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.
1.1 Sally & Tony Lewis
1st Prize, The Problemist , 2004
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Qe3? (2.Rd5#) 1...Sf7!
1.Qh5? (2.Re6#) 1...Rd5!
1.Bc1! (2.Qf6#) (5)
1...Kxe5 2.Qf4#
1...Bxe5 2.Bxa3#
1...Rf1 2.Qd5#
1...Rd5 2.Qxd5#
1...Bc4 2.Sxc4#
1.2 John M Rice
The Problemist , 2004
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.Sf5? (2.Qg3#) 1...Rxh3!
1.Sf7! (2.Qh2#) (5)
1...Be1 2.Be3#
1...f2 2.Qxf2#
1...Rg4,Rxh3 2.Q(x)g4#
1...Qg5 2.Sxg5#
1...Qd4 2.Sfe5#
1...Qg6 2.Bd6#
1...Qxf7 2.Bd6,Rxf7#
1.3 Udo Degener
2nd Prize, Schach , 1994
Mate in 2
Show solution
1.S4~? (2.Bb7#) 1...Sc3!
1.Sb3? (2.Bb7#) 1...axb3!
1.Sf3? (2.Bb7#) 1...g5!
1.Sb2? (2.Bb7#) 1...exd4!
1.Sc1? (2.Bb7#) 1...exd4!
1.Sf4? (2.Bb7#) 1...Rg3!
1.Se1! (2.Bb7#) (5)
1...Sc3 2.Bd3#
1...exd4 2.Qe6#
2.1 Viktor Melnichenko &
4th Prize, The Problemist , 2004
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.Rd7! (½)
(2.Rxc5+ Rxc5 3.d4#) (½)
1...Re3 2.d4+ cxd4 3.Qxa5# (1)
exd3 ep 3.Sxd3#
1...Qe2 2.f4+ exf3 ep 3.Qg3# (1)
1...Qxg5 2.Qxe4+ Kf6 3.Rf8# (1)
1...e3 2.hxg4 & 3.f4# (1)
2.2 Michael Keller &
Sächsische Zeitung , 2001
Mate in 3
Show solution
1.h3! (½)
(2.Kh6 & 3.Sh5#) (½)
1...Se3 2.Bxf7 (3.Sg6#) (1)
Bxe7 3.Qxe4#
1...Sh4 2.Bxc6 (3.Sd5#) (1)
Bxe7 3.Qxe4#
1...Rxc2 2.Qxc2 (3.Qxe4#) (1)
cxd5 3.Sxd5#
f5 3.Sg6#
1...e3 2.Qxb4+ e4 3.Qxe4# (1)
3.1 Leonid Topko
Shakhmaty v SSSR , 1982
White to play and win
Show solution
1.e7 Qxe7 (i) (½ + ¼)
2.Rh8+ Bc8 (ii) (¼ + ¼)
3.Rxc8+ (iii) Ka7 (¼ + ¼)
4.Rb7+ Qxb7 (¼ + ¼)
5.Ra8+ Qxa8 (¼ + ¼)
6.b6+ Kb8 (¼ + ¼)
7.Kb5 (iv) Qb7 (½ + ¼)
8.a7+ (v) Qxa7 (½ + ¼)
9.bxa7+ 1-0 (¼)
(i.e. 9...Kxa7 10.Ka5,Kc5 1–0)
(i)
1...Qg8? 2.Rh2 Qe8 3.c7 Bd7 4.Rd2 1-0
(ii)
2...Ka7? 3.Rb7+ Qxb7 4.axb7 Bc8 5.b6+ Kb8 6.Rxc8#
(iii)
3.Rb7? Qd8+ 4.Rxd8=
(iv)
7.a7+? Kc8 8.b7+ Qxb7 9.cxb7+ Kxb7=; 7.c7+? Kc8 8.b7+ Qxb7 9.axb7+ Kxb7=
(v)
8.c7+ Qxc7 9.bxc7+ Kxc7=
3.2 Yochanan Afek
Journal , 2004
White to play and win
Show solution
1.Bg2 Kc8 (½ + ½)
2.Kc5! Kb8 (½ + ½)
3.Kd6!! (i) Kxa8 (½ + ½)
4.Sb4 Bb5 (¼ + ¼)
5.Sa6!! (½)
Bxa6
6.Kc7 Be2 (say)
7.Bxb7# (½)
Bc6
6.Bxc6 bxc6 (ii)
7.Kc7 g2
8.Kc8 g1=Q (say)
9.Sc7# (½)
(i)
3.Sb4? Bh7 4.Kd6 a5!=
(ii)
6...g2 7.Kc7 bxc6 8.Kc8 transposes.
