www.arves.org - Chess Artistry Adventure in memory of Pal Benko 2022

Studies presented in this Chess Artistry Adventure 2022 celebrates the artistic side of chess and honors the tireless efforts of composers who bring magic to the chessboard.

See Festival 2022Festival 2022

See also the 2023 event: Chess Artistry Adventure in memory of Pal Benko 2023

[Event "Chess Artistry Adventure"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Árpád, Rusz"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3k4/8/4K3/8/8/1p4q1/1Q6 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {Despite being blocked, the pawn is extremely dangerous. Black has a simple winning plan: bring the queen to c1 after finding a safe square for the black king (e.g. b8). This forces white to take immediate action by trying to give a perpetual check.} 1. Qf5+ (1. Qd3+ $2 Ke8 2. Qb5+ Kf8 3. Qb4+ Kg8 4. Qc4+ Kg7 5. Qc7+ Kh6 6. Qb6+ Qg6 $1 7. Qxb2 Qg7+ $19) 1... Kc6 2. Qe6+ Kc5 3. Qd6+ Kc4 4. Qd4+ Kb3 5. Qd3+ Ka2 6. Qc4+ Kb1 $1 {The black pawn is blocked again. The white queen is in an optimal position, so let's move the king!} (6... Ka1 7. Qa4+ Kb1 8. Qd1+ Ka2 9. Qa4+ {perpetual check}) 7. Kf6 $1 ({One more check would be a mistake.} 7. Qd3+ $2 Kc1 8. Qc4+ Kd1 9. Qd3+ Qd2 10. Qb1+ Ke2 11. Qe4+ Qe3 $19 {White loses due to the unfortunate position of its king.}) 7... Qf2+ (7... Qc2 8. Qf1+ Ka2 9. Qa6+ Kb1 10. Qf1+ {perpetual check}) 8. Kg7 $1 Qa7+ {In order to try to free its king, the black queen has to take control of the a-file.} 9. Kh8 $3 {That is the only safe square!} (9. Kg6 $2 Ka1 10. Qc3 Qa6+ {The 6th rank is bad for the white king because of this check.} 11. Kg7 Ka2 $19) (9. Kg8 $2 Qa2 $19) (9. Kf8 $2 Ka1 10. Qc3 Qa6 11. Qd4 Ka2 12. Qd5+ Ka3 13. Qc5+ Kb3 14. Qd5+ Qc4 15. Qb7+ Qb4+ $19 {This variation would be draw by wk on h8.}) 9... Ka1 10. Qc3 Ka2 11. Qc4+ Ka1 12. Qc3 Qa6 13. Qd4 ({minor dual} 13. Qe5) 13... Ka2 14. Qd5+ Ka1 15. Qd4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Chess Artistry Adventure"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Minski, Martin"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5q2/2b2p2/3n1k2/6pQ/1rp5/1P4N1/2R5/1B4K1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1. Re2 $1 (1. Qf3+ $2 Ke7 $11) 1... Bb6+ 2. Kh1 $3 {main A:} ({logical try} 2. Kg2 $2 Rxb3 $1 3. Qf3+ $1 Kg7 $1 4. Qf6+ $6 (4. Nh5+ Kg8 5. Nf6+ Kg7 6. Nh5+ Kg8 $11) 4... Kg8 $1 5. Bh7+ $4 Kxh7 $19 {and 6.Rh2+ is not possible}) ({ logical try} 2. Kf1 $4 Rxb3 $1 3. Qf3+ Rxf3+ $19 {with check!}) 2... Rxb3 ({ main B:} 2... cxb3 3. Qf3+ Kg7 4. Qf6+ $1 {again the "game move"} (4. Nh5+ $2 Kg8 $1 5. Nf6+ Kg7 6. Rh2 Rh4 $11) 4... Kg8 (4... Kxf6 {the same position after the 2nd move without the wQh5} 5. Nh5# {model mate}) 5. Rh2 $1 ({but not } 5. Bh7+ $4 Kxh7 6. Rh2+ Rh4 $1 $19) 5... Qg7 (5... Rh4 6. Qxg5+ $18) 6. Qxd6 Qd4 (6... Qa1 7. Qb8+ $18) 7. Bh7+ $18) (2... Qa8+ 3. Kh2 $18) 3. Qf3+ $1 Kg7 ( 3... Rxf3 {without check} 4. Nh5# {model mate}) 4. Qf6+ $1 {inspired by the game Anand - Mamedyarov, Norway Chess 2022} (4. Nh5+ $2 Kg8 $1 5. Nf6+ Kg7 6. Nh5+ Kg8 $11) 4... Kg8 (4... Kxf6 {the same position after the 2nd move without the wQh5} 5. Nh5# {model mate}) 5. Bh7+ $1 (5. Qxg5+ $2 Qg7) 5... Kxh7 6. Rh2+ {this move is possible thanks to 2.Kh1!!} Kg8 7. Rh8# {/Qh8#} 1-0

