White to play and checkmate in three moves
49
(Unknown Composer)
Click to view solution
1. Qf5+!
1. ... Kg8 2. Qg6+
2. ... Kf8 3. Bd6#
Date added: 26/1/2021
50
(Jorgen Thorvald Moller - Skakbladet, May 1911)
Click to view solution
1.Qg7! ~ 2.Qxd7 ~
3.Sb6#
3.Qc6#
1...Be7 2.Qb2! ~ 3.Qb8#
2...Bd6 3.Qg2#
Date added: 28/1/2021
51
(Ernst Altmann - Deutsches Wochenschach, 2 Mar 1913)
Click to view solution
1.Rh4! ~ 2.Rxf4#
1...Rxh4 2.Qd7! ~ 3.Qb5#
2...Rh5 3.Qg4#
1...Kc4 2.Qd4+! Rxd4 3.Rxd4#
1...Ne5 2.Qa6 ~ 3.Qb5#
Date added: 28/1/2021
52
(Johan Axel Akerblom - Schackvärlden, 1928)
Click to view solution
1.Qf1!
1...g4 2.Qf5+
2...Kh6 3.nxg4#
2...Kh4 3.Qxg4#
1...Kh6 2.Qf5
2...g4 3.Nxg4#
2...Kh5 3.Qh7#
1...Kh4 2.Qf3 ~ 3.Qg4#
1...Kg6 2.Qf7+ Kh6 3.Ng4#
Date added: 28/1/2021
53
(Thorleif Cammillo Henriksen - Svenska Dagbladet, 1931)
Click to view solution
1.Bg4!
1...Rg1 2.Qf3+ Ke1 3.Qe2#
1...Rh2+ 2.Qxh2 Ke1 3.Qe2#
1...h2 2.Qe3 ~ 3.Bh3#
2...Rg1 3.Qe2#
Date added: 28/1/2021
54
Chess problem scene in ‘The Queen’s Gambit
(William Atkinson - Canadian Chess Problems, 1890)
Click to view solution
1.Kd7!
1...Kg7 2.Nd6
2...Kh6 3.Nxf5#
2...Kf8 3.Ne6#
2...Kf6 3.Ne8#
1...Bg7 2.Nd6 ~
3.Ne8#
3.Nh7#
2...Bh6 3.Ne8#
2...Bh8 3.Ne8#
2...Bf8 3.Ne8#
(Chess problem scene in ‘The Queen’s Gambit)
Date added: 28/1/2021
55
(Computer Generated Chess Problem 03066 - Chesthetica v11.91 (Selangor, Malaysia), 28 Sep 2020 at 7:29:17 AM)
Click to view solution
1. Rf6+!
1. ... Kxf6 2. Qe7+
2. ... Kg6 3. Qg7#
1. ... Kg5 2. Rg7+
2. ... Kxf6 3. Qe7#
2. ... Sg6 3. Rgxg6#
Date added: 10/1/2021
56
Benko’s Problem Challenge to Bobby Fischer
This is one of the most elegant chess problems we have ever seen. It was composed by the master, Pal Benko when he was just fifteen. Five pieces, four on their original squares, and the task is to force mate in three moves. That is quite difficult: Bobby Fischer failed to find the solution in half an hour. Can you do better?
(Pal Benko - Chess Life, Aug 1968)
Click to view solution
1.Bc4! ~ 2.Qd5#
1...Ke5 2.Qd5+ Kf6 3.Qg5#
1...Kf5
2.Qh5+
2...Kf6 3.Qg5#
2...Ke4 3.Qd5#
2.Qf3+
2...Ke5 3.Qf4#
2...Kg6 3.Qf7#
Our friend Pal Benko, Hungarian-American grandmaster, World Championship Candidate, author and composer of endgame studies and chess problems, sent us the following three-mover as one of a set of Easter problems. When Benko sent us the problem he was 82 years old. He told us that he had originally composed it at the age of fifteen. The problem was first published a quarter of a century later. Before it appeared in the magazine Chess Life & Review, Pal showed it to his friend Bobby Fischer, during the Lugano Olympiad of1968. Bobby bet Pal that he would solve it in less than half an hour — and lost the bet.
Chessbase link
Date added: 10/1/2021
57
White mates in three moves (by Philip Williams). This problemist is unknown today, but in his lifetime a century ago he had a large following who enjoyed his offbeat creations. This 1906 puzzle has a striking piece arrangement. The middle 6x6 squares are empty, and both armies congregate in the four corners. White is ahead queen and rook for just a pawn, yet needs care because the obvious choices 1 Rxh2?? and 1 Qc7?? both give a stalemate draw. White can instead force checkmate in three moves, and there is only a single line of play. Can you work it out?
