19980418::: 19980419::White to mate in two:1.Nb3! produces 2 flights, 2 self blocks and 2 pin mates 19980420::White to mate in two:1.Bf7! (threatening 2. Rc5 mate). Black's options are 1..Re6 and 1..Qxf7. In the former, 2.Be5 mates and in the latter, 2.Be3 mates. 19980421::White to mate in two:1.Nxc4, threatening 2. Ne3 mate. Black has a quartet of selfblocks and a flight. 19980422::White to mate in two:1.Qg4! (waiting) (1..PxQ, 2.KxP+), (1..e4, 2.Qxe4+), (1..c6, 2.Ne3+), (1..d6, 2.Ne7+) etc. 19980423::White to mate in two:1.Rxd6!, threatening 2.Re6, mate. Not 1. Rd5+? Ke6!, when 2.Ng5? fails; nor 1.Ng5?, when 1...Bxe1! stops 2.Rd5? [correct solution from Saya Rahsia (rahsia@mailcity.com)] 19980424::White to mate in three:1.Qe6!, threatening 2.Bd6+, axb6 3.Qxb6, mate. Continuations are 1...Qxe6 2.Ne7!, cutting off rook at e8 from e6. 1...Rxe6 2. Ne3! cuts off the queen. 1...Bxd5 2.Qc6+ and 1...Rxd5 2.Qd6+. There is a flight but 1. ...Kd4 2.c5+! 19980427::White to mate in two:1.Qd7!, threatening 2.Re5, mate. Knight moves are equalized by 2.Rc6, mate. 1...Nd6+, 2.Re4 mate. 1...Rxd7, 2.Kg2 mate (knight is pinned by the bishop). Likewise, 1...Rxe3+, 2.Kxe3 mate. 19980428::White to mate in two:1.Ke3!. 1.Ke5? is refuted by 1...Bxf3!. There are ten K/R mates and nine Black checks in all. 19980429::White to mate in two:1.f7! threatening 2.f8 = Q. Solution by russell.scott@swissbank.com 19980430::White to mate in two:1.Qc3! threatens 2.Nb4 mate or 2.Nc7 mate. Either way, the knight is shielded from attack by the black rook or bishop. Black has no defense. 1.Bg6? threatening 2.Nf6 mate or 2.Qf5 mate is foiled by the black queen (1...Qg5!). 19980501::White to mate in two:1.Qe7! threatening 2.Kd8 mate or 2.Kxd7 mate. 1.Qf7? threatens 2.Nb3 mate and 2.Kxd7 mate but fails because of 1...Qb5! 19980502::White to mate in two:1.Bg4! threatening 2.Qd1, mate. After either 1...Re5 or 1...Qd6, white has 2.Nf4 mate. After 1...Be5 and 1...Qd5, it is 2.Nc5 mate. Finally, if Black plays either 1...Bd6 or 1...Rd5, White finishes with 2.Qd1 mate. 19980505::White to mate in two:1.dxc6 e.p.! threatening c7, mate. The en passant move is possible because black's last move had to be c7-c5. Note that the pawn at b3 had to have originally come from f7 so, black's previous move could not have been b4-b3. Neither could it have been b4xa3 since that would require too many captures of white. 19980506::White to mate in two:1.Nf5 threatening 2.Bd8, mate. Solution by Asrul Sharaff bin Omar [ASRUL@airod.po.my] 19980507::White to mate in two:1.Rb5! threatening 2.Bg5 mate 19980508::White to mate in three:1.Ne4. If 1...Kxd4, 2.Kf5 Kd3, 3.Rd2 mate. If 1...Kxe4, 2.Ne6 Kd3, 3.Rxe3 mate. 19980512::White to mate in three:1.Kg2!. If 1...Kg5, 2.Ne8 Kxh6, 3.Bf4 mate. If black plays 2...Kh4, 3.Be7 mate. If 1...Kxg7, 2.g5 Kh8, 3.Be5 mate. 19980514::White to mate in three:1.Nb5!, threatening 2.Rg5+ Kxe6, 3.Nc7 mate. If 1...Rd7, 2.Qd6 threatening 3.Nd4 mate. If 1...Bxc6, 2.Ncd6+ or 1...bxc6, 2.Nbd6+ resulting in the previous threat. Also opens a line for Queen mates on f8 or b1 respectively. 