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Yeah, I'm currently obsessed with selfmates. Here's one where it's just three Black pieces against the entire White army.

I named this puzzle "The Slaughterhouse" for a reason.

It's Black to move and selfmate themselves in 17moves. Naturally, White chooses to the delay the selfmate for as long as possible

enter image description here

Can you find the tatic that is required to solve this puzzle? I would also like a small explanation of why you choose the moves that you do.

Enjoy!

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  • $\begingroup$ I can win as black. $\endgroup$ – Overmind Jun 28 at 12:42
  • $\begingroup$ Can’t you still win as black, with 1. ... Bg3+ 2. Kg1 Qh2#? Interesting self-mate puzzle... $\endgroup$ – El-Guest Jun 28 at 13:10
  • $\begingroup$ Yes Black can win, but the point is for Black to force White to win. And thanks @El Guest! $\endgroup$ – Rewan Demontay Jun 28 at 13:18
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I spot a

windmill! 1 ...Bxg3+ 2 Kg1 Bh2+ 3 Kh1 Bxf4+ 4 Kg1 Bh2+ 5 Kh1 Bxe5+ 6 Kg1 Bh2+ 7 Kh1 Bxd6+ 8 Kg1 Bh2+ 9 Kh1 Bxc7+ 10 Kg1 Bh2+ 11 Kh1 Bxb8+ 12 Kg1

after which Black changes tack:

12 ... Bxa7+ 13 Nc5 (best) Bxc5+ 14 Rd4 (best) Bxd4 15 Be3 Bxe3 16 Rf2+ Bxf2+ 17 Qxf2# Even after all the pawns on the g3-c7 diagonal are gone, White still guards every square on the b6-f2 diagonal, so Black has no short cut: Black's bishop must operate the windmill all the way out to b8 so that it can get to the safe square a7.

What a slaughterhouse indeed! Well done!

As requested: an explanation of why I chose the moves I did. With such a terrifyingly long selfmate I thought that for the setter to have composed it at all, the solution must surely be a simple one, with Black always making checks which White can parry only in one way. I saw that most of them put a Black piece en prise -- not a good sign.

1 Bxg3+

looked better. Though it seems to be en prise, it isn't really, because White is in check from the other piece, and capturing the discoverer is not enough to get out of discovered check. From there it was no great leap of imagination to spot the idea that drives Black's play in the first part of the solution. The long diagonal of pawns with the bishop at one end was another clue.

I must admit that I underestimated the scale of the slaughter. I wondered if Black, after capturing the f4 pawn, could check with the queen so as to force White's queen or rook down for the mate. But that didn't work.

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  • $\begingroup$ You got the tatic down! And you've already partially solved the puzzle! Good job! $\endgroup$ – Rewan Demontay Jun 28 at 16:50
  • $\begingroup$ I would also like to know exactly why you would choose a Windmill for a solution to Black's plan for a selfmate! $\endgroup$ – Rewan Demontay Jun 28 at 16:51
  • $\begingroup$ Actually that went different from how I expected at first, from Black's 7th on. I thought that it would be enough to clear the f-file then play Black's Q to that file for the check that forces White's mate. But wow, what a slaughter. Great selfmate. $\endgroup$ – Rosie F Jun 28 at 17:16
  • $\begingroup$ If you like this sort of thing, here is another example. $\endgroup$ – Rosie F Jun 28 at 17:41
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks Rosie F.! It is a Saughterhouse indeed! Before I accept your answer though, please give my a small explanation as to why Black chose the tatics that chose! $\endgroup$ – Rewan Demontay Jun 28 at 19:04

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