Grasshopper Chess: Selfmates

G. F. Perrin and solvers
Fairy Chess Review 1939 (3969)
Selfmate in 2, b) remove Gb7

Solution: a) 1.Sg5 Gh6 2.Sf7 Gh1‡
b) 1.Sd4 Gd5 2.Sb5 Ga5‡

Comments: in a) the Sf7 shuts off the WG escape line.

The twin was provided by the FCR solvers

G. F. Anderson and C. C. Palmer
Fairy Chess Review Feb 1947
Selfmate in 2

Solution: 1.Be4 1... Gb3 2.Bd3† Gb5‡ 1... Gd1 2.Qh6 Ga1‡

Comment: WBa8 moved to h1 to legalise the position, since othrwise no last Black move.

T. R. Dawson
Chemnitzer Tagbla.. 1926 (2400)
Selfmate in 2, with set play

Solution: Set: 1... G×e5 2.Bg8 Gh5‡ Play: 1.Bh3 Ge4† 2.R×h2† g2‡

Comments: Changed play.

W. H. Reilly
Feenschach 1960 (4978)
Selfmate in 2

Solution: 1.Gc8 c×b6/c×d6/c6/c5 2.Sb5/Sd5/Gc5/Gc4 Ga5/Gc5/Gb5/Gb5 ‡

Comments: Black pawn task ('piccaninny'). B|G battery.

A. H. Kniest
Fairy CHess Review Dec 1937
Selfmate in 2

Solution: 1.Gd4 1... f2† 2.Kf1 d×e2‡ 1... f×e2 2.Ga3 d2‡ 1... d×e2 2.Gf4 f2‡

Comments: Asymmetry.

W. Pflughaupt
Fairy Chess Review 1955 (10296)
Selfmate in 2

Solution: 1.g8=B (threat 2.Gd2† b1(=any)‡ h1=G 2.a8=G† G×a8‡

Comments: Corner-rattler. Four pawn promotions.

F. Heumer
DMSZ Dec 1932
Selfmate in 2, with set mate

Solution: Set: 1... B×d2‡ Play: 1.Gh6 Be3/Bf4 2.Sed6†/Sc7† Bb6/B×c7 ‡

B. Rehm
Feenschach 1961 (5229)
Selfmate in 3, with set play

Solution: Set: 1... Gf2 2.Bb1 Gd4 3.Qe5 d2‡ Play: 1.Bb1 Gf2 2.Qf3 Gf4 3.Qd1 d2‡

Comments: Pin and Nip.

D. Pirnie
Western Morning News May 1924
Selfmate in 3, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Gc3 Gd4 2.Ge5 Gf6 3.Gg7 G×h8‡

Comments: Self-solver. Corner-rattler.

C. M. Fox
Fairy Chess Review 1937 (2737)
Selfmate in 3, b) WQc3 (6 types)

Solution: a) 1.Se2 Gf2 2.Sf4 G×f5 3.Sh5† G×h5‡
b) 1.h5 Gd4 2.Qd3 Gd2 3.Qe4 Gh6‡

Comments: G over G mates. In a) the hurdle f5 is removed, in b) it is blocked by Qe4.

G. Fuhlendorf
Funkschach Aug 1926
Selfmate in 3

Solution: 1.Qb4† Sc4 2.Gg7 Gc3 3.Qe7† Se5‡

Comments: S Switchback.

W. E. Lester
Fairy Chess Review 1943 (5629)
Selfmate in 3

Solution: 1.Be2 Gc6 2.b8=B† K×b6 3.a7 Gaa8‡

Comments: The original has BGa2 and WBb5 for 1.Bf1, but position is illegal (no last move).
I have moved BG a2 to a1 for legality (last move a1=G), and WBb5 to c4 to avoid a dualled key. pin and nip.

P. L. Rothenburg
To Alain White 1945
Selfmate in 3

Solution: 1.Qg7 Gh8 2.Qc3 Gh1 3.Sg4 Ga8‡

Comments: Corner-rattler. Nip.

E. M. H. Guttmann
Hamburg Correspondent Mar 1930
Selfmate in 3

Solution: 1.g5 1... Gg4 2.B×h7 GG6 3.R×g6 K×c2‡ 1... Gb7 Rd8 2.Gd7 B×d7 K×c2‡

Comments: Reciprocal shut-offs. Vanishing G.

C. Eckhardt
Fubkschach Aug 1926
Selfmate in 3

Solution: 1.Qg1 Gh1 2.Qc5 Gd4 3.Gc3†† Gf4‡

Comments: Pins

C. M. Fox
Pittsburgh Post Dec 1926
Selfmate in 4, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Bf7 Gf8 2.Ba2 Ga1 3.Bf7 Gf6 4.Bg8 Gg7‡

Comments: G-shepherding. WB switchbacks.

