www.arves.org - The Macedonian Problemist 2025

Studies awarded in The Macedonia Problemist 2025:

[Event "1st Prize The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2025"] [Round ""] [White "Vladislav Tarasiuk (Ukraine)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r1Nk3/7K/8/rP6/2R4R/1p6/1p6/1B1b4 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2025"] 
 1. Rcd4 $1 ({Early} 1. Nc6 $2 Bc2+ 2. Rce4+ Kd7 $1 3. Nxb8+ Kc7 {(c8)=}) 1... Bc2+ $1 (1... Ra7+ 2. Kg6 Bc2+ 3. Bxc2 bxc2 4. Rh8+ $1 (4. Nc6 $2 Rf7 $1 5. Rh8+ Rf8 6. Rh7 Rg8+ 7. Kf6 Rf8+ 8. Kg6 Rg8+ {positional draw}) 4... Ke7 5. Nc6+ Ke6 6. Rxb8 c1=Q 7. Re8+ Re7 8. Rxe7#) (1... Rxd8 2. Bg6+ $1 Ke7 3. Rhe4+ Kf6 4. Rxd8 Ra7+ 5. Kh6 $18) 2. Bxc2 bxc2 {Black gets two connected passed pawns, but his king is weak on the edge of the board.} 3. Rhe4+ $1 ({Logical try:} 3. Kg8 $2 {Position X with wRh4} Ke7 $1 4. Kg7 Rbxb5 5. Rhe4+ Re5 6. Nc6+ Ke6 7. Nd8+ Ke7 $1 8. Nc6+ Ke6 {positional draw}) 3... Kf8 4. Rf4+ (4. Rd7 $2 Rxd8 $1 5. Rxd8+ Kf7 6. Rd2 Kf6 $11) 4... Ke8 5. Kg8 $1 {Position X with wRf4} (5. Kg7 $2 Ra7+ 6. Kg8 Rxd8 7. Rfe4+ Re7 $19) 5... Rbxb5 (5... Rxd8 6. Rfe4#) 6. Rfe4+ Re5 7. Nc6 $1 (7. Rxe5+ $2 Rxe5 8. Nc6 Rg5+ $19) 7... Rad5 $1 {Four rooks from both sides reached the center of the board without exchanges or captures.} 8. Rxd5 $1 ({Try:} 8. Rxe5+ $2 Kd7 $1 (8... Rxe5 $2 9. Rd8#) 9. Rdxd5+ Kxc6 $11) 8... Rxe4 9. Rd8# {The Monkey theme.} 1-0

[Event "2nd prize The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2025"] [Round ""] [White "Michael Pasman"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator ""] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "3N4/2k1P3/8/4rQ2/3b4/K4R2/n7/qN6 w - - 0 1"] 
 1. Ne6+ $1 ({Thematic try :} 1. e8=N+ $2 Kxd8 2. Qf6+ Re7 3. Qd6+ Rd7 4. Qb8+ Ke7 $19) (1. e8=Q $2 Qb2+ 2. Ka4 Qb4#) 1... Rxe6 (1... Kb7 2. Rb3+ Ka7 3. Rb7+ $3 Kxb7 4. Qf3+ $1 Kb6 5. Qb3+ Nb4+ 6. Kxb4 Rb5+ 7. Kc4 Rxb3 8. e8=Q $11 Rxb1 {or Qxb1} 9. Qb8+ {or d8+ - is perpetual check}) 2. e8=N+ $1 {Phoenix} (2. Qc2+ Nc3+) 2... Kb8 (2... Kd8 3. Qd5+ Ke7 4. Qb7+) (2... Rxe8 3. Qa5+ $1 Kd6 4. Qa6+ {perpetual check}) 3. Rb3+ Nb4+ $1 4. Kxb4 Rb6+ 5. Qb5 $1 (5. Kc4 Qa4+) 5... Rxb5+ (5... Qa2 6. Nd6 $1 Rxb5+ 7. Nxb5 $11) 6. Kxb5 Be5 (6... Kc8 7. Nd6+ Kc7 8. Nc4 $11) (6... Qa2 7. Kc4+ Bb6 8. Nc3 $1 $11) 7. Nf6 $1 (7. Kc6+ Kc8 8. Ra3 Qd4 $1 9. Ra8+ Bb8 $19) {Main A:} 7... Qd4 {White's problem is attacked knight on f6 and the knight on b1} ({Main B:} 7... Bxf6 8. Kc6+ Kc8 9. Ra3 $1 Qe5 10. Ra8+ Qb8 11. Rxb8+) 8. Rb4 $1 Qd3+ 9. Kc6+ $1 Kc8 10. Ne4 $1 Bg7 $1 {Threatening Qd7+ etc.