Note: In these solutions, those moves that
were required are given in bold type. All else is given for the
sake of completeness and for the interest of solvers. The symbol
'S' is used for knight and threats are given in parentheses.
1.1
Mate in 2
This problem was original and unpublished and so
can’t be reproduced here until after it has been
published.
1.2 Viktor I Kamensky
Schach , 1960
Mate in 2
Show solution
1...Kxe4 2.Qc4#
1...S~ 2.Qd5#
1.Sg3! () (5)
1...Ke3 2.Bg1#
1...Ke5 2.Qb2#
1...S~ 2.Bg1#
1...Sxe4 2.Sf5#
1.3 Don Smedley (v. David Shire)
The Problemist , 1974
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Bf4? (2.Qe5,Qd6#) 1...Bxf4!
1.Rf4? (2.Sb4,Qd6#) 1...Rh6!
1.Qf4? (2.Sb4,Bc4,Rd6#) 1...Rd4!
1.f4! (2.Bf3,Qe5#) (5)
1...Ke4 2.Qe5#
2.1 T C Henriksen
Tidskrift för Schack , 1915
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Rb8? (2.Rc8+ Kb4 3.Sc2#
Bc6 3.Sd5#)
1...Se6!
1.Rb7! (1)
(2.Rc7+ Kb4 3.Sc2# (1)
Bc6 3.Sd5#)
1...Bxb7 2.Qc8+ Kb4 3.Sc2# (1½)
Bc6,Bxc8,Rc6 3.Sd5#
1...Se6 2.Qa8 & 3.Qxa5# (1½)
2.2 S Krelenbaum
7th Comm., BCF Ty. No. 026, 1937-1938
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Bc7! (1)
(2.Ba5+ Bb4 3.Bxb4#) (½)
1...Bxd8 2.Ra4 & 3.Rc4# (½)
1...Bb4 2.Sf4 & 3.Se2,Sd5,Rd3#) (½)
1...Rf7 2.Rd4 & 3.Rc4# (½)
1...g6 2.Sd4 (3.Se2#) (1)
Rxb5+ 3.Sxb5#
1...g5 2.Sg3 (3.Se2#) (1)
Qxe4+ 3.Sxe4#
3.1 V and M Platov
Rech , 1909
White to play and win
Show solution
1.Bc3+ (1)
1...Kg8 (i) 2.h7+ (½)
1...Kxh7 (ii) 3.Nf6+ (½)
3...Kh6 4.Bd2+ (½)
4...Qg5 5.Be3 (1)
5...a5 (iii) 6.Kd7 (1)
6...Qxe3 (iv) 7.Ng4+ 1-0 (½)
(i)
1...Kh7 2.Nf6+ Kxh6 3.Bd2+ as the main line in one move fewer.
(ii)
2...Kf7 3.h8=Q 1-0
(iii)
5...a6 and then 6.Kd7, 6.Kc7 or 6.Kc8 all win. 5...Qxe3 6.Ng4+ Kg5 7.Nxe3 Kf6 8.Kc7 a5 9.Kd6 a4 10.Kd5 a3 11.Ke4 a2 12.Nc2 1-0
(iv)
6...a4 7.Bxg5+ Kxg5 8.Ke6 a3 9.Ne4+ Kf4 10.Nc3 1-0
3.2 A Maksimovskikh & A Shupletsov
2nd HM., Suomen Shakki , 1985-1986
White to play and win
Show solution
1.f7 (1)
1...Rg2+ 2.Kxg2 (½)
2...Nxe3+ 3.Kg3 (i) (½)
3...Nf1+ (ii) 4.Kh4 (½)
4...Qxf4 5.Re8+ (½)
5...Kh7 6.f8=N+ (iii) (1)
6...Kh6 (iv) 7.Re6+ (½)
7...Qf6+ (v) 8.g5# (½)
(i)
3.Bxe3? Qxg4+ 4.Kf1 Qf3+ 5.Ke1 Kh7 =
(ii)
3...Nf5+ 4.gxf5 Kh7 5.f8=N+ [5.f8=Q?? Qa3+ 6.Be3 (6.Kh2 Qh3+ =) 6...Qd6+ 7.Bf4 Qa3+ =] 5...Kg8 6.Ng6 Qb5 7.Re3 Kf7 8.Kg4 1-0
(iii)
6.f8=Q?? Qh6#
(iv)
6...Kg8 7. Ne6+ Kf7 8.Rf8+ Kxe6 9. Rxf4 Nd2 10. Kg5 Ke5 11. Rf7 Ne4+ 12. Kg6 Kd5 13. Kxg7 1-0
(v)
7...g6 8.Rxg6#
4.1
Helpmate in 3
This problem was original and unpublished and so
can’t be reproduced here until after it has been
published.
4.2
Helpmate in 5
This problem was original and unpublished and so
can’t be reproduced here until after it has been
published.
5.1
Mate in 4
This problem was original and unpublished and so
can’t be reproduced here until after it has been
published.
5.2 Leonid Lyubashevsky & Leonid Makaronets
Mat Plus , 2008
Mate in 4
Show solution
1.Sf3! (1)
(2.Rxe5+ Bxe5 3.Sg5+ Kf4 4.Qg4#) (1)
1...Rxc5 2.Qh7+ Kxd5 3.Sxc7+ Kd6 4.Qd7# (1)
1...Sd3 2.Rd4+ exd4 3.Qxc6+ Kf5 4.g4# (1)
Bd5 4.Qg6#
1...c2 2.Sd2+ exd2 3.Qh7+ Kxd5 4.Sxc7# (1)
6.1 Sven Trommler
3rd HM., Wola Gulowska , 1996
Selfmate in 2
Show solution
1.Bc5? (2.a4+ Kxc5#)
1...Bxc5 2.Qa5+ Kxa5#
1...Qxc5 2.Ba4+ Kxa4#
1...Qe6!
1.Bd6? (2.a4+ Kxc6#)
1...bxc6 2.Qa5+ Kxa5#
1...Rxc6 2.Ba4+ Kxa4#
1...dxc6!
1.Rd6! (1)
(2.a4+ Kc5#) (1)
1...Bc5 2.Qa5+ Kxa5# (1½)
1...Qc5 2.Ba4+ Kxa4# (1½)
6.2 Sergey Bilik
Zadachi i Etyudy , 2009
Selfmate in 4
Show solution
1.a4! (1)
(2.Ba3 & 3.Qf2+ Kc3 4.Rc2+ bxc2#) (1)
1...h5 2.Qg5 & 3.e3+ Kd3 4.Sf2+ Sxf2# (1)
1...Sxc5 2.Qxe5+ Ke3 3.Bxc5+ bxc5 4.Qc3+ Sxc3# (1)
1...Sf6 2.Qxe5+ Ke3 3.Ba3 & 4.Qc3+ Sxc3# (1)
