Latest News
update: 8-1-2021
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In the Bortolotti MT 2019 there are many sections and so also many prizes.
There about 38 studies shown.
1st prize winners are Sergei Osintsev, Janos Mikitovics (2x), Louis González
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NEW Issue EG 223 coming soon.
Interesting Contents:
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12 issues available here of the Hungarian chess magazine Magyar Sakkvilag 2020
by chief editor Péter Gyarmati
Magyar Sakkvilag magazine 2020
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List Composers by Alphabet is now updated with the data of the HHdbVI database !!
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In the 70 Jubilee Tournament: Muradov 70 JT 2020
1st prize is won by Igor Zaitsev with Oleg Pervakov (Russia),
2nd prize is for Steffen Nielsen (Denmark),
3rd prize goes to Vladislav Tarasiuk (Ukraine),
4th prize to Sergei Didukh (Ukraine) and
5th prize to Ben Smolkin (Canada)
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Winner of the 10th Maroc Echecs 2020 is: Luis Miguel Gonzalez,
2nd prize for Yuri Bazlov,
3rd prize goes to David Gurgenidze with Martin Minski.
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In the Marino Bortolotti MT 2019 there were 4 sections.
A) Win studies with no more than 11-12 pieces
B) Win studies with 13 pieces (or monsters with 16 pieces or more).
C) Draw studies with no more than 11-12 pieces
D) Draw studies with 13 pieces (or monsters with 16 pieces or more).
In the A-section 1st prize to Janos Mikitovics, 2nd prize to Pavel Arestov with Daniel Keith.
In the B-section 1st prize for Sergei Osintsev, 2nd prize for Martin Minski, 3rd prize goes to Andrzej Jasik.
In the C-section 1st prize for Luis Miguel Gonzalez, 2nd prize for Emil Melnichenko
in the D-section 1st prize for Janos Mikitovics, 2nd prize for Michal Hlnka with Ľuboš Kekely.
See the PDF files in: Awards Files
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Watch the very popular Netflix miniserie The Queen's Gambit (trailer), with very good chess acting.
A very nice drama with a lot of mixed chesshistory and also very good real chess quality.
Highly recommended to watch now during these winter days.
.
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Studies presented by the Slovak magazine Sach for Pravda 2016-2017 and 2018-2019 tournaments:
Michal Hlinka and Ľuboš Kekely were productive.
http://www.rubriky.net/pravda/r2020/pr_16_17x.php#d
http://www.rubriky.net/pravda/r2020/pr_18_19x.php#d
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Dr. Harold van der Heijden, editor of EG and HHdbVI study database,
has become 60 on 18 December !
Happy birthday, dear Harold!
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A new issue of Finales Y Temas (in spanish) by José Copié:
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New list and statistics-file to download, about the most productive composers according the new HHdbVI:
Composers by Production HHdbVI
Simple ranking list updated to HHdbVI: Ranking Composers
Many articles with numbers and names on this website get an update later.
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Harold van der Heijden
has released a new version (HHdbVI)
of his Endgame study database !!
This largest database contains now 93.839 endgame studies !!!
(On his website you also can find this leaflet, which you can open here as well, with detailed information)
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On the 5th of November the FIDE has reported the new title holders in Chess Composition
Congratulations to :




Geir Sune Tallaksen Østmoe, Norway
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In the very popular Netflix miniserie The Queen's Gambit (trailer), the Russian player Borgov is an expert at Endgames.
A very nice drama with a lot of mixed chesshistory and very good chess quality.
Highly recommended!
Tournament Awards
Please send new awards (if possible PDF and PGN) to
webmaster This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or also to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and they will be published at this website.
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Prize winners in the German Magazine Die Schwalbe tournament 2017-2018.
Win Section:
Mario Garcia (Argentinia) wins the first prize.
Second prize for Peter Krug (Austria) with Mario Garcia.
Third prize for Darko Hlebec, (Serbia).
4th Prize: Gunter Sonntag (Germany).
5th Prize: Pavel Arestov (Russia).
Draw Section:
First prize for: Bizya Buyannemekh (Mongolia) & Vladislav Tarasiuk (Ukraine) & Mario Garcia (Argentina).
Second Prize for: Pavel Arestow (Russia) & Vladislav Tarasiuk (Ukraine).
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Sergei Didukh, Evgeny Kopylov and Steffen Nielsen share the 1-3 prizes in the
Oleg Pervakov 60 Jubilee tournament.
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Steffen Nielsen also wins the FRME 6th Morrocan 2020 tournament.
2nd prize for Pavel Arestov with Daniel Keith; 3rd prize for A.Avni with VladislavTarasiuk.
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Steffen Nielsen wins the Schach 2018-2019 magazine tournament.
Second prize for Martin Minski, 3rd prize for Árpád Rusz,
and 4th prize for Gunther Sonntag.
