www.arves.org - Phenix 2023

Studies awarded for the Phenix 2023 magazine tournament.

[Event "Phenix 2023"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Eduard Eilazyan"] [Black "1st prize"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/1B6/3K4/3Q4/2P5/N4pp1/4b1p1/5k2 w - - 0 1"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Nb1 (1. Qf5 $2 g1=Q $1 2. Bxf3 Qb6+ $1 $11) 1... g1=Q 2. Nd2+ Kg2 $1 (2... Ke1 3. Nxf3+ $1 Bxf3 4. Qxf3 $18) 3. Nxf3 (3. c5 $2 Qe3 $1 $11) 3... Qb6+ 4. Kd7 $1 (4. Ke7 $2 Qc7+ $1 5. Ke8 Qxc4 6. Qxc4 Bxc4 $11) (4. Bc6 $2 Qd8+ $1 5. Ke5 Qxd5+ $1 6. Bxd5 Bxf3 $11) 4... Bxc4 $1 {The counterplay!} 5. Nh4+ $1 (5. Ne1+ $2 Kf1 $1 $11) 5... Kh3 (5... Kf2 $2 6. Qg2+ Ke1 7. Nf3+ Kd1 8. Qd2#) 6. Qh1+ $1 Kg4 7. Bf3+ $1 (7. Qe4+ $2 Kg5 $1 8. Nf3+ Kh6 9. Qh4+ Kg7 10. Qxg3+ Kf8 11. Qf4+ Kg7 $11) 7... Kg5 (7... Kf4 $2 8. Qc1+ $1 Ke5 9. Qe1+ Kf4 10. Qe4+ Kg5 11. Qg4+ Kf6 12. Qg6+ Ke5 13. Qe4+ Kf6 14. Qe7#) 8. Qc1+ Kxh4 9. Qf4+ (9. Qxc4+ $2 Kg5 $1 $11) 9... Kh3 10. Qf5+ $1 {White carries out a logical maneuver. The purpose of the maneuver is to transfer the black bishop to the e2 square, and the motivation is to remove control of the e2 square by the black bishop.} ({Logical try (try-play):} 10. Qg4+ $2 Kh2 11. Qh4+ Kg1 12. Qh1+ Kf2 13. Qg2+ Ke1 $1 $11 {The black bishop has square e2 under control!}) 10... Kh2 11. Qc2+ $1 Be2 $1 (11... Qf2 $2 12. Qh7+ Kg1 13. Qh1#) 12. Qh7+ (12. Qxe2+ $2 Qf2 $11) 12... Kg1 13. Qh1+ Kf2 14. Qg2+ Ke3 (14... Ke1 15. Qxe2#) 15. Qg1+ Kxf3 16. Qxb6 $18 {The final move of the white queen coincides exactly with the move of the black queen!} 1-0

[Event "Phenix 2023"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Hlinka,Michal & Kekely,Luboš"] [Black "1st h.m."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1b2R1r1/7k/8/3p4/8/4pKp1/5P2/7N w - - 0 1"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Re7+ Kh6 $1 (1... Kg6 2. Rxe3 $1 Rf8+ 3. Kg2 $11) (1... Kh8 2. Nxg3 Bxg3 (2... exf2 3. Nf1 $1 $11) 3. fxg3 d4 4. Rd7 Rf8+ 5. Ke2 Rf2+ 6. Ke1 Rd2 7. g4 $11) 2. Nxg3 (2. Re6+ $2 Kh5 $1 3. Nxg3+ Bxg3 4. fxg3 d4 5. Rd6 (5. Ke4 Rg4+ $1 6. Kd3 Rg6 $1 7. Re5+ Rg5 $1 8. Re8 Rd5 9. Rg8 Re5 $19) 5... Rf8+ 6. Ke2 Rf2+ 7. Ke1 Rd2 $19) 2... Bxg3 (2... exf2 3. Nf1 $11) 3. Kxe3 $1 {refutation to capture of bishop} (3. fxg3 $2 d4 4. Rd7 Rf8+ 5. Ke2 Rf2+ 6. Ke1 Rd2 $19) (3. fxe3 $2 Bd6 4. Rd7 Rg6 5. Ke2 Kg5 6. Kd3 Kf5 7. Kd4 Ke6 $19) 3... Bh4 4. Re6+ (4. Rd7 $2 Rg5 $1 5. Rd6+ Kh5 $1 6. Kf3 Rf5+ $19) 4... Kh7 5. Rd6 Rg5 6. Kf3 $1 {The key move of the study - mutual zugzwang!} (6. Kf4 $2 Kg7 $1 {zz} 7. Re6 (7. f3 Bg3+ $19) 7... Rg1 $1 8. Rd6 Rd1 9. Ke5 d4 $1 10. Rxd4 Bf6+ $19) 6... Kg7 (6... Kg8 7. Rh6 $11) (6... Re5 7. Kf4 $1 $11) 7. Kf4 $1 {zz} Rh5 8. Kg4 Be7 $1 9. Rd7 Rg5+ (9... Re5 10. f4 $11) 10. Kf4 Kf6 11. Rxe7 Rf5+ 12. Kg4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Phenix 2023"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "García,Mario & Mikitovics,János"] [Black "comm."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r6/8/1P1R4/n3N3/4k3/2K5/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Nd7 $1 ({Try:} 1. Nc4 $2 Nb7 $1 2. Rd7 Na5 $1 3. Rd4+ Kf3 $1 4. Ne5+ Ke3 $1 5. Rd6 Nb7 $1 (5... Ke4 $2 6. Nd7 $1 $18 {as main line}) 6. Rd7 Na5 $1 7. Re7 Kf4 8. Nd7 Rc8+ $1 9. Kb4 Nc6+ $11) 1... Rc8+ $1 2. Kb4 Nb7 $1 3. Rd1 $1 Kf5 ({main:} 3... Rc2 4. Kb5 $1 Kf5 (4... Ke3 5. Rd5 $1 Nd8 6. Ne5 Rb2+ 7. Kc5 Ne6+ 8. Kc6 Nd4+ 9. Kb7 $1 (9. Kc7 $2 Ke4 $1 10. Ra5 Ne6+ $11) 9... Ke4 10. Ra5 $18) 5. Ka6 Nd8 6. Nc5 $1 Ra2+ 7. Kb5 Rb2+ 8. Ka5 Ra2+ (8... Nc6+ 9. Ka6 Ra2+ {e.g.} 10. Na4 Rxa4+ 11. Kb5 $18) 9. Kb4 $1 (9. Na4 $2 Nb7+ 10. Kb5 Ke5 11. Nc3 Rc2 $11) 9... Rb2+ 10. Nb3 Nb7 11. Ka3 {/c3} Rh2 12. Rd7 $18) 4. Nc5 $3 {Very impressive move!} (4. Kb5 $2 {is slow for} Ke6 $1 $11) 4... Rc6 (4... Rxc5 5. Rd7 $18) ({Rooks ending after} 4... Nxc5 5. Rd5+ Ke6 6. Rxc5 {has no chance, e. g.} Kd7 7. Kb5 Rxc5+ 8. Kxc5 Kc8 9. Kc6 $18) 5. Rd5+ $1 {Now every retreat of the Black king has its flaws.} (5. Kb5 Rxc5+ 6. Ka6 Na5 $11) 5... Kf4 $1 {The king cannot move further away from his pawn.} ({After} 5... Kg4 {After Kg4, the black king would be too far away and white would have time to move} 6. Na4 $1 {with next Rd7:} (6. Kb5 $2 Rd6 $1 7. Rd3 (7. Rxd6 Nxd6+ 8. Kc6 Nc4 9. b7 Na5+ $11) 7... Kf4 $1 8. Rh3 Nd8 $1 $11) 6... Kf4 7. Rd7 Nd6 8. Rc7 $1 $18) (5... Kg6 $2 6. Kb5 Rd6 7. Rd3 $1 (7. Re5 $2 Nd8 $11) 7... Kf5 8. Rf3+ $1 $18 {e.g.} Kg4 9. Rf7 (9. Nxb7 $2 Rxb6+ $1) 9... Nd8 10. Rg7+ Kf5 11. Nb7 Rd5+ 12. Kc4) (5... Kf6 $2 {King goes to the fork} 6. Kb5 Rd6 7. Ne4+) 6. Kb5 $1 Rd6 7. Nd3+ $1 {It frees up square c5 for the king and prepares Rxd6.} ({Try:} 7. Rd3 $2 Kg4 $1 (7... Ke5 $2 8. Re3+ Kd4 9. Re4+ Kd5 10. Rh4 $3 Nd8 11. Rh7 Ke5 12. Nb7 $18) 8. Rc3 Nd8 $1 9. Ne4 Rd4 $1 10. Rc4 Rd5+ 11. Rc5 Rd4 12. Rc4 Rd5+ 13. Ka6 Kf5 $1 $11) (7. Rh5 $2 Nd8 $1 $11) 7... Ke4 8. Rxd6 Nxd6+ 9. Kc5 $1 (9. Kc6 $2 Nc4 10. b7 Na5+ $11) 9... Nb7+ 10. Kc6 Nd8+ (10... Na5+ 11. Kb5 Nb7 12. Nc5+ $18) 11. Kd7 $1 (11. Kc7 $2 Kd5 $1 12. Kd7 Nb7 $11) 11... Kd5 (11... Nb7 12. Kc7 Na5 13. Nb4 Ke3 14. Nc6 $18) 12. Kc7 $1 (12. Ne5 $2 Nb7 $1 $11 (12... Kc5 $2 13. Nc4 $1 Nc6 14. b7 Nb8+ 15. Kc8 $18) (12... Ne6 $2 13. Nd3 $1 Nd8 14. Kc7 $18 Ne6+ 15. Kc8 {as to solution}) 13. Kc7 Na5 {/d6=}) 12... Ne6+ 13. Kc8 $1 (13. Kd7 Nd8 14. Kc7 {loss of time}) (13. Kb7 Nd8+ 14. Kc7 {loss of time}) 13... Nd8 $1 14. Ne5 $1 Kc5 15. Nd7+ $1 (15. Nc4 $2 Nc6 $1 16. Kc7 Nb4 17. Ne3 Na6+ $11) 15... Kc6 16. Kxd8 1-0

