Contents
Title page
Introduction
Studies 1-10
Studies 11-20
Studies 21-30
Studies 31-40
Studies 41-50
Studies 51-60
Studies 61-70
Studies 71-80
Studies 81-90
Studies 91-100
Swipe left for next chapter
2

Oleg Pervakov’s Industrial Strength Endgame Studies:
A World Champion’s Favorite Composers
Sergei Tkachenko
Oleg Pervakov’s Industrial Strength Endgame Studies: A World Champion’s Favorite
Composers
Author: Sergei Tkachenko
Translated from the Russian by Ilan Rubin
Chess editor: Anastasia Travkina
Typesetting by Andrei Elkov (www.elkov.ru)
© LLC Elk and Ruby Publishing House, 2018. All rights reserved
Photos provided by Oleg Pervakov, Vladimir Barsky, Karen Sumbatyan and Boris Dolmatovsky
Cover page drawing by Anna Fokina
Follow us on Twitter: @ilan_ruby
www.elkandruby.com
ISBN 978-5-6040710-4-5
3

INTRODUCTION
I first met Oleg Pervakov in 1990, an eternity ago. Yeah, and he was a bit slimmer then!
In those days, the annual Odessa chess composition festival, which dated from 1983, was
considered the Soviet Mecca of our favorite sport. Its forums attracted both beginner composers and
the world’s best. Puzzle and studies composers would plan their holidays to make sure to be at this
carnival of chess creativity.
Muscovite Oleg first visited the festival in 1990. That year, Oleg won the perennially strong USSR
study composition championship by a wide margin, as well as taking first place in a number of other
major composition tournaments. My friend was already one of the world’s top studies composers by
then. Indeed, had the world championship been held in 1990 I’m sure that Oleg’s study would have
been the best.
Despite his numerous successes that year, the 1990 Odessa festival was by no means the pinnacle
of Oleg’s career. In the original studies competition his work only won fourth prize. He didn’t even
participate in the thematic tournament. Moreover, in the superblitz competition (when the competitors
were allowed just a few hours to create a composition) his own study turned out to have an
unexpected vulnerable point and was withdrawn.
Actually, though, there were simple reasons for his results: the original studies competition was
unusually strong that year; more importantly, Oleg and his wife only arrived in time for the second
half of the festival so he was unable to take part in some of its crowded program. Moreover, he chose
not to live at the holiday retreat where other festival competitors stayed and instead hired an
apartment in the vicinity. Still, the Pervakovs showed up to the evening study sessions every night.
The traditionally strong spirits that participants would drink in the evenings (in moderate amounts,
naturally!) created a relaxed and family atmosphere. The most spectacular compositions of previous
years would be demonstrated over the board. New ideas – rough diamonds to be worked on and cut
into gems – were proposed at these gatherings. It’s a shame that nobody made a video of our evening
get-togethers for posterity.
Despite the atmosphere being conducive to composition, I didn’t get the chance to create a study
together with Oleg that year. Not did we get round to doing so when Oleg came to Odessa for a
holiday in summer 1995. No, I had to wait one further year...
In early summer 1996 I was putting together documents in order to establish the Black Sea
association of chess composers in Odessa. One of its key objectives would be to revive the Odessa
festival, which had disappeared together with the USSR.
Oleg, back in Odessa for another summer holiday, supported our idea, naturally. I placed several
announcements in 64 – Chess Review, where Oleg had (and still has) a management role. The
announcements revealed our intention to hold an international festival for chess composition and
problem solving in 1997. Simultaneously with the adverts, I outlined an original study finale
mechanism which still required an interesting series of initial moves to fully catch the eye. Oleg
didn’t let me down! The beginning of the study that he devised was quite spectacular. Thus study No.
4

38 came to be, which was later included in the FIDE Album.
Our dream came true, and the Odessa international festival opened in summer 1997 as planned.
Oleg decided to take a rest from devising endgame studies and mostly avoided the composition
competitions that year. However, he took part in the solving championship and won fourth prize.
Only legendary problem solvers beat him: Valery Kopyl, Nikolai Kondratyuk and Andrei Selivanov...
A study composition competition with a maximum of six moves was held at the festival dedicated
to Nikolai Kondratyuk in honor of his upcoming fiftieth birthday. Well, I had an interesting set-up
stashed away which Oleg and I then perfected. That study is included in this book, No. 43 (the
competition was announced in 1997 but the results declared in 2000). Our friend the late Nikolai
Rezvov, about whom you have hopefully already read, helped me with the original set-up of this
study and he is rightly shown as its third co-author (see my book Nikolai Rezvov, from Child Burglar
to Grandmaster: A World Champion’s Favorite Composers, Elk and Ruby, 2018).
Meanwhile, an ailment unexpectedly helped Oleg with study No. 47. This is what happened...
One summer, Oleg came to Odessa without his wife, who remained in Moscow, busy with work.
Oleg and I sat drinking tea one evening and reminiscing over those great first Odessa festivals held in
the coastal tourist center Chernomorka (which has since reclaimed its historical name Lustdorf).
Suddenly, Oleg came up with the idea of visiting his old “battle grounds”. Not being one to
procrastinate he set off the very next morning. The journey was to take about an hour and a half: 45
minutes by mini-bus from the Kotovsky district of Odessa to the railway station, and then about the
same by train to Chernomorka.
Having spent time wandering around these places etched in his memory, Oleg decided to walk back
–
along the sea coast. Our romantically inclined guest didn’t know, but the coastal areas had been
completely transformed in that time. Despite Ukrainian laws to the contrary, parts of the beach had
been audaciously privatized and fenced off, while another part had simply disappeared into the sea,
for want of coastal protection efforts. Yet, would such obstacles really stop a studies romantic, for
whom hurdles were built in order to jump over them? Oleg stopped from time to time for beer and
kebab breaks along the way to maintain his strength – kebabs are cooked every few meters along our
coast...
Well, the consequences of such a risky journey made themselves felt the next morning! His
rebellious stomach, high temperature and general weakness testified to the Muscovite’s excessive
trust in Odessa’s private catering services.
After he consumed a fair dose of that well-known Soviet-era remedy activated carbon, Oleg’s
condition improved a little. Knowing that the best medicine is to compose a study, I pulled out
another of my set-ups from my stash of future studies and suggested to him that he work on it. I went
out, and upon my return home a couple of hours later I discovered that all of Oleg’s symptoms had
died down under pressure from this Caissic balm. It wasn’t long before we were testing out study No.
47.
The next day my friend was already out and about, feeling great, and set off to the beach to get
some tan. Doctors, please note: the best cure for all known maladies is composing chess studies!
5

Study No. 48 is another of our joint efforts created while Oleg was on holiday in Odessa.
So what’s a traditional program for a holiday maker? Beach in the morning, and observing the
beauty of “Southern Palmira” as we call Odessa as it slowly falls asleep in the evening. However, one
day Odessa rain interrupted our routine...
Taking advantage of these unfortunate circumstances, I decided to tidy up my archive. Going
through compositions of my early period I came upon the results of a competition to mark the 70th
birthday of the famous British composer Charles Bent (1989). That had been a serious tournament
where two of my own opuses gained the fifth and sixth honorable mentions. One of these was clearly
raw and required major reworking. It took us quite a long time to break the study’s resistance and
reach the final version – right until the end of our holiday!
Having spent many years with top-class chess composers I have noticed that the toughest trial for
most of them is taking part in thematic competitions with a concreate task to be completed. The
creativity and inspiration required mean that a chess study is not something you can order off a menu!
Well, Oleg is particularly strong in that type of competition. A complicated task is a challenge that he
relishes.
Study No. 52 won a thematic competition with a particularly intricate task. To cut a long story
short, the tournament organizers wanted to see in the beginning a black piece that was walled in and
then to witness how it gains its freedom. To my mind this was the hardest thematic whim that I had
encountered for many years.
I don’t recall all the details about how that study was created. But I do remember that we started
with a clear board and then built the backbone. After that, we threw in a couple of white pawns.
Slowly but surely some pieces came alive and we put together the nuts and bolts – the “narrative”, if
you like. Well, it’s not easy to describe all the subtleties of a composer’s artistry...
As another of my Moscow friends, Sergei Voronkov, has pointed out, it’s not just the moves that
draw people to chess but the personalities involved, too. Well, Oleg’s career path that took him to
composing is a true gift for historians! Let me now adopt the role of chronicler and share with you
our hero’s key stages along this path.
Oleg Viktorovich Pervakov was born on 8 April 1960 in the Russian city of Kirov. He learned the
basics of our noble game at the club in the local Pioneers Palace.
“I started out in chess when I was around six. My uncle gifted me a chess set and I was sent to the
chess club so that my set didn’t just sit on the shelf gathering dust. The club was run at that time by
the sole master in the Kirov region, Mikhail Mikhailovich Shakhov. He was well known, a World
War Two veteran as well, and he instilled a fascination with chess in me. I’m eternally grateful to him
for that. Naturally, as I grew older my priorities in life and my interests evolved. I played football and
even took up boxing for a while. But I returned to chess when I was 13 or 14” (from an interview
with the Russian-language Chess News website).
After completing school in 1977, Oleg gained a place at the Bauman Moscow State Technical
University. That same year, he composed his first endgame study...
“I published my first study in 1977 in Chess in the USSR. Alas, one of the country’s best problem
6

solvers at the time, Mikhail Rolnik from Nizhny Tagil, found a subtle refutation. A year later, I first
met the editor of the Chess in the USSR’s composition column, Anatoly Georgovich Kuznetsov, and
even offered him a revised version of my first study. However, a hole was found in that too.
“University studies, playing for the chess team in student competitions and participating in
individual Thunderbird over-the-board tournaments left no time for composing studies. It wasn’t until
1983 that I returned to the studies world – but that return was immediately successful: I shared first
and second prizes in a competition with none other than Henrikh Moiseevich Kasparian [study No. 1
–
S.T.] .
“The university chess club in those years was run by the master Sergei Sokolov (who was murdered
in a train travelling from Warsaw to Moscow in the early 1990s after a tip-off that he was carrying a
few thousand dollars in cash). He was helped at the club by Tamara Kasimova, a correspondence
chess grandmaster and the wife of Igor Zaitsev, who was Karpov’s second in his 1978 match with
Korchnoi. She suggested showing my study to her husband. After his approval it was published in the
Bulletin of the Central Chess and Checkers Club of the USSR.
“After I completed my degree in 1984 I got to know some of Moscow’s leading study and problem
composers: Kralin, Pogosianets, Sumbatyan, Umnov, Vladimirov and Gulyaev... I became a regular
at their composition sessions on Mondays at the Central Club. But above all I learned about
composing from Anatoly Kuznetsov, whom I consider to be my teacher. In those years, simply being
published in Chess in the USSR was in itself considered an achievement – as Kuznetsov maintained
such high standards. He was very exacting towards us, the young composers, but very caring as well.
He took as much delight in our compositions as in his own.”
Oleg was then assigned a job (graduates were “assigned” jobs in the Soviet Union) at the Kurchatov
Atomic Energy Institute. He worked in the laboratory which had earlier been run by none other than
Andrei Sakharov, the human rights activist.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 many academic projects were cancelled. Science was
stifled by “market forces” and it was time for Oleg to find something new.
In 1995, the famous chess journalist Alexander Roshal invited Oleg to work for his magazine 64 –
Chess Review. Well, 23 years have come and gone and Oleg still works there.
Oleg has so far composed nearly 500 studies. He earned an International Grandmaster of Chess
Composition norm in 2005. He has won the individual chess composition world championship three
times: in 2004-2006, 2007-2009 and 2013-2015.
When asked in an interview about his study preferences, Oleg replied: “In first place I would put a
battle between the two sides, tricks that they can come up with. So it has to be a battle of equals. It’s
just like when two players of the same strength meet over the board and each has a set of aces up his
sleeve.”
In this book, I have selected 100 of Oleg Pervakov’s best studies. The selection is quite varied –
from elegant short studies with six moves to romantic grotesques with many pieces on board and over
30 moves to the solution. Yet what all of these studies have in common is spectacular play by both
sides. Oleg’s compositions are never dry or boring. Try them and I’m sure you’ll agree!
7

Sergei Tkachenko
November 2018
8

Show in Text Mode
No. 1
Bulletin of the Central Chess and Checkers Club of the USSR, 1982–1983
1st–2nd prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The black king is awkwardly placed on the edge of the board. So we need to attack it!
1.Kd6! Rd8+ 2.Kc7 Rd7+ 3.Kc6 Ra7! Black meets a horrible death after 3...Rd3 4.Re2+ Kd8
5.Bg5+ Kc8 6.Re8+ Rd8 7.Rxd8#.
Now it’s time to hunt down the rook, which is already on the ropes: 4.Be3? Ra6+! (4...Ra5 5.Rg8+
Ke7 6.Bc5+) 5.Bb6 a3 6.Kb5. Has the pressing succeeded? Alas, not really...
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6...a2, and it transpires that the black rook is untouchable because the pawn threatens to queen. A
draw.
So trapping the rook requires some smart preparation!
4.Rg8+!! Ke7 5.Bf8+! Kf6. Or 5...Ke6 6.Bc5 Ra6+ 7.Kb5!, and the rook is condemned.
6.Bc5! Ra6+ 7.Bb6! (7.Kb5? Re6) 7...a3 8.Kb5 a2.
We have seen a similar position in the false trail, but this time the black king finds himself on the
long diagonal...
9.Bd4+! Check! Now after 9...K ~ white easily captures his trophy on a6. White wins. An elegant
and logical miniature!
10

No. 2
Chess in the USSR, 1983
Commendation
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
The black pawn stands on the verge of promotion. How can white tame it?
1.Ne2! A sacrifice!
1...Be5! A counter-sacrifice! Black gets nowhere with 1...Kxe2 2.Rd2+, and the black pawn
perishes. After 1...Kf2 white executes another knight sac: 2.Ng3! Kxg3 3.Bf4+ and the all-important
pawn is lost.
2.Kxe5 Re1! The knight is paralyzed by a pin and the pawn looks set for promotion...
3.Be3! Rxe2.
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4.Kd4! The point of the plan. The white pieces prepare an appropriate welcoming party for the
queen! However, changing the move order fails: 4.Rf6+? Kg2 5.Kd4 Rxe3!, and black wins.
4...h1=Q. There is nothing to be feared from 4...Ra2 due to 5.Rf6+ Ke1 6.Rg6! h1=Q 7.Rg1+ with
simplifications and a draw.
5.Rf6+ Kg2 6.Rg6+ Kf3. The king cannot stand in the pawn’s shadow: 6...Kh2 7.Bf4+ Kxh3
8.Rh6+ skewering the queen.
7.Rf6+ Kg3 8.Rg6+! But not 8.Bf4+? Kg2, and the harmony of the white pieces is disturbed.
8...Kh4 9.Rh6+ Kg3 10.Rg6+ Kf3 11.Rf6+ Kg2 12.Rg6+ Kf1 13.Rf6+ Ke1.
Unable to find respite from checks on the kingside, the black king tries to hide on e1. But there’s no
respite for him here either!
12

14.Ra6!! With the threat 15.Ra1#. Not 14.Rb6? due to 14...Rd2+! 15.Bxd2+ Kxd2 16.Rb2+ Kc1,
and white is doomed.
14...Kf1. 14...Rd2+? no longer works. 15.Bxd2+ Kxd2 16.Ra2+ Kc1 17.Ra1+ and the queen
perishes.
15.Rf6+ Ke1 16.Ra6! and a draw.
This was Oleg Pervakov’s first award in the magazine Chess in the USSR, which was famous for its
studies traditions!
No. 3
Chess in the USSR, 1983
5th prize
13

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.c8=Q Qf1+! Black has no chances after 1...g2+ 2.Kh2 Qd6+ 3.Kg1, and the end.
2.Rxf1 g2+ 3.Kh2 gxf1=Q. Converting the two pawns straight away is no good for black:
3...gxf1=N+ 4.Kh3 d1=Q 5.Qg4+, and the new queen perishes for no compensation.
4.Qf5+! Avoiding the temptation to capture the knight with check! 4.Qxb7+? Kxf2 5.Qf7+ Ke2
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6.Qc4+ Kf2 7.Qf4+ Ke2 8.Qg4+ Qf3!, and white cannot win.
4...Ke2 5.Qg4+ Kxf2. Otherwise he faces mating traps: 5...Kd3 6.Qc4# or 5...Ke1 6.Nc2+ Kxf2
7.Qf4+ Ke2 8.Nd4+ Ke1 9.Qe4+ Kf2 10.Qf3+ Ke1 11.Nc2#.
6.Nc2! White cannot win without bringing the knight into the attack.
The threat now is 7.Qf4+ Ke2 8.Nd4+ Ke1 9.Qe4+ Kf2 10.Qf3+ Ke1 11.Nc2#.
6.Nc2! Nd6! Black pins hope on his own knight for help. Promoting his pawn will end in fiasco
6...d1=N 7.Qf4+ Ke2 8.Nd4+ Ke1 9.Qe4+! Kd2 10.Nb3# or 6...d1=Q 7.Qg3+ Ke2 8.Qe3#. Black
cannot save the day with 6...Nc5 7.Qf4+ Ke2 8.Qc4+ Nd3 (8...Kf2 9.Qxc5+ Ke2 10.Qc4+ Kf2
11.Qf4+ Ke2 12.Nd4+) 9.Qe4+ Kd1 10.Ne3+ Kc1 11.Qc4+ Kxb2 12.Qc2+ Ka1 13.Nxf1 and so
on.
How should white continue the attack? Not 7.Qf4+? Ke2 8.Nd4+ Ke1 9.Qe3+ Kd1 10.Qb3+ Ke1,
and black is guaranteed a draw...
Eureka: 7.b3!! (the finale will demonstrate why 7.b4? fails). It’s mutual zugzwang on the board!
Wait, how can it be zugzwang? Black can make a waiting move with his rook pawn...
7...h5. Black still cannot save the day after 7...d1=N (7...d1=Q 8.Qg3+ Ke2 9.Qe3#) 8.Qf4+ Ke2
9.Nd4+ Ke1 10.Nf3+ Ke2 11.Ng1+ Ke1 12.Qb4+ Nc3 13.Qxc3+ Kd1 14.Qa1+ and white wins.
8.Qf4+! Ke2 9.Qe5+ Kd3. Black gets nowhere with 9...Kf3 10.Nd4+ Kg4 11.Qg3# (or 11.Qg7+),
and the black pawn has taken the square away from his king. So that’s zugzwang for you!
10.Nb4#.
Now it’s clear that had white played 7.b4?, mate in the finale would have been a mirage. This was
Oleg’s first award and inclusion on the pages of the legendary FIDE Album!
15

No. 4
XII USSR team championship, 1985
1st place
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Studies with queen and bishop against a queen were composed by classic problemists such as
Troitsky, Rinck and Kubbel. Many of their studies on this theme are truly great.
Well, Oleg managed to add a study to that golden collection! The judge of the XII USSR team
championship, Vasily Kozyrev, wanted to see new discoveries in this theme. His risk proved justified
and many interesting compositions were entered for the tournament. Study No. 4 won the
competition, adding to this golden collection. It too was included in the FIDE Album.
1.Bd4! Setting up a discovered attack! Black has nothing to fear from 1.Qb3? Qh8+ 2.Bd4 Qxd4+
3.Kxd4 h1=Q 4.Qc3+ Kb1 5.Qb3+ and a draw.
1.Bd4! Qb6! Other queen moves lead to a quick denouement 1...Qc6+ 2.Kb4+ Kb1 3.Qb3+ Kc1
4.Bxe3# or 1...Qd6 2.Qc4! and mate is unavoidable.
2.Bxb6 h1=Q 3.Bd4! Again setting up a discovered attack!
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3...Qd1! The white queen easily outplays black after 3...Qc1+ 4.Kb4+ Qb2+ 5.Bxb2+ Kxb2
6.Qb3+ Kc1 7.Qxe3+ Kd1 8.Qd4+ Ke2 9.Qb2+ Kf1 10.Kc3! f2 11.Kd2 Kg2 12.Qg7+! Kf3
13.Qf6+ Kg2 14.Ke2 e3 15.Qa1 and so on.
4.Qg1!! To the lowest point across the entire board! It’s too early for a discovered attack: 4.Kc4+?
Qxd4+! 5.Kxd4 e2! 6.Qg3 Kb2!, and the queen cannot take part in the action. A draw.
4...e2. Not 4...Qxg1 5.Kc2#.
What should white do now? He even loses after 5.Qe1? Kb1! and so on.
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Eureka: 5.Bh8!! f2. Black can no longer get anywhere with 5...Kb1 6.Qb6+ Kc1 7.Qb2# or
5...e1=Q+ 6.Qxe1 Qxe1+ 7.Kc2+ and mate on the next move.
6.Qg7! That’s the reason for the bishop’s flight to the corner – the queen takes up her position for
the discovered attack!
6...Qc1+ (6...Kb1 7.Qb7+ Kc1 8.Qb2#) 7.Kb3+ Kb1 8.Qa1#. A classic!
No. 5
Communist,1985
2nd honorable mention
(together with L. Katsnelson)
18

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The black rook on a8 is locked out of the game, but how can white exploit this?
1.Rb7! White misses the win if he hurries with the pawn advance: 1.g7? Kf7 2.Rb7+ Kg8 3.Bf4?!
(3.Kd3 draws) 3...h2 4.Bxh2 Rxa7! 5.Rxa7 Rxh2, and only black can win.
1.Rb7! h2 2.g7. Now it’s time! It’s too early for 2.Bxh2? Rxd2+! 3.Kxd2? (the best move is 3.Kc1
Rd1+, and a draw) 3...0-0-0+ (black can still castle!), and black wins.
2...Rg2 3.Bxh2. Not 3.g8=Q+? Rxg8 4.Bxh2 h3! 5.Bd6 Rh8! 6.Rb8+?! (it’s better to play 6.Bh2,
and a draw) 6...Kd7 7.Rxh8 Rxh8 8.Bb8 h2 9.a8=Q h1=Q, and white is fighting to draw.
3...Rxd2+! Black attempts to sacrifice a rook to bring the other to life, hoping for: 4.Kxd2? 0-0-0+!
5.Rd7?! Kxd7 6.g8=Q Rxg8 7.Bb8 Rg2+ 8.Ke3 Ra2, and white loses.
19

4.Kc3!! That’s the point!
4...Rd3+! 5.Kxd3! Now he can eat up the tasty rook!
5...0-0-0+!
6.Rd7!! Kxd7 7.g8=Q! (7.Bb8? Kc6+ 8.Kc3 Kb7) 7...Rxg8.
20

8.Bb8, and there is no stopping the a-pawn, as the bishop controls the g3 square: 8...Rg3+ 9.Bxg3.
White wins. An amusing logical trick with castling!
No. 6
Chess in the USSR, 1986
2nd prize
White to play and win
21

