www.arves.org - Phenix 2024

Studies preliminary awarded for the Phenix 2024 tournament.

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Nielsen, Steffen"] [Black "1st prize"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7R/5p2/1P3p2/6p1/bP6/P6K/4p1BP/4k3 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 1. b5 ({Logical try} 1. Bf3 $2 Kf2 2. Bxe2 Bd7+ 3. Bg4 f5 4. Be2 f4+ 5. Bg4 f5 6. Bf3 Bb5 7. Bg2 Be2 8. Rh4 f3 9. Rf4 gxf4 10. b7 fxg2 11. b8=Q Bg4+ 12. Kh4 f3 13. Qb6+ Kf1 $19) 1... Bxb5 (1... Kf2 $4 2. Re8) 2. Bf3 (2. Kg3 $2 Kd2 3. Rd8+ Ke3 $19) 2... Kf2 3. Bxe2 Bd7+ 4. Bg4 f5 5. Be2 $1 (5. Bf3 $2 Kxf3 6. Rd8 Bb5 7. Rd1 f4 8. b7 Bc4 9. Re1 Bd3 $19) 5... f4+ (5... Bc6 6. Bf1 Bf3 7. Rh4 $11) 6. Bg4 f5 7. Bf3 $1 (7. Be2 $4 Bc6 8. Bf1 Kxf1) 7... Bb5 8. Bg2 Be2 9. Rh4 f3 (9... g4+ 10. Rxg4 fxg4+ 11. Kh4 Kxg2 12. b7 $11) 10. Rf4 (10. b7 $2 fxg2 11. Rf4+ $5 (11. b8=Q g1=N#) 11... Bf3 $1 (11... gxf4 12. b8=Q Bg4+ 13. Kh4 f3 14. Qb6+ $11) 12. Rxf3+ Kxf3 13. b8=Q g1=N#) 10... gxf4 11. b7 fxg2 12. b8=Q Bg4+ (12... g1=Q 13. Qxf4+ $11 (13. Qb6+ $11)) 13. Kh4 f3 $1 (13... g1=Q 14. Qxf4+) 14. Qb6+ $1 Kf1 15. Qb1+ $11 {The b4-pawn is no more in the way ! Perpetual check. Strong black counterplay and fantastic length of forecasting at first move. The b4-pawn is no more in the way! I also like the precise 5th and 7th moves of the white bishop.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Pasman, Michael"] [Black "2nd prize"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1R4R1/8/7B/Kp5r/8/7p/5p2/k4r2 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "37"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 {White is fighting against black's desire to promote 1 of 2 dangerous pawns : f2 and h3} 1. Rh8 $1 (1. Bg7+ $2 Kb1 2. Rh8 Rxh8 3. Rxh8 Rg1 $19) 1... b4+ $1 { Black can't advance f2 and h3 pawns, so he tries his 3rd pawn, which white can't capture} ({instructive variation} 1... Rg1 2. Rbf8 $1 Kb1 3. Rxf2 h2 4. Rxh2 Rxh2 5. Be3 $1 Rxh8 6. Bxg1 $11 {pos. draw}) (1... Ka2 {or Rb1} 2. Be3 $1 Rxh8 3. Rxh8 $11) (1... h2 2. Bg7+ Kb1 3. Rxh5 $11) ({after} 1... Rf5 {white also succeeds in eliminating both dangerous pawns :} 2. Bg7+ Kb1 3. Rxh3 Re1 4. Rb3+ Ka2 5. Rb2+ $11) 2. Ka4 $1 (2. Kxb4 Rb1+ $19) 2... Rg1 (2... Ka2 3. Be3 Rxh8 4. Rxh8 Rh1 5. Bxf2 b3 6. Bd4 $1 b2 7. Bxb2 Kxb2 8. Kb4 Kc2 9. Kc4 $11) 3. Rbf8 b3 (3... h2 4. Bg7+ $11) 4. Kxb3 $1 (4. Bg7+ $2 Rxg7 5. Rxh5 b2 $19) 4... Rb5+ 5. Kc2 $1 (5. Kc3 $2 Rg3+ 6. Kc4 Rb8 $1 $19) 5... Rb2+ (5... Rc5+ 6. Kd2 f1=Q (6... h2 $2 7. Ra8+ $18) 7. Rxf1+ Rxf1 8. Bg7+ Kb1 9. Rxh3 $11) 6. Kd3 Rb8 $1 {Now white can't eliminate f2 pawn because the rook on h8 remains under attack and can't capture a rook because f2 pawn promotes} (6... f1=Q+ 7. Rxf1+ Rxf1 8. Bg7 $11) (6... h2 7. Bg7 $1 Rg3+ 8. Kc4 Rxg7 9. Rxh2 $11) 7. Kc2 $1 { Surprising switchback} Rb2+ 8. Kd3 {White threats Be3} Rb8 (8... f1=Q+ 9. Rxf1+ Rxf1 10. Bg7 $11) 9. Kc2 Rg2 $1 {2 black rooks in 2 horizontal attacks} 10. Bg7+ $1 (10. Bd2 $2 Rb2+ $1 11. Kc3 Rg3+ 12. Kc4 Rxd2 $19) ({Not immediate} 10. Kc3 $2 Rg3+ $1 11. Kd4 (11. Kc2 Rb2+ $19) 11... Rxf8 12. Rxf8 h2 $19) 10... Ka2 (10... Rxg7 $2 11. Rxb8 $1 Rc7+ 12. Kd2 f1=Q 13. Ra8+ Kb2 14. Rhb8+ $18) 11. Kc3 $1 Rxf8 (11... Rg3+ 12. Kc4 Rxf8 13. Rxf8 {black has not} h2 {because of} 14. Rxf2+ $11 {with check}) ({additional line} 11... Rc8+ 12. Rxc8 Rg3+ 13. Kd2 $1 f1=Q 14. Rc2+ Kb3 15. Rb8+ Ka4 $11 16. Ra8+ Kb5 17. Rb8+ Ka4 $10) 12. Rxf8 h2 {Seems that black succeeded in his aim, but} 13. Be5 $1 h1=Q (13... Kb1 14. Bxh2 $11) 14. Ra8+ Kb1 15. Rb8+ Kc1 16. Bf4+ Kd1 17. Rb1+ Ke2 18. Rxh1 Rg1 19. Rh2 {Study with unexpectedly rich content. White combines the fight against advancing pawns with the threat of checkmate. But when one pawn nevertheless promotes into a queen, white has one more wonderful manoeuvre in his arsenal to capture it.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "V. Zamanov & V. Tarasyuk"] [Black "2nd hon. men."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3b4/4k2P/2P3P1/5P2/B7/7q/K3N3/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 {A study where the impotence of the bB is on a par with the power of the wN. In the technical variants not considered, if Black can take care of the c-pawn with the K and play Bf6, they'll easily win with Q+B+K.} 1. Bc2 $1 (1. Nf4 $2 Qh2+ 2. Kb3 Kd6 $19) 1... Ke8 $1 (1... Kd6 2. c7 Bxc7 3. Nd4 Ke5 4. g7 Qxh7 5. f6 Qg8+ 6. Bb3 $11) 2. Nf4 $1 (2. Ba4 $2 Kf8 3. Nf4 Qh2+ 4. Kb3 Qg3+ 5. Kc2 Qf2+ 6. Kb3 Bf6 $19) 2... Qc3 3. h8=Q+ $1 Qxh8 4. c7 $1 (4. g7 $2 Qxg7 5. c7 Qd7 6. cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 $19 {With this material, to draw, the wK should be able to take refuge in a corner square of the same color than his B. Alas, a1 is not the color of the wB.}) 4... Bxc7 5. g7 $1 Qh7 $1 (5... Qxg7 6. Ba4+ Kf7 7. Bb3+ Ke7 8. f6+ $1 Qxf6 (8... Kxf6 9. Nh5+ $11) 9. Nd5+ $11) 6. Ba4+ Kf7 (6... Ke7 7. f6+ $1 Kxf6 8. Nh5+ Kg5 9. Bb3 $11) 7. Nh5 $1 Qxh5 8. Be8+ $1 Kxe8 9. g8=Q+ {draw. White uses the sacrifices to set up a trap that the black queen manages to avoid. However, White has the last saving sacrifice at his disposal.