Home - Levels – Mate search (or Ctlr-M)

 

This allows you to solve chess problems (“White to play and mate in n moves”). There is a special mate solving engine which can also handle selfmates in which White must force Black to mate him, and helpmates, in which both sides co-operate to mate Black.

 

 

In the dialog box for the mate search, select an engine (only engines which are specialised for mate searches will be displayed) and specify the kind of problem you are solving.

 

“Parameters” allows you to set certain options, especially for very deep mate problems which would otherwise take too long.

 

  “Heuristic search” allows you to specify the maximum number of flight squares the black king can have.

  “Threat with check” specifies how deep a mate threat should be for it to be considered.

 

The program not only displays the key move of the problem, but also generates a complete solution, with all alternative defences by Black. If the problem has more than one solution (i.e., it is “cooked”), then alternate solutions will be given as lines to the first move of White. “Last move” specifies whether the last move of the problem, which is usually obvious, should be included or not.