Show/Hide Solution
In this sort of position the winner is usually the player who is the fastest at attacking the enemy
king...
However, the “obvious” check sees the attack run out of steam: 1.Rd5+? Ke2+ 2.Kc2 Qg3! 3.Rd2+
Kf1 4.Rd1+ Ke2 5.Rd2+ Kf1 6.Qf6+ Kg1 7.Qb6 Kf1, and the black king has no worries.
Neither can white win with the quiet queen move to the left 1.Qb2? due to 1...Qd2, and white is
once again out of puff.
The quiet queen move to the right brings the full point: 1.Qg2! Re2! Other continuations lose
quickly: 1...Qg3 2.Qf1+ Kd2 3.Rd5+ Kc3 4.Rc5+ Kb3 5.Qc4+ Ka3 6.Ra5# or 1...Qe2 2.Rd5+ Rd3
3.Qg1+ Kd2 4.Qc1#.
2.Rd5+ Rd2.
Now what should white do? Not 3.Rd6? Qe2 (or 3...h4) 4.Qh1+ Qe1 5.Qf3+ Qe2 6.Qb3+ Ke1,
and the pin 7.Re6 fails due to 7...Rd1+ with tragedy for white.
Moving to the middle doesn’t work either: 3.Rd4? h4! (but not 3...Qe2? 4.Qc6 Qe3 5.Qa4+ Ke2
6.Re4 Rd1+ 7.Qxd1+) 4.Qf3+ Qe2 5.Qc6 Ke1 6.Qh1+ Qf1 7.Qxf1+ Kxf1 8.Rxd2 Kg1, and the
pawn saves the day for black. Therefore, white has to take out black’s pawn!
3.Rd8!! h4! (3...Rxd8 4.Qc2#) 4.Qg4+! Qe2 5.Qa4+! Ke1 6.Qxh4+ Kd1. The king gets nowhere
from abandoning his defensive forces: 6...Kf1 7.Qh1+ Kf2 8.Rf8+ Kg3 9.Qg1+, and white wins.
The black pawn has been exterminated and white can continue the attack...
7.Qh1+ Qe1 8.Qf3+ (or 8.Qg2) 8...Qe2.
22

9.Qc6! Penetration from the left proves decisive!
9...Qe3. There’s nothing better for black: 9...Qf2 10.Qc1+ or 9...Ke1 10.Qh1+ Qf1 11.Qxf1+
Kxf1 12.Rxd2 and so on.
10.Qa4+ Ke2 11.Re8! Paralyzing the black queen with a pin. The rest is easy: 11...Rd1+
12.Qxd1+! Kxd1 13.Rxe3. White wins.
A subtle battle between major pieces!
No. 7
Chess in the USSR, 1987
5th prize
23

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The white bishop needs to occupy the long diagonal a1-h8 ASAP. Let’s try the direct route:
1.Bxd6? Bd2+! 2.Kc2 g2 3.Be5+ Nc3 4.Nxc3 Bf4 5.Bf6 Bg5! 6.Bg7 (6.Be5 Bf4) 6...Bh6! 7.Bh8
Bg7! 8.Bxg7 g1=Q, and it transpires that white even loses after 9.Ng3? Qxg3 10.Bd4 due to the pin
10...Qc7!. While after 9.Be5 Qc5 10.Bg7 Qc7 it’s an obvious draw.
Eureka: white needs to let the d6 pawn live!
1.Bd8!! g2 2.Bf6+ Nc3! 3.Nxc3 Bh4! Black attempts to chase the enemy bishop from the “long
road”...
24

4.Bd4! But not 4.Bg7? g1=Q+ or 4.Bh8? Bg5+ 5.Kc2 gxh1=Q, and the bishop becomes a target of
the newly-created queen.
4...Bg5+ (4...Bf2 5.Nxf2) 5.Kc2 Be3! 6.Bf6! White suffers a tragedy after 6.Bxe3? gxh1=Q 7.Bd4
Qc6!
6...Bg5! Or 6...Bf4 7.Ne2+ Be5 8.Bxe5+ dxe5 9.Nf2 and the black king is soon mated.
7.Bg7! Bh6! 8.Bh8! Bg7! Black’s bishop cannot cope with the knight pair after 8...g1=Q 9.Ne2+
Bg7 10.Nxg1 Bxh8 11.Ne2 a4 12.Nf2 d5 13.Nd3 Bg7 14.Nc5 d4 15.Nc1 d3+ 16.N1xd3 Bf6
17.Nc1, and the end.
9.Bxg7 g1=Q. We have encountered a similar position in the false trail, but with one subtle
difference – black still has his d6 pawn...
25

10.Ng3!! This is the point of white’s play!
10...Qxg3. Black loses slowly but surely after 10...Qc5 11.Nf5! Qc4 12.Bd4! a4 13.Kc1 a3 14.Ne3
Qxd4 15.Nc2#.
11.Bd4! The combination’s final touch.
The smoke has cleared after the battle – black dies from still having his pawn on d6 (there is no pin
via 10...Qc7).
The rest is easy, e.g. 11...Qd3+ 12.Kxd3 Kb2 13.Nb5+ (the simplest way to win) 13...Kb1
14.Na3+
26

No. 8
Chavchavadze Memorial, 1987
3rd prize
(together with Anatoly Kuznetsov)
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
The board demonstrates material equality but it’s too early for peace talks: the black pawn on h4 is
far more dangerous that white’s pawn on e6. For example, after 1.Bf6? Bb5! 2.e7+ Kf7 3.e8=Q+
Bxe8 4.Nxe8 h3 the black pawn cannot be stopped.
1.e7+! Kxe7 2.Nf5+ Ke6! 3.Nxh4 Ne2! Black’s main ace may have been liquidated but white still
has a lot of work to do to gain the half point.
27

4.Ba1!! That’s the point! After 4.Bg7? Bd3+ 5.Kb2 Be4! the white knight is caught in the drag-net
of domination and perishes. White cannot save the day either with 4.Nf3? Bd5! 5.Ng5+ Kf5 6.Be3
Nf4! 7.Bxf4 (7.Nh7 Ne6!) 7...Kxf4 8.Nh3+ Kg3 9.Ng1 Bc4!, and the knight is still doomed.
White gets punished as well if his king makes a break to protect his comrades: 4.Kc2? Nxd4+
5.Kc3 Kd5, and the end.
4...Bd3+ 5.Kb2.
5...c5! Threatening a mating march to c3. The move 5...Be4 doesn’t scare white: 6.Nf5! Kxf5,
stalemate.
6.Nf3! c4! 7.Ng5+ Kd5 8.Ne4! Kd4. Is white in zugzwang?
28

9.Nc3! Nxc3 10.Kc1 Bh7 11.Kd2, and the black knight perishes.
In order to save his knight white walled in his bishop and then revived it!
No. 9
Competition to mark 70 years since the October Revolution, 1987
1st–2nd prize
(together with Anatoly Kuznetsov)
29

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Exploiting the unfortunate position of the black knight, white wins material. Black, meanwhile,
dreams of winning back a piece with a double attack using his king. Whose dreams will be fulfilled?
1.Bb3 Ke6 (1...Bb7 2.Nf4) 2.Nf4+ Kd6! A weaker continuation would be 2...Ke5 3.Nxg6+ Kd4
4.Kg2 Ne3+ 5.Kg3, and white gradually kills his opponent.
3.Bxd5. Pawn grabbing here misses the win: 3.Nxg6? Ne3! 4.Nf4 Ke5 5.g6 Nxg4 6.g7 Nh6
7.Ng2 Bb7 8.g8=Q (8.Kh2 Bd5) 8...Nxg8 9.Bxg8 Bd5 10.Bxd5 Kxd5 11.Kg1 Kd4 12.Kf2 Kc3
13.Ke2 Kb2 14.Kd2 Kxa2 15.Kc2 Ka1, and a draw.
3...Ke5! The king goes on the hunt!
4.Ne6! Bc8! The white bishop is protected by a fork: 4...Kxd5 5.Nc7+ and so on.
5.Nc7 Kd6! 6.Na8! Black has nothing to worry about if white transposes into a bishop ending with
an extra pawn: 6.Be4? Kxc7 7.Bxg6 Bxg4 8.Bf7 Kd6 9.Kg2 Ke5 10.Kg3 Bd1 11.Kh4 Kf5, and a
draw. 6...Bxg4. Again, the bishop is reliably protected: 6...Kxd5 7.Nb6+, and a fork. Nor can black
save the day with 6...Bd7 7.Nb6 or 6...Ba6 7.Kh2 and so on.
7.Nb6! White’s knight needs to get out of the corner. Otherwise white cannot avoid material losses:
7.Be4? Be6! 8.Bb1 (8.Nb6 Bxa2) 8...Bd5+ 9.Kh2 Bxa8 and a draw.
7...Kc5! Attacking the duet of white pieces for the third time.
30

8.Nc4! Again the knight finds a way to indirectly protect his bishop: 8...Kxd5 9.Ne3+, and a fork.
8...Be2! 9.Ne3 Kd4. Black’s fourth attack on the white pair!
10.Ng2! Having journeyed right across the board, the knight finds protection from his king.
10...Kxd5 11.Nf4+, and the bishop nevertheless falls victim to a fork. White wins.
An original systematic movement of an entire group of pieces!
No. 10
Szachy, 1987
31

1st prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.d8=N+! Promoting to a queen misses the win 1.d8=Q? h1=Q+ 2.Kxh1 e1=Q+ 3.Kg2 Qe4+
4.Kf1 Qb1+ 5.Kg2 Qe4+ and a draw.
1.d8=N+! Kf6 2.Ra6+ Kg5! A weaker continuation would be 2...Kg7 3.Ne6+ Kh7 4.Ng5+ Kg7
5.b8=Q (or 5.Nf3 Nxf3 6.Re6) 5...h1=Q+ 6.Kxh1 e1=Q+ 7.Kg2, and the black king is doomed.
3.Nf7+! The central check doesn’t work: 3.Ne6+? Kh4 4.Ra4+ Ng4 5.Rxg4+ hxg4! 6.b8=Q
h1=Q+ 7.Kxh1 e1=Q+ 8.Kg2 Qxe6, and a draw.
3...Kh4 (3...Nxf7 4.Re6) 4.Ra4+ d4! Counterplay aimed at stalemate!
5.Rxd4+ Ng4 6.Rxg4+! fxg4!
32

7.b8=B!! Black would be laughing after 7.b8=Q? h1=Q+ 8.Kxh1 e1=Q+ 9.Kg2 Qe4+ 10.Kh2
Qf4+! 11.Qxf4, stalemate.
7...h1=Q+ 8.Kxh1. The first act is now over. There are now two possible continuations:
1) 8...Kh3 9.Ng5+ Kh4 10.Bg3+! Kxg5 11.f4+! Not 11.f3? h4! 12.Bf2 Kf4 13.fxg4 Kxg4 14.a4
Kf3 15.Bxh4 Ke4, and the black king has penetrated the square of the white pawn.
11...gxf3 12.a4 Kf5 13.a5 Ke4 14.a6 Ke3 15.Kg1 Kd2 16.a7 e1=Q+ 17.Bxe1+ Kxe1 18.a8=Q
f2+ 19.Kh2 f1=Q.
20.Qh1!, and after the exchange of queens white’s pawn gets promoted and white wins.
2) 8...e1=Q+ 9.Kg2 Qe4+. Or 9...g3 10.Bxg3+ Kg4 11.f3+!, and the queen is doomed.
33

10.Kh2 g3+ 11.Bxg3+ Kg4. The black king has broken free of the mating trap, but he will have to
surrender his queen...
12.f3+! Kxf3 13.Ng5+ Ke3 14.Bf2+! An important intermezzo! Greed is punished: 14.Nxe4?
Kxe4 15.a4 Kd5, and the black king easily makes it to the drawing corner.
14...Kd3 15.Nxe4 Kxe4 16.a4 Kd5 17.a5 Kc6 18.a6 Kc7 19.Ba7! Kc6 20.a4!, and black is
prevented from getting to the corner. White wins.
34

Show in Text Mode
No. 11
Moscow championship, 1987
1st place
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s objective is to stop the black king from reaching h8...
1.Kf2! After 1.Bh7? g5! 2.Kf2 g4 3.Kg3 Kc7 4.Kxg4 Kd6 5.Kg5 Ke7 6.Kh6 Kf8 white cannot
stop the king’s march to h8.
1.Kf2! Kc7. The sacrifice doesn’t save the day: 1...g6 2.Bxg6 Kc7 3.h4 Kd6 4.h5 Ke7 5.h6 Kf6
(5...Kf8 6.Bh7 Kf7 7.Kxf3 Kf6 8.Kf4) 6.Bh5, and the white pawn cannot be stopped.
35

2.Bh7!! Whereas 2.Kxf3? now fails due to 2...g6!! 3.Kf4 Kd6! 4.Kg5 gxf5 5.Kxf5 Ke7, and a
draw. Nor can white block off the black king after 2.Bg6? Kd6 3.h4 Ke7 4.h5 Kf8 5.Bh7 g5!! 6.h6
(6.hxg6 Kg7) 6...g4, and a draw.
Black is also fine if white advances his h-pawn: 2.h4? Kd6 3.h5 Ke5 4.Bg6 Kf4! 5.Bf7 Kg4!
6.Ke3 Kg3 and a draw.
2...Kd6 3.Kxf3 Ke6 4.Kg4.
4...Kf7! Or 4...Kf6 5.Kh5 g6+ 6.Kh6 Kf7 7.h4! and black is doomed.
5.Kg5! But not 5.Kh5? g5! 6.Kh6 g4! (mutual zugzwang), and white cannot strengthen his
position.
36

5...g6 6.Kh6 g5.
7.h3! Black is in zugzwang!
7...Kf8 8.Kg6!, and black loses the pawn in a position where white is winning. This novelty is
useful for endgame theory!
No. 12
Armenian Central Chess Club tournament, 1987
1st commendation
37

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The black king is cramped, which allows white to launch a mating attack...
1.Nd3+. Not 1.Ne4? Qa6+ 2.Kb8 Qc6! 3.Rc5 Qxc5 4.Bxc5+ Kc4 5.Kxb7 Nhxf2 6.Nxf2 Nxf2
7.Bxf2 Kc3 and a draw.
1.Nd3+ Kc4. Forcing white to determine which square along the long diagonal is best for his
bishop.
2.Bh8!! That’s the point!
Not the thematically false 2.Bg7? b6! 3.Kxb6 Qb1+ 4.Nb4! Qxb4+ 5.Kc6 Ne5+! 6.Rxe5 Nxf2
(mutual zugzwang) 7.Rd5 Qb7+! 8.Kxb7 Kxd5 9.Kb6 Ne4, and white cannot win.
For example, after 10.Ka5 Nd6 11.Kxa4 Nf5 12.Bh8 Ne3 13.c3 Kc6 the knight captures the c-
pawn and the king escapes to the drawing corner a8.
2...b6 (the threat was 3.Rc5#) 3.Kxb6 Qb1+ 4.Nb4! Otherwise 4...Qxc2 grabbing the initiative.
4...Qxb4+ 5.Kc6!
38

5...Ne5+! A reciprocal knight sac! It’s a quick mate after 5...Qd2 6.Rc5+ Kb4 7.c3+ Qxc3
8.Bxc3#.
6.Rxe5 Nxf2 7.Bg7! But not 7.Bf6? due to 7...Qf8!, and now white is doomed.
We have seen this position in the false trail, but now it’s black to move! So zugzwang now works in
white’s favor. It transpires that black has no good moves. Black’s queen is paralyzed in her defense of
c5. His knight has to protect e4. Only his king can move...
7...Kd4 8.c3+! Qxc3+ (8...Kxc3 9.Re4+) 9.Rc5+ and white wins.
39

No. 13
Harman Memorial Tournament, 1988
Commendation
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Equal material. At first glance black has no weaknesses. But actually he has one: his king is on the
long diagonal h1-a8...
1.Bg2+ Nd5. Not 1...Kb8 2.Rg8+, and the knight perishes.
2.Rxe6! The first tactic!
40

2...Rg5. The white rook is poisoned due to 2...Rxe6 3.Bxd5+ Kb8 4.Bxe6 and so on.
3.Re8+ Kb7 4.Rg8! And the second tactic!
4...Rh5. The rook is still poisoned 4...Rxg8 5.Bxd5+ ~ 6.Bxg8.
5.Rd8 Rg5 6.Bf3! White misses the win after 6.Bxd5+? Kc7, and one of his pieces dies. The move
6.Be4? just marks time: 6...Re5 7.Bf3 Rf5 and so on.
6...Rf5 7.Bxd5+! With the black rook on f5 this check is now possible!
7...Kc7.
41

8.Rc8+! Tempo play would be to black’s advantage: 8.Be4? Rf1+!, and the white rook perishes.
Trying to be too clever doesn’t work either: 8.b6+? axb6 9.Rc8+ Kd7! 10.Bb7 Ra5+ 11.Kb1 Ra7 and
a draw.
8...Kxc8 9.Be6+. White wins. The bishop managed to fork the rook in the end!
Checkers-like tactics aren’t new in the studies world. But the author of this study managed to
devise an original mechanism with three consecutive sacrifices of the white rook.
No. 14
64 – Chess Review, 1988
2nd prize
(together with A. Grin)
42

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.Ng3!
He gets nowhere trying to stop the pawn with his rook: 1.Rxh4? h1=Q+ 2.Rxh1 Rb1+, and a draw.
1.Ng3! hxg3 2.h8=Q.
43

2...h1=Q+! Now black does not have 2...Rb1+ 3.Kxd2 h1=Q 4.Qg8+ Rb3 5.Ra4+ Kb2 6.Qg7+
Kb1 7.Ra1#.
3.Qxh1 g2! Black would die quickly after 3...Rb1+ due to 4.Kc2! Rxh1 5.Ra4#.
4.Qh2!! White mustn’t be greedy: 4.Qxg2? Rb1+ 5.Kc2 Rb2+! 6.Kc3 d1=N+!, and black has
wriggled out of mate. Nor can white win with 4.Ra4+? Kb3 5.Qh3+ Kxa4 6.Qg4+ Ka3 7.Qf3+ and a
draw.
4...Rb1+ 5.Kxd2 g1=Q 6.Kc3+ Ka3! Avoiding 6...Qxh2 7.Ra4#.
44

Yet black cannot escape his fate: 7.Qa2+!! Kxa2 8.Ra4#.
No. 15
Charles Bent Jubilee Tournament, 1989
10th commendation
White to play and win
45

Show/Hide Solution
White’s bishop pair are far more agile than black’s mixed duo. Nevertheless, the small number of
pawns on the board should give black good chances of saving the game...
1.Kd3! Threatening to capture the imprisoned knight. But not 1.Bxa6? Bxb2 2.Kd3 Be5 and a
draw.
1.Kd3! Bxb2! Allowing a double attack! But not 1...Bf4 2.Be3, and the knight cannot be saved.
2.Kc2! It’s too early for 2.Bf3+? Kb5 3.Kc2 Bc3 4.Be2+ Ka4, and the white pawn perishes.
2...Nc3! 3.Bf3+ Kb5 4.Kb3! Not 4.Kxb2? due to the fork 4...Na4+. White doesn’t get anywhere
with either 4.Bd8? Ba1 5.Bxf6 Kxa5, or 4.Bh5? Na4 5.Be8+ Kb4 6.Bxa4 Kxa4 7.Kxb2 Kb5 and a
draw each time.
Not the immediate 4.Bg4? due to 4...Na4 5.Bd8 Be5 6.Be2+ Kc6 7.Bxa6 Kd7 and a draw.
4...Ba1! Moving to the corner always looks pretty! Waiting is no good: 4...f5 5.Bh5! Kc6 6.Be8+
and 7.Kxb2.
5.Bg4!! That’s the point! But not 5.Bh5? – see the finale.
5...Kc6 (5...Nd5 6.Bd7#) 6.Bd4! Kb5! White claims a theoretical win of two bishops versus a
knight after 6...Ne4 7.Bxa1 Kb5 8.Bd7+ Kxa5 9.Bd4 Nd2+ 10.Kc3 Ne4+ 11.Kd3 Nd6 12.Bxf6 and
so on.
7.Bxf6 Kxa5 8.Bd4! Domination despite a material deficit!
46

8...Kb5 9.Bd7+ Ka5 10.Be8! Mutual zugzwang! Black has to surrender material.
Were it white’s move here (which would have happened after the careless 5.Bh5? Kc6 6.Bd4 Kb5
7.Bxf6 Kxa5 8.Bd4 Kb5 9.Be8+ Ka5), he would have to play 10.Bc6 (or 10.Bd7 Ne4 11.Bxa1
Nc5+) 10...Ne2 11.Bxa1 Nd4+! 12.Bxd4 and stalemate.
An elegant study that was clearly under-appreciated by the English composer, in whose honor the
tournament was organized and who was its judge.
No. 16
47

USSR vs. Rest of the World match, 1989
14th place
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Black is threatening a draw by perpetual check: 1...Rg1+ 2.Kxh2 R4g2+ and so on. Only a
reciprocal attack by white can counter this plan!
1.Bf4+! He gets nowhere with 1.Ndc6+? Kd5! 2.Rd4+ Kc5 3.Nxa6+ Qxa6 4.f8=Q Rg1+ 5.Kxh2
R4g2+ 6.Kh3 Rg3+ 7.Kh4 Rg4+ and a draw.
1.Bf4+! Kd5! 2.Rc6! The threat is 3.c4#. It’s a disaster after 2.Nxe2? Rxe2 3.Rxe2 Qb1+ 4.Kxh2
Qf1!, and now it’s black who checkmates his opponent.
2...Rg1+. Black’s attempt to give perpetual check through a different move combination is cleverly
snuffed out by white: 2...Rxf4 3.c4+ Ke5 4.exf4+ Kxd4 5.f8=Q Rg1+ 6.Kxh2 Qh7+ 7.Kxg1 Qg6+
8.Kf2 e3+ 9.Kf3! Qh5+ 10.Kg3! Qg6+ 11.Kh4! Qh7+ 12.Kg5, and the end.
3.Kxh2 R4g2+ 4.Kh3 Qd7+! Counterplay aimed at stalemate.
5.Nxd7 Rh2+! The moment of truth for white!
48

