September 16th

Hugo Rohr (16-09-1865 - 09-12-1937) German composer

Hugo Rohr was specialized in selfmates. He composed more than 1300 problems, of which 600 were published.
This one is a particularly good specimen:

Rohr, Hugo
La Stratégie, 1900
1^st Prize

s#4

8 + 8

Show Solution

1.Sb2-c4 ! (2.Sc4-e5 2...a4-a3/f6xe5 3.Ke3-e4 a4-a3/f6xe5 4.Qh3-d3+ Rg2-e2#)

1...b5-b4 2.Ke3-e4 ~ 3.Ra2-a1+ Kf1-e2 4.Qh3-g4+ Rg2xg4#
1...b5xc4 2.Bh4-f2 a4-a3 3.Ke3-d2 Kf1xf2 4.Qh3-f3+ Kf2xf3#

Battery mates. The variation 1...b5xc4 is especially subtle, as the black royal battery is built during play.