SchaakStudieSpinselS 2

Koning King

Dame Queen

Toren Rook

Loper Bishop

Paard Knight

Pion Pawn

“Then time has come for the endgame addict you hopefully are to win a few tempi by simply skipping the forgoing text in Dutch. Protocol prescribes no remorse for leaving these pages to their intricacies. Better favour a short panoramic vista upon matters involved. Concede at once, then, that one may be very fond of a good friend, mainly on behalf of the fellow’s warm personality and amiable character. Especially so, when the quality of the relation has succeeded in keeping itself unchallenged for more than half a century. And when, as in the case, fondness has constantly be matched by beholding imposing creativity, rejoicing is quite naturally at its peak. This is to say that the author of this book, Ignace Vandecasteele, is entitled to more than normal consideration. In his prime he has been a succesful interior architect, while in private he has cultivated endgame composing all the way long. I sometimes indecently wonder if the professional in him has not finally be outclassed by … the finalist. However that may be, fact is that my good friend Ignace would soon be hailed as one of the finest miniaturists of his generation. Bear witness to this evaluation, the numerous prizes, mentions and commendations he keeps bringing home from important international endgame tourneys. As for the praise bestowed on him by exrperts. Now several of his queen studies are bright ones, to be sure, but Ignace is undoubtedly at his best when putting up white bishops and/or knights against their black colleagues, with every now and then a black rook (with or without pawns) to undergo decisive molesting. In this, his field, he has created some real masterpieces. But do not expect from him a battle after sensational outcomings. Nor does he have a weakness for manoeuvres of an outspoken romantic nature. The classicist in him, Bohemian style, remains allergic to such rather vulgar proceedings. No, what he is constantly aiming at is a quietly looking, but in fact very sharp exposé of hidden possibilities the battling pieces can boast of. At his eighty, Ignace still is a sturdy fellow, but his composing abilities remain indebted to the finesses, regularly called for by the practice of unwavering logic.This outstanding quality of his always leads to elegance in bringing forth solutions partaking to what may be called boyish buoyancy. A Vandecasteele, in short, is always a model of enlightening lightness. Hence Ignace’s sudden kinship with Keats, for also his things of beauty may be called a joy for ever.

26

Up till now Ignace has published two books containing his chosen children. The first one 64 Studies op 64 Velden (no translation needed, I guess), was published in 1994 and shows us his major output from the start on. Flemish Miniatures issued a few years later, is entirely written in English (Aha!). This book is particularly dear to me because of its main goal: making the reader better acqainted with the very best studies, concocted by the three foremost composers on Flemish soil: Vandecasteele, Roger Missiaen, myself. As the book offers, next to new solotrips, several joint ventures of the three composers, no one can cast any doubt upon our common state of mind. Live or by mail, one of us submits his latest findings to the critical eye of the other two culprits, expecting from them approval (if possible!), corrections, enhacements, useful suggestions, etc. Note that our common trait of oneness devoid of any form of envy or arrogant right-mindedness, is that obvious, that our trio enjoys the kindhearted outlandish denomination of the three Flemish musketeers. Their awards exibit a constant fondness of being laureled. Apart from Ignace’s personal output, it pays casting a glance at his critical writings. In EBUR, the excellent endgame magazine edited bij ARVES (an outstanding Dutch soos of real freaks and of which Ignace is a honorary member), he every now and then delivers a paper called Manke Maljoetka’s (faulty five-piecers). His analyses convincingly show us that certain studies, often highly praised in the past, suffer from more or less severe defects, such as a double solution, no solution, troublesome duals, etc. Not out of any negativism, this severe looking policy, but rightly upholding the principle that the endgame consumer, i.e. the reader, is entitled to the optimal expression of the winning or drawing manoeuvre the composer is aiming at, Ignace has to bust a study, one feels that he sincerely regrets it. Fortunately, every now and then he succeeds is endowing a composition with soundness again, simply by introducing a slight modification in the initial constellation of pieces. And then, we can enjoy a beautiful new study an original in its own right. All this having said, it remain possible, of course, that you are not in possession of the two books Vandecasteele has already published and, as a consequence, your bookshelves are suffering from an invisible but grave sin. If you care upholding your status of real endgame freak, you can provisionally redeem yourself from that sin by purchasing at once Vandecasteele’s third book so fortunatly could lay your hand upon.” Julien Vandiest