B. Rehm
Caissa's Fröhliche Tiefgarage 1970 (13)
Selfmate in 4, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Qc4 K×d1 2.Qe4 K×c1 3.Qe2 Gf2 4.Qd3 b2‡

Comments: WQ circuit.

W. Gunther
PFCS Feb 1934
Selfmate in 4, with set play

Solution: Set: 1... Gc6 2.d7 Ge8 3.d8=G Gc8 4.Gb8 Ga8‡
Play: 1.d7 Gc8 2.d8=S Ge8 3.Se6 Ge5† 4.Sd4 Gc3‡

Comments: G-shepherding. Changed mate.

C. M. Fox
Pittsburgh Sun 1926
Selfmate in 4, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Bg4 Gh4 2.Gg5† Gf4 3.Ra8 Gdh4 4.Rg8 Gf6‡

Comments: G-shepherding.

W. H. Reilly
Feenschach 1965 (7315)
Selfmate in 4

Solution: 1.Qg3 Gh3 2.Qf2 Gh8 3.Ge3 Gh6 4.Ke2† Gf1‡

Comments: Well hidden mate. B|G battery. R|K battery. Crosscheck.

T. R. Dawson
Pittsburgh Post 1926 (2413)
Selfmate in 4, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Gg5 S~/Pg3 2.Ge3† Sd3/Pg2 3.Ge7† Sc5 4.Ga7† Sa6‡

Comments: Interposition in G-check lines.

W.H.Reilly
Feenschach 1961
Selfmate in 4

Solution: 1.Bc4 B any 2.Ga4† Bb4 3.Bd3† Bd2 4.Be4† Bf4‡

Comment: Three interpositions of B in G check lines. G pins but cannot capture pinned piece.

C. M. Fox
The Problemist April 1926 (#24)
Selfmate in 5

Solution: 1.Qf5 Gf4 2.Qe5 Gd6 3.Qe7 Gf8 4.Qe5 Gd8 5.g8=G Gf8‡

Comments: Stalemate set. G over Q path.
Not 4.Qc5 Gb4 or 4.Qd8 G×d8. Other Q moves to retain guard on g5 give check.

T. R. Dawson noted: "CMF eliminated the Ph7 by moving Q to e5, G to d2,
starting 1.Qe3† Gf4 2.Qe5 as before.
As this form includes two switchbacks of Q to e5, many will prefer it.

G. Meyer
Feenschach 1954 (#2124)
Selfmate in 5

Solution: 1.Sg5 Gg4 2.Se4 Gd4 3.Sd2 Gd1 4.Sb1 Ga1 5.Sd2 Ga6‡

Comments: Stalemate set. G over S path.

W. Karsch
Chemnitzer Wochenschach 1927
Selfmate in 5, b) h23 to a23

Solution: a) 1.Sc4 Gb4 2.Sb2 Gb1 3.Sd3 Ge4 4.Se5 Ge6 5.Sg6 Gh6‡
b) 1.Sd3 Gc2 2.Sc5 Gc6 3.Se4 Gf3 4.Sg3 Gh3† 5.Sh5 Gh6‡

Comments: G-shepherding by S.

C. M. Fox
Fairy Chess Review 1942 (5375)
Selfmate in 5, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Qd8 Gc8 2.Qe7 Gc3 3.Qe3† f×e3 4.Bd3 Gf2 5.Ge1† Sb2‡

Comments: Blockng the BS to leave it only one escape.

"A very remarkable brilliancy that baffled the whole Fairy Ring".

W. H. Reilly
Feenschach 1968 (8687)
Selfmate in 5

Solution: 1.Ge8 S~ 2.Bd5† S×b5 3.Qb4†† Bd4 4.Rg4† Sf4† 5.Kf1 e2‡

Comments: Pins. BS and BB forced into position round the mating square f1.

W. Kramer
Aachener Anzeiger Nov 1928
Selfmate in 5, with set mate

Solution: Set: 1... Rh1‡ Play: 1.Ge5 Ka1 2.Gb8 Kb1 3.Gb3† Ka1 4.Ge3 Kb1 5.Gc3 Rh1‡

Comments: Tempo loss. G circuit.

C. P. Swindley & A Lundström
British Chess Magazine Feb 1979 (11527)
Selfmate in 5

Solution: 1.Kc2 c3 2.Qg8† Re6 3.Sd6 Gb1 4.Qg2† Re4 5.Kd3 c2‡

Comments: Line clearance for BG move. WQ and BR switchback.