6.Bxh2!! But not 6.Kxh2? – see the finale.
6...Rg3+ 7.Kh4 Rg4+ 8.Kh5 Rg5+ 9.Kh6 Rg6+ 10.Kh7 Rg7+ 11.Kh8! The king has made it to
the corner square h8!
11...Rh7+ (11...Rg8+ 12.fxg8=Q#) 12.Kg8 Rg7+ 13.Kf8 Rxf7+ 14.Ke8 Re7+. Or 14...Rf8+
15.Ke7 Re8+ 16.Kf6 Rf8+ 17.Kg5! Rg8+ 18.Kf5! Rg5+ 19.Kf6 Rg6+ 20.Ke7 Rg7+ 21.Kd8 and
then as per the actual solution.
15.Kd8 Rxd7+ (15...Re8+ 16.Kc7 Rc8+ 17.Kb7 Rc7+ 18.Kxa6) 16.Kc8 Rc7+! 17.Kb8 Rb7+
18.Ka8! The king is now in the corner square a8!
49

18...Rb8+ 19.Kxa7 Ra8+! 20.Kb6 Rb8+ 21.Kxa6 (21.Kc7? Rb7+!) 21...Ra8+! (21...Rb6+
22.Rxb6!) 22.Kb5 Rxa5+ 23.Kb4 Ra4+! (23...Rb5+ 24.Nxb5) 24.Kb3 Rb4+ 25.Ka2 Rb2+ 26.Ka1!
Now the king has moved from the top corner to the bottom corner! However, his journey has not yet
ended...
26...Ra2+ (26...Rb1+ 27.Rxb1) 27.Kb1 Rb2+ 28.Kc1 Rb1+! (28...Rxc2+ 29.Nxc2) 29.Kd2 Rd1+
30.Kxe2.
50

30...Rd2+! (30...Rxe1+ 31.Kf2 Rf1+ 32.Kg3) 31.Kf1 Rf2+ 32.Kg1 Rg2+ 33.Kh1! Having visited
all the corners of the board the white king returns to his starting point!
33...Rg1+ 34.Bxg1!, and the furious rook has been neutralized! White wins.
Whereas after 6.Kxh2? there would be no antidote to the furious rook: 6...Rg2+ 7.Kh3 Rg3+ 8.Kh4
Rg4+ 9.Kh5 Rg5+ 10.Kh6 Rg6+ 11.Kh7 Rg7+ 12.Kh8 Rh7+ 13.Kg8 Rg7+ 14.Kf8 Rxf7+ 15.Ke8
Re7+ 16.Kd8 Rxd7+ 17.Kc8 Rc7+ 18.Kb8 Rb7+ 19.Ka8 Rb8+ 20.Kxa7 Ra8+ 21.Kb6 Rb8+
22.Kxa6 Ra8+ 23.Kb5 Rxa5+ 24.Kb4 Ra4+ 25.Kb3 Rb4+ 26.Ka2 Rb2+ 27.Ka1 Ra2+ 28.Kb1 Rb2+
29.Kc1 Rb1+ 30.Kd2 Rd1+ 31.Kxe2 Rd2+ 32.Kf1 Rf2+ 33.Kg1 Rg2+ 34.Kh1 Rh2+ 35.Kxh2,
stalemate. In the actual solution the bishop has moved from f4 to h2, and so there is no stalemate!
51

Discovering chess’s mysteries! Oleg Pervakov at a chess solving tournament during the chess
Olympiad. Elista, 1998
No. 17
Armenian Open Individual Championship, 1990
1st prize
52

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
White is a piece down but he has a big ace up his sleeve – the right to attack first!
1.Bh2+ e5 2.Rxf6! Whereas the bishop sac would lose: 2.Bxe5+? fxe5 3.Rf8+ Be8+ and so on.
2...Bxb7+. Obviously not 2...Rxf6 3.Bxe5+ ~ 4.Bxf6.
53

3.Ka5! Not 3.Kb5? Rxh5 4.Rf8+ Kc7 5.Rh8 Bc6+! 6.Kc5 Rg5 7.Rh7+ Bd7, and black gradually
converts his material advantage.
3...Rxh5 4.Rf8+ Kc7. Black gets nowhere with 4...Bc8 5.Rh8! Rg5 6.Re8! Bb2 7.Kb6! Rh5 8.Bg3,
and white holds the position.
5.Rh8! The second rook sac!
5...Rg5! Again, not 5...Rxh8 6.Bxe5+ ~ 7.Bxh8.
Nor does black gain anything from 5...Rxh2 6.Rxh2 Kd6 7.Rh6+ Kd5 8.Kb6 Bc8 9.b5, and a draw.
6.Rh7+ Kb8 7.Rg7! And the third sacrifice!
54

Black doesn’t want to get his rook forked by capturing the white rook. Therefore, the game ends in
a draw:
7...Rh5! 8.Rg8+ Kc7! 9.Rh8! and so on. However, white will be punished if he seeks a win here:
9.Rg7+? Kc8 10.Rg8+ Kd7 11.Rg7+ Ke6! 12.Bxe5 Bf3! 13.Ka4 Bc1 14.Bc3 Bd1#! A classical
situation where you don’t want to bite off more than you can chew!
No. 18
Birnov Memorial, 1990
1st prize
(together with N. Kralin)
55

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The two bishops should help the d-pawn to be promoted comfortably. However, black attempts to
foil the plan...
1.d6 Rf2+! Black gets nowhere with 1...Ke3 2.d7 Rf2+ 3.Kg3 Rf3+ 4.Kh4 Rxf4+ 5.Kg5, and the
end.
2.Kg3! But not 2.Kh3? Rd2 3.d7 Ke4 4.Kg3 Rd3+ and a draw.
2...Rf3+ 3.Kg2 Ke4! But not 3...Ke3 4.Bd4+ Kxf4 5.d7, and the pawn cannot be stopped.
56

4.Bd5+! Closing the d-file for the rook. Not 4.d7? due to 4...Rd3 and so on.
4...Kxf4 5.d7. White mustn’t wait for his promotion. For example, not 5.Bxf3? Bxf3+ 6.Kf2 Bc6,
and a draw. Changing the move order is no different: 5.Bg5+? Kxg5, and not 6.d7? (6.Bxf3, and a
draw) due to 6...Rf8 and the pawn is stopped.
5...Rd3! Finally occupying the strategic file!
6.Bg5+! Now the bishop sets to work! Not 6.d8=Q? Rd2+ 7.Kg1 (7.Kh3?? Bg4+ 8.Kh4 Rh2#)
7...Rd1+ 8.Kh2 Rd2+ and a draw.
6...Kg4! 7.d8=Q. White has carried out his plan. Is it time for black to resign?
57

7...Rxd5! Counting on 8.Qxd5? – and stalemate with the imprisoned bishop.
8.Qa8! A similar idea with 8.Qe7? is refuted by the subtle 8...Re5!, and white cannot win.
8...Rxg5. Or 8...Ra5 9.Qc8+ Kxg5 10.Qd8+ forking the rook.
9.Qe4#!
Black’s counterplay aimed at stalemate failed and he got mated. Another classical idea that has
drawn the attention of modern authors!
No. 19
58

Lenin’s 120th birthday tournament, 1990
1st prize
(together with Anatoly Kuznetsov)
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Being a piece down is not the most promising of starts if you want to draw. Yet there’s no need to
despair!
1.d7! Not the immediate 1.Bc2? Ke5 2.d7!? Bxd7!, and black wins.
1.d7! Nxd7 2.Bc2! Nb8! Now if black attempts to get out of the pin with 2...Ke5 white counters
with 3.Bxe4! and there is no 3...Kxe4 due to the fork with 4.Nc5+.
There is nothing to be feared from 2...Bg2 3.Nc5 Nb8 4.Bd3! Ke5 5.Nxa6 and a draw.
3.Nc5! White wins back the piece but he still has a lot of work to do...
3...Ke5! 4.Bxe4 (4.Nxe4? Bf5!) 4...Kd4! A double attack!
59

5.Nd3! Bf1! (5...Kxe4 6.Nf2+) 6.Nf2 Ke3.
7.Nh1! Bc4! (7...Kxe4 8.Ng3+) 8.Bg2! Not 8.Bg6? Kf3! and 9...Bd5 with victory for black. Now
there are two continuations.
1) 8...Kf4! 9.Nf2! Time is at a premium! White loses after 9.Kb2? Be2! and 10...Bf3.
9...Kg3.
60

10.Nd1! Bb3! (10...Kxg2 11.Ne3+) 11.Ne3 Kf2 12.Bd5! A draw.
2) 8...Be6 9.Ng3! Here too white cannot afford to lose time: 9.Kb2? Bg4! and 10...Bf3 with a win
for black.
9...Kf2.
10.Nh5! Bf7! (10...Kxg2 11.Nf4+) 11.Nf4 Kg3 12.Bd5! And white has again avoided a double
attack. A draw.
No. 20
61

Georgian competition, 1990
2nd prize
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Black’s foot soldiers are storming to the promised land. How can white stop them?
1.Nf6! e2! The most cunning continuation! Moving the other pawns gives black nothing: 1...g2
2.Ra8 g1=Q 3.Ra1+ Kf2 4.Ne4+ Kg2 5.Rxg1+ Kxg1 6.Nxc3 or 1...c2 2.Kd5 g2 3.Rxc2 g1=Q
4.Rc1+ Kf2 5.Ne4+ and a draw.
2.Ne4 g2!
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3.Kd5!! It’s too early for 3.Ra8? Kf1! 4.Ng3+ Kf2 5.Nxe2 Kxe2 6.Rg8 Kf2 7.Rf8+ Ke3 8.Re8+
Kd3 9.Rd8+ Kc4! 10.Rd1 c2 11.Rg1 Kd4, and black wins. Moving the king to the side with 3.Kb5?
is refuted by 3...g1=Q 4.Ra8 Qd4! 5.Ra1+ Qd1, and the end.
3...g1=Q. There is nothing to be feared from 3...Kf1 4.Ng3+ Kf2 5.Nxe2 Kxe2 6.Re8+ Kd3 7.Rg8
c2 8.Rg3+, and a draw.
4.Ra8! Now it’s time! The threat is 5.Ra1#.
4...Kf1 5.Rf8+ Kg2 6.Rg8+ Kh1 7.Rh8+ Kg2 (7...Qh2 8.Ng3+ Kg1 9.Rxh2) 8.Rg8+ Kf1 9.Rf8+
Ke1 10.Ra8! and a draw. A pretty little problem with no captures!
63

Show in Text Mode
No. 21
XIV USSR team championship, 1990
2nd–3rd prize
(together with Anatoly Kuznetsov)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s e-pawn is heading for promotion. How can black stop it in its tracks?
1.e7. White even loses after 1.exf7? d5! 2.f5 Qh2 3.f8=Q Qc7+ followed by mate.
1.e7 Qe6. The queen attempts to approach the white king from the other side, now threatening
2...Qa2+ and so on.
2.c4! Kc7! After 2...Qxc4 (2...d6 3.Bf5!) 3.e8=Q Qd4+ 4.Ka8! Qa4+ 5.Kb8 Qb5+ 6.Kc8 Qb7+
7.Kd8 Qb8+ 8.Ke7 the white king is safe from checks.
64

3.Nd6!! Allowing black to capture it with a choice of two pieces!
3...Kxd6. White wins easily after 3...Qe1 (3...Qxd6 4.e8=N+!) 4.Nb5+ Kc6 5.Kb8 d6 6.Nc7, and
nothing will stop the pawn from queening.
4.Kb6! Now it’s time for the king to join the attack!
4...Qxc4. The queen moves into space aiming to give perpetual check – 5...Qb4+ and so on. But not
4...Qe1 5.c5+ Kd5 6.Kc7, and the end.
5.e8=N+! The phoenix arises from the ashes!
5...Kd5 6.Nc7+ Kd6 7.Nb5+ Ke6.
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8.Bf5+! (now the bishop joins the attack) 8...Kd5 (8...Kxf5 9.Nd6+) 9.Be4+! Ke6! The bishop is
poisoned: 9...Qxe4 10.Nc3+ or 9...Kxe4 10.Nd6+, each time with a fork.
10.Nc7+! The knight heads for the kingside. But not 10.d4? due to the reciprocal pawn advance
10...d5! 11.Bf5+ Kxf5 12.Nd6+ Kg6! 13.Nxc4 dxc4 14.d5 c3 15.d6 c2 16.d7 c1=Q 17.d8=Q Qxf4
18.Qg8+ Kf5 19.Qxf7 Qxg5, and a draw.
10...Kd6 11.Ne8+ Ke6 12.Ng7+ Kd6 13.Nf5+ Ke6.
14.Bd5+! (forcing black to capture the bishop!) 14...Qxd5. Or 14...Kxd5 15.Ne3+, and a fork.
Now the knight heads back and ends up forking the queen.
15.Ng7+! Kd6 16.Ne8+ Ke6 17.Nc7+. White wins. Great work by this Tartakower knight!
No. 22
Moscow championship, 1990
1st prize
66

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White has a huge material advantage, but black is threatening to mate him...
1.Qa4+!! White has to sacrifice his best piece! Giving up a lesser piece doesn’t work: 1.Rd3+?
Qxd3 2.Qg2 (or 2.Qa4+ Kxa4 3.Nc5+ Kb5 4.Nxd3 Nxe7; 2.Nd5 Qd2! 3.Qb4+ Qxb4 4.Nxb4 Kxb4
and a draw each time) 2...Qc3+ 3.Kb1 Qb3+ 4.Kc1 Qc3+ 5.Kd1 Qa1+ 6.Kd2 Qb2+ 7.Ke3 Qxg2
8.Bxg2 Nxe7 and a draw.
1.Qa4+!! Qxa4 (1...Kxa4 2.Bd1) 2.Rd3+ Kb4+ 3.Kb2 Ne5! Other forms of defense lose quickly:
3...Nxe7 4.Rd4+ Kb5 5.Be2+; 3...Qa6 4.Rd4+ Kb5 5.Be2+ or 3...Qe8 4.Rb3+ Kc4 5.Nd6+ and so
on.
4.Nc6+! He misses the win after 4.Nd5+? Kc4 5.Rc3+ Kd4!, and the black king has gained his
freedom.
4...Nxc6. Black has no chance after 4...Kb5 5.Nxe5 Kb6 6.Rb3+ Kc7 7.Rc3+. What should white
do now? It appears that his attack has petered out. For example, after the “logical” 5.Bd1? Qb5
6.Rb3+ Ka4! 7.Rxb5+ Kxb5 it’s a draw.
67

5.Be2!! That’s the point! It transpires that black is running out of moves. His knight is guarding the
mating square d4. If the queen heads for the center with 5...Qb5 then she dies after 6.Rb3+. And as
for his king: 5...Kb5 6.Rb3#.
5...a6! 6.Bf1! White continues with his waiting strategy!
6...Kc4! Or 6...a5 7.Be2! Kc4 8.Rh3+ and then as per the actual solution.
7.Rh3+! Only this move will do! Not 7.Rg3+?! Kd5, and here not 8.Rg5+? Ne5 9.Bg2+ Kd4, as
the black knight controls g4. Instead of 8.Rg5+? white can only save the day with 8.Bg2+! Ke5
9.Re3+ Kf5 10.Nd6+ Kg5 11.Bxc6 Qb4+ (or 11...Qxc6 12.Ne4+ Kf4 13.Re1) 12.Kc2 Qxd6 13.Ba4
and so on.
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It’s also a draw after 7.Rf3+? Kd5 8.Rf5+ Ke6 (the easiest way) and so on.
7...Kd5 8.Rh5+ Ne5 9.Bg2+ Kc4. Running away doesn’t work: 9...Ke6 10.Nc5, and a fork.
10.Rh4+ Kb5 11.Bf1+ Nc4+ 12.Rxc4! The final touch! After the careless 12.Bxc4+? Kb6! black is
saved.
12...Qxc4 (12...Qd1 13.Rc1+) 13.Nd6+. That’s a complicated one! But some studies are much
longer!
No. 23
The Problemist, 1990
1st–2nd prize
(together with B. Gusev)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
At first glance it seems that white has a simple winning plan – queen the pawn. However, it’s
actually not so easy!
1.a7 Rg3+! (1...Kd8 2.Rb7) 2.Kxg3.
69

2...h4+! It’s too early for black to castle: 2...0 -0 3 .Rb7 h4+ 4.Kxh4 Rf4+ 5.Kg5, and the end. It’s
also easy for white after 2...Nf5+ 3.Kh3 0-0 4.Rb7 Ne3 5.Rb8, and the pawn queens.
3.Kxh4. He cannot avoid the capture: 3.Kg2? 0-0 4.Rb7 h3+! 5.Kg1 h2+ 6.Kg2 h1=Q+ 7.Kxh1
Rf1+ 8.Kg2 Ra1 and a draw.
3...Nf5+! Forcing the white king to choose a new square.
4.Kg4!! Whereas the more “logical” 4.Kg5? misses the win: 4...0-0 5.Rb7 Nd4! 6.Rb8 Ne6+
7.Kh5 Nc7, and the pawn is stopped.
4...0-0! He cannot save the day with 4...Nh6+ 5.Kg5 Nf7+ 6.Kg6 Rh6+ 7.Kg7 Ra6 8.Rxf7 and so
on.
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5.Rb7 Ne3+.
6.Kh5!! After the “obvious” 6.Kg5? Nd5! white is caught in zugzwang: 7.Kh6 Rf6+ 8.~ Ra6 or
7.Kh4 Rf4+ 8.~ Ra4 with a draw. After 6.Kg3? Nd5! it’s again mutual zugzwang: 7.Kg2 Ne3+!
8.Kg3 Nd5, and a draw.
6...Nd5! (6...Rf5+ 7.Kg6! Ra5 8.Rb8#) 7.Kg5! Now it’s mutual zugzwang with black to move.
7...Nf4 8.Kg4(h4)! But not 8.Rb8? Ne6+ and 9...Nc7, and a draw.
8...Nd5! 9.Kg3! with decisive mutual zugzwang.
It transpires that any black move is refuted by the winning 10.Rb8.
71

No. 24
Shakhmaty Rossii, 1991
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Long moves across the entire board can be quite a sight! In this study, the trick happens several
times.
1.Ba1! The first flight from corner to corner!
1...Rh1. Black cannot capture the bishop: 1...Rxa1 2.h8=Q Rb1 3.Qe5+ Kf1 4.Qf6+ Kg1 5.Qg7+
Kh1 6.Qh8+ Kg1 7.Qg8+, and the a2 pawn is lost.
2.h8=Q Rxh8 3.Bxh8. The second flight from corner to corner.
3...c4! Otherwise white himself plays 4.c4 with an easy win.
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4.Ba1!! And the third flight! Not the thematically false 4.Bb2? Kd2 5.c3?? (a desperate attempt to
win at any cost. White would draw with 5.Ka3(b4) or 5.Ba1) 5...Kc2 6.Ka3 Kb1 (mutual zugzwang),
and black wins.
4...Kd2 5.c3 Kc2 6.Ka3 Kb1.
7.Bb2! Now black is in zugzwang. White wins.
A study in a popular style with pretty geometric patterns!
No. 25
73

Moscow competition, 1992
1st prize
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Restoring equality is dangerous: 1.Rxc6? Qe4+ 2.Kg3 Qxc6, and black wins. A pawn charge saves
the day!
1.g6! Rf4+! A reciprocal sacrifice! Otherwise a simple draw after 1...c1=Q 2.Qb8+ Kg7 3.Qe5+
and so on.
2.Kxf4 Qh2+! Nor can black win with 2...Qh4+ 3.Kf5 Qf2+ 4.Ke5 Qe2+ 5.Kd4 Qd2+ 6.Ke5, and
black has no counter to the discovered attack.
74

3.Kf5! Bravely allowing the upcoming pin! Other king moves fail: 3.Kg5? c1=Q+ 4.Re3+ Kh8! or
3.Kg4? Qg2+ 4.Kh4 (4.Kf5 Qf1+ 5.Ke5 Qb5+!) 4...Qf2+ 5.Kg5 c1=Q+ 6.Re3+ Kg7, each time
with victory for black.
3...Bd7! Is the game over?
Nyet! The battle is only just beginning! And the white king is calling the tunes!
4.Kg5!! Allowing a check by the new queen! Not 4.Qc4? Qh3+! 5.Kg5 Qxe6 6.Qxc2 Qe5+, and
black soon mates his opponent. Nor can white play 4.Kf6? Qh4+ 5.Ke5 Qe1+ 6.Kd4 Qd2+ 7.Ke5
Qe2+, and the end.
4...c1=Q+ 5.Re3+ Kh8! 6.g7+! Kxg7 7.Qf7+! Kxf7.
75

The sacrificial smoke is dispersed. It’s a mirror stalemate with the rook pinned!
No. 26
Rezvov 70th birthday tournament, 1992
1st prize
White to play and win
76

Show/Hide Solution
White’s scattered pawns should make easy prey for black. To win, white needs his knight to come
out of the corner and into the fray.
1.Ngf4! Bc8! Protecting the e6 square from nasty forks. After 1...Bc4 2.Ne6 Rb8 3.Ndc7 Bxa2
4.d7 white gradually converts his advantage.
The obvious move seems to be 2.Ne7? Kxg7 3.Nxc8 Rxc8 4.d7. However, after 4...Rh8+! 5.Kg2
Kf7 the battle ends in a draw.
2.g8=Q! Rxg8 3.Ne7 Rh8! Heading to attack the white king! White wins simply after 3...Rd8
4.Nxc8 Rxc8 5.Ne6 Rc1+ 6.Kg2 Rd1 7.Nd4 Rd2+ 8.Kg3 Rxa2 9.d7 Ra8 10.Ne6 and so on.
4.Nxc8 Kg5+!
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5.Kg1!! The point! We will see in the finale why white could not play the “logical” 5.Kg2?
5...Rxc8 6.d7.
6...Rg8! Again threatening a discovered attack!
7.d8=R! Promoting to a queen doesn’t work: 7.d8=Q+? Kh6+! 8.Qxg8, stalemate.
7...Kh4+! Continuing to hope for stalemate after 8.Rxg8?
78

8.Ng2+! That’s why white couldn’t play 5.Kg2? – g2 is needed for the knight!
8...Kh3. Again tempting white into stalemate with 9.Rxg8.
9.Rd2!, and white wins. Triumph of the anti-stalemate strategy!
No. 27
Shakhmatny Vestnik, 1992
1st–2nd honorable mention
79

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s rook’s pawn is under attack and if he loses it then surely his chances of a win evaporate...
1.Bc2! Setting up a discovered attack!
1...Rxa3+. Black loses gradually after 1...Kh6 2.a4! Ne6 (2...Rb2 3.Rb1!) 3.Kc3 Nc5 4.Rg4 Ra3+
5.Kb4 Ra2 6.Rc4 Nd7 7.Ka5 Nb8 8.e4 and so on.
2.Kc4+ Kh8! A weaker continuation would be 2...Kh6 3.Rg6+!, and black incurs losses.
3.Rh1+! Immediately setting up another discovered check doesn’t work: 3.Bb3? Ra5! 4.Rh1+ Rh5,
and a draw.
3...Kg8.
4.Bb3! Again threatening discovered check!
4...Ne6! Black has no chances after 4...a5 5.Kc3+ Ne6 6.Kb2 and so on. Transposing to a rook
versus knight ending gives black the chance to save the game, and he grabs this chance with both
hands!
80

