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. Godfrey C Quack
The Observer , 1950
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Bf7! (2.Sf8#)
1...exd6 2.Qxf5#
1...e6 2.Be8#
1...e5 2.Sc4#
1...Rxa5 2.Sxf5#
1...Rxf7 2.Se5#
2. Mark Reitman
1st HM., Vecherni Odessa , 1983
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Qc6! (2.Qa4#)
1...Sd3 2.Rc2#
1...Sxd5 2.Qxd5#
1...a4 2.Rb4#
1...b5 2.Qxc5#
1...Qb5 2.Qxb5#
1...Be4+ 2.Rxe4#
1...Bc2 2.Rxc2#
3. J Cauveren
3rd Prize, BCF 008. Ty. , 1931-1932
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Sg4! ()
1...Kxf5 2.Sf6+ Kxg5 3.Sh7,Se4#
Ke5 3.d4#
1...f3 2.Sf6+ Sxf6 3.gxf3#
1...Rxg5,
hxg5 2.d3+ Kxf5 3.Sd4#
1...Sg~ 2.R(x)e5+ Sxe5 3.Sf6#
4. Yakov G Vladimirov
1st Prize, Thema Danicum , 1996-1997
Mate in 4
Show solution
1.Sh5! [2.Rd8+ Ke6 3.Bxf6 (4.Se7,Sfg7,Sh6,Sh4,Se3,Sfg3#)
Bxf6 4.Rd6,Sf4#]
1...Be4 2.Rxe5+ fxe5 3.Sf4+ exf4 4.Se7#
1...Rf1 2.Sxf6+ Bxf6 3.Rd8+ Bxd8 4.Se3#
Ke6 4.Rd6#
1...Qa7 2.dxe5 (3.Sxf6,Sf4#)
Qxg7+ 3.Kxg7 & 4.Sxf6,Sf4#
Qe7 3.Rxe7 & 4.Sxf6,Sf4#
5. Nikolai Ryabinin
5th Prize, 64 , 1985
White to play and draw
Show solution
1.Nf4 Nxf4 2.Ke3 Ng2+ (2...Bg4 3.Rd4 Ng2+ 4.Kf2 Bh3 5.Kg3 Kg5 6.Rd8 Bf5 7.Rg8+ Bg6 8.Kxg2= ) 3.Kf2 Bh3
(3...Bg4 4.Rd4 Bh3= transposes to 2...Bg4. ) 4.Kg3 Bg4 5.Rd8! [5.Rd2? Ne3 6.Rd3 Nxc4 7.Kxg4 Ne5+ 0-1;
5.Rd3? Ne1 6.Re3 Nc2 7.Rc3 Bf5; 5.Rd4? Ne3 6.Re4 Re6; 5.Rg1? Ne3 6.Kf4 Nf1 7.Rxg4 Rxc4+ 8.Kf3
(8.Kf5 Ne3+ 0-1) 8...Nxh2+ 0-1 ] 5...Ne3 (5...Rxc4 6.Kxg2 Kg5 7.Rf8= ) 6.Kf4 Re6 7.Rd3 Nxc4 8.Kxg4 Ne5+ 9.Kf5=
6. Andrey J Lobusov
1st Place, Moscow Championship , 1992
Selfmate in 2
Show solution
1.Qxf6! (2.Qd6+ Rxd6#)
1...Sg6 2.Qf4+ Sxf4#
1...Se6 2.Qd4+ Sxd4#
1...Sxf6 2.Sd5+ Sxd5#
7. Shlomo Seider & Theodor Tauber
5th Prize, Bulgaria-1300 JT , 1982-1983
Selfmate in 4
Show solution
1.Rh6! (2.e7 & 3.Ree6+ Kg5 4.Sxf3+ Sxf3#)
1...Sxd2 2.Re4+ Kg5 3.Reh4 & 4.Sxf3+ S2xf3,S4xf3#
1...Sa3 2.Qa2 & 3.Rf5+ Ke4 4.Qxc2+ Saxc2,Sdxc2#
1...Sxc3 2.Rf5+ Ke4 3.Bb6 ()
S~ 4.Qxc2+ Sxc2#
8. Norbert Geissler
Rochade-Europa , 2001
Helpmate in 7
Show solution
1.Se3 Ke2 2.Sf1 Kd1 3.Ke3 Bg2 4.Kf2 Bh3 5.Kg1 Ke2 6.Kh1 Kf2 7.Sh2 Bg2#
1.Sf2 Bd5 2.Sh3 Kg4 3.Ke3+ Bc4 4.Kf2 Kh4 5.Kg1 Kg3 6.Kh1 Bf1 7.Sg1 Bg2#
