www.arves.org - Paul Valois MT 2015

The studies composed for the tournament to memorize

Paul Valois 1946 - 2014

[Event "1.p Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2015"] [Round ""] [White "Pallier=A"] [Black "[=0040.12b2a4]"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/7B/8/8/k1p4P/5p2/1K6/4b3 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. Bc2+ $1 ({Thematic try:} 1. Be4 $2 f2 2. Bg2 Kb4 (2... Kb5 $2 3. h5 $1 Bd2 4. Kc2 Bf4 5. Kc3 Kc5 6. Bh3 Be5+ 7. Kd2 Kd5 8. Ke2 c3 9. Bf5 $11) 3. Bf1 (3. h5 Bc3+ 4. Kc2 Be5 5. h6 {Composer now gives 5...Kd4, but this is impossible, but} Kc5 {appears to win for Black - BDS.}) (3. Kc2 Kc5 4. h5 Ba5 5. h6 Bd8 6. h7 Bf6 7. Kd2 Kd4 $19) 3... Kc5 (3... Bc3+ 4. Kc2 Bf6 5. h5 Kc5 6. Kd2 c3+ 7. Kd3 Kd6 8. h6 Ke6 9. Ke2 Bd4 10. h7 Kf7 11. Bg2 Kg7 12. Be4 $11) 4. h5 Bd2 5. Kc2 Bf4 $1 (5... Bg5 $2 6. Kc3 Bf6+ 7. Kd2 c3+ 8. Kd3 Kd6 9. h6 Ke6 10. Ke2 { and Black's problem is that f6 square is not available.} (10. h7 $2 Kf5 $19) 10... Kf7 (10... Kf5 11. Kxf2 c2 12. Bd3+ $11) 11. Bg2 Kg6 12. Be4+ $11) (5... Be3 $2 6. Kc3 Bd4+ 7. Kd2 c3+ 8. Kd3 Kd5 9. h6 Ke6 10. h7 Bh8 {and, eg.} 11. Ke2 Kf7 12. Ke3 Kf6 13. Bd3 $11) (5... Bh6 $2 6. Kc3 Bg7+ 7. Kd2 c3+ 8. Kd3 Kd6 9. h6 Be5 10. h7 $11) 6. Kc3 Be5+ 7. Kd2 c3+ 8. Kd3 Kd6 (8... Kd5 $2 9. Bh3 $1 $11) 9. h6 (9. Ke2 $2 Ke6 {and} 10. -- Kd6) 9... Ke6 10. h7 (10. Ke2 Kf6 $1 11. Bg2 Kf5 $19 ({and not} 11... Kg5 $2 12. Be4 $11)) (10. Be2 Kf6 11. Ke3 Bd4+ 12. Kd3 Kg6 $19) (10. Bh3+ Kf6 $19) 10... Kf5 $1 ({and not} 10... Kf7 $2 11. Ke3 Kg7 12. Bd3 $18) 11. Ke3 Kg4 $1 {and the 'small difference' can now be understood: with Bf1 instead of Be2 as in solution after 1.Bc2+ Kb4 2.Bd1 f2 3. Be2, g4-square is not guarded.}) 1... Kb4 2. Bd1 f2 3. Be2 Kc5 4. h5 $1 (4. Kc2 $2 Kd4 $1 (4... Kd5 $2 5. h5 Bb4 6. h6 Bd6 7. h7 Be5 8. Kd2 c3+ (8... Kd4 9. Bxc4 $11) 9. Ke3 $11 (9. Kd3 $11)) 5. h5 Bb4 $19 (5... Ba5 $19)) 4... Bd2 5. Kc2 (5. Bf1 $2 Kd4 $19) 5... Bf4 6. Kc3 $1 (6. Bf1 $2 Kd4 7. Be2 c3 8. Bf1 Be5 9. h6 Ke3 $19 (9... Ke4 $19)) (6. Kd1 $2 c3 7. Kc2 Kd4 $19) 6... Be5+ 7. Kd2 $1 (7. Kc2 $2 Kd4 $19) 7... c3+ ({Now} 7... Kd4 8. Bxc4 $1 Kxc4 9. Ke2 Bd4 10. h6 $11) 8. Kd3 $1 (8. Ke3 $2 Kb4 $19) (8. Kc2 $2 Kd4 $19) (8. Kd1 $2 Kd4 $19) 8... Kb4 9. Kc2 Kc5 (9... Bg7 10. Bf1 (10. Bd3 $2 Kc5 11. h6 Bh8 12. h7 Kd4 $19) ( 10. Ba6 $2 Kc5 11. Bf1 Kd4 $19) 10... Kc5 {and, eg.