www.arves.org - The Macedonian Problemist 2023

Studies awarded for the 7th Thematic tournament by The Macedonian Problemist 2023.

Studies are based on games. Sometimes the games where the studies was inspired by are below the composed study.

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist 2023, 1st prize"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.08.08"] [Round ""] [White "O.Pervakov"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2b3k1/1B6/1p1P4/3R3p/2r5/2P5/8/2K5 w - - 0 0"] [PlyCount "23"] 
 1. Ba6 $1 {As 47.Ba6! (Martirosyan)} ({Too early} 1. Bxc8 $2 Rxc3+ 2. Kd2 Rxc8 $11 {White must win a tempo}) (1. Rg5+ $2 Kh8 $1 2. Bxc8 Rxc3+ 3. Kd2 Rxc8 $11) (1. Kd2 $2 Bd7 2. Re5 (2. Rxh5 Kg7 3. Re5 Kf6 4. Re7 Bf5 $11) 2... Kf8 3. Bd5 Rg4 4. Rxh5 Kg7 5. Re5 Kf6 6. Re7 Rg7 7. Rxg7 Kxg7 $11) 1... Rxc3+ (1... b5 2. Kc2 $1 (2. Kd2 $2 Bd7 3. Bxb5 Bxb5 4. Rxb5 Kf7 $1 5. Rxh5 Ke6 6. Rh6+ Kd7 $11) (2. Kb2 $2 Bd7 3. Rxh5 Rc6 $1 4. Bxb5 Rb6 $1 5. c4 Be6 6. Kc3 Rxd6 $11) 2... Bd7 3. Rxh5 Rc6 4. Bxb5 Rxd6 5. Bxd7 Rxd7 6. Rf5 $18) (1... Bxa6 2. d7 Rxc3+ 3. Kd2 Rc8 4. dxc8=Q+ Bxc8 5. Rd8+ $18) 2. Kd2 $1 ({Logical try} 2. Kb2 $2 Rc6 3. Bb7 $5 Rc4 4. Kb3 b5 $1 5. Bxc8 (5. Rxb5 Rd4 $11) 5... Rxc8 6. d7 Rd8 7. Kb4 Kf7 $1 8. Kxb5 (8. Kc5 Ke6 9. Kc6 h4 {(b4)=}) 8... Ke6 9. Kc6 h4 10. Rd4 Rxd7 $1 11. Rxd7 Kf5 12. Rh7 Kg4 13. Kd5 h3 14. Ke4 Kg3 15. Ke3 Kg2 $1 16. Rg7+ Kf1 17. Rh7 Kg2 18. Ke2 h2 19. Rg7+ Kh1 $1 $11 {with stalemate - no black pawn "b"}) 2... Rc6 3. Bb7 $1 {Switchback} Rc4 (3... Rxd6 4. Rxd6 Bxb7 5. Rd8+ Kf7 6. Rd7+ $18) (3... Rc5 4. Rxc5 bxc5 5. Bxc8 $18) (3... Bxb7 4. d7 $18) 4. Kd3 Rc1 $1 (4... b5 5. Rxb5 $1 Rc1 6. Kd2 {Domination} Rc4 7. Bd5+ $18) 5. Bxc8 { In time!} Rxc8 6. d7 Rd8 7. Kc4 Kf7 8. Kb5 Ke6 9. Kc6 h4 (9... b5 10. Rxh5 $18) 10. Rd4 $1 h3 (10... Rxd7 11. Rxd7 $18 {With pawn b6 no stalemate in h1-corner} ) 11. Re4+ $1 (11. Rh4 $2 Rxd7 $11) 11... Kf5 12. Rh4 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist 2023, 2nd prize"] [Site ""] [Date "2023.09.03"] [Round ""] [White "Sprenger=Jan"] [Black "(+0413.44h4h8)"] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "7k/Bp3p2/n5p1/2P4p/R6K/1r4PP/4P3/8 w - - 0 1"] [Setup "1"] 
