www.arves.org - Congress Polish Chess Composers 2024

Studies awarded at the Congress of Polish Chess Composers on July 20-21, 2024.

On this occasion, a tourney for the composition of studies was held.

The full award in Polish with both sections (problems and studies) is available at:

https://problemista.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/zjazd-problemistow-polskich-2024-werdykt.pdf

Comments by Jan Rusinek.

[Event "1.p Congress of Polish Chess Composers"] [Site ""] [Date "2024"] [Round ""] [White "Jan Rusinek"] [Black "(3244.26h7h5)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/n5RK/R6P/5ppk/1p2b1pp/q2B4/p4P2/6N1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "15"] 
 1. Rag6 $1 {Thematic try is the exchange of a rook for the queen} (1. Rxa3 $2  1... bxa3 2. Nh3 $1 gxh3 {There is a black pawn on g5 and it proves stronger than the queen, as it will be able to beat in the future "en passant":} 3. Be2+ g4 4. f4 gxf3 $19) (1. f4 $2 gxf3 2. Rxa3 bxa3 $19) 1... Qc1 2. Nh3 $1 gxh3 3. Rxg5+ {The rook prefers to exchange for a pawn instead of a queen!} Qxg5 {On g5 square instead of the pawn is the queen proves weaker than the pawn, as it will not be able to beat e.p. in the future.} 4. Be2+ Bf3 $1 {If now} (4... Qg4 $2 {then} 5. f4 Bf3 6. Bxf3 Qxf3 7. Rg5# {black even loses. Black then changes the plan and sacrifices the bishop to block the f2 pawn. This is akin to a 50 percent pickabish}) 5. Bxf3+ Qg4 {No more move 6. f4??, but you can play} 6. Bd5 Qg5 (6... Nc8 7. Bf7+ Qg6+ 8. Bxg6+ {+-}) (6... Qxg7+ 7. hxg7 a1=Q 8. g8=Q) 7. Bf3+ Qg4 8. Bd5 {positional draw.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "2.p Congress of Polish Chess Composers"] [Site ""] [Date "2024"] [Round ""] [White "Bogusz Piliczewski, Jan Rusinek"] [Black "(0031.11a5g2)"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3P4/8/K7/2b5/8/2N3kp/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "31"] 
 1. Ne3+ $1 (1. d8=Q $2 h1=Q 2. Ne3+ Kf2 {draw}) 1... Kg3 (1... Kg1 2. d8=Q h1=Q 3. Qd1+ Kh2 4. Qd6+ $1 Kg1 5. Qg3+ {win}) (1... Kf2 2. Ng4+ {win.}) 2. d8=Q h1=Q 3. Qb8+ {$1 Why only here will soon be explained} (3. Qd6+ $2 3... Kf2 4. Ng4+ Ke2 5. Qe5+ Kf3 {draw}) (3. Qc7+ $2 Kf2 4. Ng4+ Ke2 5. Qxc4+ Kd2 6. Qd4+ Kc2 {draw}) 3... Kf2 4. Ng4+ {$1 The king has six free fields at his disposal but despite this black loses} Kg2 {If the queen had played 3. Qc7+? or 3. Qd6+?, he would not have had access to the b2 square and would have drawn 4.... Ke2. And now after 4... Ke2 wins 5. Qb2+ with a mate or gaining the queen.} 5. Qb7+ Kg1 6. Qb1+ Bf1 (6... Kg2 7. Ne3+ (7. Qe4+ Kg1 8. Qe1+ Kg2 9. Ne3+ Kh2 10. Qh4+ Kg1 11. Qg3+) 7... Kh2 8. Qb8+ Kg1 9. Qg3+) 7. Qb6+ {White starts the queens steps to approach the g3 field and mate, but as we shall see they have to be done ‘in 2 instalments’ separated by the manoeuvre of flipping the knight to f5. These instalments must be properly spaced (as in a loan repayment plan!).} Kg2 8. Qc6+ {For the manouevre} (8. Ne3+ $2 Kf2 9. Nf5+ Ke1 10. Qb4+ Kd1 11. Qb1+ Kd2 {is too early}) 8... Kg1 9. Qc5+ Kg2 10. Ne3+ {$1 Half the steps are done and now is the right time for the knight manoeuvre (i.e. it is the end of the first instalment!).} (10. Qd5+ $6 Kg1 11. Qd4+ Kg2 {and it is too late for the knight manoeuvre} 12. Ne3+ $2 Kf2 13. Nf5+ Ke1 14. Qb4+ Kd1 15. Qb1+ Kd2) 10... Kf2 (10... Kh2 11. Qe5+ Kg1 12. Qg3+ Bg2 13. Qe1+ Kh2 14. Ng4+ Kh3 15. Nf2+ {fork.}) (10... Kg3 11. Qe5+ Kf2 12. Nd1+ Kg1 13. Qe3+ Kg2 14. Qg5+ Kh2 15. Qf4+ Kg2 16. Ne3+ {win}) 11. Nf5+ $1 Kg2 (11... Ke1 12. Qc1+ Kf2 13. Qe3+ Kg2 14. Qg3#) 12. Qd5+ {Now white completes the queen steps (second instalment).} Kg1 (12... Kh2 13. Qe5+ Kg1 14. Qe3+ Kg2 15. Qg3#) 13. Qd4+ Kg2 14. Qe4+ {after 14. Qb2+ or 14. Qd2+ white must return to the same position.} Kg1 (14... Kh2 15. Qf4+ (15. Qe5+) 15... Kg1 16. Qe3+ Kg2 17. Qg3#) 15. Qe3+ Kg2 16. Qg3# {A model mate in the middle of the chessboard with two active selfblocks.} 1-0

