www.arves.org - Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022

Studies provisionally awarded for the Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022 tournament.

Comments / Annotations by Martin Minski.

[Event "Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Halski, Marek"] [Black "1st prize"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Minski Martin"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/8/1K2R3/P4k2/5p2/N7/6r1 w - - 0 1"] 
   
 {Theme: The systematic movements of a group of figures in thematic try are spoiled by an unexpected knight manoeuvre with a sacrifice of the rook. White find a clever way out of a sophisticated method of win for Black.} 1. Rc5 { White have material advantage, but Black pawn f is very dangerous} (1. Re8 $2 Rg5+ 2. Kc4 f2 3. Rf8+ Rf5 $19) 1... f2 2. Rc4+ Kg5 ({Black king has to control f-vertical, e.g.} 2... Ke3 3. Rc3+ Kd2 4. Rf3 {=}) 3. Rc5+ Kh4 $1 { to avoid perpetual check by White rook, Black have to interpose their rook  (but at the same time release control of the 1-st horizontal).} 4. Rc4+ ({ White cannot move their rook on f-file due to:} 4. Rf5 $2 Rg5 $1 {with White rook pin - Black win}) 4... Rg4 5. Rc1 Rg5+ $1 {White were counting on an easy draw: either perpetual check by rook or capture of 1-st horizontal, but Black have deeper plan, pushing White king 1 row up!} 6. Kb6 $1 ({An attempt to go down counting on perpetual check would be disastrous:} 6. Kb4 $2 Rg1 7. Rc4+ Rg4 {pinning White rook and winning} 8. Rxg4+ Kxg4 $19) ({Bad is also:} 6. Ka6 $2 Rg1 7. Rc4+ Rg4 8. Rc1 Rxa4+ 9. Kb5 Rxa2 $19) 6... Rg1 7. Rc4+ Kg5 8. Rc5+ Kg6 9. Rc6+ Kh5 $1 10. Rc5+ Rg5 11. Rc1 Rg1 {Before proceed ing with their major plan, Black try another tack, setting a trap:} 12. Rc5+ ({White avoid the trap - Thematic try:} 12. Nc3 $5 Rxc1 13. Ne4 f1=N $3 (13... f1=Q $2 14. Ng3+ {=}) 14. a5 Ne3 $1 15. a6 Nd5+ $1 {Black gain a tempo} 16. Kb7 Rc7+ 17. Kb8 Rc4 $1 18. a7 ({or} 18. Nd6 Rb4+ 19. Nb7 Ne7 20. Kc7 {Nc4+ Kb6} Nc8 $19) 18... Rb4+ 19. Kc8 Rxe4 20. a8=Q Nb6+ {Black win}) 12... Rg5 13. Rc1 Rg6+ { Black continue with their original plan, pushing White king another row up!