www.arves.org - 10th YCCC 2026

Studies awarded for the 10th Youth Composing Chess Championship 2026

15 studies took part and one more was disqualified due to incorrectness.

The quality was good and the annual improvement is gratifying.

Judges: Steffen Nielsen and Gady Costeff.

[Event "2-3 place"] [Site "10th YCCC"] [Date "2026.07.10"] [Round ""] [White "Lao Cutian"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "8/1pp1pk2/1p5p/3P3p/P3P2P/8/1P1PB3/1b2K3 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [PlyCount "15"] [Variant "Standard"] 
 1.d6 $1 ( 1.d3 Bc2 ) ( 1.Bb5 Bxe4 ) 1...exd6 2.Bc4+ Kf6 3.d3 c6 $1 ( 3...d5  4.exd5 Bc2 5.b3 b5 6.axb5 {main line too} ) 4.Kd1 $1 ( 4.b3 {"B"} 4...d5 {but Black counters with "b"} 5.exd5 cxd5 6.Bxd5 Bxd3 {so White considers "C"} ) (  4.Kd2 {"C"} 4...Ke5 5.b3 $1 Kd4 {but Black counters with "c"} 6.b4 b5 7.axb5  cxb5 8.Bxb5 Ba2 {so White considers "D"} ) ( 4.Ke2 {"D"} 4...Ke5 5.Kd2 Kf4 $1  {but Black counters with "d"} 6.b3 $1 Kg4 {(Kg3)} 7.Kc1 Bxd3 8.Bxd3 Kxh4 {so White plays text move} ) 4...Ke5 ( 4...b5 {"a" but Black's king is one rank too low} 5.axb5 cxb5 6.Bxb5 ) ( 4...d5 {"b" but White's king is one move too close}  5.exd5 cxd5 6.Bb5 Ba2 7.Kc2 d4 8.b3 ) 5.b3 $1 ( 5.Kc1 {"A"} 5...b5 {but Black counters with "a"} 6.axb5 cxb5 7.Bxb5 Ba2 8.Kc2 Bf7 $1 9.Kc3 Kf4 {so White considers "B"} ) 5...Kd4 {"c" but White has lost a tempo} ( 5...Kf4 {"d" but Black has lost a tempo} 6.Kc1 ) 6.Kd2 {zugzwang} 6...b5 ( 6...c5 7.Bb5  {zugzwang} ) ( 6...d5 7.exd5 cxd5 8.Bb5 {zugzwang} ) 7.axb5 cxb5 8.Bxb5 {zugzwang 
 Can white incarcerate and capture Bb1? A battle of plans, counterplans, and zugzwangs. Everything here is about logic and the interest comes from the subtle relationship between the variations. A mature study with real endgame subtlety.} 1-0

[Event "4-7 place"] [Site "10th YCCC"] [Date "2026.07.10"] [Round ""] [White "Maxim Nyrkov"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "8/p7/4N3/3p4/1P3Ppp/1P1N1k2/2K2P1p/8 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [PlyCount "45"] 
 1.f5 h1=Q 2.f6 Qh2 3.f7 Qd6 4.f8=Q+ Qxf8 5.Nxf8 h3 6.Ng6 $1 ( 6.Nd7 h2 7.N7e5+  Ke4 8.f3+ Kf5 $1 9.fxg4+ Ke6 $1 10.Nf2 Kxe5 11.Kd3 Kf4 $1 12.Ke2 d4 $1 13.b5  Kg3 $1 14.g5 d3+ $1 15.Ke3 d2 16.Nh1+ Kg4 17.Kxd2 Kxg5 ) 6...h2 7.Nh4+ $1 Ke4 (  7...Ke2 8.Nf5 h1=Q 9.Ng3+ Kf3 10.Nxh1 ) 8.Kd2 $1 h1=Q 9.f3+ Qxf3 10.Nc5+ $1 Kf4  11.Ne6+ $1 Kg3 ( 11...Ke5 12.Nxf3+ gxf3 13.Nc5 Kd4 14.Nd3 ) 12.Nxf3 gxf3 13.b5  $3 f2 14.Ke2 d4 $1 ( 14...Kg2 15.Nf4+ Kg1 16.Nh3+ Kg2 17.Nxf2 ) 15.Kf1 $1 d3  16.Nc5 d2 17.Ne4+ Kf3 18.Nxd2+ Ke3 19.Nc4+ Kd4 20.Kxf2 Kc5 21.Ke3 Kxb5 22.Kd3  Kb4 23.Kc2 {An epic study, with several interesting moments (6. Ng6+, 9. f3 and 13. b5) and clear play all the way through to the end. Following the introduction White must stop the passed pawns. The choice 6.Ng6! (6.Nd7) is especially valuable. The study is good training material, but lacks perhaps a common thread throughout the solution.} 1-0

