Helpmate

Z. Maslar, 1981

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Helpmate in 8

A helpmate is a type of chess problem in which both sides cooperate in order to achieve the goal of checkmating Black. In a helpmate in n moves, Black moves first, then White, each side moving n times, to culminate in White's nth move checkmating Black. (In a helpmate in 2 for example, sometimes abbreviated h#2, the solution consists of a Black move, a White move, a second Black move, then a second White move, giving checkmate.) Although the two sides cooperate, all moves must be legal according to the rules of chess.

The example problem illustrated is a helpmate in 8 (or h#8) by Z. Maslar, published in Die Schwalbe in 1981. The solution is (recall that in helpmate solutions, Black's move is given first):

1... Kf3 2. Kd3 Bb3 3. Kc3 Ke4+ 4. Kd2 Kd4 5. Ke2 Kc3 6. Nb4 Kb2 7. Kd2 Ka1 8. Kc1 Ba2 9. Nc2#