www.arves.org - Variantim 2020

Studies presented in 2020 in the magazine Variantim of The Israel Chess Composition Society.

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020"] [White "P. Arestov & P. Kiryakov (Russia)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [FEN "K2B4/2N5/7P/8/8/2P1q3/4P3/1k6 w - - 0 1"] 
 1.Kb7 $1 ( 1.h7 Qxc3 ) ( 1.Bf6 Qb6 ) 1...Qxe2 $1 ( 1...Qxh6 2.Be7 { with idea 3.Bb4 fortress; } ( 2.Nb5 ) ) ( 1...Qxc3 2.Nd5 $1 Qc5 ( 2...Qd4 3.Kc6 Qc4+ 4.Kd6 ) 3.e4 $1 ) 2.Kc6 $1 ( 2.Bf6 Qf3+ ) ( 2.h7 Qb2+ ( 2...Qf3+ ) 3.Kc8 Qxc3 ) 2...Qc4+ 3.Kd7 $1 ( 3.Kd6 Qxc3 ) 3...Qd3+ $1 ( 3...Qxc3 4.Bg5 Qe5 5.Ne6 ) 4.Ke7 $1 ( 4.Ke8 $2 Qd6 $1 5.Kf7 Qxd8 ) 4...Qxc3 5.Kf7 $1 (  5.Ne6 Qh8 ) 5...Qd2 ( 5...Qh8 6.Bg5 Qh7+ 7.Kf6 Qxc7 8.Kg6 ) 6.h7 $1 ( 6.Kg6 Qd3+ $1 ( 6...Qxd8 7.h7 ) 7.Kg7 Qxd8 8.h7 Qg5+ 9.Kf7 Qh6 10.Kg8 Qg6+ 11.Kh8 Qf7 ) 6...Qh6 7.Kg8 Qg6+ 8.Kh8 { white king went from a8 to h8 (a8-b7-c6-d7-e7-f7-g8-h8) } 8...Kc2 9.Ne6 $1 { with 2 lines A) } 9...Kc3 ( { B) } 9...Qf7 10.Bf6 $1 Kd2 ( 10...Kd3 11.Be7 Kc4 12.Ng5 $1 { see line A } ) 11.Bg7 Ke3 ( 11...Kd3 12.Bh6 Kc4 13.Ng5 ) 12.Bf8 ( 12.Bh6+ $2 Kd3 13.Bf8 Kc4 ) 12...Kf2 ( 12...Ke4 ) ( 12...Kf3 13.Ng5+ ) 13.Bd6 $1 Qxe6 ( 13...Kg2 14.Be5 ( 14.Bf4 ) 14...Kh3 15.Ng5+ ) 14.Kg7 ) (  9...Qxe6 10.Kg7 ) 10.Bf6+ $1 ( 10.Be7 Kc4 11.Bf6 Qf7 12.Be7 Kd5 ) 10...Kc4 11.Be7 Qf7 ( 11...Qxe6 12.Kg7 $1 Qxe7+ 13.Kg8 ) ( 11...Kd5 12.Nf4+ ) 12.Ng5 Qg6 13.Ne6 $1 { positional draw. } 1/2-1/2

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020"] [White "János Mikitovics (Hungary)"] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "8/3r4/3n4/1P6/K4k2/R1NP4/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 
 1.Kb4 $1 ( 1.b6 $2 Nc8 $1 2.Nd5+ Rxd5 ( 2...Ke5 $2 3.Rc3 $18 ) 3.b7 Nb6+ 4.Kb4 Nd7 $1 $11 ( 4...Rd8 $2 5.Ra6 $3 Nd7 6.Rd6 $18 ) ) 1...Ke3 2.b6 $1 (  2.Kc5 $2 Nxb5 $1 $11 ) 2...Nc8 $1 3.Nd5+ $3 Rxd5 ( 3...Kd4 4.Ra8 $1 ( 4.Rc3 $2 Nxb6 ) 4...Nxb6 5.Nxb6 Rd6 ( 5...Rb7 6.Rd8+ $18 ) 6.Nc4 $1 Rh6 7.Rd8+ Rd6 8.Rxd6# ) ( 3...Kd2 4.Kc4 $18 ( 4.Rc3 $2 Nxb6 $1 $11 ) ) 