Happy Holidays from Grandmaster and composer Pal Benko, who presents Christmas tree and holiday candle shaped mates in two, three, four and five for your enjoyment this season.
Christmas Tree
Mate in 2
1.Qc5!
Candle 1
Mate in 3
1. Qe4 Kh4 2.Qf4
Candle 2
Mate in 3
1. Qb6 Kxg4 2.Qe3 , 1…..Kf4 2.Kh3 , 1….Kh4 2.Kf3
Candle 3
Mate in 2
1.Qb6
Candle 4
Mate in 3
1.Qf3 Kg6 2. Qf8, 1….Kh6 2.Qf7
Candle 5
Mate in 4
1. Qd5 Kxg3 2. Qe4 Kh3 3.Kf2
Candle 6 (Twin)
Mate in 3
a) Qc7 Kh7 2.Bf6
Candle 7
Mate in 3
1.Qb2 Kh6 2.Qh8+
Christmas tree
Mate in 5
1.Kd8 Kxd6 2. e8B Ke6 3.f7 Kf6 4. f8Q+ ,or 1…… Kxf6 2. e8Q Kg7 3.Ke7 Kh6 4. Kf8
More from Benko on uschess that you may have missed: Back to School Problems, and congratulatory problems for the US gold medal Olympic team. Also see World Chess Hall of Fame video featuring US Chess editor Jen Shahade on a Benko problem.
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