C. M. Fox
The Problemist Oct 1926 (#60)
Selfmate in 6

Solution: 1.Be6 Gd7 2.Bf7 Gg7 3.Bb3 Gb4 4.Bg8 Gd6 5.Rd5 Gd4† 6.Re5 Gf6‡

Comments: Stalemate set. B circuit in one diagonal. G over B and G over R paths.

C. M. Fox
Fairy Chess Review 1937 (2740)
Selfmate in 6

Solution: 1.Bf8 g4 2.Bd6 g3 3.Bh3 g2 (not Gh4‡) 4.Sd8 g1=any 5.Q×g1 Gh1 6.Qg8 Gh4‡

Comments: Permuting the guards round the BK. WQ switchback.

T. Kardos
Feenschach 1967 (8402)
Selfmate in 6

Solution: 1.e8=G g2 2.Gc6 d×c6 3.h8=G c5 4.Gh2 c4 5.Gc7 c3 6.Ba2 c×b2‡

Comments: Nip.

C. M. Fox
Eskilstuna Kuriren 1930
Selfmate in 6, stalemate set

Solution: 1.Rh2 h3 2.Bd8 Gc8 3.Bf6 Gf7 4.Bb2 Gb3 5.R×h3† G×h3 6.Qg5† K×g5‡

Comments: G-shepherding. G|K battery set up.

N. S. Petrovic
DMSZ Oct 1931
Selfmate in 6, with set play

Solution: 1.Gh1 Ka2 2.Gh8 Ka1 3.Ga8 c4 4.Gh1 Ka2 5.Gh8 Ka1 6.Ga8 d2/Rb1‡
The set play only requires one G circuit.

Comments: Only just legal. G circuits. Corner-rattler.

W. Pauly
Chess Amateur Jan 1928
Selfmate in 8, with two variations

Solution: 1.Sd1† Ke4 2.Rf5†
2... Rg6 3.Rdd5† Qc6 4.Rf3† Rg2 5.Rfd3† Rc2 6.Rf5† Qg6 7.Rff3† Qg2 8.Gf2 Q×h1‡
2... Qg6 3.Rf3† Qg2 4.Bg6† R×g6 5.e8=Q† Re6 6.Qc6† R×c6 7.R3-d3† Rc2 8.Re2† Q×e2‡

Comments: Interposing in G-checks.

This is just legal 2WP, 5WG, and 1 extra light-square WB accounts for the 8 WPs.

W. Karsch
The Problemist 1954 (34)
Selfmate in 9 with set play

Solution: Set: 1... Gd2 2.c3 Gb4 3.c4 Gd4 4.c5 Gb6 5.c6 Gd6 6.c7 Gb8 7.c8=G Gd8 8.Ge8 Gf6 9.Gg8 Gh8‡
Play: 1.c3 Gd4 2.c4 Gb4 3.c5 Gd6 4.c6 Gb6 5.c7 Gd8 6.c8=R Gb8 7.Rc7 Gd6 8.Re7 Gg8 9.Rg7 Gh6‡

Comments: G-shepherding. Excelsior. Underpromotions.

T. R. Dawson
Pittsburgh Post 1926 (2353)
Selfmate in 10

Solution: 1.Sc3 Gd4 2.Sd5 Gd6 3.Sc7 Gb8 4.Sb5 Gb4 5.Sd6 Ge7
6.Sb7 Ga7 7.Sc5 Gd4(again) 8.Sd7 Gd8 9.Sb8 Ga8 10.Sc6 Gd5‡

Comments: G-shepherding. After the 8th moves the G and S formation has been rotated from a1a2 to a8b8.

C. M. Fox
Fairy Chess Review 1943 (5474)
Selfmate in 14

Solution: 1.Sb5 Ga4 2.Sa7 Ga8 3.Sc6 Gd5 4.Bf4 Gb7 5.Se5 Gd4 6.Bg5 Gf6 7.Sg4 Gh4
8.Be3 Gf4 9.Se5 Gd6 10.Sg6 Gh6 11.Se7 Gf7 12.Sc6 Gb6 13.Sd4 G×e3 14.Sb3† S×b3‡

Comments: G-shepherding. Release of mating piece (Sd2).

This complicated composition was reached by extension of earlier problems
5110 (Selfmate in 5) and 5426 (Selfmate in 11).

B. Zastrow
Schachbrief 1944
Selfmate in 38

Solution: 1.Gh5† Bg1 2.Be3 b5 3.Ge8 Bh2 4.Ge4 Bg1 5.Gh4 P~
6.Ge7 Bh2 7.Ge4 Bg1 8.Gh4 P~ and so on to 38.Gh4 S~‡

Comments: 8BPs.

A number of other long selfmates using 8BPs plus BGs are excluded from this collection
as being illegal, since the Gs are required to appear by pawn promotion.

Composer
Source Problem number and date
Stipulation

Solution: 1. ‡

Comments: