Happy Holidays From Benko: Trees and Candles

IMG_0988 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 Show Solution
1.Qc5!    
 Candle 1
              Mate in 3 Show Solution
1.   Qe4   Kh4   2.Qf4    
Candle 2
          Mate in 3 Show Solution
1. Qb6  Kxg4  2.Qe3    , 1…..Kf4   2.Kh3  ,     1….Kh4   2.Kf3 
Candle 3
          Mate in 2 Show Solution
1.Qb6      
Candle 4
          Mate in  3 Show Solution
1.Qf3   Kg6   2. Qf8,     1….Kh6   2.Qf7     
Candle 5
         Mate in 4 Show Solution
1. Qd5  Kxg3    2. Qe4  Kh3     3.Kf2
Candle 6 (Twin)
              Mate in 3 Show Solution
 a) Qc7 Kh7    2.Bf6
Candle 7 
              Mate in 3 Show Solution
 1.Qb2 Kh6   2.Qh8+
Christmas tree
Mate in 5 Show Solution
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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