www.arves.org - Pat a Mat 2022-2023

Studies awarded for the Pat a Mat magazine ty 2022-2023.

[Event "1st Prize Pat a Mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Thomas Niessen (Germany)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3K4/8/p2p4/8/1P6/2N1k3/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {Pat a Mat 2022-23. Studies award. I received from tourney director, Lubos Kekely, 25 entries of very good standard for judgement. My thanks to him and to Gady Costeff for checking my candidates for originality. After deep consideration I decided to include 10 entries in my award. Here is their classification: 1st Pr: The endgame study is an art of chess paradoxes and here we witness a most amazing one: On his way from c3 to the neighbouring d3 the Knight paradoxically strives to 3 edges of the chessboard missing the fourth one just by a hair!} 1. Kc7 Kd4 2. Na2 Kc4 (2... d5 3. Kb6 Kd3 (3... Kc4 {see main}) 4. Kxa6 $18) 3. Kb6 (3. Kxd6 $2 a5 4. bxa5 Kb5 $11) 3... d5 4. Ka5 {zz The wK has reached its destination. White would like to give up his N for the d-pawn or to bring the N all around to c6.} (4. Kxa6 $2 d4 5. b5 (5. Nc1 Kxb4 $11) 5... d3 6. b6 d2 7. b7 d1=Q 8. b8=Q Qa4+ $11) 4... Kb3 (4... d4 5. Nc1 $18) 5. Nc1+ Kc3 (5... Kc4 6. Ne2 Kb3 7. Nf4 d4 8. Ne2 d3 9. Nc1+ $18) 6. Ne2+ Kc4 7. Ng1 $1 (7. Nf4 $2 d4 8. Ne2 d3 9. Ng3 d2 10. Nf1 d1=N $11) 7... Kb3 (7... Kc3 8. Nf3 Kc4 9. Ne5+ $18) (7... d4 8. Nf3 d3 9. Ne5+ $18) 8. Nf3 Kc3 9. Ng5 $1 (9. Ne5 $2 d4 10. Ka4 (10. Ng4 Kb3 $1 11. Nf2 Kc4 12. Ne4 (12. Nd1 Kb3 13. Nf2 $11) 12... d3 13. Nf2 (13. Nd2+ Kc3 14. Nf3 Kb3 $11) 13... d2 14. Nd1 Kb3 $1 $11) (10. Nf3 d3 11. Ng5 Kd4 12. Nf3+ Kc3 $11) 10... d3 11. Nf3 d2 12. Nxd2 Kxd2 13. Ka5 Kc3 $11) 9... Kb3 10. Ne6 Kc4 (10... Kc3 11. Nf4 d4 12. Ne2+ $18) 11. Nd8 $1 d4 (11... Kb3 12. Nc6 Kc3 13. Ne7 d4 14. Nd5+ Kc4 (14... Kb3 15. Kxa6 $18) 15. Nf4 Kb3 16. Ne6 d3 17. Nc5+ $18) 12. Nc6 d3 13. Ne5+ Kc3 14. Nxd3 Kxd3 15. Kxa6 {Wins.} 1-0

[Event "2nd Prize Pat a mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Pavel Arestov (Russia) and Daniel Keith (France)"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4k3/6pp/8/8/8/4b2P/K7/1N6 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {A lovely miniature displaying the agile Knight's journey to save the day by a last minute sacrifice.