[Event "Chess Artistry Adventure"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Avni, Amatzia"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4k3/3p1pbr/1p1Bp3/p1p1P3/8/1P2R3/1P3q2/K1Q5 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "21"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {[#]} 1. Rh3 $1 {a rook sacrifice to pave the path for white's next move} Rxh3 2. Qg5 Bf8 (2... Qh4 3. Qxg7 Qh8 4. Qg5 (4. Qg2) 4... f6 5. Qg6+ $11) 3. Qg8 Rh8 $1 4. Qxh8 Qg1+ 5. Ka2 Qg7 6. Qh1 $1 {switches to attack in the opposite direction} (6. Qxg7 $2 Bxg7 $19) 6... Bxd6 (6... Be7 7. Qa8+ Bd8 8. Bc7 Qg5 9. Bxb6 $11 {[%eval 0,0] B is paralyzed, white will capture c5 or a5. e.g.} f5 10. exf6 Qxf6 11. Bxa5 d5 12. Qc8) (6... f5 7. exf6 Qh6 8. Qa8+ Kf7 9. Qc8 Bxd6 10. Qxd7+ Kxf6 11. Qxd6 {= e.g.} Qe3 12. Qxb6 Kg5 13. Qxa5 e5 14. b4 cxb4 15. Qxb4 $11) 7. exd6 f5 8. Qb7 $1 {threatening Qc8+} ({an important preparatory move. Not at once} 8. Qa8+ $2 Kf7 9. Qd8 Kg6 $19 10. Qxb6 f4 11. Qxc5 e5) 8... Qf6 9. Qa8+ Qd8 10. Qh1 Qf6 (10... Qg5 $4 11. Qh8+ Kf7 12. Qc8 $18) 11. Qa8+ {draw by repetition. A game of corners: Qh8-h1-a8} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Chess Artistry Adventure"] [Site ""] [Date "2022.07"] [Round ""] [White "Pasman, Michael"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/6P1/5k1P/8/2B2PpR/1p6/p1b5/4K3 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "25"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1. g8=N+ $1 (1. g8=Q a1=Q+ 2. Kf2 Qd4+ $11) 1... Kg6 (1... Kf5 2. Rh5+ Kxf4 3. Ra5 $18) 2. Rxg4+ Kh7 (2... Kf5 $2 3. Rg5+) 3. Rg7+ (3. Nf6+ Kxh6 4. Ng8+ $11) 3... Kh8 4. Ra7 a1=Q+ $1 (4... b2 5. Bxa2) 5. Rxa1 b2 6. Rd1 $1 (6. Rb1 Bxb1 $11) 6... Bxd1 7. Bd3 Bb3 8. f5 $1 (8. Nf6 Bc2 $1 (8... Ba2 9. Kd2 b1=Q 10. Bxb1 Bxb1 $18) 9. Bxc2 b1=Q+ 10. Bxb1 {stalemate}) (8. Ne7 Ba2 $1 (8... Bc2 9. Ng6+ $1) 9. Kf2 b1=Q 10. Bxb1 Bxb1 11. Kg3 Kh7 $11) (8. Kd2 Bxg8 $11) 8... Bxg8 (8... Ba2 9. f6 $1 b1=Q+ 10. Bxb1 Bxb1 11. f7 $18) 9. f6 $1 Bh7 $1 10. f7 $1 Bg8 $1 11. f8=B $3 {Similar bishop promotion idea appeared in the otb game Morales-Pardo, 2012, but there also knight promotion was winning} (11. f8=Q b1=Q+ 12. Bxb1 {Stalemate}) (11. fxg8=Q+ Kxg8 $11) (11. f8=N Ba2 $1 $11) (11. f8=R b1=Q+ 12. Bxb1 {Stalemate}) 11... Ba2 12. Bg7+ Kg8 13. Bxb2 1-0