19980518::White to mate in three:1.Qa3!. If 1...Kxd4, 2.Qb4+ Kd5, 3.Be4 mate. The other sequence leads to a reciprocal mate with the white pieces ending up in the same places. Go figure. 19980520::White to mate in three:1.Nxf4!. If 1...Bxf4+, 2.Ng5+ Kf5, 3.g4 mate. If 1...Kf5, 2.Bc2+ Kg4, 3.Nh2 mate. If 1...Kxg3, 2.Qh2+ Kg4 3.Nd4 mate. Finally, if 1...Bc6, 2.Qg7+ Kf5, 3.Qg6 mate. 19980527::White to mate in two:1.Rh1! waiting move. If 1...Na7, 2.Rxh2. If 1...Nb6, 2.Bf6. If 1...Nxd6, 2.Ng5. If 1...Ne7, 2.Ra1. The mating move in each case is obvious. 19980601::White to mate in two:1.f4! waiting. If the black knight moves anywhere, 2.e8=N+. If the rook moves anywhere, 2.c5+. If 1...Re5, 2.fxe5+. If 1...Rxc4 or 1...Rf5+, 2.Nxf5+. The mating move is obvious. 19980604::White to mate in two:1.Qe4!. If 1...BxQ, 2.BxB mate. If black plays any other move, 2.QxB wins. Correct solution from [russell.scott@swissbank.com] 19980605::White to mate in two:1.Nc7 threatening 2.Qe5 mate. Russell Scott [russell.scott@swissbank.com] proposes 1.Nd4 also threatening 2.Qe5 mate, which I believe is another solution. 19980609::White to mate in two:Solution by Kip [kmc8@chrysler.com]1.e6! threatening 2.e5 mate. The threat from 2.Nb5+ pins the queen from defending the threat. 19980610::White to mate in two:1.Nd4! intending 2.Nxf5 mate. 1...Nxd4 and 1...Rf4 are met with 2.Qxf4 mate. 19980612::White to mate in three:1.Rd5!. If 1...Kxd5, 2.Kd3 d6, 3.Rb5 mate. If 1...d6, 2.Ra5 Kxd4, 3.Rb4 mate, or 2...d5, 3.Ra4 mate. 19980617::White to play and win:1.Kh5 planning to win the bishop through 2.Kg6 and 3.Kh7. The continuation is 1...Bg7, 2.Kg6 Bf8, 3.Kf7 Bd6, 4.Nb5 Bb8, 5.Be4 mate. 19980621::White to play and win:Black threatens to draw with Kc2 or d4 followed by d3. The key is to prevent the king from getting close to its pawn(s) when black can draw. White must force black to play e2. 1.Nf4! d4, 2.Bf6! e2, 3.Nd3!. 3.Nxe2? d3 draws for black. 3...Kc2, 4.Ne1+ Kd2, 5.Bh4 d3, 6.Kg6 Kc3, 7.Bd8! Kd2, 8.Ba5+ Ke3, 9.Kf5 d2, 10.Bb6! mate. 19980629::White to play and draw:1.b7! Nc5+, 2.Kb5 Nxb7, 3.c8=N! Bxc8, 4.Kb6 draw. Note that white takes a knight upon promoting the pawn, forcing the bishop to cut it. Otherwise, the black knight is lost. White's closing move gurantees it one piece, drawing. 19980708::White to play and win:1.g6 Ne3, 2.g7!. The g-pawn is safe because of threats from the d-pawn. 2...Ne2, 3.f5! Nxg7. Now, 4.dxe7 is met by 4...Ne8 and black draws. 4.f6! Ne8, 5.f7 +/- 19980713::White to play and win:1.d7 Kc7, 2.d8=Q KxQ, 3.O-O-O +. Black loses the rook, leading to a K v K and R ending which is a win for white. 1.Rd1 or 1.Rc1, preventing the black king from getting near the white pawn, is a drawn endgame for white. The continuation is 1...Rh2, 2.d7 Rh1+, 3.Kd2 RxR, 4.KxR Kxd7. 19980717:8/8/2k5/K6B/8/8/8/N7:White to play and win:Phase 1- Force the black king to an edge.

