Babson Task - Forerunners of The Babson Task

Forerunners of The Babson Task

Wolfgang Pauly, 1912
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This 1912 problem by Wolfgang Pauly is, as it were, a three-quarter Babson task — three of black's promotions are matched by white. White to move and mate in four:

The key is 1.b3, after which there are the following lines:

1... a1Q 2. f8Q Qb2 3. Qa8 Qxc1 4. Qf3 mate
1... a1R 2. f8R (2. f8Q? a2 3. Qf6 stalemate) a2 3. Rf6 Kxh4 4. Rh6 mate
1... a1N 2. f8N a2 3. Ng6 Nxb3 4. Nf4 mate

However, this is not a full Babson, because 1... a1B 2. f8B does not work — white must instead play 2. f8Q, with similar play to above.

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