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 Miroslav Havel
Narodni listy , 1900 (v. by BDS)
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Qe2! (2.Qg4#) 1...Sxe2/Sxf4/Sxf6
2. g4/ Qb5/ Sd6#
1.2 Baruch Lender
Palestine Post , 1949 (v. by BDS)
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Bg3! (2.Sf4#) 1...R~/ Rd5/ Bxg3/gxh3
2. Sg7/Qxf7/Sexg3/ Qf3#
1.3 Ottavio Stocchi
La Settimana Enigmistica , 1932
Mate in 2
Show solution
1...Qxc6+ 2.bxc6#
1.Qc7! (2.Qd6#)
1...Qxc6+/Qxf5+/ Qe6+/Rxc6+/ Qe5/Qxe7/ Qd5/Rxb5/ Ra6/Rb7,Rb8
2. f6 /Rxf5 /fxe6 /bxc6 /Qxe5/Qxe7/Sxd3/ Qa7/bxa6/ b6#
2.1 Vaclav Cisar
1st Prize, Armeeblatt , 1905
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Sg8!
[2.Qc2 (3.Sc7,Sxf4#)
Rxd5 3.Qe4#]
1...Rxd5 2.Bxd5+ Kf5,
Ke5 3.Qe4#
1...Rxh3 2.Sxf4+ Kf5+ 3.Be6#
1...Bg7 2.Qa8 (3.Qc8#)
Rxd5 3.Qxd5#
R else 3.Sc7,Sxf4#
Kf5+ 3.Sde7#
1...Kf5+ 2.Sde7+ Bxe7 3.Qc2#
Ke4 3.Be2#
1...Rg6 2.Qc2 (3.Sc7,Sxf4#)
Rxd5 3.Qe4#
Rxg8 3.fxg8=Q#
2.2 Avenir Popandopulo
2nd Prize, RSFSR, 1963 (v. by BDS)
Mate in 6
Show solution
1.Be8! (2.Bxd7#)
1...Bh3 2.Sf7 (3.Sd8#)
Bh4 3.Bf6 (4.Sd8#)
Bxf6 4.Rg4 (5.Bxd7#)
Bxg4 5.c4 & 6.cxb5,cxd5#
c4 5.Bxd7+ Kc5 6.Sa6,Rxc4#
3.1 V Kolpakov
1st HM., Buletin Problemistic , 1996-1997
White to play and win
Show solution
1.Rd1 f1=Q [1...Bxe5+ 2.Ka2 f1=Q 3.Rxf1 Rxf1 4.e8=Q+-] 2.Rxf1 Rxf1+
3.Ka2 Rf2+ 4.Kxa3 [4.Kb1?? a2+ 5.Ka1 (5.Kc1 a1=Q#) 5...Bxe5#; 4.Kb3? Rb2+
5.Kxa3 Rb8=; 4.Ka1?? Bxe5+ 5.Kb1 a2+ 6.Kc1 a1=Q#] 4...Rf8 5.h8=Q,R+ Rxh8
6.Sf7+ Kh7 7.Sxh8 Bf8 8.exf8=R+- [8.exf8=Q?=] 1-0
4.1 Vladimir Rychkov
4/5 Place, 14th. USSR Championship, 1992
Selfmate in 2
Show solution
1.Qc6! (2.Qc3+ Sxc3#)
1...Sxf3 2.Se5+ Sxe5#
1...Qxb3+ 2.Qc2+ Qxc2#
1...Rxf3 2.Sf4+ Rxf4#
1...Se2 2.Bxe2+ Bxe2#
4.2 Franz Felber
Schach , 2000
Selfmate in 4
Show solution
1.Se1! (2.Sxf5+ Qxf5 3.Qd6+ Qd5 4.Qc5+ Qxc5#)
1...Qxg3 2.Sxf3+ Qxf3 3.Qd6+ Qd5 4.Qc5+ Qxc5#
1...Qh4,
Qh6,
Qh8 2.Bf6+ Qxf6 3.Ka5+ Kc5 4.Qb6+ Qxb6,axb6#
1...Bxd7 2.Re4+ fxe4 3.Se2+ fxe2 4.c3+ Qxc3#
5.1 Valery Semenenko
Sp. Prize, Shakhmatnaya Poeziya , 1999
Helpmate in 2 (b) bKe7 -> e2
Show solution
(a) 1.Sb6 Bd2 2.Kd8 Bg5#
(b) 1.Sd3 Be8 2.Kd1 Bh5#
5.2 M Henrych
Sachove skladba , 1991
Helpmate in 4 2 solutions
Show solution
1.e3 Ba1 2.Qe4 Kb2 3.Ke5 Bc4 4.Kd4 Kb3#
1.Re5 Ba2 2.Qc6 Kb3 3.Ke6 Bc5 4.Kd5 Kb4#