Study of the Month: November, 2017

by Siegfried Hornecker
11/4/2017 – As our readers will know, the Australian state Victoria was named for the British queen whose long-reign record was surpassed two years ago by Queen Elizabeth II. Being the most powerful person of the world, we can draw a parallel between her majesty and chess where queens also have great power — although not nearly such great one.

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Victoria’s victory

Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen [pictured] is a risen young star of chess studies. A Danish journalist, he has published more than 110 studies. We met for the second time in Dresden 2017 at the WCCC, which was part of the “Dresdner Schachsommer”, the “Dresden chess summer”. You can find photos and bulletins of the event at the official WCCC website. I recommend you have a look at least at the photos page, which unfortunately is uncommentated.Steffen Slumstrup

Personally, I mostly sat with the masters from Israel and the studies composers, i.e. Yochanan Afek, Martin Minski, Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen, and at one point a promising new composer from Russia, Alexey Popov. Thanks to Frederic Friedel’s hard work in preparing this series, a photo of Steffen can also be seen in this article, as he contributes an interesting study, originally published in the Troitzky — not Trotzky, as someone slipped — Memorial Tourney. Next year the Russian master will be mentioned in detail in an article, for now it shall be enough to tell he is considered one of the pioneers of modern endgame studies. Born in 1866, after a long work of great contributions (750 studies and 50 other chess problems) he became a victim of the hunger genocide known as “Siege of Leningrad” in 1942.

 
S. S. Nielsen & Martin Minski
White to Move

Solutions are below


Of course German composers also can tame queens. The following study, being easy to understand but looking paradox at first sight, was always one of my favorites.

 
Study by Walkewitz, Hubert
White to move

Hubert WalkewitzHubert Walkewitz (* 1934) is a German over-the-board Candidate Master and one of the chess composers of the German Democratic Republic selected for the book “407 Aufgaben und Studien” by Karl-Heinz Siehndel et al. He has created 31 studies, according to the database by Harold van der Heijden. Nothing about his personal life is known to me.

[Left] Hubert Walkewitz | Photo: Gerhard Hund (Susanne van Kempen) CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons


In the following position, Black is checkmated by two queens. One is Qh4, the other one is the composer, Susan Polgar (then known as Zsuzsa Polgár or Polgár Zsuzsanna), who composed this at only four years old! As the solution is easy to find, we leave it as a test for the readers.

 
Study by Susan Polgar, 1973
White to move

Many years ago, I inquired about the story to the supposed composer. In an e-mail, dated 27 December 2006, Susan Polgar confirmed:

Unfortunately I do not remember where it was published first, but I know that I composed it in 1973. Yes, I am also a chess composer, although I primarily consider myself a chess promoter, player, teacher, writer etc.

Proving that she indeed could also compose nice studies, here is an example of her work.

 
Study by Susan Polgar & Pal Benko
White to move

Susan Polgar, 2017Susan Polgar (* 1969) is the Woman World Chess Champion 1996. She is a great promoter of chess, including to children, and has a few flourishing chess news websites/blogs. Her merits - both done and received - are too numerous to be listed here, and should be read at the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Polgar Wikipedia article] instead where you can also find the links to her websites. Just as an appetizer: At the same age as composing the above problem, she also won the under-11 girls championship of Budapest with a score of 10:0 (!). In 1991 she received the Gransmaster title, as first woman in the conventional way of rating over 2500 and three GM norms by tournament results against strong opponents. She lives in the United States.

[Right] Susan Polgar | Photo: Frank Niro (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons [Below] Photo: Pal Benko

Pal BenkoPal Benko (*1928) is eight times over-the-board U.S. chess champion. Even with this record, he is more famous as a grandmaster (1956) of the Fischer era and for his around 150 endgame studies. The two openings named after him include the seemingly tame 1.g3, which defeated Fischer and Tal, and 1.d4 Sf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5, a fierce gambit also known as Volga gambit. As an endgame authority, it is no wonder he also holds the title of International Master for Chess Composition. Like Polgar, he also is a U.S. citizen from Hungary (where he became the national champion at 20), although he was actually born in France.


Solutions

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Black is almost equal in material, so White, as he is to win, must take the initiative and not let it go. 1.Ne6+! It isn't good enough to exchange knights, as the dangerous looking position of the Black king can't be used by White: 1.Qxb6? Kxg7‼ 2.d5 2.Rg1+ Kf7= and Black's pieces stand optimal to defend. 2...Qf5 3.Qg1+ Kh7! 4.Qh1+ Kg8 5.Rg1+ Rg7 6.Rxg7+ Kxg7 7.d6 Qf8+ 8.Kc7 Qf7+ 9.d7 Qf4+= and the endgame is a draw, although in practice some people would probably lose it. 1...Ke7 (otherwise White can take on b6) 2.Re1! The precise move to continue the attack. Black has prepared a trick, showing why Kf7 would have been the worse choice: 2.Qxb6? Qg3+ 3.Nc7 Qg8+ 4.Ka7 Qa2+ 5.Kb8 Qg8+ with perpetual check, as a2-g8 is free. 2...Qg3+ 3.Re5 Rd5 Now White can finish his attack: 3...Rd6? 4.Ng5+ Kf8 5.Qb4+- but already two other 4th moves also would win. 4.Qb4+ Kd7 5.Nf8+! Kc6 Do you see how White can finish the game? # 6.Qd6+‼ Kxd6 6...Rxd6 7.Rc5# The "agony" option is 6...Kb5 7.Rxd5++- 7.Re6# 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
S. S. Nielsen & Martin Minski--1–02017Troitsky-150 MT, special hon. mention
Walkewitz,H--1–01977Schach, 4th prize
Polgar,S--1–01973Source?
Polgar,S-Benko,P-1–02006Chess Life & Review

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World Federation for Chess Composition

World Federation for Chess Composition (www.wfcc.ch)

Links


Siegfried (*1986) is a German chess composer and member of the World Federation for Chess Composition, subcommitee for endgame studies. His autobiographical book "Weltenfern" (in English only) can be found on the ARVES website. He presents an interesting endgame study with detailed explanation each month.

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