The Retrograde Analysis Corner

Shortest Mates in Proof Games

Summary of the already known records for shortest SPG's ending in mate.
Date: 11/06/1996. By Norbert Geissler and Richard Stanley.

1. SPG

This is one of the first attempts I know of to publish chess problems on an electronic media, an Internet mailing list. So if you want to reprint, use the given origin for first publication.

If you have found any SPG being shorter than or anticipating one existing in this list, or closing an open item, or having less captures, then please send it to:

Retro Mailing List (retros(at)janko.at)
or to:
Norbert Geissler (norbert.geissler(at)ng37.de)

Initiated by Gianni Donati (gianchess(at)aol.com) and Richard Stanley (rstan(at)math.mit.edu) in May 1996, compiled by Norbert Geissler (norbert.geissler(at)ng37.de), computer tested with Popeye V3.41 (except those marked with C-).

(Richard Stanley):
Here are some attempts at short SPGs ending in stipulated mates. After the stipulation I have put in parentheses the length of the shortest game I know ending in mate with the given stipulation, but without the requirement that it be a dual-free SPG. For some of the stipulations there are other SPGs of the same length, but I have only included one. I hope someone will check these for soundness, and of course also try to find shorter games.

(Norbert Geissler):
I added the castling mates and differentiated capturing moves from non-capturing moves. Due to a remark from Valery Liskovets (liskov(at)nalw01.math.tu-dresden.de) I differentiated the promotion mates with double check by the types of the mating pieces. To make probably ambiguous things clear, when you read something like 'Mate by piece ...' then piece is always the piece which is moved, i.e. the piece you will have in your hand when making the mating move, also the really mating piece may be the one which mates from the background due to a battery mate.

Notation:

C-	not computer tested
dc	mating move is a double check
nc	no capturing at all
mc	no capturing during all the moves of the mating side
rc	mating move requires capturing
wc	without capturing in the mating move
po	both sides make Pawn moves only

Mate by king (minimal length ?):

rc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(6.5): 1.e4 f5 2.Ke2 Kf7 3.Kf3 Kg6 4.Bc4 Kh5 5.d3 g6 6.Bg5 f4 7.Kxf4#
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.e3 e5 2.Ke2 Bb4 3.Kf3 Ke7 4.Kg4 h5+ 5.Kg5 Ke6#
mc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.e3 e5 2.Ke2 Bb4 3.Kf3 Ke7 4.Kg4 h5+ 5.Kg5 Ke6#
nc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.e3 e5 2.Ke2 Bb4 3.Kf3 Ke7 4.Kg4 h5+ 5.Kg5 Ke6#

Mate by queen (2.0):

rc: Joost de Heer, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(2.5): 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Ke7 3.Qxe5#
wc: Juha M. Saukkola, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(2.5): 1.e4 f5 2.exf5 g5 3.Qh5#
mc: Gianni Donati & Noam D. Elkies & Göran Forslund, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(3.0): 1.f3 e5 2.Kf2 Qh4+ 3.Ke3 Qd4#
nc: Gianni Donati & Noam D. Elkies & Göran Forslund, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(3.0): 1.f3 e5 2.Kf2 Qh4+ 3.Ke3 Qd4#

Mate by rook (4.5):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(4.5): 1.a4 c5 2.a5 Qxa5 3.Rxa5 c4 4.Rc5 c3 5.Rxc8#
wc: Juha M. Saukkola, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(5.0): 1.c4 a5 2.Qa4 Ra6 3.b3 Rc6 4.Bb2 Rxc4 5.Bf6 Rc1#
mc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(5.0): 1.f4 a5 2.Kf2 Ra6 3.Kg3 Rg6+ 4.Kh4 Nf6 5.Nh3 Rg4#
nc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(5.0): 1.f4 a5 2.Kf2 Ra6 3.Kg3 Rg6+ 4.Kh4 Nf6 5.Nh3 Rg4#