5.Kb4. He cannot postpone the attack: 5.Kc3? Kg7! 6.Kb4 Rxb3+ 7.Kxb3 Nd4+ 8.Kc4 Nxe2
9.Rf1 Kh6 10.Rf2 Ng3 and a draw.
5...Rxb3+! 6.Kxb3 Nd4+ 7.Kc4! Nxe2. Now that black’s king is further away white has a winning
position.
8.Rf1! Not 8.Rh4? Kf7! 9.Rg4 Kf6, and black is saved.
8...Kh7 9.Rf2 Ng3 10.Rh2+ Kg6 11.Rg2, and the knight perishes. White wins. A realistic game
position involving the construction of two discovered attacks.
81

No. 28
4th world team tournament, 1992
3rd place
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
White cannot waste time capturing the black rook: 1.Kxb4? g2 2.d7 g1=Q 3.Rxg1 Kxg1 4.d8=Q
a1=Q 5.b8=Q Re4+ 6.Kc5 Qc3+ and black wins easily.
1.d7! Rd4! Black gets nowhere with 1...Rd2 2.Kxb4 g2 3.Rxa2 Rxa2 4.d8=Q g1=Q 5.Qd4+ Kf1
6.Qxg1+ Kxg1 7.Kc3, and a draw.
2.b8=Q Rd3+ 3.Qb3! But not 3.Ka4? Re4+ 4.Ka5 Ra3+ 5.Kb5 Rb3+, and the end.
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3...Ree3! Nor can black win with 3...Rxb3+ 4.Kxb3 Rd2 5.Rxa2 and so on.
The systematic movement of six pieces now begins, the basis of which is the effect of “pinning and
unpinning” – which was the theme of the competition.
4.Rxa2+. It’s too early to push the king forwards: 4.Ka4? Rd4+! 5.Qb4 Red3! 6.Rxa2+ Kf1!
7.Ra1+ Kg2 8.Ra2+ Kh3!, and black wins.
4...Kf3! Heading south is verboten 4...Kf1? 5.d8=Q Rxd8 6.Qxe3, and its curtains for black.
5.Ka4! Rd4+ 6.Qb4! Ree4! It’s perpetual check after 6...Rxb4+ 7.Kxb4 g2 8.d8=Q g1=Q 9.Qf8+
Kg3 10.Qb8+ Kh4 11.Qh8+ and so on.
7.Ra3+! Kf4! 8.Ka5 Rd5+ 9.Qb5! Ree5! The group has shifted upwards for the third time!
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10.Ra4+ Kf5 11.Ka6 Rd6+ 12.Qb6! Ree6! And now the fourth. Will there be a fifth?
Nyet! 13.d8=Q! The automatic check here would be akin to falling off a mountain top: 13.Ra5+?
Kf6 14.Ka7 Rxd7+, and black wins.
13...Rxd8 14.Rf4+!
The climb ends in a draw: 14...Kxf4 15.Qxe6 and so on.
No. 29
Boris(1) the Cat’s birthday tournament, 1993
84

2nd prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Even though black looks fine at first glance his position is actually coming apart at the seams...
1.Qb2+ Kd3 (1...Kd1 2.Qd2#) 2.Bh7! The knight attack 2.Nf6?! is refuted by subtle play from the
black queen 2...Qh1! 3.Nxh5? Qa8+ 4.Kb4 Qa5+ 5.Kc5 Qb6+ 6.Kd5 Qd6#. Instead of the greedy
3.Nxh5? white should play actively with 3.Nd5! Bd6+ (3...Rxd5 4.Bh7+!) 4.b4 Qf3 5.Qb3+ Ke2
6.Nc3+ Ke1 7.Bd5 where he is likely to hold the position.
2...b4+! Counterplay aimed at stalemate. Black loses immediately after 2...Rxh7 (2...Bd6+) 3.Nc5#.
3.Kxb4 Ba5+.
85

4.Ka3! But not 4.Ka4? Qd7+ 5.Ka3 Bb4+ 6.Ka2 Qa7+ 7.Kb1 Rh1+, and black checkmates white.
4...Bb4+! 5.Kxb4 Rb5+!
6.Ka4! Eating the rook straight away is no good: 6.Kxb5? Qd7+ 7.Kb4 Qb5+ 8.Kxb5, stalemate.
6...Ra5+ 7.Kxa5 Qf5+! (counting on stalemate after 8.Bxf5?) 8.Nc5#!
86

An original mating position with the black queen pinned!
(1) Boris was the cat of the late Dutch study composer Jan Van Reek, who decided to name the
competition after him... yes, really...
No. 30
Philidor Memorial, 1994
1st prize
87

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s rook pawns are both close to promotion. However, the lead in this spectacle will be played
by... the unassuming d-pawn!
1.d3+! Shutting the black bishop out of the game in the event of 1...axb4 2.h7, and the rook cannot
cope with all of white’s pawns.
1...Kf1! Black gets nowhere with 1...Kf2 2.Bc5+ Kf1 3.Kh2 Rxh6+ 4.Kg3 Ra6 5.Bb5 Rxa7
6.Bxa7, and white gradually converts his material advantage.
2.Kh2 Rxh6+ 3.Kg3 Ra6. The rook has dealt with one rook’s pawn and is ready to capture the
other one. However, white has a powerful antidote.
4.Bb5! Setting up a discovered check! But not 4.d4? Bd3!, and now black wins.
4...Rxa7 5.d4+ Kg1.
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6.Bc5! Setting up another discovered check! It’s too early for 6.d5? due to 6...axb4! and white will
lose.
6...Ra8! 7.d5+ Kh1.
8.Bc6! Setting up another, decisive discovered check! White misses the win after the pawn advance
8.d6? Be4! 9.d7 (or 9.dxc7 Bb7 10.Kxg4 a4 11.Bd6 Bc8+, and a draw) 9...c6 10.Bc4 Rd8 11.Be6 a4
12.Be7 a3 13.Bxa3 c5 14.Bxc5 Bc6 and a draw.
8...Ra6 9.d6+. But not 9.Bb7? due to 9...Rd6!, and black comes alive.
9...Rxc6 10.d7! Rxc5 11.d8=Q.
89

White wins. The white pawn on d2 took baby steps all the way to the eighth rank. In chess
composition this feat is known as “excelsior”, which is Latin for “higher and higher”!
90

Show in Text Mode
No. 31
Schakend Nederland, 1995
1st honorable mention
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Even though white will promote his pawn a victory is far from easy...
1.d8=Q. Playing a check first misses the win: 1.Rbf5+? Ke6! 2.d8=Q Rh7+ 3.Kg6 Rh6+ 4.Kg7
Rh7+! 5.Kxh7 Qc7+ 6.Kh6 Qh7+! 7.Kxh7, stalemate.
1.d8=Q Qe2+! 2.Kh6! Not 2.Rg4? Qxb5+ 3.Kh4 Ra4, and a draw.
2...Ra6+ 3.Kh7. Covering with the rook fails: 3.Rb6? Rxb6+ 4.Qxb6 Qh2+ 5.Rh5 Qf4+ 6.Kh7
Qe4+, and perpetual check.
91

Just when it appears that white has successfully negotiated all of the hurdles...
Suddenly: 3...Rh6+! 4.Kxh6 Qe6+. Counting on 5.Kh7? (5.Kh5?? Qh3#) 5...Qg6+! 6.Rxg6,
stalemate. However, white too has a sac up his sleeve!
5.Qf6+!! Qxf6+ 6.Kh7 Qc3. Black cannot save the day with 6...Ke8 7.Rb8+! Kd7 8.Rg7+ Kc6
9.Rg6, and the queen is pinned.
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7.Rbe5! It transpires that black has no antidote to 8.Rgf5#.
7...Qh3+ 8.Rh5 Qd3+ 9.Rhf5+. White wins. Practical players especially appreciate this type of
study!
No. 32
64 – Chess Review, 1995
1st prize
(together with N. Kralin)
93

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Black’s two connected passed pawns threaten to slowly walk down to the first rank. How can white
outplay them?
Bringing the bishop straight into battle is no good: 1.Bb3? e3 2.Bxd5+ Ka7 3.Bc4 Kb6, and the
black king easily gets to the white pawn. So white needs his king to pitch in!
1.Kd7!! But not 1.Ke7? d4! 2.Bb3 Ka7! 3.Kd6 d3! 4.Bc4 Kb6 5.Kd5 d2 6.Be2 Ka5 7.Kxe4 Ka4
8.Kd3 Ka3, and the pawn will die.
1.Kd7!! d4! 2.Bb3! Not 2.Ba4? e3! 3.Bb5 Kb7 4.Kd6 Kb6, and a draw.
2...e3! Now black cannot save the day with 2...Ka7 3.Kc6! Ka6 4.Kd5, and the end. The same goes
for 2...d3 3.Bd5+ Ka7 4.Bxe4 d2 5.Bc2 Kb6 6.Kd6 Kb5 7.a4+ and so on.
3.Bc4 Kb7! 4.Kd6 Kb6 5.Kd5 Ka5. The black king is close to reaching the white pawn...
94

6.Ke4!! That’s the point! The greedy 6.Kxd4? leads to zugzwang in black’s favor after 6...Kb4!
7.Kd3 e2!, and a draw.
6...Ka4! Or 6...Kb4 7.Kxd4, and zugzwang is now on white’s side.
7.Kd3! Ka3! (7...Kb4 8.Kxd4!) 8.Kc2! Not 8.Ke2? Kb4! 9.Bb3 Kc3 10.Bf7 Kb4! 11.Kd3 Ka3
12.Bc4 Ka4! 13.Kc2 Ka3, and white cannot make progress.
8...e2 9.Kd2 d3.
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10.Ke1! Moving the bishop would be a waste of time...
10...Kb2 11.a4. The only way.
11...Kc3 12.Bxd3! Accuracy until the end! The hasty 12.a5? allows black to save himself with
12...Kxc4 13.a6 Kc3 14.a7 Kc2 15.a8=Q d2+ and so on.
12...Kxd3 13.a5. White wins. This miniature is useful for theory!
No. 33
Hero cities match, 1995
2nd–3rd prize
96

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
With his first move white gains a material advantage and is ready to accept black’s resignation.
However, black wants to try a trick or two first!..
1.b8=Q Bd6! Without this counter attack the game ends quickly: 1...Rb3 2.Qd8+ Kf5 3.Qd5+ Kf6
4.Qxb3; 1...Kf5 2.Qxf8+ Ke6 3.Qc8+ Kf6 4.Qc6+ Ke5 5.Bc7+; 1...h4 2.Qe5+ Qf5 3.Ne4+ Kg6
4.Qxf5+ Kxf5 5.Nxg3+ or 1...Rf3 2.Bd8+ Kf5 3.Qb1+ and so on.
2.Qxd6! Ready to meet 2...Qxd6 with the promotion of his a-pawn 3.Ne4+ Kf4 4.Nxd6 Ra3 5.a7
Ra2+ 6.Kh1 Kg3 7.Nb5 Ra1+ 8.Bg1 Kxh3 9.Nc7, and the end.
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2...Rg2+! 3.Kxg2 (3.Kh1? Rg1+) 3...Kh4+! Ready to claim a draw from stalemate after 4.Qxg6?
But suddenly: 4.Ng4!! Qxd6 5.Ne5!! Domination!
98

Despite his material advantage black cannot counter the pressure from white’s forces!
5...Qxe5 6.Bd8+; 5...Qxb6 6.Nf3#; 5...Kg5 6.Nf7+; 5...Qd2+ 6.Bf2+ Kg5 7.Nf3+; 5...Qd5+
6.Nf3+. A spectacular finale!
No. 34
Problemist of the South, 1996
1st prize
99

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Heavy-weight pieces are still on the board. As a rule, the winner is the player with the move!
1.Rf7+!! Not the thematically false 1.Rg8+? Kxg8 (1...Kh7? 2.Rh8+) 2.e8=Q+ (2.Qxd5+ Kh7)
2...Kh7! 3.Qxd5?! (white would save the game with 3.Qh8+! Kxh8 4.Qh6+ Kg8 5.Qxg6+ and a
draw) 3...Qxa5+! 4.Qxa5. White has two queens but cannot save the day: 4...Rf1!! (4...Rg1? 5.Qxc3
Rg3 6.Qxg6+! Kxg6 7.Qxg3+; 4...Rd1? 5.Qxc3 Rd3 6.Qxg6+! Kxg6 7.Qxd3+) 5.Qxc3 Rf3!, and
black wins. For example: 6.Qxf3 c1=Q+ 7.Ka4 Qc4+ 8.Ka5 Qb4+ 9.Ka6 Qb6#.
White also gets nowhere with 1.Qxd5? Qxa5+! 2.Qxa5 Rd1!! 3.Qxc3?! (white can draw with
3.Rg8+! Kh7 4.Rh8+ Kg7 5.Rg8+ Kh6 6.Rh8+ and so on.) 3...Rd3! 4.Ka4 Rxc3 5.e8=Q Ra3+!
6.Kxa3 c1=Q+ and mate is unavoidable.
The tempting 1.Qxc3? Rd1! 2.Rf7+! fails after the subtle 2...Kh6! 3.Qe3+ g5! and all white can do
is force a draw with 4.Rf6+ Kh7! 5.Rf7+ and so on.
1.Rf7+!! Kxf7 2.Qxd5+. White shoots blanks with 2.Qf4+? Kg7 3.e8=N+?! (white can draw with
3.Qf6+! Kh6 4.Qh4+ Kg7 5.Qf6+ and so on.) 3...Kg8! 4.Nf6+ Kf7 5.Nxd5+ Ke6 6.Nc7+ Rxc7!,
and black wins.
2...Kg7 3.e8=Q. This is an unusual balance of forces: two white queens against black’s queen and
two rooks...
3...Qxa5+! Black has no chances after 3...Rb3+ 4.Kxb3 Rb1+ 5.Ka4! Qb5+ 6.Qexb5 Rxb5 7.Kxb5
c1=Q 8.d7, and white wins.
100

4.Qxa5. This is a position similar to that we encountered in the false trail, but with one little
change: the black king isn’t on h7 as before, but on g7. This nuance hands white the full point!
Now, several continuations are possible, depending on to where black moves his rook.
1) 4...Rh1 5.Qxc3 Rxh3!
6.Qh8+!! The point of the plan!
6...Kxh8 7.Qxh3+ and white wins.
2) 4...Rg1 5.Qxc3 Rg3!
6.Qxg6+!! Kxg6 7.Qxg3+ winning.
101

3) 4...Rf1 5.Qxc3 Rf3!
6.Qf8+!! Kxf8. Or 6...Rxf8 7.e6+! Rf6 8.d7 c1=Q+! 9.Qxc1 Rxe6 10.Qc3+! Kh7 11.d8=Q Ra6+
12.Qda5, and the end.
7.Qxf3+ with a win.
4) 4...Rd1 5.Qxc3 Rd3!
6.Qxg6+!! Kxg6 7.Qxd3+. White wins.
A spectacular sacrificial battle with a subtle logical combination.
102

At a chess composition congress. Left to right: Arkady Khait, Oleg Pervakov, Andrei Selivanov,
unknown, Yuri Akobia and David Gurgenidze. Belfort, 1994
No. 35
5th world team championship, 1996
4th place
103

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White needs to counter the march of black’s h3-pawn to the promotion square with a march of his
own. The obvious pawn advance appears to be 1.c5? h2 2.c6 Ke6! (but not 2...Kd6 3.Bc3! h1=Q
4.Be5+! Ke7 5.f4 Qf3 6.c4 Qxg4 7.Kb6, and white is saved) 3.Kb6 h1=Q 4.c7 Kd7 5.Kb7.
However, after 5...Qxf3+ black wins easily.
So white needs to rely on his kingside!
1.g5! h2. He cannot save the day with 1...hxg5 2.h6 h2 3.h7 h1=Q 4.h8=Q+ Qxh8 5.Bc3+, and the
end.
2.gxh6. Not 2.g6? Ke6 3.g7 Kf7, and the white pawn is stopped.
2...h1=Q (2...Kf6 3.Bc3+) 3.h7 Qxh5.
104

A critical position. Black is counting on the “logical” promotion 4.h8=Q+? Kf4+!! 5.Qxh5, and
stalemate.
But white has a craftier move: 4.h8=R!! Kd4+! Continuing to hope for stalemate after 5.Rxh5?
Suddenly: 5.Ka4!! Qxh8 6.Kb3! The point of the plan! It transpires that after 6...Ke5 7.Bc3+ the
queen will perish. Whereas after 6...Qg8 black gets mated with 7.Bc3#!
105

An original finale!
No. 36
Schakend Nederland, 1996
2nd prize
White to play and win
106

Show/Hide Solution
Castling happens in nearly every chess game. However, it’s rarely found in endgame studies. Note
that in chess compositions castling is allowed unless otherwise stated! In this study it’s a powerful
weapon for black. For example, after 1.Bf5? 0-0+! 2.Kb7 h5 3.a6 h4 4.a7 g3
or 1.Bxd5? 0-0+! 2.Kb7 Bxd3 white loses.
So white has to take away black’s trump card!
1.Bh7!! g3! In sacrificing a pawn black opens up a path for his bishop. He fails to coordinate his
pieces after 1...Rxh7 2.a6 h5 (2...Kf8 3.a7 Kg8 4.a8=Q Rh8 5.Kd7+ Kh7 6.Qxd5) 3.a7 Rh6 4.a8=Q
Rxf6 5.Kc7+ Ke7 6.Qd8+ and so on. And he cannot save the day with the reciprocal sacrifice
1...Bxd3 2.Bxd3 0-0+ 3.Kb7 and so on.
2.hxg3. It’s a disaster after 2.a6? Bxd3! 3.Bxd3 (3.a7 Bxh7 4.a8=Q 0-0+) 3...0 -0+ 4.Kb7 gxh2, and
black is a happy bunny.
2...Bh5! 3.a6! Rushing leads to nowhere: 3.Bg8? Kf8! 4.Bh7 Rxh7 5.a6 Rh8 6.a7 Kg8 7.a8=Q
Kh7+, and the end.
3...Bg6. Counting on the “logical” 4.a7? Bxh7 5.a8=Q 0-0+!, and black’s castling achieves its aim.
107

4.Bg8!! Continuing the sacrificial strategy!
4...Kf8! After 4...Rxg8 5.a7 black gets mated in three moves.
5.Bh7!! And back! But not 5.a7? Kxg8 6.a8=Q Kh7+, and the queen perishes.
5...Bxh7. Black cannot repeat the position after 5...Ke8, because white plays 6.a7! Bxh7 7.a8=Q
and black cannot castle to capture the new queen as his king has already moved!
6.a7 (or 6.Kc7 first – the move order doesn’t matter here) 6...Bf5+ 7.Kc7! After 6.Kb7? Bf5 7.a7
Kg8 8.a8=Q+ Kh7 9.Qa5 Be6! black has built a fortress.
7...Kg8 8.a8=Q+ Kh7.
108

9.Qxd5, preventing black from being able to build a fortress. White wins. An original battle around
black’s attempt to castle!
At the unveiling of a plaque at the hospital where the great chess composer Alexander Galitsky
worked as a doctor. Left to right unknown (a representative of the Saratov Sports Committee),
Alexander Grin, Arkady Khait, Yakov Vladimirov and Oleg Pervakov. Village of Sinenkie, Saratov
region, 1995
No. 37
David Joseph Memorial Tournament – 100 years, 1996
1st honorable mention
(together with N. Kralin)
109

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The success of the white army depends on the march of the d6 pawn. But white cannot push it
immediately: 1.d7? Kg6+! 2.Kg8 Rd1 3.Be6 f5 4.Kf8 Kf6 5.Ke8 Kxe6 6.d8=Q Rxd8+ 7.Kxd8 Kd6
and a draw.
1.Bb3! Rh2 (1...Ra1 2.Kg8 Kg6 3.Kf8) 2.d7 Kg6+ 3.Kg8 Rd2.
110

4.Bc2+! Not 4.Be6? f5 with a draw that we know from the false trail. And not 4.Ba4? Kf5!, when
the black king eventually eats up all of white’s pawns.
4...f5 5.Ba4 Kf6 6.Kf8 Rd3 (6...Ke6 7.Ke8)
7.Bb5. White wastes time with 7.Bc6? Rd6 8.Ke8 Re6+ 9.Kf8 Rd6 10.Bb5 Rd1 that eventually
leads to the actual solution. Nor has white anything to be gained from 7.Ke8? Re3+ 8.Kd8 Rc3
9.Ke8? Re3+ and so on.
7...Rd1! (7...Rd6 8.Bc6)
8.Ke8! This maneuver works now that black’s rook is on the first rank!
8...Re1+ 9.Kd8 Rc1! He cannot save the day with 9...Ke6 due to 10.Kc7. It’s also a disaster after
111

9...Rd1 10.Bc4! Rc1 11.Bd5 and so on.
Has white’s strategy reached a dead end? Nyet!
10.Bc4!! That’s the point! Not 10.Bd3? Kf7!, and the white king cannot break free.
10...Rd1. If black captures the bishop he transposes to a lost pawn endgame: 10...Rxc4 11.Ke8 Rd4
12.d8=Q+ Rxd8+ 13.Kxd8 and so on.
11.Ke8! And back! There is no route forwards: 11.Kc7? Ke7, and white cannot win.
11...Re1+ 12.Kf8 Rd1 13.Bb5!
With subtle play white has forced black into zugzwang...
112

13...Rd6 14.Bc6! Rd2 15.Ke8! Repetition is not only the mother of all learning, but of victory as
well!
15...Re2+ 16.Be4! The final touch!
A fascinating duel between the bishop and rook!
No. 38
64 – Chess Review, 1997
1st prize
(together with S. Tkachenko)
113

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Passed pawns are key to this battle...
1.f7 Bxe3+! Black cannot avoid the sacrifice! Otherwise he gets mated: 1...c2 2.f8=Q Nxb4
3.Qc8+ Kxe7 4.Kf5! Bxe3 5.Qc7+ Kf8 6.Ke6! Kg8 7.Qf7+ Kh8 8.Kf6 Bxd4+ 9.Kg6 c1=Q
10.Qf8#.
2.Kxe3 c2.
114

