Tata Steel-75 AT 2013: Provisional Awards
By Yochanan Afek
Tata Steel Tournament, arguably the most prestigious contemporary chess event
celebrated its 75th edition this year, and among other festivities a special
composing tourney was announced by its organizing committee with a generous
prize fund. I was expecting a great happening and indeed my colleague composers
did live to the expectations in regards to both quantity and quality. I am grateful
to each and every one of them for their much appreciated efforts.
Israeli IM and problem expert Yochanan Afek
I received 89 entries from our devoted tournament director Harold van der
Heijden in anonymous files (one with the full solutions and another one with
just the artistic lines) as well as a detailed report specifying correctness
and originality of all entries. The general standard was one of the highest
I have witnessed for years and decision making turned to be a rather tough job.
As we are celebrating an over-the-board major event I tried to pay a special
attention to human and player friendly entries. I sincerely hope that the following
selection would achieve this aim. It certainly is a combative one with a clear
majority of winning studies over the more peaceful ones notably among the prize
winners.
The studies – part two
In view of the high standard of the submissions I decided to award three special
prizes to the following remarkable studies. All three of them might well have
won the top honours in any other event and their only "drawback" is
that while being definitely judge-friendly perhaps they are not player-friendly
enough…
1st Special Prize: Sergiy Didukh (Ukraine)
An original battle of the heavy artillery, inspired by the game Ding-Szczepowski
played in Istanbul Olympiad last year, displays strong systematic and logical
elements. The construction is surprisingly almost aristocratic.
[Event "(12)1st Special Prize Tata Steel-75 JT"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.??.??"]
[Round "?"] [White "Didukh, Sergiy"] [Black "White to play and win"] [Result
"1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r7/8/7k/5r1p/8/1Q2R3/5q2/6RK w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount
"23"] [EventDate "2012.??.??"] 1. Reg3 $1 (1. Re6+ $2 Kh7 $1 2. Qb7+ Rf7 3.
Qe4+ (3. Qb1+ Rf5 $1 4. Qb7+ Rf7 $11) 3... Qf5 $1 4. Re5 Qxe4+ $11 {with check})
1... Raf8 (1... Rf6 2. Qd5 $1 $18) 2. Rg6+ $1 ({Try:} 2. Qe6+ $2 R5f6 $1 3.
Rg6+ (3. Qd5 Qf5 4. Qd2+ Qf4 5. Qg2 Rg8 $1 6. Rxg8 Qh4+ 7. Qh2 Qe4+ 8. R8g2
Rf4 $1 $11) 3... Kh7 4. Rg7+ (4. Qe7+ R8f7 $1 5. Rg7+ Kh6 $1 $11) 4... Kh8 5.
Rg8+ Kh7 6. R1g7+ Kh6 7. Rg6+ Kh7 {White is unable to conquer Black's fortress,
e.g.} 8. R8g7+ Kh8 9. Rg8+ Kh7 10. Qe7+ R8f7 $1 11. R8g7+ Kh8 12. Qe8+ Rf8 13.
Rg8+ Kh7 14. R6g7+ Kh6 15. Qxh5+ Kxh5 16. Rh7+ Rh6 $11) 2... Kh7 3. Rg7+ Kh8
4. Rg8+ Kh7 5. Qb7+ $1 R8f7 ( 5... R5f7 6. Qb1+ Rf5 7. R1g7+ Kh6 8. Rxf8 Qh4+
9. Kg2 Qf2+ 10. Kh3 Rf3+ 11. Rxf3 Qxf3+ 12. Rg3 $18) 6. R8g7+ $1 ({Logical try:}
6. R1g7+ $2 Kh6 7. Rg6+ Kh7 8. R8g7+ Kh8 9. Qc8+ Rf8 10. Rg8+ Kh7 11. Qd7+ (11.
Qc7+ R5f7 12. R8g7+ Kh8 13. Rxf7 Qh4+ 14. Kg2 Qe4+ 15. Kf2 Qd4+ $11) 11... R5f7
$1 $11 {because 12.Qd3 is not a check.}) 6... Kh8 7. Qc8+ Rf8 8. Rg8+ Kh7 9.
Qd7+ $1 R5f7 (9... R8f7 10. R8g7+ Kh8 11. Qe8+ Rf8 12. Rg8+ Kh7 13. Qg6#) 10.
Qd3+ {with check} Qf5 (10... Rf5 11. R1g7+ Kh6 12. Rxf8 $18) 11. R8g5 $1 Qxd3
{without check!} 12. Rxh5# 1-0
2nd special Prize: David Blundell (Great Britain)
The general concept of a knight challenging the bishop's umbrella to access
a cornered king has already been dealt with as the composer himself pointed
out (by Krug, Elkies and Petren). The present version nonetheless displays fresh
elements and introduces a strong thematic try.
[Event "(37) 2nd special Prize Tata Steel-75"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.??.??"]