Mate by bishop (2.5):

rc: Göran Wicklund, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(3.5): 1.e3 h5 2.Bc4 h4 3.Qh5 h3 4.Bxf7#
wc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(3.5): 1.e3 g5 2.Be2 g4 3.Bxg4 f6 4.Bh5#
mc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(3.5): 1.e3 h5 2.Bd3 h4 3.Bh7 f5 4.Bg6#
nc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(3.5): 1.e3 h5 2.Bd3 h4 3.Bh7 f5 4.Bg6#

Mate by knight (3.0):

rc: Göran Wicklund, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(5.5): 1.Nf3 e6 2.Ne5 Ne7 3.Nxd7 e5 4.Nxf8 Bd7 5.Ne6 Rf8 6.Nxg7#
wc: Richard Stanley & Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(4.0): 1.c4 Na6 2.c5 Nxc5 3.e3 a6 4.Ne2 Nd3#
mc: Göran Forslund, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(4.5): 1.e3 f5 2.Qf3 Kf7 3.Bc4+ Kf6 4.Qc6+ Ke5 5.Sf3#
nc: Göran Forslund, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(4.5): 1.e3 f5 2.Qf3 Kf7 3.Bc4+ Kf6 4.Qc6+ Ke5 5.Sf3#

Mate by pawn (4.0):

rc: Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(4.5): 1.e4 c5 2.e5 c4 3.e6 c3 4.Bc4 Nc6 5.exf7#
wc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(4.0): 1.e3 e5 2.Ke2 Qh4 3.Kf3 f6 4.Be2 e4#
mc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(4.0): 1.e3 e5 2.Ke2 Qh4 3.Kf3 f6 4.Be2 e4#
nc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(4.0): 1.e3 e5 2.Ke2 Qh4 3.Kf3 f6 4.Be2 e4#

Mate by pawn, mating side makes pawn moves only (minimal length ?):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(6.5): 1.d4 d6 2.d5 Be6 3.dxe6 d5 4.g4 Qd6 5.g5 Nd7 6.g6 Rd8 7.exf7#
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.e3 e6 2.Ke2 e5 3.Kf3 e4+ 4.Kg4 d5+ 5.Kh5 g6#
mc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.e3 e6 2.Ke2 e5 3.Kf3 e4+ 4.Kg4 d5+ 5.Kh5 g6#
nc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.e3 e6 2.Ke2 e5 3.Kf3 e4+ 4.Kg4 d5+ 5.Kh5 g6#

Mate by pawn, both sides make pawn moves only (6.5):

rc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(7.0): 1.g4 e5 2.g5 e4 3.g6 e3 4.gxh7 g5 5.h4 g4 6.h5 g3 6.h6 exf2#
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(7.0): 1.f4 e5 2.f5 e4 3.f6 e3 4.fxg7 f5 5.h4 f4 6.h5 f3 6.h6 f2#
mc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(7.0): 1.f4 e5 2.f5 e4 3.f6 e3 4.fxg7 f5 5.h4 f4 6.h5 f3 6.h6 f2#

Mate by pawn promoting to queen (4.5):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(4.5): 1.e4 e6 2.e5 Bd6 3.exd6 Kf8 4.dxc7 d6 5.cxd8Q#
wc: Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.d4 b5 2.Qd3 b4 3.Qa3 b3 4.Bd2 bxc2 5.Bc3 c1Q#
mc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(6.5): 1.e4 d6 2.e5 dxe5 3.d4 Qd6 4.d5 Qb6 5.d6 e6 6.d7+ Ke7 7.d8Q#
po: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(8.5): 1.b4 a5 2.b5 a4 3.b6 a3 4.bxc7 b5 5.d4 b4 6.d5 b3 7.d6 b2 8.dxe7 d6 9.cxd8Q#

Mate by pawn promoting to rook (4.5):

rc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(4.5): 1.a4 b6 2.a5 Bb7 3.a6 Qc8 4.axb7 a6 5.bxc8R#
wc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(5.5): 1.b4 e6 2.Ba3 Bc5 3.bxc5 Qf6 4.c6 Ne7 5.cxd7+ Kf8 6.d8R#
mc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(7.0): 1.c4 d5 2.Qb3 d4 3.Qh3 d3 4.g3 Qd4 5.Bg2 Qe3 6.dxe3 d2+ 7.Kf1 d1R#
po: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(8.5): 1.b4 a5 2.b5 a4 3.b6 a3 4.bxc7 b5 5.d4 b4 6.d5 b3 7.d6 b2 8.dxe7 d6 9.cxd8R#