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Eilazyan, Eduard"] [Black "3rd hon. men."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1rrN1B2/5P1K/4p3/k7/3P2n1/1B6/1P4b1/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "25"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 1. Bd6 $1 {In the solution, the K is first attracted to b4, which will move it away from the c7 square and allow promotion to Q on check.} ({To understand the solution, we must first consider the 1:Be7? trial, which encounters two refutations on the 6th move. The solution consists in avoiding these two refutations.} 1. Be7 $6 Rxd8 2. Bxd8+ Rxd8 3. Bxe6 Nf6+ 4. Kg6 Nd5 5. Kg7 Nc7 6. d5 {First obstacle: In this first refutation, the promoted Q is immediately lost.} Bxd5 ({Second obstacle: In this refutation, the bK reaches the c7 square just in time (in two moves).} 6... Ne8+ 7. Kf8 Nd6+ 8. Ke7 Nxf7 9. Bxf7 Ra8 $1 (9... Rb8 $2 10. d6 $1 Kb6 11. Be8 $1 Bh3 12. d7 Kc7 13. b4 Rd8 14. b5 Bxd7 15. b6+ Kc8 16. b7+ Kc7 17. b8=Q+ Rxb8 18. Bxd7 $11) 10. d6 (10. b4+ Kb6 $1) 10... Kb6 11. d7 (11. Be8 Ra1 12. d7 Re1+ 13. Kd6 Rd1+ 14. Ke7 Kc7 $19) 11... Kc7 $19) 7. Bxd5 Rxd5 8. Kf6 Rd6+ 9. Ke7 Re6+ 10. Kd7 Rf6 11. Ke7 Nd5+ 12. Ke8 Re6+ 13. Kd8 Ra6 14. f8=Q Ra8+ $19) (1. Bb4+ $2 Kxb4 2. f8=Q+ Kxb3 3. Qa3+ Kc2 4. Kg6 (4. Nf7 Be4+ 5. Kg7 Rg8#) 4... Rxd8 $19) 1... Rxd8 (1... Nf6+ 2. Kg6 Nd7 3. Bxb8 Rxb8 4. d5 Bxd5 5. Bxd5 Rxd8 6. Bxe6 Nf8+ 7. Kf6 $11) 2. Bc7+ Kb4 {The goal of the preliminary plan has been achieved, now comes the main plan.} (2... Kb5 3. Bxd8 $1 Rxd8 4. Bxe6 Nf6+ 5. Kg6 Nd5 6. Kg7 Nf4 7. Bg4 $1 $11) (2... Ka6 3. Bxd8 Rxd8 4. Bxe6 Nf6+ 5. Kg6 Nd5 6. Kg7 Nc7 7. Bc4+ Kb7 8. f8=Q $11) 3. Bxd8 ({Try:} 3. Bxe6 $2 Rh8+ 4. Kg7 Ra8 5. Bd6+ Kb5 $1 6. Bxg4 Bd5 $1 7. Bf5 Kc4 $1 8. Bc5 Kb3 $1 9. Ba3 Rh5 10. Bg6 Rg5 $19 11. Be7 Rg3 12. Kf6 Ra6+ 13. Ke5 Bxf7 14. Bxf7+ Kxb2 $19) 3... Rxd8 4. Bxe6 Nf6+ 5. Kg6 $1 Nd5 6. Kg7 Nc7 (6... Nf4 7. Bg4 $1) 7. d5 {Overcoming the second obstacle:} Ne8+ ({ Overcoming the first obstacle:} 7... Bxd5 8. Bxd5 Rxd5 9. f8=Q+ $11 {Due to the displacement on the b4 square, the black king was in check! Draw.}) 8. Kf8 Nd6+ 9. Ke7 Nxf7 10. Bxf7 Ra8 11. d6 {Due to the displacement on square b4, the black king cannot delay the d-pawn.} Bh3 12. d7 Ra7 13. Be6 {Theme of the study: carrying out a preliminary plan to eliminate two obstacles with different motivations. At the beginning, white must examine the position and find that Black has two fairly long plans to win. Then he must find the right saving first move to force the black king to go a toxic square b4.