Helpmates with 5 thematical phases 1

a) 1.Se3 Qf3 2.Sc4 Sb3#

b) 1.Bd6 Qe2 2.Bc5 Sb5#

c) 1.Ke3 Qf2+ 2.Ke4 Sc5#

d) 1.Bd6 Qg4+ 2.Ke5 Sd7#

e) 1.Bf6 Qg4+ 2.Ke5 Sc4#

2+3 echo model mates. No big strategy, even the 4th and 5th positions have two halfmoves the same.

a) 1.Qf6 Sc5 2.Qb2 Ra4#

b) 1.Rb6 Rb1 2.Rb3 Ra1#

c) 1.Bc4 Se1 2.Ba2 Sc2#

d) 1.Sc5 Sc1 2.Sa4 Rb3#

e) 1.a5 Rb3+ 2.Ka4 Sc5#

One of the most often reproduced helpmates ever. Five different pieces on a6 lead to five different model mates to black king, everytime with active blocking. Excellent find.

1.Se3 d8S 2.Sd5 Sb7#

1.Qc5 d8S 2.Rd5 Sxf7#

1.Qd5 d8B 2.Re5 Be7#

1.Qxf6 d8R+ 2.Ke7 Sc6#

1.Kc5 d8Q 2.Bd6 Qa5#

One solution too many? Perhaps yes, AUW is classical theme for 4 solutions, old Russian master decided to show the knight promotion twice.

1.Kc5 exd7 2.Kb6 dxc8Q 3.Ka7 Qb7#

1.Ke5 e7 2.Kxf6 exd8Q+ 3.Kg7 Qg5#

1.Kc3 exf7 2.Kb2 fxe8Q 3.Ka1 Qe5#

1.Ke3 exf7 2.Kf2 fxg8Q 3.Kg1 Qxg2#

1.g1B e7 2.Be3 exf8Q 3.Qe5 Qb4#

Another well known position. 5 solutions are joined together by queen promotion on 5 different squares, 4 of them showing really big star of bK, while in the 5th solution bK doesn't move.

a) 1...Sd7 2.Ka4 Sc5+ 3.Ka3 Sc2#

b) 1...S6d5 2.Ka5 Sc6+ 3.Ka4 Sc3#

c) 1...S4d5 2.Ka6 Sc7+ 3.Ka5 Sc4#

d) 1...S6d5 2.Ka4 Sc3+ 3.Ka5 Sc6#

e) 1...S4d5 2.Ka5 Sc4+ 3.Ka6 Sc7#

Lucky find? 5 symmetrical position on the b-file are naturally solved in asymmetric ways. But... the 2nd and the 5th position are in fact the same and the 3rd and the 4th position are the same as well...

1.Rcc4 Rxd3 2.e2 Rh3#

1.Rd5 Rb4 2.f3 Rh4#

1.c4 Rb5 2.e4 Rh5#

1.Sc4 Rb6 2.f5 Rh6#

1.e6 Rb7 2.Sb6 Rh7#

5 mates by rook on the h-file are attained by the analogical strategy: wR has a great solo, while Black 10 times opens line for this wR. Moreover this wR is unpinned in the first black moves.