www.arves.org - The Macedonian Problemist 2022

Studies for the informal tournament of The Macedonian Problemist 2022.

[Event "1.p The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "S. Didukh"] [Black "2668"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3q4/5P1k/3RN3/6P1/8/3p1r1p/3P1PP1/6K1 b - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "24"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 { Judge’s comment: White needs to foresee a Black stalemate trap. White plays 3. Ra6!! to ensure the position after 11. Rd6 is reached with Black to move. A difficult concept. Black to move and an unnatural rook on f3 in the initial position are blemishes that seem unavoidable.} 1... h2+ $1 (1... Qxd6 2. gxf3 Qxe6 3. f8=N+ $1) (1... Qe7 2. gxf3 Qxf7 3. Rd7 $1 Qxd7 4. Nf8+) (1... Qa5 2. gxf3 Qa1+ 3. Kh2 Qf1 4. Kg3 $1 Qg2+ 5. Kf4 Qh2+ 6. Kg4 Qxd6 7. f8=Q Qxe6+ 8. Kg3 $18) 2. Kh1 Qa8 3. Ra6 $3 ({ Logical try} 3. gxf3 $2 Qxf3+ 4. Kxh2 Qxf2+ 5. Kh3 Qf3+ $1 (5... Qxf7 $2 6. g6+ $1 Qxg6 7. Nf8+) 6. Kh4 Qf2+ 7. Kg4 Qxf7 8. g6+ Qxg6+ 9. Ng5+ Kh8 $1 10. Rxg6 { stalemate.}) (3. g6+ $2 Kh6 $1 (3... Kxg6 $2 4. Nc7+) 4. g7 Qa1+ 5. Kxh2 Qe5+) 3... Qe4 (3... Qxa6 4. gxf3 Qxe6 5. f8=N+ $1) 4. gxf3 Qxf3+ 5. Kxh2 Qxf2+ (5... Qh5+ 6. Kg3 Qxf7 7. f4 $18) 6. Kh3 Qf3+ 7. Kh4 Qf2+ 8. Kg4 Qxf7 9. g6+ $1 Qxg6+ 10. Ng5+ Kh8 $1 11. Rd6 $1 {zz} Qe8 12. Rd8 $1 Qxd8 13. Nf7+ {The jump in place Rd6-a6-d6 puts Black in zugzwang, avoids the stalemate and traps the queen.} 1-0

[Event "2. p Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2022.11"] [Round ""] [White "M.Pasman"] [Black "2670"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7K/8/3bN3/7p/4p3/8/2k4N/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "27"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 { An exquisite and epic miniature. Perhaps even too epic as the lines are also very difficult with alternatives on most moves (particularly 4. Kh7, 4. Kg7). Still the study is packed with beautiful moves and even has relevance to endgame theory.The final trick 13. Ng6 h2 14. Nh4 is known from Fahrni/Keemink, Het Eindspiel, 1928 (HHDBVI #80465).} 1. Nf3 $1 (1. Ng5 Kd3 $1 2. Nhf3 Be7 $1 3. Ne5+ Ke3 $1) (1. Nf1 Kd3) 1... Kd3 2. Nh4 e3 3. Ng2 e2 4. Ng5 $1 (4. Kh7 Ke4 $1 5. Kg6 Kf3 $1 6. Ne1+ Kg4 $1 7. Nc2 h4 8. Ng5 Bc5 $19) 4... Be7 5. Nf4+ Kd2 (5... Ke3 6. Ngh3 Bd6 7. Nxe2 Kxe2 8. Kg7 { /h7}) 6. Ne4+ (6. Nxe2 Kxe2 $19) 6... Ke3 7. Nxe2 h4 $1 8. N4g3 $1 (8. N2g3 h3 $1 9. Kh7 Bh4 $1 10. Kg6 Bxg3 11. Nxg3 Kf2 $1 $19) (8. N2c3 Bb4 9. Kg7 Bxc3+ 10. Nxc3 h3) 8... Kf2 $1 9. Nf5 $1 (9. Kh7 Bd6 $1 10. Kg6 Bxg3) (9. Kg7 Bd6) 9... h3 10. Neg3 $1 Bh4 $1 (10... Bd6 11. Ne4+ $1 (11. Nh1+ Kg2 12. Nxd6 Kxh1 $19) 11... Kf3 12. Ng5+) 11. Nh1+ $1 (11. Nxh4 Kxg3 $19) 11... Kg1 (11... Kg2 12. Nxh4+) 12. Nxh4 Kxh1 13. Ng6 $1 h2 14. Nh4 1/2-1/2

