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. John M Rice
original
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Re3? (2.Se6#) 1...Bg4!
1.Bc4? (2.Sf5#) 1...Rf4!
1.Bd3! (2.Se6#)
1...Bg4 2.Re4#
1...Bd5 2.Sf5#
1...Re4 2.Rd8#
2. Eric E Westbury
Birmingham Daily Post , 1923
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Kd1! (2.Qe2#)
1...Bf2 2.Qxe4#
1...Qd5 2.Bd6#
1...Qc6 2.Be5#
1...Qxb7 2.e4#
1...gxf4 2.exf4#
3. Josef Moravec
4th HM., Casopis ceskych sachistu , 1907
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Sf2! (2.Bd6 & 3.Qd3#)
1...Sg3 2.Rxf4+ Se4 3.Rxe4#
Ke5 3.Sd3#
1...Sf6 2.Rxf4+ Se4 3.Rxe4#
Ke5 3.Sd3#
1...Bb8 2.Qe3+ Kxe3 3.Bc5#
Kc4 3.Qd3#
Kd5 3.Qe4#
1...Ke5 2.Rg5+ Kd4 3.Bb2#
Kf6 3.Se4#
4. Axel Akerblom
2nd Prize, Tidskrift för Schack , 1952
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Bg4! (2.Rf3+ exf3 3.Rxe5#)
1...Bc5 2.Rb2 & 3.Qd2,Qf2#
1...Bd6 2.Sg7 (3.Sf5#)
d2 3.Qxe2#
1...Sc4 2.Rb3 & 3.Qxe2#
1...Rc5 2.Bf6 (3.Bxg5#)
d2 3.Qxe2#
1...Re6 2.Sf2 (3.Sd1#)
d2 3.Qxe2#
1...Rf6 2.Sxf6 (3.Sd5#)
d2 3.Qxe2#
1...Sc5 2.Sf2 (3.Sd1#)
d2 3.Qxe2#
1...Sd6 2.Rxe5 & 3.Rf3#
5. Yakov G Vladimirov
2/3 Place, USSR Team Championship, 1990
Mate in 5
Show solution
1.Rg5! (2.Rxh4+ Kxf3 3.Se5+ Ke2 4.Sg3+ Kxe1 5.Sd3#)
1...Bb8 2.Sf2 (3.Sd3#)
dxc4 3.Sd3+ cxd3 4.Bf2 & 5.Be3#
1...Rh8 2.Bf2 (3.Be3#)
d4 3.Bxd4 (4.Be5,Be3#)
cxd4 4.Sf2 & 5.Sd3#
6. Laszlo Apro
1st Prize, Tovaris , 1968
Selfmate in 2
Show solution
1.Qd8? 1...Se4!
1.Qe8? 1...Sd5!
1.Qg8? 1...Se4!
1.Qxc7? 1...Sd5!
1.Qh8! (2.Rf4+ Bxf4#)
1...Rxe5 2.Sh6+ Bxh6#
1...Se4 2.Se3+ Bxe3#
1...Sh5 2.Qxh5+ Bg5#
2.Se3+ Bxe3#
1...Sd5 2.Qh5+ Bg5#
Only one of the lines after 1...Sh5 need have been given.
7. Friedrich Chlubna
Schach-Echo , 1974
Selfmate in 5
Show solution
1.Qg1! ()
1...Qa1 2.Sfd4+ Kc5 3.Sxc2+ Kc6 4.Scd4+ Kc5 5.Qg5+ Bf5#
1...Qxa3 2.Sbd4+ Kc5 3.Sxb3+ Kc6 4.Sbd4+ Kc5 5.Rb5+ Rxb5#
8. William A Shinkman
Source? (colours reflected)
Helpmate in 4
Show solution
1.Scd6 Rc4 2.Ke5 Bd7 3.Sc5 Re4+ 4.Kd5 Bc6#