} 14. Kb7 $1 ({Again it would be disastrous:} 14. Kb5 $2 Rg1 15. Rc5+ Rg5 { pinning White rook and winning}) ({Thematic try:} 14. Ka7 $2 Rg1 15. Rc5+ ({or } 15. Nc3 Rxc1 16. Ne4 f1=N $1 {Black win}) 15... Kg6 16. Rc6+ Kg7 17. Rc7+ Kh6 18. Rc6+ (18. Rf7 Rg7 $1 $19) 18... Rg6 19. Rc1 Rg7+ 20. Kb8 (20. Kb6 Rg1 21. Rc6+ Rg6 $19) 20... Rg1 21. Rc6+ Kg7 22. Rc7+ Kh8 23. Rf7 (23. Rc8+ Rg8 $19) 23... Rg8+ 24. Kc7 Rg7 {pinning White rook and winning}) 14... Rg1 (14... Rg7+ 15. Kb6 $1 Rg6+ 16. Kb7 $1 {leads to the repetition}) 15. Nc3 $3 {And now a com plete surprise!! White sacrifice their rook at the very exact moment: Black king on h5, and White on b7!} ({Following the same line of play would lead to the defeat - Thematic try:} 15. Rc5+ $2 Kg6 16. Rc6+ Kg7 17. Rc7+ Kh6 $1 18. Rc6+ (18. Rf7 Rg7 $19) 18... Rg6 19. Rc1 Rg7+ 20. Kb8 (20. Kb6 Rg1 21. Rc6+ Rg6 $19) 20... Rg1 21. Rc6+ Kg7 22. Rc7+ Kh8 23. Rf7 (23. Rc8+ Rg8 $19) 23... Rg8+ 24. Kc7 Rg7 {Black win}) 15... Rxc1 (15... Kg6 16. Ne4 Rxc1 17. Nxf2 {=}) 16. Ne4 f1=Q ({or} 16... f1=N 17. a5 Ne3 18. a6 Nd5 {White king compared to thematic try is on b7 not b6 and Black do not gain an extra tempo!} 19. a7 { =}) (16... Rc4 17. Nxf2 {=}) 17. Ng3+ Kg4 18. Nxf1 Rxf1 19. a5 {MM: Nc3!! is the move of the tournament that needs to be played at the right time. The logical try is refuted by underpromotion and the subtle difference in white king's position. A stunning miniature!} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Sergewy Didukh"] [Black "2nd prize"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Minski Martin"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r1q3k/P7/5P2/N7/6R1/8/K2P4/1n3N2 w - - 0 1"] 
 1. Nc6 Nc3+ $1 ({After} 1... Qd5+ 2. Ka1 {an interesting position arises. The queen in the center is threatened with a fork but she can't neither check the naked king nor take the knight because the rook is attacked. Black can't drop his rook because of his knight.} Re8 3. Rh4+ Kg8 4. Ne7+ Rxe7 5. fxe7 $18) ({ If Black solves the problem of the rook first} 1... Rb2+ 2. Kxb2 Qxf6+ { White responds} 3. Rd4 $1 Qxc6 4. Rd8+ Kg7 5. a8=Q {and wins.}) 2. dxc3 Qd5+ 3. c4 {(checks are over again)} Rb2+ $1 4. Kxb2 Qxc6 5. Kc1 $3 (5. f7 $2 Qf6+ $1 6. Kb3 Qf3+ 7. Ka4 Qc6+ 8. Kb4 Qb7+ 9. Kc3 Qf3+ 10. Kc2 Qf5+ 11. Kd2 Qf2+ 12. Kd3 Qxf1+ {draw.}) (5. Rf4 $2 Kg8 6. f7+ Kf8 {- Pa7 falls.}) 5... Qf3 6. Rh4+ ( {No time to save the knight} 6. Nd2 $2 Qa3+ 7. Kc2 Qxa7 $11) 6... Kg8 7. f7+ Kxf7 8. Rf4+ $1 Qxf4+ 9. Nd2 {- the queen is helpless. MM: The beautiful final picture is spectacularly prepared. In his book "Etyudy" 2021 (compare with 680 & 687) Zhukov provides the inspiration for this excellent study with exciting sacrifices from both sides and the highlight 5.Kc1!!} 1-0

