Selfmate in 2

Originally posted by doodinthemood
[fen]8/8/8/8/3BN1R1/Q2p1k1P/1p3p2/5K2 w[/fen]

1.Qb3!

1...a1R/Q 2.Qd1+ R/Qxd1#
1...a1B 2.Qxd3+ Bxd3
1...a1N 2.Nd2+ Nxd2#

Yours?

Originally posted by SwissGambit
1.Qb3!

1...a1R/Q 2.Qd1+ R/Qxd1#
1...a1B 2.Qxd3+ Bxd3
1...a1N 2.Nd2+ Nxd2#

Yours?

Notation error (the pawn is on b2, not a2). I thought selfmates (just like helpmates) were always Black to move first, but I have never actually tried any, so I guess I was wrong in the assumption.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
1.Qb3!

1...a1R/Q 2.Qd1+ R/Qxd1#
1...a1B 2.Qxd3+ Bxd3
1...a1N 2.Nd2+ Nxd2#

Yours?

Well done 🙂
And yes it's mine. Any suggestions for improvement? I could have spent more time over it, and with most puzzles I stick a few more moves in it so the key is more hidden, but I thought it wouldn't be worth it here.

Originally posted by doodinthemood
Well done 🙂
And yes it's mine. Any suggestions for improvement? I could have spent more time over it, and with most puzzles I stick a few more moves in it so the key is more hidden, but I thought it wouldn't be worth it here.

I have no credentials at all, but I like it as it is now.

Originally posted by doodinthemood
Well done 🙂
And yes it's mine. Any suggestions for improvement? I could have spent more time over it, and with most puzzles I stick a few more moves in it so the key is more hidden, but I thought it wouldn't be worth it here.

It would be neat if there was a different mate for the Q promotion than R, but I don't see how you could motivate it.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
It would be neat if there was a different mate for the Q promotion than R, but I don't see how you could motivate it.

Which reminds me of the following problem:

Selfmate in 3

Originally posted by David113
Which reminds me of the following problem:
[fen]7N/Ppp2P2/Rrk4P/K1P5/1P2P2P/2P4Q/5p1R/5NB1 w[/fen]
Selfmate in 3

Haha, I thought of that one too. Nothing encourages a new composer like showing their same theme done much better. 😛

1. a8=B!

1. ... Rxa6#
1. ... fxg1=Q
2. f8=Q!
[quote]2. ... Rxa6#
2. ... Qxh2 3. Nxh2 Rxa6#
2. ... Qh1 3. Rxh1 Rxa6#
2. ... Qxf1 3. b5+ Qxb5#
2. ... Qg2 3. Rxg2 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg3 3. Nxg3 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg4 3. Qxg4 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg5 3. hxg5 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg6 3. Nxg6 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg7 3. hxg7/Qxg7 [COOK'D] Rxa6#
2. ... Qg8 3. Qxg8 Rxa6#
2. ... Qf2 3. Rxf2 Rxa6#
2. ... Qe3 3. Nxe3 Rxa6#
2. ... Qd4 3. cxd4 Rxa6#
2. ... Qxc5+ 3. b5+ Qxb5#

1. ... fxg1=R
2. f8=R

2. ... Rxa6#
2. ... Rh1 3. Rxh1 Rxa6#
2. ... Rxf1 3. Rxf1 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg2 3. Rxg2 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg3 3. Nxg3 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg4 3. Qxg4 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg5 3. hxg5 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg6 3. Nxg6 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg7 3. hxg7 Rxa6#
2. ... Rg8 3. Rxg8 Rxa6#

1. ... fxg1=B
2. f8=B!

2. ... Rxa6#
2. ... Bxh2 3. Nxh2 Rxa6#
2. ... Bf2 3. Rxf2 Rxa6#
2. ... Be3 3. Nxe3 Rxa6#
2. ... Bd4 3. cxd4 Rxa6#
2. ... Bxc5 3. Bxc5 Rxa6#

1. ... fxg1=N
2. f8=N!

2. ... Rxa6#
2. ... Ne2 3. Rxe2 Rxa6#
2. ... Nf3 3. Qxf3 Rxa6#
2. ... Nxh3 3. Rxh3 Rxa6#

[/quote]

Edit: no edit to edit out the messy display. OK one edit for a wrong move. Second edit for another flaw. I missed that Qxf1 covers a6 (shame on me)

I can understand why knight needs to be met with knight in that one, but why can the other three not be met by queen?

Originally posted by doodinthemood
I can understand why knight needs to be met with knight in that one, but why can the other three not be met by queen?

1. ... fxg1=R 2. f8=Q? (I thought that was possible too) but: 2. ... Rxf1! 3. Qfxf1 and now 3. ... Rxa6+ is no mate because a6 is covered by the wQf1.

1. ... fxg1=B 2. f8=Q Bxc5 and now 3. bxc5 Rxa6+ is no mate.

1. ... fxg1=Q 2. f8=Q is correct.

Originally posted by heinzkat
[b]1. a8=B!

1. ... Rxa6#
1. ... fxg1=Q
2. f8=Q!
[quote]2. ... Rxa6#
2. ... Qxh2 3. Nxh2 Rxa6#
2. ... Qh1 3. Rxh1 Rxa6#
2. ... Qxf1 3. b5+ Qxb5#
2. ... Qg2 3. Rxg2 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg3 3. Nxg3 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg4 3. Qxg4 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg5 3. hxg5 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg6 3. Nxg6 Rxa6#
2. ... Qg7 3. hxg7/Qxg7 [COOK'D] Rxa6#
2. ... Qg8 3. Qxg8 ...[text shortened]... ... Ne2 3. Rxe2 Rxa6#
2. ... Nf3 3. Qxf3 Rxa6#
2. ... Nxh3 3. Rxh3 Rxa6#

[/quote][/b]

If there are two different 2nd moves [or later] that work for White, those are called 'duals', not cooks.

In a task of this magnitude, a minor dual or two is forgivable [say, two third moves that work].

Originally posted by doodinthemood
I can understand why knight needs to be met with knight in that one, but why can the other three not be met by queen?

1...fg1R 2.f8Q? Rxf1! 3.Qxf1 Rxa6+ is not mate because the Q guards a6.
1...fg1B 2.f8Q? Bxc5! 3.bxc5 opens up b4 so 3...Rxa6+ is again not mate.

And the Queen is of course met by Queen.

Edit: beaten to the punch.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
If there are two different 2nd moves [or later] that work for White, those are called 'duals', not cooks.

In a task of this magnitude, a minor dual or two is forgivable [say, two third moves that work].

I knew it it, sorry, but I was confused by the 'cook' I had found after 1. ... fxg1=R with 2. f8=Q? (indeed I found out that 2. ... Rxf1 3. Qfxf1 Rxa6 is no mate, after having posted it already, shame on me). I was a bit too enthusiastic in calling all extra solutions 'cooks'.