Solutions...
First, we present the solutions to the 12 problems, along with due credits to their creators. Note that these problems have been tested sound (C+) by specialised algorithms. Therefore, the solutions provided below are the only correct answers.
Hubert Gockel, Die Schwalbe 1992, 3rd Commendation
Key: 1.Nd5!
1...cxd2 2.c3#
1...Ng1 2.Rh4#
1...Ng5 2.Qxc3#
1...Nf4 2.Qe3#
1...Nd6 2.Bxc3#
1...Ne7 2.Bc5#
Hans-Peter Reich & Manfred Rittirsch, Europa-Rochade 1986, 1st Prize
1.Rh3 Bxc4 2.Qh5 Rxd6#
1.Bg4 Rxd6 2.Qf3 Bxc4#
Narayan Shankar Ram, KoBulChess 2012, 1st Prize
1.Bb3 Rd4 2.Kc4 Be4 3.Qc5 Bxd3# double checkmate!
1.Rd7 Bd5 2.Kc6 Re4 3.Bc5 Rxe6# double checkmate!
Pavlos N. Moutecidis, Gazeta Częstochowska 1974, 2nd Prize
Key: 1.Qd5! - Wherever bQ moves, White captures it, resulting in Black having to play g2#.
Abdul Jabbar Karwatkar, British Chess Problem Society 1974-1975, 1st Prize
1.Bb6! threat: 2.dxe5+ Bxd3#
1...Nxc4 2.Qd6+ Nxd6#
1...Nxd3 2.Qe5+ Nxe5#
1...Nxf3 2.Qxf3+ Rxf3#
1...Nxg4 2.Ne3+ Nxe3#
1...Ng6 2.Ne7+ Nxe7#
1...Nf7 2.Rd6+ Nxd6#
1...Nxd7 2.Qe5+ Nxe5#
1...Nxc6 2.Be6+ Qxe6#
Daniel Gatti, The Hopper Magazine, 2024
1.d8=N! bxa4 2.e8=B! b5 3.b8=R! Bxg7#
Friedrich Chlubna, Europe Échecs 1972, Prize
1.Bb3! threat: 2.Bg3#
1...Rc1 2.e4#
1...Nf7 2.exf3#
1...Nd7 2.exd3#
1...Qa1 2.e3#
Narayan Shankar Ram, Probleemblad 1988, 4th Prize
1.Qd7! threat: 2.Rf1+ exf1=Q/R/B/N(+Rh1) 3.Rxf1(+Qd8/+Bc8/+Ng8)#
1...c1=Q/R 2.Kf6 threat: 3.Qxg4#
2...Rxd7(+Qd1) 3.Qa4#
2...gxh2 3.g3#
1...e1=Q/B 2.Bxa8 threat: 3.Qd4# 2...Rxd7(+Qd1) 3.Qxg4#
1...e1=N 2.Nf1 ~ 3.Bxg3#
Juraj Lörinc, L. Salai Jr 50 JT 2011, 1st Hon. Mention
1.Kf7! threat 2.Qxd1(+Ng8)+ Kg2 3.Qf3+ Kg1 4.Qf1#
1...e2 2.Qxe2(+Pe7) threat: 3.Qf1# 2...Kg1 3.Qxd1(+Ng8)+ Kf2/g2 4.Qf3+ Ke1/g1 5.Qe2/f1#
1...f3 2.Qxf3+ Kg1 3.Qxd1(+Ng8)+ Kf2/g2 4.Qf3+ Ke1/g1 5.Qe2/f1#
Unto Heinonen, Problemkiste, 2009
1.c1=Q d8=N 2.Qxg5 Rb1 3.Qg8 hxg8=R 4.a1=B Rg4=
Fritz Emil Giegold, Schach-Echo, 1973
1.Rdd1 f7 2.Qb8 f8=B 3.Qh2 Bxb4 4.Ng3+ Kf4 5.Rh1 Bxa5 6.Rag1 Be1 7.f1=B b4=
Kardos Tivadar, Probleemblad 1959, 2nd Prize
1.e1=R Nxd5 2.Ra1 Nxe3 3.Ra2 Nxf1 4.gxf1=R fxg5 5.Rfa1 gxh6 6.f1=R hxg7 7.Rfb1 gxh8=R 8.c1=B Rxh2=
Tiebreaker: When and How
As planned, the top five solvers - Pracheta Agarwal, Sayan Roy, Vaibhav Agrawal, Bulbul Nand, and Riddhima Singh - will receive six additional problems on Sunday, 17th November at 10:00 am IST sharp. They will have a 2-hour window to submit their answers (that is till 12 noon), which will be evaluated on both accuracy and speed.
Note: if you believe your answers were incorrectly evaluated and you should be included in the winners' list, please write to chessbaseindiasocial@gmail.com. We will get back to you.
