Grasshopper Chess: Reflexmates

In a reflexmate, White plays so as to force Black to give mate in the stated number of moves,
with the added condition that either side must mate on the move if possible.

To read the solutions and comments hold down the left mouse key and run the cursor across the blank area.

Reflexmate in 1

6 men 4 types (KRSG) 1G

H. Rossler
Feenschach 1975
Reflexmate in 1, with set mate

Solution: Set: 1... Se3‡ Play: 1.Rc2+ Sc3(++)‡

Comments: Permutate (of guards/blocks on abc2).

Reflexmate in 2

6 men 3 types (KGP) 1G

H. Rossler
Feenschach 1975
Reflexmate in 2, with set play

Solution: Set: 1... Kd1 2.Kb2 c1=Q‡ Play: 1.Gxa4 Kd2 2.Ga2+ c1=Q‡

Comments: WG switchback.

6 men 4 types (KQSP) 1G

H. Rossler
Feenschach 1975
Reflexmate in 2, with set play

Solution: Set: 1... a2 2.Qd1 a1=Q/R‡ Play: 1.Gb1 a2 2.Qd1 a1=G‡

Comments: In the set the WG is prevented from intervening, and in the play is prevented from escaping.

12men 7 types (KQRBSGP) 3G

C. G. Rains
British Chess Magazine Jul 1978 (11412)
Reflexmate in 2

Solution: 1.Rb8 (threat 2.Sa2 Rc2‡)
1... Rxc3 2.Ga2 Rc2‡ 1... Qb7 2.Kc2 Pb1=Q‡ 1... Qa6 2.Sd1 Rc2‡ 1... Ra7 2.Sb5 Qc2‡

Comments:

15 men 5 types (KRBGP) 1G

T. R. Dawson
Pittsburgh Post 1926
Reflexmate in 2

Solution: 1.Ra8 1... b6/b5 2.Bb8 Gxa8‡ 1... Kxc4 2.Bd6 Gd5‡ 1... f6 2.g8=G Gh8‡

Comments: The first G reflex.

15 men 6 types (KRBSGP) 5G

J. Oudot
Problemnoter 1962
Reflexmate in 2

Solution: 1.Gff3 (threat 2.Rc2 f1=Q‡) 1... f1=Q/R/B/S/G
2.Kc2/Ke2/Sd3/Se6/Se2 for Qc1/Re1/Be2/Se3/Gd3 ‡

Comments: All five promotions.

19 men 6 types (KRBSGP) 4G

C. G. Rains
British Chess Magazine Sep 1978 (11443)
Reflexmate in 2

Solution: 1.Re5 1... Bxb8 2.Re7 Gd8‡ 1... Sc3 2.Re6 Ga2‡ 1...Sxb6 2.Re4 Ga8‡
1... d3 2.Re3 Gd2‡ 1... Sc1 2.Sc2 Sxb3‡ 1... Bc7 2.Gd6 Bxb6‡ 1... Bxe5 2.Gc4 Gd8‡

Comments: Four unpins of BG by WR

19 men 7 types (KQRBSGP) 8G

J. M. Trillon
Themes 64 1968
Reflexmate in 2

Solution: 1.Sf6+ 1... Sh7 2.b3 Ga8‡ 1...Bh7 2.Bb3 Gc1‡
1... Rh7 2.Gbb3 Ge5‡ 1... Gh7 2.Gdb3 Ga4‡

Comments: Convergence of 4 men on h7 and b3.

20 men 6 types (KRBSGP) 2G

R. C. Sanz
Feenschach 1963 (6522)
Reflexmate in 2

Solution: 1.Sfxe4 (threat 2.Sd6+ cxd6‡ 1... Sd5/Selse 2.Gd4-d6/Gb8-d6 cxd6‡

Comments: Black correction.