 1. c6 $1 Nc7 2. Bb8 ( 2. Bd4+ Kh7 3. Be5 f6 { 3... Kh6 should also draw} 4. Bxf6 Nd5 5. Ra8 Nxf6 6. c7 Rb5 $1 { transposes into the try 4. Ra8} )2... Nd5 ( 2... Ne6 3. Be5+ Kh7 4. Ra8 $1 ( 4. c7 $2 Kh6 5. Bg7+ $4 Nxg7 $1 6. c8=Q g5# )4... Rb4+ 5. g4 g5+ 6. Kxh5 $18 { and avoiding checkmate will cost Black all his pawns.} )3. Be5+ ( 3. e4 bxc6 4. Ra8 f6 5. Bd6+ Kg7 6. Ra7+ Kg8 7. exd5 cxd5 { wins a piece, but analysis reveals the endgame to be drawn. White needs to play g3-g4 to free his king, but cannot make further progress.} )3... Kh7 ( 3... f6 4. c7 Nxc7 5. Bxc7 $18 )4. c7 ( { try } 4. Ra8 $2 f6 5. Bxf6 Nxf6 6. c7 Rb5 $1 7. g4 g5+ 8. Kg3 Ne4+ 9. Kf3 Nd6 { will eventually lead to a drawn rook endgame, e.g.} 10. Rd8 hxg4+ 11. hxg4 Rc5 12. Rd7+ Kg8 13. Rxd6 Rxc7 )4... Kh6 $1 5. Bg7+ $1 { first decoy sacrifice} 5... Kxg7 6. c8=Q Ne3 $1 { Planning Ng2+, followed by Rb5+ or f6+.} 7. Kg5 $1 Ng2 8. Qh8+ $3 { second decoy sacrifice} ( { try } 8. Qd7 $2 Rb5+ $1 { Black decoy sacrifice} ( 8... Rxg3+ 9. Rg4 $1 hxg4 10. Qd4+ $18 )9. Qxb5 f6# { model mate} )8... Kxh8 9. Kh6 { and the Black rook cannot get back in time:} 9... Re3 10. Ra8+ { Study loosely inspired by the king march from the famous game Short-Timman and motives from the justifiedly less famous game Rapport-Sprenger, Bundesliga 2020.} 1-0

[Event "FIDE World Championship 2023"] [Site "Astana"] [Date "2023.04.30"] [Round "15.4"] [White "Nepomniachtchi Ian"] [Black "Ding Liren"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2795"] [BlackElo "2788"] [PlyCount "136"] 
 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a4 (8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Ba2 Be6 11.b4 Nc6 12.Bg5 Bxa2 13.Rxa2 Qd7 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 a5 16.Rb2 axb4 17.axb4 Bd8 18.c4 Nd4 19.Nxd4 exd4) 8...Bd7 9.h3 O-O 10.Be3 Na5 11.Ba2 bxa4 12.Nc3 Rb8 13.Bb1 Qe8 $146 (13...c5 14.Nxa4 Nc6 15.Bc1 c4 16.Nc3 cxd3 17.cxd3 Nb4 18.d4 Qc7 19.Bg5 h6) 14.b3 $1 c5 15.Nxa4 Nc6 16.Nc3 a5 17.Nd2 Be6 18.Nc4 d5 19.exd5 Nxd5 20.Bd2 Nxc3 21.Bxc3 Bxc4 22.bxc4 Bd8 23.Bd2 Bc7 24. c3 f5 25.Re1 Rd8 (25...Qg6 $5) 26.Ra2 Qg6 27.Qe2 Qd6 28.g3 Rde8 29.Qf3 e4 30. dxe4 $16 Ne5 31.Qg2 (31.Qd1 $5) 31...Nd3 