, 1977

h#4

1.Bb8! Ta8  2.Ba7!! Kb3  3.Ka5 Kc4  4.Ka4 Ra7#

 The first mouse-trap depiction in orthodox helpmate-Wenigsteiner ...with ideal mate.

37

Hilmar Ebert

fairy chess, 1977

Honorable Mention

h#4, 0.1.

1.... Kh3! 2.Kb1 Kh4! 3.Ka1 Rh3 4.Rb1 Ra3#

 White and Black coordinate a King–Rook  (line-) clearance (Healey, Bristol) with only 5 pieces!

Encounter with legendary Ex-World Chess champion Botvinnik(!)
& World Correspondence Chess champion Estrin.

→  

03/10 Dortmund – In a small scientific circle at the University of Dortmund (Prof. Claus, Computer Science), I had the rare opportunity to meet Mikhail Botvinnik, legendary former World Chess Champion, and Yakov Estrin, World Correspondence Chess Champion.

 We engaged in deep conversation about problem chess, studies, and the earliest developments of computer chess in Russia. Botvinnik, then professor of electrotechnics, gave a fascinating lecture on his famous  pioneering efforts toward chess programming.

04 27 Dr. Hans-Hilmar Staudte. Beside meetings and talks in Problem chess events, several private visits in Münster. His last phone call before he died in 1979.

paper book

I prelude: Mittenwald

•    Aug. Visiting + Isarlust chess club!

•    Okt.  Move into a beautiful new house.

•    Nov. Edna + Sarah first visitors!

55*

Hilmar Ebert

Das Patt im Wenigsteiner, 1978

=2 (Stalemate in 2 Moves)

Where is the Black King?!
 A little Retro idea mit only 3 pieces(!): the black King, before he obviously toppled off the board, was on square a8! So Black is to move:

Two solutions apply if Black’s king stands on a7 or b8, each involving a quiet sacrificial move (Rook or Knight). This serves as a subtle hint that the king must in fact be on a8.

If …Ka7, then: 1. Kc7! Ka8  2. Nc6= – with rook sacrifice!
If …Kb8, then: 1. Rc7! Ka8  2. Rb7= – with knight sacrifice! 

Mate in 4 moves

8

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung IV/1978

 #4

1. Kd7?, Kd8?, Kb7?? Kf7 2.c8=Q Ke7! – and the queen blocks the rook.
1. Kb8!! Kf7 2. c8=Q Ke7(!) 3. Qd7+! K-~ 4. Rc8#

 Choice of a distancing key move by withdrawal, presented in an airy four-piece setting. 

 Win!

2

Hilmar Ebert

Schweizerische Schachzeitung 1978

White wins(!)

1. Bh6! a2 (!) 2. Ba1!! a3 3. Kf6 Kh8 4. Kf7 mate (If 1... Kh8?! then 2. Kf7! followed by 3. Bg7#)

 Theoretical exception: Here, two white bishops on same-colored squares succeed in checkmating alone – even against several black pawns! This is possible due to double intersection clearance of square g7.

 An unexpected Indian theme: A momentary self-block is used deliberately to avoid stalemate and enable a powerful discovered mate.

2*

Hilmar Ebert

Weihnachts- und Neujahrsgruß 1994/95

White wins!
Position illegal, but funny! :-) (Christmas- und New Years greeting 1994/95)

 A variant of my “SPAsS” idea (Schwarze Partie-Anfangs-Stellung = Black Game Starting Position) combined with promotion pieces – here four white queens in paradoxical sacrificial mood:

1.Qf7+! Kxf7 2.Qf4+ Nf6 3.Qxf6+! Kg8(!) 4.Qh5! g6(!) 5.Qg2 g6xg6 6.Qh8#
Double queen sacrifice, unique dual-free solution. (4...g6 5.Qg2-g6:+; 4...h6 5.Qf6(h5)-f7+; 4...Qe8 5.Qf6-g7:+/Qh5-e8:; 3...Kf6:? 4.Qe2(g2)f3+). 

 If Black defends seriously, there is always exactly one dual-free winning line:

1.Qf7+! Kxf7 2.Nf4+ Nf6 3.Nxf6+! Kg8(!) 4.Nh5! g6(!) 5.Nxg6+! hxg6 6.Nh8#

 Three queen sacrifices! The second one is better declined, because after 3...Kf6? 4.Qe2/Qg2 f3+ etc. Of course, no claim to legality (over-the-board playability)!

 Such SPAsS positions were systematically studied by “he” (Hilmar Ebert) – feenschach 1976 and Die Schwalbe 1995. - This particular Christmas & New Year greeting received a humorous solution comment in Computerschach & Spiele (1995, p.44), when a certain Mr. Quack asked: “Where are those promotion queens supposed to have come from?” …and instantly suggested to rotate the board 180° for the trivial solution:

1.Qxc2+ Kxc2 2.Qe4+ followed by mate in 3!

