www.arves.org - Springaren 2021-2022

Studies awarded for the Springaren 2021-2022 Tournament.

(Judge and comments by Martin Minski)

[Event "1st prize Springaren #15023"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Tallaksen Ostmoe=G"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "R3N2k/P7/8/5p2/5Pp1/8/6K1/q7 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2021"] 
 1. Rc8 $1 (1. Rd8 $2 Qa2+ ({or} 1... Qb2+) 2. Kg3 Qa3+ $1 { with perpetual checks, as} 3. Kh4 $4 Qe7+ {even wins for Black.}) (1. Nf6+ $2 Kg7 2. Rg8+ Kxf6 3. a8=Q Qb2+ {is also a draw by perpetual checks.}) 1... Qa2+ $1 {Forcing the king to g3 in order to play for stalemate.} (1... Qxa7 2. Nf6+ Kg7 3. Rc7+ $1 Qxc7 4. Ne8+ {wins.}) 2. Kg3 Qxa7 3. Nf6+ Kg7 4. Rc7+ $1 Kh8 $1 (4... Qxc7 5. Ne8+ {wins.}) 5. Rd7 $1 (5. Rxa7 $2 {is stalemate.}) 5... Qb7 6. Kh4 $1 {Lifting the stalemate, and heading for g6 with a mating attack.} Qh1+ 7. Kg5 g3 8. Kg6 g2 9. Rd8# {MM: From the beginning I liked this study the best. A classic duel with stalemate avoidance and mate. Such constellations with "floating" pieces are not new, but here the running white king becomes the match winner.} 1-0

[Event "2nd prize Springaren #15136"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Rusinek=J"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3KB3/P2P4/1n1k1P1r/8/3P3B/1b6/5p2/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "15"] [EventDate "2023.02.18"] 
 1. Bg3+ $1 ({logical try} 1. Bxf2 $2 Rxf6 2. Bg3+ Kc6 3. a8=Q+ (3. Ke7 Nd5+) 3... Nxa8 4. Ke7 Re6+ 5. Kf8 Nc7 $1 $11 6. d8=Q+ (6. d5+ Bxd5 7. d8=N+ Kc5 { /Kb6=}) 6... Rxe8+ 7. Qxe8+ Nxe8 $11) 1... Kc6 (1... Ke6 2. Kc7 f1=Q (2... Na8+ 3. Kb8 f1=Q 4. d8=Q Kf5 5. Qa5+ Kg4 6. Bd7+ Kxg3 7. Qg5+ Kf2 8. Qxh6 $18) 3. d8=Q Kf5 4. Kxb6 $18) 2. Bxf2 (2. a8=Q+ $2 Nxa8 3. Bxf2 Rh7 $11) (2. d5+ $2 Kb7 $1 3. Bxf2 Nxd7 $11) (2. Ke7 $2 Rh7+ $1 3. f7 Bxf7 4. d8=N+ (4. d8=Q+ $2 Bxe8+ 5. Ke6 Bf7+ 6. Ke5 Nc4+ $19) 4... Kd5 5. Bc6+ Kc4 $1 6. Bxf2 Bd5+ 7. Kd6 Rxa7 $11) 2... Rxf6 (2... Rh7 3. d5+ $1 Bxd5 4. Bxb6 Kxb6 5. f7 $18) (2... Kb7 3. Ke7 Rh7+ 4. Kd6 $18) 3. a8=Q+ $1 (3. d5+ $2 {MM:} Kb7 $1 ({not} 3... Bxd5 $2 4. a8=Q+ $1 Nxa8 5. Ke7 Re6+ 6. Kf8 Rf6+ 7. Kg7 Rf7+ 8. Bxf7 Kxd7 9. Bxd5 $19) 4. Bxb6 Bxd5 5. Ke7 Re6+ 6. Kf8 Rd6 7. Bc5 Rxd7 8. Bxd7 $11) (3. Ke7 $4 Nd5+ $19) 3... Nxa8 4. Ke7 (4. d5+ $2 Kxd5 $1 5. Ke7 Rd6 $11) 4... Re6+ 5. Kf8 Nc7 $1 ( 5... Rf6+ 6. Kg7 $18) (5... Kc7 6. Bg3+ Kd8 7. Bh4+ $18) 6. d5+ $1 (6. d8=Q+ $2 Rxe8+ 7. Qxe8+ Nxe8 $11) (6. d8=N+ $2 Kd6 7. Bg3+ Kd5 $11) 6... Bxd5 (6... Nxd5 {/Kxd5} 7. d8=Q+ $18) (6... Kb5 {/Kb7} 7. dxe6 Nxe6+ 8. Ke7 $18) 7. d8=N+ $1 ( 7. d8=Q+ $2 Rxe8+ $11) 7... Kd6 8. Nf7# {MM: Bazlov already showed an ideal mirror mate with knight promotion and 4 self-blocks (1st/2nd prize Corus-70 AT 2008), but the scheme is different. There are minor flaws in Rusinek's study (capture of two technical pawns, Be8 without move). On the other hand there are many positive things: 1.Bg3+!/1.Bxf2? with a touch of logic, subtle justification of move order and of course 6.d5+!!} 1-0