[Round "?"] [White "Blundell, David"] [Black "White to play and win"] [Result
"1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/4p3/4P2b/7N/8/5KPp/7k w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "37"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"] 1. g3 (1. Kf1 $2 Be2+ 2. Kf2 Bh5 $11) ({Thematic try:}
1. g4 $2 Bxg4 2. Ng6 Bf5 3. Nf8 Bh3 4. Nd7 Bg4 5. Nc5 Bf5 6. Nb3 Bh3 7. Nd2
Bg2 $11) 1... Bf3 2. Ng6 Bh5 3. Nf4 Bg4 4. Nd3 Bf5 5. Nb4 Bg4 6. Na2 Bf5 7.
g4 Bxg4 8. Nc1 $1 {zz} (8. Nb4 $2 Bf5 9. Nc6 Bh3 10. Nd4 Bg4 {White cannot make
progress}) (8. Nc3 $2 Bf3 9. Kxf3 Kg1 10. Ne2+ Kf1 11. Ng3+ Kg1 {zz} 12. Kg4
Kg2 13. Kh4 Kf2 14. Kh3 Kg1 15. Ne2+ Kf2 16. Ng3 Kg1 $11) 8... Be2 (8... Bd1
9. Nd3 Bg4 10. Nf4 $18) 9. Nb3 Bf3 10. Nc5 Bd5 11. Nd3 (11. Nd7 $2 Be4 $11)
11... Bf3 12. Kxf3 {zz} Kg1 13. Nf2 Kf1 14. Nh1 Kg1 15. Ng3 h1=Q+ 16. Nxh1 Kxh1
17. Kf4 ({or} 17. Kg4 $18) 17... Kg2 18. Kg5 Kf3 19. Kf6 1-0
3rd Special Prize: Richard Becker (USA)
White repeats the same queen manoeuvre time and again until Black runs out of
waiting pawn moves and is eventually forced to block a crucial line. This familiar
concept is presented here with remarkable economy and utmost aesthetics.
[Event "(67) 3rd special PrizeTata Steel -75 JT"] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.??.??"]
[Round "?"] [White "Becker, Richard"] [Black "White to play and win"] [Result
"1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/4k2p/1pK1B3/1p6/8/8/7q/4Q3 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount
"57"] [EventDate "2012.??.??"] 1. Bh3+ $1 Kf8 2. Qb4+ Kf7 3. Qb3+ Kg7 4. Qc3+
Kg6 5. Qd3+ Kh6 6. Qe3+ Kh5 7. Qf3+ Kh6 8. Qf6+ Kh5 9. Qf5+ Kh6 10. Qe6+ Kg5
11. Qg4+ Kh6 12. Qh4+ Kg7 13. Qg5+ Kf7 14. Bg2 $1 Ke8 15. Qg8+ Ke7 16. Qg7+
Ke8 (16... Ke6 17. Bh3+ Qxh3 18. Qd7+ $18) 17. Qg5 $1 (17. Kb7 $2 Qd6 18. Bc6+
Kd8 $11) (17. Bf3 $2 Qh4 18. Bg4 Qh1+ 19. Kd6 Qh2+ 20. Ke6 Qa2+ $11) (17. Qd7+
$2 Kf8 18. Qd8+ Kf7 19. Bd5+ Kg6 20. Be4+ Kh5 21. Qf6 Kg4 $11) 17... b4 (17...
h6 18. Qg8+ Ke7 19. Qg7+ Ke8 20. Be4 $18) (17... Qg1 18. Qg8+ Ke7 19. Qg7+ Ke8
20. Kb7 $18) 18. Qg8+ Ke7 19. Qg7+ Ke8 20. Qg5 b5 21. Qg8+ Ke7 22. Qg7+ Ke8
23. Qg5 b3 24. Qg8+ Ke7 25. Qg7+ Ke8 26. Bf3 $1 Qh4 (26... b2 27. Kb7 Qd6 28.
Bh5+ Kd8 29. Qg8+ Ke7 30. Qf7+ Kd8 31. Qe8#) (26... Qh3 27. Qe5+ Kf8 28. Qf6+
Ke8 29. Kc5 $18) 27. Bg4 $1 Qh1+ 28. Kd6 Qh2+ 29. Ke6 1-0
1st Hon. Mention: Oleg Pervakov (Russia)
Rich battery play with a fashionable logical element of avoiding capture emphasized
by a thematic try.
[Event "(29) 1st HM Tata Steel -75 JT "] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.??.??"] [Round
"?"] [White "Pervakov, Oleg"] [Black "White to play and win"] [Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"] [FEN "2B5/1p1N4/rb1P1B2/3p4/p7/2K4p/8/k7 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"] 1. Kc2+ $1 {First battery} ({1st thematic try:} 1.