} 11. h6 Bh8 12. Kd3 Kd5 13. Ke3 Bd4+ 14. Kd3 $11) 10. Kd3 (10. h6 $2 Kd4 {and} 11. -- Ke3 $19) 10... Kd5 11. h6 $1 (11. Ke3 $2 Bd4+ 12. Kd3 Ke5 13. h6 Kf6 $19 (13... Kf5 $19)) (11. Bf1 $2 Ke6 12. Bh3+ ({or} 12. h6 Kf6 13. h7 Kg7 $19) 12... Kf6 $19) 11... Ke6 12. h7 $1 (12. Bf1 $2 Kf6 13. Ke2 Bd4 14. Bg2 Kg6 15. Be4+ Kxh6 $19) (12. Ke3 $2 Bd4+ $1 13. Kd3 Kf6 $19 (13... Kf7 $19)) (12. Kc2 $2 Kf5 13. Bd3+ Kf4 14. h7 Kg3 $19) 12... Kf5 13. Ke3 (13. Kc2 $2 Ke4 $19 (13... Kf4 $19) (13... Kg6 $2 14. Bd3+ $11)) 13... Kg5 {With White pawn on h7, the defence of f2-pawn by ... Bd4+ is no longer possible.} 14. Bd3 c2 15. Kd2 {Miniature, no capture.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "3.p Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2015"] [Round ""] [White "Pallier=A"] [Black "[+4134.34f1g3]"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/1P2p1q1/Pb2p3/8/5N2/4P1kp/1R4np/Q4K2 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. Ne2+ (1. Nh5+ $2 Kh4 $19) (1. b8=Q $2 h1=Q+ $19) 1... Kf3 $1 2. Ng1+ $1 (2. Nd4+ Qxd4 $19) 2... hxg1=Q+ 3. Kxg1 {h-pawn has been annihilated but now white King is threatened by a battery.} Nxe3+ 4. Kh1 $1 Qg2+ $1 5. Rxg2 hxg2+ 6. Kh2 Ba7 (6... Nf1+ 7. Kh3 g1=Q 8. Qd1+ Ke3 9. b8=Q Qh1+ 10. Kg4 Nh2+ 11. Kg3 $1 Nf1+ (11... Qxd1 12. Qxb6+ {and 13.Qd8+ +-}) 12. Qxf1 Qxf1 13. Qxb6+ Ke4 14. Qxe6+ {and 15.a7+-}) 7. b8=Q $3 (7. Qa3 $2 {(Kc3)} Kf2 $1 8. Qb2+ Kf1 9. Qa1+ Kf2 10. Qg1+ Kf3 11. Kh3 e5 $11) (7. Qg1 $2 Ng4+ 8. Kh3 Bxg1 9. b8=Q Nf2+ 10. Kh4 Ne4 11. Qf8+ Nf6 12. Kh3 Be3 13. a7 {and eg.,} g1=Q 14. a8=Q+ Kf2 15. Qa2+ Kf3 $11) 7... Bxb8+ (7... Ng4+ 8. Kh3 Nf2+ (8... Bxb8 9. Qd1+ $18) 9. Kh4 Bxb8 10. Qc3+ {(Qa3+) and, eg.,} Ke2 11. Qb2+ Kf3 12. Qb7+ Ne4 13. Qb3+ Ke2 14. Qc4+ Kf3 15. Qd3+ Kf2 16. Qd4+ Kf1 17. Qa1+ {and 18.a7 +-}) 8. Kg1 $1 (8. Kh3 $2 e5 $11) 8... Ba7 9. Qa3 $1 (9. Qc3 $2 e5 $11) 9... Kg3 (9... e5 10. Qxe7 $18) 10. Qxe7 (10. Qc3 {(?)