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Bruno's Chess Problem: 07/11/2019

W.Speckmann, The Problemist, 1971

Mate in 5 (****)

White to play

Tip:

Level : * (very easy) to ****** (very hard)

1. Rb5! ... 2. Ke2 ... 3. Ra4#      2. ... Kd4 3. Rc1 Ke4 4. Rc4#      2. ... Kf4 3. Rg1 Ke4 4. Rg4#   1. ... Ke3 2. Rb4 ... 3. Ra3#      2. ... Kf3 3. Ra3+ Kg2 4. Rh4 Kg1 5. Rg3#   1. ... Kf3 2. Rb4 ... 3. Ra3+ Kg2 4. Rh4 Kg1 5. Rg3#      2. ... Kg3 3. Ra3+ Kg2 4. Rh4 Kg1 5. Rg3#         3. ... Kh2 4. Rg4 Kh1 5. Rh3#      2. ... Kg2 3. Rb3 ... 4. Rb2 ... 5. O-O-O#         3. ... Kh2 4. Kf1 Kh1 5. Rh3#

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2019-07-12 11:52:58, by problemist

Besides the main variation play is mostly dualistic which may be the reason why the problem was not rated higher.

2019-07-11 10:07:24, by problemist

1st Commendation. Reprinted as No. 239 in the collection of chess problem by the composer "Schachmatt in 4 und mehr Zügen" (2nd edition 2001, available as pdf from the website "Werner Speckmanns elektronische Schachbücher" mentioned below). Comment by the composer: "Der sK wird durch den Tb1 zur 1. Reihe heruntergeholt. Das ließe sich auf gleiche Weise mit dem Ta1 erreichen, doch nach 1. Ta5? Kf3! 2. Ta4 Kg2! 3. Ta3 Kg,h1! 4. Ta2 Kh,g1 fehlt dem Weißen die Rochade als Mattzug, für deren Erhaltung der Ta1 stehen zu bleiben und an seiner Stelle der Tb1 die Treibjagd auf den sK zu übernehmen hatte. Es ist dies eine Auswahlkombination, bei der die richtige Wahl zwischen zwei analogen Schlüsselzügen dadurch bestimmt wird, dass dieser die Rochademöglichkeit im fünften Zug nicht zerstören darf."

2019-07-11 09:06:39, by problemist

The white material cannot be further reduced as removing the wP allows a check on g5 and so blows it up with the dual line 1.. Kf3 2. Ra4 Kg2 3. Rg5+. Worse still 1. Ra5 would also solve.

2019-07-11 08:50:35, by problemist

Miniature with only 5 pieces and surprsingly rich play. Also a time-consuming calculation exercise, as there are many variations. A wR has to block the K-flight over the 5-th rank. Therefore 1. Ra5 or Rb5 are suggested as the keys. It turns out that only 1. Rb5! solves as it retains the option of castling long (MESON did not take castling into account and consequently failed to solve it!) in the main variation 1.. Kf3 2. Rb4 Kg2 3. Rb3 Kg1(h1) 4. Rb2 5. 0-0-0#! It is a nice effect how the wR moves up and then stepwise down the b-file. On 2.. Kg3 3. Kf1 and 3.. Kh2 4. Kf1. Also 1.. Kf4 2. Kf2 Ke4, Kg4 3. Rd1, Rh1 Kf4 4. Rd4#, Rh4# and 1.. Ke3 2. Ra4 (Rb4). Finally if the bK moves to the Q-side 1.. Kd4 2. Kd2 Kc4 3. Rba5 Kb4, Kb3 4. Kd3, R1a4 Kb3, Kb2 5. Rb1(5)#, Rb4(5)# and 1.. Kd3 2. Ra4 Kc3, Kc2 3. Ke2, Ra3 Kc2, Kc1 4. Rc4#, Rc3#.

Werner Speckmann (* 21.8.1913 in Dortmund, † 23.2.2001 in Hamm) German composer and International Master, see wikipedia de, it, lv, ru. "International Judge, he was a specialist of miniature logical problems. He wrote "Strategie im Schachproblem" in 1959, "Das logische Schachproblem" and "Schachminiaturen" in 1965, "Kleinste Schachaufgaben" in 1970. He composed mostly miniatures and was the editor of the problem section of the "Deutsche Schachzeitung" from 1973 till 1988. He was also interested in fairy chess and was the inventor of the fairy piece "Superpawn". His son Lothar Speckmann (* 1958) maintains the splendid website "Werner Speckmanns elektronische Schachbücher" to his memory. More reading in English (to be found among the "Nachrufe"): His obituary by Colin Russ published in "The Problemist", May 2001."

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