[Event "3/4.p Congress of Polish Chess Composers"] [Site ""] [Date "2024"] [Round ""] [White "Marek Kwiatkowski"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2b5/R1P4k/5rp1/p4p1p/1q2p2P/1B6/5PP1/3Q1K2 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "27"] 
 1. Ra8 (1. Qd7+ $2 Bxd7 2. c8=Q Rf7 $19) 1... Rf8 (1... Rd6 2. Bg8+ $18)  2. Rxc8 $1 (1. Qd8 $2 Qb3 2. Rxc8 Qb1+ {= perpetual check}) 2... Qb5+ $1  3. Bc4 $1 Qxc4+ 4. Kg1 Rxc8 (4... Rf7 5. Rh8+ $18) 5. Qd7+ Kh6 6. g4 $1  (6. Qxc8 $2 Qc1+ 7. Kh2 Qf4+ {= perpetual check}) 6... Qc1+ 7. Kg2 $1  (7. Kh2 $2 Qf4+ {= perpetual check}) 7... hxg4 8. Qxc8 Qc3 9. Qf8+  (9.Qd8? g3 $1 10. fxg3 Qf3+ {= perpetual check}) 9... Kh7 (9...Kh5  10.Qd8 $1 $18) 10. Qe7+ $1 ({logical try: } 10. c8=Q $2 Qf3+ 11.Kg1 Qd1+  12. Kh2 g3+ {= perpetual check; }) ({too early: } 10. Qd6 $2 g3 $1 $11)  10... Kh6 11. Qd6 $1 a4 (11... g3 12. Qxg3 $18) 12. Kh2 $3 ({thematic: }  12. Qg3 $2 Qc6 $1 13. Qe5 Qa8 $1 14. Qc3 e3+ 15. Kh2 (15. Kg1 e2 16. Qe3+  f4 $1 17. Qxe2 a3 $11) 15... exf2 16. c8=Q Qh1+ $1 {= perpetual check})  12... a3 (12... Qc2 13. Kg3 $18) (12... g3+ 13. Qxg3 $18) 13. Qf8+  {switchback} Kh7 14. c8=Q {14... Qf3+?? +-; theme: perpetual check  avoidance} 1-0