1.Nb3 Kd6, 2.Kb5 Kd5, 3.Bf7+ Kd6, 4.Bc4 Ke5, 5.Kc5 and white pieces are nicely together. 5...Ke4, 6.Kd6 Kf5, 7.Bd3+ Kf6, 8.Nd2 Kf7, 9.Nf3 Kf6, 10.Kd7 Kf7, 11.Bc4+ Kf6, 12.Be6 restricting the black king's movement. 12...Kg7, 13.Ke7 Kg6, 14.Bg4 Kg7, 15.Ne5 Kh6, 16.Kf6 Kh7, 17.Nf7 Kg8, 18.Bf5 Kf8 and the king is trapped on the last rank.

Phase 2- forcing the king to the correct corner. The white king moves only along the 6th rank, until b6, which is where the king ends up in the mating position. The white knight only moves zig zag on the e5, d7, c5 and b7 squares until the black king is cornered in a8. The bishop's goal is to squeeze the king into a corner and also to play some waiting moves.

19.Bh7 Ke8, 20.Ne5 Kf8, 21.Nd7+ Ke8, 22.Ke6 Kd8, 23.Kd6 Ke8, 24.Bg6+ Kd8 (forced move) 25.Nc5 Kc8, 26.Bf7, waiting move necessary to maintain a stranglehold on the black king 26...Kd8. Here, 26...Kb8 wins easily for white. This is left as an exercise to the reader. 27.Kc6 Kb8, 28.Kb6 Kc8, 29.Be6+ Kb8, 30.Nc5 Ka8. Silly moves by white will lead to a stalemate. 31.Bd7 waiting move 31...Kb8, 32.Na6+ Ka8, 32.Bc6 mate.

If black plays 20...Kd8, threatening to escape, 21.K6 Kc7, 22.Nd7. After 22...Kc6, 23.Bd3 Kc7, 24.Be4, the black king is trapped. 22...Kb7, 23.Bd3 Kc6, 24.Be2 and a waiting move. 24...Kc7, 25.Bf3 Kd8, 26.Kd6 reaching a position similar to the previous line. 27...Kc8, 28.Ke8 and you know how it goes from here... 19980804:8/8/8/pp6/kB5Q/8/K2b4/8:White to mate in two:1.Qd8!. Continuations are 1...axB, 2.Qa8 mate. 1...BxB, 2.Qd1 mate. 1...KxB, 2.Qd4 mate. If black plays a waiting move with its bishop, 2.Qxa5 mate. Correct solutions from [Mosjeree@webtv.net], [russell.scott@swissbank.com], DoRon Motter [doron.m@rocketmail.com] and Mike Thelen [thelenm@cs.utah.edu]. 19980810:8/8/1B3p2/8/8/n6K/8/Qb5k:White to mate in two:1.Kg3!. After 1...f5, 2.Qh8 mate, 1...Nc2, Qa8 mate, any other black move and 2.QxB mate. Correct solutions from [Russell.Scott@wdr.com], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@algonet.se], DoRon Motter [doron.m@rocketmail.com], kyvanc cefle [kcefle@hotmail.com], David Barr [davidb@davidb.dyn.ml.org], thes27 [thes27@skynet.be], Mike Thelen [thelenm@cs.utah.edu] and [Mosjeree@webtv.net] 19980812:8/8/8/7K/8/2R3P1/3R2Pk/2Q5:White to mate in two:1.Rc8! Kxg3 (forced) and 2.Qc7 mate. Correct solutions from David Barr [davidb@davidb.dyn.ml.org], thes27 [thes27@skynet.be], [Mosjeree@webtv.net], Mike Thelen [thelenm@cs.utah.edu], [Russell.Scott@wdr.com], kyvanc Cefle [kcefle@hotmail.com], DoRon Motter [doronm@ufl.edu] 19980818:8/4K3/5N2/1n2kp2/5b2/3P4/2N5/8:White to mate in three:1.d4+ Nxd4, 2.Nb4. If 2...Ne2, 3.Nc6 mate. If 2...Bg5, 3.Nd3 mate. Correct solutions from David Barr [davidbarr@iname.com], Saya Rahsia [rahsia@mailcity.com], DoRon Motter [doron.m@rocketmail.com], [Mosjeree@webtv.net], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@algonet.se], Mike Thelen [thelenm@cs.utah.edu], kyvanc Cefle [kcefle@hotmail.com]. 