32.Bxd3 Qxd3 33.exf5 Rxe1+ 34.Bxe1 Qxc4 35.Ra1 (35.Rd2 $16) 35...Rxf5 $11 36.Bd2 h6 37.Qc6 Rf7 (37...Be5 $5) 38. Re1 Kh7 $1 39.Be3 (39.Qe4+ Qxe4 40.Rxe4 Kg6 41.Be3) 39...Be5 40.Qe8 Bxc3 ( 40...Qxc3 $2 41.Rc1 Qb3 42.Qxe5 $18) 41.Rc1 Rf6 $1 42.Qd7 Qe2 43.Qd5 Bb4 44. Qe4+ Kg8 45.Qd5+ Kh7 46.Qe4+ Rg6 47.Qf5 (47.h4 $14) 47...c4 $17 48.h4 $2 (48. Qf4 $17) 48...Qd3 $19 49.Qf3 (49.Qh3) 49...Rf6 (49...Bd2 $142 50.Rxc4 Bxe3) 50.Qg4 c3 51.Rd1 Qg6 52.Qc8 (52.Qe2) 52...Rc6 53.Qa8 Rd6 (53...c2 54.Rc1 Ba3) 54.Rxd6 Qxd6 55.Qe4+ Qg6 56.Qc4 Qb1+ 57.Kh2 a4 58.Bd4 a3 (58...Qb3 $17 59.Qc7 Bf8 60.Bxc3 a3) 59.Qc7 (59.h5 $11 Bf8 60.Qf7) 59...Qg6 $1 60.Qc4 c2 61.Be3 Bd6 62.Kg2 $2 (62.Qd5) 62...h5 63.Kf1 Be5 (63...a2 $142 64.Qxa2 Qe4 65.Kg1 Bc5 66. Bd2 Qd3 67.Qf7 Qxg3+ 68.Kh1 Qh3+ 69.Kg1 Qg4+ 70.Kf1 Qd1+ 71.Kg2 Qxd2 72.Qxh5+ Kg8 73.Qe8+ Bf8 74.Qe6+ Kh8 75.Qc6 c1=Q 76.Qf3 Be7 77.Qh5+ Kg8 78.Qe8+ Kh7 79. Qh5+ Qh6 80.Qxh6+ Kxh6 81.Kf3 Qe1 82.Kg3 Bxh4+ 83.Kf4 Qe2 84.Kf5 Bg5 85.f3 Kh5 86.f4 g6#) 64.g4 hxg4 65.h5 Qf5 66.Qd5 g3 67.f4 a2 68.Qxa2 Bxf4 0-1

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist 2023, 4th prize"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "S. Nielsen M. Minski"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r6/2q4P/3p4/P2P1pP1/P6p/8/Qp2RKPk/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "21"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {Dedicated to Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren. Thanks for a great match!} 1. h8=Q $1 {White must first deal with pawn-b2.} Rxh8 2. Qxb2 Qc5+ {Otherwise White wins trivially} (2... Qa7+ 3. Qb6) 3. Kf3 $3 {Foreseeing a black stalemate trap. White must allow pawn-d6 a move in the future} ({logical try}  3. Re3 $2 {The premature Ding-pin} f4 4. g4 $1 Rb8 $1 5. Qa2 $1 Qd4 $1 6. Kf3+ Rb2 7. Re2+ Kh3 $1 8. Qxb2 Qxb2 9. Rxb2 {stalemate}) 3... Qxd5+ 4. Kf2 (4. Kf4 $2 Qc4+ 5. Kxf5 Qd5+ 6. Kg4 Qc4+ 7. Kf5 Qd5+ $11) 4... Qc5+ (4... Qxg2+ 5. Ke1 Re8 6. Rxe8 (6. Qd2 $18) 6... Qxb2 7. Re2+) (4... Rc8 5. Qd2 (5. Qa3 $18) 5... Qc5+ 6. Qe3 $18) 5. Re3 $1 {The correct Ding-pin} (5. Kf3 Qc6+ (5... Qd5+) 6. Kf2 Qc5+ 7. Re3 {waste of time}) 5... f4 (5... Re8 6. Qc1 $18 (6. Qc3 $18)) ( 5... Rb8 {eg} 6. Qc1 $18) (5... Rc8) 6. g4 $3 (6. g3 $2 {eg} Qxe3+ 7. Kf1+ Kh3 8. Qg2+ Kg4) 6... Rb8 $1 (6... fxe3+ 7. Kf3+ Kh3 8. Qg2#) (6... Qxe3+ 7. Kf1+ Kh3 8. Qg2#) (6... hxg3+ 7. Kf3+ Kh3 8. Qxh8#) (6... fxg3+ 7. Kf3+ Kh3 8. Qg2#) 7. Qa2 $1 Qd4 (7... Qc1 8. Kf3+ Rb2 9. Re2+ Kh3 10. Qxb2 (10. Qa3)) 8. Kf3+ ({ Try} 8. Kf1+ $2 Rb2 9. Re2+ Kh1 10. Rxb2 Qd1+ $11 {with a perpetual} (10... Qg1+ $11)) 8... Rb2 9. Re2+ Kh3 10. Qxb2 (10. Rxb2 $4 Qe3#) 10... Qxb2 11. Rxb2 $18 {no stalemate. The study was inspired by Ding Liren's brave self-pin 46... Rg6! (we suggest the term "Ding-pin" for this) in his decisive tie-break game of his 2023 FIDE World championship match against Ian Nepomniachtchi: https:// www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2488997} 1-0

[Event "AUT-chT"] [Site ""] [Date "1990"] [Round ""] [White "Plachetka, Jan"] [Black "Schlosser, Michael"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [BlackElo "2340"] [ECO "E94"] [WhiteElo "2425"] 
 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.O-O e5 8.Be3 c6 9.Qc2 Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bh4 a5 12.Rfd1 Qe8 13.d5 c5 14.Nb5 Qe7 15.a3 Nb8 16.Ne1 g5 17.Bg3 f5 18.exf5 Nh6 19.b4 axb4 20.axb4 Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Na6 22.bxc5 Nxc5 23.Ra8 Bxf5 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.Qd1 Ne4 26.Nd3 Nxg3 27.hxg3 e4 28.Ne1 e3 29.f3 Qe5 30.Kh2 Bg7 31.Nd3 Qe7 32.c5 Qf7 33.c6 Qxd5 34.cxb7 Qxb7 35.Nxd6 Qd5 36.Nb2 Qxd1 37.Nxd1 Be5 38.Nc4 Bc7 39.Ndxe3 Be6 40.Bd3 Nf7 41.Bf5 Bxc4 42.Nxc4 Kg7 43.Ne3 Nd6 44.Bd3 Ne8 45.Nd5 Bd6 46.Kh3 Nf6 47.Ne3 Bc7 48.g4 Kf7 49.Nf5 Bb8 50.Bc2 Bf4 51.Nd4 Be3 52.Nf5 Bf4 53.g3 Bb8 54.Nd4 h5 55.gxh5 Nxh5 56.Kg4 Nxg3 57.Kxg5 Be5 58.Bg6+ Ke7 59.Nc6+ Ke6 60.Nxe5 Kxe5 { see the study } 61.Bd3 $1 ( 61.f4+ $2 Kd4 $10 ) 61...Kd4 62.Kg4 $2 (  62.Kh4 $1 Nh1 63.f4 $18 ) 62...Nh1 63.Ba6 ( 63.f4 Kxd3 $10 ) 63...Ke3 64.Bb7 Nf2+ 65.Kf5 Nd3 66.Kg4 Nf4 1/2-1/2

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist 2023, 2nd Commendation"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Navara=D, Polasek=J, Vlasak=E"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Emil"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/pR6/3P1kPp/4n3/1P2b3/6p1/P6P/5K1N w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "1991"] 