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Amatzia Avni with Yochanan Afek win the FRME Theme ty 2020.
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S.Hornecker, M.Minski and Reddmann win the Moscow 2019 ty with a nice miniature.
2nd: M. Dore; 3rd: Gromov and O.Pervakov
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Preliminary award Lubos Kekely 60 Jubilee Tournament available as PDF.
Winners are Igor Yarmanov and A.Zhokiv with V. Lebedev.
PDF see Awards Files.
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Pavel Arestov wins the 5th FRME 2019 tournament.
Second prize winners Avni with Martin Minski.
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Martin Minski with Steffen Nielsen win the Phenix 2018 tournament.
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In four sections the winners of the UAPA 8th 2019 Foguelman 95 MT are:
Richard Becker, Peter Krug & Mario Garcia, Jan Timman & Mario Garcia and Peter Krug.
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Andrzej Jasik and Jan Timman win the Japanese magazine tournament: Problem Paradise 2018.
Studies to replay: Problem Paradise 2018
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Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen and Martin Minski win the Romanian tournament Bucovina 100 Years Cup 2018.
At the website of e4-e5, from page 696 to 698 you find the result in PDF.
Studies to replay: e4-e5 100 Years Cup 2018
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Jan Timman wins the Pal Benko 90 Jubilee Tournament.
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Amos Gilboa and Yochanan Afek win the Velimir Kalandadze Memorial Ty 2019
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Sergey Didukh winner of the 7th FIDE World Cup 2019 !
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Tournament Calendar.
On this page a calendar of all known Endgame study tournaments which are running with information:
Also a very good page to check tournament announcements is on UAPA: Informal Tournaments, Formal Tournaments.
Another good calendar for study tournaments is chess-compose blogspot.
Latest update on 3-1-2021.
Polášek and Vlasák 64 JT
See also: http://www.vlasak.biz/pv64.php
The Czech Chess Association and the Československý šach magazine announce an international EG study tournament.
Judges: Jaroslav Polášek and Emil Vlasák celebrating his 64th birthday.
Free theme, the judges are ready to grant special awards for development of themes and ideas.
Send originals (max 3 pieces per composer) till May 22th 2021 to the tournament director Emil Vlasák This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with CC to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Prize fund at least 10 000 Kč (about 400 EUR).
You can find current info, list of incoming entries, comments and award on web page www.vlasak.biz/pv64.php
Because of FIDE Album we guarantee Award in the year 2021.
The Award will be published in Československý šach magazine, too.
Henri Rinck 150 MT
The Sociedad Española de Problemistas de Ajedrez (SEPA) organizes a Memorial Tourney for endgame studies to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the renowned composer Henri Rinck.
Judges: Luis Miguel González and Pedro Cañizares Two sections:
A) Free theme
B) After H. Rinck (please indicate the reference position)
See this PDF for explanation with examples.
Joint compositions are allowed but only a maximum of 3 studies per composer in each section.
Submission deadline: 31.12.2020 Prizes, honourable mentions and commendations will be awarded in each section.
The preliminary award of the tourney will be sent to participants by e-mail and will be published in the magazine Problemas (2021).
Send your original endgame studies (preferably in PGN format although PDF and DOC also are admitted) to the Tourney Director:
Luis Gómez, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject H. Rinck 150 MT.
Section winners are awarded a yearly subscription to a magazine
TOURNEY MAGAZINE “PHENIX” 2021
The French magazine “Phenix” is looking for original orthodox studies (theme free, entries will be published in the magazine) for its informal tourney for the year 2021
– Please send your entries to Daniel Capron : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. until october 31 2021.
– Judge: Jan Sprenger (Germany)
– The preliminary award of the tourney will be sent to participants by e-mail and will be published in the site Internet of “Phenix” and in the magazine.
SINFONIE SCACCHISTICHE 2021
Studies –Informal tourney, free theme
– Judge: Marco Campioli
– Send your entries to the Director : Valerio Agostini –This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
– Tournament in two section: Study Win (+) and Study Draw (-)
– The compositions will be published in the magazine:
every composer will receive the copies of the publications and the awards (PDF version).
– Closing date 30.09.2021
STRATEGEMS – 2021 – Moremovers & Studies
Moremovers – Editor: Richard Becker – :This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – Judge: Alexander Kuzovkov.(Russia) .
Studies – Editor : Franjo Vrabec: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
– Judge: Pavel Arestov
– Prizes , honourable mentions , commendations and special nominations will be awarded.
DIE SCHWALBE 2021- 2022
The German chess problem society’s magazine «Die Schwalbe» informal tourney for original studies,
Please send your originals per e-mail to Michael Roxlau: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Judge: Yochanan Afek (Israel)
All entries and later the award will be published in «Die Schwalbe».
The award will have at least the usual three months confirmation time.