} Kf3 11. Qa3 $11 {loss of time.} ({or} 11. Qd3 Kg3 12. Qc3 Kf3 13. Qa3)) 10... Bd4 11. Qa3 $1 {and White wins, eg.,} ({Bu not} 11. Qd6+ $2 e5 12. Qa3 Ba7 13. Qc3 Bd4 14. Qxd4 exd4 15. a7 d3 16. a8=Q d2 $11) 11... Ba7 12. Qd6+ Kf3 13. Qd3 Bc5 14. Qb3 Bd4 15. a7 Bxa7 16. Qb7+ $18 1-0

[Event "4.p Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2014"] [Round ""] [White "Gonzalez=L"] [Black "[+0354.25f2e5]"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/1npPkpN1/p7/5B2/4P1pr/p1B5/b3P3/3K4 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. d8=Q+ $1 ({or} 1. d8=B+ {a minor dual}) 1... Nxd8 (1... Kxd8 2. Bf6#) 2. Bb4+ Kf6 (2... c5 3. Bxc5+ Kf6 4. Ne8+ Ke5 5. e3 Bb3+ 6. Ke1 Rh1+ 7. Kf2 Rh2+ 8. Kg1 Rd2 9. Be7 {mates}) 3. Ne8+ $1 Ke5 (3... Kg5 4. Bd2+ Kh5 5. Ng7# {(f6#)} ) 4. e3 $1 {[threating 5.Bc3#]} Bb3+ ({main} 4... Rh1+ 5. Kd2 $1 (5. Ke2 $2 Bc4+ 6. Kd2 Rh2+ 7. Kc1 Rh1+ $11) 5... Rh2+ 6. Ke1 Rh1+ 7. Kf2 g3+ $1 8. Kxg3 $1 (8. Kg2 $2 Rc1 $1 9. Be7 Rc2+ 10. Kh3 Rc6 11. Bg5 Rh6+ $1 12. Bxh6 Ne6 $11) 8... Rc1 9. Bxa3 $1 (9. Be7 $2 Rc6 10. Bxa3 Rb6 $11) 9... Rc2 10. Be7 Rc6 11. Bxd8 $1 (11. Bg5 $2 Rg6 $1 12. Bxg6 fxg6 13. Bxd8 Kxe4 14. Kf2 a5 15. Nxc7 a4 16. Nb5 Bb3 $1 17. Be7 Kd3 18. Kf3 Bd5+ 19. Kf4 Bb7 20. Na3 Bc6 $11 { positional draw}) 11... Bb3 (11... f6 12. Kf3 Bb3 13. Bxc7+ Rxc7 14. Nxc7 a5 15. Nb5 Bd1+ 16. Kf2 Bc2 17. Nd6 $1 $18) (11... Be6 12. Bf6#) 12. Bg5 $1 (12. Bxc7+ $2 Rxc7 13. Nxc7 Bc4 $1 14. Na8 a5 15. Nb6 Bb3 16. Bd7 Kxe4 17. Kf2 Kd3 18. Kf3 Kc3 19. Ke4 Bc2+ 20. Kd5 Kb4 21. Kd4 a4 22. Be8 Bb3 23. Bc6 a3 24. Nd5+ Ka5 25. Kc3 Bc4 26. Bb7 a2 27. Kb2 Kb5 $11 {positional draw}) 12... Rg6 13. Bxg6 fxg6 14. Nxc7 a5 15. Na6 $1 Bc2 (15... Kxe4 16. Nc5+) 16. Nc5 Kd6 17. Nb7+ $18) 5. Ke1 (5. Kd2 $2 Rh2+ 6. Ke1 {loss of time}) 5... Rh1+ 6. Kf2 $1 (6. Ke2 $2 Bc4+ $1 7. Kd2 Rh2+ 8. Kc1 Rh1+ $11) 6... g3+ $1 7. Kg2 $1 (7. Kxg3 $2 Rc1 $1 8. Bxa3 Rc2 9. Be7 Rc6 10. Bxd8 a5 $1 11. Bg5 Rg6 12. Bxg6 fxg6 13. Nxc7 a4 14. Nb5 Kxe4 15. Kf2 Kd3 16. Kf3 Bd5+ 17. Kf4 Bb7 18. Na3 Bc6 19. Ke5 Bb7 $11 { positional draw}) 7... Rh2+ 8. Kg1 $1 Rc2 9. Be7 $1 Rc1+ 10. Kg2 Rc2+ 11. Kh3 $1 Rc6 (11... Rh2+ 12. Kxg3 Rh6 13. Bxa3 {mates}) 12. Bxa3 Rc2 13. Be7 Rc6 14. Bg5 $1 (14. Bxd8 $2 Bc2 15. Bxc7+ Rxc7 16. Nxc7 Bxe4 $11) 14... Ne6 (14... Rh6+ 15. Bxh6 Ne6 16. Nxc7 Nxc7 17. Bf4+ $18) 15. Bf6# 1-0

