WINTON BRITISH CHESS SOLVING CHAMPIONSHIP

2008-2009 – The Postal Round Problems and Solutions

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

5bK1/1p1Bp3/4S3/1R2pPQS/R1b1k3/2Prs1p1/2p1P1r1/2q5

Mate in 2

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

B1Q5/2S2p2/PRK2p2/2p1p2b/1pkP1rrR/P2S3s/qpPBPP1b/8

Mate in 3

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

rb1s3q/pp1B1Ppp/6b1/pQ1P4/4kP2/1P1pB3/8/3S1K2

Mate in 3

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

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

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

4Rb2/pS2pPp1/qp2K1p1/pS2P3/2k5/1R3B2/P3p1Qr/B7

Selfmate in 3

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

1B5b/p3Q2p/2BSp2P/2p1k1PK/r1p1p3/p7/3RS1p1/7b

Selfmate in 6

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

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)

WINTONBRITISH CHESS SOLVING CHAMPIONSHIP

2008-2009 – The Postal Round Problems and Solutions

WINTON
BRITISH CHESS SOLVING CHAMPIONSHIP