[Event "8th place"] [Site "10th YCCC"] [Date "2026.07.10"] [Round ""] [White "Aayush Wadhwa"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "R1N5/5p2/3K3p/1p6/5p2/4kP2/2p4P/8 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [PlyCount "35"] 
 1.Ra1 b4 2.Nb6 b3 3.h4 $3 {The key of this move is keeping flexibility with the knight, allowing it to head to either a4 or c4, meanwhile making a very useful improvement move.} ( 3.Nc4+ {Thematic try} 3...Kd3 4.Kd5 ( 4.Kc5 $2 Kc3 5.h4 h5  $1 $10 ) 4...Kc3 5.Kc5 h5 $1 ( 5...f6 6.h3 $1 {zz} 6...h5 7.h4 f5 8.Kd5 b2  9.Ra3+ Kb4 10.Nxb2 Kxa3 11.Nd3 Kb3 12.Kd4 $18 {zz} ) 6.h4 f6 $1 7.Kd5 b2 8.Ra3+  Kb4 9.Nxb2 Kxa3 10.Nd3 Kb3 11.Kd4 f5 $1 {zz} 12.Nc1+ Kb2 13.Ne2 c1=Q 14.Nxc1  Kxc1 15.Ke5 Kd2 16.Kxf4 Ke2 17.Kxf5 Kxf3 18.Kg5 Ke4 19.Kxh5 Kf5 $10 ) 3...Kxf3  ( 3...Kd2 4.Na4 $1 {now the knight has to go to a4 instead of c4, making use of the flexibility provided by the third move.} ( 4.Nc4+ Kc3 5.Kc5 h5 $1 $10 )  4...c1=Q 5.Rxc1 Kxc1 6.Ke5 Kd2 7.Kxf4 Ke2 8.h5 $1 {The h-pawn push on the third move proves useful.} ( 8.Nc5 b2 9.Na4 b1=N $1 $10 ) 8...Kd2 9.Ke4 $1 Ke2 10.f4  $1 Kf1 $1 11.Ke5 Ke2 12.Kf6 Kd3 13.Kg7 $1 Kc4 14.Kxh6 Kb4 15.Nb2 $18 ) 4.Nc4 $1  Ke2 5.Rc1 f3 6.Na5 f2 7.Nxb3 f1=Q 8.Nd4+ $1 Kf2 9.Rxf1+ Kxf1 10.Nxc2 Kf2 11.Nd4  Kg3 ( 11...h5 12.Nf5 Kf3 13.Ke5 $1 {zz} 13...Kg4 14.Kf6 $18 {zz} ) 12.Nf5+ Kh3  $1 ( 12...Kg4 13.Ke5 $1 {zz} ) 13.Kd5 $1 ( 13.Ke5 {thematic try} 13...Kg4 $1  {zz} 14.Kf6 h5 {zz} 15.Ke5 Kf3 {zz} 16.Nh6 Kg3 17.Nf5+ Kf3 $1 ( 17...Kg4 $2  18.Kf6 $18 {zz} ) 18.Kf6 Kg4 {positional draw.} ) 13...Kg4 14.Ke5 $1 {zz}  14...h5 ( 14...Kh5 15.Kf4 {Other moves are only a waste of time. For example:}  15...f6 16.Kf3 Kg6 17.Ng3 Kf7 18.Kf4 Ke6 19.h5 $18 ) 15.Kf6 {zz} 15...Kf4  16.Nh6 $1 {other moves are only a waste of time.} 16...Kg3 17.Kg5 f6+ 18.Kxh5  $18 {A zugzwang battle in the introduction followed by a zugzwang battle in the 2nd phase. 3.h4!! Keeps white's options open. A solid and mature study, that flows naturally but contains no real surprises.} 1-0

[Event "10-12 place"] [Site "10th YCCC"] [Date "2026.07.13"] [Round ""] [White "William Dolmer"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [FEN "8/6P1/1p2Pp1p/pP3P1p/k6P/p1P3q1/K3PNN1/B7 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [PlyCount "23"] 
 1.e7 ( 1.g8=Q Qxg8 2.Ne3 Qd8 3.Ne4 ( 3.Nd3 Qd6 4.c4 Qd4 5.Bb2 ( 5.Bxd4  {stalemate} ) 5...Qxe3 6.Bxa3 Qxd3 7.exd3 {stalemate} ) 3...Qd6 4.c4 ( 4.Nxd6  {stalemate} ) 4...Qb4 5.Bd4 Qb3+ 6.Ka1 a2 7.Nd2 Qc2 8.Nxc2 {stalemate} )  1...Qxf2 2.e8=R ( 2.e8=Q Qxe2+ 3.Qxe2 {stalemate!} ) 2...Qxg2 3.g8=B ( 3.g8=Q  Qd5+ 4.Qxd5 {stalemate!} ) 3...Qg4 4.Bb3+ ( 4.Bd5 Qc4+ 5.Bxc4 {stalemate!} )  4...Kxb5 5.c4+ Kb4 6.Re6 ( 6.Bxf6 a4 7.Be7+ Kc3 ) 6...b5 7.cxb5 a4 $1 (  7...Qxf5 8.Rd6 Qf1 ( {or} 8...Qf2 ) 9.Rd4+ Kxb5 10.Bc4+ Kc5 11.Bd3 {wins} )  8.Bd5 Qxf5 9.Re4+ Kxb5 10.Bc4+ Kb6 11.Bd3 Qd5+ 12.Rc4 {In a tense starting position, Black’s king is already stalemated, making the White underpromotions less surprising, though the opening play is still nice. The capture of both immobile white knights is unfortunate, Ba1 never moves, and the second phase of the study is less interesting.} 1-0