4.1 Michal Dragoun
The Problemist , 2004
Helpmate in 2
Show solution
1.Rf2 Qb5 2.Qxd3 Qxd3# (1¼)
1.Re2 Qb8 2.Qxf4 Qxf4# (1¼)
1.Kxd3 Qxe4+ 2.Kc3 Qb4# (1¼)
1.Kxf4 Qxe4+ 2.Kg5 Qg6# (1¼)
4.2 Valery Kopyl
4th HM., The Problemist , 2004
Helpmate in 5½
Show solution
1... Bf1
2.Ra2 Kc4
3.Qb2 Kd4
4.c2+ Kxe4
5.Qg7 Bd3
6.Bf6 Kf4# (5)
5.1 Valery Shavirin
1st Prize=, The Problemist , 2004
Mate in 4
Show solution
1.e8=S? (2.Se7#) 1...Sf5!
1.e8=Q? (2.Bxd7,Qxd7#) 1...Bf5!
1.b4! (1)
(2.Rb6+ Qxb6 3.b5+ Qxb5 4.axb5#) (1)
1...Rb1 2.e8=S (3.Se7#)
Sf5 3.Sef6 (4.Bxd7#) (1½)
Qxb7 4.Bxb7#
Qb6 4.Rxb6#
1...Rb2 2.e8=Q (3.Bxd7,Qxd7#)
Bf5 3.Qd8 & 4.Se7# (1½)
5.2 Alois Johandl
4th HM., The Problemist , 2004
Mate in 7
Show solution
1.d4! (2.Bd2#) (1)
1...Sf3 2.Bb2 (3.Bc3#)
2...Se2 3.Ba3 (4.Bb4#)
3...c5 4.Bb4+ cxb4 5.Rb5+ axb5 6.axb5+ Kb6 7.Ra6# (4)
6.1 V Surkov
1st HM., The Problemist , 2003-2004
Selfmate in 3
Show solution
1.Sd1! (1)
(2.Qe5+ Qxe5 3.Rxe5+ Kxe5#) (½)
1...Re2 2.g4+ hxg4 3.hxg4+ Kxg4# (½)
1...Sxc4 2.Sd6+ Sxd6 3.Re5+ Kxe5# (½)
1...fxg3 2.Qd7+ Kf4+ 3.Re4+ Bxe4# (½)
1...f6 2.Re5+ fxe5 3.Be6+ Kxe6# (½)
1...Qxc7 2.Be6+ fxe6 3.Sd6+ Qxd6# (½)
1...Qxb7,
Qa7,
Qxc8,
Qa8 2.Se3+ fxe3 3.Qe5+ Kxe5# (¼ + ¼ + ¼ + ¼)
6.2 Klaus Wenda
1st Prize, Schweizerische Schachzeitung , 1978
Selfmate in 4
Show solution
1.Rd2! (2)
(2.Rc2+ Kd3 3.Qd1+ Sd2 4.Rc3+ Sxc3#) (1)
1...gxh6 2.Rf4 & 3.Rf7 & 4.Qc3+ Sexc3,Sdxc3# (1)
1...Rxh6 2.Be6 & 3.Bg4 & 4.Qc3+ Sexc3,Sdxc3# (1)