Mate by pawn promoting to bishop (5.0):

rc: Göran Forslund, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.5): 1.d4 g6 2.d5 Bh6 3.d6 Kf8 4.dxe7+ Kg7 5.Qd6 Qf8 6.exf8B#
wc: Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.5): 1.d4 f6 2.d5 Kf7 3.d6 Kg6 4.dxe7 d5 5.e4 Qd6 6.e8B#
mc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(7.0): 1.c3 d5 2.Qc2 d4 3.Qg6 Bf5 4.d3 Be4 5.dxe4 d3 6.Kd1 d2 7.Kc2 d1B#

Mate by pawn promoting to knight (5.0):

rc: Peter Rösler, 3510 (Version), Problemkiste, 8/1994
(5.5): 1.h4 d5 2.h5 Nd7 3.h6 Ndf6 4.hxg7 Kd7 5.Rh6 Ne8 6.gxf8N#
wc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(6.0): 1.h4 g6 2.Rh3 g5 3.Re3 gxh4 4.f3 h3 5.Kf2 h2 6.Qe1 h1N#
mc: Olli Heimo & Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(7.0): 1.d4 c5 2.dxc5 d5 3.Qd4 Be6 4.Qf6 d4 5.Kd2 d3 6.Kc3 d2 7.b4 d1N#

Mate by double check, no checking piece is attacked (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: open
mc: open
nc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(5.0): 1.f4 h5 2.Kf2 Rh6 3.Kg3 Rf6 4.Kh4 e6 5.Kg5 Rf5#

Mate by double check, one checking piece is attacked (4.5):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(5.0): 1.Nf3 Nc6 2.Nh4 Nd4 3.f3 c6 4.Kf2 Qb6 5.Kg1 Nxf3#
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.d3 Nf6 2.Bf4 Ne4 3.Bxc7 Nd2 4.Bd6 Qa5 5.Bc5 Nf3#
mc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.0): 1.d3 Nf6 2.Bf4 Ne4 3.Bxc7 Nd2 4.Bd6 Qa5 5.Bc5 Nf3#
nc: Göran Wicklund, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(5.5): 1.Sf3 d5 2.Se5 Bf5 3.Sd7 e5 4.c3 Se7 5.Qa4 Rg8 6.Sf6#

Mate by double check, both checking pieces are attacked (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(5.0): 1.Nc3 Nf6 2.Nd5 Ne4 3.Nxe7 Nxd2 4.Nd5 Bb4 5.a3 Nf3#
mc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.Nf3 Nc6 2.Ne5 Nd4 3.Nc4 e5 4.f4 Qf6 5.Kf2 Qb6 6.Kg1 Nf3#
nc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.Nf3 Nc6 2.Ne5 Nd4 3.Nc4 e5 4.f4 Qf6 5.Kf2 Qb6 6.Kg1 Nf3#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to queen, other battery piece queen (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.5): 1.d4 h5 2.d5 Rh6 3.d6 Re6 4.dxe7 f6 5.Qxd7 Kf7 6.e8Q#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to queen, other battery piece rook (minimal length ?):

rc: Jörg Varnholt, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(7.5): 1.h4 a5 2.h5 Ra6 3.h6 Rd6 4.hxg7 Rxd2 5.Rxh7 Rd6 6.Qd2 f5 7.Qh6 Kf7 8.gxf8Q#
wc: open

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to queen, other battery piece bishop (minimal length ?):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(10.0): 1.g4 b6 2.g5 Bb7 3.g6 Bxh1 4.gxh7 g5 5.f4 g4 6.f5 g3 7.f6 g2 8.fxe7 Qxe7 9.Kf2 Qg5 10.Kf3 gxf1Q#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to rook, other battery piece queen (minimal length ?):

rc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.5): 1.d4 c6 2.d5 Qb6 3.d6 Qxb2 4.dxe7 Qxc2 5.Ba3 Qxe2+ 6.Qxe2 Nf6 7.exf8R#
wc: open