} 1. Kb3 Kf7 2. Kc4 $1 (2. Kc3 $2 Bc5 $1 (2... Ba7 $2 3. Kd3 $1 $10) 3. Nd2 (3. Kd3 Bb4 $1 {domination of the knight}) (3. Kc4 Be7 $1 4. Nc3 Kg6 5. Nd5 Bg5 6. Kd4 Kh5 7. Ke4 Kh4 $19) 3... Ke6 $1 (3... Kf6 $4 4. Ne4+ $10) (3... Kg6 $2 4. Kd3 Kf5 5. Ne4 Ba7 6. Nd6+ $10) 4. Ne4 Ba7 $1 (4... Bb6 $2 5. Kd3 Ke5 6. Nc3 $10) 5. Ng5+ (5. Kd3 Ke5 6. Nc3 Kf4 $19) 5... Kf5 6. Nxh7 Bc5 $19 {domination of the knight}) 2... Kg6 $1 {(Line A)} (2... Kf6 {(Line B)} 3. Kd3 Bc5 $1 4. Nc3 $1 ({Try:} 4. Nd2 $2 Ke5 $1 5. Ne4 Ba7 $1 (5... Bb6 $2 6. Nc3 $10) 6. Ng5 Kf5 $1 7. Nxh7 Bc5 $1 8. Kc4 Be7 $1 9. Kd5 Kg6 $19) 4... Ke5 5. Nb5 $1 (5. Ne4 $2 Ba7 $1 $19) 5... Bb6 6. Nc3 Bc5 7. Nb5 g5 8. Nc7 $1 Bd6 9. Nb5 $10 {Positional draw.}) 3. Kd3 Bc5 $1 (3... Ba7 {e.g.} 4. Ke4 Kg5 5. Kf3 $10) 4. Nd2 $1 ({Try:} 4. Nc3 $2 Kh5 5. Ne4 Ba7 $1 (5... Bb6 $2 6. Ng3+ Kg5 7. Ke2 $1 Bc7 8. Ne4+ Kf4 9. Nc5 $1 $10) 6. Ng3+ Kg5 $1 7. Ke2 (7. Ke4 Bb8 $1 8. Nf5 g6 $19) 7... Bb8 $1 8. Ne4+ Kh4 ({Or} 8... Kf4 9. Nc5 Kg3 $19) 9. Kf3 Kxh3 10. Ng5+ Kh4 11. Nxh7 Bd6 $19) (4. Ke4 $2 Bb4 $19) 4... Kf5 5. Ne4 Ba7 $1 (5... Bb6 6. Ng3+ ({or} 6. Nd6+ Kf4 7. Ne8 g6 8. Nf6 $10) 6... Kg5 (6... Kf4 7. Nh5+ $10) 7. Ke2 Bc7 8. Ne4+ Kh4 9. Kf3 {/Kf1} Kxh3 10. Ng5+ $10) 6. Nd6+ (6. Ng3+ $2 Kg5 $1 7. Ke4 Bb8 $1 8. Ne2 Kh4 $19) 6... Kf4 7. Ne8 (7. Ke2 $2 g6 $1 8. Nb5 Bc5 9. Nc7 Kg3 $19) 7... g6 $1 (7... g5 8. Nd6 $1 Kg3 9. Nf7 $10) 8. Nf6 h5 9. h4 (9. Ke2 $2 Kg3 $19) 9... Kg3 10. Nd7 $1 Kxh4 11. Ne5 g5 12. Nf3+ Kg4 13. Ke2 h4 14. Nxg5 Kxg5 15. Kf3 1/2-1/2

[Event "3rd Pr. Pat a mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Vladimir Samilo and Vladislav Tarasiuk (Ukraine)"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/1B6/8/8/2pk2p1/n7/6PP/7K w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {Fighting against the agile Knight with two main lines: In one of them the highlight is Bh7!! in the other- the paradoxical 7. Kg1!!} 1. Bc8 $1 ({ Thematic try:} 1. Bc6 $2 c3 2. Ba4 Kd3 $1 (2... Nc4 $2 3. Bc2 $1 {see main line }) 3. h4 (3. h3 $2 g3 $1 $19) 3... Ke4 4. Kh2 Kf4 $1 $19) 1... c3 2. Bf5 { and two lines: main A)} Ke5 $1 ({main B)} 2... Nc4 $1 3. Bc2 $1 (3. g3 $2 Nd2 4. Bc2 Nf3 $19) 3... Ke3 $1 (3... Ne3 4. Bb1 $1 (4. Bg6 $2 Ke5 5. Bd3 Kf4 6. Kg1 c2 7. Bxc2 Nxc2 8. Kf2 Ne3 9. g3+ Ke4 10. Ke2 Nd1 $1 $19) 4... Nc4 5. Bc2 Ne3 6. Bb1 {positional draw.}) 4. g3 $1 Kd2 5. Bb1 $1 Kc1 (5... Ne3 6. h3 $1 Nc2 7. hxg4 Kc1 8. Ba2 Nb4 9. Bb3 $1 $11) 6. Bh7 $3 ({Tries:} 6. Bf5 $2 Ne3 7. Bg6 Kd2 8. Bb1 Nc2 $1 $19) (6. Be4 $2 Ne3 7. h3 gxh3 8. Kh2 Ng4+ $1 9. Kxh3 Nf2+ $19) 6... Ne5 7. Kg2 Nf3 (7... Kd2 8. Bb1 $1 $11) 8. h4 $1 (8. h3 $2 Ng5 $1 9. Bf5 gxh3+ $19) 8... Kd2 9. Kf2 $1 {draw.} (9. Kf1 $2 Ne1 $1 10. h5 Nd3 11. Bxd3 Kxd3 12. h6 c2 13. h7 c1=Q+ $19)) 3. Bd3 $1 (3. Bg6 $2 {(3. Bh7?)} Kf4 $1 4. g3+ Kf3 $19) 3... c2 (3... Kd4 4. Bf5 Ke5 5. Bd3 {positional draw.}) ( 3... Nb5 4. g3 $1 $11 {see addition.} ({Addition:} 4. Kg1 $2 Kd4 $1 { and two lines: with change game: main A)} 5. Bh7 ({(main B)} 5. Bg6 Ke3 6. h4 Nd4 7. h5 Ne2+ 8. Kh2 {Position X with wBg6.} Nf4 $1 9. Kg3 Nxh5+ 10. Kh4 Nf6 $19) 5... Ke3 6. h4 Nd4 7. h5 Ne2+ 8. Kh2 {Position X with wBh7.} Kf4 $1 9. h6 Kg5 10. Bd3 Kxh6 $19)) 4. Bxc2 Nxc2 5. g3 $1 (5. h3 $2 g3 $1 $19) 5... Kf5 $1 6. Kg2 (6. h3 $2 gxh3 7. Kh2 Kg4 $19) 6... Ne3+ 7. Kg1 $3 ({Tries:} 7. Kf2 $2 Ke4 8. Ke2 Nd1 $1 9. Kxd1 Kf3 10. Ke1 Kg2 $19) (7. Kh1 $2 Nf1 8. Kg2 Nxh2 $19) 7... Ke4 (7... Nd1 8. Kg2 Ne3+ 9. Kg1 {positional draw.}) 8. h3 $1 (8. Kf2 $2 Nc2 $1 9. Kg2 Ne1+ 10. Kf2 Nf3 $19) 8... gxh3 9. Kh2 1/2-1/2

[Event "Sp. Prize Pat a mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Jan Sprenger"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "K7/P4p2/1r6/R7/5k2/8/6P1/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "2021"] 
 {A subtle Rook ending with two main lines, leading to a theoretical win and respective logical tries. An instructive miniature!} 1. Rc5 $1 {Prepares the tactical trick Rc6, winning a tempo for the rook transfer to g6, after Black has played f7-f5.} ({thematic try} 1. Rd5 $2 {/Rh5?} f5 2. Rd8 Rb2 $1 3. Rg8 Ke5 $11 {transposes to White's try 2. Rc6.}) 1... f5 2. Rc4+ $1 {Immediate Rc6 is premature: first, the black king needs to be chased to the kingside, and to achieve this, the black rook needs to be on b6!} ({logical try} 2. Rc6 $2 Rb2 3. Rg6 Ke5 $1 4. g4 fxg4 5. Rxg4 {position X with bRb3} Kd6 6. Rg8 { ( Rg6+ is useless here )} Kc7 $10) (2. Rc8 $2 Rb2 3. Rg8 Ke5 $1 $11) 2... Kg3 $1 {Main A.} ({Main B} 2... Ke5 3. g4 $1 {Here one needs to advance immediately. Black is close to the optimal defense position, his only problem is the rook position:} fxg4 (3... Kd5 4. Rf4 fxg4 5. Rxg4 $18 {is analogous}) ( 3... f4 4. Rc6 $1 Rb2 5. g5 $18) 4. Rxg4 Kd6 {position X with bRb6} 5. Rg6+ $1 Kc7 6. Rxb6 Kxb6 7. Kb8 $18) 3. Rc6 $1 { White achieves the rook transfer to the g-file with tactical means.} (3. Rc8 $2 {/Rc7} Kxg2 4. Rb8 Rf6 $1 5. Kb7 Rf7+ 6. Kb6 Rxa7 $10) (3. Rc2 $2 { is too passive, eg.} f4 $10) 3... Rb2 $1 (3... Rxc6 4. Kb7 $18) 4. Rg6+ Kf4 5. g3+ $1 Ke5 $1 {The white plan consists in changing pawns with g3-g4, followed by Rg8 and Rb8, but the proximity of the black king to the c7 square is an annoying obstacle.} 6. Rg5 $1 {White foreplan: Black needs to place his king passively, or move it away from the c7 square.} ({logical try} 6. Rg8 $2 Rb3 7. g4 fxg4 8. Rxg4 Kd6 9. Rg8 {position Y with bKd6} Kc7 $10) 6... Ke4 { Prevents White from immediate Rg5-g8-b8, but now the second plan is decisive.} (6... Kf6 7. Rg8 Rb3 {and with the Black king far behind, White can afford to give up the g-pawn, e.g.