Fun, learning, competition
Solution to the fourth task
4th competition task - White to move draws
Even in the next competition task, this time a holiday one, we used the possibilities offered by a fortress to save the position, and thus the current artificial intelligence it can...still has some catching up to do ?.
source: www.crd.cz
Nevertheless, this time too there were ten solvers who managed to crack Čechover's study from 1948! (Of course, we do not investigate how dear readers arrived at the correct solution. Every successful solver can choose a prize from the selection listed at the end of the post containing the task!)
However, the reader can enjoy the beauty of the work, whether seeing the study for the first time or whether they wanted to participate in the competition or not. So let's get to it!
Among the brilliant works, as they are probably called among composers, exceptionally economical in constructing a fortress economical, is the following work by Vitalij Alexandrovič Čechover. We also rank it among the gems because it deliberately misleads the solver at the very beginning! As can be seen, an excellent composer is often also some kind of amateur psychologist or sociologist ?...
...k does not lead to the goal namely does not lead 1.Nh2? a4 2.Kd2 a3 3.Kc2 Kg5 (or 3...a2 4.Kb2 Kg5) 4.f4+ (4.f3 g1Q 5.Bxg1 Kf4) 4...exf4 5.e5 a2 6.Kb2 f3 7.exd6 f2–+, and it is also bad 1.f4? a4. In many places Black can also win by other means.
1.f3 a4 2.Kf2!!
A paradoxical move that saves White! The solution is instructive, even compelling, but incorrect: 2.Kd2? Kg5 3.Be3+ (3.Kc3 Kf4) 3...Kh4 4.Bf2+ Kh5 5.Bg1.
5...h2!! A disguised combination with the idea of freeing the h3 square, which many solvers must discover before returning to the correct path! 6.Bxh2 Kh4 with the intention 7...Kh3, 8...Kf3, 9...Kxf3... or of course advancing the „a“ pawn if the king leaves its square. White's monarch certainly cannot be cloned.
White therefore tries 7.f4 a3 8.Kc2 a2 9.Kb2 exf4 10.e5 f3 11.Bg1 Kg3 12.exd6 f2 13.Bxf2+ Kxf2 14.dxc7.
Black now wins with a combination involving the idea of entrapment 14...a1Q+! 15.Kxa1 g1Q+ (not the only solution).
2...a3 3.Kg3!
Is the white king suffering from myopia? Or instead of controlling the a3 pawn, is he preparing to endure his impending end together with the rest of his forces like a true leader? But no! Everything is different! The white king is either among the grand thinkers himself... or simply has an exceptionally intelligent adviser. In fact, he proceeds to eliminate the „h“ and „g“ pawns, allowing a new queen to emerge while forging an impenetrable armour!
3...a2 4.Kxh3 a1Q 5.Kxg2
It is beyond Black's power to break through the fortress created by all the white warriors. For example: 5...Qb2+ 6.Bf2 Kg5 7.Kg3 Qc1
But now watch out! 8.Ba7! At the same time the only move! A splendid demonstration of chessboard geometry! The queen and king cannot drive the opponent into a disadvantage of move, nor strengthen their position. „Luckily I have the a7 square,“ murmurs the bishop, who surely awaits a non-marginal promotion after the peace agreement à la Cuban Missile Crisis... and some medal to go with it ?. [Not, of course, 8.Kg2?? Kf4–+. The f4 square is a dream for the black king at best, not a square he may occupy.]
8...Qf4+ 9.Kg2 Qd2+ [9...Kh4 10.Bf2+] 10.Kg3=.
The Black king cannot penetrate the enemy camp not only via f4, but also not via a7 or b7!
A great advantage of this charming study (unlike many analogous ones in terms of the goal) is the fact that at least at its end the position looks as if it was born in a tournament game! A pawn chain of the King's Indian type, a powerful dark-squared bishop controlling the opposite colour squares to the pawns...
Believe it or not
Holidays and vacations also belong to fun! The author chose the second task, this time not competitive but explicitly humorous, with a certain intention. „Enough of fortresses!“ many a reader might have said, discouraged by the recurring theme of competitive studies. So this time the author presented a study whose initial position looks like another fortress, but...
Paul Lamford - humorous study
White to move
In Paul Lamford's task from 1981, White has a clear ? mmaterial advantage, but his entire army is surrounded, blocked by a crust of enemy pawns that severely restrict its movement. At first glance, it seems that White can do nothing (a fortress position). Moves like 1.Rg2 do not help if Black does not accept the sacrifice. Yet there is one way! To play Qa1-a2 at the right moment, threaten the b3 pawn - Qxb3 with a breakthrough of the total blockade. However, if White starts the combination with the queen sacrifice prematurely, it would not help, because the opponent would simply accept the sacrifice this time and place his own queen... on a1! The exceptionally sophisticated solution of this witty study is therefore as follows:
1.Kd1 Kb6 Or anywhere else... now and later during the solution, up to move 15. Moreover, the manoeuvres of White's pieces to the required squares do not always follow a single correct move order.
2.Ke1 Kb5 3.Rg2! Kb6 4.Re2 Kb5 5.Kf2 Kb6 6.Re1 Kb5 7.Rg1 Kb6 8.Rg2
If we were to single out the bravest warriors of the white army, there would be no choice but... rooks!
8...Kb5 9.Rc1 Kb6 10.Ke1 Kb5
11.Re2 Kb6 12.Kd1 Kb5 13.Re1 Kb6
14.Rc2!! Kb5 [After 14...dxc2+ or 14...bxc2+ the absolute blockade breaks through and White soon plays d2-d3 or b2-b3 regardless of material losses. Then the sleeping knights quickly find their way out.
One of the winning positions is shown in the diagram above. Finally, White can also choose a plan analogous to the main line solution...]
15.Kc1 Kb6
Everything is ready for the winning combination! 16.Qa2!!
16...bxa2
[After 16...Kc6 follows 17.Qxb3! axb3 18.a4 Kb6 19.Na3, and of course similarly 17...cxb3 18.c4.] 17.b4!! a1Q
[Or 17...dxc2 18.Kb2!!
The key squares c1, b1 and a1 are sufficiently controlled, so for example a counter-combination with the idea of luring the king away (a1Q+ or c1Q+) no longer works. Here we see clearly the whole point of the rook manoeuvres along the first rank!]
18.Rb2
The fairies therefore did not grant much luck to the newly born queen! To be born in prison, moreover in a cell measuring at most about 3x2...
White is preparing to advance the free b-pawn, so Black will do best to block it 18...Kb5.
The ending of the study is also charming. White has only one suitable move available 19.Rd1
, to condemn the opponent to zugzwang. 19...Ka6 20.b5+ Kb6 21.Re1 Ka7 22.b6+ Kb7 23.Rd1.
JIt is clear that Black will either lose the unfortunate queen or have to accept the promotion of the b-pawn. 23...Ka8 [23...Kb8 24.b7] 24.b7+ Kb8 25.Re1
The author believes that despite all its beauty, the study is at least not as difficult as the harder logical mathematical problems, and can therefore serve excellently as brain training. Psychologists would also find something for themselves here. No, it is not just about measuring intelligence. Endurance is equally important! The will to return to the task even if we really struggle with it for a long time...
Perhaps a little note: As the saying goes, there is no disputing taste. However, the author has loved this, among other things, amusing study since it was presented to him for solving many years ago. Friends and colleagues present at a relaxing pub gathering ? for an hour were deprived of Bílek...
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