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The Belgrade Conference that I have written about twice already was not just about solving. The yearly meeting of the World Federation for Chess Composition also took place. While the solvers solved and the delegates debated, the many chess composers present weren’t idle. They took part in one or more of the wide range of composing tourneys that these events always include. This year, for the first time, the Azerbaijanis ran a study composing tourney. First prize was won by Danish composer Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen, whom readers will remember from a couple of issues ago, with this accessible and sacrificial study.
Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen, 1st Prize, Azerbaijan Ty., 2016
White to play and win
[Event "1st Prize, Azerbaijan Ty.,"] [Site "?"] [Date "2016.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Nielsen, Steffen S"] [Black "?"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Stephenson,Brian"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6K1/8/6k1/5q2/2N3p1/5n1P/B1b2B2/5Q2 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] [SourceDate "2016.09.27"] 1. Nd6 {Black threatened both mate in one by} (1. -- Qc8# {and mate in two starting with}) (1. -- Qf7+) 1... Qe5 {Black must move his threatened queen and this is his best choice, threatening the knight and mate. If instead} (1... Qg5 {White's extra piece will win. There might follow} 2. Nf7 Qa5 (2... Qf6 3. Nh8+ Kf5 4. hxg4+ Kxg4 5. Qg2+ Kf4 6. Bg3+ Ke3 7. Qxc2 Qg5+ 8. Qg6 $18) 3. Nh8+ Kf6 4. Bh4+ Kf5 5. Qc4 Nxh4 6. hxg4+ Kf6 7. Qd4+ Ke7 8. Qg7+ Kd6 9. Nf7+ Kc5 10. Qe5+ Kb6 11. Qb2+ Ka7 12. Qxc2 Nf3 13. Qf2+ Kb8 14. Qxf3 Qxa2 15. Qc6 { which the Tablebases score as a White win.}) 2. Bf7+ Kh6 3. Nf5+ $1 {The White king is still vulnerable, Black having a mate threat on g7 while also threatening 3...Bh7+. This knight sacrifice clears the 6th rank to enable the white queen to enter the fray.} Bxf5 ({If} 3... Qxf5 {White wins material quickly with} 4. Be3+ Qg5+ 5. Bxg5+ Kxg5 6. Qc1+) ({White also wins material if the sacrifice is refused with} 3... Kg5 4. Qc1+ Kxf5 5. Qxc2+ Kf4 6. Qc1+ Ke4 7. Qe3+ Kf5 8. hxg4+ Kxg4 9. Be6+ Kh5 10. Qxf3+) 4. Qa6+ Kg5 5. h4+ $1 Nxh4 ({The white pieces are in control and the black king is still vulnerable after } 5... Kf4 6. Qh6+ Ng5 7. Qxg5+ Kf3 8. Bd4 {and after the text, White unveils a devastating queen sacrifice.}) 6. Qf6+ $1 Qxf6 (6... Kxf6 7. Bxh4#) (6... Kf4 7. Bg3+ Kxg3 8. Qxe5+ $18) 7. Be3# 1-0
That first prize was awarded by Ilham Aliyev, himself a distinguished endgame study composer. Here, for you to solve, is one of his own creations, published in a Czech chess composition magazine.
Ilham Aliyev Sachova Skladba, 2002
White to play and win
To enter email matt@chess.co.uk or send your name and address, with the main variations, to Chess & Bridge, 44 Baker Street, London, W1U 7RT, postmarked no later than 1st January. There is a £25 voucher for the first correct entry drawn.
The above article appeared in the November 2016 issue of the British magazine CHESS
CHESS Magazine was established in 1935 by B.H. Wood who ran it for over fifty years. It is published each month by the London Chess Centre and is edited by IM Richard Palliser and Matt Read. The Executive Editor is Malcolm Pein, who organises the London Chess Classic.
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