3.f8=N+!! Not the thematically false 3.Ba3? c1=Q+! 4.Bxc1 Kxe7 5.Ba3+ Kxf7 6.Kd2 Ke6
7.Kc2 Kf5 8.Kb2 (8.Kb3 Ke4 9.Bb2 Nc1+) 8...Ke4 9.Bc5 Nb4! and a draw.
Black has nothing to fear from 3.f8=Q? c1=Q+ 4.Bd2 Qa3+, and the white knight perishes.
3...Ke8! 4.Ba3 c1=Q+! (4...Kxf8 5.Nxc6+ Kf7 6.Kd2) 5.Bxc1 Nxc1.
The second moment of truth! Not the thematically false 6.Ne6? c5!! 7.Nxc5 Kxe7 8.Kd2 Na2
9.Kc2 (9.Nd3 Kf6 10.Kc2 Kf5 11.Kb2 Ke4) 9...Nb4+ 10.Kb3 Nc6!, and the black knight has
broken free.
Eureka: 6.Neg6!! Kf7 7.Ne5+! But not 7.Nd7? Kxg6 8.Nc5 Kf5, and white is short of a tempo to
tame the black stallion.
115

7...Kxf8 8.Nd7+ Ke7.
9.Nc5! The point of the plan. Unlike in the false trail, black still has his pawn on the board, and that
completely changes the evaluation!
9...Kf6 10.Kd2 Na2 11.Kc2 Kf5 12.Kb2 Nb4 13.Kb3!
Domination! It transpires that the pawn on c6 has cut off the black knight’s escape route. White
now converts his material advantage.
No. 39
116

Chess Composition, 1997
1st prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Before advancing his a4 pawn, white needs to lock his opponent’s rook out of the game while
simultaneously stopping the pawn on d3...
1.Bf8+! Not either 1.Kxh3? d2 2.Kh4 Kg7!,
or 1.Bb4? Rxh5! each time with victory for black.
1.Bf8+! Kxh5 2.Bb4 Rh4 3.Bd2! It’s too early for 3.a5? Rxf4 4.a6 Rf5 5.a7 Rg5+ 6.Kh3 Rg8, and
the white pawn is stopped.
117

The advance of white’s pawn has been meticulously prepared. Is it time for black to resign? Nyet!
3...Kg6! 4.f5+! Kh5! After 4...Kxf5 5.a5 the pawn cannot be stopped.
5.a5 h6! 6.a6.
6...Rh3! The point of black’s strategy: the rook is untouchable due to stalemate!
Now what should white do? It transpires that he cannot go for the logical 7.a7? due to 7...Rg3+!
8.fxg3, stalemate.
Nor can white win with 7.f4? Rh4 8.f3 Rh3! 9.Be1 d2! 10.Bxd2 d3 11.Be1 Rg3+! 12.Bxg3 d2 13.a7
d1=Q 14.a8=Q Qg1+ and stalemate is unavoidable.
118

A waiting move is no good either: 7.Bf4? d2! 8.Bxd2 d3 9.Bf4 Rh4! 10.a7 d2! 11.Bxd2 Ra4 and a
draw.
Eureka: he needs to sac too!
7.Bxh6!! Kxh6. Now black cannot save the day with 7...d2 8.Bxd2 d3 9.f4! Rh4 10.f3!, and there is
no stalemate – the king can move to h6.
Now the pawns reach the final ranks simultaneously...
8.a7 d2 9.a8=Q d1=Q 10.Qh8+! Not 10.Qf8+? Kh7!, and black is saved.
10...Kg5 11.Qg7+ Kxf5 (11...Kh5 12.Qxf7+) 12.Qg4+ Ke5 13.f4+!
The subtle battle of bishop versus rook has ended with white winning black’s new queen via a
discovered attack with check. Black’s rook never managed to tempt the black king!
No. 40
Rezvov 75th birthday tournament, 1997
1st–2nd prize
119

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Before white pushes his f-pawn his king needs to deal with the black knight.
1.Kg2!! He cannot capture it immediately 1.Kxh1? Kb7!! 2.f5 a4 3.f6 a3 4.f7 a2 5.f8=Q a1=Q+.
It’s too early for 1.Nb6? Kc7! 2.Nc4 Nf2 3.Nxa5 Ne4! 4.c4 (or 4.f5 Nxc3 5.f6 Kd8, draw)
4...Nc5! 5.f5 Kb6 6.e6, draw.
1.Kg2!!
120

1...Kb7!! He cannot save the day with 1...Ka7 2.Nc7 a4 3.e6! dxe6 (3...a3 4.exd7 a2 5.d8=Q a1=Q
6.Qa8+) 4.Nxe6 Kb6 5.f5 c5 (5...a3 6.Nd4 Kc5 7.f6 Kd6 8.Kxh1 a2 9.Nc2) 6.f6 a3 7.Nxc5 Kxc5
8.f7 a2 9.f8=Q+.
2.f5. It’s still too early for 2.Nb6? Kxb6 3.f5 Kc7! 4.f6 Kd8.
2...a4.
3.Nb6!! Now it’s time!
3...Kxb6. The black pawn gets stopped after 3...a3 4.Nxd7 a2 5.Nc5+ Kb6 6.Nb3 and so on.
121

4.e6!!
But not the immediate 4.f6? a3 5.e6 a2 6.exd7 Kc7!, and a draw.
4...dxe6 5.f6! a3 6.f7 a2 7.f8=Q a1=Q. It transpires that despite black’s large material advantage he
is going to lose...
8.Qb8+ Kc5. Or 8...Ka6 9.Qa8+.
9.Qb4+ Kd5 10.Qd4#!
Here’s a pretty epaulette mate!
To get to mate white forced the black king to capture the knight!
122

Show in Text Mode
No. 41
Moscow – 850 years, 1997
5th prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Attacking the king’s fortress seems logical: 1.fxg6+? Qxg6 2.Bc2 Rxf4+ 3.Kg1! Rf6! 4.Qg5!
However, after 4...Rxe6! (but not 4...b5? 5.Bd3! Rxe6 6.Kh1! Re1+ 7.Kg2 Re6 8.Bb1!, and the end)
5.Kf1 Rf6+ 6.Ke1 Re6+ 7.Kd1 Rd6+ 8.Kc1? Rc6!, it’s white who has problems. This is a
thematically false trail and to win white must first push his bishop to the edge of the board!
1.Ba4!! b5 2.fxg6+. The early attack 2.Bc2? (2.Bxb5? Qxb5+) causes black no real concern:
2...Kxh6 3.fxg6 Kg7! 4.Qc3+ Rf6 5.f5 Qxg6, and white’s winning potential has evaporated.
2...Qxg6. Black has to move to a diagonal containing the threat of a pin. It’s a quick loss after
2...Kxh6 3.Qh4+ Kg7 4.Qh7+ Kf6 5.g7 Rg8 6.Bc2 or 2...Kg8 3.g7 Rxf4+ (3...Rf6 4.h7+ Kxh7
5.Bc2+ Kg8 6.Qh4!) 4.Qxf4 bxa4 5.Qf5! a3 6.h7+ Kxg7 7.Qf7+ Qxf7+ 8.exf7 and so on.
123

3.Bc2! The bishop has spectacularly returned to the action!
3...Rxf4+! A reciprocal sacrifice! Alas, white’s bishop is untouchable: 3...Qxc2 4.Qg7#.
4.Kg1! The rook is also poisoned: 4.Qxf4? Qxc2 5.Qf7+ Kxh6 6.Qxe7 Qf5+, and white’s king
cannot hide from the checks. Escaping to the queenside with 4.Ke1? doesn’t work here due to
4...Re4+! 5.Kf2 Re2+! and a draw.
4...Rf6! Parrying the pin with a pin of his own: 5.Bxg6+? Rxg6.
5.Qg5! Preventing 5...Kxh6!
5...Rxe6 (5...Kh8 6.Qxg6!) 6.Kf1! Now it’s time to escape to the queenside!
124

6...Rf6+ 7.Ke1 Re6+ 8.Kd1! White has no option here: 8.Kd2? Re2+! 9.Kxe2 Qxc2+, and black
comes alive.
8...Rd6+ 9.Kc1 Rc6. This resembles a position from the false trail. However, the black pawn that
was on b6 has advanced one square, surrendering control of the c5 square...
10.Qc5!! Kxh6 11.Bxg6 Rxc5+ 12.bxc5 Kxg6 13.c6, and the white pawn cannot be stopped.
White wins.
No. 42
R. Olthof’s 40th birthday tournament, 1999
1st prize
125

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s rook is under attack, where should it move? Staying close to the black king is no good:
1.Rd8? Kxa7 2.Rd7+ Kb8 3.a6 dxc4! 4.a7+ Ka8 5.Ka6 Qf6! 6.Bxe4+ d5+!, and black wins.
The longer move 1.Rg8? doesn’t work either: 1...Kxa7 2.Rg7+ Kb8 3.a6 Re7! 4.Rg8+ Kc7 5.Nb6
Qf5! 6.Nxd5+ Kd7, and black is again a happy bunny.
The correct move is the longest one!
1.Rh8!! Kxa7 2.Rh7+ Kb8! 3.a6!
126

White’s pawn threatens to cause considerable damage. Black needs to find counterplay...
3...Re7! Black gets nowhere with 3...dxc4 4.a7+ Ka8 5.Ka6! Qf6 6.Rh8+! Qxh8 7.Bxe4+ d5
8.Bxd5#. White converts his material advantage after 3...Qf2 4.Rb7+ Kc8 5.Nb6+! Kd8 6.Rb8+ Ke7
7.Nxd5+ Kf7 8.Rb7+ Ke6 9.Bxe4 Qc5+ 10.Ka4 Qd4+ 11.Ka5 Qc5+ 12.Rb5 Qg1 13.Bh7 Qa7
14.Bg8+ Kf5 15.Nb4+ and so on.
4.Rh8+ (4.Rxe7? Qxc4+) 4...Kc7 5.Nb6! The attack is in full swing! Threatening 6.Rc8#.
5...Qf5! (5...Qb4+ 6.Kxb4 Kxb6 7.Bf1) 6.Nxd5+ Kd7 7.Bh3! That’s why the rook headed for the
corner on move 1!
7...g4! 8.Bxg4 Re6! Not 8...Qxg4 due to 9.Nf6+.
127

Black is counting on stalemate after the greedy 9.Bxf5? or the forking combination 9.Rh7+? Qxh7
10.Nf6+ Kc7! 11.Nxh7 Re5+ 12.Kc4 Re4+ 13.Kb5 Rxg4 winning the bishop in return.
However, black’s hopes are dashed: 9.Rd8+! Kxd8 10.Bxf5, and white’s two pieces and pawn
easily outplay the lone rook.
No. 43
Nikolai Kondratyuk’s 50th birthday tournament, 2000
1st prize
(together with S. Tkachenko and N. Rezvov)
128

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
White would like to grab black’s pawn straight away – 1 .Bxg2.
However, after 1...Bg1+ 2.Kd3 Bxc5 3.Bd5 Rd8! 4.g7 Rxd5+ black wins.
A craftier move seems to be 1.Kf3?! However, it fails too: 1...g1=Q 2.Bxg1 Bxg1 3.Bd5 Rf8+!
4.Kg2! Bd4!, and the g7 square is controlled by black.
Eureka: 1.Ke2!! g1=Q. But not 1...Rxg6 2.Be8, and the rook is paralyzed by a pin.
2.Bxg1 Bxg1.
129

3.Bd5! Re8+!
After 3...Rg7 4.Bf7! the rook is locked out of the game forever, and black cannot win with just a
bishop.
4.Kf1! Bd4! 5.g7! But not 5.Bf7? Rf8! with the tempo attack 6.g7+ Rxf7+, and white loses.
5...Bxg7. This is similar to a position from the false trail, but the black rook stands on an exposed
square...
130

6.Bf7+ forking the rook. A draw.
No. 44
64 – Chess Review, 2000
1st prize
White to play and draw
131

Show/Hide Solution
White cannot save the game unless he pushes his pawn forwards. But what is the right move order?
The direct approach loses: 1.d4? f4 2.d5 f3, with the black pawn queening with check.
If white captures the f-pawn then black’s other pawn queens with tempo: 1.Kxf5? b5 2.d4 b4 3.d5
b3 4.d6 b2 5.d7 b1=Q+
Nor can white play 1.Ke5? b5 2.d4 b4 3.d5 b3 4.d6 b2 5.d7 b1=Q 6.d8=Q Qe4+! 7.Kf6 (7.Kd6
Qd4+) 7...Qh4+, and white’s queen is doomed.
Eureka: 1.Kg5!! White’s king moves as far away as possible from black’s b-pawn! Now there are
two lines to consider:
1) 1...b5 2.d4 b4 3.d5 Kb5!
4.d6! White cannot try the Reti maneuver here: 4.Kf6? Kc5! 5.Ke6 b3 6.d6 b2 7.d7 b1=Q 8.d8=Q
Qe4+! 9.Kf7 Qd5+, and black wins.
4...Kc6 5.Kxf5! Kxd6. Or 5...b3 6.Ke6! b2 7.d7, and a draw.
132

6.Ke4 Kc5 7.Kd3 Kb5 8.Kc2 Ka4 9.Kb2. A draw.
2) 1...Kb3 2.Kxf5 Kc3.
3.Ke5! But not 3.Ke4? b5 4.d4 b4 5.d5 b3 6.d6 b2 7.d7 b1=Q+, and the white king is again the
victim of a nasty check!
3...Kxd3 (3...b5 4.d4) 4.Kd5! Kc3 5.Kc5. A draw.
A pretty miniature containing three Reti maneuvers (including one in the false trail).
No. 45
133

Nikolai Kralin’s 55th birthday tournament, 2000
2nd–5th prize
(together with J. Van Reek)
Black to move. White wins
Show/Hide Solution
Having the move is normally a big advantage in endings with major pieces.
1...Qg4+! Black should not attempt to restore material equality: 1...Qxh2 2.Qe5+ Kh6 3.Qf4+ and
mate is unavoidable.
1...Qg4+! 2.Kd8! Now there are two lines to consider:
1) 2...Qxg3! The most stubborn continuation! A win for white isn’t easy here even with an extra
rook.
134

3.Rh5+!! White cannot win with a sacrifice of his other rook: 3.Rf5+? Kxf5 4.Rh5+ Rg5 5.Qf7+
Ke4! 6.Qh7+ Kd4 7.Rh4+ Ke5, and a draw.
3...Kxh5 4.Rf5+ Rg5! (4...Kh4 5.Qh7+)
At first sight black has nothing to worry about. However, the reality is different!
5.Re5!! Sacrificing the second rook!
5...Qxe5. Other queen moves won’t save white: 5...Qh4 6.Qf7+ Kh6 7.Qf6+ Kh5 8.Re8! Qg3
9.Rh8+ Kg4 10.Qe6+; 5...Qf4 6.Qh7+ Kg4 7.Qh3# or 5...Qxg2 6.Qh7+ Kg4 7.Rxg5+ Kxg5 8.Qg7+
and so on.
6.Qh7+ Kg4 7.Qh3+ Kf4 8.Qf3#! The first epaulette mate!
135

2) 2...Qe6. An attempt to draw with perpetual check!
3.Rh5+! Again white has to sacrifice! Not 3.Qf8? Qb6+ 4.Rc7 Qb8+ 5.Rc8 Qb6+, and black
manages to draw.
3...Kxh5 4.Rf5+! A second sac!
136

4...Kg4! After 4...Qxf5 black loses to another epaulette mate: 5.Qh7+ Kg5 6.Qh4#!
5.Qd4+! Kxf5 (5...Qe4 6.Rf4+) 6.Qf4#! A chameleon-echo epaulette mate with the position up one
rank!
As Oleg admitted, he needed the computer to find the second line. What a beautiful gift from his
electronic second!
That’s a lot of variations for such a short winning solution.
137

The study composer versus the over the board grandmaster. Jaan Ehlvest plays against Oleg
Pervakov in a simultaneous exhibition at the Estonian embassy in Moscow in 1997, with Viorel
Bologan watching. Ehlvest scored 9 wins and 1 draw in his 10 games. The draw was achieved by...
Oleg Pervakov
No. 46
Urals Problemist 10th anniversary competition, 2003
2nd prize
(together with N. Kralin)
138

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
The white king looks like he’s going to be mated. Can white rummage up a counter attack against
the black king?
1.Rf8+! He needs to get the discovered attack with the d6 pawn and queen up and running! Creating
a second queen, on the other hand, fails to save the day for white: 1.d8=Q+? Ka7 2.Qb8+ Kxb8
3.Rf8+ Ka7, and the end.
1.Rf8+! Ka7 2.Ra8+! Kxa8 3.d8=Q+ Ka7.
139

4.Qb8+! The first queen sac!
4...Kxb8 5.d7+ Ka7.
6.Qb8+! And the second!
6...Kxb8 7.d8=Q+ Ka7 8.Qxd4+ Kxa6 9.Nc5+ Kb5! Black needs to get closer to the white king!
After 9...Ka7 10.Nd7+ Kb7 11.Qb6+ Kc8 12.Qb8+ Kxd7 13.Qb7+ ~ 14.Qxh7 white is saved.
10.Qa4+ Kxc5.
140

The whirlwind of sacrifices has swept almost all of white’s pieces from the board. Well, the queen
can look after herself!
11.Qa7+! Kc4! Sacrificing his own queen in reply. Otherwise it’s stalemate after 11...Qxa7.
12.Qxh7 Rb2+! 13.Kc1 Rb1+! Now it’s black who continues with sacrifices!
14.Qxb1. But not 14.Kxb1? Bd3+ 15.Ka1 b2+! and there is no stalemate.
14...Bd3! The point of black’s plan!
At first glance white cannot save the game. After 15.Qa1? Kb4! 16.Kd1 b2 black’s pawns outwit
white’s queen. However, white has the last say in this game of sacrifices!
15.Qc2!! Bxc2 (or 15...bxc2). Stalemate.
141

No. 47
P. Benko’s 75th birthday tournament, 2003
3rd prize
(together with S. Tkachenko)
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
White is a rook down. Well, let’s start by winning back the exchange – 1.Be6 Bc5! White easily
deals with an attack from below 1...Bc1 2.Rc3 Bd2 (2...Bb2 3.Rc4 Re8 4.c7) 3.Rc2 Rf2 4.Bxc8 Rh2+
5.Kxg3 Bf4+ 6.Kxf4 Rxc2 7.Bd7, and a draw.
2.Rxg3! Whereas the bishop cannot digest the rook: 2.Bxc8? Bxe3 3.Bxf5 gxf5 4.Kxg3 Kb8 5.Kf3
Bh6 or 2.Bxf5? gxf5 3.Rxg3 Rxc6 4.Rf3 Rf6, each time with victory for black.
2...Rxc6! Black doesn’t want to let the pawn live: 2...Rc7 3.Bxf5 gxf5 4.Rf3! Rf7 5.c7! Kb7
6.c8=Q+! Kxc8 7.Rc3! Rc7 8.Rf3! Rf7 9.Rc3, and a draw.
3.Rxg6! Planning to meet 3...Re5 with 4.Bd5! and drawing.
142

3...Rf3+! 4.Kg4! Not 4.Kg2? Rf2+, and the rook on c6 moves off the vulnerable square.
4...Rf1! At first glance it seems that white has miscalculated. After 5.Bd5 Rg1+ the rook perishes
without compensation...
Suddenly: 6.Bg2!! Eat the bishop too!
6...Rxg2+ 7.Kh5! The point of the plan. Even though it’s black to move and he enjoys a huge
material advantage he cannot win.
Black’s clumsy bishop has messed up the coordination of his army!
143

7...Rgxg6 (or 7...Rcxg6). Stalemate.
What a spectacular finale!
No. 48
Leonid Topko’s 65th birthday tournament, 2004
1st–3rd prize
(together with S. Tkachenko)
144

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
This minor piece ending is just a smokescreen for a major piece ending...
1.d8=Q+ Kc5! 2.Qa5+. White mustn’t allow the king to move across the queenside: 2.Qg5+?
Kb6! 3.Qd8+ Kb5! 4.Qg5+ Ka4! 5.Qxd2 Nb3+ 6.Ka2 Nxd2 7.Nf4 Nd3 8.Nxe2 Nxe4, and it’s time
for white to resign.
2...Nb5! 3.Qxd2 Nc2+.
4.Kb2! Material equality after 4.Qxc2? e1=Q+ 5.Qb1 fails to save white: 5...Qg3! 6.Nf8 Qg7+
7.Qb2 Qxf8, and the end.
4...e1=Q 5.Qd5+ Kb4! It’s a simple draw after 5...Kb6 6.Qd8+! and so on. What should white do
now? He cannot capture the knight due to forced mate. All queen checks are covered by black...
145

Eureka: 6.Qxc4+!! Kxc4 7.Ne5+. Suddenly it transpires that wherever the black king moves he
will be hit by a fork!
7...Kc5 8.Nd3+ Kc4!
9.Ne5+!! Refusing to capture the queen! After 9.Nxe1? Nxe1 10.e5 Nd3+ 11.Ka2 (11.Kb1 Kb3
12.e6 Nc3+ 13.Ka1 Ne1 14.e7 Nc2# or 11.Kc2 Nd4+ 12.Kd2 Ne6 and black wins using Troitsky’s
method) 11...Kc3 12.e6 Kc2 13.e7 black has just enough tempi to mate white: 13...Nb4+ 14.Ka1
Nd4 15.e8=Q Nb3#.
9...Kd4 10.Nf3+ Ke3. Otherwise white refuses to capture the black queen and forces a draw by
repetition: 10...Kc4 11.Ne5+.
146

11.Nxe1 Nxe1 12.e5 Nd3+ 13.Ka1!! The circle has closed – the king has returned to the corner!
After 13.Kb3(c2)? 13...Nd4+ 14.~ Ne6 black wins according to Troitsky’s method. White gets
mated after 13.Kb1? Kd2 14.e6 Nc3+ 15.Ka1 Kc2 16.e7 Nc5 17.e8=Q Nb3# or 13.Ka2? Kd2 14.e6
(14.Kb3 Nd4+ 15.Kc4 Ne6) 14...Kc2 15.e7 Nb4+ 16.Ka1 Nd4 17.e8=Q Nb3#.
Now, however, black is short of a tempo to mate his opponent!
13...Kd2 14.e6 Kc2 15.e7. A draw. That was quite a complicated study!
No. 49
John Nunn’s 50th birthday tournament, 2005
1st prize
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
It looks like just some everyday rook ending where white easily draws thanks to his e-pawn.
However, black can cause white difficulties...
1.Rh8+? Rf8
1.e7 Rf1+! It’s a simple draw after 1...Re5 2.Rh8+ Kd7 3.e8=Q+ Rxe8 4.Rhxe8 b1=Q 5.Rxb1 Kxe8
6.Rb2 and so on.
147

