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BDS & Jörg Kuhlmann

Rochade Europa, 1995

#3

1.Qa1!  (2.Qa8+  Rd5  3.Bxd5,Qxd5#)

1...Rh8  2.Qd4+  Rxd4 3.Sc3#
                 Qxd4 3.Sxg3#
                 cxd4 3.Sd6#
                 exd4 3.Bd5#
1...Qd4  2.Qxd4+ Rxd4 3.Sc3#
                 cxd4 3.Sd6#
                 exd4 3.Bd5#
1...Rd5  2.Qa8       (3.Bxd5,Qxd5#)
                 Qd4  3.Sd6#
                 Qd2  3.Sxd2#
1...Rxd7 2.Qa8+  Rd5  3.Bxd5,Qxd5#
                 Rb7+ 3.Qxb7#
1...Qxc2 2.Qa8+  Rd5  3.Qxd5#
1...Qd2  2.Qa8+  Rd5  3.Sxd2#

While travelling to the Schwalbe meeting in 1995 I had the idea of a checking Q-sacrifice leading to four distinct mates. Of course, this couldn't be a #2 with a checking key so it had to be an inset #2 in a #3, something I had not tried before. When I arrived at the meeting I showed the idea to Jörg and we worked on it for several hours that first evening. The next day I went on the excursion, leaving Jörg to work on our problem. When I returned later that day he demonstrated the finished composition. Jörg explained that he had had vital help from another composer, a composer who preferred that his name did not appear above such a problem, so he had best remain nameless.

The first variation is the only important one, all the rest is just there and necessary for the idea to work. Nonetheless it makes for an untidy problem which in my opinion is a flaw.