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "Phénix 2024 "] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Pavel Arestov & Daniel Keith"] [Black "4th hon. men."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/2p5/k7/2R5/8/1p3nBK/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 1. Rc5+ Kb4 (1... Ka4 2. Bxc6+ Ka3 3. Ra5+ Kb3 4. Rb5+ Kc2 5. Bd7 $1 b1=Q (5... Nd1 6. Bf5+ {Black has no counterplay and White activates his king.} Kc1 7. Rb3 $1 $18) 6. Bf5+ $18 {Diagonal gain of the Queen}) 2. Rxc6 Ka3 (2... b1=Q 3. Rb6+ {Vertical gain of the Queen}) 3. Rb6 (3. Ra6+ $2 Kb3 4. Bd5+ (4. Rb6+ Kc2) 4... Kc2 5. Rc6+ Kd2 6. Ba2 Nd1 7. Bb1 Nc3 $10) 3... Ng4+ $1 (3... Nd1 4. Be4 Nc3 5. Bc2 $1 $18 {preventing Ka2}) 4. Kh1 $1 {to the corner} ({log. try} 4. Kg1 $2 Nf6 $1 5. Bc6 Ka2 6. Ra6+ Kb1 7. Bb5 Nd5 $1 8. Bd3+ Kc1 9. Rc6+ {(6.Rg6 and Rg1 impossible)} Kd2 10. Bh7 Nc3 11. Rb6 Kc1) ({log. try} 4. Kh3 $2 Nf6 $1 5. Bc6 Ka2 6. Ra6+ Kb1 7. Bb5 Nd5 8. Bd3+ Kc1 9. Rg6 Nf4+ $10) 4... Nf6 5. Bc6 $1 Ka2 6. Ra6+ Kb1 (6... Kb3 7. Ba4+ Kc3 8. Rc6+ $18 {E.G.} Kd4 9. Bc2 Nd5 10. Rc8 Nc3 11. Rb8) 7. Bb5 $1 Nd5 8. Bd3+ Kc1 9. Rg6 $1 b1=Q (9... Nc3 {Black has no counterplay and White activates his king.} 10. Rg1+ Nd1 (10... Kd2 11. Bh7 Ke3 12. Kg2 $18) 11. Bh7 Kd2 12. Kg2 $18) 10. Rg1+ {Horizontal gain of the Queen. . Material advance in the fight against the advancing pawn in miniature. The authors managed to check the new queen in all possible ways - diagonally, vertically and finally horizontally.} 1-0

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Pasman, Michael"] [Black "5th hon. men."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/k1P1B1q1/8/1KP2p2/5P1p/7P/5NP1/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "15"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 1. Ne4 $1 (1. c8=Q $2 Qb2+ 2. Kc6 Qf6+ 3. Bd6 Qxd6+ $11) (1. c8=N+ $2 Kb8 $11) 1... Qb2+ (1... fxe4 2. c8=Q $18) 2. Kc6 Qxg2 $1 (2... fxe4 3. c8=Q $18) 3. Bd6 $1 (3. c8=Q $2 Qxe4+ 4. Kc7 Qc6+ 5. Kd8 Qe8+ $11) 3... Qxe4+ (3... fxe4 4. c8=Q $18) 4. Kd7 Qd5 (4... Qa4+ 5. c6 $18) 5. c8=N+ $1 {Phenix - replacing the sacrificed knight, what is strange that meantime white gave up his g2 pawn and c7 pawn comparing to start position} (5. c8=Q $2 Qe6+ 6. Kc7 Qxd6+ $1 $11) 5... Ka6 6. c6 (6. Ne7 $2 Qb7+ $1 $11) 6... Qd3 (6... Qb5 7. Ne7 $18) 7. Ne7 $1 (7. c7 $2 Qb5+ 8. Ke7 Qb7 9. Kd8 Qd5 10. Ke7 Qb7 11. Kd7 Qb5+ $11) 7... Qxh3 8. c7 {Not only because of the stalemate threats, first white must consolidate his position and the opponent's queen will no longer be able to handle it.} 1-0

