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Endgame and problem specialist Yochanan Afek
Before we come to the theme tournament I would like to acquaint ChessBase readers who may have enjoyed the funny slalom from the game L'Ami-van Wely published on this newspage with the following endgame study, which shows once again the tight linkage between chess composition and the realm of over the board chess.
Otto Gallischek, Weser Kurier 1960
Black to play, White wins
You may want to try to work out the mechanics of the win yourself, but using a chess engine makes it pointless: Deep Fritz 12, for instance, solves it with a mate-in-18 announcement in just a few seconds. You just have to press the Space key up to move nine, when Fritz deviates from the beautifully elegant classical solution to prolong the mate by one move. For those of you who do not have Fritz handy click here to replay the solutionon our JavaScript board.
On to the composition tournaments. Two well-known composers Genrikh Kasparian and Tigran Gorgiev have already been honored; now ARVES, the Dutch-Belgian association promoting the art of endgame studies, and its international quarterly EG for endgame studies have announced two centenary theme composing tourneys in memory of two others: Mark Savelevich Liburkin (1910-1953) from Moscow and Shaya Kozlowski (1910-1943) from Łodz, (Poland). Both died prematurely – Kozlowsky was killed in Łodz in the holocaust.
Theme: Win or draw study displaying a systematic manouver. Examples:
M. Liburkin, 4th Prize. Shakhmaty v SSSR 1938
White to play and win
Solution: 1.Nd4+ Kc3 2.Nb5+ Kc4! [2...Kb4 3.Rb1+] 3.Nd6+ [3.Na3+? Kb3 4.Kxe1 Kb2 5.Nc2 Nf3+! (5...Kxc2? 6.Ra2+) 6.Kd1 g3 7.Ra8 g2] 3...Kc5! 4.Nb7+! [4.Ne4+? Kd5! (4...Kd4? 5.Ra4+) 5.Nf6+ Ke5! 6.Nd7+ Ke6 7.Nc5+ (7.Nf8+ Kf7) 7...Kd5] 4...Kc6 5.Nd8+ Kc7! 6.Ne6+ Kd7! [6...Kd6 7.Ra6+] 7.Nf8+! Ke7 8.Ng6+ Kf7 9.Nh8+ Kg7 10.Rxe1 Kxh8 11.Rh1 g3 12.Ke3! Kg7 13.Kf4 g2 14.Rg1 Nf1 15.Rxg2+ Kh6 16.Rf2 1–0. [Click to replay]
M. Liburkin, "64", 1940
White to play and win
Solution: 1.Ka3! Rc1 2.Bd4! [2.Be5? Rc5 3.Bc3 Rxc3+] 2...Rd1 3.Be5! Re1 4.Bf6! Rf1 5.Bg7! Rg1 6.Bh8! Rg3+ 7.b3+ 1–0. [Click to replay]
Judge: Yochanan Afek
Theme: A paradoxical piece action eventually simplifies into a winning or drawn pawn ending. Examples:
Shaya Kozlowski, Glos Poranny 1931
White to play and win
1.Nd7+ Kc7 2.Nf8!! Kd8 [2...Kd6 3.Kg4! Kd5 4.Kh5 Ke5 5.Kg5 Ke4 6.Kh6 Kf5 7.Kg7 Kg5 8.Nd7] 3.Kf4 [3.Kg4] 3...Ke8 4.Kg5! Kxf8 5.Kh6! 1–0. [Click to replay]
S. Kozlowski, Glos Poranny 1931
White to play and win
1.Ng6+!! hxg6+ [1...Kg8 2.h5 hxg6+ 3.Kxg6] 2.Kxg6 Kg8 3.h5 Kh8 4.Kf7 g5 5.Kxf8 g4 6.Kxe7 g3 7.Kf7 g2 8.e7 g1Q 9.e8Q+ Kh7 10.Qe4+ Kh8 11.Qe5+ Kh7 12.Qf5+ Kh8 13.Qf6+ Kh7 14.Qg6+ Qxg6+ 15.hxg6+ 1–0. [Click to replay]
Judge: Harold van der Heijden
Total prize fund: 600 Euros. In each tourney three money-prizes will be awarded: 1st prize 150 Euros; 2nd prize 100 Euros; 3rd prize 50 Euros. Book prizes will also be awarded. Entries should be sent before July 31st 2011 to the tourneys director: René Olthof, Achter 't Schaapshoofd 7, 5211 MC 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. Email: raja(at)newinchess.com. The awards will be published in EG at the second half of 2011.