} (10... Qd7+ 11. Kc5 Qc7+ (11... Kc7 12. Rc4 $1) 12. Kd5 $1 (12. Kb5 Kd7 $1 13. Nc5+ Kd6 14. Ne4+ Kd5 $19) 12... Qa5+ 13. Kc4 $11) 11. Nd6+ $1 (11. Nc5 Qg6+ 12. Kb5 Qe8+ $19) 11... Kd8 12. Rb8+ Ke7 13. Re8+ $1 Kf6 14. Nd2 $1 {The knight escapes...} Qxd2 15. Ne4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "3rd Prize The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2026"] [Round ""] [White "Michal Hlinka and Oto Mihalčo - Slovakia"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "k2N4/1RP5/3p4/1p1P4/2q2b2/K4p2/N3p2P/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "29"] [EventDate "2025"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.02.20"] 
 1. Rb8+ Ka7 2. Nc6+ (2. Rb7+ $2 Ka6 $19) (2. c8=Q $2 Qxc8 3. Rxc8 e1=Q $19) 2... Qxc6 3. dxc6 e1=Q {fenix} 4. Rb7+ $1 (4. c8=Q $2 Qa5+ 5. Kb3 Qa4+ 6. Kb2 Be5+ 7. Kc1 Qc4+ 8. Kd1 Qb3+ 9. Ke1 Qe3+ 10. Kd1 Qg1+ $1 11. Kc2 Qxh2+ 12. Kd1 Qe2+ 13. Kc1 Qb2+ 14. Kd1 Qb3+ 15. Ke1 Bg3+ 16. Kd2 Bf4+ 17. Ke1 Qe3+ 18. Kf1 Qe2+ 19. Kg1 Qg2#) 4... Ka6 5. Nb4+ Ka5 6. Ra7+ Kb6 7. Ra6+ $1 {Try} (7. c8=N+ $2 Kc5 8. Nd3+ Kd4 $1 (8... Kxc6 $2 9. Ne7+ Kb6 10. Nc8+ $11) (8... Kd5 $2 9. Ne7+ Ke4 10. Nxe1 f2 11. c7 fxe1=Q 12. c8=Q $11) 9. Nxe1 f2 10. Nc2+ Kd3 $1 $19) 7... Kc5 (7... Kxc7 $2 8. Nd5+ Kb8 9. c7+ Kb7 10. Rb6+ Kc8 11. Rb8+ Kd7 12. c8=Q#) 8. Nd3+ Kc4 (8... Kd4 9. Nxe1 f2 10. Nf3+ {/Ra4+} Kc3 11. Ka2 $1 $11 b4 12. Nd2 $1 b3+ 13. Ka3 $1 Bxd2 14. c8=Q Bc1+ 15. Ka4 f1=Q) 9. Nxe1 f2 10. Ra4+ $1 (10. Nd3 $2 f1=Q $19) 10... bxa4 (10... Kc3 11. c8=Q fxe1=Q 12. Qh3+ Be3 13. Qh8+ $11) 11. c8=Q fxe1=Q {Fenix} 12. Qa6+ Kc5 $1 (12... Kd5 13. Qb5+ Ke6 14. Qc4+ Ke5 (14... d5 15. Qxf4 $11) 15. c7 $11 Bd2 $1 {napriklad} 16. Kb2 Bc1+ 17. Qxc1 a3+ 18. Kc2 Qe4+) 13. Qa7+ Kd5 (13... Kxc6 14. Qxa4+ Kd5 15. Qxf4 $11) 14. Qf7+ Kc5 15. Qa7+ $1 {pos.draw} (15. Qxf4 $4 Qa1#) 1/2-1/2

[Event "2nd hm. The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2025.03"] [Round ""] [White "Pavel Arestov & Michal Hlinka, Russia & Slovakia"] [Black "original-Ke3-Kb2"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/4B1p1/6p1/8/4p3/4K1NQ/pkppp1p1/4N3 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "27"] [EventDate "2025"] 