All authors receive the issues of the magazine with the original publication, the solutions (usually six months later) and the award .
Please include your postal address for this reason.
MAGYAR SAKKVILAG 2021
Informal tournament
Please, send your original work in PGN format.
Tournament director Peter Gyarmati to the e-mail address of the study :E-Mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ..
– Judge: Amatzia Avni (Israel)
– Deadline: 20th November 2021.
– Prizes , honourable mentions , commendations and special nominations will be awarded.
– The award will be sent to participants by e-mail.
CESKOSLOVENSKY SHACH – 2021
– The contest will include all original studies published in the journal during 2021.
– Send your originals on any topic (maximum 6 by one author) before November 20, 2021
to the address of Michal Hlinka (Slovakia): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., who will also judge competitions.
– More detailed analyzes and the pgn file can be found in the studies section on our website www.sach.cz.
Studies, informal tourney, no set theme
- Judge: Mario G. García (Argentina)
- Entries should be sent to: Hiroshi Manabe, Mita 5-7-12-805, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Prizes , honourable mentions , commendations and special nominations will be awarded.
- The award will be sent to participants by e-mail.
- Closing date: 31th October 2021
The Royal Moroccan Chess Federation (FRME) organizes the 3rd TT FRME, in 7 sections:
- A) Twomovers (#2) Judge: Juraj Brabec (Slovakia) – Send to tournament director: Twomovers (#2) to Mustapha Bakani (Marocco) E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- B) Threemovers (#3)- Judge: C.G.S. Narayanan (India)
- C) Moremovers (#4-6)- Judge: Henk le Grand (Netherlands)
- D) Endgame studies Theme: Two rooks and one minor piece against Queen. In the initial position, may presented be additional pieces. Is possible other configurations, changing the colors of the Queen and rooks and the minor piece. Slogan: Win or Draw. Judge: Mario Guido García (Argentina)
- E) Selfmates (S#3-7) Judge: Gennady Kozyura (Ukraine)
Send to tournament director: Threemovers (#3), Moremovers (#4-6),
Endgame studies and Selfmates (S#3-7) to Vidadi Zamanov (Azerbaijan) E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- F) Helpmates (H#2) theme: h#2. – Judge: Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia & Herzegovina) and Marko Klasinc (Slovenia)
- G) Helpmates (H#3) Judge: Aleksey Ivunin (Russia)
Send to tournament director: H#2 and H#3 to Jamal M Elbaz (Morocco) E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Closing date: 30. 08. 2021.
The award – 2021 All received problems will be presented to the judges in anonymous form.
Award will be published on the website: http://frme.fr.nf
-Thematics ot he sections and examples – LOOK HERE
14th INTERNATIONAL INTERNET TOURNAMENT (UAPA) – 2021
Section A : Theme : ( white builds Fortress - Draw ) or ( white ruins Black's Fortress- Win ) .
If the number of studies is significant, there will be two sections: A.1. Win and A.2. Draw
– Examples : Look here Fortress (chess)
– Judge : GM (chess) Petr Kiryakov (Russia)
Section B: No set theme.
B.1. Studies Win - Judge: IM (Composition) Michal Hlinka (Slovakia)
B.2. Studies Draw - Judge: FM (Chess) Poul Rewitz (Denmark)
Entries : not more than three per composer (in each section)
– Send studies to:: Sebastian Palomo This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
– or M. García This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
– All selected original studies will be posted periodically on the UAPA website: http://www.problemistasajedrez.com.ar/
– Prizes, honourable mentions, commendations and special nominations will be awarded.
- The provisional award will be issued in July 2021, will be available in the same website and will be sent to all participants
by e-mail.
– Closing date 30.4.2021
8th FIDE World Cup in Composing 2020
REGULATIONS of the Eighth FIDE World Cup 2020 in Composing
1. TASKS AND OBJECTIVES
The Eighth FIDE World Cup in Composing is held with the aim to:
- develop and promote chess;
- develop and promote chess composition as a constituent of chess culture;
- expand the geography of participants;
- decide the winners.
2. ORGANIZERS
The organizers are the International Chess Federation, with the participation of the World Federation for Chess Composition.
The holding of the tournament is the direct responsibility of the Director and the Panel of Judges:
The Director of the tournament is Aleksandr Bulavka (Belarus).
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A. Twomovers – Judge: Dragan Stojnić (Serbia)
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B. Threemovers – Judge: Miodrag Mladenović (Serbia)
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C. Moremovers – Judge: Mikhail Marandyuk (Ukraine)
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D. Endgame studies – Judge: Yochanan Afek (Israel)
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E. Helpmates – Judge: Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic)
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F. Selfmates – Judge: Aleksandr Azhusin (Russia)
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G. Fairies – Judge: Vlaicu Crisan (Romania)
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H. Retros and Proofgames – Judge: Nicolas Dupont (France)
3. TIME SCHEDULE OF THE EVENT
The closing date for submitting the entries is May 15, 2020.