2.Rxf1 Ra1.
This is the critical position! It’s tempting to play the tempo move 3.Rh8+? Kxe7 4.Rh7+ (or 4.Rhf8
b1=Q 5.R8f7+ Ke6! 6.R7f6+ Ke5! 7.R6f5+ Qxf5) 4...Ke6! 5.Rh6+! Ke5! 6.Rh5+! Ke4! 7.Rxh4+
(white gets nowhere after 7.Rhf5 b1=Q 8.R5f4+ Ke5 9.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 10.Kg2 Rb2+!, and black wins)
7...Ke3! 8.Rhf4! Rc1! (but not 8...b1=Q? 9.R4f3+! Ke2 10.Rxb1! Rxb1+ 11.Kg2, and a draw) 9.Kg2
b1=Q 10.R1f3+ Ke2, and white is doomed.
The correct continuation is 3.Rhf6!! Rc1! Black gets nowhere with 3...b1=Q 4.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 5.Kg2
Rb2+ 6.Kg1! Rh2 7.Re6 Rxh3 8.Re2 and a draw.
4.Rf8+ Kxe7 5.R8f7+ Ke6 6.R7f6+ Ke5. Black gets nowhere hiding behind the pawn: 6...Kd5
7.R6f5+ Kc4 8.R5f4+ Kb3 9.Rf8 b1=Q 10.Rb8+ Kc2 11.Rxb1 Rxb1 12.Rxb1 Kxb1 13.Kg2 with a
drawn pawn ending.
7.R6f5+ Ke4! 8.R5f4+! The attempt to aim for stalemate 8.Rb5? Rxf1+ 9.Kg2 b1=Q 10.Rxb1
Rxb1, is refuted by the subtle 9...Rf2+!, and black wins. It’s too early for 8.Kg2? b1=Q 9.R1f4+ Ke3
10.Rf3+ Kd4 11.R3f4+ Kc3 12.Rf3+ Kb4! 13.R3f4+ Rc4, and the end.
8...Kd3 9.Kg2! b1=Q.
148

This is similar to a position from the false trail, but black still has a pawn on h4...
10.R1f3+! Kc2 11.Rc4+ Kd2 12.Rd4+ Ke2. Black can even lose if he wants to: 12...Ke1??
13.Re3#!
13.Re4+! Qxe4. Stalemate. An elegant and logical spectacle with a stalemate subtlety in the finale!
No. 50
64 – Chess Review, 2005
Commendation
149

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Attacking the king is far better than grabbing material!..
1.Qc1+! The greedy 1.Qxa2? misses the win: 1...c1=Q 2.Nxd3 Qc7+ 3.Kh3 Qd7+ 4.Kh2 Qd6+,
and black can draw with perpetual check.
1.Qc1+! Bd1! The kingdom falls after 1...Kxf2 2.Nh3+ Ke2 3.Nf4+ Kf2 4.Qg1#.
2.Nxd1! Again, white should not be greedy: 2.Nxd3? Qa7! 3.Nh3 Qg1+! 4.Nxg1, stalemate.
150

2...Rxd2+! Counterplay aimed at stalemate! Black gets nowhere with 2...cxd1=Q 3.Qxd1+ Kf2
4.Qe2#.
3.Nf2+! Again refusing the capture: 3.Qxd2? cxd1=Q 4.Qxa2 Qd2+! 5.Qxd2, stalemate.
3...Rd1 (3...Kxf2 4.Qxd2+ Kf1 5.Qe2#). The obvious move seems to be to give the queen some
space to do damage: 4.Qg5?! c1=Q 5.Qg2+ Ke1 6.Nf3+ Ke2 7.Nxd1+ Kxd1 8.Qxa2. However,
after 8...Qb2+! 9.Qxb2 black is in stalemate heaven.
Eureka: 4.Nd3! Rxc1 5.Ne2!! The essence of the combination!
151

An elegant set-up where two knights dominate a queen and rook! White is now threatening 6.Ng3#.
Now, after 5...Kxe2 6.Nxc1+ Kd2 7.Nxa2 a whirlwind destroys all of black’s army. White wins.
152

Show in Text Mode
No. 51
Kasparyan Memorial, 2006
1st prize
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Not the thematically false trail: 1.Rf6+?! Kg7 2.Rf7+ (white cannot build a fortress after 2.Bxa8
b1=Q+ 3.Rf1 Qxd3 4.Bc6 Rb1 5.Rxb1 Qxb1+ 6.Rf1 Qb6+ 7.Kh2 Qxc6, and black wins) 2...Kg8
3.Rf1.
153

3...h2+! Freeing up the h3 square for his king! (But not the immediate 3...Bxh1? 4.Kxh1 b1=Q
5.Rf8+! Kg7 6.Rf7+ Kg6 7.Rf6+ Kg5 8.Rf5+ Kg4 9.Rf4+ Kxg3 10.Rf3+ Kg4 11.Rf4+, and
perpetual check)
4.Kxh2 Bxh1 5.Kxh1 (White cannot save the day with 5.R7f6 b1=Q 6.Rxb1 Rxb1 7.Rxh6 Ba8 8.g4
Rh1+, and he loses his rook. Attempting to transpose into a rook ending is no better: 5.Rf8+ Rxf8
6.Rxh1 Rf2+ 7.Kh3 Kf7 8.Kg4 Rc2 9.Rb1 Ke6 10.Kf4 Kd5 11.Ke3 Kc5, and the end)
5...b1=Q 6.Rf8+ Kg7 7.Rf7+ Kg6 8.Rf6+ Kg5 9.Rf5+ Kg4 10.Rf4+ Kh3! (the black king has
hidden from the aggressive rook on the now freed up square) 11.Rg1! Qb7+, and black wins. A huge
false trail!
154

The correct continuation is to hold off from checks: 1.Rf1! h2+! 2.Kxh2 Bxh1.
3.Rf7!! That’s the point! It’s too early to capture the bishop: 3.Kxh1? b1=Q 4.Rf6+ Kg5 5.Rf5+
Kg4 6.Rf4+ (or 6.Kg2 Rb2+ 7.R5f2 Rxf2+ 8.Rxf2 Qxd3 9.Rf4+ Kg5, and black wins) 6...Kh3 7.Rg1
Qb7+! with the unfortunate finale that we know from the false trail.
3...Rb6! Otherwise it’s perpetual check. For example: 3...b1=Q 4.R1f6+ Kg5 5.Rf5+ Kg4 6.Rf4+
Kh5 7.R4f5+ or 3...Rb5 4.R1f6+ Kg5 5.Rf4 h5 6.Rg7+ Kh6 7.Rff7 and so on.
4.Kxh1. Not 4.Rf8? b1=Q 5.Rg8+ Kh7! or 4.R7f4? b1=Q 5.Rg4+ Kh5! 6.Rh4+ Kg5, each time
with victory for black.
4...b1=Q 5.Rf6+ Kg5 6.Rf5+ Kg4 7.Rf4+ Kh3! 8.Rg1! The threat is 9.Rh4#.
It transpires that having lured the black rook to b6, white has prevented the threat of 8...Qb7+. A
draw.
No. 52
ARVES, 2008
1st prize
(together with S. Tkachenko)
155

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
It’s a sharp-looking position with chances for both sides. Kill or be killed!
1.e8=Q+! It’s too early to give check with his bishop: 1.Bb5+? Kb7 2.e8=Q Be4+ 3.Kg1 Ba7+
4.Kf1 Bg2+ 5.Qxg2 hxg2+ 6.Kxg2 Qxd5+ 7.Kh2 Bd4 and white cannot win.
1.e8=Q+! Qxe8 2.Bb5+ Kb7! (2...Kd6 3.Bxe8 Be4+ 4.Kh2!) 3.Bxe8 Be4+ 4.Kg1! But not
4.Kh2? c5+ 5.Kg1 g3!, and now black wins.
4...g3! A curious position! White is a queen up but black has two connected passed pawns who
could be worth a queen!
156

5.Bc6+! White needs to lock the b8 bishop out of the game! He gets nowhere with the logical
5.Kf1? g2+ 6.Kg1 Ba7+!, and white’s days are numbered.
5...Ka7, the only move... After 5...Kxc6 6.Qc4+ Kd6 7.Qxe4 Ba7+ 8.Ne3! black’s bishop has lost
his sting.
6.Kf1! It’s too early for 6.Ne7? h2+ 7.Qxh2 gxh2+ 8.Kxh2 Bd3, and white cannot convert his one
pawn advantage into a win. Therefore, he lures the second bishop to a corner!
6...h2 7.Qg2 h1=Q+ 8.Qxh1 Bxh1 9.Ne7! And now bringing the knight to battle has proved
decisive!
9...g2+. Black has to wall in his second bishop. Otherwise he faces a hopeless pawn ending after
157

9...Bxc6 10.Nxc6+ Kb7 11.Nxb8 Kxb8 12.Kg2 and so on.
10.Kg1! A thematic set-up with two locked in bishops!
10...Kb6! The next stage in the solution is to revive them! A weaker continuation would be
10...Ka6 11.Nc8 Ba7+ 12.Nxa7 Kxa7 13.Bxg2 Bxg2 14.Kxg2, and the end.
11.a5+ Ka6 12.Nc8! Ba7+ 13.Nxa7 Kxa7 14.b5! The desire to immediately breathe life into the
last black bishop misses the win: 14.Bxg2? Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Ka6 16.Kf3 c5! 17.bxc5 Kb5 18.a6 Kxa6
19.Ke4 Kb7 20.Kd5 Kc7 and a draw.
14...Kb8 15.Bxg2 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 c6 17.b6! White wins. The locking in of black’s pieces followed
by their release (the competition theme) takes place during a double-edged battle!
No. 53
Korolkov Memorial, 2008
1st – 4th honorable mention
(together with S. Tkachenko and N. Rezvov)
158

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.a6. Not 1.Kb7? Kxa5 2.Nxc6+ Ka4! 3.Nxe7 b3 4.Nd5 b2 5.Nc3+ Kb3, and white cannot win.
1.a6 Kb6. He cannot save the day with 1...b3 2.Kb7 b2 3.a7 b1=Q 4.a8=Q Kc4+ 5.Kc7 Qxe4
6.Nxc6 and so on.
2.a7 Kc7! It’s tempting to follow the thematically false trail with: 3.Nxc6?! e6!, and if white still
wants to attempt to win with 4.Nd8? black has 4...b3 5.Nxe6+ Kc8 6.Nxc5 b2 7.e6 b1=Q 8.e7.
159

8...Qb5! and white loses.
To win he needs to execute a roundabout maneuver: 3.Na6+!!
3...Kc8 4.Nxc5 e6! Not 4...Kc7 due to 5.Na6+.
160

5.Nxe6! b3 6.Nc5! b2 7.e6 b1=Q. Black cannot save the day with 7...Kd8 8.Kb8 b1=Q+ 9.Nb7+
Ke7 10.a8=Q Qxe4 11.Qa3+ Kxe6 12.Nc5+ and victory.
8.e7! White wins.
Unlike in the false trail black still has his c6 pawn, which closes the diagonal for his queen – there
is no 8...Qb5.
No. 54
EG, 2008
161

1st prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White has three ways to bring his bishop into the game.
The obvious pawn capture is no good: 1.cxb3? Kh6! 2.Rg6+ (2.Bxe4, stalemate) 2...Qxg6 3.Bxg6
Kxg6 4.b4 (or 4.Kd2 Kf5 5.Ke3 e4 6.b4 Ke5, and a draw) 4...Kf6 5.Kd2 Ke7 6.Ke3 Kd7 7.Ke4
Kc7 8.Kf5 Kb6 9.Kg5 Kb5 10.Kxh5 Kxb4 11.Kg4 Kc4 12.h5 e4 13.h6 e3, and the pawns queen
simultaneously.
Nor can he win with 1.c4? b2+! 2.Kxb2 Kh6!, and white has to force a draw with 3.Bxe4,
stalemate, as otherwise he risks losing: 3.Bd3? Qd4+ 4.Kb3 e4! and so on.
The correct continuation is 1.c3!! b2+! 2.Kxb2 Kh6! Black cannot save the day with 2...Kh8
3.Rg8+! (3.Bxe4?) 3...Kxg8 4.Bxe4, and the end.
162

3.Bc2! Not the thematically false 3.Bd3? (3.Bxe4?, stalemate) 3...Qa4! 4.Rg6+ Kh7 5.Rg4+ e4!
6.Rxe4 Qd1! 7.Bc2 Qg1! 8.Rg4+ Kh8!! (8...Kh6? 9.Rg6+! Qxg6 10.Bxg6) 9.Rxg1, stalemate.
3...Qc4 (3...Qxd5 4.Rg6+ Kh7 5.Rxd6+) 4.Rg6+ Kh7 5.Rg4+.
5...e4! 6.Rxe4 Qc7! Hoping for the stalemate trap 7.Rc4+? Kh6! 8.Rxc7.
However, white carefully avoids the tripwire: 7.Re7+! Kh6!
163

8.Rh7+!, and the pawn ending is simple: 8...Qxh7 9.Bxh7 Kxh7 10.c4 Kg6 11.Kc3 Kf5 12.Kd4
and so on. White wins.
No. 55
64 – Chess Review, 2009
(together with E. Asaba)
White to play and win
164

Show/Hide Solution
Four-rook endings can be fun...
1.g7 Rg2 2.Re5+ Kd7 3.Rxe2!
3...Rdg1! Black has no chance after 3...Rxa1 4.Rxg2 Rb1+ 5.Ka7 Ra1+ 6.Kb6 Ra8 7.g8=Q Rxg8
8.Rxg8, and the end.
4.Rd1+! But not 4.Rd2+? Ke6 5.Re1+ Kf6, and black wins.
4...Kc6 5.Rc2+! Kb5! 6.Rb1+! Rxb1!
Black wants to transpose to a position with a white rook on g2. Why? The answer is below!
7.Rxg2 Kc6+! 8.Kc8 Ra1 9.Kd8 Kd6.
165

10.Ke8!! That’s the point! Not the thematically false 10.Rd2+? Ke6 11.Ke8 Rg1 12.Re2+ Kf6
13.Kf8 Rxg7 14.Rf2+ Kg5 15.Kxg7 f5! 16.Rg2+ Kh4! 17.Kf6 f4 18.Kf5.
18...f3! (with a tempo! – that’s why black needs the white rook to stand on g2) 19.Ra2 Kg3, and a
draw.
10...Ke6. Surely white has made a mistake somewhere? Nyet!
166

11.Rg6+! The decisive tactic.
11...fxg6 (11...Kf5 12.Rd6) 12.g8=Q+. White wins. A long study with an interesting false trail!
No. 56
Bron Memorial, 2009
3rd prize
(together with I. Zaitsev)
167

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
White mustn’t grant black’s queen her freedom: 1.g6+? Ke7 2.Rf6 Ke8! 3.Nxc6 Qd5+ 4.Kg4
(4.Ne5 Nf3 5.Re6+ Kf8) 4...Nf3 5.g7 Qg5+ 6.Kxf3 Qxf6+
or 1.Rf6+? Ke8 2.Re6+ Kd7 3.Rxe1 Qf8+ 4.Kg6 Qxb4, each time with victory for black.
1.Rd7+! Ke8.
2.Nd5! White sacrifices a knight to prevent the black queen from getting to the center. Not the
immediate 2.Rb7? Qc4 3.g6 Nd3 4.g7 Qf4+ 5.Kg6 Ne5+ 6.Kh7 Qe4+ 7.Kh8 Ng6+ and the end.
2...cxd5 3.Ra7! White loses after 3.Rb7? Qf8+ 4.Ke6 Qf4! Covering the mating square.
3...Qf8+ 4.Ke6 Qg8+.
168

5.Kf5! But not 5.Kf6? Qh8+ 6.Ke6 Qh3+, and the queen breaks free.
5...Nd3! 6.Ra8+ (6.g6? Qf8+) 6...Kf7.
7.Ra7+!! Refusing to capture the queen! After 7.Rxg8? Kxg8 8.Ke6 Nb4! 9.Ke5 Kg7 10.Kd4 Kg6
11.Kc5 Kxg5 12.Kxb4 Kf4, black’s pawn cannot be stopped.
7...Kf8 8.g6! Domination!
169

It transpires that black’s queen cannot withstand white’s forces 8...Qg7 (8...Nb4 9.Kf6 Qh8+
10.g7+) 9.Ra8+ Ke7 10.Ra7+ Kf8 11.Ra8+ and a draw.
All black can do is agree to exchange the major pieces...
8...Qh8 9.Ra8+ Kg7 10.Rxh8 Kxh8 11.Ke6! Nf4+. Black can no longer play 11...Nb4 due to
12.Kf7!, and white wins.
12.Ke5. A draw.
No. 57
Vlasenko’s 70th birthday tournament, 2009
1st prize
170

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Two rooks are usually stronger than a queen. However, black has a big pawn army here as well...
1.Rgg5! Not 1.Rg1? due to 1...Qh8+.
1.Rgg5! f3! The check is no good here: 1...Qh8+ 2.Rge5 followed by 3.Rxa5+. Black has no
chances after 1...e2 2.Rxa5+ Qxa5+ 3.Rxa5+ Kxa5 4.Kd2, and the march of white’s pawn is
inevitable.
It transpires that mass exchanges are no use to white: 2.Rxa5+? Qxa5+ 3.Rxa5+ Kxa5 4.Kd3 f2
5.Ke2 Kb4 6.h6 Kc3! 7.h7 f1=Q+ 8.Kxf1 Kd2 9.h8=Q e2+ 10.Kg2 e1=Q, and the pawns queen
simultaneously.
171

However, white can bring his king towards black’s pawn pair: 2.Rg4+! Ka3 3.Kc2! a4 4.Rc3+
Ka2.
5.Rb4! a3 6.Kc1! Having regrouped his forces white threatens mate in two...
6...Qh8! 7.Rc2+ Qb2+.
172

Which rook should capture the queen? Let’s try the b-rook: 8.Rbxb2+? axb2+ 9.Rxb2+ Ka3!
10.Kd1 Kxb2 11.h6. However, after 11...f2! the game resembles the variations analyzed above:
12.Ke2 Kc2 13.h7 f1=Q+ 14.Kxf1 Kd2 15.h8=Q e2+ 16.Kg2 e1=Q, and a draw.
The correct continuation is 8.Rcxb2+!! axb2+ 9.Kc2! (9.Rxb2+? Ka3!) 9...b1=Q+! Black cannot
save the day with 9...Ka3 10.Rb3+ Ka4 11.Rxe3 and so on.
10.Rxb1 f2! 11.h6 e2.
Has white miscalculated? Both of black’s pawns look like they will be promoted...
12.Ra1+! Luring the king!
12...Kxa1 13.h7.
173

13...e1=N+. Or 13...Ka2 14.h8=Q e1=N+ 15.Kc3! f1=Q 16.Qa8+.
14.Kb3 f1=Q 15.h8=Q+ Kb1 16.Qb2#.
All the pawns got promoted, but to white’s advantage!
174

Interview with Vladimir Kramnik at the editor’s office of 64. Moscow, late 1990s
No. 58
Kasparyan Memorial, 2010
3rd honorable mention
175

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Although white is three pawns up, winning the game is far from easy – black threatens a draw by
repetition with 1...Qc3+ 2.Qb2 Qe1+ 3.Qb1 Qc3+ and so on.
If white plays 1.Qe1? black counters 1...Qc3+! 2.Qxc3, stalemate.
If 1.Qd1?, then 1...Qc3+ 2.Kb1 Qxb4+ 3.Kc1 Qa3+, and it’s a draw after 4.Kb1 Qb4+ and so on.
Nor can white play here 4.Kd2 Qd6+ 5.Ke1 Qxg6 6.Qd4 Qxg2 , and a draw.
1.Qb2! Qc3! 2.a3 (2.Qxc3?, stalemate) 2...Qe1+ 3.Ka2 Qxf2 (3...Qe4 4.Qb3+! cxb3+ 5.cxb3#)
This is the critical position! White should not play the thematically false 4.Qxg7? Qxc2+ 5.Qb2
Qxg6.
176

It transpires that despite the sorry position of black’s king his position is solid enough: 6.Qf2 (6.g4
Qd3! 7.g5 Qd1! 8.g6 c3) 6...Qh7! 7.Qe2 c3! (but not 7...Qd3? 8.Qxd3 cxd3 9.Kb2 d2 10.Kc2 Kxa3
11.g4 Kxb4 12.g5 Ka3 13.g6 b4 14.g7 b3+ 15.Kxd2 b2 16.Kc2! Ka2 17.g8=Q+, and the black king
has been lured to a checking square) 8.Qd1+ c2 9.Qd5 c1=N+, and white cannot win.
Nor can white win with 4.g4? Qe3! 5.Qxg7 c3! 6.Qf7 Qe6+! 7.Qxe6, stalemate.
Eureka: 4.Qc3!! Qxg2. Black cannot force stalemate with 4...Qd2 5.Qxd2 c3 due to 6.Qh6! and a
reciprocal queen sac.
5.Qxg7. Here a waiting move is bad: 5.Kb2? Qf2 6.Qxg7 Qe3 7.Qf6 c3+ 8.Qxc3 Qc1+! 9.Kxc1,
and black has again saved himself with stalemate.
177

5...Qxc2+. Black has no chances to save the day with 5...Qf2 6.Qe5 Qf3 7.Qc5 Qxa3+ 8.Kb1 Qf3
9.Qg1 Qd5 10.g7 and so on.
6.Qb2 Qxg6. Or 6...Qd1 7.g7 c3 8.g8=Q cxb2 9.Qa8#.
The position is similar to that in the false trail, but without the white pawn on g2...
7.Qf2! Qh7! 8.Qg2! Qd3 9.Qa8#. Subtle play by the most powerful pieces!
No. 59
Lenin Memorial, 2010(1)
2nd prize
178

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
It’s tempting to launch a mating attack against the isolated monarch – 1.Rd7? However, after
1...Bf5 2.Nf3 Qg2! 3.Bxf5 exf5 4.g4! fxg4 5.Rh7+ Kg6 6.Rg7+ Kf6 7.Rf7+ Ke6 the black king is
safe. The game could continue 8.a6! Qf1 9.a7 Qa6 10.Nd4+ Kd5 11.Nb5 Kc5 12.Nc7 Qxa7
13.Ne6+ Kb6 14.Rxa7 Kxa7 15.Nxg5, and a draw.
The mating attack needs to be meticulously prepared: 1.g4! Bxg4. Black gets nowhere with
1...Qxg4 2.Rd7 Qf5 3.Bxf5 Bxf5 4.a6, and the march of the rook’s pawn proves decisive.
2.Rd7! Bf5. White demonstrates fine team play in response to 2...Nd3 – 3.Rh7+ Kg6 4.Nxd3! Kf5
5.a6 Qa1 6.Rf7+ Ke4 7.a7 Kd4 8.Rd7+ Kc3 9.Rc7+ Kd4 10.Nc5! Qa2 11.Be4, and the pawn is
promoted.
3.Bxf5. It’s too early for 3.Nf3? due to 3...Qg4!, and white’s attack is out of puff.
3...exf5 (3...g4 4.Rh7+ Kg5 5.Nf3+! gxf3 6.Rg7+) 4.Nf3! The essence of white’s strategy! It
transpires that, despite the rich choice of moves at black’s disposal, his queen has no acceptable
move. Now there are several lines.
1) 4...Qxf2 5.Rh7+ Kg6 6.Ne5+ Kf6.
179