[Event "Chess Artistry Adventure"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Polasek, Jaroslav"] [Black "after Benko"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "PÃ©ter"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6kr/4K3/5pBp/2N2P2/6P1/8/1qp4Q/2b5 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "21"] [EventDate "2016"] 
 1. g5 $1 ({Black's bishop must not stay on c1, because} 1. Qh5 $2 Qe5+ 2. Ne6 Ba3+ {and Black wins}) 1... Bxg5 $1 (1... Rh7+ 2. Bxh7+ Kh8 3. Qc7 Qe5+ 4. Qxe5 fxe5 5. g6 Bg5+ 6. Kf7 Bf6 7. Nb3 $18) (1... fxg5 2. Bf7+ Kh7 3. Qd6 $18) (1... Qe5+ 2. Qxe5 fxe5 3. Bf7+ Kh7 4. g6+ Kg7 5. f6#) (1... hxg5 2. Bf7+ Kg7 3. Ne6# ) 2. Qh5 $1 Qe5+ (2... Rh7+ 3. Bxh7+ Kxh7 4. Qf7+ Kh8 5. Qe8+ Kh7 6. Kf8 $18) 3. Ne6 Qxe6+ 4. Kxe6 $1 (4. fxe6 $6 f5+ 5. Kd6 Kg7 $1 6. Bxf5 Rd8+ 7. Ke5 Bf6+ 8. Ke4 Rd4+ 9. Kf3 Rf4+ $1 10. Kg2 Rxf5 $11) 4... Kg7 $1 {[#]Benko starts here, but he also has extra wPg2} (4... c1=Q 5. Bh7+ $18) 5. Bh7 Rf8 $1 (5... Rxh7 6. Qf7+ Kh8 7. Qf8#) (5... Rc8 6. Qf7+ Kh8 7. Bg6 Rc6+ 8. Kd5 Rc5+ 9. Ke4 Rc4+ 10. Kf3 Rc3+ 11. Kg2 $18) 6. Qg6+ Kh8 7. Bg8 $3 Rxg8 8. Kf7 $1 Rxg6 9. fxg6 c1=Q 10. g7+ Kh7 11. g8=Q# 1-0

