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| Personal information | ||||||||||||
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| Born | 6 November 1987 (age 38) Tradate, Northern Italy | |||||||||||
| Chess career | ||||||||||||
| Country | Italy | |||||||||||
| Peak rating | 1824 | |||||||||||
Medal record
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Daniele Guglielmo Gatti (born 6 November 1987) is an Italian chess composer.
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 6 November 1987 (age 38) Tradate, Northern Italy | |||||||||||
| Chess career | ||||||||||||
| Country | Italy | |||||||||||
| Peak rating | 1824 | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||
Daniele Guglielmo Gatti (born 6 November 1987) is an Italian chess composer.
He began composing chess problems in 2015, initially focusing on selfmates and then exploring other genres, including endgame studies. [1] [2] In early 2025, he published an endgame study that achieved a complete Babson Task (4/4) in a legal and economic setting. The task has been considered one of the most difficult unsolved challenges in chess composition since its original formulation by American chess composer Joseph Ney Babson in 1884. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]
In 2025, he publicly disclosed his diagnosys of Asperger's Syndrome and intellectual giftedness, explaining how these conditions have influenced his work in the field of chess composition, expecially through hyperfocus and pattern recognition. [10]
Gatti is a registered nurse [11] and lives on the Southern Dolomites. [8]
The study was developed from a scheme created by Israeli-American International FIDE Master for chess composition Gady Costeff [12] , which showed a complete Babson Task theme in an endgame study setting, but in an illegal position and with presence of promoted pieces (three white Knights on the board). The scheme had originally been created in 2011, and Costeff spent over a decade attempting to construct a legal version. In his 2024 article on EG, he acknowledged the illegality of the position but chose to publish it as a demonstration, inviting other composers to explore possible improvements. [13]
After Costeff's publication, Gatti began working independently on the same theme and, after approximately 45 days, published a sound Babson Task in EG n. 239 (January 2025). [14] The study was dedicated to Gady Costeff, who was acknowledged as a source of inspiration. [8] [14] [15] Gatti later published on Sinfonie Scacchistiche, an Italian historical magazine dedited to chess problems and studies, an article where he explains the challenges encountered, the method of work adopted and also shows the most significant failed attempts during the composition process, until the final outcome. [16]
Following its publication, the study was featured on various national [8] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] and international [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] platforms. Several chess composers and critics publicly commented on the study.
Inspired by and dedicated to Gady Costeff
Black to move - White wins Complete solution in the Babson task page
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 |            | 8 | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
Ukrainian chess critic, International FIDE Master for chess composition [12] and former WCCI World Champion Serhiy Didukh referred to it literally as a “chess miracle” [31] in his site "Chess Study Art". He later included the study in his digital book "100 Memorable Studies", published on the same site. [39]
The study also received recognition by Harold van der Heijden which praised the study as an "incredible achievement" [14] , and by former WCCI World Champion Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen. [8] [14]
Werner Keym, a German chess writer and expert in chess problems showing castling, en passant capture and pawn promotion [40] [41] , also praised it with the words "incredible achievement" [37] in his book "Problem Chess Art - A Subjective Anthology", and wrote on the description of the solution: "Perhaps the study of the century?" [37]
German grandmaster and FIDE Master for chess composition [42] Jan Michael Sprenger contributed a comment on Didukh's website, describing it as “a rather elegant position given the complexity of the task.”, remarking on the speed of its realization. [43]
Dutch endgame studies composer Martin van Essen also analyzed the study during a masterclass directed at the Schaakvereniging Paul Keres club in Utrecht, later publishing the entire video on YouTube. [44] [45]
Norwegian FIDE Master for chess composition Geir Sune Tallaksen Østmoe [42] also commented the realization of the study, declaring that "the impossible task proved possible". [46]
Outside the composition community, the study was presented by Austrian grandmaster and national champion Felix Blohberger in an instructional YouTube video, [47] and by the Armenian Super-GM Levon Aronian, who left a video comment on his Instagram page about the topic. [48]
Some discussion was raised regarding the initial stipulation of the study. While the Babson Task traditionally begins with White to move, the study in question starts with Black to move, and some composers pointed out that this does not configure a true Babson Task. This choice, while uncommon, is however legally permissible in endgame studies field. About the topic, Harold van der Heijden noted: “The composer also indicated that it is a pity that the study starts with BTM. When you put the wK on c3, the only move is 1.Kc4. Steffen advised that BTM is a lesser problem than wK in check in the initial position, and I fully agree.” [14]
In 2018, Gatti received the title of National Master of Chess Composition from the Associazione Problemistica Italiana (API), affiliated with the Italian Chess Federation. [1]
He participated in the 11th World Team Championship for chess composition (WCCT) of 2022, achieving a 19th individual placement in section F (Selfmates), the best Italian placement for that edition. [49]
In 2024, after having reached 3rd position in the previous edition held in 2020 [50] , he won the 5° Italian Chess Composition Championship. [51]
In 2024, one of his original studies was selected and presented by Judit Polgar at the 'Global Chess Festival', held in Budapest on September 17, for the project 'Chess Artistry Adventure', organized in memory of GM and composer Pal Benko. [52] [53]
He is FIDE International Judge of Chess Compositions since July 2025. [54]
As of 2025, Gatti realized around 1000 chess compositions (650 problems and 350 endgame studies), receiving a total of 200 awards in national and international tournaments. [2]
"Professione Problemista – Avvicinamento alla composizione scacchistica" (Messaggerie Scacchistiche - 2022). [55]