31

Hilmar Ebert

Stern, 1978

h#3

1.Bd7! cd7:  Re8! de8=N!  Rb8 Nc7# ideal mate.

 A witty puzzle piece: Minimal sacrifices with a knight underpromotion; after three consecutive black sacrifices, the blocking rook is switched – ending in an ideal mate! 

46

Hilmar Ebert

Europe Echecs 1978 / correction

1. Honored Mention
FIDE-ALBUM 1977–79

h#5

1. bxa1=B!! h5  2. Bh8 h6  3. Ba1 h7  4. Kb2 h8=B+  5. Ka3 Ba1#

 A bishop promotion, followed by the removal of the obstructive white knight and the return of the black bishop to its final mating square. Along the way, square b2 is cleared, and the critical point is crossed three times!

 The black pawn truly assists its white counterpart with full artistic finesse – becoming a bishop and then sacrificing itself to create a sacrifice clearance (or 'target clearance').

Fairy Conditions

58

Hilmar Ebert

feenschach, 1978

6. Preis

r#15, Schachzwang

'White forces Black to check, and in the end, Black must deliver mate against their own will.'

1. Ke3? e5! (2. Kf3 e4+!),
1. Ke4?! e5! (2. Kxf5 h5!) or 2. Kf3 e4+! 3. Kg4 h5+...8. ...e3+!).

 So the e-pawn is clearly not just a "bridging pawn".

1. Ke5!! e6(!) (1. ...h6 2. Kf4; 1. ...h5 2. Kf4 e5+ 3. Kg3....; 1. ...a3 ends shorter 13. Kb1!)
2. Kf4 e5+  3. Kg4 h5+  4. Kg3 h4+  5. Kf3 h3  6. Ke3 h2+  7. Kd3 g6+  8. Kc3 g4+  9. Kb3 e4+  10. Kc3 e3+  11. Kd2 e2  12. Kc2 a3+  13. Kb1 a2+  14. Kc1 a1D  15. Kc1 a1D#
 Parallelogram form, Knight and Queen promotions, key of choice.

Chess Mathematics

61

Hilmar Ebert (mit R. Schwarzkopf)
Die Schwalbe, 1978 / Version

“In a
A) 4-dimensional chess space with edge length 6,
B) 5-dimensional chess space with edge length 5,
a Knight stands in one of the corner 'squares' of the hypercube.”

For each case, determine:

a) What is the maximum minimum number of moves required to reach any square?

b) How many squares require that maximum?

c) Which square(s) are those?

 Question a) can also be phrased as: “Starting from the corner of the hypercube (coordinates 1111 or 11111), in at most how many moves can the knight reach any square?
What is the maximum number of moves n, and which square(s) need it?”

A) 4D Cube (Edge length 6)

a) 8 moves, b) 1 square, c) Coordinates (6,6,6,6) – the opposite hypercube corner on the space diagonal

B) 5D Cube (Edge length 5)
a) 8 moves, b) 1 square, c) Coordinates (5,5,5,5,5)

 Conclusion: Thus, a complete echo in a), b), and c) (!) - again the opposite corner on the space diagonal.

Consulting: companies + authorities...

 In 1979, I began consulting for companies and authorities, leveraging my expertise in psychology and research.

  Foundation of my International Chess Prize → 'Wenigsteiner-Jahrespreis'!

 Later in the same year, I established my International Chess Prize, the → Wenigsteiner-Jahrespreis,

 unveiled at the Schwalbe Meeting on Sunday, October 21, 1979, in I Sulzbach-Rosenberg.

 Its mission was clear: To qualitatively promote miniature chess art! 
(“Zur qualitativen Förderung der Kleinkunst im Schach!”).

→ at Obermarkt 2, in the center of Mittenwald, Germany.

→ reddit.com/r/travel/comments/7qn9zy/gorgeous_mountain_next_to_the_town_of_mittenwald

"Mittenwald, a living picture book" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, when he came to Mittenwald in the year 1786 (!)

"Mittenwald, ein lebendiges Bilderbuch" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, als er 1786 (!) nach Mittenwald kam.

 Doctoral studies, experimental research work, advanced statistics:
 first tri-modal factor analysis...

Highest(!) German village:  → Breath-taking Mittenwald!

 I had the privilege of living for two enchanting years in → Mittenwald, the highest(!) village in Germany. Nestled amidst natural beauty, this picturesque town provided a setting of breathtaking beauty.

 While the plan was to finalize my doctoral research and thesis in record time, the irresistible distractions of this dreamlike region—and a stream of dear visitors(!)—added an unexpected half-year to my timeline. But what a place to "lose" time...!