[Event ".c The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "S. Didukh"] [Black "2671"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7k/8/8/K3P3/R2N4/6r1/5p2/5b2 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "35"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {Judge’s comment:The rook/king chase is known from many studies. Serhiy himself mentions Dolgov’s #49745 from Stavropolskaja Pravda, 1972, as an inspiration. I also remember my own from The Problemist 2013 (HHDBVI #7829) where the sacrifices were also motivated by the need to evacuate the bishop from a promotion square. Amusingly, in that study it is the king that tries to escape and secure a win, while here it is the rook that is trying to force a win.The present study is undoubtedly more elegant (there is material equality and excellent introductory moves). But in terms of novelty there is not enough for a higher place.} 1. Nf5 Rf3 2. Rh4+ (2. Ng3 $2 Rxg3 3. Rf4 Ra3+ $1 4. Kb4 Ra2 $19) 2... Kg8 3. Nh6+ Kf8 $1 4. Ng4 Ra3+ 5. Kb6 (5. Kb4 $2 Ra4+ 6. Kxa4 Bb5+) 5... Ra6+ 6. Kc7 $1 (6. Kc5 $2 Rc6+ 7. Kd4 Ba6 8. Nxf2 Rc4+) 6... Rc6+ 7. Kb8 $1 Rc8+ 8. Ka7 Ra8+ 9. Kb6 Ra6+ 10. Kc7 Rc6+ 11. Kb8 {(square Ra6-c6-c8-a8) } Rb6+ 12. Kc7 Rb7+ 13. Kd6 $1 (13. Kd8 $2 Rd7+) 13... Rd7+ 14. Kc5 Rd5+ 15. Kb6 Rb5+ 16. Kc7 Rb7+ 17. Kd6 {(square Rb7-d7-d5-b5)} Rb6+ 18. Kc7 $1 {Which square next?} 1/2-1/2

