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. Don Smedley
1st Prize, McWilliam Ty., 1954
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Qxg3! (2.Rxe5#) (5)
1...Sd5 2.Sc5#
1...Rd5 2.Sg5#
1...Rxg3+ 2.Sxg3#
1...Sg4 2.Qxd3#
1...Bg7 2.Qf3#
(1...Kxf5 2.Rxe5#)
2. I Soroka, E Gavrilov & V Udartsev
Schweizerische Schachzeitung , 1991
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Se8! (½)
(2.Sd6+ Kxd4 3.e3#) (½)
1...Rg3 2.Kd6 (3.Qxc5,Rxb4#) (1)
Rxd4+ 3.Bd5#
1...Rf3 2.Kd7 (3.Qxc5,Rxb4#) (1)
Rxd4+ 3.Sd6#
1...Re4 2.Kb7 & 3.Qxc5# (1)
1...Rxd4 2.Rxb4+ cxb4 3.Kb6# (½)
1...Kxd4 2.Qd7+ Qd5+,Kc4 3.Q(x)d5# (½)
Ke4 3.Sxc5#
3. Percy F Blake
Football Field , 1904
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.d6! (½)
(2.Kf2 & 3.Qe5,Qc4,Sc3#) (1)
1...Bf5 2.Qxb7+ Sxb7 3.Bc6# (½)
Sc6 3.Bxc6,Qxc6#
1...Bxd6 2.Qd5+ Kxd5 3.Sc3# (1)
1...Kf3 2.Qg5 & 3.Qg2# (1)
1...Bh5 2.Qxd3+ Kxd3 3.Bf5# (½)
Kf3 3.Bd2,Bc1#
1...Bxf7 2.Qxd3+ Kxd3 3.Bf5# (½)
Kf3 3.Bd2,Bc1#
4. Ryszard Rusiecki
Schach Magasin , ????
Mate in 4
Show solution
1.Qb2! (2.Qf6#) (1)
1...Be7 2.Qd2 (3.e4#)
Sd6 3.Qh2 (4.Qe5#) (4)
Sc4,Sf7 4.e4#
Bf6 4.Sh6#
5. Josef Hasek
Revista Romana de Sah , 1929
White to play and win
Show solution
1.h7 (i) (1)
1...h3 2.Ba1!! (1)
2...h2 (ii) 3.h8Q (1)
3...h1Q 4.Qb2+! 1-0 (2)
(4...Kg1 5.Kg3)
(i) 1.Ba1? c3! 2.Bxc3 h3 3.h7 h2 4.h8Q h1Q 5.Qa8+ Kh2 6.Qxa2+ Qg2 = (tablebases)
(ii) 2...e5+ 3.Bxe5 h2 4.h8Q h1Q 5.Qa8+ Kg1 6.Bd4+ Kh2 7.Qh8+ Kg2 8.Qg8+ Kf1 9.Qxc4+ Kg2 10.Qe2+ 1-0
6. Waldemar Tura
1/2 Prize, Thèmes-64 , 1986
Selfmate in 3
Show solution
1.Bd4! (1)
(2.S7d6+ exd6 3.Rc8+ Qxc8#) (1)
1...Qxb5 2.Bxe2+ Kxd4 3.Qd5+ Qxd5# (1½)
1...Qxb7 2.Qxe2+ Rxe2 3.Bd5+ Qxd5# (1½)
7. Udo Degener & Torsten Linss
1st HM., Rusek-75 JT, 1986
Selfmate in 6
Show solution
1.Qe8! (1)
(2.Sb5+ Kf5 3.Sed4+ cxd4 4.Sxd4+ Bxd4 5.Rf2+ Bxf2 6.Qg6+ hxg6#) (1)
1...g1=S 2.Sxe4+ Kf5 3.Sd4+ cxd4 4.Rf2+ Bf3+ 5.Rxf3+ Sxf3 6.Qg6+ hxg6# (½)
Bxd4 4.Rf2+ Bf3+ 5.Rxf3+ Sxf3 6.Qg6+ hxg6# (½)
1...g1=R 2.Sxc4+ Kf5 3.Sd6+ Ke5 4.Sxe4+ Kf5 5.S4g3+ Rxg3 6.Qg6+ hxg6# (1)
1...g1=B 2.Sxe4+ Kf5 3.Sd6+ Ke5 4.Sxc4+ Kf5 5.Se3+ Bxe3 6.Qg6+ hxg6# (1)
8. V Frigin
2nd HM., Probleemblad , 1985
Helpmate in 6 2 solutions
Show solution
1.Rf6 Bb4 2.Rf1 Ke6 3.Kd1 Kd5 4.e2 Kc4 5.Bf2 Kc3 6.Ke1 Kc2# (2½)
1.Bc3 Bh4 2.Rd1 Ke6 3.Bd2 Ke5 4.Kf1 Kf4 5.e2+ Kg3 6.Ke1 Kg2# (2½)