[Event "Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Jan Sprenger"] [Black "3rd prize"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Minski Martin"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3k4/1p2b3/pK6/8/2q5/2B5/8/Q7 w - - 0 1"] 
   
 1. Ba5 $1 {battery} (1. Kxb7 $2 Qb5+ $1 2. Ka8 Qc6+ 3. Ka7 Bc5+ 4. Kb8 Qc8#) 1... Kc8 $1 (1... Qc7+ 2. Ka7 $10) 2. Ka7 (2. Qh8+ $2 Bd8+ 3. Ka7 Qc5+ 4. Ka8 Qxa5 $19) 2... Bc5+ 3. Ka8 Qg8 $1 {battery} (3... b6 4. Qe5 Kd7 5. Bc3 { gives White sufficient counterplay for draw, e.g.} Qe6 6. Qxe6+ Kxe6 7. Kb7 a5 8. Kc6 a4 9. Bb2 $10 {followed by Kb5.}) 4. Bb6 $3 {stalemate counterplay} (4. Qh1 $2 {/Qe5, Qf6, Qc3} Kd7+ $1 5. Kxb7 Qc8#) (4. Qd1 $2 b6 $19 {/b5}) 4... Bxb6 (4... Kd7+ 5. Ka7 $1 Bxb6+ 6. Kxb6 {positional draw}) 5. Qg7 $1 (5. Qh8 $2 Qd8 $1) (5. Qa2 $2 Qd8 $1 (5... Qe8 $2 6. Qe6+ $1) (5... Qf8 6. Qc4+ Bc7 7. Qg4+ Kd8 8. Kxb7) 6. Qxa6 Kc7# $1) (5. Qg1 $2 Qe6 {/Qe8 with transposition} 6. Qxb6 Qc6 7. Qc5 a5 $1 $19) 5... Qd5 6. Qg2 $1 {It is vital that both the queen and the b7 pawn are attacked.} (6. Qg8+ $2 Qd8 $1 7. Qf7 {eg} Bc7) (6. Qd7+ $2 Kxd7 $1) (6. Qf7 $2 {eg} Qd7 {and there is no Qc6+.}) 6... Qd7 (6... Qb5 7. Qxb7+ Kd8 {eg} 8. Qxb6+ $10) 7. Qc6+ $1 Bc7 (7... Qc7 {eg} 8. Qd7+) (7... Kd8 8. Qxb6+ {positional draw}) 8. Qxb7+ Kd8 9. Qxa6 Qd5+ 10. Ka7 Qd4+ 11. Ka8 $1 { The white king elegantly nested in his stalemate. Of course I love queen sacrifices!} (11. Kb7 $2 Qb4+ 12. Kc6 Qc3+ $1 13. Kb7 Qb3+ 14. Kc6 Qe6+ 15. Kb5 Qe2+ $19) 1/2-1/2

[Event "Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Gady Costeff"] [Black "spec. prize"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Minski Martin"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2B3br/P5P1/1P6/2P2p2/5P2/3P1kPp/pqP5/R1N1B1K1 b - - 0 1"] 
   
 1... h2+ 2. Kh1 Bd5 3. a8=Q (3. a8=B Kg4+ 4. Bxd5 Qd4 5. Bxf5+ Kxf5 $10) 3... Bxa8 4. b7 Bxb7 5. Bxb7+ {With 3 main variations:} Qxb7 ({main:} 5... Ke3 6. gxh8=R $3 {wins.} (6. gxh8=Q {see bishop}) (6. gxh8=B Qxb7+ 7. Kxh2 Qg2+ 8. Kxg2 {stalemate}) (6. gxh8=N Qxa1) ({technical:} 6. Bd2+ Kf2 7. Be3+ (7. Be1+ Ke3 {returns to the main line after waste of time}) 7... Kxe3 8. gxh8=Q Qxh8 9. Nb3 Kf2 10. Bg2 Kxg3 11. d4 Qe8 12. Nd2 Qa4 13. Nf1+ Kxf4 14. c3 Qc2 15. c6 Kg5 16. c7 Qxc3 17. c8=Q (17. Rxa2 Qxd4 $10) 17... Qxc8 18. Rxa2 Qc1 19. d5 f4 20. Rf2 Qe1 21. Rf3 Qd1 $10)) ({main:} 5... Kg4 6. gxh8=B $3 {wins.} (6. gxh8=Q { see rook}) (6. gxh8=R Qxb7+ 7. Kxh2 Qg2+ 8. Kxg2 {stalemate}) (6. gxh8=N Qxa1)) 6. gxh8=N $3 (6. gxh8=Q {see rook or bishop}) (6. gxh8=R Kg4+ 7. Kxh2 Qg2+ 8. Kxg2 {stalemate}) (6. gxh8=B Ke3+ 7. Kxh2 Qg2+ 8. Kxg2 {stalemate}) 6... Qb2 7. Nb3 Qxh8 8. Rxa2 {wins. In each of 3 main variations, white wins with a different underpromotion. The rook/bishop main variations are arranged in a black Banny structure. 5..Ke3? 6.gxh8=R!! and 5..Kg4? 6.gxh8=B!! are defeated by the black Banny 5..Qxb7 anticipating the reversal variations 6.gxh8=R Kg4+!! and 6.gxh8=B Ke3+!! However, the black Banny key 5..Qxb7 abandons the threat Qxa1, so now white can refute 5..Qxb7 with the 3rd underpromotion 6. gxh8=N!! Note that the knight promotion is motivated strictly by not being a line piece, and does not depend on any future move of the knight. MM: The individual motifs for the underpromotions and for the refutation of false promotions are particularly original. Another Costeff monster that delights  (and eats) me.} 1-0