4.b7 Ne7 5.Ra6 $3 (  5.b8=Q $2 Nc6+ $11 { fork } ) ( 5.Rc3 $2 Rd8 $11 ) 5...Rd4+ 6.Kb3 { /c3 } (  6.Kb5 $2 { /a5/c5 } 6...Rd5+ 7.Kb6 Rd6+ 8.Kb5 { /c5 } ( 8.Kc7 $2 Rxa6 $11 ) 8...Rd5+ 9.Kb4 { /a4/c4 } 9...Rd4+ 10.Kb3 { /c3 loss of time } ) 6...Rxd3+ 7.Kb2 { /c2 } 7...Rd8 $1 8.Ra8 $1 ( 8.Re6+ $2 Kd4 $1 $11 ( 8...Kd3 $2 9.Rxe7 Kd4 10.Rd7+ $18 ) ) 8...Rd2+ 9.Kc1 $3 ( { Thematic try } 9.Kc3 $2 Rd3+ $1 (  9...Nd5+ $2 10.Kb3 Rd3+ 11.Kb2 $18 ) 10.Kc2 ( 10.Kc4 Rd4+ 11.Kc5 Rd5+ 12.Kb6 Rd6+ 13.Kc7 Rc6+ 14.Kd7 Rb6 $11 ) 10...Nc6 11.Re8+ Kd4 12.Rd8+ Nxd8 13.b8=Q Ke4 $3 14.Qb4+ Rd4 15.Qe7+ Kf5 $1 ( 15...Kf4 $2 16.Kc3 Rd5 17.Kc4 Rd4+ 18.Kc5 $1 $18 ( 18.Kxd4 $2 Nc6+ $11 { fork } ) ) 16.Qc5+ Ke4 17.Qe7+ Kf5 { positional draw. } ) ( 9.Kb1 $2 Nc6 $1 $11 ( 9...Rd1+ $2 10.Kc2 Rd2+ 11.Kc1 { main } ) ) 9...Nc6 10.Re8+ $1 Kd3 11.Rd8+ $18 ( 11.Rc8 $2 Rc2+ $11 ) 1-0

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020.02.07"] [White "Steffen Nielsen (Denmark)"] [Result "1-0"] [EventDate "2018"] [FEN "1RRB4/P3Pp2/P7/r3n3/8/3pk3/8/6K1 b - - 0 1"] [SourceVersionDate "2019.02.05"] 
 1...Nf3+ 2.Kf1 ( 2.Kg2 $2 Rg5+ { and a perpetual } ) 2...Ra1+ { Now White has choice among three legal moves. The natural 3. Kg2 or the mysterious 3...Rb1 or 3... Rc1. } 3.Rb1 $3 ( 3.Kg2 $2 { Try } 3...Rg1+ 4.Kh3 Ng5+ 5.Kh4 Nf3+ 6.Kh5 Rh1+ 7.Kg4 Rg1+ 8.Kf5 Rg5+ 9.Kf6 Rg6+ 10.Kxf7 Ne5+ 11.Kf8 Nd7+ 12.Ke8 Ne5 13.Bb6+ Ke2 14.Kd8 Rd6+ ( 14...d2 $2 15.Rc2 ) 15.Kc7 { (?) } ( 15.Ke8 $11 ) 15...Rd7# { The rook on b8 blocks the escape of the White king. } ) (  { Correction try } 3.Rc1 $5 Rxc1+ 4.Kg2 Rg1+ 5.Kh3 Rh1+ 6.Kg4 Rg1+ 7.Kf5 Rg5+ 8.Kf6 Rg6+ 9.Kxf7 Ne5+ 10.Kf8 Nd7+ 11.Ke8 Ne5 12.Bb6+ Ke2 ( 12...Kf4 13.Kd8 d2 14.Be3+ Kxe3 15.Rb1 ) 13.Kd8 $2 ( 13.Kf8 $11 ) 13...d2 $1 $19 { The problem with 3. Rc1!? Compared to the mainline, 14. Rb2 is not possible, because the bishop is on b6. } ( 13...Rd6+ $2 14.Kc8 { Unblock of c8. The point of 3...Rc1!? } ( { or } 14.Kc7 Rd7+ 15.Kc8 ) ) ) 3...Rxb1+ 4.Kg2 Rg1+ 5.Kh3 Ng5+ ( 5...Rh1+ 6.Kg4 Rg1+ 7.Kf5 { transfers to the mainline } ) 