MariaDB 10.2

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CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `pers` (
  `persID` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `name` varchar(35) NOT NULL,
  `gehalt` int(11) NOT NULL,
  `chefID` int(11) DEFAULT NULL,
  PRIMARY KEY (`persID`)
) ;

INSERT INTO `pers` (`persID`, `name`, `gehalt`, `chefID`) VALUES
(1, 'blb', 1000, 3),
(2, 'as', 1000, 3),
(3, 'chef', 1040, NULL);
UPDATE pers P 
SET P.gehalt = P.gehalt * 1.05 
WHERE (P.chefID IS NOT NULL 
OR gehalt < 
(SELECT (
    SELECT MAX(gehalt * 1.05) 
    FROM pers MA 
    WHERE MA.chefID = MA.chefID) 
    AS _pers
))
Table 'P' is specified twice, both as a target for 'UPDATE' and as a separate source for data

SELECT * FROM pers;


persID
name
gehalt
chefID


1
blb
1000
3

2
as
1000
3

3
chef
1040
null