 1. Ba3+ $1 Kxa3 2. Nxc2+ Kb2 3. Kxd2 $1 (3. Kxe2 $2 Kc1 ({or} 3... g1=N+ $1 4. Kd1 Nxh3 5. Nxe4 Ng1 $1 6. Nxd2 Ne2 $1 7. Nc4+ Kc3 8. Nd2 Nd4 $19) 4. Qd7 g1=N+ $1 5. Ke3 d1=Q 6. Qxd1+ Kxd1 7. Na1 Kc1 8. Nxe4 Kb2 9. Kd3 Nf3 $1 $19) 3... e3+ $1 4. Nxe3 $1 (4. Kxe2 $2 g1=N+ {fork} 5. Kxe3 Nxh3 $19) 4... e1=Q+ 5. Kxe1 g1=Q+ {phoenix} 6. Ngf1 a1=Q+ 7. Nd1+ Kc1 $1 (7... Kc2 8. Qd3+ $1 Kxd3 { model double pin stalemate}) (7... Ka2 8. Qe6+ $11) 8. Qc8+ Kb1 9. Qb7+ (9. Qb8+ $2 Kc2 10. Qc7+ Kd3 11. Qd6+ Qad4 12. Qa3+ Ke4 13. Qe7+ Qe5 $19) 9... Kc2 10. Qd5 $3 (10. Qe4+ $2 Kb3 $1 11. Qe6+ Kb4 12. Qd6+ Qc5) (10. Qc6+ $2 Kd3 $1 11. Qd5+ Qad4 12. Qf3+ Kc4 $19) 10... Qad4 (10... Qgd4 11. Qg2+ $11) (10... Qa3 11. Qc4+ $11) (10... Qa6 11. Nde3+ $11) 11. Qa2+ Kc1 (11... Kd3 $2 12. Qe2#) 12. Qa3+ Kb1 (12... Kc2 13. Nde3+ Kb1 14. Ke2 $1 $11) 13. Qb3+ Kc1 14. Qa3+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2024"] [Round ""] [White "Michal Hlinka & Luboš Kekely, Slovakia"] [Black "original (814)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3n4/P5K1/8/4R3/bP6/2b5/2N3k1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "27"] [EventDate "2024"] 
 1. Ne2+ Kf2 (1... Kg2 2. Nc3 Kf3 3. Kf5 $11) 2. Nc3 Kf3 3. Kf5 Bb4 $1 (3... Bb2 4. Ke6 Bxc3 5. Rh4 Kg3 6. Rh5 $11) 4. Ke6 Nc5+ $1 (4... Bxc3 5. Rh4 $11) 5. Kf7 $1 (5. Kd5 $2 Nxe4 $19) (5. Ke5 $2 Bxc3+ $19) 5... Bxb3+ 6. Kg6 $1 ({try} 6. Ke8 $2 Nxe4 7. a7 Nf6+ $1 8. Kd8 Ba5+ 9. Ke7 Nd5+ $19) 6... Bxc3 7. Rh4 $1 (7. Re8 $2 {or Re7} Nxa6) 7... Ke3 (7... Kg3 8. a7 Bd5 9. Rc4 $11) 8. Rh3+ $1 (8. a7 $2 Bd5 9. Rh5 (9. Rh3+ Kd2 10. Rh5 Be4+ 11. Kf7 Bd4 12. Rh4 Bd5+ 13. Ke7 Kc3 14. Kd6 Kc4 $19) 9... Be4+ 10. Kf7 Na4 $1 11. Rb5 Bd4 $19) 8... Kd2 9. Rh2+ (9. a7 $2 Bd5 10. Rh5 Be4+ 11. Kf7 Bd4 12. Rh4 Bd5+ 13. Ke7 Kc3 $19) 9... Kd3 10. Rh3+ Kc2 11. Rh2+ (11. a7 $2 Bd5 $19) 11... Kb1 (11... Kc1 12. a7 Bd5 13. Rh5 Be4+ 14. Kf7 $11) 12. a7 (12. Rh1+ $2 Kb2 13. a7 Bd5 14. Rd1 Be4+ 15. Kf7 Na4 $19) 12... Bd5 13. Rh5 (13. Kf5 $2 Nb3 $19) 13... Be4+ 14. Kf7 1/2-1/2

[Event "The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2025"] [Round ""] [White "Michal Hlinka & Luboš Kekely, Slovakia"] [Black "original (811)"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/1B3r2/8/4K2P/5B2/2k1p1P1/4b3/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2025"] 
