I usually have about my person some positions to amuse young players at the end of an evening. Here are some of my favourites: Problems Hints Solutions

Problems.

White to play and... 1. Mate in half a move (?) 2. Mate in 6 (Halumbirek) 3. Mate in 2 (?) 4. Mate Black without taking a pawn (Brown) 5. Mate in 2 (Loyd) 6. Mate in...14!

Hints.

1. Is there a move in chess that you make in two halves? 2. Seriously, if you can't solve this one, you should give up chess! 3. Yes, Black is about to make 8 new Queens! Try moving the Knight first. 4. A puzzle inspired by the Iron Cage of Tamerlane. 5. A puzzle called 'Organ Pipes': imagine it's Black to move? 6. With the White King on g6, and Black to move...

Solutions.

1. 1.Ra1-d1 completes Queen's-side castling. 2. All moves are forced: 1. d4 b5 2. d5 b4 3. axb4 a3 4. b5 a2 5. b6 a1=Q 6. b7# 1-0 3. 1. Nc6! and now e.g. 1...a1=Q 2. Ba6# by discovered check. Also: (1... f1=Q 2. Bf5#) (1... e1=Q 2. Be6#) (1... d1=Q 2. Bd7#) (1... b1=Q 2. Bb7#) (1... c1=Q 2. Be6#) (1... f1=Q 2. Bf5#) (1... g1=Q 2. Bg4#) (1... h1=Q+ 2. Bh3#) 4. 1. Nec6+ dxc6 2. dxe3+ fxe3 3. Rh4+ Be4 4. Rhxe4+ dxe4 5. Be5+ dxe5 6. Rxd8+ Nd5+ 7. Rxd5+ cxd5 8. Nc6# 1-0 5. 1. Qa5 Bb7 2. Nf5# or... (1... Bd7 2. Qd5#) (1... Be6 2. Qe5#) (1... Bf5 2. Nxf5#) (1... Rd6 2. Qxb4#) (1... Rd5 2. Qxd5#) (1... Re5 2. Qxe5#) (1... Bc5 2. Qa1#) (1... Bb7 2. Nf5#) 6. 1. Kg7 Qh3 2. Kf8 Qh4 (2... h4 3. Kg7 Ne5 4. Nxe5#) 3. Ke7 Qh3 4. Kd8 Qh4 5. Kc7 Qh3 6. Kc8 Qh4 7. Kd8 Qh3 8. Ke7 Qh4 9. Kf8 Qh3 10. Kg7 Qh4 11. Kg6 Qh3 12. Kxg5 Qh4+ 13. Kxh4 Nc3 14. Nd4# 1-0