19980824:8/8/8/8/2N5/2K5/pr2N3/1k6:White to mate in three:1.Na3+ Ka1 forced, 2.Nd4. Since only the black rook can move, 3.Nb3 or 3.Nc2 mates. Correct solutions from Antonio Batista1 [tobatista@mail.telepac.pt], Mike Thelen [thelenm@cs.utah.edu], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@algonet.se], Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt], David Barr [davidbarr@iname.com], thes27 [thes27@skynet.be], DoRon Motter [doron.m@rocketmail.com], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@algonet.se], [Mosjeree@webtv.net] 19980829:2r4k/pp3Q1p/6pN/q7/3bn3/8/PP4PP/2B2R1K:White to mate in three:1.Qg8+ Rxg8, 2. Nf7+ Kg7, 3. Bh6 mate. Correct solutions from David Barr [davidbarr@iname.com], Joerg Jetzl [joerg.jetzl@kfunigraz.ac.at], Scott Cole [kennesco@earthlink.net], [Mosjeree@webtv.net], Thobias Nilsson [komodo@algonet.se], Mike Thelen [thelenm@cs.utah.edu], Aravindh Bakthavathsalu [abakthav@ichips.intel.com], doronm [doronm@ufl.edu], [Russell.Scott@wdr.com], Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt]. 19980902:8/2R5/K7/8/8/p7/r5p1/bkBB2Q1:White to mate in two:1.Bb2 axB+, 2.Ba4 mate. Other continuations are 2...RxB, 3.Bb3 mate, 2...BxB, 3.Bc2 mate, 2...KxB, 3.Qb6 mate. Correct Solutions from John Ross [j.ross@bigfoot.com], [Mosjeree@webtv.net], Joerg Jetzl [joerg.jetzl@kfunigraz.ac.at], thes27 [thes27@skynet.be], Aravindh Bakthavathsalu [abakthav@ichips.intel.com], Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt], [Russell.Scott@wdr.com] 19980908:8/5N2/4p3/2K5/4k3/7R/3B2Rn/3b3Q:White to mate in two:1.Rf3!. Continuations are 1...e5, 2.Ng5, 1...Kxf3, 2.Ng5, 1...Nxf3, 2.Qh7, 1...Bxf3, 2.Qb1, any move by the knight and 2.Rg4, any move by the bishop and 2.Re2 mate. Correct Solutions from Stefan Hildingstam [frv95shm@mds.mdh.se], [Mosjeree@webtv.net] 19980911:1q6/p3p3/4Pp2/3Q1P2/2PPb2p/1R3BkP/3B2Pb/K2N4:White to mate in two:The key to this problem is 1.Qa8 threatening 2.QxQ mate. Continuations are 1...QxQ, 2.BxB mate, 1...BxQ, 2.Bb7 mate, 1...QxR, 2.Qg8 mate, 1...Qf4 trying to evate a mating threat from queen and 2.Be1 mates. Solutions to this excellent problem from [Mosjeree@webtv.net], Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr], Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt] 19980923:Q7/2pbp2K/3p4/3B4/3kP1R1/2pNp3/4P3/5n2:White to mate in two:White threatens 1.Bb3 followed by 2.Qd5 mate. Black has some defenses but unfortunately, its pieces come in each other's way. 1...Bc6, 2.Qa7 mate, 1...Be6, 2.Qh8 mate, 1...c6, 2.Qa4 mate, 1...e6, 2.e5 mate. Correct solution from Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr] 19980930:Q7/6N1/Kp4B1/3pp1n1/3k1r2/p1R4R/4rn2/B6q:White to mate in two:1.Be4 intending 2.Qxd5 mate. Black has seven defences but white matches it with seven different attacks! 1...dxe4, 2.Qd8 mate, 1...Qxe4, 2.Rc2# mate, 1...R(e)xe4, 2.Rc1 mate, 1...Rfxe4, 2.Nf5 mate, 1...Nfxe4, 2.Rhd3 mate, 1...Ngxe4, 2.Ne6 mate. Correct solutions from Ramesh R. [sram0mp@radon.comm.mot.com], kyvanc Cefle [kcefle@hotmail.com]. 19981013:bR2r1BQ/q1R5/r3n3/b1Nn4/ppk5/1N6/P2K4/8:White to mate in two:1.Qe5! threatening 2.Qe2 mate. 1...Nb6, 2.Nb7 mate. White rook at c7 mates even though it started out being attacked by four black pieces. Correct solution from Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr]. 19981022:q1b2n2/2p2NB1/1p3r1p/b2p4/5k2/Qr5R/5NPP/1B2n2K:White to mate in two:1.Qe7 threatening 2.Qe5 mate. Black has eight ways to prevent this but white has eight different mates! 1...Re6, 2.Qh4+, 1...Ne6, 2.Qxf6+, 1...Be6, 2.Qxc7+, 1...Ng6, 2.Bxh6+, 1...Nd7, 2.Rh4+, 1...Nf3, 2.g3+, 1...Bc3, 2.Qe3+ and 1...Nd3, 2.Rf3 mate. Correct solutions from Winston Chiam [wacm@pop.tm.net.my], Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr] and Marco Pagano [marco_pagano@hotmail.com]. 19981030:2r3k1/1b2P2p/1p2p1p1/p2q4/8/1P4P1/PQ5P/5RK1:White to mate in three:1.Rf8+ RxR, 2.Qh8+. If 2...Kf7 Qxf8 mate. If 2...KxQ exR=Q mate. Correct solutions from kıvanç çefle [kcefle@hotmail.com], Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt], Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr], Scott, Russell [Russell.Scott@wdr.com], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@swipnet.se], Winston Chiam [wacm@pop.tm.net.my] and Carter Forbes [carterf@flash.net]. 19981105:3R4/8/8/8/8/4N3/p3p3/k2K4:White to mate in three:1.Rd4 Kb2, 2.Rb4+. If 2...Ka3, 3.Nc2 mate. If 2...Kc3, 3.Nd5 mate. Correct solutions from Carter Forbes [carterf@flash.net], Winston Chiam [wacm@pop.tm.net.my], Thobias Nilsson [komodo@swipnet.se], Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr] 19981112:6Qb/4pP1p/2R2P2/rR1p1P2/1P1k1N2/1p1pNK1B/8/8:White to mate in two:1.Qg1! threatening 2.Ng4 or 2.Nc4 mate. Correct solutions from Winston Chiam [wacm@pop.tm.net.my] and Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr]. 19981120:2B5/8/8/K3pN2/R2pk3/6P1/1N2P3/8:White to mate in three:1. Rc4 Kd5 2. Na4! and mate follows in the next move (left as an exercise to the reader). Correct solution from Jean Marc LEPRETRE [jmljl@infonie.fr]. 19981201:4k3/q2pP3/3P1K2/8/1Q6/7B/p6b/3r4:White to mate in three:1.Bxd7+ Kxd7, 2.Qb5+ Kxd6, 3.e8=N mate. After 2...Kc8, 3.e8=R mates. After 1...Qxd7 mate is obvious. Correct solutions from Erich Friedman [efriedma@stetson.edu], Scott, Russell [Russell.Scott@wdr.com], Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr], Winston Chiam [wacm@pop.tm.net.my], Harrie Grondijs [hgrondijs@epo.nl]. 