[Event "1.hm Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2015"] [Round ""] [White "Didukh=S"] [Black "[+0401.01d3a4]"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2B2b2/6qP/1r2p1P1/2P1P2k/3K1P2/3p4/3n4/2R5 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "21"] [EventDate "2015"] 
 1. h8=Q+ $1 (1. Rh1+ $2 Kg4 $1 2. cxb6 Qe7 3. Bxe6+ Qxe6 4. h8=Q Qc4+) (1. cxb6 $2 Nb3+) 1... Qxh8 2. Rh1+ Kxg6 3. Rxh8 Nb3+ ({main line 2:} 3... Nf3+ 4. Kxd3 Bxc5 5. Bxe6 $1 (5. Ke4 $2 Nd4 6. Bxe6 Nxe6 7. f5+ Kg7 8. Rc8 Ng5+ 9. Kf4 Nh3+ 10. Kg4 Nf2+ {win.}) (5. Re8 $2 Kf7 $1 6. Rh8 Bg1 7. f5 Nxe5+ 8. Ke2 exf5 9. Bxf5 {win.}) 5... Rxe6 6. Ke4 Nd4 7. f5+ $1 Nxf5 8. Rg8+ $1 (8. Kd5 $2 Rxe5+ $1 9. Kxe5 Bd4+) 8... Ng7 (8... Kf7 9. Kxf5) 9. Kd5 Bb4 10. Rxg7+ $1 $11) 4. Kxd3 Bxc5 (4... Nxc5+ 5. Kc4 Be7 6. Re8 Rc6 (6... Rb8 7. f5+ Kf7 8. Rh8 exf5 9. Rh7+ Kg6 10. Bxf5+) 7. Kb5 Rc7 8. Kb6 $1 $11) 5. Re8 $1 (5. Bxe6 $2 Rxe6 6. Kc4 Rb6) (5. Kc4 $2 Rb4+ 6. Kc3 Nd4) 5... Ba3 $1 (5... Nd4 6. Kc4 Rc6 7. Bd7 Rc7 8. Bxe6 $11) (5... Bg1 6. Rg8+) (5... Kf7 6. Rxe6 Rxe6 7. Bxe6+ Kxe6 8. Kc4 $11) 6. Rxe6+ $1 Rxe6 7. f5+ $1 (7. Bxe6 $2 Nc5+) 7... Kxf5 8. Kc4 Nc5 9. Kd5 Bb4 10. Kc4 Ba3 11. Kd5 $11 1/2-1/2

[Event "2.hm Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2015"] [Round ""] [White "Becker=R"] [Black "[+0401.01d3a4]"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/7R/3r4/8/k2N3p/3K4/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. Kc4 Ka5 (1... Ka3 2. Nb5+ {+-}) (1... Ra6 2. Rb7 Ka3 3. Nb5+ ({Also} 3. Nc2+ Ka4 4. Nb4 Ra8 5. Nc6 {transposing to main line}) 3... Ka2 {(Ka4)} (3... Kb2 4. Nc7+ {+-}) 4. Nc3+ Ka3 5. Rb3#) 2. Kc5 Ra6 3. Rb7 $1 ({Thematic Try} 3. Rxh4 $2 Rg6 $1 (3... Rf6 $2 4. Nc6+ Ka6 5. Ra4+ Kb7 6. Ra7+ Kc8 7. Kb6 Rf7 8. Ra8+ Kd7 9. Ne5+ {+-}) (3... Ka4 $2 4. Rh1 