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to rook, other battery piece rook (minimal length ?):

rc: Göran Wicklund & Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(7.5): 1.d4 Sc6 2.d5 Se5 3.d6 Sg4 4.dxe7 Sxh2 5.Qd6 Sg4 6.Rh3 Se5 7.Re3 Sg6 8.exf8R#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to rook, other battery piece bishop (minimal length ?):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(10.0): 1.g4 b6 2.g5 Bb7 3.g6 Bxh1 4.gxh7 g5 5.f4 g4 6.f5 g3 7.f6 g2 8.fxe7 Qxe7 9.Kf2 Qg5 10.Kf3 gxf1R#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to bishop, other battery piece queen (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, May 1996
(5.5): 1.d4 h5 2.d5 Rh6 3.d6 Re6 4.dxe7 f6 5.Qxd7 Kf7 6.e8B#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to bishop, other battery piece rook (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(9.5): 1.h4 f5 2.h5 f4 3.h6 f3 4.hxg7 fxe2 5.Rxh7 exf1B 6.Qf3 Nf6 7.Qxb7 Kf7 8.Qb5 Qe8 9.Qg5 e5 10.g8B#

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to knight, other battery piece queen (minimal length ?):

rc: Jörg Varnholt, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.5): 1.d4 b5 2.d5 Bb7 3.d6 Be4 4.dxe7 Bg6 5.e4 f6 6.Qxd7+ Kf7 7.exd8N#
wc: open

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to knight, other battery piece rook (minimal length ?):

rc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(7.5): 1.h4 d5 2.h5 d4 3.h6 Qd4 4.hxg7 Qxg2 5.Rxh7 Qh1 6.Bh3 f6 7.Bd7+ Kf7 8.gxh8N#
wc: open

Mate by double check, pawn promoting to knight, other battery piece bishop (minimal length ?):

wc: Paul Raican, Quartz 2, 1996
(9.0): 1.d4 g6 2.d5 Bg7 3.d6 Kf8 4.Qd5 Bd4 5.Bg5 Kg7 6.Bxe7 Qf8 7.Bd8 Ne7 8.dxe7 Kf6 9.e8N#

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (queen, queen) (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (queen, rook) (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (queen, bishop) (minimal length ?):

rc: Juha Saukkola, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(11.5): 1.c4 a5 2.c5 a4 3.c6 a3 4.cxb7 axb2 5.a4 Ra6 6.a5 Rd6 7.a6 c5 8.a7 Qb6 9.a8B Kd8 10.Ra7 Kc7 11.Na3 Kc6 12.bxc8Q#
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (queen, knight) (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (rook, queen) (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (rook, rook) (minimal length ?):

rc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (rook, bishop) (minimal length ?):

rc: Juha Saukkola, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(11.5): 1.c4 a5 2.c5 a4 3.c6 a3 4.cxb7 axb2 5.a4 Ra6 6.a5 Rd6 7.a6 c5 8.a7 Qb6 9.a8B Kd8 10.Ra7 Kc7 11.Na3 Kc6 12.bxc8R#
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (rook, knight) (minimal length ?):

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(12.0): 1.d4 g5 2.d5 g4 3.d6 g3 4.dxe7 gxh2 5.exf8B hxg1R 6.Rxh7 f5 7.Rxd7 f4 8.Rh7 f3 9.Rh1 fxg2 10.f3 Qd2+ 11.Kf2 Kd7 12.Kg3 gxh1N#
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (bishop, queen) (minimal length ?):

rc: open
wc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (bishop, rook) (minimal length ?):

rc: open

Mate by double check, both battery pieces promoted (bishop, knight) (minimal length ?):

wc: open

Mate by cross check (minimal length ?):

rc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(5.5): 1.e3 h5 2.Qxh5 d6 3.Ke2 Kd7 4.Kf3 Ke6 5.Kg4 f5+ 6.Qxg5#
wc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.d3 c6 2.Kd2 Qb6 3.Kc3 Qa6 4.Kb4 f6 5.c3 Kf7 6.Qb3+ e6#
mc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.d3 c6 2.Kd2 Qb6 3.Kc3 Qa6 4.Kb4 f6 5.c3 Kf7 6.Qb3+ e6#
nc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.d3 c6 2.Kd2 Qb6 3.Kc3 Qa6 4.Kb4 f6 5.c3 Kf7 6.Qb3+ e6#

Mate by castling kingside (6.0):

wc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.e4 e5 2.Ke2 Ne7 3.Kf3 Nec6 4.Kg4 f5+ 5.Kxf5 Bc5 6.Qg4 0-0#
mc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(6.0): 1.e4 e5 2.Ke2 Ne7 3.Kf3 Nec6 4.Kg4 f5+ 5.Kxf5 Bc5 6.Qg4 0-0#
nc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(8.0): 1.e4 e5 2.Ke2 Ne7 3.Kf3 Nec6 4.Kg4 Qh4+ 5.Kf5 g5 6.Kf6 Bc5 7.Kg7 f5 8.Kf6 0-0#

Mate by castling queenside (5.5):

wc: Gerd Wilts & Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(6.0): 1.e3 c6 2.Qg4 Qa5 3.Qxd7 Nxd7 4.Ke2 Nb6 5.Kd3 Bf5+ 6.Kd4 0-0-0#
mc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(7.5): 1.d4 e6 2.Bf4 Ke7 3.e3 Kf6 4.Bb5 Kf5 5.c4 Ke4 6.Qf3+ Kd3 7.Nc3 e5 8.0-0-0#
nc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(7.5): 1.d4 e6 2.Bf4 Ke7 3.e3 Kf6 4.Bb5 Kf5 5.c4 Ke4 6.Qf3+ Kd3 7.Nc3 e5 8.0-0-0#

Mate by en passant capture (5.5):

rc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(8.0): 1.e4 e5 2.Qg4 Be7 3.Qxd7+ Qxd7 4.f3 f5 5.Kf2 Qd4+ 6.Kg3 Qf2+ 7.Kh3 f4+ 8.g4 fxg3 ep.#
dc: Gerd Wilts & Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(7.0): 1.f4 e5 2.Kf2 Qh4+ 3.Kf3 Qf2+ 4.Kg4 h5+ 5.Kh3 h4 6.e4 d5+ 7.g4 hxg3 ep.#

Mate where every piece moves only once (2.0):

wc: Richard Stanley & Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(4.5): 1.e4 f6 2.Ba6 b5 3.d3 Bb7 4.Bh6 g5 5.Qh5#
mc: Richard Stanley & Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(4.5): 1.e4 f6 2.Ba6 b5 3.d3 Bb7 4.Bh6 g5 5.Qh5#
nc: Richard Stanley & Noam D. Elkies, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(4.5): 1.e4 f6 2.Ba6 b5 3.d3 Bb7 4.Bh6 g5 5.Qh5#

2. SSPG

This is one of the first attempts I know of to publish chess problems on an electronic media, an Internet mailing list. So if you want to reprint, use the given origin for first publication.

If you have found any series SPG being shorter than or anticipating one existing in this list, or closing an open item, then please send it to:

Retro Mailing List (retros@janko.at)
or to:
Norbert Geissler (norbert.geissler(at)ng37.de)

Initiated by Richard Stanley (rstan(at)math.mit.edu) in June 1996, compiled by Norbert Geissler (norbert.geissler(at)ng37.de), computer tested with Popeye V3.42 (except those marked with C-).

(Richard Stanley):
Though not nearly as challenging as the longest series SPG, one can also try to find the shortest series SPG (only White moves) ending with various kinds of mates, just as some of us have been doing for ordinary SPGs. Here are some attempts; some should be beatable.

(Norbert Geissler):
I differentiated capturing moves from non-capturing moves and added some new goals to achieve. If there are not computer tested entries, I keep the history of them.