7.Ng4+! fxg4 8.Rf7+ winning the black queen. The rest is easy: 8...Kg6 9.Rxf2 Nd3 10.a6 Nxf2
11.a7 and so on.
2) 4...Qg2 5.Rh7+ (5.Ne5? Qa8+!) 5...Kg6.
Unlike in the false trail, white doesn’t have a pawn on g3, which allows him to execute a
combination hook on the g-file 6.Nh4+! gxh4 7.Rg7+ with an echo skewer of the queen.
3) 4...Qf1! (4...Qg4 5.Ne5; 4...Qh1 5.Rh7+) 5.Ne5! The threat is 6.Rh7#.
5...g4 6.Nf7+ Kh5! (6...Kg6 7.Rd6+) 7.Rd6! g3. Otherwise 8.Rh6#.
180

8.f3!! Bringing the pawn to the mating attack – white threatens 9.Rh6#.
8...Qxf3 9.Rh6+ Kg4 10.Ne5+.
A subtle queen hunt in three lines!
(1) Yes, really...
No. 60
Osintsev’s 50th birthday tournament, 2011
Honorable mention
181

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s ace up his sleeve is his b5 pawn...
1.b6! White cannot storm black’s defenses after 1.Kc7? e5 2.b6 Ne6+ 3.Kd6 Nd8 4.Rb1 Nf7+
5.Kc7 Nd8 6.Rb5 Ne6+ 7.Kd6 0-0-0 and so on.
1.b6! Kd8 2.b7 Ne8+! 3.Ke5 Rb8.
182

4.Rc8+! White doesn’t mind sacrificing his rook to support the pawn charge!
4...Rxc8 5.Bb6+ Nc7 6.Kd6 e5.
7.Ba5!! Not the thematically false 7.Bxc7+? Rxc7 8.b8=Q+ Rc8 9.Qb6+ Ke8 10.Kxe5 Rc6!, and
black’s fortress is impregnable.
7...e4 8.Bb6 e3 9.Bxc7+! White mustn’t wait any longer with this capture: 9.Ba5? Rb8! 10.Bxc7+
Ke8 11.Bxb8 e2, and the pawns queen at the same time.
9...Rxc7 10.b8=Q+ Rc8 11.Qb6+ Ke8 12.Qxe3+, and black has failed to build his fortress. White
wins.
183

Show in Text Mode
No. 61
Rumiantsev’s 55th birthday tournament, 2011
1st prize
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
The white king looks certain to be mated: 1.Qd4? Qb3+ 2.Ke2 Ra2+ 3.Ke1 Qb1+ 4.Qd1 Qb2
5.Rf7 Qc3+ 6.Kf1 Qxh3+ 7.Ke1 Kg1, and the end.
1.Bg2+! Kg1! Were black to capture the bishop white would consolidate his forces: 1...Kxg2
2.Rxg5+ Kf1 3.Qd4!, and a draw. Black can still lose this if he wants: 1...Kh2?? 2.Qc7+ Kg1
3.Qc1+ Kxg2 4.Rxg5+ and mate is unavoidable.
184

2.Bxe4! dxe4. Black fails to win after 2...Qb3+ 3.Bd3 Rxa7 due to 4.Rxg5+ Kh1 5.Rh5+ Kg2
6.Rg5+ Kh3 7.Rh5+ Kg2 (7...Kg4 8.Nf6#) 8.Rg5+ and a draw.
3.Qd4. At the cost of a bishop white has destroyed the mating net. But black still has some gun-
powder left...
3...Qf5! The most cunning attempt! White has nothing to fear from 3...Qb3+ 4.Kxe4 Qc2+ (4...Ra4
5.Rxg5+ Kf1 6.Rd5) 5.Kf3! Ra3+ 6.Kg4 Ra4 7.Qxa4 Qxa4+ 8.Kxg5; 3...Qb1 4.Rxg5+! Rxg5 5.Kf4
Rb5 6.f3+ Kh1 7.Ne5 Rb4 8.Qe3! exf3+ 9.Kg3! or 3...Qf1 4.Rxg5+! Rxg5 5.Kf4 Rg2 6.f3+ Kh1
7.Qxe4, and a draw each time.
It’s tempting now for white to continue 4.Rxg5+? Qxg5+ 5.f4 (or 5.Kxe4 Qf5+ 6.Ke3 Ra3+ 7.Kd2
185

Ra2+ 8.Ke3 Qxf2+ 9.Ke4 Qxd4+ 10.Kxd4 Rd2+ winning the knight) 5...Qg2! 6.Qd1+ Kh2 7.Ne5
Ra3+ 8.Kd4. However, after 8...Rf3! 9.f5 (9.Nxf3+ exf3) 9...Qb2+ 10.Kxe4 Qb7+ 11.Qd5 Rf4+! the
queen perishes.
Eureka: 4.Ne5!! Rxe5. The checks end after 4...Qf4+ 5.Ke2 Ra2+ 6.Kd1!, and white’s troubles are
behind him.
5.Rxg5+! But not 5.Rf7? Qxf7 6.Qxe5 Qf3+ 7.Kd4 Kxf2, and black wins with his two extra
pawns. Neither can white play 5.Qd1+? Kg2 6.Rf7 Qh3+! 7.Ke2 Qg4+ 8.Ke1 Qh4! 9.Qd4 Ra5
10.Ra7 Rf5, and he loses due to the unfortunate position of his king.
5...Qxg5+.
186

6.f4! Black is a rook up and it’s his move, yet he cannot win!
6...exf3+. White has nothing to fear from an all-queens ending: 6...Qg3+ 7.Ke2+! Kg2 8.fxe5
Qf3+ 9.Kd2 Qf2+ 10.Kc3! e3 11.Qg4+ Kf1 12.Qd1+ Qe1+ 13.Qxe1+ Kxe1 14.e6 e2 15.e7, and the
pawns are promoted simultaneously.
7.Kxf3+ Kh1! Thinking that he can escape the queen checks: 8.Qa1+? Kh2 9.Qb2+ Kh3 and so
on.
Suddenly: 8.Qh4+!! Qxh4. Stalemate.
187

In the midst of a chess composition lecture. Dagomys, 2017
No. 62
Van der Heijden’s 50th birthday tournament, 2011
1st prize
188

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The black pawn is set to queen. So it’s tempting for white to try 1.Re5+? Kxe5 2.Bxh6 a1=Q
3.Bg7+ Ke4! 4.Bxa1 Rc1 5.Rf4+ Ke3!
A pretty position! All three white pieces are under attack and he can’t retain sufficient mating
material: 6.Bd4+ Kxf4 7.Ne2+ Ke4 8.Nxc1 Kxd4, and a draw. This is the first thematically false
189

trail.
1.Rd4+!! Kxd4. Black can’t avoid accepting the sac: 1...Kc6 2.Rxa2 Rxc1 3.Ra6+ skewering the
black rook.
2.Bb2+ Ke3! (2...Kd5 3.Rf5+)
This again forces white to make a critical choice of square from which to check the black king.
Checking along the e-file proves harmless: 3.Re2+? Kd3! 4.Kxc5 Rh5+! 5.Kb4 (5.Re5 Kc2! 6.Bd4
Rxe5+ 7.Bxe5 Kb1) 5...a1=Q! 6.Bxa1 Rb5+! 7.Kxb5, stalemate.
Instead, white can lose a piece after 7.Ka3 Rb1. This is the second thematically false trail!
The correct continuation is to check along the third rank! 3.Rf3+!! Ke4! 4.Kxc5 a1=Q! 5.Bxa1
190

Rc6+!
6.Kb5!! White refuses the capture! After 6.Kxc6? it’s an echo stalemate. Or an echo fork after
6.Kb4? Rc1.
6...Rc1! Attempting to stay close to the white king gets black nowhere: 6...Rc5+ 7.Kb6 Rc6+ 8.Kb7
and so on. 7.Rf4+! Ke3. Black cannot save the day with 7...Kxf4 8.Ne2+ or 7...Kd3 8.Bd4 and white
wins each time.
We know this position from the first false trail! However, the white king is now one square up,
opening up the fourth rank...
8.Ra4!! (8.Bd4+? Kxf4 9.Ne2+ Ke4) 8...Rxg1 9.Bd4+ skewering the rook.
191

192

193

Oleg won the Moscow journalists’ blitz tournament sponsored by the Vechernaya Moskva newspaper,
2009
No. 63
Russian team championship, 2012
1st prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White can only stop the advance of the black pawns by launching an attack...
1.Na5! Exchanging rooks here is to black’s advantage: 1.Rxa6? Rxa6 2.Na5 a2! and so on.
1.Na5! b3. Black cannot save the day with 1...Rab6 2.Bxf7 Rf6 3.Bd5 Rf5 4.Nc4, and white wins.
2.Rb4+! The strength of black’s pawns is apparent if white continues 2.Rd4? Rxa5 3.Rxa5 b2 4.Rd1
Rd6 5.Rf1 Rb6, and black is OK.
2...Reb6 (2...Rab6 3.Rbc4)
194

3.Rbc4! White sacrifices his knight to weave a mating web.
3...Rxa5 4.Rc8+ Kb7 5.R8c7+! Ka6! (5...Kb8 6.Bf3) 6.Be2 a2! Otherwise black is mated
quickly...
No discovered check wins for white here. Has the attack reached a dead end?
Eureka: 7.Bf1!! Black is in zugzwang! It transpires that despite black’s large number of moves at
his disposal he cannot avoid death...
1) 7...f6 8.Re4+! Rbb5 (8...Rab5 9.Ra4#) 9.Re6#! – as defense was withdrawn from the e6 square;
2) 7...b2 8.Rc3+! Rab5 (8...Rbb5 9.R3c6#) 9.Ra3#! – as access to a3 was opened;
195

3) 7...e6 8.Rd4+! Rbb5 (8...Rab5 9.Ra4#) 9.Rd6# – as defense was withdrawn from d6;
4) 7...a1=Q 8.Rc1+! Rab5 (8...Rbb5 9.R1c6#) 9.Rxa1# – as access to a1 was opened;
An original zugzwang finale!
No. 64
9th world team championship, 2012
2nd place
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.Qe4+? Kd6 2.Qe5+ Kd7 3.Rg1 (too late!) 3...Qf8! 4.Rg7+ Kc8, and white’s attack has fizzled
out.
1.Rg1! Qe6! Black cannot save the day with 1...Bxd4 2.Rg5+ Be5 3.Qe4+ Kc5 4.Qxb4+ Kd5
5.Qe4+ Kc5 6.Qe3+ Kb5 7.Rxe5+, and white wins. It’s the same story after 1...Qe8 2.Rg5+ Kd6
3.Qg3+ Kd7 4.Rg7+ Kc8 5.Rg8.
2.Rg5+ Kd6+ 3.d5 Qf7!
196

4.d4! The attack ends after 4.Qh6+? Bf6 5.Rf5 Kc7, and white’s out of luck.
4...Kc7! The threat was 5.Qg3+ Kd7 6.Rg7 paralyzing the black queen. Sacrificing the bishop fails
to save black: 4...Bxd4 5.Qxd4 Rc7 6.Rg6+ Qxg6 7.Qb6+ Kxd5 8.Qxg6 and so on.
5.Qg3+! But not 5.Qh2+? due to 5...Kb7, and black is revived.
5...Kb6! (5...Kb7 6.Rg7) 6.Qb8+ Ka5.
7.Qb7!! The first silent queen sac (the theme of the competition)! Checks get white nowhere:
7.Qd8+? Rb6! (7...Kb5? 8.Qb8+ Rb6 9.Qc8! Ka5 10.Rf5!) 8.Qc7 Qf6!, and white’s resources are
exhausted.
7...Rf6! The queen is poisoned: 7...Qxb7 8.dxc6+ Kb6 9.cxb7.
197

8.Qe7!! And the second silent sac! The alternative 8.Qc8? misses the win: 8...Bxd4 9.Qc4 Rf3+!
10.exf3 Qxf3+, and now it’s white who needs to save the day: 11.Kc2 Qf2+ 12.Kd3 Qe3+ 13.Kc2
b3+ 14.Qxb3 Qxg5 15.Qa3+ Kb5 16.Qb3+ Kc5 17.Qa3+ and so on.
8...Qxe7. Black has to accept the sacrifice: 8...Kb6 (8...Bxd4 9.Qxb4#) 9.Qc5+ Kb7 10.Re5! Kb8
11.Re7, and white wins.
9.d6+ Qe5! A reciprocal silent queen sac! If 9...Kb6 10.dxe7 Re6 white plays the classical rook
sacrifice 11.Rg6!, and the pawn cannot be stopped.
10.dxe5 (10.Rxe5+? Kb6 11.Rd5 Rf8!) 10...Bxe5 11.d7! The greedy 11.Rxe5+? misses the win:
11...Kb6 12.Rd5 Rf8! 13.e4 Kc6 14.Kxb4 Rd8 and so on.
11...Rd6 (11...Rf8 12.Rxe5+ Kb6 13.Re8) 12.Rxe5+ Kb6 13.Re6! with an echo rook sacrifice.
White wins.
No. 65
The Problemist, 2012
3rd prize
198

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Not the false trail: 1.Be7+? Kg3 2.Bd6+ f4 3.Bxf4+ Kxf4 4.Rf7+ Kg3 5.a8=Q. Isn’t white winning
here? Nyet!
5...Rf2+! (the simplest continuation) 6.Rxf2 (or 6.Ke1 Rxf7 7.Qb8+ Rf4 8.Rb3+ Kg2, and a draw)
6...Qc4+ 7.Ke1 (7.Re2? Qf4+ 8.Kg1 Qc1+, and white gets mated) 7...Qc1+ 8.Ke2 Qc2+ 9.Ke3
199

Qxf2+ 10.Ke4 Qf3+ 11.Kd4 h2 12.Qb8+ Qf4+, and a draw.
Note also that instead of 5...Rf2+! black has another strong resource after which white has to tread
very carefully just to draw. Chess ultra-fans can enjoy this line too: 5...Kh2! 6.Qd8 g3 7.Qd7 Rg1+
8.Ke2 Qg5 9.Nf6 Qe5+ 10.Kd2 Qf4+ 11.Kc3 Qe3+ 12.Kb4 Rb1+ 13.Ka4 Ra1+ 14.Kb5 Qb3+
15.Kc5 Rc1+ 16.Kd6 Rd1+ 17.Ke5 Qc3+ 18.Kf4 Rxd7 19.Ng4+ Kg2 20.Rbxd7 Qc4+ 21.Kf5 Qc1
22.Rh7 h2 23.Nxh2 gxh2 24.Rdg7+ Kf1 25.Rf7 and so on.
1.Rh7+! Kg3 2.Bd6+ f4. The black king cannot approach the center: 2...Kf3 3.Rb3+! Qxb3
4.a8=Q+ Ke3 5.Re7+ Kd3 6.Qa6+ Qc4 7.Re3+ Kd4+ 8.Qxc4+ Kxc4 9.Bf4 Ra2 10.Nd6+ Kd5
11.Nxf5 h2 12.Ng3, and white wins.
3.Bxf4+ Kxf4 4.Rbf7+! After 4.Rhf7+? Kg3 we reach a position from the false trail.
4...Kg3 5.a8=Q Rf2+!
6.Kg1! The greedy 6.Rxf2? (6.Ke1? Rxf7) allows the black queen to enter the fray spectacularly:
6...Qc4+ 7.Ke1 Qc1+ 8.Ke2 Qc2+ 9.Ke3 Qxf2+ 10.Kd3 Qf5+ 11.Qe4 Qxe4+ 12.Kxe4 h2, and a
draw.
6...Rg2+ 7.Qxg2+ hxg2.
200

A beautiful picture! To win the game white needs to send his knight to attack the black king. Let’s
try 8.Nf6? Qg6! 9.Nh5+ Qxh5 10.Rxh5, and stalemate. It’s the same after 8.Nd6? Qg6! 9.Nf5+
Qxf5 10.Rxf5.
Eureka: 8.Ng7!! Now there are two continuations.
1) 8...Qxf7 9.Nh5+ Qxh5 10.Rxh5, and there is no stalemate: the rook that was on f7 has vanished
from the game;
2) 8...Qxh7 9.Nf5+ Qxf5 10.Rxf5, and again no stalemate: the rook that was on h7 has vanished
too.
No. 66
Akobia’s birthday tournament, 2012
2nd prize
201

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.Rf7+! Checking with the other rook is evidently disastrous: 1.Rg7+? Kb8 2.Rf8 Rch1, and black
wins.
1.Rf7+! Kb8. It’s now tempting for white to try 2.Rd7? Rg6! (but not 2...Rh7? 3.Rxh7 Re1+ 4.Re7
Rxe7+ 5.Kxe7+ Kxb7 6.Rg1) 3.Rxg6 Re1+ 4.Kf7 Rf1+ 5.Ke6 (5.Kg7 c1=Q) 5...Re1+ 6.Kf5 Rf1+
7.Ke4 Re1+! 8.Kf3 Rf1+ 9.Ke2.
202

However: 9...Re1+! 10.Kf2 Rf1+!, and a draw.
The correct continuation is 2.Kf8!! Rh7! The other sacrifice 2...Rg6 is refuted with 3.Rxg6 Rd1
4.Ra6! c1=Q 5.Ra8#.
3.Rxh7 Rd1! (3...Rf1+ 4.Rf7) 4.Kg7+! Kxb7.
5.Kh8+! The king has to move to the corner to avoid getting in the way of his rooks as they attack
the enemy king.
5...Kb6 6.Rg6+! Not tripping over his own feet with 6.Rh6+? Kc7 7.Rh7+ Kd6!, and black is
saved.
6...Kb5!
203

The c-file is verboten: 6...Kc5 7.Rc7+ and the pawn is lost.
7.Rh5+ (7.Rb7+? Ka5!) 7...Kb4 8.Rg4+ (8.Rb6+? Ka4!) 8...Ka3!
9.Ra5+!
The impulsive check 9.Rh3+? misses the win: 9...Kb2 10.Rg2 Ra1 11.Rhh2 Ra8+ 12.Kg7 Rc8, and
white cannot make progress.
9...Kb2 10.Rb5+ Kc1. Black cannot save the day with 10...Ka3 due to 11.Rg7(6) 11...Ka4 12.Rb8,
and white’s mating threats are stronger than the pawn promotion.
11.Rc5! Not falling for the stalemate trick 11.Rc4? Rd4! 12.Rxd4.
11...Kb1 12.Rb4+ Kc1 13.Rbc4, and the pawn is safely stopped. White wins.
No. 67
9th world team championship, 2012
4th–5th place
(together with V. Kozyrev)
204

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The white queen needs to penetrate the eighth rank.
But white should not rush things: 1.Qa6+? Kd8 2.Qc4! Bxd6 3.Qg8+ Ke7 4.Qxg7+ Ke8! 5.h6
Bf8! 6.Qg6+ Kd8! 7.h7 Qe5! 8.Qg8 Kc7 9.Qxf8 Qb5!, and the vulnerability of his own king
prevents him from creating a second queen.
Neither can white win after 1.h6? gxh6 2.Qa1 Be5! 3.Qa6+ Kd8 4.Qc4 Bxd6 5.Qg8+ Ke7, and a
draw.
1.f6! gxf6 (1...Bxd6 2.fxg7) 2.h6. Again it’s wrong to involve the queen: 2.Qa6+? Kd8 3.Qc4
Bxd6 4.Qg8+ Ke7 5.h6 Be5 6.Qg7+ Ke6, and white cannot win.
205

2...a5! The most stubborn resistance. Otherwise the h6 pawn soon decides the game: 2...Bxd6 3.h7;
2...Qh3 3.Qa6+ Kd8 4.Qc4! Bxd6 5.Qg8+ Ke7 6.h7 or 2...Kd8 3.Qa5+ Ke8 4.Qf5 Bxd6 5.h7 Qh4
6.Qg6+, and white wins each time.
3.h7. But not the immediate 3.e5? Qg2! 4.Qc5 Bxe5 5.h7 Qh1!, and white can resign.
Now there are two lines.
1) 3...Qh3.
4.e5!! Once again, rushing with the attack ruins white’s day: 4.Qxa5? Bxd6 5.Qf5 Qh2! (5...Qh1?
6.Qxf6 Qxh7 7.Qxd6) 6.Qa5 Qxh7.
4...Bxe5 5.Qxa5 Bxd6.
206

Now the e-pawn isn’t in the queen’s way! White can now make a series of sacrifices: 6.Qf5! Qh1
7.Qb1! Qh2 8.Qc2! Qh1. If 8...Qh3 then white wins with 9.Qd3!. But not 9.Qg6? Kc7! 10.Qg8 Bf8!
11.h8=Q (11.Qxf8 Qxb3) 11...Qg2!, and black wins despite his material shortage.
If 8...Qh4, then 9.Qe4! Qh5 10.Qg6! (10.Qe2? g4!) and white wins.
9.Qd1! Not 9.Qe4? Qa1+! 10.Qa4 Qh1! 11.Qe4 Qa1+ 12.Qa4 Qh1, and a draw.
9...Qxh7 10.Qxd6 Kd8 11.Qf8+ Kc7 12.Qb8#.
207

It’s a similar story if the black queen moves to a different square on move three:
2) 3...Qh4 (3...Qh2 4.Qxa5 Bxd6 5.Qd2!) 3...Qh4
4.e5! But not 4.Qxa5? Bxd6 5.Qe1 Qxh7, and the e4 pawn prevents his own queen from reaching
the back rank.
4...Bxe5. The king’s escape is no better: 4...Kd8 5.Qxa5+ Ke8 6.Qc7 Qxh7 7.Qc8+ Kf7 8.Qxd7+
Kg6 9.Qxh7+ Kxh7 10.d7 and so on.
5.Qxa5 Bxd6.
208

6.Qe1! Qh5! 7.Qd1! (7.Qe2? g4!) 7...g4 8.h8=Q+! Qxh8 9.Qxd6 Kd8 10.Qb8+ skewering the
black queen.
209