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Pervakov, Oleg"] [Black "1st comm."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "2R5/8/k3p3/8/pp6/3p4/8/K7 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 1. Rb8 $1 (1. Rd8 $2 Kb5 2. Rxd3 Kc4 3. Re3 Kd5 $1 4. Kb2 e5 $11) (1. Rc6+ $2 Kb5 2. Rxe6 Kc4 $11) 1... d2 $1 (1... Ka5 2. Kb2 e5 3. Re8 Kb5 4. Rxe5+ Kc4 5. Re4+ Kc5 6. Rh4 $1 (6. Rg4 $1) (6. Rf4 $2) 6... a3+ 7. Kb3 d2 8. Rh1 Kd4 9. Kxb4 Kd3 10. Kb3 $18) 2. Rd8 Kb5 3. Rxd2 Kc4 4. Re2 $1 (4. Ra2 $2 e5 $1 5. Rxa4 Kc3 $1 6. Kb1 e4 $11) 4... Kd5 5. Ra2 $3 (5. Rb2 Kc4 6. Re2 Kd5 {...}) (5. Kb2 $2 e5 $11 {position in the try 1.Rd8?}) 5... e5 (5... a3 6. Rd2+ $1 Kc4 7. Re2 $1 Kd5 8. Ka2 $18) 6. Rxa4 Kc4 7. Ka2 $1 (7. Kb2 $2 e4 $1 {zz} 8. Kc2 e3 {zz} 9. Ra1 b3+ $11) (7. Kb1 $2 Kc3 $1 8. Ra8 e4 9. Rc8+ Kd3 $1 10. Kb2 e3 11. Rd8+ Kc4 $1 12. Re8 Kd3 $11) 7... e4 (7... Kc3 8. Ra8 b3+ 9. Ka3 $1 $18) 8. Kb2 {zz} Kd3 (8... e3 9. Kc2 $18 {zz}) 9. Rxb4 e3 10. Kc1 $1 e2 11. Rb3+ Kc4 (11... Kd4 12. Kd2 $18) 12. Re3 {Surprising first and excellent 5th moves. Miniature with double mutual zugzwang.} 1-0

[Event "Phenix 2024"] [Site ""] [Date ""] [Round ""] [White "Maly, Ivan"] [Black "2nd comm."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "K1N5/2k5/5PP1/RP1n4/2b5/4b3/8/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 1. f7 (1. b6+ $2 Nxb6+ 2. Nxb6 Bxb6 3. f7 $4 (3. Re5 Bf1 $1 4. Re7+ Kc8 5. Re8+ Kc7 $11) 3... Bxa5 4. f8=Q Bd5+ 5. Ka7 Bb6+ 6. Ka6 Bc4#) 1... Bh6 2. b6+ Nxb6+ 3. Nxb6 Kxb6 4. Re5 Bd3 5. Kb8 $1 ({the very nice refutation of the try Re8? must absolutely be seen} 5. Re8 $2 Bf8 $3 6. Rb8+ (6. Rxf8 Be4+ $3 7. Kb8 Bxg6 8. Kc8 Kc6 9. Kd8 Kd6 10. Ke8 Ke6 $11) 6... Ka6 $1 7. Rxf8 Bxg6 8. Kb8 Kb6 9. Kc8 Kc6 10. Kd8 (10. Kb8 Kb6 $1 $11) 10... Kd6 11. Ke8 Ke6 $11) 5... Kc6 6. Re3 $1 (6. Re1 $2 Bf8 $11) (6. Re8 $2 Kd7 $1 $11) 6... Bb1 (6... Bf5 7. Rf3 $18) 7. Re1 $1 (7. Kc8 $2 {would be premature with the Re3} Bf5+ 8. Kd8 Bxe3 $1 9. f8=Q Bg5+ $11) 7... Bf5 (7... Bd3 $2 {would allow 8:Rc1+ or the most thematic} 8. Kc8 Bf5+ 9. Kd8 Kd6 10. Ra1 $1 {and the wK comes to help its pawns}) 8. Rf1 Bxg6 9. Rf6+ Kd7 10. Rxg6 $18 {and the R will defend its P from behind, giving Blacks no hope of capturing it. White play Rf6 then Rf5 and then bring the K to g6 by passing behind the R. Long, but simple. Point of study is try 5.Re8? and right 5th move.} 1-0