} 8. Rb8 Rxg3 9. Kb7 Rg7+ 10. Kb6 Rxa7 11. Kxa7 Ke5 12. Kb6 f4 13. Kc5 Ke4 14. Kc4 f3 15. Re8+ Kf4 16. Kd3 $18) 7. Rg8 $1 { /Rg7 minor dual} (7. g4 $2 f4 $1 8. Rg8 f3 $10) 7... Rb3 8. g4 $1 (8. Rg6 Rb2 9. Rg8 Rb3 10. g4 {as main}) 8... fxg4 9. Rxg4+ Kd5 10. Rg8 { position Y with bKd5 ( Kc7 impossible )} (10. Rg6 {waste of time}) 10... Kc6 11. Rc8+ $1 Kd7 12. Rb8 {Followed by Kb7 etc. Rook endgame miniature with two mainlines and respective logical tries.} 1-0

[Event "Sp. Prize Pat a mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Michael Pasman"] [Black "Israel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7B/8/2N2P2/6K1/7P/4k3/4pp2/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {A series of neat Knight sacrifices and capture refusals in the main line as well as in some side ones.The surprising twist is the sacrifice of the underpromoted Knight while the original one helps to build up the familiar Karstadt fortress.} 1. Nd4 $1 (1. f7 $2 f1=Q $19) 1... e1=Q $1 (1... f1=Q 2. Nxe2 $1 Qg2+ (2... Kxe2 3. Kg6 $11) 3. Kh6 $1 Qg8 4. Bg7 Kxe2 (4... Qf7 5. Nc1 $3 {The idea is - the knight have to go to d3 while black king goes to f-file} (5. Ng3 Kf3 6. Nf5 Kg4 7. Ne3+ Kxh4 8. Nf5+ Kg4 9. Ne3+ Kf4 10. Ng2+ Kg3 $19) 5... Ke4 6. Kh7 Kf5 7. Nd3 Qh5+ 8. Kg8 Qe8+ 9. Kh7 Qe4 10. f7 $11) 5. Kg6 Qe6 6. Bh6 $3 Kf3 (6... Qg8+ 7. Bg7) 7. Kg7 $1 Qe5 8. Kg6 $1 Kg4 9. f7 $11) 2. Nc2+ Ke4 $1 3. Nxe1 f1=Q $1 { preventing f7 is more important then white's knight, as we will see later also. } (3... fxe1=Q 4. f7 Qg3+ 5. Kh6 Qxh4+ 6. Kg7 Qg5+ 7. Kh7 $11) 4. h5 $1 Qf4+ ( 4... Qxe1 5. f7 $1 Qf2 6. Kg6 Qf5+ 7. Kg7 $11) (4... Qf5+ 5. Kh6 Kd5 6. Nd3 $3 Ke6 (6... Qxd3 7. f7 Qf5 8. Kg7 Qg5+ 9. Kh7 $11) 7. f7 $1 Kxf7 8. Ne5+ Kg8 9. Ng6 $1 {is fortress}) (4... Kd5 5. Nd3 $3 Qxd3 6. f7 $11) (4... Qg1+ 5. Kh6 Kf5 6. f7 Qg5+ 7. Kh7 Qxh5+ 8. Kg8 {same as main line}) 5. Kg6 Qg4+ 6. Kh6 Kf5 { Now black king is very close, so black allowing f7} 7. f7 Qg5+ 8. Kh7 Qxh5+ 9. Kg8 Kg6 $1 10. f8=N+ $1 Kf5 11. Nd3 $1 Qg4+ 12. Ng6 $3 {The target of white is to achieve known fortress position - with bishop on g7 and knight on e5 vs queen. White agrees to sacrifice one of the knights to acheve this position.} ( 12. Bg7 $2 Qc4+ 13. Kh7 Qxd3 $19 {Not enough time to achieve fortress position} ) 12... Qxg6+ (12... Qc4+ 13. Kh7 Qxd3 14. Ne5 $11 { second knight goes to e5 with fortress}) 13. Bg7 Qe8+ 14. Kh7 Qh5+ (14... Ke6 15. Ne5 $11) 15. Kg8 Qd1 16. Ne5 {known fortress position (Karstedt 1903)} 1/2-1/2