 {David Navara Jaroslav Polášek  Emil Vlasák Czech Republic}  1. Rf7+ $1 {It also threatens g2+, so the attacked rook retreats with the tempo.} ({After the normal move}  1. Nxg3 $6 Bxb7 {White has three pawns for a piece, but d6 and g6 fall quickly and Black has a technical win.}  2. Kf2 Kxg6 3. b5 Kf6 4. a4 Ke6) 1... Nxf7 ({But it looks like after} 1... Kxg6 {White didn't help himself much, on}  2. Nxg3 $2 {comes the intermediate move} ({White is saved by the surprising move} 2. Nf2 $3 {guarding d3} gxf2 $2  (2... Nxf7 3. Nxe4 gxh2 4. Kg2 Kf5 5. Ng3+ Ke6 6. d7 Kxd7 7. Kxh2 Kc6 8. Nf5 h5 9. Kg3 Nd6 10. Nxd6 Kxd6 11. Kh4 Kd5 12. Kxh5 Kc4  13. a3 Kb3 14. Kg4 Kxa3 15. b5 Kb4 16. Kf4 Kxb5 17. Ke3 Kb4 18. Kd2 Kb3 19. Kc1)  (2... Bc6 3. Rxa7 g2+ (3... gxh2 4. d7 $1 Nxd7 (4... Bxd7 5. Kg2) 5. Ra6) 4. Kg1 Nf3+ 5. Kxg2)  3. Re7 $1) 2... Bd3+ $1 {and Black wins again}) 2. gxf7 g2+ 3. Kf2 (3. Ke2 $2 Kxf7) 3... gxh1=N+ ({Po}  3... gxh1=Q 4. f8=Q+ {White has no problems}) 4. Ke3 Kxf7 5. Kxe4 Ke6 6. Ke3 $3 {We will see the meaning of the following manoeuvres below}  (6. d7 $2 Kxd7 7. Kf5 Nf2 8. Kg6 Ke6 9. h4 Nd3 10. a3 Nf4+ 11. Kxh6 Kf6 12. a4 Nd5 13. b5 Nc3) 6... Kd7 $5 {He's testing White...}  7. Ke2 $3 Kc6 {The last try.} 8. Ke3 $3 Kxd6 9. Kf3 $3 {A position has been created that is surprisingly mutual zugzwang.  It's hard enough to imagine how the move 9...Kd5 could weaken Black's position, but it really is.  We found this zugzwang by analyzing the attached game Atalik – Miles.} Kd5 (9... Z0 {White to move loses:} 10. b5 $1  {The best White defence} ({The pawn endgame is lost} 10. Kg2 $2 Kd5 11. Kxh1 Kc4 12. Kg2 Kxb4 13. Kh3 Ka3 14. Kh4 Kxa2  15. Kh5 a5 16. Kxh6 a4 17. h4 a3 18. h5 Kb1 19. Kg6 a2 20. h6 a1=Q) (10. Kg4 Nf2+ 11. Kh5 Ke5 12. h4 (12. Kxh6 Ng4+) 12... Kf6  13. Kxh6 Nd3 14. b5 (14. a3 Nf4 $1 15. h5 (15. b5 Nd5 16. h5 Nc3 17. Kh7 Kf7 18. Kh6 Nxb5 19. a4 Nc3 20. a5 Ne4) 15... a6  16. a4 Nd5 17. b5 a5) 14... Nc5 $1 15. h5 (15. a3 Ne4) 15... Ne4 16. Kh7 Kf7 $1 17. h6 Nc3 18. Kh8 Nxb5 19. a4 Nc7 20. a5 Ne6  21. Kh7 Nf8+ 22. Kh8 a6) 10... h5 $1 {the only move} 11. Kf4 (11. a3 Kc5 $1 12. Kf4 Nf2 $1 13. Kg5 Ng4 14. h4 (14. h3 Kxb5)  14... Ne5 15. Kxh5 Nf3 16. a4 Kb4 17. Kg4 Nxh4 18. Kxh4 Kxa4 19. Kg3 Kxb5 20. Kf2 Kc4 21. Ke1 Kb3 22. Kd1 Kb2)  11... Nf2 12. Kg5 Ne4+ 13. Kxh5 Nc3 14. Kg6 {Black has the Ke7 option. This is the explanation why Black's Kd5 move weakens Black.}  Ke7 $1 ({Nebo} 14... Nxa2 15. h4 Ke7 $1) 15. h4 (15. Kg7 Nxa2 16. h4 Nc3 17. h5 Nxb5 18. h6 Nd6 19. h7 Nf7) 15... Nxa2 $1  16. h5 (16. Kg7 Nc3 17. h5 Nxb5 18. h6 Nd6 19. h7 Nf7) 16... Kf8 $1) (9... h5 10. Kf4 (10. Kg2 Kd5 11. Kf3 $1 Kd6 12. Kf4)  10... Nf2 11. Kg5 Ke6 12. Kxh5 Kf5 13. Kh4 Ne4 14. a3 $1) (9... Kd7 10. b5 Kd6 11. Kg4 Nf2+ 12. Kh5 Kc5 13. h4)  10. b5 $1 {The only move} (10. Kg4 $2 Nf2+ $1 11. Kh5 Ke5 (11... Ke6) 12. h4 (12. a4 Ne4 13. Kxh6 Kf6 14. h4 Nc3 15. a5 a6 16. h5 Nd5)  12... Nd3 13. a3 (13. b5 Nc5 14. Kxh6 Kf6 15. h5) 13... Nf4+ 14. Kxh6 Kf6) 10... Kd6 (10... Kc5 11. Kg4 Kxb5 12. Kh5 $11 {for example} Nf2  13. h4 Ne4 14. Kxh6 Ka4 15. Kg6 Ng3 16. Kg5 Ka3 17. Kg4 Ne4 18. Kf5 {and Black fails to give a knight for a pawn.})  (10... h5 {A key line explaining the mutual zugzwang.} 11. Kf4 Nf2 12. Kg5 Ne4+ 13. Kxh5 Ke6 14. Kg6 $1 Nc3 15. h4 Nxa2 16. h5  {and Black has not Ke7-f8 (unlike standing on d6). Something like Reti motive to control both sides.})  11. Kg4 $1 Nf2+ $1 12. Kh5 $1 Ke6 $1 13. a4 $1 ({But not} 13. h4 $2 Ne4 14. Kxh6 Kf6 15. h5 Nc3)  13... Ne4 14. a5 $1 Nd6 15. b6 a6 16. Kxh6 {draw. The next play has not only moves, but the saving motive is only. For example}  Kf6 17. Kh5 $1 Nb7 (17... Kf5 18. Kh6 Nb7 19. Kg7 $1 Nxa5 20. h4 $1 Kg4 21. Kf6 $1 (21. Kf7 $2 Nc4 22. b7 Nd6+)  21... Kxh4 22. Ke6 Kg5 {and the rest as in previous line.} 23. Kd6 Kf5 24. Kc7 Ke5 25. Kb8 Nc6+ 26. Kb7)  18. Kg4 {draws} Nxa5 19. Kf3 Kg5 20. Ke2 {and the action on Q-side is fast enough.  The are another mined squares e3, e4, e5, f5, for example} (20. Ke4 $2 Nc4 21. b7 Nd6+)  20... Kh4 21. Kd3 Kh3 22. Kd4 Kxh2 23. Kc5 Kg3 24. Kd6 $1 {This is the mentioned only motive to save.} Kf4  25. Kc7 Ke5 26. Kb8 Nc6+ 27. Kb7 Nb4 28. Ka7 (28. Kc7 a5 29. b7) 28... a5 29. b7 Nc6+  30. Kb6 (30. Ka6) 30... Kd5 31. b8=Q Nxb8 32. Kxa5 1/2-1/2