Ra5+ 5. Kc4 {+-}) 4. Nc6+ Ka6 5. Ra4+ Kb7 6. Ra7+ Kc8 7. Kb6 Rg7 $1 8. Ra8+ Kd7 9. Ra7+ Kc8 10. Ne7+ Kd8 11. Nc6+ Kc8 12. Rxg7 {is stalemate}) (3. Rh8 $2 Ka4 4. Rb8 Ra5+ 5. Kc4 Rg5 6. Ra8+ Ra5 7. Rb8 Rg5 8. Rb4+ Ka5 {=}) 3... Ra8 4. Nc6+ Ka4 5. Kc4 Ka3 6. Rb3+ $1 (6. Kc3 $2 Ra6 7. Nb4 (7. Nd4 h3 8. Nc2+ Ka4 {=}) 7... Ra8 8. Rb6 Ka4 9. Nc6 Rg8 {(Re8) =}) 6... Ka2 7. Kc3 Ka1 (7... Rc8 8. Rb6 Rg8 (8... h3 9. Kc2 Ra8 10. Rb2+ {+-}) 9. Nb4+ Kb1 10. Nd3+ {+-}) 8. Kc2 Ra2+ 9. Kc1 Rh2 10. Ra3+ (10. Nb4 $2 Rh1+ 11. Kc2 Rh2+ 12. Kc3 Rh3+ {=}) 10... Ra2 11. Rd3 $1 Rh2 12. Nb4 Rh3 13. Rd1 (13. Rxh3 $2 {stalemate}) (13. Nc2+ $2 Ka2 14. Rxh3 {stalemate}) 13... Rh2 (13... Rc3+ 14. Kd2+ Kb2 15. Nd3+ Kb3 16. Rb1+ Ka2 17. Rb2+ {+-}) 14. Re1 $1 (14. Rg1 $2 Rf2 15. Rh1 Rg2 16. Rf1 {loss of time}) (14. Rf1 $2 Rg2 15. Re1 Rh2 16. Re5 Rh1+ 17. Kc2 Rh2+ 18. Kc3 Rh3+ 19. Nd3 Ka2 20. Ra5+ Kb1 21. Rf5 Ka2 22. Kc2 Rh2+ 23. Nf2 {loss of time}) 14... Rg2 (14... Rb2 15. Re8 {(Re7)} Rb1+ 16. Kc2 Rb2+ 17. Kc3 {+-}) 15. Rf1 Rh2 (15... h3 16. Rf3 Rg1+ 17. Kc2 Rg2+ 18. Kb3 {+-} ) 16. Rf5 $1 (16. Rf3 $2 Rh3 17. Nc2+ Ka2 18. Nb4+ Ka1 19. Rf5 Rh1+ {loss of time}) 16... Rh1+ 17. Kc2 Rh2+ 18. Kc3 (18. Kb3 $2 Rh3+ 19. Kc2 Rh2+ {loss of time}) 18... Rh3+ 19. Nd3 Ka2 (19... Kb1 20. Rf2 Rg3 21. Rd2 h3 22. Kb3 Rg1 23. Rh2 Rf1 24. Rxh3 {+-}) 20. Kc2 (20. Ra5+ $2 Kb1 21. Rb5+ {(Re5)} Ka2 22. Kc2 Rh2+ 23. Kc3 Rh3 24. Ra5+ Kb1 25. Rf5 Ka2 {loss of time}) 20... Rh2+ 21. Nf2 Ka3 22. Kc3 Ka4 23. Nd1 (23. Kc4 $2 Rg2 {=}) (23. Nd3 $2 Rh3 {=}) 23... Rh3+ 24. Kc4 Rg3 25. Nc3+ Ka3 26. Ra5+ Kb2 27. Ra2+ Kc1 28. Kb3 (28. Ne2+ $2 Kb1 {=} ) 28... Rg2 29. Rxg2 {is not stalemate. Horizontally reflected chameleon echo between try 3.Rxh4? and main line.} 1-0

[Event "4.hm Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2014"] [Round ""] [White "Arestov=P"] [Black "[+0431.32a8e4]"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "K7/8/5P2/8/R1P1k2p/4r1P1/5p2/1N3b2 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. f7 (1. Nd2+ $2 Ke5 2. f7 Bg2+ 3. Kb8 (3. Ka7 f1=Q 4. Nxf1 Rf3 $11) 3... Rb3+ 4. Kc8 Bh3+ 5. Kc7 f1=Q 6. Nxf1 Rf3 $11) 1... Bg2 $1 2. f8=Q (2. Nd2+ $2 Ke5+ 3. Ka7 f1=Q 4. Nxf1 Rf3 $11) 2... f1=Q 3. Qxf1 Bxf1 4. Nd2+ Kd4 (4... Kd3 5. Nxf1 $18) 5. Nxf1 Re8+ (5... hxg3 6. Nxe3 $18) (5... Re1 6. gxh4 Rxf1 7. Kb7 $18) 6. Ka7 $3 ({Try} 6. Kb7 $2 hxg3 7. Nxg3 Kc5 $1 8. Nf5 Re4 $1 9. Nd6 $5 Re7+ $1 10. Ka6 Kxd6 $11) 6... hxg3 7. Nxg3 Kc5 8. Nf5 $1 Re1 (8... Re4 9. Nd6 $1 Re7+ 10. Nb7+ $18) 9. Kb8 $1 (9. Kb7 $2 Re4 $1 10. Nd6 Re7+ $1 $11) (9. Ka8 $2 Kb6 $1 10. Rb4+ Kc5 11. Ra4 Kb6 {positional draw}) 9... Re4 (9... Re8+ 10. Kc7 Re4 11. Nd6 $1 Re7+ 12. Kd8 Kxd6 13. Ra6+ $18) (9... Rc1 10. Ne3 Rc3 11. Ra5+ Kd4 12. Kc7 $18) 10. Nd6 $1 Kxd6 (10... Rd4 11. Nb7+ $18) 11. c5+ $1 Kxc5 12. Rxe4 1-0

[Event "1.c Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2014"] [Round ""] [White "Slumstrup_Nielsen=S"] [Black "[=0034.11c3a8]"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "k7/5n1N/8/8/p3P3/2K5/7b/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "24"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. e5 $1 (1. Kb4 $2 {This move fails because the e4-pawn is in the way of the king.} Bd6+ 2. Kxa4 Be7 3. Kb3 (3. Kb5 Ne5) 3... Kb7 4. Kc4 Kc6 5. Kd4 Kd6 6. Ke3 (6. e5+ Nxe5 7. Ke4 Ke6 8. Kf4 Nf7 9. Kg4 Ke5 10. Kh5 Kf5) 6... Ke5 7. Kf3 Nd6 (7... Nh6 8. Ke3 Ng4+ 9. Kf3 Nh6 10. Ke3 Nf7 11. Kf3 Nd6 12. Kg4 {wastes time for Black.}) 8. Kg4 Nxe4 9. Kh5 Kf5 10. Kh6 Nc5 11. Kg7 Ne6+ 12. Kf7 Ba3 ( 12... Bb4) (12... Bc5) 13. Nf6 Ng5+ 14. Kg7 Bb2 $19) 1... Bxe5+ (1... Nxe5 2. Kb4 {and the white knight escapes to safety.}) 2. Kb4 a3 (2... Bd6+ {Now this move poses no problems for White, as he has e4 available for his king.} 3. Kxa4 Be7 4. Kb3 Kb7 5. Kc4 Kc6 6. Kd4 Kd6 7. Ke4 Ke6 8. Kf4 Kd5 9. Kf5) (2... Kb7 3. Kxa4 Bg7 4. Kb5 {transfers to the main line, but without giving White the difficult decision on move 4.}) 3. Kxa3 Kb7 4. Ka4 $1 {A paradoxical move away from the centre, but the only way to avoid being pushed back.} ({(a)} 4. Kb4 $2 Kc6 5. Nf8 (5. Kc4 Bg7 6. Kd3 Kd5 7. Ke3 Ke5 $19 (7... Bh6+ $19)) 5... Bd6+) ({ (b)} 4. Kb3 $2 Bg7 5. Kc4 Kc6 6. Kd3 Kd5 7. Ke3 Ke5 ({or} 7... Bh6+ {and Black wins as in variation (a).