More Helpmates

The classic book Black to play by Christopher Feather taught me some of the basics about quality helpmates.  The book begins with this a wonderful quote from Jean Oudut:

"Chess art is one degree of abstraction higher than the game of chess. In one sense we can say that the helpmate is the purest of all the chess arts, the nearest to art for art’s sake. If there exists somewhere, on an unknown planet, a race of beings who play chess and whose artistic inclination is stronger than their aggressive instincts, then it is probable that they will have invented the helpmate before the direct mate" 

​As of now I am just giving a collection of some of my favorite helpmates. In a later post I may go into specific helpmate themes. While I wouldn't consider myself a natural helpmate composer, I have been fortunate enough to compose a handful of decent number of helpmates.  


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Moen, Kabe
The Problemist Supplement 2019

h#2

2 Solutions

5 + 3

Here is a nice open light starter.  Capture of White has always been a popular helpmate theme and can be paradoxical.  After all, how does capturing white material help white eventually mate.  Here is an example with model mates. Remember, in helpmates Black moves first and then White mates.

1.Qxe2 Bd6 2.Ke8 Bc6
1.Qxh2 Re7+ 2.Kd6 Sf5

I like the roles of wBb7 and wSh6 which take turns mating and guarding the mating net. The mates are model mates with each square surrounding the bK being guarded or blocked exactly once.

Moen, Kabe
The Problemist 2019

h#2

2 Solutions

8 + 9

This is one of my more heavy-hitting affairs that features the Zilahi theme. In the Zilahi theme a piece that is captured in one solution delivers mate in the other and visa-versa. The problem also features a rich strategy with additional captures, pin-mates, and switchbacks.

1.Bxg6 Rxd6 2.Kxe5 Re6
1.Sxe6 Bxh5 2.Kxf5 Bg6

This theme is also called an extended Zilhali with the  additional captures.  A couple of comments.  Overall I was very pleased with the position and realization of the idea.  However, the black economy is not ideal. bSe8 is a plug, bRh7 is a cook stopper, and the bQ is sort of a weasel-it could be replaced by a bP.  I kept the bQ to keep the matching strategy between solutions.  
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Feather, Christopher
Schach-Aktiv 1991

h#2

2 Solutions

5 + 8

​Now for something beautiful from the expert who wrote the book on helpmates.  Perfect harmony in which the pinned black pieces pass through the bK's initial square to open lines and unpin the mating piece. How I love the ambushes and the mates on the same square.

1.Kd4 Bb8 2.Rc2 Rxd3
1.Kc4 Rb8 2.Bg1 Bxd3

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Kiss, Janos
Dunaujvarosi Hirlap TT 1963

h#2

2 Solutions

9 + 9

Here is an attractive half-pin scheme featuring 3 different half-pins and beautiful line play.

​1.Re4 Bxc7 2.Bg7 Sxe4
1.Qf2 Sxf7 2.Bg6 Bxf2

It is worth careful study to understand what makes this work.

Jones, Christopher
Problem Online, 2005

h#3

(b) f3=bB

5 + 5

Now moving onto the longer helpmates with an excellent example from the British grandmaster. This problem uses the Forsberg twinning method to obtain two solutions. I love the clearance moves with switchbacks to self block.

(a) 1.Rc3 Be4 2.Rc2 Rb3 3.Rc3 Rb4

(b) 1.Bd5 Rd3 2.Be6 Bb7 3.Bd5 Ba6

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Moen, Kabe
The Problemist Supplement, 2019

h#3

(b) -f3

4 + 6

Here is possibly my best helpmate that features reciprocal batteries.  In one solution the a R+B battery is formed and the other has a B+R battery.  I was happy with the cooperation between Black and White.  All of Black's moves have departure and arrival effects.

(a) 1.Re5 Bh7 2.Sc5 Bd3 3.Sde6 Be4
(b) 1.Bd6 Rf1 2.Sc6 Rf7 3.Sed4 Rf5

Here is a play-by-play recap of the strategy. The first move of Black has two functions: self-block and open a line. White then directly unpins one of the bSs to self-block again.  However, Black needs a piece on this newly vacated square so now White must indirectly unpin the other bS to replace his counterpart.   White ends by finishing off with a double check.

Jensch, Gerhard Wolfgang
Probleemblad, 1969

h#4

3 + 12

Here is a masterpiece that Chris Feather says 

"...the best problem in this book, shows White imitating Black in an equal but opposite way at every turn."

It's a single line long helpmate which you don't see too much now-a-days but exquisite play.

1.Bc4 Bh6 2.Bg5 Bd5 3.Be7 Bf3 4.Be6 Bf4

Paliulionis, Viktoras
Internet Tourney 2019

h#4.5

2 Solutions

2 + 4

Here is a recent prize winner by an expert at light weight long helpmates.  The theme of the tourney called for two lines with White's first and last moves interchanged and two of Black's pieces self-block in one line and are captured in the other. Quite a task in a long helpmate.  See for yourself.

​1...Sg5 2.Re4 Sxe4 3.Kc4 Sxc3 4.Kb4 Kc2 5.Ka3 Bf8
1...Bf8 2.Qg7 Kc2 3.Rf6 Kd3 4.Ke6 Ke4 5.Qd7 Sg5

Moen, Kabe
StrateGems, 2019

h#5

2 + 4

Here is a single line helpmate that features a nice withdrawal and the so-called indian theme. A nice sequence in a sub-miniature.

1.b5 Ra7 2.Bb6 Ra1 3.Kb7 Ka2 4.Ka6 Ka3 5.Ka5 Kb3

Földeák, Árpád
Revista Română de Şah, 1963

h#5

2 + 4

Finally we end with one of my favorites.  Another sub-miniature with airy construction and a pair of rook promotions. 

​1.h3 b8=R 2.h2 Rxb2 3.h1=R+ Rh2 4.Sb2 Rh3 5.Rb1 Ra3