6.Kh4 Nf3+ 7.Kh5 Rh1+ $1 ( { or } 7...Rg5+ 8.Kh6 Rg6+ 9.Kh7 Ng5+ 10.Kh8 Rh6+ 11.Kg7 ( 11.Kg8 ) 11...Rg6+ 12.Kf8 $18 ) 8.Kg4 Rg1+ 9.Kf5 Rg5+ 10.Kf6 Rg6+ 11.Kxf7 Ne5+ 12.Kf8 Nd7+ ( 12...Rf6+ 13.Kg8 ( 13.Kg7 ) 13...Rg6+ 14.Kh7 $18 ) 13.Ke8 Ne5 $1 { Finally White has some breathing space. } 14.Bb6+ Ke2 ( 14...Kf4 15.Rc4+ Kf5 ( 15...Nxc4 16.Kf8 ( 16.Bc7+ ) ) 16.Kd8 $18 ) 15.Kd8 Rd6+ ( 15...d2 $2 16.Rc2 $1 $18 { The point of 3. Rb1! in comparison to 3. Rc1!? } ) 16.Kc7 Rd7+ 17.Kb8 $18 { Unblock of b8. The other point of 3.Rb1! } 1-0

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020"] [White "S.Didukh (Ukrain)"] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "4r3/p1pk4/b4p2/n7/4p1PP/B7/2PN4/R3K3 w Q - 0 1"] 
 { White can castle but the King is not satisfied with the development of the light pieces. He wishes to re-develop Knight and Bishop on other squares before castling. So, White returns his pieces back. } 1.Bc1 $1 (  1.O-O-O $2 Kc8 $11 ) ( 1.Bc5 $2 e3 2.Nb1 Nb7 $1 $11 ) ( 1.Bb2 $2 e3 2.Rxa5 exd2+ 3.Kxd2 Re2+ 4.Kd1 Bc4 5.Bxf6 Re4 $11 ) 1...e3 2.Nb1 $1 ( 2.Nf3 $2 Bb7 $1 $11 ) 2...Re5 ( { Black can try a sacrifice } 2...Nc6 $5 { with the idea to profit from White's intentional underdevelopment. } 3.Rxa6 Nd4 4.Rxf6 Nxc2+ 5.Ke2 Nd4+ 6.Kd3 e2 7.Bd2 e1=Q 8.Bxe1 Rxe1 9.Kxd4 Rxb1 10.Ke3 Re1+ 11.Kf2 $18 { the connected pair of pawns decides. } ) 3.Bb2 Rb5 ( { Another attempt to drop a piece } 3...Rc5 4.Bc3 $1 f5 $1 { forces White to find several precise moves: } 5.Rxa5 Rxa5 6.Bxa5 f4 7.Na3 $1 Kd6 ( 7...Kc6 8.c4 Bc8 9.Nc2 Bxg4 10.Nb4+ Kd6 11.Nd5 $18 ) 8.c4 Bc8 9.Nb5+ Kc5 10.Bxc7 Bxg4 11.Bxf4 $18 ) 4.Nc3 $1 ( 4.Bxf6 $2 Rb4 $1 5.Bg5 ( 5.Rxa5 $4 Rxb1# ) 5...Rxg4 6.Bxe3 Nc4 $11 ) ( 4.Bd4 $2 Rb4 5.Bxe3 Bb7 6.Nc3 Rc4 7.Kd2 Nc6 8.Nd5 Nb4 9.Nxf6+ Ke6 10.c3 Kxf6 $11 ) 4...Rxb2 ( 4...Rc5 5.h5 Ke6 6.h6 Kf7 7.h7 Kg7 8.Ne4 Rxc2 9.Rxa5 Re2+ 10.Kd1 Rxb2 11.Rxa6 $18 ) 5.O-O-O+ $1 { The King keeps his promise. } 5...Ke6 6.Kxb2 { wins, e.g. } 6...Nc4+ 7.Kc1 Ne5 8.Re1 Nxg4 9.Nd1 e2 10.Nc3 $18 1-0

