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. Frederick Gamage
1st Prize, Chess Correspondence Hochberg MT, 1941
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Qd5! (5)
(2.Rxf4#)
1...Bf any+ 2.Bb2#
1...Bd4+ 2.Re2#
1...Rxe4 2.Bxe4,Qxe4#
1...Sxd5,Sd3 2.Sg3#
1...dxe5 2.Qxe5#
2. B Malmström
Tidskrift för Schack , 1934
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Sb5!
(2.Qc6+ @ Kf5 3.Sd4#
Bd5 3.Qg6#)
1...Bd6 2.Sxd6+ @ Kd4,Kd5 3.Qxc4#
1...Bc5 2.Sxc3+ @ Kd4 3.Qh8#
1...Bd5 2.Qe8+ @ Kf5 3.Sd4#
Be7 3.Qg6#
Be6 3.Qxe6#
1...Bxb5 2.Qe6+ @ Kd4 3.Be3#
1...Kd5 2.Qb7+ @ Kc5 3.Bd6#
Ke6 3.Sd4#
(@ 1 -> 1.5 -> 2.5 --> 3.5 --> 4 -- 5)
3. Evgeny Bourd
Prize, Phénix , 2012-2014
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Bg2!
(2.Qe5+ @ fxe5 3.Se6#)
1...Rc3 2.Qc4+ @ Kxe3 3.Bf4#
Rxc4 3.Se6#
1...Qc3 2.Sc2+ @ Qxc2 3.Qe3#
1...Bc8 2.Be5+ @ Kxc5 3.Qxc6#
1...Qxb3 2.Sxb3+ @ Kd3 3.Bf1#
1...Qd3 2.Rxd3+ @ Sxd3 3.Sb3,Qe4#
(@ 1 -> 1.5 -> 2.5 --> 3.5 --> 4 -- 5)
4. Markus Ott
Phénix , 1991
Mate in 4
Show solution
1.Bb2!
(2.R2xd4+ Qxd4 3.Sd2+ @ Qxd2 4.Bb3#)
1...Sd3 2.Sa5+ Sxa5 3.Bb3+ @ Sxb3 4.Rc2#
1...d3 2.Bxd3+ Sxd3 3.Rc2+ @ and 4.Sd2#
(@ 1 -> 1.5 -> 3.5 -> 5)
5. Sergey I Tkachenko
StrateGems , 2017
Mate in 6
Show solution
1.Bd4+! Ka3 2.Bxa1 Kb4 3.Bd4 Ka3 4.Bc5+ Kb2 5.Bb4 Ka1 6.Bc3# (5)
6. Zlatko Mihajloski
1st-2nd Prize, Sredba na solidarnosta , 2003-2005
White to play and win
Show solution
1.b5+ (1)
1...Kxb5 2.Sc7+ Kc6 3.Sa6 (1)
3...Kb5 4.Sb4 Kxb4 5.c6 (1)
5...c2 6.Sc5 (1)
6...Kxc5 7.c7 Kd4 (or c1=Q) 8.c8=R (i) (1)
8...Ke3 9.Rxc2 1-0
(i) 8.c8=Q? c1=Q 9.Qxc1 stalemate.
7. Mark Erenburg & Uri Avner
1st-2nd Prize, Wola Gulowska , 2012
Selfmate in 3
Show solution
1.Sc4!
(2.Qb1 & 3.Qxc2+ @ Bxc2#)
1...Sxc4 2.Sxf4+ Rxf4 3.Re3+ @ Sxe3#
1...Rxd5 2.Re3+ fxe3 3.Se5+ @ Rxe5#
1...Sxe6 2.Se5+ Rxe5 3.Sxf4+ @ Sxf4#
(@ 1.5 -> 2.5 -> 4 -> 5)
8. Janne Syväniemi (after Vitali Medintsev)
Sp. Comm., Tehtäväniekka , 2015-2016
Helpmate in 3; 4 solutions
Show solution
1.Qb4 Rc8 2.Kd4 Sc7 3.Kc3 Sxb5# @
1.Qxc2 Rxc2 2.Kd6 Sc3 3.Kc7 Sxb5# @
1.Qf3 Ra4 2.Re3 Sb4 3.Kf4 Sd3# @
1.Kd6 Rg4 2.Kc5 Sf4 3.Kb4 Sd3# @
(@ 1.5 -> 2.5 -> 4 -> 5)