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "P. Arestov"] [Black "2607"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "ÀÐ,Ïàâ"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/6K1/7n/1k6/3B4/1p6/3p4/1R6 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "33"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1.Bc3 $1 (1. Rxb3+ $2 Kc4 $11) (1. Kg6) 1... Kc4 (1... Nf5+ {main line}) 2. Bxd2 Nf5+ 3. Kf8 $3 (3. Kf6 $2 Nd6 4. Ke5 Nb5 5. Ba5 Na3 6. Rc1+ Nc2 7. Ke4 b2 8. Rxc2+ Kb3 $11) (3. Kg6 $2 Ne7+ 4. Kg5 Nd5 5. Kg4 Nc3 6. Rc1 b2 7. Rxc3+ Kb4 8. Rc2+ Kb3 $11) 3... Nd4 4. Kf7 $1 (4. Ke7 $2 Kd3 5. Rb2 Kc4 6. Kd6 Nb5+ 7. Kc6 Nc3 $11) 4... Nb5 {(Ne2)} (4... Kd3 5. Rb2 Kc4 6. Bc1 Nc6 7. Re2 Nb4 8. Bb2 $18 ) 5. Ba5 $1 (5. Be1 $2 Nc3 6. Rc1 b2 7. Rxc3+ Kb4 8. Ke6 Ka4 $11) 5... Nd4 6. Ke8 $1 (6. Bd2 $2 Nb5 7. Ba5 Nd4 {loss of time}) 6... Kd3 7. Rb2 Kc4 8. Kd7 Nf3 (8... Nc2 9. Bd8 Kc3 10. Bf6+ $18) 9. Ke6 $1 (9. Kd6 $2 Nd4 10. Kd7 Nf3 { loss of time}) 9... Nd4+ 10. Kd6 $1 (10. Ke5 $2 Nc6+ $11) 10... Nf5+ (10... Nb5+ 11. Ke5 {main line}) 11. Ke5 Ne3 12. Ke4 (12. Rb1 $2 Nd5 13. Rc1+ Kd3 14. Kxd5 b2 15. Rb1 Kc2 $11) 12... Nd1 13. Rd2 (13. Rb1 $2 Nc3+ $11) 13... Nc3+ 14. Ke5 $1 (14. Ke3 $2 b2 $1 15. Rxb2 Nd1+ $11) (14. Kf3 $2 Na4 15. Ke2 b2 $11) 14... Na4 15. Rd4+ Kb5 16. Bd2 {(Be1)} b2 17. Rb4+ {win.} 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "M. Hlinka & L. Kekely"] [Black "2608"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4k3/BqP3p1/6K1/3p4/3P4/8/5P2/3B4 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "25"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1. Ba4+ Ke7 (1... Kf8 2. Bc5+ Kg8 3. Bd6 Qb1+ 4. Kg5 $18) 2. Bc5+ Ke6 3. Bb6 Ke7 (3... Kd6 4. Bc2 $1 Ke7 5. Kg5 $1 Qc6 6. Bf5 $18) 4. Kg5 $1 g6 $1 5. Kh4 $1 (5. Bc5+ $2 Ke6 6. Bb6 Ke7 7. Kh4 {as main}) (5. Kf4 $2 Qa6 6. Bb5 g5+ 7. Kxg5 Qc8 8. Bd3 Qg8+ 9. Kf4 Kf6 $11) 5... g5+ $1 (5... Qc8 6. Kg3 Qa6 7. Bc5+ Kf6 8. Bb5 Qe6 9. Bb4 Kf7 10. Bd2 g5 11. Bxg5 Kg7 12. Bf4 Qg6+ 13. Kh2 Qh5+ 14. Kg1 Qd1+ 15. Bf1 Qg4+ 16. Bg3 $18) 6. Kg3 $1 (6. Kxg5 $2 Qc8 7. Bb5 Qg8+ 8. Kf4 Qe6 $11) 6... Qa6 7. Bc2 $1 (7. Bd1 $2 Qd3+ $11) 7... Kf6 (7... Ke6 8. Bd1 $18) 8. Bd1 Qd3+ 9. Bf3 g4 (9... Qf5 10. Bg4 Qf4+ 11. Kh3 $18) 10. Kxg4 (10. c8=Q $2 Qxf3+ 11. Kh2 Qxf2+ 12. Kh1 Qf1+ 13. Kh2 Qf2+ {perpetual check}) 10... Qf5+ 11. Kg3 Kg5 12. Ba5 $1 (12. Be2 $2 Qf8 13. Ba5 Qd6+ 14. Kg2 Qd7 15. f3 Qe6 $11) 12... Qf4+ 13. Kg2 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist 2022"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "E. Egorov"] [Black "2667"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/1K1p1k2/7P/1ppR3p/6p1/3N4/8 b - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "22"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1... g2 $1 (1... c3 2. h6 $1 (2. Ne4+ $2 Ke5 3. h6 Kxd4 4. h7 Kxe4 5. h8=Q g2 6. Qxh4+ Kf3 7. Qe1 c2 8. Kb5 b3 9. Kc4 b2 $11) 2... cxd2 3. h7 Kg7 4. Rxh4 Kh8 5. Rh1 g2 6. Rg1 $18) 2. Nf3 h3 3. Rf4+ $1 ({Thematic try}  3. Rh4 $2 b3 4. h6 b2 5. h7 b1=Q+ 6. Kc7 Qxh7+ 7. Rxh7 c3 $19) 3... Kg7 (3... Ke7 4. Re4+ Kd7 5. Re1 $18) (3... Ke6 4. Ng5+ ({Thematic try} 4. Re4+ $2 Kf5 5. Rh4 b3 6. h6 b2 7. h7 b1=Q+ 8. Kc7 g1=Q 9. Nxg1 Qxg1 $11) 4... Ke5 5. Nxh3 g1=Q+ 6. Nxg1 Kxf4 7. h6 $18) 4. h6+ $1 (4. Rg4+ $2 Kh6 5. Rg6+ Kxh5 6. Rg5+ Kh6 7. Rg3 Kh5 $1 $11 8. Rxh3+ $4 Kg4 9. Ng1 b3 10. Rc3 d5 $19) 4... Kh8 5. Rg4 (5. Kb5 $2 g1=Q $1 (5... h2 6. Ng5 $18) 6. Nxg1 h2 7. Nf3 h1=Q 8. Rf8+ Kh7 9. Ng5+ Kg6 $11) 5... h2 $1 6. Nxh2 c3 7. Rxg2 (7. Nf3 $2 c2 8. Ng5 Kg8 $1 $11) 7... b3 8. Ng4 $1 (8. Nf3 $2 b2 9. Nd2 c2 $19) 8... b2 (8... c2 9. Nf6 c1=Q 10. Rg8#) 9. Nf6 b1=Q+ 10. Kc7 Qb3 11. Rg7 Qc4+ 12. Kd8 $1 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2022.09.07"] [Round ""] [White "M. Prusikin"] [Black "2669"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Prusikin,Michael"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r4r1/3p2kp/2q1b3/3Np2B/4P2R/1Q3KP1/5P2/4b1R1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 1. Qe3 Rbf8+ (1... Bxd5 2. Qg5+ Kf8 3. Qf5+ Ke7 4. Qxe5+ Qe6 (4... Be6 5. Rxe1 $18) 5. Qxe6+ Bxe6 6. Rxe1 $18) 2. Kg2 Bxf2 (2... Rxf2+ 3. Kh1 $18) 3. Qg5+ Kh8 4. Qxe5+ (4. Bg6 $2 Bh3+ $1 5. Rxh3 Qxg6 6. Qxe5+ Rg7 7. Ne7 Qf6 8. Qxf6 Rxf6 $11) 4... Rg7 5. Bf7 $3 Rfxf7 (5... Bf5 $5 6. Rgh1 $1 Bxg3 7. Rxh7+ $1 Bxh7 8. Rxh7+ Kxh7 9. Qh5+ Qh6 10. Nf6+ Kh8 11. Qxh6+ $18) (5... Bxf7 6. Rxh7+ Kxh7 7. Rh1+ Bh5 (7... Kg8 8. Ne7#) 8. Rxh5+ Kg8 9. Ne7+ $18) (5... Bxg3 6. Rxh7+ Kxh7 7. Qh5#) (5... Bxg1 6. Rxh7+ Kxh7 7. Qh5#) 6. Rgh1 (6. Qb8+ Rg8 7. Qb2+ $2 (7. Qe5+ Rgg7) 7... Bd4 $3 8. Qxd4+ Rgg7 $11) 6... Kg8 7. Ne7+ $1 Rxe7 (7... Kf8 8. Nxc6 $18) 8. Qb8+ Kf7 9. Rf4+ Kg6 10. Rf6+ $3 Kxf6 11. Qf4+ Bf5 (11... Kg6 12. Rh6#) 12. Qxf5# 1-0