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020.05.21"] [White "Peter Krug (Austria) & Mario Garcia (Argentina) "] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [FEN "2q1k3/4pp1p/2P4K/p2N2P1/4N3/2pB4/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 
 1.g6 $1 { with two lines : A) } 1...c2 ( { B) } 1...Qxc6 2.Bb5 $1 Qxb5 3.Nc7+ $1 ( 3.g7 $2 Qxd5 4.g8=Q+ Kd7 $19 ) 3...Kf8 4.g7+ $1 ( 4.Nxb5 $2 c2 5.Kxh7 (  5.gxh7 c1=Q+ $19 ) 5...fxg6 $19 ) 4...Kg8 5.Nf6+ exf6 6.Nd5 Qxd5 $11 { stalemate } ) 2.Kg7 $1 ( { Try: } 2.Bxc2 $2 Qxc6 3.Ba4 ( 3.Nef6+ exf6 4.g7 f5+ 5.Kxh7 Qg6+ 6.Kg8 Kd7 $19 ) 3...Qxa4 4.g7 Qxe4 5.g8=Q+ Kd7 6.Qxf7 Qe6+ 7.Qxe6+ Kxe6 $19 ) 2...Qg4 ( 2...fxg6 3.c7 c1=Q 4.Bb5+ Qd7 5.Nec3 $1 $11 { positional draw } ) 3.Nd6+ $1 ( { Try : } 3.Nef6+ $2 exf6 4.Bxc2 Qg5 5.c7 Kd7 6.Bd3 Qxd5 7.gxf7 ( 7.gxh7 Qxd3 $19 ) 7...Qg5+ 8.Kxh7 Qc5 9.Kg8 a4 10.Bb5+ ( 10.f8=Q Qxf8+ 11.Kxf8 a3 $1 $19 ) 10...Qxb5 11.c8=Q+ Kxc8 12.f8=Q+ Kc7 $1 $19 ) 3...exd6 4.c7 fxg6 ( 4...Qxg6+ 5.Bxg6 c1=Q 6.Bd3 $1 Qg5+ 7.Kh8 Qe5+ 8.Kg8 Qg3+ 9.Kh8 $11 { positional draw } ) 5.Nf6+ Ke7 6.Nd5+ $1 $11 { positional draw } 1/2-1/2

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020.08.23"] [White "Arestov Pavel (Russia), Peter Krug (Austria)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "АР,Пав"] [FEN "4k3/8/K4P2/5P2/4N1qN/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 
 1.f7+ $1 ( 1.Nd6+ $2 Kd7 $1 2.f7 Kc6 3.f8=Q Qa4# ) 1...Kxf7 ( 1...Ke7 $2 2.Ng6+ Kxf7 3.Ne5+ { fork } ) 2.Nf3 $3 Kf8 $1 ( 2...Qxe4 3.Ng5+ { fork } ) (  2...Qxf3 3.Ng5+ { fork } ) ( 2...Qxf5 3.Nd6+ { fork } ) ( 2...Ke7 3.f6+ $11 ) 3.Nfg5 $1 ( 3.Neg5 $2 Qxf5 $19 ) 3...Qxf5 4.Nc5 $3 { MAIN A } ( 4.Kb6 $2 Ke7 $19 ) 4...Qg6+ $1 ( 4...Qxc5 5.Ne6+ { fork } ) ( 4...Qxg5 5.Ne6+ { fork } ) ( { MAIN B } 4...Qb1 $1 5.Ka5 $1 ( 5.Nge4 $2 Qb4 $19 ) 5...Ke7 6.Nge4 $1 Qb2 7.Ka4 $1 Qb6 8.Ka3 $1 Qb5 $1 9.Nb3 $1 ( 9.Ka2 $2 Qb4 $19 ) 9...Qa6+ 10.Kb2 (  10.Kb4 $2 Qb7+ $19 ) 10...Qe2+ 11.Ned2 $11 ) 5.Kb7 $1 ( 5.Kb5 $2 Qxg5 { pin } ) 5...Ke7 ( 5...Qxg5 6.Ne6+ { fork } ) 6.Nge4 $1 ( 6.Nce4 $2 Kd7 7.Nc5+ Kd6 8.Nce4+ Ke7 9.Kc7 Qa6 $19 ) 6...Qh6 7.Kc7 $1 Qg6 8.Kb7 $1 ( 8.Kc8 $2 Qb6 $19 ) 8...Kd8 9.Ng5 $3 ( 9.Ka7 $2 Kc7 $19 ) 9...Qf6 ( 9...Qd6 10.Nf7+ { fork } ) 10.Nge4 Qh6 11.Ng5 $1 Ke7 ( 11...Qxg5 12.Ne6+ { fork } ) 12.Nge4 Qg6 13.Kc7 { - positional draw. } 1/2-1/2