[Event "Chess Artistry 2022"] [Site ""] [Date "2022.07.13"] [Round ""] [White "Steffen Nielsen, Poul Rewitz"] [Black "Geir Ã˜stmoe"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r7/qp4k1/bRnP3p/8/Bn1Ppp2/2p3N1/6PP/1Q5K w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "2022"] [SourceVersionDate "2022.07.27"] 
 {Can you spot the weak point in Black's position? Turns out, it is a6!} 1. Nh5+ Kh8 2. Qxe4 Qb8 $1 (2... Qxb6 3. Qxf4) 3. Bxc6 (3. Rxa6 bxa6 4. Bxc6 Nxc6 { and Black defends.}) (3. Rxc6 Nxc6) 3... Qxd6 $1 {Black starts counterplay based on White's weak back rank. The natural} (3... Nxc6 {runs into} 4. Rxc6 ( 4. Nf6 Bd3 5. Qxd3 Kg7 6. Nh5+ Kh8) 4... Qe8 {[#]} 5. Rc8 $3 Rxc8 6. d7 Qxd7 7. Qe5+) (3... Nd3 4. Qe7 Qf8 {[#]} 5. Rxa6 $1 bxa6 6. Bxa8) 4. Ba4 $1 (4. Bd5 $2 Bd3 ({or} 4... Nc6) 5. Qe1 Nc2 6. Rxd6 Nxe1 7. Rxh6+ Bh7 8. Be4 Ra1 $11) 4... c2 $5 (4... Bd3 5. Qxb7 $18) (4... Qxb6 5. Qe5+) (4... Nc6 5. Bc2) 5. Bxc2 (5. Rxd6 c1=Q+) 5... Bd3 {[#]} 6. Ra6 $3 {This Bronstein-inspired move leaves Black with 6 bleak options:} (6. Bxd3 $4 Nxd3 $19 (6... Ra1+ $11)) 6... Bxa6 ( 6... Nxa6 7. Bxd3 Qc7 8. h4 $1 Nb4 9. Bc4 {and White's attack breaks through}) (6... Qxa6 7. Qe5+ $18) (6... Bxe4 7. Rxa8+ Kh7 8. Bxe4+ $18) (6... Rxa6 7. Qe8+ Kh7 8. Qf7+ $18) (6... bxa6 7. Qxa8+ {The study was inspired by the move 24...Rxa3!! in Mikenas - Bronstein, Tallinn 1965}) 7. Qh7# 1-0

