A reflexmate is a
chess problem in which White, moving first, must force Black to deliver
checkmate
Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game.
In chess, the king is ...
within a specified number of moves against their will – with the added condition that if either player can give checkmate, they must. If this condition applies only to Black, it is a semi-reflexmate. (Without this condition, the problem is just ordinary
selfmate.)
Example
The problem illustrated is a fairly recent example, successful in the
World Chess Composing Tournament despite only a single
phase of play present. It is by
Å tefan SovÃk and is a reflexmate in two moves.
The is 1.Qh5 and White threatens 2.Nbxc3, after which Black is compelled by additional condition to mate by Rxc3, with triple
pin of Rc4, Bd4 and Ne4.
There are three thematical variations with unpinnings of three pieces, but every time Black has to mate by after selfpin of unpinned piece on c3:
* 1...Qxa4 2.Rxc3 Qb5# (White move:
rook unpinned by
queen
Queen most commonly refers to:
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen (band), a British rock band
Queen or QUEEN may also refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Q ...
move selfpins)
* 1...Rxc8 2.Bxc3 Rd8# (White move:
bishop
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
unpinned by rook move selfpins)
* 1...Bxh5 2.Nexc3 Bg6# (White move:
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.
The concept of a knighthood ...
unpinned by bishop move selfpins)
Another three variations result in unpinnings of white pieces, but the mates are not by switchback:
* 1...Qd7 2.Rc6 Qxd4# (White move: unpinned rook unguards d4 and unpins queen)
* 1...Nd5 2.Bxe3 Nf4# (White move: unpinned bishop opens d-{{chessgloss, file and blocks e3)
* 1...Kd7 2.Bxc3 Kxc8# (White move: unpinned bishop opens d-file and selfpins on c3)
In the next three variations the black pieces are unpinned and mate:
* 1...Qc6 2.Bxb3 Qxe4# (White move: bishop unpins queen)
* 1...Nf5 2.Rxc7 Rxd4# (White move: rook unpins rook)
* 1...Bf7 2.Qf5 Bxc4# (White move: queen unpins bishop)
The last variation is just technical:
* 1...Rxb1 2.Bd1 Rxd1#
The example is putting emphasis on unpinning and pinning (see
motivation
Motivation is an mental state, internal state that propels individuals to engage in goal-directed behavior. It is often understood as a force that explains why people or animals initiate, continue, or terminate a certain behavior at a particul ...
) and illustrates one of the artistic advantages of reflexmate over selfmate, namely the presence of more varied mates (on average).
Chess problems
Fairy chess