})) 4... Bg7 {Now Black has only this way to trap White's knight.} (4... Kc6 5. Nf8 Kd6 6. Ng6) 5. Kb5 Kc7 6. Kc5 Kd7 7. Kd5 Ke7 8. Ke4 Ke6 9. Kf4 Bh6+ 10. Kg4 Ke5 (10... Ne5+ 11. Kh5 Bd2 (11... Be3) (11... Bc1) 12. Ng5+ (12. Nf8+ {?} Kf6 {[%t Shrt] Black wins, EGTB}) 12... Kf5 13. Nf3 Nxf3 {[%t Shrt] stalemate}) 11. Kh5 Kf5 12. Ng5 Bxg5 {[%t Shrt] stalemate} ( 12... Nxg5 13. Kxh6) 1/2-1/2

[Event "sp.c Valois MT"] [Site ""] [Date "2015"] [Round ""] [White "Blundell=D"] [Black "[=0000.22f3h5]"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3p4/8/7k/3P3p/3P1K2/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "25"] [EventDate "2014"] 
 1. d5 (1. Kf4 $2 d5 {is zugzwang.}) 1... Kg5 (1... d6 2. Kf4 {and Black loses the h-pawn.}) 2. d6 ({The immediate} 2. Kg2 $2 {is met with} d6 3. Kh3 Kh5 4. Kg2 Kg4 5. Kh2 Kf4 6. Kh3 Ke3 {etc}) 2... Kf5 3. Kg2 {Main a)} Kg4 ({Main b)} 3... Kf4 4. Kh3 Ke3 5. Kxh4 Kxd3 6. Kg3 (6. Kg5 $2 Ke4 ({not} 6... Kd4 $2 7. Kf4 $11) 7. Kf6 Kd5 8. Ke7 Kc6 $19) 6... Ke3 7. Kg2 Ke4 8. Kf2 Kd5 9. Ke3 Kxd6 10. Kd4 $11) ({Main c)} 3... Ke5 {(e6)} 4. Kh3 Kxd6 5. Kxh4 Ke5 6. Kg4 (6. Kg5 $2 d5 ({and not} 6... Kd4 $2 7. Kf5) 7. Kg4 {(7.K~)} Kd4 $19) (6. Kg3 $2 Kd4 ({ and not} 6... d5 $2 7. Kf3) 7. Kf4 d5 $19) 6... Kd4 7. Kf5 (7. Kf4 $2 d5 $19) 7... Kxd3 8. Ke5 Kc4 9. Kd6 $11) 4. Kh2 (4. Kf2 $2 Kf4 5. Kg2 Ke3 6. Kh3 Kxd3 { etc.}) 4... h3 5. Kg1 ({Thematic try} 5. Kh1 $2 Kg3 6. Kg1 h2+ 7. Kh1 Kh3 8. d4 Kg3 9. d5 Kf3 {(f4)} 10. Kxh2 Ke4 11. Kg3 Kxd5 12. Kf4 Kxd6 {and Black wins. In order to draw the white pawn must arrive at d5 when the black king is at h3 and not g3.}) 5... Kg3 ({The attempted triangulation with} 5... Kf3 {fails to} 6. Kh2) 6. Kh1 h2 7. d4 Kh3 (7... Kf3 8. Kxh2 Ke4 9. Kg3 {(9.Kg~)} Kxd4 10. Kf4 {(10.Kf4~)} Kd5 11. Ke3 Kxd6 12. Kd4 $11) 8. d5 Kg4 9. Kxh2 Kf3 ({And,} 9... Kf4 10. Kg2 Ke5 11. Kf3 {etc.}) 10. Kg1 Ke4 11. Kf2 Kxd5 12. Ke3 Kxd6 13. Kd4 $11 {The study has been tested for soundess by the Nalimov tablebases but these were not used during composition.} 1/2-1/2

Awards || tournament results

Daily task - Stalemate