www.arves.org - Chess Study Art 2023

Studies awarded for the Chess Study Art 2023 tournament.

The theme of the tourney asked composers to show something interesting with 8-11 pieces and the main line within 10 moves.

[Event "1.p Chess Study Art"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Michael Pasman"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r2N4/7N/1P6/2Pr4/8/6k1/1P2K3/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Nf6 $1 Re5+ (1... Rdxd8 2. c6 Kf4 3. c7 Kf5 4. cxd8=Q Rxd8 5. Nh5 $11) 2. Ne4+ $1 (2. Kd3 $2 Rxd8+ (2... Rxc5 $2 3. Ne4+) 3. Kc4 Re6 4. Nd5 Re4+ 5. Kb5 Rxd5 6. b7 Re8 7. Kb6 Rd4 8. c6 Rb4+ $19) 2... Rxe4+ (2... Kf4 3. Nc6 $1 Rxe4+ 4. Kd3 Re6 5. b7 $11) 3. Kd3 {Now the attacked rook slows down the passed pawns } Rb4 {and after} 4. Kc3 Rb5 5. b4 {it is immobilized too. The other rook hurries to its rescue} Rc8 $1 {but it can’t stop the knight:} 6. Nc6 $3 (6. Kc4 $2 Rxb6) (6. Kb3 $2 Rcxc5) 6... Rxc6 7. Kc4 $1 Rbxb6 8. Kd5 $1 Kf4 (8... Ra6 9. b5) 9. b5 $1 $11 {The knight's display of courage in the intro is admirable. The following imprisonment of the black rook is funny. The decoy sacrifice Nc6 is astonishing. The finale is picturesque. The blend of humour and subtleties in this study persuaded the judge that this is the winner of the tourney.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "2.p Chess Study Art"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Steffen Nielsen"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2bb4/8/4p1B1/3p4/3PP3/4QK1k/1q6/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "16"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Kf4+ Kg2 (1... Kh2 2. Qg3+ Kh1 3. Qe1+ Kg2 4. exd5 Bc7+ 5. d6 Bxd6+ 6. Kg5 $11) 2. exd5 ({Too early is} 2. Qg3+ $2 Kf1 {and Bd3+ is impossible.}) 2... Bc7+ (2... exd5 3. Qg3+ Kh1 (3... Kf1 4. Bd3+) 4. Qe1+ Kg2 5. Qg3+) (2... Qb8+ 3. Kg4 exd5+ 4. Bf5 $11) 3. d6 $1 Bxd6+ 4. Kg4 (4. Kg5 $2 Qb5+ 5. Kf6 Qf1+ 6. Kg7 Qf8+ $19) 4... Qxd4+ $1 {Here a little black combination meets a white one. } (4... e5+ 5. Kh5 exd4 (5... Qxd4 6. Be4+ Kf1 7. Bd3+ Kg2 8. Be4+ $11) 6. Be4+ Kh2 7. Qf3 $1 Qb5+ 8. Kh6 $11) 5. Be4+ $1 Kf1 6. Qxd4 e5+ 7. Bf5 Bxf5+ 8. Kf3 exd4 {The idea to counter a queen sacrifice with a self-pin check is one of many inventions by the current world champion. In his earlier study he already managed to end this combination in a stalemate but the new mechanism is better. Now the finale is perfect.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "sp.hm Chess Study Art"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Daniele Gatti"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5k1K/3p1p2/3P4/3P4/8/pp6/2r4N/R7 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {The rooks are going to the g-file soon that's why the knight should close it. } 1. Ng4 $1 (1. Nf3 $2 a2 $1 2. Rg1 Rg2 $1 3. Rxg2 a1=Q+) 1... Rc3 ({main} 1... a2 2. Rg1 $1 Rg2 {(now the white rook can leave the g-file)} 3. Rc1 Rc2 4. Rg1 Rg2 5. Rc1 f5 6. Nh6 $1 Rg8+ 7. Kh7 Rg7+ 8. Kh8 {perpetual check to the white king.}) 2. Nf6 Rh3+ 3. Nh7+ Rxh7+ 4. Kxh7 b2 5. Rg1 (5. Rb1 $2 Ke8 $1 6. Kg7 Kd8 $1 7. Kxf7 Kc8 $1 8. Ke7 a2 $1 9. Rxb2 a1=Q $19) {The f-pawn is a switch between two draws:} 5... f5 (5... f6 6. Rg8+ (6. Kg6 $2 a2 $1 7. Rh1 b1=Q+) 6... Kf7 7. Rg7+ Ke8 8. Rg8+ {perpetual check to the black king.}) 6. Kg6 $1 a2 7. Rh1 Kg8 8. Re1 Kf8 9. Rh1 {Each main line has two positional draws. They all are simple but the construction is great, each pawn is involved. Maybe that’s the reason why at some moments I like this study more, but then I look at the draws and I like it less. This explains its special distinction.} 1/2-1/2