Reflexmate in 3

14 men 6 types (KRBSGP) 3G

M. Bukofzer
Fairy Chess Review 1939 (3861)
Reflexmate in 3

Solution: 1.h5
1... Gf3 2.Rb5+ Kc7 3.f5 Re4‡
1... Gh4 2.Rc6+ Ka5 3.Re6 Rd5‡

Comments: "Two most elegant variations" TRD. Echoed play

17 men 7 types (KQRBSGP) 3G

M. Bukofzer
Pittsburgh Post Apr 1927
Reflexmate in 3

Solution: 1.Gc1
1... Gc6 2.Gc3+ bxc3 3.Be5 Sd5‡
1... Gh8 2.Se7 Gh4 3.Bf4 Sc4‡

Comments: BG guards e4 in each mate.

Reflexmate in 4

7 men 5 types (KQSGP) 1G

C. Seneca
Le Monde des Echecs 1946
Reflexmate in 4

Solution: 1.Qh3 g4 2.Qh2 g3 3.Qh1 g2 4.Sa4 gxh1=G‡

Comments: Reflex avoidance. One hiding place for S.

15 men 4 types (KRGP) 3G

P. A. Petkow
Feenschach 1964 (6573)
Reflexmate in 4

Solution: 1.f7
1... f4 2.Gxg5 f3 3.Ge8 f2 4.Gg8 f1=G‡
1... g4 2.Gxf5 g3 3.Kg8 g2 4.Gff8 g1=Q‡

Comments: Echoed play and mate.

Reflexmate in 6

8 men

C.Seneca
Themes 64 1957
Reflexmate in 6

Solution: 1.c5 f6 2.Gb1 f5 3.Bd4 f4 4.Bg1 f3 5.Rb8! f2 6.Bh7! f1=G‡

Comment: Grasshopper promotion, excelsior. Subtle control of move order, reflex-avoidance:
Tries: 1.Gb1? f5 — 1.Bd4? 2.Bc5‡ — 1.Rb8? 3.Bb2‡

Reflexmate in 11

6 men 3 types (KGP) 2G

G. Rinder
Feenschach 1975
Reflexmate in 11

Solution: 1.d4 Gc4 2.d5 Ge6 3.d6 Gc6 4.d7 Ge8 5.d8=S Gc8
6.Se6 Gf5 7.Sc5 Gb5 8.Sb3 Gb2 9.Sd2 Ge2
10.Ge1 Gc2 11.Gg1 hxg1=Q‡

Comments: Excelsior. Circuit by P/S. Almost a self-solver.

Reflexmate in 17

7 men 4 types (KRGP) 3G

N. Petrovic
Feenschach 1975
Reflexmate in 17

Solution: 1.Kg1 Kh3 2.Rg5 h4 3.Gd4 Gd5 4.Rg8 Gd3 5.Kh1 Gd5
6.Gd6 Gd7 7.Gc5 Gd5 8.Gb4 Gb5 9.Ga3 Gb3 10.Gc3 Gb5/d3
11.Rg2 Gb3 12.Gd2 Gd3 13.Gh2 Gb3 14.Gf2 Gd3 15.Ge3 Gf3+
16.Rg3+ hxg3 17.Gg1 g2(++)‡

Comments: Circuit by BG.

12 men 5 types (KBSGP) 1G

P. A. Petkow
Feenschach 1961 (5174)
Reflexmate in 17

Solution: 1.g5 Bh7 2.Ke2 Bg8 3.Kf3 ~ 4.Kg4 ~ 5.Gh4 ~
6.c4 ~ ... 10.c8=B ~ 11.Bxa6 ~ 12.Bc8 ~ 13.a6 ~ 14.a7 ~ 15.a8=G Bh7
16.Bf5 gxf5+ (not Bg8 selfcheck) 17.Kh5 Bg6‡

Comments: ~ denotes alternating repeated moves Excelsior

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Composer
Source Problem number and date
Stipulation

Solution: 1. ‡

Comments: