12

The soft hiss of the chamber fills the room as the frost continues to melt. Inside, Santa’s features grow clearer—his thick beard covered in icy droplets, his face peaceful yet pale.

David reviews the console’s diagnostics. "The thawing process is proceeding smoothly. He should regain consciousness soon."

Magnus leans on the console. "How do you think he’s going to react?"

Wesley grimaces. "Not well. Imagine waking up thinking you’re ready for Christmas, only to find out it’s two weeks too early."

David exhales. "We’ll deal with it when it happens. For now, we’ve got to make sure this process is flawless."

The hum of the chamber shifts, signaling the final phase. Inside, Santa’s fingers twitch slightly, a sign of life returning.

Magnus glances at the others. "Here we go."

This is a serieshelpmate. Black plays 9 consecutive moves, without reply from White, after which White mates in one. Both players cooperate.

No intermediate checks are allowed, meaning that Black can only check on the 9th move.

Example format: 1. exd5 2. dxe4 3. exd3 4. dxe2 5. e1=B 6. Bxd2 7. Bxe3 8. Bxd4 9. Bxe5 Re2#.

Here's a board editor with the position. For help understanding the category, check out previous Serieshelpmate problems, or ask in our Discord.