[Event "Phenix 2023"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Syzonenko, Viktor"] [Black "comm."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4n3/4k3/8/2K2P2/4N3/8/8/3N4 w - - 0 1"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Ndc3 $1 {Only from here can the white knight guard both key squares d5 and e4. The moves 1.Ne3/f2 are not enough to win; we will see why in the comments on 4...Nf6 and 7...Nf4+.} Ng7 2. f6+ Kf8 {Threat Nh5} 3. Ng5 (3. Nd6 $2 Nh5 $1 4. f7 Nf6 5. Kd4 {(if Nc3 plays, then Ne4! )} Ng4 $1 $11 {(g8) with next Nh6}) 3... Nh5 4. f7 Nf4 (4... Nf6 5. Kd6 Nh7 $1 6. Nce4 $1 $18 {Now we can see why 1.Ne3? was wrong. White would not have this move available and Black saves himself.}) 5. Kd6 (5. Nce4 $2 Ne6+ 6. Kd6 Nd8 $11) 5... Ng6 (5... Nh3 6. Nce4 $1) 6. Ke6 {Against Nh8} Kg7 {Nh8 threats again} 7. Nh7 $1 Kxh7 (7... Nf4+ 8. Ke7 Nd5+ 9. Nxd5 $18 {After 1.Nf2?, the d5 square would not be quarded and Black would draw with perpetual check.}) 8. Kf6 $18 {win, e.g.} Nf8 9. Nd5 Nd7+ (9... Ng6 10. Nf4 Nf8 11. Ke7 Kg7 12. Nh5+) 10. Ke7 Kg7 11. Nf6 1-0

[Event "Phenix 2023"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Jarl Henning Ulrichsen"] [Black "comm."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "K7/4pk2/8/8/5pN1/8/1r4P1/5B2 w - - 0 1"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {The study features a double white switchback (which is probably unique?) and a surprising last minute intervention by the white king.} 1. Bc4+ Kg6 ({White draws easily after} 1... e6 2. Ne5+ Kf6 3. Nd3 Rc2 4. Bxe6 Kxe6 5. Nxf4+) 2. Bd5 Kg5 ({Or} 2... Kf5 3. Bf3 $1 e5 4. Nh6+ Ke6 5. Ng4 {and White will be able to set up a blockade.}) 3. Bf3 {White tries to set up a fortress.} (3. Ne5 $2 Kf5 $1 4. Nf3 (4. Nc4 Rb4 {threat e6 and threat e5}) 4... e5 5. Bg8 Kf6 6. Bd5 Rb4 $1 {and White fail to establish a fortress}) 3... Rxg2 $1 {Black destroys the fortress immediately.} 4. Bxg2 Kxg4 5. Bd5 $1 {The first switchback} (5. Bb7 $2 {The bishop blocks the path of the king.} e5 {wins for Black.}) (5. Bc6 $2 e5 6. Kb7 f3 {The bishop once more blocks the path of the king and Black wins.}) (5. Be4 $2 f3 6. Kb7 Kf4 $1 {Black wins a decisive tempo and the game.}) 5... f3 ({JP: Or} 5... e5 6. Kb7 f3 7. Kc6 {with changing the order of moves}) 6. Kb7 e5 7. Kc6 f2 8. Bg2 $1 {The second switchback} (8. Bc4 $2 Kf3 9. Kd5 e4 10. Kd4 e3 11. Bd5+ Ke2 12. Bg2 Kd2 $19) 8... e4 9. Kd5 e3 (9... Kg3 10. Bf1 {JP: The third switchback.}) 10. Ke4 {just in time!} e2 11. Bf3+ Kg3 12. Bxe2 1/2-1/2