Notation:

C-	not computer tested
dc	mating move is a double check
rc	mating move requires capturing
wc	without capturing in the last move (mating move)

Mate by king:

rc: open
wc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
C- (26): 1.h4 2.h5 3.h6 4.hxg7 5.gxh8N 6.Nxf7 7.Ng5 8.Nxh7 9.Nxf8 10.Nxd7 11.Nxb8 12.Nc6 13.Nd4 14.Nb5 15.d4 16.Kd2 17.Ke3 18.Kf4 19.Kg5 20.Kg6 21.Bg5 22.e3 23.Qh5 24.Be2 25.Bg4 26.Kg7#

Mate by queen:

rc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 5): 1.e3 2.Be2 3.Bh5 4.Qf3 5.Qxf7#
wc: Ulrich Ring, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
( 8): 1.d4 2.d5 3.d6 4.dxe7 5.exf8B 6.Ba3 7.Qd6 8.Qf8#

Mate by rook:

rc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 8): 1.h4 2.h5 3.h6 4.hxg7 5.Rxh7 6.Rxh8 7.Rxg8 8.Rxf8#
wc: Juha M. Saukkola, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(15): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxe7 5.exd8B 6.Bh4 7.Bf2 8.h4 9.Rh3 10.Rd3 11.Rxd7 12.d3 13.Qd2 14.Qg5 15.Rd8#
dc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(10): 1.a4 2.Ra3 3.Rd3 4.Rxd7 5.d3 6.Bg5 7.e3 8.Qf3 9.Qc6 10.Rxe7#

Mate by bishop:

rc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 6): 1.a4 2.Ra3 3.Rf3 4.e3 5.Bc4 6.Bxf7#
wc: Juha M. Saukkola & Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(10): 1.a4 2.Ra3 3.Rf3 4.Rxf7 5.Rf3 6.Rc3 7.e3 8.Bd3 9.Bxh7 10.Bg6#
dc: open

Mate by knight:

rc: Olli Heimo, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(13): 1.Nc3 2.Nd5 3.c3 4.Qc2 5.Qxh7 6.Qd3 7.Qb5 8.d3 9.Bg5 10.Bxe7 11.Bxd8 12.Bf6 13.Nxc7#
wc: Timothy Luffingham, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 9): 1.Nc3 2.Nd5 3.c3 4.Qc2 5.Qxh7 6.Qxg8 7.Qxg7 8.Qe5 9.Nf6#
dc: open

Mate by pawn:

rc: Ulrich Ring, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 7): 1.e3 2.Qg4 3.Qxg7 4.g4 5.g5 6.g6 7.gxf7#
wc: Ulrich Ring, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(14): 1.h4 2.Rh3 3.Rd3 4.Rxd7 5.Rd4 6.Ra4 7.d4 8.d5 9.d6 10.Qd5 11.Qxb7 12.Qxb8 13.Qxc8 14.d7#
dc: open

Mate by promoted pawn (queen):

rc: Timothy Luffingham & Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 6): 1.d4 2.d5 3.d6 4.dxe7 5.Qd6 6.exf8Q#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by promoted pawn (rook):

rc: Timothy Luffingham, Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
( 6): 1.d4 2.d5 3.d6 4.dxe7 5.Qd6 6.exf8R#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by promoted pawn (bishop):

rc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, October 1996
(12): 1.e4 2.Qg4 3.Qxg7 4.Qxg8 5.Qg3 6.Qb3 7.g4 8.g5 9.g6 10.g7 11.g8B 12.Bxf7#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by promoted pawn (knight):

rc: open
wc: Timothy Luffingham, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(12): 1.h4 2.h5 3.h6 4.hxg7 5.Rxh7 6.Rxh8 7.Rxg8 8.Rh8 9.g8N 10.Nh6 11.Nf5 12.Ng7#
dc: open

Mate by a battery without double_check:

rc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(13): 1.e4 2.Be2 3.Bh5 4.Ke2 5.Kf3 6.Kg4 7.Nf3 8.Re1 9.Re3 10.Ne1 11.Rf3 12.Rxf7 13.Rxg7#
wc: Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(10): 1.a4 2.Ra3 3.Rg3 4.b3 5.Bb2 6.Bxg7 7.Bxf8 8.Rxg8 9.Rxh8 10.Bg7#