* Daniel ❤ born in Mittenwald!

 A child born amidst mountains and dreams. The joy of fatherhood deepened as our second son, Daniel, entered the world—his first breath taken at the highest village in Germany, under a sky that seemed to bless the moment.

Mate in 6 moves

15

Hilmar Ebert

111.diagrammes III-IV/1979 S.664

#6

1.Kc7?? Mate?! – Black has no possible last move in the diagram position, so it cannot be White to move (“Retroanalysis”), and Black first defends optimally with:

0... a5 (!) – (0... a6? #4)
1.Kc7+! Ka7 2.Kc6!! a4 3.Rh4! a3 4.Ra4+ Kb8 5.Rxa3 Kc8 6.Ra8#
1.Rh4? comes far too late: 1... Ka7 (!) 2.Kc7 Ka6 3.Kc6 Ka7 4.Ra4 Ka6.

 Probably the longest of the extremely rare retro compositions in a Wenigsteiner!

39

Hilmar Ebert

diagrammes 1979

LOB

h#4, 2.1.

I)1. Kf7! c7!  2. Rg8! c8Q  3. Kg7 Qf8+  4. Kh8 Qh6#
II) 1. 0–0–0! c7!  2. Kb7 Kc2!  3. Rb8! c8q+  4. Ka8 Qa6#

 The real highlight being the white tempo move 2...Kc2!!, which creates the necessary timing.

 This is an elegant presentation of the castling theme: The first solution works without castling, while the second employs 0–0–0 (long castling) and leads to a symmetrical echo finale.

59

Hilmar Ebert

2977. Die Schwalbe XII 1979

1. Preis Wenigsteiner-Jahrespreis

h#5 → Rex Multiplex

h2 = Royal Pawn, b2, f2 = Royal Equihoppers

1. h1=N? is insufficient, as is easily seen…
1. h1=E?! forces a draw!  (1... Kd1 2. E-d3 Kd2+ 3. E-h1 … etc.)
1. h1=R!! Kd3  2. Rh7!! Ke4  3. E-h6 Kf5  4. E-f8 Kf6  5. Rh8 Kg7#

 A fairy promotion trap and orthodox promotion key, combined with a symmetry switch (linear ↔ square form). Also present is a logical choice with purity of aim in White’s second move: Compared to 2. Rh8?, only 2. Rh7! achieves the tempo gain required for perfect timing! 

 “A kind of sadistic humor aimed at the poor solver, who, adrift on the open ocean, must discover the inconspicuous square h7 as the single saving island.” (h.e.).

Selfmate

53

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachblätter 1981 / Korrektur

Dedicated to Anthony Dickins

s#9

1. Nd3! ab3: 2. Nb2!! ...  – the poor bishop in the corner now finds itself trapped as well!
3. ... d3  4. Rh3! – a rook awakens –
5. ... d4  6. Rh1  7. Rc1 d5  8. Rc1 d6 – the strange black pawn column stands one step lower, but just as rigid as before; now, at last, the theme begins to appear on the stage –
9. Rc5+! dc5  10. Nc4+! dc4  11. Bc3+! dc3  12. Qb4+! cb4# (Correction by H. Gruber: only Nc1!).

 Dynamic activation of the pawn column through total sacrifice (B, R, N, B, Q) - or, in the words of Heraclitus: “Nothing is as constant as change...!”

 This Selfmate – the only one I composed in many 15 years(!), since it is not my specialty... creates an eerie mechanical tower of black pawns, which can be set in motion only through a series of elegant sacrifices. Each white piece gives itself up, just to bring down the construction in a rhythmic cascade. It is a poetic study of inevitability and paradox: The immobile becomes unstoppable! :-)

 Dedicated to my wonderful friend in Chess and Daoism (!) Anthony Dickins – we visited each other in London and in the Hochsauerland/Germany for a full week while writing our book. He passed away far too early from an incurable illness.

 Anthony was one of the greatest connoisseurs and analysts in chess composition. Our joint book "100 Classics of the Chessboard" (1983 / 1995²) was a tribute to the timeless beauty of chess artistry – from elegant games and endgames to profound helpmates and magnificent examples of fairy chess.

59

Hilmar Ebert

2977. Die Schwalbe XII 1979

1. Preis Wenigsteiner-Jahrespreis

h#5 → Rex Multiplex

h2 = Royal Pawn, b2, f2 = Royal Equihoppers

1. h1=N? is insufficient, as is easily seen…
1. h1=E?! forces a draw!  (1... Kd1 2. E-d3 Kd2+ 3. E-h1 … etc.)
1. h1=R!! Kd3  2. Rh7!! Ke4  3. E-h6 Kf5  4. E-f8 Kf6  5. Rh8 Kg7#

 A fairy promotion trap and orthodox promotion key, combined with a symmetry switch (linear ↔ square form). Also present is a logical choice with purity of aim in White’s second move: Compared to 2. Rh8?, only 2. Rh7! achieves the tempo gain required for perfect timing! 

