Queen promotions 5

1.Ba1 a8Q 2.Kc3 Qa3#

1.c1S b8Q 2.Se2 Qb1#

1.d5 c8Q 2.dxc4 Qxc4#

1.dxe3 e8Q 2.Qxc4 Qxe3#

1.Qf3 f8Q 2.Ke4 Qf5#

1.Ke2 g8Q 2.Kf3 Qg4#

6 solution with 6 queen promotions, the Black play is very varying. Note, however, that Bg1 has no role in the first solution.

1.Rb8+ cxb8Q 2.Rc8 dxc8Q#

1.Rc8 dxc8Q 2.Rd8 cxd8Q#

1.Kd6 cxd8Q 2.Ke6 dxe8Q#

1.Kb7 dxe8Q 2.Rb8 cxb8Q#

4 queen promotions form a cycle!

a) 1.Qxe5 cxb8Q 2.Qxe6 Qf4#

b) 1.Rxe6 c8Q 2.Rxe5 Qg4#

c) 1.Qxd5 d8Q 2.Qxc6 Qd3#

d) 1.bxc6 c8Q 2.cxd5 Qc2#

Very difficult idea: doubled complete destruction of two batteries aimed in diagram position at bK with unified motivation - clearance of line for promoted wQ.

1...bxc8Q 2.d1B+ Qc2 3.Bg4 Qh7#

1.dxc1Q b8Q 2.Qc2+ Qb3 3.Qg6 Qh3#

In both set play and solution there is Chernous theme that was the object of Isaak Kavnatsky 90 JT, whose award we've published too. Pity that white knight plays no role in set play.

1.a5 bxa5 2.Kb4 a6 3.Ka5 a7 4.Ka6 a8Q#

1.Qa5 bxa5 2.Kb5 axb6 3.Ba5 b7 4.Kb6 b8Q#

1.d5 bxc5 2.Rd6 c6 3.Kc5 c7 4.Kc6 c8Q#

1.Qa4 b5 2.Kd5 bxc6 3.Kd6 cxd7 4.Rc6 d8Q#

Four very similar mates after four marches of wp as well as bK. Two of them are in echo (b8Q#, c8Q#), one is on the edge of the board and the last one uses power of wK. Construction has some interesting points, note that e.g. after 1.Qa5 doesn't work b5? 2.Kd5 ... d8Q+? because of line opening, 5.Qxd8!

1.f1Q+ Kb2 2.Qg2+ Kb1 3.Qg7 fxg7+ 4.Ke7 g8Q 5.b2 f8Q#

Three queen promotions...

1.g1Q bxa6 2.Qb1 a7 3.Qg6 hxg6 4.h1Q gxf7 5.Qb7 fxe8Q 6.Qb8 axb8Q#

... and four, two of them black! 6 moves is the minimum for two black queen promotions as they both must demonstrate their diagonal and orthogonal mobility, but having the chance to have 2 wQ within this time and the need to limit mobility of other pieces, it increases immensely the danger of cooks. How it was possible to construct that? Can you make any other h#6 with 2+2 queen promotions?

1.f1Q Kd1 2.Qd3+ Kc1 3.Qc3+ bxc3 4.h1Q c4 5.Qh2 c5 6.Qd6 cxd6 7.a1B d7 8.Bg7 d8Q#

Three queen promotions, two of them Black. As promoted bishop moves, minimal number of moves for that type of solution is 8 - what is reached here.