Mate by two promoted pawns (queen, queen):

rc: Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(14): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8Q 6.Qxg8 7.Qg3 8.Qf2 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8Q 14.Qgxf7#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (queen, rook):

rc: open
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (queen, bishop):

rc: Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(14): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8Q 6.Qxg8 7.Qg3 8.Qf2 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8B 14.Bxf7#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (queen, knight):

rc: Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(16): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8Q 6.Qxg8 7.Qg3 8.Qxc7 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8N 14.Nxe7 15.Nc6 16.Qxd8#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (rook, queen):

rc: Gianni Donati & Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(14): 1.h4 2.h5 3.h6 4.hxg7 5.gxh8R 6.Rxg8 7.Rg4 8.Rf4 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8Q 14.Qxf7#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (rook, rook):

rc: open
wc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (rook, bishop):

rc: Gianni Donati & Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(14): 1.h4 2.h5 3.h6 4.hxg7 5.gxh8R 6.Rxg8 7.Rg4 8.Rf4 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8B 14.Bxf7#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (rook, knight):

rc: open
wc: Gianni Donati & Norbert Geissler, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
(14): 1.h4 2.h5 3.h6 4.hxg7 5.gxh8R 6.Rxg8 7.Rg4 8.Re4 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8N 14.Nf6#
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (bishop, queen):

rc: Ulrich Ring & Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(15): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8B 6.Bd4 7.Bf2 8.e3 9.Qg4 10.Qxg8 11.g4 12.g5 13.g6 14.g7 15.gxf8Q#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (bishop, rook):

rc: Ulrich Ring & Richard Stanley, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(15): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8B 6.Bd4 7.Bf2 8.e3 9.Qg4 10.Qxg8 11.g4 12.g5 13.g6 14.g7 15.gxf8R#
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (bishop, bishop):

rc: Ulrich Ring, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
(18): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8B 6.Bd4 7.Bf2 8.e3 9.Qg4 10.Qxg8 11.Qg4 12.Qc4 13.g4 14.g5 15.g6 16.g7 17.g8B 18.Bxf7#
wc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (bishop, knight):

rc: open
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (knight, queen):

rc: open
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (knight, rook):

rc: open
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (knight, bishop):

rc: open
wc: open
dc: open

Mate by two promoted pawns (knight, knight):

rc: open
wc: Göran Wicklund, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
C- (31): 1.b4 2.b5 3.b6 4.bxa7 5.axb8N 6.Nc6 7.Nd4 8.Nf5 9.d4 10.Kd2 11.Kc3 12.Kb4 13.c3 14.Qa4 15.Qxa8 16.a4 17.a5 18.a6 19.a7 20.Ra6 21.Rg6 22.Rxg7 23.Rg3 24.Rh3 25.g4 26.g5 27.g6 28.g7 29.gxf8N 30.Nd6 31.Ng7#

Mate by three or more promoted pawns (rook, rook, rook):

rc: open
wc: Gianni Donati, Retro Mailing List, June 1996
C- (37): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8R 6.Rxg8 7.Rg3 8.Ra3 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8R 14.Rgg3 15.Rgc3 16.e3 17.Qf3 18.Qxb7 19.Qxb8 20. Qb4 21.Qh4 22.b4 23.b5 24.b6 25.b7 26.b8R 27.Rbb3 28.Bb5 29.d3 30.Nd2 31.Ne4 32.Bd2 33.0-0-0 34.Rf1 35.Rf5 36.Re5 37.Nf6#
wc: Unto Heinonen, Retro Mailing List, November 1996
C- (35): 1.f4 2.f5 3.f6 4.fxg7 5.gxh8R 6.Rxg8 7.Rg4 8.Ra4 9.g4 10.g5 11.g6 12.g7 13.g8R 14.Rgg4 15.Rgd4 16.e4 17.Ne2 18.Ng3 19.Be2 20.Rf1 21.Rxf7 22.Rf3 23.Rfa3 24.c3 25.Qb3 26.Qxb7 27.Qxb8 28.Qb3 29.Qg8 30.b4 31.b5 32.b6 33.b7 34.b8R 35.Bh5#

Mate by three or more promoted pawns (?, ?, ?):

rc: open
wc: open