 “A kind of sadistic humor aimed at the poor solver, who, adrift on the open ocean, must discover the inconspicuous square h7 as the single saving island.” (h.e.).

Content

→Prélude: 1949

→My Childhood: 1950 - 1959

→My Teens: 1960 - 1969

→My Twenties: 1970 - 1979

→My Thirties: 1980 - 1989

→My Forties: 1990 - 1999

→My Fifties: 2000 - 2009

→My Sixties: 2010 - 2019

→My Seventies: 2020 - 202x

→Appendix

1980

Move to I Lake Constance

Lake Constance and Allensbach

 When, almost two years later, I accepted an invitation from the renowned
Prof. Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann—the celebrated "Pythia of Bonn"—to join her research team in Allensbach on Lake Constance, my experimental work and calculations were already complete. Only the writing of my dissertation remained…

 This time, however, it was delayed by the demands of earning a living and the joyful distractions of raising two wonderful little boys, enriched with the creative bedtime stories I crafted for them.

 The final dissertation, comprising 342 pages, marked the culmination of 3 ½ years of intense intellectual effort—still faster than the average of 5 years for an empirical-experimental Ph.D. in Germany. Achieving this milestone required not only the ability to navigate independent scientific research but also a resolute determination to see it through.

 Made in Germany: A doctorate grounded in rigorous education, thorough experimentation, and unwavering perseverance—truly a journey of growth and discovery.

I 06 02 80 Institute Allensbach at Lake Constance (Prof. Noelle-Neumann!) Scientist, opinion research.

I 06 26 80 Frankfurt Sheraton "Bildschirmtext" (German form of pre-Online-Banking)

I 06 27 80 Bonn: Lecture for 25 Professors(!) on the new 'Bildschirmtext'.

              International Symposia.

05 19  I Wadern / Saarland Friedrich Ebert / family research combined!

→ Permanent Commission of the F.I.D.E for Chess Compositions

 I Wiener Neustadt, Austria, Sept. 6.-13.

Family life →  ❤ → ❤

I 11 03... London!: A chess week with Anthony Dickins

20

Hilmar Ebert

12.000v. Schach-Echo V/1987

Dedicated to Mephisto

 #8

1.b1?! (analog: 1.Qa4,b3,a1,c1?) with pin fails due 1...f2!, but not: 1...e2+? 2.Re2:+! fe2:+ 3.2 f3(!) 4.h1! e1Q+(!) (4...f4/f4/~5.h4#/Qh7#/Qf3:#) 5.Qe1:+ f4 6.g1 d2(!) (6...e4 7.g3#; 6..e4 7.g3(h1)... then 8.Qf3:#) 7.Qg3+ (e4 8.Qf3:#)

1.g1!! f2+  2.g2 fel:2+(!) 3.Qel: f3+  4.g3 f4+  5.g4 d2  6.b1+ d3  7.b4+ d4  8.b7#

 Entirely novel ideas in both the try and the solution: in the try, pin-based keys and a subsequent rook sacrifice narrowly fail; in the solution, the king key initiates a rook sacrifice provoked by a fork, forming the starting point of a 'triad' minimal mate after a 4-step king's staircase. (Originally misprinted with Qe1 and e2). 

49

Hilmar Ebert & Zdravko Maslar

1010 diagrammes IX–X 1980

Spezialpreis

FIDE-Album

h#5

1.Ke7! Be1! 2.Kd6 Kd2 3.Kc5 Bd1! 4.Kb4 Kc2+ 5.Ka4 Kb2#

 Consecutive double implementation of the helpmate-Indian in economical final form, preliminary justification of the original helpmate-Indian.

 This composition emerged from a months-long collaboration with Zdravko Maslar, one of the leading helpmate experts ever. The core idea – a double Indian theme realized in the most economical form – was mine, but it was Maslar’s tireless work in eliminating all dual solutions that made the final version possible. The problem was awarded a special prize and was later included in the FIDE Album – a globally recognized anthology of the best chess compositions over several years. Although such honors were not my goal – I never pursued any composition title – for me it was pure art, not a hunt for points or titles, this work has become one of my most frequently cited creations in the field of chess.

 A combination of a fore-plan helpmate and a standard helpmate, logically connected via a bivalve mechanism! This final version is unsurpassable for all time, and on top of that, it's garnished with a grotesque try: (e.g.)