[Event "1st hm Springaren #15133"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Avni=A"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1K4k1/8/7P/6qP/5n2/8/2B1R3/7R w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "1980"] 
 1. h7+ Kf7 (1... Kg7 2. h6+ Kf7 3. Bb3+ Kg6 4. h8=Q $18) 2. Bg6+ Nxg6 ( 2... Kg7 3. h8=Q+ $1 Kxh8 4. Re8+ Kg7 5. h6+ Kf6 6. Rf8+ Ke7 7. Re1+ $1 Kd6 ( 7... Kd7 8. Bf5+) (7... Kxf8 8. Re8#) 8. Rd1+ $18) 3. hxg6+ Kxg6 {[#]} 4. Rg2 $3 {skipping shrewd stalemate mines:} (4. h8=Q $6 Qb5+ (4... Qe5+ $2 5. Qxe5) 5. Kc7 Qc5+ 6. Kd7 Qd5+ 7. Ke7 Qe5+ $1 {now!} 8. Kd7 Qd5+ 9. Ke7 Qe5+ $11) (4. Re6+ Kf7 5. h8=Q Qb5+ 6. Kc7 Qd7+ $1 7. Kb8 Qb5+ 8. Kc7 Qd7+ $11) 4... Qxg2 5. Rh6+ $1 (5. h8=Q Qg3+ 6. Kc8 Qg4+ 7. Kd8 Qg5+ $11 {with perpetual check}) 5... Kxh6 (5... Kf7 6. h8=Q $18 { no perpetual because the rook can defend along the sixth rank}) 6. h8=Q+ Kg6 7. Qg8+ $18 {MM: 4.Rg2!! is the move of the tournament. Who expects two rook sacrifices in this simple position? 3 caputures on g6 prevent this study from receiving a prize. } 1-0

[Event "commendation Springaren #15020"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Avni=A"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/2K5/8/5P1B/1k4N1/5R2/2p5/4n1r1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "2021"] 
 {[#]} 1. Rf4+ Kb3 2. Rc4 $1 ({Try:} 2. Bf7+ $2 Ka3 3. Rc4 Rxg4 4. Rxc2 Nxc2 $19 ) 2... Kxc4 (2... Rxg4 3. Rxc2 $11) 3. Ne3+ Kd4 (3... Kc5 4. Nxc2 Rg7+ (4... Nxc2 $11) 5. Kd8 Nxc2 6. f6 $11) 4. Nxc2+ Nxc2 5. f6 Ke5 6. f7 Nd4 7. Kd7 (7. f8=N $2 Rg7+ $19 {e.g.} 8. Nd7+ Ke6 9. Be8 Re7 10. Kd8 Nc6+ 11. Kc7 Ne5) (7. Kd8 $2 Rb1 $19 8. Bg4 Rb8+ 9. Ke7 Nc6+ 10. Kd7 Nb4 11. Bf3 Kf6) 7... Rf1 (7... Ne6 8. Ke7 {main} Ra1 9. f8=N Nxf8 10. Kxf8 Kf6 11. Ke8 $11 (11. Kg8 $2 Rg1+ $19)) 8. Ke8 $1 (8. Ke7 $2 Nf5+ 9. Ke8 Ng7+ 10. Ke7 Ra1 11. f8=Q Ra7+ 12. Kd8 Ne6+ $19) 8... Ne6 9. Ke7 $1 {now!} (9. Bg4 $2 Nc7+ 10. Ke7 Nd5+ 11. Ke8 Nf6+ 12. Ke7 Nh7 $19) 9... Rg1 (9... Re1 $5 10. Bg4 $1 (10. f8=Q $2 Nxf8 11. Kxf8 Kf6 $19)) 10. Be2 $1 (10. f8=Q $2 Nxf8 11. Kxf8 Ke6 (11... Rg5 $19)) 10... Ra1 11. f8=N {phoenix; unlike the position after black's 6th move, here the knight promotion works} (11. f8=Q $2 Ra7+ 12. Ke8 Ra8+ $19) 11... Ra7+ (11... Nxf8 12. Kxf8 Kf6 13. Kg8 $11 {a reverse echo of the variation after black's 7th move} ( 13. Ke8 $4 Re1 $19)) 12. Nd7+ $11 {MM: In the introduction a rook sacrifice to eliminate the dangerous black pawn. At the end a phoenix knight. Not spectacular, but solid. } 1/2-1/2