[Event "10-12 place"] [Site "10th YCCC"] [Date "2026.07.10"] [Round ""] [White "Pranav Surapaneni"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [FEN "5B1N/4p2P/8/4P1n1/2K5/1p6/ppN5/1k1B4 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [PlyCount "9"] 
 1.Nf7 $1 {seemingly a free knight, but it deflects the knight from the c1-h6 diagonal for the dark-squared bishop} 1...Nxf7 ( 1...Nxh7 2.Kxb3 a1=Q 3.Nxa1  Kxa1 ( 3...bxa1=N+ 4.Kc3 Nxf8 $10 ) 4.Bc2 Nxf8 $10 ) ( 1...bxc2 2.Bxc2+ Kxc2  3.h8=Q a1=Q 4.Qh2+ Kb1 5.Qh1+ Ka2 6.Qa8+ Kb1 7.Qh1+ $10 ) 2.h8=Q $1 {luring the knight to allow the bishop to go to h6} 2...Nxh8 3.Kxb3 a1=Q 4.Nxa1 Kxa1 (  4...bxa1=Q 5.Bc2+ Kc1 6.Bh6# {proving the purpose of deflecting the knight} ) (  4...bxa1=N+ 5.Kc3 Ng6 6.Bg7 Ka2 ) 5.Bc2 {A tactical study with a clear idea. Two sacrifices give the bishop access to h6. The starting position is somewhat unnatural, and I am sure the composer would have preferred to make it a win study (somehow) instead of ending it with the prosaic 5. Bc2=. A promising idea that requires more work.} 1/2-1/2

Studies mentioned in the report comments:

[Event "2.p Slumstrup Nielsen-45 JT 2020"] [Site "; Slumstrup Nielsen JT 2020"] [Date "2020"] [Round ""] [White "Avni=A Minski=M"] [Black "(=1303.52f1e7)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [EventDate "2020"] [FEN "8/3pk2P/6PP/3P4/QP6/3r1n2/7p/5K2 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [PlyCount "50"] 
 {(EG#23542); source: Slumstrup Nielsen JT 2020 Game number 7100 CQL <sort-id-1>: 5} 1.Kg2 $1 ( 1.d6+ $2 Rxd6 ) ( 1.h8=Q $2 h1=Q+ 2.Ke2 Rd2+ ) 1...h1=Q+ $1  2.Kxh1 Rd2 $1 3.d6+ $1 Kxd6 ( 3...Ke6 4.Qb3+ ) 4.Qa6+ Ke7 5.Qf6+ $1 {Found 1 of 5} 5...Kxf6 6.h8=Q+ Kg5 7.Qe5+ $1 {Found 2 of 5} ( 7.Qb8 $2 d6 8.Qxd6 Rxd6 9.h7  Rd1+ 10.Kg2 Nh4+ 11.Kf2 Nxg6 ) 7...Nxe5 8.g7 Nf3 ( 8...Rh2+ 9.Kxh2 Ng4+ 10.Kh3  Nxh6 11.b5 ) 9.g8=Q+ Kh4 10.Qg1 $1 {Found 3 of 5} ( 10.Qg2 $2 Rd1+ ( 10...Rxg2  $2 11.Kxg2 ) ) ( 10.Qb8 $2 Kh3 $1 ( 10...d6 $2 11.Qd8+ Kg3 12.Qg8+ ) )  10...Nxg1 11.h7 Nf3 12.h8=Q+ Kg3 13.Qg7+ Kf2 14.Qa1 $1 ( 14.Qg2+ $2 Ke3 )  14...Kg3 15.Qg7+ Kf2 16.Qa1 d5 17.b5 d4 18.Qc1 $1 ( 18.b6 $2 Kg3 $1 ) 18...Re2  19.b6 Kg3 20.Qc7+ Kf2 21.Qc1 d3 22.b7 ( 22.Qc5+ $2 Re3 23.b7 d2 24.Qxe3+ Kxe3  25.b8=Q d1=Q+ 26.Kg2 Qc2+ 27.Kh1 Qh7+ 28.Kg2 Ne1+ 29.Kg3 Qg6+ ) 22...d2 (  22...Re5 23.Qb2+ d2 24.Qxd2+ $1 Nxd2 25.b8=Q ) 23.Qg1+ $1 {Found 4 of 5}  23...Nxg1 24.b8=Q d1=Q ( 24...Nf3 25.Qg3+ $1 Kxg3 ) 25.Qg3+ $1 {Found 5 of 5}  25...Kxg3 {Found} 1/2-1/2