 1. Kg7? Kd3 2. Kh8 Ke4 3. Kg7 Kf5 4. Kh8 Kg6 threatening 5. … Bc3#, which, however, fails due to the only black move 5. b4 – a kind of zugzwang-based refutation!

 At the beginning of our tough and months-long collaboration – both direct and via correspondence – we would have been quite content with a sound 10-piece version. But a mighty kiss from Caïssa made the economical miracle possible! Das "Glück der Tüchtigen!" ('fortune favors the diligent'!).

*

Anniversary Greetings by Thomas Brand (now President of Die Schwalbe, Germany):

 "Today, heartfelt congratulations travel almost halfway around the globe to the Philippines, where Hilmar Alquiros (to many still better known under his former name, Hilmar Ebert) celebrates his 70th birthday.

 16 of his nearly 1000 (!) problems in the PDB (Problem Data Bank) are retros — mostly Wenigsteiner, with which Hilmar has been engaged virtually all his life. Beyond that, he is the founder of the website Fabelschach.de, where he has compiled, among other things, all the problems of Karl Fabel.

 Dear Hilmar, on your special milestone birthday today, I sincerely wish you all the best — above all, of course, good health, and continued joy in all facets of chess!"

Hilmar Alquiros 70                       11. April 2020 by ThBrand

 "I would like to present two problems by Hilmar “for in between”: a Wenigsteiner retro and one of my all-time favorite problems.(!)

 Anecdotal Afterword: Around it revolves the story that the two authors at first would have been satisfied with a twelve-piece version for this theme. Then, on the construction board, more and more pieces had to be added against cooks, which they simply could not get under control. In their distress they began to remove piece after piece from the board — until, finally, the five-piece version emerged. A problem one never forgets once one has seen it!"

 Herbert Mail (Son of Ana Gram) wrote on April 11, 2020 at 7:03 p.m.: From an authoritative source(!) I heard the true story of the h#5:

 "After months of solitary attempts to correctly present the new motif of the helpmate double-indirect, Hilmar Ebert is said to have desperately resorted to the only known helpmate testing program at the time, the already self-learning AI program Pile-Zero. The combination of natural and artificial intelligence first produced a 32-piece version, in which, however, yet another piece would always have been necessary (Hilmalaya trauma). Then Pile-Zero suggested the opposite approach, and in the end the five-piece version was found together.

 Hilmar (Leading expert of Wenigsteiner problems = up to 4 chess men only) is said to have spent decades more trying to eliminate the last black helping pawn; since he did not succeed in achieving the Wenigsteiner version, he changed his name and withdrew incognito to the Philippines."

Turnover of Fabelschach.de to Thomas

1981

 I Andernach Internat. Chess problem solving tourney.

 Win ahead world champion, Prof. H. Axt(!): Well, but...

 → Intelligence is nothing without creativity and spirit and empathy - and LOVE!
The whole is more than the sum of its parts.

06 06-08 I Mulhouse / France International Problem Chess Meeting

 Prizes for chess compositions...

11 02 81  Anthony Dickins - 2 weeks workshop!

11 03 81 "100 Classics on the Chessboard" with... great old Anthony!

09 14 81   Dr. Chodora: new job offer...!

Sleep

Outside Night is kissing land,

Whispers Ghost of trees -

Give me, kid, your little hand,

Slumber, dream and breathe...

Schlaf

Draußen küsst die nacht das land,

raunt der geist der bäume -

Gib mir Deine kleine hand,

schlumm're, atme, träume ...

ha

Helpmate in 6 moves

50

Hilmar Ebert

Schach-Echo, 1981

h#6

1. Bh1!! Bh1!  2. O-O-O! Kf3  3. e4+ Ke4  4. Rd5 Kd5  5. Kb8 Kc6  6. Ka8 Kc7#

 Helpmate Indian by the white bishop, opening a clearance line for the black bishop (in German "Zielbahnöffnung"). Formally, even the black king clears the way for the white rook to reach b8 – in minimal form of the thematic sequence. 

33

Hilmar Ebert

Stern 1981

h#3, 3.1.*

*1. ... Qe5+  2. Kf2 Kh3  3. Kg1 Qe1#

I) 1. Nf2+ Kh4 2. Ke2 Kg3 3. Kf1 Qf2#
II) 1. Kd3 Qc7 2. Kd2 Kf3 3. Ke1 Qc1#
III) 1. Ng3 Qh5 2. Ke2 Kg3+ 3. Kf1 Qd1#

 Four mate pictures in a previously negligible material setting – featuring White tempo move, Black waiting move, Echo to set play, interference, and ideal mate by discovered check.