The director will send all compositions to the judges on uniform and anonymous diagrams by June 1, 2020.
All judges are to submit their awards by August 1, 2020.
4. PARTICIPANTS
Anyone wishing to take part in the tournament can do so.
5. PROCEDURE FOR PARTICIPATION
In each section, only one composition by each author is acceptable and joint compositions are not allowed.
The theme is free in all sections. In the fairies section (G), there is no restriction on stipulations, conditions, the use of fairy pieces, or the number of moves.
In the selfmates section (F) and fairies section (G), only computer-tested problems (using Alybadix, Popeye, Gustav or WinChloe) are allowed;
the participants should specify the version of the program they used to test their entry.
Entries must be sent on diagrams with complete solutions and any comments by email only to the Director’s address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Participants should mention their postal address in the email.
6. TOURNAMENT AWARD
After receiving the entries in anonymous form from the Director, the judges consider the submitted compositions, determine their originality, difficulty, aesthetic appeal, search for possible anticipations, and decide their ranking in the tournament. In each section, compositions in first, second, and third places must be determined, as well as entries receiving honorary mentions and commendations.
It is also possible to specify prize-winning compositions (no more than three per section).
After ranking the entries, the judges are to send, within the preset period, their award, with the indication of numbers of the compositions in the award and related comments, to the Director of the tournament. After receiving the awards from the judges, the Director is to enter the names of the authors and provide the preliminary results for publication on the websites of FIDE and WFCC before August 15, 2020. During one month after the publication of the preliminary results, claims of defects and anticipations can be sent to the Director, who will accumulate and forward them to the judges.
After receiving the claims, the judges will make the final decision on the results of the World Cup and send the final award to the Director.
7. PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
The final results of this competition will be published on the FIDE and WFCC websites no later than Oсtober 1, 2020.
8. PRIZE-GIVING
In each section, the Cup winner will be entitled to a money prize of 500 Euro, a Cup, a medal, and a certificate.
Composers in 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded medals and respective certificates.
The certificates for 1st-3rd places will be signed by the President of FIDE.
The prizes and other distinctions are to be presented to the laureates on October 9, 2020, at the closing ceremony of the World Chess Composition Congress in Rodos (Greece)
9. ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES
These Regulations shall constitute an official invitation to the tournament.
44th World Chess Olympiad of 2020
The All-Russian Public Organization “The Chess Federation of Russia” (CFR) and, at the request of the CFR, the Commission for Chess Composition (CCC) announce an international chess composing tournament dedicated to the 44th World Chess Olympiad of 2020.
The chess composing tournament will be conducted in the following eight sections: twomovers; threemovers; moremovers; endgame studies;
helpmates; selfmates in 2-12 moves; fairy compositions; retros and proofgames.
The number of entries from one author in a section must not exceed two.
Moreover, only one individual composition will be allowed, i.e. one author can maximally submit oneindividual and one joint composition or two joint entries.
The number of co-authors of collective compositions is not limited.
All compositions are to be sent by email to the Executive Director of the tournament Vitaliy Medintsev, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
The closing date is postponed !
All participants are asked to present their entries not only on diagrams but also in FEN notation.
Information on the tournament, including the award, will be posted on the CFR website: https://ruchess.ru/.
The judges are:
Twomovers – V.Markovtsiy (Ukraine),
Threemovers – V. Kirillov (Russia),
Moremovers – V. Volchek (Belarus),
Endgame studies – M. Hlinka (Slovakia),
Helpmates – B. Shorokhov (Russia),
Selfmates in 2-12moves – V. Kopyl (Ukraine),
Fairies – P. Petkov (Bulgaria), Retros – V. Crisan (Romania).
Additional information on the Fairies section from the judge P. Petkov: 1.All types of fairy stipulations are allowed. There are no restrictions on the use of fairy pieces and conditions. 2. Only computer-tested (C+) entries will be allowed. The author must specify the pro-gram (and the program’s version) that was used to test the entry. Entries without such in-formationwill not be accepted for the tournament.
The preliminary award will be posted on the website http://www.selivanov.world/. The preliminary award may also be presented on a number of other sites. After the publication of the preliminary award, the participants will have 1 month for submitting their claims of defects and anticipations. After analyzing the claims, the judges will prepare the final award in each section. The CFR will present certificates and commemorative medals to the winners of the tournament. The judges will also receive commemorative medals.
EG 2020-2021
EG, the only periodical exclusively devoted to endgame studies, announces an informal tourney for original studies.
The studies and the award will be published in EG.
You are strongly urged to only send your best and most creative works.
The original’s editor will only select very good studies for publication.
Please send your originals in PGN-format to the editor Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The judge for the 2020-2021 tourney is Yochanan Afek.