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.
1) Byron Zappas
1st Prize, diagrammes , 1993 (v) [mirrored]
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Kxg6/Rxf6/ Re6/Sbc4/Sbd5/Sxd7?
1..Sg3/ Rc7/Sxe3/fxe3/Rxe3/c2!
1.Sa4! (2.Rd6#) (5)
1..Sxe3 2.Qxf6#
1..Rxe3 2.Qd6#
1..fxe3 2.Qb4#
1..bxa4 2.Rc4#
1..Rxa4 2.Rxd7#
1..Qa3 2.Sc2#
2) J.Pospisil
1st Prize, Deutscher Schachbund, 1889
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Rh4!
(2.Be4+ @ Bxe4/Ke5 3.Qxe4/Qa1#)
1...Ke5 2.Rh5+ @ Kf6/Sf5 3.Qh4/Rxf5#
1...Sf5 2.Bf7+ @ Ke5 3.Sxd7#
1...Sg4 2.Rh5+ @ Se5 3.Bf7#
1...Sf6 2.Rd4+ @ cxd4/Ke5 3.Qb5/f4#
1...Sxf8 2.Re4 @ ~~/Bxe4/c4 3.Qa8/Qxe4/Qxc4#
1...c4 2.Qxc4+ @
(@ 1 → 1.5 → 2 → 3 → 3.5 → 4.5 → 5)
3) M.Tronov
1st Prize, Shakhmaty , 1924
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Qd6!
(2.Qe5+ fxe5 3.Sd6#) (1)
1...Bd4 2.Qf4+ Sxf4 3.Sg3# (1)
1...Kxf5 2.Qe6+ Bxe6/Kxe6/Kg6 3.Bd3/Bc8/Qxg4# (1)
1...c4 2.Qxd5+ Kxd5 3.Bb7# (1)
1...Bc4 2.Bxc4 (1)
4) V.Shavyrin
1st HM., Probleemblad , 2000
Mate in 4
Show solution
1.Qb2!
(2.Rc5+ Qxc5 3.Qd4+ @ Qxd4 4.Sc7#)
1...Bf4 2.Sc3+ Kd4 3.Se2+ @ Kd3(d5) 4.Sxf4#
1...Sc6 2.Rd7+ Rxd7 3.Rd6+ @ Rxd6 4.Sc7#
1...Se6 2.Rf5+ Rxf5 3.Qe5+ @ Rxe5 4.Sf6#
(@ 1.5 → 2.5 → 4 → 5)
5) Ivan Bender
StrateGems , 2005
Mate in 5
Show solution
1.Se1! ()
1...e6 2.Rd4 e5 3.Rd1 e4 4.Sd3+ Kxg2 5.Sf4# (2.5)
1...e5 2.Sd3 e4 3.Sc5 exf3 4.Se4 fxg2 5.Sg3# (2.5)
6) D. Nilolajev
2nd Prize, USSR Sports Committee Ty., 1955
White to play and win
Show solution
1.Sf3 d3 2.Bh6 (1) Sd4+ 3.Sxd4 e1Q 4.Bd2+ (2) Ka6
5.Bxe1 d2 6.Sc2 (3) d1Q 7.Sb4+ Ka5 8.Sd3+ (4) Ka4 9.Sb2+ (5)
7) Terho Marlo
19th/24th Place, 9th WCCT, 2012/13
Selfmate in 3
Show solution
1.Be2!
(2.Sxb3+ Qxb3 3.Qxb6+ Qxb6#) (1)
1...Se3 2.fxe3+ Qxe3 3.Be5+ Qxe5# (1)
1...b5 2.c3+ Qxc3 3.Qc5+ Qxc5# (1)
1...Sc6 2.Sgf3+ Qxf3 3.Rxd5+ Qxd5# (1)
1...Qxh2 2.Be5+ Sxe5 3.Sdf3+ Sxf3# (1)
8) Mircea Manolescu
1st Prize, Buletin Problemistic , 1992-93
Helpmate in 3: 3 solutions
Show solution
1.Be4 Rf5 2.Bd3 Bxa7+ 3.Ke4 Sd6# @
1.Kc5 Sxa3 2.Qd4 Rxa6 3.Bd5 Bd6# @
1.Kd5 Bf4 2.Rc8 Sd2 3.Rc5 Rd6# @
(@ 1.5 → 3.5 → 5)