34

Hilmar Ebert

Rochade 1981

1. Preis

h#3*

a) 1. … Kc3 2. Nd6 Ba4 3. Nf5 Bc6#
b) 1. Kd5! Kc3 2. Kc6 Kd4 3. Bc7 Ba4#

 Two ideal mates in the form of a complete block echo, centered in the heart of the board! The transposition of the mating net around pivot square c4 results in an unusually charming structure – praised not only by the judge as an “unsurpassable final form.” (Letztform).

42

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1981
3. Preis Wenigsteiner 1981

h#4

a) Diagram
b) Kf1 → a1

a) 1. d1=N! Dg1! 2. Kf6 Kg2 3. Kg5 Kf3+ 4. Kh4 Dg4#
b) 1. Kd7! Db1! 2. Kc6 Kb2 3. Kb5 Kc3+ 4. Ka4 Db4#

 Parallelogram-decorated underpromotion for tempo(!): Only the remote knight remains irrelevant to the flow of the mating sequence … The twin features a quasi-echo maneuver.

Selfmate

53

Hilmar Ebert

Deutsche Schachblätter 1981 / Korrektur

Dedicated to Anthony Dickins

s#9

1. Nd3! ab3: 2. Nb2!! ...  – the poor bishop in the corner now finds itself trapped as well!
3. ... d3  4. Rh3! – a rook awakens –
5. ... d4  6. Rh1  7. Rc1 d5  8. Rc1 d6 – the strange black pawn column stands one step lower, but just as rigid as before; now, at last, the theme begins to appear on the stage –
9. Rc5+! dc5  10. Nc4+! dc4  11. Bc3+! dc3  12. Qb4+! cb4# (Correction by H. Gruber: only Nc1!).

 Dynamic activation of the pawn column through total sacrifice (B, R, N, B, Q) - or, in the words of Heraclitus: “Nothing is as constant as change...!”

 This Selfmate – the only one I composed in many 15 years(!), since it is not my specialty... creates an eerie mechanical tower of black pawns, which can be set in motion only through a series of elegant sacrifices. Each white piece gives itself up, just to bring down the construction in a rhythmic cascade. It is a poetic study of inevitability and paradox: The immobile becomes unstoppable! :-)

 Dedicated to my wonderful friend & expert in Chess and Daoism (!) Anthony Dickins – we visited each other in London and in the Hochsauerland/Germany for a full week while writing our book. He passed away far too early from an incurable illness.

 Anthony was one of the greatest connoisseurs and analysts in chess composition. Our joint book "100 Classics of the Chessboard" (1983 / 1995²) was a tribute to the timeless beauty of chess artistry – from elegant games and endgames to profound helpmates and magnificent examples of fairy chess.

Anthony Dickins

Reflexmate

54

Hilmar Ebert

Jugendschach, 1981

2. Preis Wenigsteiner 1981

r#3
Reflex mate: 'White forces Black to check, and in the end, Black must deliver mate against their own will.'

a) Diagram
b) Pc4 → d4
c) Pc4 → e4
d) Pc4 → f4
e) Pc4 → g4

a) 1. Ke1 c3  2. Rbe2 c2  3. Rgf2 c1Q#
b) 1. Ke1 d3  2. Rbf2 d2+  3. Kf1 d1Q#
c) 1. Ke1 e3  2. Rge2 e2+  3. Kc1 e1Q#
d) 1. Kd1 f3  2. Rgd2 f2  3. Rbc2 f1Q#
e) 1. Ke1 g3  2. Rge2 g2  3. Rbd2 g1Q#

 Five elegant reflex mates in which a black pawn promotes to a queen and immediately mates – a textbook example of economic re-use through minimal change.

 Each version differs only by an ideal relocation of a white bishop, precisely shaping the path for the promotion on that file. The solutions unfold like choreographed miniatures – mechanically exact, yet full of life.

Retroanalysis

55

Hilmar Ebert

O–O!, 1981

h#2 1/4

 The first – and quite possibly only – partial Retroanalysis ever attempted in an orthodox Wenigsteiner.

 The last move by White – just half a move, i.e., a quarter of a full pair of (black  + white) move – could only have been Rook to d1 (as part of 0–0–0) or Rook to f1 (as part of 0–0). No one will ever know which move actually occurred... but it doesn't matter. The solution works in either case.

 "For cases like this, dear God introduced case distinction." :-)

If the last move was Tad1 (part of 0–0–0):

 1... Kc1!  2. Ke3 Kc2  3. Ke2 Rdl#
If the last move was Thf1 (part of 0–0):

 1... Kg1!  2. Ke3 Kg2 3. Ke2 Rfl#

 Twofold Mate in Half-Knowledge – Retroanalysis at Quarter-Move Scale.