 1. Bd5 Rf5+ $1 (1... Re7+ 2. Kf6 Bxh5 3. g4 $1 e2 $1 (3... Rd7 4. Be6 Rd3 5. Bxe3 $11) 4. Bg3 Re3 5. Be1+ Kd4 6. gxh5 $1 Kxd5 7. h6 Rh3 (7... Rf3+ 8. Kg7 Ke6 9. h7 $11) 8. Kg7 Ke6 9. h7 $11) 2. Kxf5 Bd3+ 3. Kf6 $1 ({them. try} 3. Kg5 $2 e2 4. Bc7 (4. Be5+ Kc2 $19) 4... Kb4 $19 {for example} 5. Bd6+ Ka4 6. Bc6+ Bb5 7. h6 e1=Q 8. h7 Qd2+ 9. Kg4 Qd4+ $19) 3... e2 4. Bc7 $1 (4. Be5+ $2 Kc2 $1 $19) 4... Kb4 5. Bd6+ Kb5 6. Bc6+ $1 Ka5 7. Bc7+ Ka6 8. Bb7+ $1 Kb5 9. Bc6+ Kb4 10. Bd6+ Kb3 $1 (10... Kc4 11. Bd5+ $1 Kc3 12. Bc7 {as main A}) 11. Bd5+ Kc3 { main A} (11... Bc4 {main B} 12. h6 $1 e1=Q 13. h7 Qf2+ (13... Qe8 14. Bg8 $1 Bxg8 (14... Qd8+ 15. Be7 $11) 15. h8=Q $11) 14. Bf4 $1 Qb6+ (14... Qd4+ 15. Be5 $11) 15. Kf5 $1 Qd8 16. Bxc4+ Kxc4 17. Kg6 Kd5 18. Bg5 $1 Qe8+ 19. Kg7 Qe5+ 20. Bf6 {draw}) 12. Bc7 Kb4 13. Bd6+ Kb5 14. Bc6+ Ka5 15. Bc7+ Ka6 16. Bb7+ { positional draw} 1/2-1/2

[Event "The Macedonia Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2025.08.15"] [Round ""] [White "Danielle Gatti"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ""] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/Q2P2rp/Bp2P2K/p3k1p1/3q4/P3p3/4p1P1/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate "2025"] 
 1. Qc7+ {!} (1. Qb8+ {?} Kxe6 {!} 2. Qe8+ Re7 {! Draw - wPg2 not in g4}) 1... Kxe6 (1... Ke4 2. Qc6+ {!} Kf5 3. g4+ {!} Kf4 4. Qc7+ {!} Ke4 5. Qb7+ {!} Ke5 6. Qb8+ {!} Kxe6 7. Qe8+ {!} Re7 8. d8=Q {!} Qf6+ 9. Kh5 {!} Rxe8 10. Qxe8+ {!} Kd6 11. Bxe2 {!} Qf2 12. Qd8+ Kc6 13. Bf3+ {!!} Qxf3 14. Qa8+ {!} Kc5 15. Qxf3 {! +-}) 2. d8=N+ {!} (2. d8=Q {?} Rxc7 {!} 3. Qxd4 e1=Q {!} 4. Qxb6+ Kd7 {!} 5. Bb5+ Kc8 {! Draw}) 2... Kf5 3. Bc8+ Rd7 (3... Ke4 4. Qc2+ {!} Qd3 (4... Kf4 5. Ne6+ {! Fork +-}) (4... Ke5 5. Nc6+ {! Fork +-}) (4... Kd5 5. Qc6+ {!} Ke5 6. Qe6+ {!} Kf4 7. Qg4+ {!} Ke5 8. Nc6+ {! Fork +-}) 5. Bf5+ {! Skewer +-}) 4. Bxd7+ Kf6 5. Be8 {!!} (5. Qc6+ {?} Ke7 {!} 6. Qe6+ Kxd8 {!} 7. Qe8+ Kc7 8. Qc8+ Kd6 9. Qc6+ Ke7 10. Qe6+ {perpetual check}) 5... Qh4+ 6. Bh5 Qxh5+ (6... e1=Q 7. g4 {!!} Qd2 8. Qg7# {!}) 7. Kxh5 e1=Q 8. Qxb6+ Kf5 (8... Ke5 9. Nf7+ {!} Kd5 10. Nxg5 {!} Qh1+ 11. Nh3 {!} e2 12. Qb5+ {!} Kd4 13. Qxe2 {! +-}) 9. Qe6+ Kf4 10. Qg4+ Ke5 11. Nc6+ Kd5 (11... Kd6 12. Nd4 {!} Qh4+ 13. Qxh4 gxh4 14. Nf5+ {!} Ke5 15. Nxe3 {! +-}) 12. Ne7+ Ke5 13. Nf5 {!!} Qf2 14. Ng3 Qf4 (14... Qf7+ 15. Kxg5 {!} Qg6+ 16. Kh4 Qh6+ 17. Nh5 {! +-}) (14... Qxg2 15. Qxg5+ {!} Kd4 (15... Ke6 16. Qxe3+ Kf7 17. Qa7+ Ke6 $18) 16. Nf5+ {!} Kd3 17. Qxg2 {! +-}) (14... Kd5 15. Qxg5+ {!} Kc4 16. Qg8+ {!!} Kc3 17. Ne4+ {! Fork +-}) 15. Qxg5+ (15. Ne2 {?} Qxg4+ {!} 16. Kxg4 Ke4 {!} 17. Nc1 Kd4 {!} 18. Kf3 h5 {!} 19. Nb3+ Kd3 {!} 20. Nc5+ Kc4 {!} 21. Ne4 Kb3 {!} 22. Kxe3 Kxa3 {!} 23. Kd2 Kb2 {!} 24. Nxg5 a4 {!} 25. Ne4 a3 {! Draw}) 15... Qxg5+ 16. Kxg5 Kd4 17. Kf4 Kd3 18. Kf3 Kc3 19. Kxe3 Kb3 20. Kd3 Kxa3 21. Kc3 {unterminated ! +-} *