[Event "Chess Artistry Adventure"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Didukh=S"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Otthoni"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3K4/8/p4PP1/2PP4/7k/Pp6/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "47"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1. f6 b1=Q 2. f7 Qf5+ 3. Ke8 Qe6+ ({After} 3... Qe4+ 4. Kf8 Kg4 (4... Qxd4 5. Kg8 Qxc4 6. g6 $11) 5. g6 $1 Qxg6 6. d5 Kf5 7. Ke7 Qg7 8. Ke8 {Black can't win Pf7.}) 4. Kf8 Kg4 5. g6 Qd7 $1 (5... Kg5 6. g7 Kf6 7. g8=N+ $1 Kg6 8. Ne7+) 6. Kg8 $1 (6. d5 $2 Kg5 7. Kg8 Kf6 $1 8. f8=Q+ Kxg6 {mates.}) 6... Kg5 7. g7 a4 $1 {Foreseeing the zugzwang ahead.} (7... Kf6 8. f8=Q+ Kg6 9. d5 a4 10. a3 {zz}) { Promotion to queen now or after 8. d5 a3! puts White in zugzwang. The move 8. a3 with the idea to save the tempo d5 is met by the queen's switchback 8... Qe6! 9.d5 Qd7! and White has lost his battle for zugzwang again. So, he should turn away from this path. Two options are available: the line with the black pawn on a4 or with Pa3.} 8. d5 $3 ({Logical try} 8. a3 $2 Qe6 $1 9. d5 Qd7 10. d6 Kh6 $1 11. c5 Qe6 12. d7 Kg6 13. d8=N $1 Qd5 14. c6 Qxd8+ 15. f8=N+ $1 Kh6 16. Kf7 Qc7+ 17. Nd7 Qf4+ 18. Nf6 Qc4+ 19. Kf8 Qc5+ 20. Kf7 Qa7+ 21. Nd7 Qf2+ 22. Nf6 Qa2+ 23. Kf8 Qxa3+ 24. Kf7 Qb3+ 25. Kf8 Qb4+ 26. Kf7 Qc4+ 27. Kf8 Qxc6 28. g8=Q Qxf6+ {win.}) (8. f8=Q Kg6 9. d5 a3) 8... a3 9. d6 $1 (9. f8=Q $2 Kg6 {zz} 10. d6 Qe6+ 11. Kh8 Qh3+ 12. Kg8 Qh7#) 9... Kh6 (9... Kf6 10. Kh8 $1 (10. f8=Q+ Kg6 11. Qe7 Qc8+) 10... Qh3+ 11. Kg8 Kg6 12. f8=N+ $1 Kh6 13. d7 Qg4 14. Kf7 $11) 10. c5 Qe6 11. d7 $1 Kg6 ({After} 11... Qxd7 12. f8=Q Kg6 {thereâ€™s a new resource} 13. Qd6+ $1) 12. d8=N $1 Qd5 13. c6 Qxd8+ 14. f8=N+ $1 Kh6 ( 14... Kg5 15. c7 $1 Qe8 16. Kh7 $11) (14... Kf5 15. Kh8 Qh4+ 16. Nh7 Qd4 17. Nf8 $11) 15. Kf7 Qc7+ $1 {Queen tries to win Pg7, White must keep it.} (15... Qd5+ 16. Ne6 Qf5+ (16... Qf3+ 17. Ke7 Kh7 18. Ng5+ $1) 17. Ke7 Kh7 18. c7 Qc2 19. Kf7 Qg6+ 20. Ke7 Qc2 21. Kf7 $11) 16. Nd7 Qf4+ 17. Nf6 Qc4+ 18. Kf8 Qc5+ 19. Kf7 Qa7+ 20. Nd7 Qf2+ 21. Nf6 Qxa2+ 22. Kf8 {(Sorry, Madame, a3 is taken.)} Qe6 23. g8=Q Qxf6+ 24. Qf7 {draw.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "original after the OTB game"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Djurasevic, Branislav"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r7/8/4k3/pp4P1/R4K2/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1. Ra1 $1 a4 2. Ke3 $3 ({Thematic try:} 2. Ke4 $2 Rg8 $1 3. Rg1 b4 4. Kd3 Rc8 $1 5. Rg4 Rd8+ 6. Kc2 b3+ $1 {The point, black attack with check.} 7. Kb2 (7. Kc1 a3 $19) 7... Rd2+ $1 $19) 2... Rg8 (2... b4 3. Kd3 $1 {or 3.Kd4} (3. Kd2 $2 {White lose the tempo quite unnecessarily.} Kf5 4. Kd3 Kg6 $3 (4... Kxg5 $2 5. Kc4 b3 6. Kb4 b2 7. Rg1+ $1 $11) (4... b3 $2 5. Kc3 $1 Rc8+ 6. Kb4 $1 b2 7. Rb1 $11) 5. Kc4 b3 6. Kc3 (6. Kb4 b2 7. Rb1 a3 $19) 6... Rc8+ $1 7. Kb4 Rc2 $1 8. Rb1 Ra2 $19) 3... Kf5 4. Kc4 b3 5. Kb4 Kxg5 6. Ka3 $11 {Theoretical draw.}) 3. Rg1 $1 b4 4. Kd2 $1 Rc8 5. Rg4 $1 Rb8 (5... Rd8+ 6. Kc1 $1 $11) 6. Kc1 $1 (6. Kc2 $2 Kf5 $3 7. Rc4 (7. Rg1 {or 7.Rg3} Kg6 $1 8. Kb2 Rb5 $1 9. Rg4 Kh5 $3 10. Rg1 Rxg5 $1 $19) 7... Kxg5 8. Rc5+ Kf6 (8... Kf4 $2 9. Kb2 $11 {Theoretical draw} b3 10. Rc4+ $1) 9. Kb2 b3 $1 10. Ra5 Rb4 $1 $19 {Position A}) 6... a3 7. Kb1 $1 $11 {The end of the study. If black continue with 7....b3 white draw both with 8. Ra4 (the easiest way, Rundlauf by white rook), but also with 8. Rg3, as well as 8.Re4+ (waste of time). White hold its rook on a-file. Study is composed inspired after the game Duda-Indjic, match Poland-Serbia, 6th round, 44. Olympic Games, India, 2022.} (7. g6 $2 b3 8. Ra4 b2+ $1 9. Kb1 Rb3 $1 $19 {Position A1. Echo winning position.}) 1/2-1/2

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Daily task - Stalemate