 This problem draws its fascination from a kind of undecidability that stems not from vagueness, but from perfect symmetry. The final half-move by White has vanished somewhere into the shadow of castling. Yet whether it was short or long – the following moves logically adapt to that unknown origin. A composition that functions mathematically, philosophically, and aesthetically – all at once, and on every level.

1982

#038 Ästhetik des Denkens. Dissertation.

            → Dr. phil. (~Ph.D.)

paper book

Change to: Applied Psychology: Vocational Psychologist!

 Over 30,000 clients: all kinds of challenged fellow human beings - physical + mental disabilities, accidents, diseases, brain damages, traumata...

 → Ability tests + deep talks, rehabilitation + new educations(!) paid by the German government.

  395 Zuglängenrekorde.

  Orthodoxe Zuglängenrekorde im Wenigsteiner - Anhang.

I 08/11/1982 – A Fantastic Day in Bamberg!

 I had the rare privilege of spending a day with the great GM Lothar Schmid—legendary referee of the Fischer-Spassky World Championship (1972 in Reykjavik).

 A Grandmaster, publisher (with siblings owner of the Karl May Verlag), and proud keeper of the world’s largest private chess collection, he welcomed me into his realm of treasures. Deep talks on his empire...

 A truly unforgettable encounter.

30

Hilmar Ebert

Springaren 1982

h#3*

1. … Ba8!  2. Nd6 Rb7  3. Kd5 Rb5#
1. Kd6! Kb4  2. Ne5 Rf3  3. Kd5 Rd3#

 Ideal withdrawal mates as complete block echo – in the center of the board, in the strictest possible economy...
 “It is in self-limitation that a master shows himself.” (Goethe, "In der Beschränkung zeigt sich der Meister")

30*

Thug Catproof (a. Ebert)

CAT, 2025

h#3, 2.1.

1.Ne4 Bb8! 2.Nd4 Rc7 3.Ke5 Rc5#
1.Nd4 Re3 2.Ne4 Rg3 3.Ke5 Rg5#

 A double setting with and without critical move interference, thus a helpmate-Indian and a simple self-block with echo mates.

 For a newcomer, this is a promising take on an old idea from my early period. I was unable to find further compositions by this young man, an author of reviews for outstanding books and essays, as the source seems to originate from the American musical scene in the US.

  Th. Catproof

 Naturally, a change-of-play form – where the set and the solution differ and no waiting move is possible – is always more satisfying than two parallel solutions:

Helpmate in 5 moves

45

Hilmar Ebert

4138. Die Schwalbe, 1982

1. Preis

h#5, 2.1.

1) 1.Le1 d4 2.Dd2 d5 3.Da5 d6 4.Da6 d7 5.La5 dxc8=S#

2) 1.c3 d4 2.Lf1 d5 3.De2 d6 4.Da6 d7 5.Lb5 dxc8=S#

 Doubled clearance (Healey, Bristol)  with switchbacks by the black bishop.

48

Hilmar Ebert (+ P. Orlik)

Die Schwalbe, 1982

h#5, 0.1.

1... Bh3!! 2. Nf7 Bh2!! 3. Kc5 g3! 4. Kd6 g4+ 5. Ke6 g5#

 The peculiarity lies in the consecutive double help‑mate theme, that is, two thematically connected self‑blocks and clearance mechanisms placed one after the other – clearly more difficult to present than the parallel double setting. Only a few pieces are possible for this, here they are pawn and two bishops.

 King and two bishops allowed my famous five‑man ideal form (with Maslar), and this composition continues in the same spirit of refined economy.

Fairy Pieces

56

Hilmar Ebert

Rex Multiplex 1982

h#2, 0.4.1.

h3 = Princess  (L+S)

I) 1. ... BNg2+! 2. Kd3 BNf1# (Wartezug!)
II) 1. ... Rc5! 2. Kd4 BNf2#
III) 1. ... Rc1! 2. Kd2 BNf4#
IV) 1. ... Rc2! 2. Kd3 BNf5#

 Three-piece helpmate with fourfold echo ideal mate!

1983 ff.

Higher Federal Official.

 From this point onward, I held responsibilities as a higher-ranking official in the Federal Service—balancing the analytical with the human, the structured with the creative.

 Poetry publications and book editing in

 I Berlin, with author + lifelong sisterly friend → Edna! ❤

 Those years brought warmth, intellectual resonance, and the joy of shared artistry.

100 merkwürdige Wenigsteiner.

 Das Vielväterproblem.

100 Klassische Wenigsteiner.

  Regional Blitz Chess Champion I Hochsauerland

44

Hilmar Ebert

MAT, 1983

h#4

 The helpmate Indian has often been doubled in parallel form with the same thematic play. More difficult is the connection of the theme for both White and Black:

1.Rg5!! Bh8! 2.Kf5 Ng7+ 3.Ke5 Kb5 4.Kd4+ Nf5#

 Here, both helpmate Indians are logically connected through cross-checks. This is probably the first presentation of a Black+White helpmate Indian with only three thematic pieces.