[Event "3/4.p Congress of Polish Chess Composers"] [Site ""] [Date "2024"] [Round ""] [White "Jan Rusinek"] [Black "(0124.00g8g4)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3n2K1/8/b7/6N1/1b4k1/5R2/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "21"] 
 {Two bishops win with the knight, and the bishop and knight 'only' draw. White is at a disadvantage and will be forced to exchange the rook for a light figure. Black will aim to give away for the rook of the knght and white will aim to get for the rook of the bishop. This is the motive behind the whole game.} 1. Rf6 {First thematic try:} (1. Nf7 $2 Kxf3 2. Nxd8 {for the rook, white gained 'only' the knight.}) 1... Bc4+ 2. Nf7 {The knight is pinned and the rook is chained to its defence.} Bc3 {A} (2... Be7 {main B} 3. Rf2 Kg3 4. Rf5 Be6 5. Rf1 Kg2 6. Rf4 Kg3 7. Rf1 Bc4 8. Rf5 Kg4 9. Rf2 Bc5 10. Kg7 $1 (10. Rf6 $2 Bd4 11. Kf8 Bxf6 12. Nxd8 Bxd8 $19) 10... Bd4+ (10... Bxf2 11. Ne5+ $10 {fork with 12. Nxc4 - for the rook white gain a bishop.}) 11. Kf8 $1 {Third thematic try:} (11. Kg6 $2 Bd3+ 12. Kh6 Kg3 13. Nxd8 Kxf2 $19 {for the rook white have 'only' knight.}) 11... Bc5+ 12. Kg7 $1 {Fourth thematic try} (12. Ke8 $2 Bb5+ 13. Kxd8 Bxf2 $19 {for the rook white gain a bishop.}) 12... Bxf2 13. Ne5+ {fork} Kf5 14. Nxc4 $10) 3. Rf2 $1 (3. Kf8?? Bxf6 4. Nxd8 Bxd8 $19) 3... Kg3 4. Rf5 Be6 {Black tries to push the rook off the f line.} 5. Rf1 Kg2 6. Rf4 {Second thematic try:} (6. Kf8 $2 Kxf1 7. Nxd8 {For the rook, white gained 'only' the knight.}) 6... Be5 {Black seems to have achieved the aim as all the squares on the f-line are attacked, but follows} 7. Rf5 $1 Bc3 (7... Bxf5 8. Nxe5 {for the rook white have a bishop!}) (7... Bb2 8. Rf4 Bc3 9. Kf8) 8. Rf4 Kg3 9. Rf1 Bc4 10. Rf5 Kg4 11. Rf2 {positional draw.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "hm Congress of Polish Chess Composers"] [Site ""] [Date "2024"] [Round "Annotations J. Rusinek and author"] [White "Andrzej Babiarz"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "k1K2N2/p7/1P6/8/8/8/7N/8 b - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "16"] 
 {The position of the study, but without the white knights, is the well-known task of Albert Heinrich Kniest - Deutsche Maerchenschachzeitung 09.1932, h#2. The Author decided to use the item in a study realising the Troitsky theme, for which are necessary two white knights. Retro. There must be black on the move.} 1... axb6  {According to the theory, in order to win after Troitzky the pawn on line b must be blocked on b6 (then the win is always), and if the black king is locked in the square a8-c8-c6-a6, it is enough block on b5 or b4. It turns out that here this is impossible. But white can instead exploit the position of the black king ‘in the cage’ and win without stopping the pawn.} 2. Nd7 $1 ({Tries:} 2. Ne6 $2 Ka7 3. Kc7 Ka6 4. Nd4 Ka5 ({But not} 4... b5 $2 5. Nb3 b4 6. Kc6 {and the pawn is blocked on b5 or b4 and the king closed in the key square}) 5. Kc6 b5 $1 {draw}) ({or} 2. Nf3 $2 Ka7 3. Nd4 Ka6 4. Kc7 Ka5 {draw} ({But not} 4... b5 $2 5. Nb3)){In both tries the pawn is blocked too far away.} 2... Ka7 $1 3. Nb8 $1 b5 $1  4. Kc7 $1 (4. Nf3 $2 Kb6 $12) 4... b4 5. Nf3 $1 b3 6. Nd4 $1 {White rightly gives up blocking the black pawn because it is already too advanced.} 6... b2 7. Nb5+ $1 {The interference b line.} ( Ndc6+ $2 Ka8 $12) 7... Ka8 8. Nd7 $1 {Switchback} 8... b1=Q 9. Nb6# {A model mate. } 1-0

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