19981208:8/5k2/2p4r/4PNnp/8/2K5/2b2Q2/2q5:White to mate in three:1.Qa7+ Ke6, 2.Ng7+ Kxe5, 3.Qd4 mate. Other continuations lead to easy mates. Correct solutions from Erich Friedman [efriedma@stetson.edu], Winston Chiam [wacm@pop.tm.net.my], robert shaughnessy [h12mh@westol.com], Harrie Grondijs [hgrondijs@epo.nl], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr] 19981216:3N4/8/2P4k/8/8/3B4/n6K/2b5:White to play and win:White threatens to promote its c-pawn. Black tries to prevent this. 1.Kg3 Nb4, 2.c7 Bf4+, 3.KxB Nd5+, 4.Ke5 Nxc7, 5.Kd6 Ne8+. After 5...Na8, the black knight is trapped by 6.Kc6. 6.Ke7 Ng7. After 6...Nc7, 7.Bc4 and the knight is trapped again. 7.Kf8 Nh4, 8.Nf7 mate. In the end, a wandering king brings down black. 19981231:4rN2/6q1/3PBQPp/R4K1k/2p1NR2/3p2bP/8/1b2rn2:White to mate in two:1.Ke5 threatening 2.Kd4 mate. With this first move, the white king has pinned four of its own pieces. Each of black's defenses releases one of the pinned white pieces, which is then used to mate black. After 1...Ra8, 2.Bg4 mate and if black plays 1...Qa7, 2.Qf5 mate. After 1...Bh4, 2.Rxh4 mate and if black plays 1...Ne3, 2.Nxg3 mate. Correct and complete solutions from jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr] and Nuno Maltez [eq3nmf@eq.uc.pt]. 19990111:1B4n1/7N/K1pN4/5P2/R1n2k2/2P1R2P/4b1B1/2Q5:White to mate in two:1.Be4 threatening 2.NxN mate. Black's knight is unpinned allowing it to check the white king. White's responses result in mate. 1...NxN+, 2.Bd3 mate, 1...NxR+, 2.Nb5 mate, 1...Nd2+, 2.Nc4 mate, 1...Ne5+, 2.Rd3 mate. Correct solutions from jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr], Jon.R.Saboe@usdoj.gov. 19990201:3q3b/2pp4/8/2B5/8/1k6/3P3Q/3K4:White to play and win:1.d4 Kc4, 2.Qa2+ Kb5. 2...Kd3 would result in a mate. 3.Qb3+ Kc6 (3...Ka5 provides an excellent mating attack for white) 4.Be7!! QxB (5.d5 will result in a quick mate) 5.d5+ Kd6, 6.Qb4+ c5, 7.dxc e.p+ Ke6, 8.QxQ+ KxQ, 9.d7 and white wins by promoting the pawn. Correct solutions from Matthias Nilsson [komodo@swipnet.se] and jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr] 19990219:8/8/8/8/8/3p2K1/3N4/4N2k:White to mate in four:1.Ndf3 d2, 2.Nd3 d1=N, 3.Kh3 Ne3, 4.Nf2 mate. Correct solutions from [SimpsonWW@aol.com], Erich Friedman [efriedma@stetson.edu], Number60 [number60@mindspring.com], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@swipnet.se], [bch.lang@t-online.de], Jack Boyer [jackb@ez-net.com] 19990304:8/8/8/8/4N3/6KB/5p2/6k1:White to mate in four:1.Nd2 f1=Q. (After 1...Kh1 2.Bg2+ Kg1 (forced) 3.Nf3 mate.) 2.Bxf1 Kh1 (forced), 3.Bg2+ Kg1 (forced), 4.Nf3 mate. Correct solutions from David McCarthy [David.McCarthy@westgroup.com], Kyle Evans [kyle.evans@natinst.com], Erich Friedman [efriedma@stetson.edu], Weldon MacDonald [wmac@total.net], J. Ibarra [jibar@acnet.net], Jack Boyer [jackb@ez-net.com], Matthias Nilsson [komodo@swipnet.se], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr], [bch.lang@t-online.de], Benyovszki Pal [pbenyovs@dragon.klte.hu], [SimpsonWW@aol.com] 19990311:2n5/8/1PN1Pk2/8/4K3/8/8/8:White to play and win:1.b7 Nd6+, 2.Kd4 Nxb7, 3.Kd5 and black's knight is pretty much trapped while the king has to move away from the e-pawn. 3... Kg7, 4.Nd8 Nxd8, 5.e7 and white wins. After 3...Nc5, 4.e7 Ne6, 5.Kd6 Ng7, 6.Kd7 Kf5, 7.Nd4+ Ke5, 8.Ne6 Nh5, 9.Kd8 Nf6, 10.Nf8 and white wins. If black plays 4...Na6, 5.Kd6 Kf7, 6.Nd8+ Ke8, 7.Ne6 Kf7, 8.Ng7 Nc7, 9.Kd7 Kf6, 10.Ne8+ and white wins. Correct solutions from [SimpsonWW@aol.com], A Hendricks [a-hendricks@email.msn.com], [Jon.R.Saboe@usdoj.gov], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr] 19990416:7n/bq6/3Bbpn1/5R1Q/2P1kpp1/2PR4/8/1B2N2K:White to mate in two:1.Qh7! threatening 2.Rxf4 mate. If black counters by 1...Qxh7+, 2.Rh3 mate or 1...Be3, 2.Rd4 mate. Correct solutions from metin kefeli [mkefeli@my-dejanews.com], [Szachista@aol.com], Weldon MacDonald [wmac@total.net], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr], Jack Boyer [jackb@ez-net.com], [bch.lang@t-online.de], [Jon.R.Saboe@usdoj.gov], Kivanc Cefle [kcefle@hotmail.com] 19990524:1rQ2b2/n2B4/2q5/R1n1R3/1Pk2N2/p1p5/K1N5/6B1:White to mate in two:1.Ra4!. Correct solutions from [Jon.R.Saboe@usdoj.gov], Raimund Lingen [RLingen@compu-shack.com], metin kefeli [mkefeli@my-deja.com], [bch.lang@t-online.de], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr], Benyovszki Pal [pbenyovs@dragon.klte.hu], jesse berry [jesseberry@hotmail.com], Jack Boyer [jackb@ez-net.com] 19990701:8/2p2BNp/1p6/1p2P2P/1p1Pk1pp/1P2B3/4K3/8:White to mate in three:1.Ne6! threatening 2.Ng5+. After 1...h6 preventing 2.Ng5, 2.Nxc5 leads to mate with the bishop. After 1...Kd5, 2.Nc5+ leads to mate with the pawn. Correct solutions from [Jon.R.Saboe@usdoj.gov], [bch.lang@t-online.de] 19990719:8/B1p4p/2k1K3/8/1RP1N2P/8/8/8:White to mate in four:1.Bg1. If 1...h5, 2.Nf2 Kc5, 3.Nd3+ or, if 1...h6, 2.Nc5 h5, 3.Ra4!. Correct solutions from [bch.lang@t-online.de] and jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr] 19990907:2N5/K7/p3pnRB/2P1k3/r3P2r/4Q1n1/3P4/1b2N2q:White to mate in two:1.Ne7 threatening 2.Nc6+ and mate. Black's defense is to eliminate e4, which would give the king two flight squares. For each of black's six different attempts to eliminate e4, white has a wonderful response. Correct solutions from Padmanabha Holla [holla@shore.net], ole loppenthin [cabriolet@inet.zitech.dk], [bch.lang@t-online.de], TVEIT, Frode [frode.tveit@cobelfret.be], Oliver Dunne [taboo@bc.sympatico.ca], jean-marc.lepretre [jean-marc.lepretre@wanadoo.fr] 19991012:6K1/pN2R1PQ/p7/r2k3r/N2n4/1P2p3/BB5p/2Rb2bq:White to mate in two:1.Rc7 threatening 2.Nc3 and mate. Black has to move its knight so that the king may advance to c3 to prevent a mate in two. For each of the black knight's 8 escape squares, white has a wonderful response. Correct solution from Manish Mittal [manishm@microsoft.com] 20011126:16/5K1p/7k/5p1n/5P1R/6PB/8:White to mate in three:This is an interesting problem. The black king is pinned and so are the other black pieces. White has to move in such a manner as to allow some piece to move otherwise the game results in a stalemate. The key trick is for white to dictate black's moves, leading to a mate in three. If there was no black pawn at f4, white's g4+ leads to a mate right away. So the trick is to get rid of black's pawn at f4 as follows: 1.Bg3 fxB which is black's only move, 2.Rh2 gxR and 3.g4+ mate. 20011130:8/2p5/8/pn1N4/k7/rn1N4/p1p3K1/rbb5/:White to mate in two:It is funny that white with so few pieces on the board is asked to mate black in two moves. However, note that most of blsck's pieces are immobile and the king is especially pinned in its location. If white's knights can give a check to the black king, that would be a mating attack. However, all of the attack squares are defended by black's knights and the pawn. If only white could force black to move one of these defensive pieces...

White plays a waiting game with 1.Kh1 forcing black into a zugzwang. White then mates in the next move with one of the knights. Note that 1.Kh3 is a bad move because 1...Nc5 pins the white king, preventing a mate in two.

Correct responses from Stan Shankman , Manish Mittal , Benyovszki Pl , Piet van Heerden , Changu , Ken Jensen , Manuel Hl 20011213:4r1k1/3p4/7K/3N4/2B5/8/8/8:White to mate in two:1.Ne7+ delivers a double check and no matter where the king runs, 2.Ng6+ leads to a mate. 1.Nf4+ is not a viable alternative as it permits the rook to attack g6. Correct responses from Thomas E. Byers (toolnite@netusa1.net), feldlawofc (feldlawofc@msn.com), Dirk (sailor@tijd.com), Andrey Sinitsin (econ@online.ru), keith mader (keithm@iastate.edu), Benyovszki Pal (pbenyovs@dragon.klte.hu), Manish Mittal (manishm@microsoft.com), Douglas Calvert (dfc@anize.org), Changui (templar@triad.rr.com) 20011219:7r/4p3/R1N1k3/6p1/4P3/3PP1p1/4K2p/8/:White to mate in four:1.Ne5+ KxN because the king has no other choice, 2.d4+ Kxe4, 3.Ra5. Irrespective of black's next move, 4.Re5+ mates. Correct responses from Tom Kusnierz (kusnierz@us.ibm.com), Andrey Sinitsin (econ@online.ru), Benyovszki Pal (pbenyovs@dragon.klte.hu), Ken Jensen (kennyj@galenalink.net), Howard Matthews (kmatthew@microage-tb.com)