[Event "3rd Hon. Mention Pat a mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Martin Minski (Germany)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3N4/2P1p1P1/2R2br1/6k1/4p3/8/7K w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {An eventful mutual struggle against promotion highlighted by the magnificent 4.Re6!!} 1. c7 Be4+ (1... Kf3 2. Ne5+ $18) (1... Kh3 2. Re5 $18) (1... Kg3 2. c8=Q $18) (1... e2 2. Re5 Kf3 3. Rxe2 Kxe2 4. c8=Q Be4+ 5. Kh2 Rg2+ 6. Kh3 $18) 2. Kg1 (2. Kh2 $2 e2 3. Rxg5+ Kxg5 4. g7 e1=Q 5. g8=Q+ Kf4 $11) 2... e5 $1 ( 2... Rxg6 3. Ne5+ $18) 3. Rxe5 (3. Nxe5+ $2 Kf4+ 4. Kf1 Rh5 5. c8=Q Rh1+ 6. Ke2 Rh2+ 7. Kd1 Rh1+) 3... Rxg6 (3... Kf3+ 4. Rxg5 e2 5. Ne5+ $18) 4. Re6 $3 { the point} (4. Rxe4+ $2 Kh3+ $1 5. Kh1 Rc6 6. Rxe3+ Kh4 $1 $11) 4... Rxe6 (4... Kf3+ 5. Rxg6 e2 6. Ne5+ $18) 5. c8=Q e2 6. Kf2 (6. Qc3 $2 Rh6 $1 7. Qg7+ (7. Ne5+ Kf4 $11) 7... Rg6 $11) 6... e1=Q+ $1 7. Kxe1 Bb7+ (7... Bf5+ 8. Kf2 $1 $19 (8. Kf1 $2 Bd3+ 9. Kf2 Re2+ $11)) (7... Bc6+ 8. Kf2 $1 $18 (8. Kf1 $2 Bb5+ 9. Kf2 Re2+ $11)) 8. Ne5+ $1 Kf5 9. Qxb7 { study used in German Solving Championship 2022.} 1-0

[Event "Commendation Pat a mat 2022-2023"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Amatzia Avni (Israel) and Martin Minski (Germany)"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/b4p2/5N1n/3pK3/6P1/8/6k1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "15"] [EventDate "2022"] 
 {Sacrificial deflections of the White Knight to allow the single tempo required to save the day.} 1. g4 {main A} Ng3+ $1 { with advantage of a piece and a pawn, black has other important possibilities:} (1... d3 {main B} 2. gxh5 Kf2 (2... d2 3. Ne3 Kf2 4. Nd1+ $11) 3. Ne3 Ke2 4. Nd1 $3 (4. h6 $2 d2 5. h7 Bd3+ $19) 4... Kxd1 (4... d2 $4 5. Nc3+) 5. h6 d2 6. h7 $11) (1... Bb7+ {main C} 2. Kxd4 Nf4 3. Kc5 (3. Nd6 $2 Ne6+) 3... Kf2 (3... Bf3 4. Nh6) 4. Nd6 Bf3 5. Ne8 {in contrast to 4.Nd1!! in the second variation, here the knight saves the day from the other side of the board} Nd5 6. Kd6 Kg3 7. Ke6 $11) (1... Bc8 {main D} 2. gxh5 Bxf5+ 3. Kxf5 d3 4. h6 d2 5. h7 d1=Q 6. h8=Q Qd7+ 7. Kf4 (7. Kg6 $11)) 2. Nxg3 Kf2 3. Nh1+ $1 (3. Kf4 $2 Bb7 $19) (3. Nf5 $2 d3 $19) (3. Kxd4 $2 Kxg3 $19) 3... Kg2 4. Kxd4 Kf3 $1 {Non-capture; after 4... K: h1 5.Ke3 (e4) the fall of black's last pawn is inevitable} 5. Nf2 $1 {Chases the BK, forcing it to accept the gift} (5. Kd5 $2 Bc8 6. Kd6 Bxg4 7. Ke7 f5 8. Kf6 Kg2 $19 ({but not} 8... Bh3 $2 9. Kg5 f4 10. Nf2 $11)) 5... Kxf2 6. Ke4 (6. Kd5 $2 Bc8 $19) 6... Bd3+ (6... Kg3 7. Kf5 $11) (6... Bc8 7. Kf4 $11 ) 7. Kd5 $1 {a counter non-capture} (7. Kxd3 $2 {loses the pawn endgame}) (7. Kf4 $2 Bg6 (7... Bh7) 8. g5 f5 $19) 7... Kf3 8. Ke6 1/2-1/2