[Event "Variantim"] [Date "2020"] [White "M. Pasman (israel)"] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "1R3Q2/2pp1Ppb/p1npn2P/4k3/p2N4/2P2K2/1BP5/R1Nrq3 w - - 0 1"] 
 1.Qxg7+ $1 { By sacrificing the Queen White frees f8 square for future promotion (Phoenix theme) and opens e-file to allow Re8+ } ( { Try : } 1.Nd3+ $2 { immediately not works : } 1...Bxd3 ( { or } 1...Rxd3+ 2.cxd3 Be4+ 3.Kg4 Bf5+ 4.Nxf5 Qe2+ $11 ) 2.Qxg7+ Kd5 $1 ) 1...Nxg7 ( 1...Kd5 2.c4+ $1 Kxc4 3.Rxa4+ $18 ) 2.Nd3+ $1 ( 2.Re8+ $2 Ne6 3.Nd3+ ( 3.Nxc6+ Kd5 $1 4.Nb4+ Kc4 ) 3...Bxd3 4.Nxc6+ Kd5 $1 5.Nb4+ Kc4 $1 ) 2...Rxd3+ ( 2...Bxd3 3.Nxc6+ dxc6 (  3...Kd5 4.Nb4+ Kc4 5.cxd3+ ) 4.c4+ Ke6 5.Re8+ Kxf7 6.Rxe1 ) 3.cxd3 Be4+ $1 (  3...Qd2 4.f8=Q $18 Qxd3+ 5.Kf2 Qd2+ 6.Ne2 $18 ) 4.Kg4 $3 ( { Try : } 4.dxe4 $2 Qxe4+ 5.Kf2 Qh4+ 6.Kf1 Qh3+ 7.Ke2 Qg2+ $11 { perpetual check } ) 4...Qf2 $1 ( 4...Bf5+ 5.Nxf5 Qe2+ 6.Kh3 $1 Nxf5 ( 6...Ne6 7.Re8 $1 Kd5 8.Rxe6 Qh5+ 9.Nh4 Qxf7 10.Rf6 ) 7.Re8+ $1 Nce7 $1 8.Rxe7+ $1 Nxe7 9.c4+ $1 Ke6 10.f8=Q Qxd3+ 11.Kg4 Qe4+ 12.Qf4 Qg2+ 13.Qg3 $18 ) ( 4...Qd2 5.Re8+ Ne6 6.Rxe6+ dxe6 7.Nxc6+ Bxc6 8.Re1+ { is similar the same as the main line. } ) 5.Re8+ $1 (  5.f8=Q Qg2+ 6.Kh4 Qh2+ $11 ) ( 5.Nxc6+ dxc6 6.Re8+ Ne6 7.c4+ Qxb2 8.f8=Q Qg2+ $11 ) 5...Ne7 ( 5...Ne6 6.Rxe6+ $1 dxe6 7.Nxc6+ { The same } ) 6.Rxe7+ Ne6 7.Rxe6+ $1 dxe6 8.Nc6+ $3 Bxc6 ( 8...Kd5 9.Ne7+ Kc5 10.Ba3+ $18 ) 9.Re1+ $3 ( 9.c4+ Qxb2 10.Re1+ Kd4 11.f8=Q Qg2+ 12.Kh4 Qh2+ $11 ) 9...Kd5 ( 9...Qxe1 10.c4+ Qc3 11.Bxc3# ) 10.f8=Q $1 ( 10.Re5+ Kxe5 11.f8=Q Qg2+ 12.Kh4 Qh2+ $11 ) 10...Qxf8 ( 10...Qxe1 11.Qf4 $18 ) 11.Re5+ $3 dxe5 ( 11...Kxe5 12.c4# ) 12.c4+ Kd6 13.Ba3+ Kd7 14.Bxf8 Ke8 15.h7 Kxf8 16.h8=Q+ { White sarificed all his pieces, including Queen and promoted Queen and now promotes new Queen and winning } 1-0