1984  

Christine ❤ +  M... ❤

Hanne ❤ in I Berlin. & 02 11 Poetry readings.

Marianne ❤ I Braunschweig Tai Chi! 太極拳; 太极拳; Tàijíquán...

 Simultaneous chess exhibitions... → 

Simultanschach

Man fordert mich auf sämtlichen Kanälen,

Erfahrungsräume tanzen auf und ab -

nicht zwischen Tod und Leben darf ich wählen:

nur zwischen Kurzgalopp und Dauertrab …

Man quetscht mich aus wie eine Pampelmuse,

halb spiel' ich Simultanschach, halb Roulett -

und über allem lächelt die Meduse

der Unersättlichkeit .. das nächste Brett!

Simultaneous Chess 

On every channel they do challenge me,

Realms of experience: up and down they dance -

Between this life and death no choice will be:

Short gallop or just steady trot, my chance...

Quite like a grapefruit they are squeezing me,

Half Simultaneous chess and half Roulette -

Medusa the insatiable, you see,

Above she smiles... "Ahead: next board instead!"

Hilmar Alquiros, 1984 / 2013

Simultaneous chess (2000): ~20 boards

43

Hilmar Ebert

The Problemist, 1984

h#4*

1. ... 0–0!! 2. 0–0! Rd1 3. Kh8 Rd5 4. Rg8 Rh5#
1. 0–0–0!! 1. ... Rh3! 2. Kb4 Rh4 3. Ka8 Rh5 4. Rb8 Ra5#

 In the set-play, both castlings are possible. In the actual solution, however, only long castling is legal – because White must have made the last move, which makes short castling illegal (a classic case of retroactive Zugwechsel (complete block).

47

Hilmar Ebert

Feenschach-Sonderheft 1984 / Korrektur

Dedicated to P. Kniest's 70^th birthday

h#5 0.1.

1. … Bd4!! 2. Ka5 Bd5!! 3. Ka6 c5 4. Ka7 c6+ 5. Ka8 c7#

 Phew! Unfortunately, the white king still has to be locked in (otherwise even the miniature form would have been achieved). In the corners h1 and h8, the computer eventually conjured up the wildest justifications for this... It gets even simpler only with king and bishop.

1985  

太极拳 Tai Chi in Braunschweig → Marianne ❤ New Year's Eve → Aachen

太极拳 with Chinese master in Aachen

Marianne ❤ → I Paris....

Maria ❤ → 35. Geburtstag!

 Tief-Atmung

Du Anemonen-
  Durchseelter Geist,
Sollst in mir wohnen,
 Wer Du auch seist

Noch eingetaucht
  Ins Blickelesen,
Bin ich durchhaucht
  Von Deinem Wesen

Ich atme Dich
  Tief in mich ein -
Gern will auch ich
  Dein Atem sein ...

Deep Breathing

Anemone's
  Soul-spirit you
Dwell within me,
  No matter who

Immersed in you
  To read your seeing
Still, I'm breathed through
  By all your being

I breathe all you
  Deep within me -
So gladly too
  Your breath to be…

h.a.

 Roswitha ❤ in love, as well! :-)

10 16 LAA President in my Office...(!) Position in Aachen confirmed!

→ I Aachen = 'Aix-la-Chapelle': main residence of Charlemagne(!):

→ inside! & → outside!

12 19 Simultaneous chess exhibition

 91  Maria ❤ Common law marriage + family life

I 05 21 3 weeks in New York / city + state! (Maria's brother Christian)

 I "Tarrytown, New York" in train

Helpstalemate

52

Hilmar Ebert (+ R. E. Rice)

Ideal-Mate Review, 1985 (Version of Das Patt im Wenigsteiner, 1978)
3. PREIS Wenigsteiner 1985

h=4, 0.4.1.

I) 1... Ba2! 2. Kf6 Ke4 3. Kg7 Kf5 4. Kh8 Kg6=
II) 1... Kc4! 2. Kf6 Kd5 3. Kg7 Ke6 4. Kh8 Kf7=
III) 1... Ke2! 2. Kf4 Be4 3. Kg3 Bg2 4. Kh2 Kf2=
IV) 1... Ke3! 2. Kf6 Bf5 3. Kg5 Bg4 4. Kh4 Kf4=

 Two echo pairs with three pieces – a novelty in help-stalemate compositions.

1986

    1986 - 1990! North Sea Islands:

       I Sylt

       I Amrum

       I Baltrum

       I Norderney

       I Wangerooge

       I Juist

       I De Haan...

       I Greetsiel with Norderney + Juist.