[Event "Ceskoslovensky Sach 2022"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Alexey Gasparyan"] [Black "comm"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Minski Martin"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4K1k1/1p6/5R2/P4pp1/R4b1r/7p/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 
   
 1. a6 $3 (1. Rb4 $6 b5 {or h2} 2. Rxb5 h2 3. Rb7 Bd6 4. Rg6+ Kh8 5. Rb1 h1=Q 6. Rxh1 Rxh1 7. Kf7 Rh7+ 8. Ke6 Bf4 $19) 1... Bb8 $1 (1... bxa6 $5 2. Raxa6 $1 Be5 3. Rf8+ Kh7 4. Rf7+ $1 (4. Rxf5 $2 h2 $1 5. Rf1 h1=Q 6. Rxh1 Rxh1 $19) 4... Bg7 5. Raa7 $1 h2 (5... Kh6 6. Rxg7 Kh5 7. Ke7 {/f7} Kg4 8. Kf6 Rh5 9. Ra1 h2 10. Rh1 $11) 6. Rxg7+ Kh6 7. Rh7+ $1 Kg6 8. Rxh4 gxh4 9. Ra1 $11) 2. a7 $3 {But not } (2. Ra1 $6 Kg7 (2... h2 3. Rxf5 $1 bxa6 4. Rxg5+ Kh8 5. Rh1 $11) 3. Rb6 $5 ( 3. Rxf5 $2 Kg6 $1 {etc.-+}) 3... Rh8+ $1 4. Kd7 h2 $1 5. Re1 Rf8 $1 6. Rxb7 g4 $19) 2... Bxa7 3. Rxa7 h2 $1 (3... Kg7 $6 4. Rxf5 h2 5. Ra1 Kg6 6. Rff1 $1 g4 7. Ke7 Rh7+ 8. Ke6 {etc.=}) 4. Ra1 $1 (4. Rf8+ $6 Kh7 5. Rxb7+ Kg6 6. Rb6+ Kh5 $1 7. Rb1 f4 $19) 4... h1=Q 5. Rxh1 Rxh1 6. Rg6+ $1 (6. Rxf5 $2 Rg1 7. Ke7 g4 8. Kf6 g3 $19) 6... Kh7 7. Rxg5 f4 $1 8. Rf5 $1 (8. Kf7 $6 f3 $1 9. Rf5 Rh3 $1 10. Kf6 Kh6 $1 11. Ke5 Rh5 $1 $19) 8... Rf1 $1 (8... Rh4 $5 9. Kf7 $1 b6 10. Kf6 {etc.=}) 9. Kf7 $1 Kh6 10. Kf6 f3 $1 11. Rf4 Kh5 12. Kf5 f2 13. Rf3 $1 Kh4 14. Kf4 $1 b5 $5 15. Ke3 $1 Re1+ 16. Kxf2 $11 {with elements of systematic movement in the finale of study. MM: The tactical introduction leads to a systematic movement.} 1/2-1/2

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