[Event "British Chess Magazine"] [Site ""] [Date "1892"] [Round ""] [White "Locock=C"] [Black "Anticipation of #14784 Vrabec"] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6k1/3p4/3p4/3P4/4P1p1/6P1/8/K7 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "15"] [EventDate "1892"] 
 {British Chess Magazine/7.} 1. Kb1 $1 (1. Kb2 $2 Kh8 $1 2. Kb3 Kg8 $1 3. Kc3 ( 3. Kb4 Kf8 $1) (3. Kc4 Kf7 $1) (3. Kc2 Kh7 $1) (3. Kb2 Kh8 $1) 3... Kg7 $1 4. Kd4 (4. Kc4 Kf7 $1) (4. Kb4 Kf6) (4. Kd2 Kh6 $1) (4. Kc2 Kh7 $1) 4... Kf6 $1 5. Ke3 (5. Kd3 Kg6 $1) 5... Kg5 $1) (1. Ka2 $2 Kh7 $1) 1... Kg7 (1... Kh8 2. Kb2 $1 Kg8 3. Kb3 Kh8 4. Kc4 Kg7 5. Kc3 Kf7 6. Kd2 Kf6 7. Ke2 Kg6 8. Kd3) (1... Kf8 2. Kc2 $1) (1... Kf7 2. Kc2 $1) (1... Kh7 2. Kc2 $1) 2. Kc1 (2. Kc2 $2 Kh7 $1) 2... Kg6 (2... Kf6 3. Kd2 Ke5 (3... Kg5 4. Ke3) (3... Kg6 4. Kd3 $1) 4. Ke3) 3. Kd1 (3. Kc2 $2 Kh7 $1) (3. Kd2 $2 Kh6 $1 4. Ke2 Kh5) 3... Kg5 (3... Kg7 4. Ke2 $1) (3... Kh6 4. Kd2 $1) 4. Kc2 $1 Kh6 (4... Kf6 5. Kd2 $1) 5. Kd2 $1 Kh5 6. Kc3 $1 (6. Kd3 $2 Kg6) (6. Ke3 $2 Kg5) (6. Ke2 $2 Kh6 7. Kd2 Kh5 8. Kc3) 6... Kg5 (6... Kg6 7. Kd3 $1 Kf6 (7... Kg7 8. Ke3 Kg6 9. Kf4) 8. Kd4 Kf7 (8... Ke7 9. e5 dxe5+ 10. Kxe5 Kf7 11. Kf5) (8... Kg6 9. e5 Kf5 10. exd6 Kf6 11. Ke4 Kg5 12. Ke5 Kg6 13. Kf4 Kh5 14. Kf5) 9. e5 dxe5+ 10. Kxe5 Ke7 11. d6+ Ke8 12. Kf4 $1 (12. Kf5 $2 Kf7) 12... Kf7 13. Kf5 $1 Kg7 14. Kxg4 Kf6 15. Kh5 Ke6 16. g4 Kxd6 17. g5 Ke7 18. Kh6) 7. Kc4 $1 Kg6 8. Kd3 1-0

[Event "not in the award Springaren #14784"] [Site ""] [Date "2021.03"] [Round ""] [White "Vrabec=F"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6k1/8/1p6/1P1p4/4p3/4P3/5P2/2K5 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2023.01.21"] 
 {(Korrektur Kc2->c1)} 1. Kb1 $3 {main A:} (1. Kd2 $2 Kf7 2. Ke2 Ke6 3. f4 exf3+ 4. Kxf3 Ke5 5. Ke2 Kd6 6. Kd3 Kc5 $19) (1. Kb2 $2 Kf8 $3 2. Kb3 Ke8 $3 $19) (1. Kc2 $2 Kf7 $19) (1. Kd1 $2 Kf7 2. Kc2 Ke7 $19) 1... Kf7 ({main B:} 1... Kg7 2. Ka1 $3 (2. Kc2 $2 Kf7 $1 3. Kb2 Kf6 $19) 2... Kf8 3. Kb2 $1 (3. Ka2 $2 Kf7 $1 $19) 3... Ke8 (3... Ke7 4. Ka3 $11 {see main C}) (3... Kf7 4. Ka2 $1 $11 { see main A}) 4. Kb3 $11) ({main C:} 1... Kf8 2. Kb2 $3 (2. Kc2 $2 Ke7 $19) 2... Ke8 3. Kb3 (3. Ka3 $2 Ke7 $19) 3... Kd8 4. Kb4 $1 Kd7 5. Ka4 $1 $11) 2. Ka2 $3 (2. Kc2 $2 Ke7 $1 3. Kc3 (3. Kb3 Ke6 $1 $19) 3... Kd7 $1 4. Kb4 Kd6 $19) 2... Ke7 (2... Ke6 3. Kb3 $11) 3. Ka3 $1 (3. Kb3 $2 Ke6 $19) (3. Kb2 $2 Kd6 $19) 3... Kd7 (3... Kf8 4. Kb2 $3 {see main C}) (3... Kf7 4. Ka2 $1 {see main b}) ( 3... Kd8 4. Kb4 $1 {see main C}) 4. Ka4 $1 Kd6 5. Kb4 Ke5 6. Kc3 Kf6 7. Kb2 $1 Kf5 8. Kc2 Ke5 9. Kc3 $11 1/2-1/2