Nxb6 $2 h2 $1 2. Bxb7 h1=Q 3. Kc2+ Ka2 4. Bxd5+ Qxd5 5. Nxd5 Rxd6 6. Nc3+ Ka1
$1 7. Ne4+ {2nd battery, but:} Rxf6 $11) (1. Bxb7 $2 Bd4+ $1 2. Bxd4 Rxd6 3.
Kc2+ Ka2 4. Nb6 h2 5. Bxd5+ Rxd5 6. Nxd5 h1=Q 7. Nc3+ Ka1 8. Ne2+ Ka2 9. Nc1+
Qxc1+ $11) 1... Bd4 $1 (1... Ka2 2. Bxb7 $1 Bf2 (2... Ra5 3. Nxb6 Rc5+ 4. Kd3
h2 5. Nxd5 $1 h1=Q 6. Nb4+ { 3rd battery} Kb3 7. Bxh1 $18) 3. Bxd5+ Ka3 4. Ne5
$1 Rxd6 5. Be7 Bc5 6. Nc4+ Kb4 7. Nxd6 $18) 2. Bxd4+ Ka2 3. Nb6 $1 h2 $1 4.
Be6 $1 ({2nd main line:} 4. Bxb7 $2 h1=Q 5. Bxd5+ Qxd5 6. Nxd5 Rxd6 7. Nb4+
(7. Nc3+ Ka1 $1 8. Nb5+ {4th battery, but:} Rxd4 $11 {echo - see 1st thematic
try}) 7... Ka3 8. Bc5 Rd7 $1 9. Nd5+ Ka2 10. Nc3+ Ka1 11. Ba3 Rb7 $11 ({or}
11... Rd2+ $11)) 4... h1=Q 5. Bxd5+ Qxd5 6. Nxd5 Rxd6 7. Nb4+ Ka3 8. Bc5 $1
{The same position as in the 2nd thematic try, but with bPb7} Rd7 ({2nd main
line:} 8... Rh6 9. Nd3+ $1 {5th battery} Ka2 10. Nc1+ Ka1 11. Bd4#) 9. Nd5+
$1 {again the 5th battery} Ka2 10. Nc3+ Ka1 11. Ba3 $1 Rh7 12. Bb2# 1-0
2nd Hon. Mention: Nikolay Kralin & Yuri Shvyrkov (Russia)
A natural and lively Rook scene ending up in a stalemate following an underpromotion.
[Event "(76) 2nd HM Tata Steel-75 JT "] [Site "?"] [Date "2013.??.??"] [Round
"?"] [White "Kralin/Shvirkov, Nikolay/Yuri"] [Black "Wheite to play and draw"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "4R3/1p1K4/3P4/8/2rp4/p7/P7/2k5 w - - 0
1"] [PlyCount "32"] [EventDate "2012.??.??"] 1. Ke6 $1 (1. Re1+ $2 Kc2 $1 2.
Re2+ Kc3 $1 3. Re5 d3 4. Rd5 d2 5. Ke6 Rc6 6. Ke5 Rc8 7. d7 Rd8 8. Kd6 b6 9.
Kc7 Rxd7+ 10. Rxd7 b5 $19) 1... d3 2. d7 d2 3. d8=Q (3. Rc8 $2 Rc6+ 4. Rxc6+
bxc6 5. d8=Q d1=Q 6. Qb6 Qc2 7. Kd6 c5 $19) 3... d1=Q (3... Rc6+ 4. Kf7 d1=Q
5. Qxd1+ Kxd1 6. Re3 Ra6 7. Rb3 b6 8. Ke6 $11) 4. Qxd1+ (4. Qg5+ $2 Qd2 5. Qxd2+
Kxd2 6. Ra8 Rc3 7. Kd5 Kc1 $1 8. Ra7 b5 9. Rb7 Rc2 $1 10. Rxb5 Rxa2 11. Ra5
Rd2+ 12. Kc4 a2 13. Kc3 Rc2+ 14. Kb3 Kb1 $19) 4... Kxd1 5. Kd5 $1 (5. Ra8 $2
Rc3 6. Kd5 Kc1 $1 $19) 5... Rc2 6. Ra8 $1 Rxa2 7. Kc4 $1 Rc2+ 8. Kb3 a2 9. Rh8
$1 (9. Rg8 $2 a1=N+ 10. Ka3 Rc6 $1 11. Rg1+ Ke2 12. Rg2+ Kf3 $1 $19) 9... a1=N+
$1 10. Ka3 Rc6 $1 11. Rh1+ Ke2 12. Rh2+ Ke3 13. Rh3+ $1 Kf4 14. Ka2 $1 Nc2 15.
Rb3 b6 ({2nd main line:} 15... Rc7 16. Rxb7 $1 Rxb7 {stalemate}) 16. Rxb6 $1
Rxb6 {stalemate} 1/2-1/2
– Part three to follow soon –
Copyright
Afek/ChessBase