(Philip Hamilton Williams - Christmas Greeting, 1904)
Click to view solution
1.Kb2! a1=Q+ (a1=~) 2.Rxa1 ~ 3.Qe4#
2...h1=Q 3.Qxh1#
2...h1=B 3.Qxh1#
Date added: 31/1/2021
58
(Hans Markus Huse - American Chess Bulletin 1st Prize, 1946)
Click to view solution
1.Kxd7! ~
2.Qe7+
2...Kd5 3.Nxe3#
2...Kxf5 3.Qe6#
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Bh2 2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Ng3 2.Qe7+
2...Kd5 3.Nxe3#
2...Kxf5 3.Qe6#
1...Rb3
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Rxc2
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Nd1
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Nh3
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Ng4 N.Se7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Nd3 2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Rb3
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Rb7+ 2.Ke6 ~
3.Ng3#
3.Ng7#
3.Ne7#
3.Nd6#
2...Ng3
3.Nxg3#
3.Nd6#
2...Rb6+ 3.Nd6#
2...Rb5
3.Ng3#
3.Nd6#
2...Rb5
3.Ng3#
3.Nd6#
2...Rb6+ 3.Nd6#
2...Rxh7 3.Nd6#
2...Rg7
3.Ng3#
3.Nxg7#
3.Nd6#
2...Rf7
3.Ng3#
3.Nd6#
2...Re7+ 3.Sxe7#
1...Rb6 2.Nd6+
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
1...Rb5
2.Se7+
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
2...Rf5 3.Qxf5#
2.Sd6+
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Rd4+ 2.Nd6+
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
2...Kd5 3.Qf5#
1...Ke5 2.Qe7+
2...Kxf5 3.Qe6#
2...Kd5 3.Nxe3#
1...Kd5 2.Nxe3+
2...Kc5 3.Qe7#
2...Ke5
3.Qe7#
3.Qf5#
1...g4
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+
2...Kd5
3.Qf5#
3.Qh5#
2...Ke5 3.Qf5#
1...Bd5
2.Nd4+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Ng3+ Ke5
3.Qf5#
3.Qg7#
3.Qh8#
2.Nh4+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nh6+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Ng7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Ne7+ Ke5 3.Qf5#
2.Nd6+ Ke5
3.Qf5#
3.Qg7#
3.Qh8#
1...Bc6+ 2.Kd6 ~
3.Nd4#
3.Ng3#
3.Nh4#
3.Nh6#
3.Ng7#
3.Se7#
2...Bh2+ 3.Ng3#
2...Ng3 3.Nxg3#
2...Rb7
3.Ng3#
3.Ng7#
3.Ne7#
2...Rb5 3.Ng3#
2...Rd4+ 3.Nxd4#
2...Be8 3.Ng3#
2...Bd7 3.Ng3#
Date added: 31/1/2021
59
(Edith Elina Helen Baird - Hackney Mercury, Tourney no. 9 1st Prize, 19 Aug 1893)
Click to view solution *****
1.Qg7! ~ 2.Qc7#
1...Kc6 2.c5 Kxc5 3.Qc7#
1...Kxc4 2.Qd4+ Kb3 3.Qb4#
1...Kb6 2.Nb5
2...Ka6 3.Qa7#
2...Kc6 3.Qc7#
2...Kc5 3.Qc7#
2...Ka5 3.Qa7#
1...Kd6 2.Nb5+
2...Ke6 3.Sd4#
2...Kc6 3.Qc7#
2...Kc5 3.Qc7#
Date added: 1/2/2021
60
(Johan Hilding Laurentius Froberg - Tidskrift för Schack 1st HM, Jan 1947)
Click to view solution
1.Rg1! ~
2.bxc8=Q+ Kh7 3.Qh3#
2.bxa8=Q ~ 3.Qh1#
1...Nab6 2.b8=Q ~ 3.Qh2#
1...Ncb6 2.b8=Q+
2...Nc8 3.Qh2#
2...Kh7 3.Qh2#
1...Nc7 2.bxc8=Q+
2...Ne8 3.Qh3#
2...Kh7 3.Qh3#
1...Na7
2.b8=Q+
2...Nc8 3.Qh2#
2...Kh7 3.Qh2#
2.bxa8=Q+
2...Nc8 3.Qh1#
2...Kh7 3.Qh1#
1...Nd6 2.bxa8=Q+
2...Ne8 3.Qh1#
2...Nc8 3.Qh1#
2...Kh7 3.Qh1#
1...Ne7
2.b8=Q+
2...Ng8 3.Qxg8#
2...Nc8 3.Qh2#
2...Kh7 3.Qh2#
2.bxa8=Q+
2...Ng8 3.Qxg8#
2...Nc8 3.Qh1#
2...Kh7 3.Qh1#
Date added: 1/2/2021