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Here’s another different one. You must find as many mates in 4 as possible. Include shorter ones if you want that you find, but at least one mate in four has to be included in your answer. But no computers are allowed! This is a challenge for your brain only!

Also assume that black plays perfectly.

Number Of Moves To Make: 4

Side To Move And Mate: White

The Position:

enter image description here

Good luck!

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  • $\begingroup$ I just gotta say this puzzle got significantly easier once you edited because you don't have to deal with the queen and an extra rook now. $\endgroup$
    – Nick Vitha
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 23:20

3 Answers 3

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I am not sure I get the point of this puzzle, but just to show a variety of solutions:

1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Bb8 Ka8 4.Qb7#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc7 Ka8 4.Qb7#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc7 Ka8 4.Qb8#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc7 Ka8 4.d8R#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc7 Ka8 4.d8Q#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc7 Ka8 4.Rh8#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8R Ka7 3.Rc7 Ka8/b8 4.d8R#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8R Ka7 3.Rc7 Ka8/b8 4.d8Q#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8R Ka7 3.Rc7 Ka8/b8 4.Rh8#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc5 Ka8 4.d8R#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc5 Ka8 4.d8Q#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.c8Q Ka7 3.Qc5 Ka8 4.Rh8#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.d8Q Ka7 3.Qd4 Ka8 4.c8R#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.d8Q Ka7 3.Qd4 Ka8 4.c8Q#
1.Ra8 Ka8 2.d8Q Ka7 3.Qd4 Ka8 4.Rh8#
1.c8N Rc8 2.dc8N Ka8 3.Ne7 Ka7 4.Bf2#

Also, given by @PilsNot3

1.c8N Rc8 2.dc8N Ka8 3.Nb6 Ka7 4.Ra8#

That's already 17 solutions. I may be missing some, but the choice is limited because

Any non-check move by White would be countered by a check or a mate by Black.

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One forced mate in 4:

1. c8=N+ Rxc8
2. dxc8=N+ Ka8
3. Nb6+ Ka7
4. Ra8#

There’s also a mate in 1 (probably unintentional by the OP, but it’s still valid):

1. Bf2#

And a smattering of mates in 3 along the lines of Gareth McCaughan’s solution, but I can’t seem to find any other mates in 4.

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  • $\begingroup$ Damn it, I was just writing that one down, after grumping a bit at OP changing the puzzle after I solved it. Oh well, never mind. $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 23:16
  • $\begingroup$ Ah, that really sucks! Have a consolation +1 from me :) $\endgroup$
    – HTM
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 23:18
  • $\begingroup$ No consolation prizes necessary; it's just a thing that happens. (Thanks, though.) $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Commented Apr 23, 2019 at 23:24
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Here's one. (Assuming I'm not missing something; I am taking [no-computers] seriously and attempting to do it in my head.)

1. Rxa8+ Kxa8 [Black has no other legal move here]
2. d8=Q+ Ka7 [if Rxb8 then 3. cxb8=Q#]
3. Qb8+ Rxb8 [Black has no other legal move here]
4. cxb8=Q#

[EDITED to add:] After I posted this, OP changed the diagram substantially and of course the solution is no longer valid. (Because it's now a mate in 3 and for reasons I don't entirely understand OP wants only mates whose worst case is exactly 4 moves long.)

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