Selfmates 6


December 1989 (!) issue of Die Schwalbe contained a few very interesting selfmates. Below are shown some of them. 5 of them are taken from one award, further two was at different places of magazine. I hope you'll like them as I do.
Friedrich Fricke
2nd Prize Die Schwalbe 1973

1.Qc3! zz
1...b2 2.Qc2+ Bxc2 3.Be4+ Bxe4#
1...Bb5 2.Qd3+ Bxd3 3.Be4+ Bxe4#
1...Bc6 2.Qxg7+ Bxg7 3.Be4+ Bxe4#
1...Bxd7 2.Be4+ Bf5 3.Qb2 Bxe4#

Four ways to the same checkmate.









s#3 (11+7)

Miodrag Mladenovic
The Problemist July 1988

1.Sg4+! e3 2.Sf6+ Re4 3.Sxd5+ e5 4.Sxe3+ Rd5 5.Sg4+ Re3 6.Sf6+ e4 7.Sxd5+ e5 8.Sxe3+ Bd6 9.Sg4+ e3 10.Sf6+ e4 11.Sd5+ Be5 12.Sxe3+ Qd6 13. Sc4+ Kd5 14.Sa3+ Kc6 15.Rxc7+ Qxc7#

Triple round trip by white knight!









s#15 (9+12)

Paul Löschl
1st Prize Die Schwalbe 1986

1.Rf8 Kh5 2.Qg4+ Kh6 3.Qg1 Kh5 4.Qd1+ Kh6 5.Qa4 Kh5 6.Qe8+ Kh6 7.Rf7! Kh5 8.Rg7+ Kh6 9.Qa4 Kh5 10.Qd1+ Kh6 11.Rg4! Kh5 12.Rgf4+ Kh6 13.Qg1 Kh5 14.Qg6+ hxg6#

Another geometrical idea - white must place his queen better to avoid stalemate. In concrete position it means he must make long trip by queen to the suitable square, move the rook and then go back with queen for final manoeuvre.









s#14 (8+4)

Peter Gvozdják
3rd Prize Die Schwalbe 1986

1.Be7? th. 2.Qe4+
1...dxc6, d6, d5 2.Bc5, !, Qh3+

1.c4? th. 2.Qg6+
1...dxc6, d6, d5 2.c5, Qh3+, !

1.Be8? zz
1...dxc6, d6, d5 2.Bxc6, Qg6+, Qe4+

Elegant blend of changes Z-2,2,3-36, Dombrovskis theme in the form of refutations and Hannelius theme in the form of defences.









s#2 (11+7)

Heinz Zander
1st HM Die Schwalbe 1986

1.Bc7! g3 2.Bb6+ Kb8 3.Qxg3+ Rf4 4.Bc7+ Ka7 5.Qe3+ Rd4 6.Bb6+ Kb8 7.Qe5 Rd6 8.Bc7+ Ka7 9.Qc5+ Rb6 10.Kxa1! b2#

In the initial position white almost can play 1.Kxa1, but 1...b2+ is not mate as b2 is flight. That's why white most force black rook to cover b2. It is done in an elegant manner.









s#10 (7+8)

Waldemar Tura
3rd HM Die Schwalbe 1986

1...exf2 2.Sa6+ Ke3 3.Re5+ Be4#
1...f3 2.Re5+ Kf4 3.Sa6+ Be4#
1.Ra8! zz
1...exf2 2.Rc4+ Ke3 3.Re8+ Be4#
1...f3 2.Re8+ Kf4 3.Rc4+ Be4#

Change of two variations (not speaking about tries 1.Ra5?, Qg3? refuted by f3! and Sc2!). Very consistent changed variations and a very good key. I would say "artistic change".









s#3 (9+10)

Armin Geister
Daniel Papack

1st Comm Die Schwalbe 1986

1.Rc4? th. 2.Sc2+, Rxd3+, 1...Rxa1!
1.Bc4! th. 2.Sc2+, Rxd3+,
1...hxg3 2.Bd5!! th. 3.Qxg3+ Sf3#
2...Bc4, Rc4 3.Sc2+, Rxd3+ Sxc2#, Sxd3#

Strange selfmate with only one main variation. White must first choose right Nowotny on c4, finally he moves bishop and gives flight, then black finds strong defence, but white returns with his bishop and the threat can be defended only by closing white line, this way forcing lethal black Grimshaw on c4. Somehow this selfmate seems to me like Camillo Gamnitzer's "fugue" selfmates, it is only shorter.









s#3 (11+12)

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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