December 1st

Ivan O. Kos (01-12-1846 - 26-11-1907) Slovenian composer

Ivan Kos
[Wikimedia]

Ivan Kos was a talented composer of direct mates and selfmates.
"Slovenski glasnik" was the first Slovene language magazine with a chess column, which was edited by Josip Ogrinec and Ivan Kos.

He composed the first realization of a very productive selfmate idea discussed on Mat Plus forum in 2007. Here is this seminal selfmate in 8 moves:

Kos, Ivan O.
Шахматный вестник 1886

s#8

6 + 2

Show Solution

1.Rb1? Bd5? 2.Be4 Bc6 3.Bd5 Bb7 4.Bc6 Bxc6# but 1...Be4! and White has no tempo move.
1.Rh4!
1...Bd5/Bc6 2.Rh7! Be4 3.Rc7 Bd5 4.Be4 Bc6 5.Bd5 Bb7 6.Rc1! Bc6 7.Rb1! Bb7 8.Bc6 Bxc6#
The aim of the long manoeuvre of the white Rook (b4-h4-h7-c7-c1-b1) is to lose one tempo.

This mate in 5 was included in the collection published by John Augustus Miles "Chess gems: Some of the finest examples of chess strategy, by ancient and modern masters" (1878) which can be downloaded from archive.org.

Kos, Ivan O.
Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1869
1^st Prize

#5

9 + 8

Show Solution

1. Rc4! (2. e4+, Be4+)
1... bxc4 2. Bxd5 (3. e4+ Kxf4 4. Rf2#)
2... Rxb2 3. Bd2 (4. e4#)
3... Rxd2 4. Sg6 (5. Se7#)
4... Kxg6 5. Be4#
Deflection of the black Rook, sacrifices.