[Retros] Twoandahalf original retroproblems from Stuttgarter Zeitung: Solutions

[keilhack at aol.com]

Werner Keym, Urdruck Stuttgarter Zeitung
8/8/3ppp2/3pkp2/3ppp2/4R3/4Q3/4K3 w - - 0 1
Mate in how many moves?
a) as given: 1.R:e4+ d5:e4 2.Qb5+ d5 3.Qb8#, analogous 1...f:e4 etc. Mate in three, the symmetry is kept, two linesb) rotated 90 degrees clockwisely (wKa4 etc.): 1.R:d4+ e5:d4 2.Qe7#; Mate in two.
c) moved one file to the right (wKf1 etc.): seemingly 1.Rg3 with mate in four (breaking the symmetry) 1...e3 (1...f3? 2.Qe3 f2 3.Q:f2#)2.Qc2+ e4 3.Qc5+ e5 4.Qc8#, but in fact the position is illegal – none of the black pawns could stem from the a-file.



BerndSchwarzkopf, Urdruck Stuttgarter Zeitung
2b1k1b1/2p1N1p1/2p1p1p1/4K3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
Black retracts one move, then Helpmate in one (meaning, instead of the retracted move Black moves so that White can mate immediately)
How many solutions?
One solution. Black retracts d7:Qe6, instead ...Kf8 1.N:g6#. The analogous line with back f7:Qe6 and ...Kd8 1.N:c6# would be illegal, as the bishop couldn't get to g8.


Edwin Weller, 150 Exzentrische Schachaufgaben 1910, version
8/8/4p1p1/3pPkPp/3PpNpP/1B2PpP1/5K2/8 w - - 0 1
Mate in 4 moves. In the original version as well as in all previous reprints all chessmen are located one rank higher (wKf3, Bb4 etc.). What's the objection? 
1.Nd3!e4:d3 2.Ba2 Ke4 3.Bb1 Kf5 3.B:d3#. The original version is illegal, as none of the seven black pawns could stem from b7 (corrected version by W. Keym).


Best, Harald Keilhack

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