210

Playing at roulette with Vasily Smyslov. Cosmos Hotel, Moscow, 2006
No. 68
Bogatyrchuk Memorial – 120 years, 2013
1st prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White needs to exchange all of black’s pieces and win the pawn ending...
1.N5e6! It’s too early for 1.Qd5+? Kxg7! 2.Qf7+ Kh6, and a draw.
1.N5e6! Qe3+. White converts his material advantage mechanically after 1...Bf6 2.Nf5 Qe5
3.Qg4+ Kf7 4.Nf4 Qe1+ 5.Kh2 Be5 6.Nh6+ Ke7 7.Qe6+ Kd8 8.Nf7+ Kc7 9.Qxe5+ and so on.
211

2.Kh1!! Not 2.Kh2? Bg3+ 3.Kh3 (or 3.Kh1 Bb8!! 4.Qd8+ Kh7 5.Qh4+ Kg8 6.Qd8+ Kh7
7.Qxb8 Qe1+ 8.Kh2 Qh4+, and a draw) 3...Be5+! 4.Qf3 Qxf3+ 5.gxf3 Bxg7 6.Nxg7 Kxg7 7.Kg3
Kf7! 8.Kg4 Kg6 9.Kf4 Kf6, and the opposition is to black’s advantage.
2...Bf6! To avoid a worse fate black is happy to exchange his bishop for white’s knight pair.
3.Nh5!! But not the symmetrical 3.Ne8? Qh6+!! (after 3...Qxe6? 4.Qd5! Kf7 5.Nxf6 Kxf6
6.Qxe6+ Kxe6 7.Kh2 Kf6 8.Kh3! Kg5 9.Kg3 the opposition is in white’s favor) 4.Kg1 Qe3+ 5.Kf1
Qxe6 6.Qd5! (or 6.Qg4+ Kf7 7.Qxe6+ Kxe6 8.Nxf6 Kxf6 9.Kf2 Kg6! 10.Kf3 Kf5 11.Kg3 Kg5,
and the opposition is in black’s favor) 6...Kf7! 7.Nxf6 Kxf6 8.Qxe6+ Kxe6 9.Ke2 Kf6! 10.Kf2
Kg6! 11.Kf3 Kf5 12.Kg3 Kg5 with the well known draw in the battle between kings. This is the first
logical false trail!
212

The second false trail is: 3.Qg4? Qe1+! 4.Kh2 Be5+ 5.Nf4 (5.g3 Qxg3+) 5...Bxg7! (but not
5...Bxf4+? 6.Qxf4 Kxg7 7.Qg3+! Qxg3+ 8.Kxg3, and the opposition is in white’s favor) 6.Nh5
Qe5+ 7.Kh3 Qc3+! (7...Qe3+? 8.g3 Qe7 9.Nxg7! Qxg7 10.Kh4!) 8.g3 (8.Kh4 Qe1+) 8...Kh8
9.Qxg7+ Qxg7 10.Nxg7 Kxg7 11.Kh4 Kh6 12.Kg4 Kg6! with echo opposition in black’s favor.
3...Qxe6.
4.Qd5!! Another key move! The third logical false trail is: 4.Qg4+? Kf7! 5.Qxe6+ Kxe6 6.Nxf6
Kxf6 7.Kh2 Kg6! 8.Kh3 Kh5 9.Kg3 Kg5, and white is in zugzwang.
4...Kf7! 5.Nxf6! Kxf6 6.Qxe6+ Kxe6 7.Kh2 Kf6.
Now the opposition is in white’s favor: 8.Kh3! Kg5 9.Kg3! White wins.
But that’s not the end of the fun! Let’s see what happens if we add a black pawn on h6 to the
starting position. We now have a twin position!
No. 68a
213

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Like in the first twin, white starts with 1.N5e6! Not 1.Qd5+? Kh8! (unlike in the first twin black
cannot play 1...Kxg7? 2.Qf7+ Kh8 3.Qh7#) 2.Nf5 Qxg5 3.Qd4+ Qf6 4.Qxh4 Qxf5, and a draw.
1.N5e6! Qe3+. White easily wins after 1...Qf2+ 2.Kh2 Bg3+ 3.Kh3 Qe3 4.Nf5 Qxe6 5.Qg4+ Kf7
6.Nxg3, and the end.
2.Kh1! Bf6!
214

3.Ne8!! Unlike in the first position, the knight chooses the route that was previously a false trail!
Not 3.Nh5? Qxe6 4.Qd5! Kf7! 5.Nxf6 Kxf6 6.Qxe6+ Kxe6, and the black pawn prevents white
from winning the game.
3...Qxe6. Black cannot save the day with 3...Be5 4.Qf1 Qc3 5.Nd8! Qd4 6.Qf7+ Kh8 7.Qf8+ Kh7
8.Qf5+ Kg8 9.Qg6+, and the end.
4.Qd5!! (4.Qg4+? Kf7!) 4...Kf7! 5.Nd6+! Ke7 6.Nf5+ Kf7 7.Nxh6+ Ke7 8.Ng8+! The irritating
pawn has been exterminated and white can now exchange pieces!
8...Kf7 9.Nxf6! Not 9.Qxe6+? Kxe6 10.Nxf6 Kxf6 11.Kh2 Kg6! 12.Kh3 Kh5 13.Kg3 Kg5 with
zugzwang in black’s favor.
215

9...Kxf6 10.Qxe6+ Kxe6 11.Kh2 Kf6 12.Kh3! Kg5 13.Kg3! with the opposition in his favor.
White wins.
Harmonic play in the two twin studies, which are united in the final battle between the kings in
white’s favor!
No. 69
Marcel Doré’s birthday tournament, 2013
1st–2nd prize
(together with V. Tarasyuk)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The black king has been forced into a corner – he is an ideal target for a mating attack...
1.h7! But definitely not 1.e7? Nd3+ 2.Kf5 e1=Q, and white can resign.
1.h7! Ra4+. Now is the first moment of truth! White’s king has to move in such a way that he
doesn’t allow the black knight to free up the queening square with check. Not the immediate 2.Kf5?!
(2.Kg5? Rxh4 3.e7 Nf3+ 4.Kf5 e1=Q) 2...Rxh4 3.e7 Rh5+ 4.Kg6 Rh6+ 5.Kf5 Rh5+ 6.Kg4 Rh4+
7.Kg3 Rh3+ 8.Kf2 Nd3+ 9.Kxe2 Nf4+. This is the second critical position, and the outcome of the
game depends on its correct analysis.
216

It transpires that white cannot play 10.Kd2? Rd3+ 11.Ke1 (there is no 11.Kc2) 11...h1=Q+, and
black wins.
So here white would have to draw by move repetition: 10.Kf2 Nd3+ etc.
What if white sacrifices the rook, which is in the way, on move two? Let’s try.
2.Rc4?! Rxc4+ 3.Kf5 Rxh4 4.e7 Rh5+ 5.Kg4 (heading up the board is pointless) 5...Rh4+ 6.Kg3
Rh3+ 7.Kf2 Nd3+ 8.Kxe2 Nc1+ 9.Kd2 Nb3+ 10.Kc2 Nd4+, and the pawn on b2 is now in white’s
way:
11.Kd2 Nb3+ and a draw.
In that case, white needs to sacrifice not only the rook but the pawn as well!
217

2.b4! Rxb4+.
Following the logic, white should now sacrifice his rook – 3.Rc4? However, iron logic doesn’t
work in this study!
Black replies 3...Nd3+!! 4.Kf5 Rxb6! 5.h8=Q+ Ka7 6.Qa1+ Ra6 7.Qd4+ Ka8 8.Qh8+ Ka7
9.Qd4+ Kb8 10.Qh8+ Ka7 (10...Kc7? 11.e7) and a draw.
So white needs to prevent the black rook from getting to b6:
3.Kf5! Rxh4. Now he moves his rook from c2 with tempo – 4.Ra2+! Kb8.
Suddenly: 5.Ra8+!! It transpires that it’s still too early to play 5.e7? Rh5+ 6.Kg4 Rh4+ 7.Kg3 Rh3+
8.Kf2 Nd3+ 9.Kxe2 Nc1+ 10.Kd2 Nb3+ 11.Kc2 Nd4+, and there is no 12.Kb2?? due to 12...Rb3+
218

forcing the white king to a square where it is checked by the newly created queen.
Therefore, white again has to agree to a draw in this position with 12.Kd2 Nb3+ and so on.
5...Kxa8 6.e7 Now it’s time!
6...Rh5+ 7.Kg4 Rh4+! 8.Kg3 Rh3+! (8...h1=N+ 9.Kxh4) 9.Kf2 Nd3+ 10.Kxe2 Nc1+ 11.Kd2
Nb3+ 12.Kc2 Nd4+ 13.Kb2 Rb3+.
14.Ka2!, and the white king has escaped the checks. White wins. This study required a subtle grasp
of the order in which the pieces in the way were sacrificed!
219

Waiting for the audience to solve a mate-in-two puzzle. Dagomys, 2017. Can you find the solution?
No. 70
Tata Steel – 75th anniversary tournament, 2013
1st–2nd prize
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
220

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
In positions like this white has to act fast to avoid losing!
1.Qg7! But not 1.Qh8? Qg4!, and black is saved.
1.Qg7! Rf4! The defense 1...Qxb7 fails due to 2.Qxd4+ Kb1 3.Qxd3+, and mate is forthcoming.
2.Qg2! Not 2.Qg1+? Bf1 3.Qh2 Rf3+ 4.Bb3 Rxb3+ 5.Kxb3 Qxb7+, and now black wins.
221

2...Be2! It’s a simple win for white after 2...Bc2 3.Qxc2 Rf3+ 4.Bb3 Rxb3+ 5.Qxb3.
3.Qxe2 Qa4+! More sacrifices!
4.Kxa4 d3+.
5.Qe4! A reciprocal queen sacrifice!
5...Rxe4+ 6.Kb3 d2 7.Kc2. But not 7.Bh5? Kb1 8.Kc3 Re5!, and a draw.
7...Rb4! Black loses after 7...Rd4 8.Bh5 Ka2 9.Bd1! Ka3 10.Kc3 Rd5 11.Kc4 and so on.
222

The obvious move here is the centralizing 8.Nc5? d1=Q+! 9.Kxd1 Rd4+ 10.Kc1. However, after
10...Rc4+! 11.Kd2 (11.Bxc4, stalemate) 11...Rd4+! (11...Rxc5? 12.d7) 12.Kc2 Rxd6 13.Nb3+ Ka2
14.Nd4+ Ka1! white cannot win.
The correct continuation is to move to the edge:
8.Na5!! d1=Q+ (8...Rd4 9.Nb3+ Ka2 10.Nxd4+) 9.Kxd1 Rd4+ 10.Kc1! Rd3! Still proving to be a
tricky customer! Black can no longer get anywhere with 10...Rc4+ 11.Nxc4!, and there is no
stalemate...
11.Bg8! Now it’s the bishop’s turn to move to the edge! Going to the center is no good: 11.Bc4?
Rxd6 12.Nb3+ Ka2 13.Nd4+ Ka3! 14.Nb5+ Kb4 15.Nxd6 Kc5, and a draw.
11...Rxd6 12.Nb3+ Ka2 13.Nd4+.
13...Ka3. The previous defense of 13...Ka1 loses to 14.Nc2#.
14.Nb5+ and white wins. After a sharp beginning we reach a finale where white demonstrates
precise play to navigate around black’s stalemate tricks.
223

Show in Text Mode
No. 71
Tata Steel – 75th anniversary tournament, 2013
1st honorable mention
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White cannot win with 1.Nxb6? h2! 2.Bxb7 h1=Q 3.Kc2+ Ka2 4.Bxd5+ Qxd5 5.Nxd5 Rxd6
6.Nc3+ Ka1! 7.Ne4+ Rxf6
or 1.Bxb7? Bd4+! 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+ and so on.
1.Kc2+! Bd4! Black gets nowhere with 1...Ka2 2.Bxb7! Bf2 (2...Ra5 3.Nxb6 Rc5+ 4.Kd3 h2
5.Nxd5! h1=Q 6.Nb4+ Kb3 7.Bxh1) 3.Bxd5+ Ka3 4.Ne5! Rxd6 5.Be7 Bc5 6.Nc4+ Kb4 7.Nxd6,
and the end.
2.Bxd4+ Ka2.
224

3.Nb6! Protecting the white pawn!
3...h2! Black loses after 3...Rxb6 4.Bxb6 h2 5.d7 h1=Q 6.d8=Q Qe4+ 7.Kd2 Qb4+ 8.Ke2 Qe4+
9.Kf2 Qf4+ 10.Kg2 Qe4+ 11.Kg3 Qe5+ 12.Kg4, and the checks soon end.
4.Be6!!
That’s the point!
It’s a mistake to grab the pawn: 4.Bxb7? h1=Q 5.Bxd5+ Qxd5 6.Nxd5 Rxd6 7.Nb4+ (7.Nc3+
Ka1! 8.Nb5+ Rxd4) 7...Ka3 8.Bc5 Rd7! 9.Nd5+ Ka2 10.Nc3+ Ka1 11.Ba3 Rb7 (or 11...Rd2+), and
black has got out of jail.
4...h1=Q 5.Bxd5+ Qxd5 6.Nxd5 Rxd6 7.Nb4+! Ka3.
225

8.Bc5! Rd7. Or 8...Rh6 9.Nd3+! Ka2 10.Nc1+ Ka1 11.Bd4#.
9.Nd5+! Ka2 10.Nc3+ Ka1 11.Ba3!
White’s key idea: black’s b7 pawn is on white’s side!
11...Rh7 12.Bb2#.
No. 72
Russian team championship, 2013
1st place
226

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The white king is in danger. For example, after 1.Qxc7? Rxc7 2.a8=Q g2+ 3.Kg1 Rc1! he can
throw in the towel.
1.Qg5! Qf4! Without this sacrifice white wins easily: 1...Qh7 2.Nxf3 Bf2 3.Ng1+ or 1...Qc5
2.Qh6+ Kg4 3.Re4#.
2.a8=Q! Taking the queen straight away leads to a draw: 2.Qxf4? g2+ 3.Kg1 Bf2+! 4.Kxf2 g1=Q+
5.Kxg1 a1=Q+ 6.Kf2 Rc2+ 7.Ne2 (7.Re2 Rxe2+ 8.Nxe2 Qxa7+ 9.Nd4 Qa2+) 7...Qf1+ 8.Kxf1.
227

8...Rc1+! 9.Kf2 (9.Nxc1, stalemate) 9...Rf1+! 10.Kxf1, stalemate. This is a thematically false trail!
Nor can white win with 2.Qh5+? Qh4 3.Qxh4+ Kxh4 4.Nxf3+ Kh3 5.Rxe1 (5.Ra3 Bf2) 5...g2+
6.Kg1 Ra8 7.Ng5+ Kg4 and a draw.
2...Rxa8. A weaker continuation would be 2...Qxg5 3.Qxc8+ Qg4 4.Qh8+! Qh4 5.Qxh4+ Kxh4
6.Nxf3+, and the end.
3.Qxf4 g2+ 4.Kg1 Bf2+ 5.Kxf2 g1=Q+ 6.Kxg1 a1=Q+ 7.Kf2 Ra2+ 8.Ne2! Qg1+! Black cannot
save the day with 8...Qf1+ 9.Kxf1 Ra1+ 10.Nc1 Rxc1+ 11.Re1 Rxe1+ 12.Kxe1 or 8...Rxe2+ 9.Rxe2
fxe2 (9...Qa7+ 10.Qe3) 10.Qg3#.
9.Kxg1 Ra1+.
228

10.Nc1!! The point of white’s anti-stalemate combination!
10...Rxc1+ 11.Re1! The festival of reciprocal generosity continues! It’s stalemate after 11.Kf2?
Rf1+! 12.Kxf1.
11...Rxe1+ 12.Kf2 Re2+!
13.Kf1! But not 13.Kxf3? Rf2+! 14.Kxf2, and black’s stalemate strategy has paid off.
13...Rf2+ 14.Kg1. White only marks time with 14.Ke1? (14.Kxf2?, stalemate) 14...Re2+, after
which he needs to return to the true path with 15.Kf1 (15.Kd1 Kg2!) 15...Rf2+ and so on.
14...Rg2+ 15.Kh1, and the king hides in the corner. White wins.
No. 73
Nadareishvili Memorial, 2013
1st prize
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
White cannot prevent black from queening one of his pawns. But he can welcome the new queen in
the appropriate fashion!..
1.Ng3+! Kd2. Before starting the main battle black tests white’s defensive abilities.
229

2.Rd8+! It’s a disaster after 2.Ne4+? Kd3 3.Nf2+ Kd4 4.Rd8+ Ke3, and white can resign.
2...Kc2 3.Rc8+ Kb2 4.Rb8+ Kc3. The a-file is closed to the black king: 4...Ka3 5.Ra8+ Kb2
6.Kxg2, and a draw.
5.Rc8+! Not 5.Ne2+? Kd2 6.Rb2+ Rc2 7.Rxa2 Rxa2, and the end.
5...Kb2! If 5...Kd2 the white knight saves the day: 6.Ne4+ Kd1 7.Nf2+ Kd2 8.Ne4+ and so on.
6.Rb8+ Kc2. Having not found a way through on the queenside the black king heads back.
7.Rc8+ Kd1! 8.Rd8+ Ke1 9.Re8+ Kf2 10.Rf8+ Ke3 11.Re8+ Kf3 12.Rf8+ Ke3 13.Re8+.
230

13...Kf4! The only way for black to hide from this annoying rook. Heading to the center is no good:
13...Kd4 14.Ne2+ Kd5 15.Ra8 a1=Q 16.Rxa1 Rxa1 17.Kxg2, and a draw.
14.Ne2+ Kf3! (14...Kf5 15.Ra8) 15.Nd4+ Kf4 16.Ne2+! Kf3 17.Nd4+ Kf2.
18.Re2+! Now white cannot check black from the back rank: 18.Rf8+? Ke3! 19.Nf5+ Ke4
20.Ng3+ Kd5, and black wins.
18...Kf1 19.Rxa2 g1=Q 20.Nf3! The key position that white was aiming for! It transpires that
white’s knight and rook can hold the fort against black’s powerful forces. White meets 20...Qg8 with
a draw by repetition 21.Nh2+ Ke1 22.Nf3+ Kf1 (22...Kd1 23.Rd2#) 23.Nh2+ Kg1 24.Nf3+. If
20...Rc3, then 21.Ra1+ winning the queen. The check 20...Qh1+ is harmless due to 21.Kg3
231

threatening 22.Rf2#.
20...Qe3! (Black’s only chance to confuse his opponent) 21.Kg3! Rc8 22.Ra1+ Rc1 23.Ra2 Re1!
Having again verified white’s ability to play accurately black heads back to the main battle...
24.Rb2!!
A subtle waiting move! Not 24.Rc2? Re2!, and the white rook cannot check on the first rank. Or
24.Rd2? Ra1! 25.Rh2 Qa7, and white’s days are numbered.
The more cunning 24.Rh2? is met by 24...Rb1!! (mutual zugzwang) 25.Rd2! Ra1! and so on.
24...Rd1 25.Ra2! Rb1! It’s only a draw by repetition after 25...Qb6 26.Nh2+ Kg1 27.Nf3+ Kf1
28.Nh2+ and so on.
232

26.Rh2!! Mutual zugzwang works in white’s favor!
After 26...Qb6 white has the fork 27.Nd2+ Ke1 28.Nxb1 Qb8+ 29.Kh3!, and black cannot win.
26...Ra1 27.Rd2! Rb1 28.Rh2! And a draw.
What a spectacular finale!
233

Russian study composers and solvers at a chess composition congress. Left to right: Sergey
Rumyantsev, Boris Gusev and Oleg Pervakov. Pula, 1997
No. 74
Hlinka’s birthday tournament, 2014
1st–2nd prize
234

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Promoting the d-pawn to a queen doesn’t work: 1.d8=Q? f1=Q+ 2.Kg4 (2.Ke4 Qf4#) 2...Qf4+
3.Kh3 Bf1#.
Instead, white has to temper his appetite: 1.d8=N+! Kg7! White isn’t troubled by 1...Ke7 due to
2.Re5+ Kd6 3.h8=Q f1=Q+ 4.Kg6 Nc6 5.Rf5! Ne7+ 6.Kh7 Nxf5 7.Qf6+ Kc5 8.Bxf5 and a draw.
2.Rc7+ Kh8 3.Nf7+! But not 3.Rxc4? f1=Q+ 4.Kg6 Qxc4 5.Nf7+ Qxf7+ 6.Kxf7 Kxh7, and black
wins.
3...Kxh7 (3...Bxf7 4.Rxc1 Bc4 5.Kg6)
235

4.Kf6! White cannot hold on if he continues with tempo play: 4.Ne5+? Kg8 5.Be6+ Bxe6+ 6.Kxe6
f1=Q 7.Rc8+ Qf8 8.Rxf8+ Kxf8 9.Kf6 Bb2!, and the end.
4...Nd7+! The craftiest move! White has nothing to fear from 4...Bb2+ 5.Ne5+ Kg8 6.Bh3 Bxe5+
7.Kxe5 f1=Q 8.Bxf1 Bxf1 9.Rc8+ or 4...f1=Q+ 5.Bf5+ Qxf5+ 6.Kxf5 Bxf7 7.Rxf7+ Kg8 8.Rc7, and
the rook each time restores material equality.
5.Bxd7 Bb2+ 6.Ne5 f1=Q+. Black gets nowhere with 6...Bxe5+ 7.Kxe5 f1=Q 8.Bh3+!, and the
queen perishes.
Despite white’s material deficit and his minor pieces’ paralysis he saves the game: 7.Bf5+ Kh8!
8.Rh7+ Kg8 9.Rg7+ Kf8 10.Rf7+! Ke8 11.Re7+ Kd8 12.Rd7+ Ke8. Heading to the queenside is no
236

better: 12...Kc8 13.Rd1+ Kc7 14.Rxf1 Bxf1 15.Kg6, and a draw. 13.Re7+ Kf8 14.Rf7+! and a draw
or stalemate with two pieces pinned after 14...Bxf7.
Great teamwork by the white army!
No. 75
Dobrescu’s birthday tournament, 2014
2nd prize
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
237

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
At first glance, the clumsy position of white’s pieces and his two-pawn deficit suggest that he may
as well give up and go home. However...
1.Bf5! (1.Kxd5? Nxh7;
1.Bg8? d4)
1.Bf5! d4! 2.Nxh5+ Kh6 3.Bd2! Kxh5. White also survives after 3...e3 4.Bxd3 exd2 5.Be2 Nxh3
6.Nf6 d3 7.Bf3 Ng5 8.Bd1 Bb6 9.Ne4, and black cannot make progress.
Now, however, black has an even greater material advantage. Is white not trying to lose?
4.Bg4+! Kg6. Black can even lose if he wants: 4...Kh4?? 5.Be1+ Bf2 6.Bxf2#.
5.Bf5+ Kh5. It’s too early to allow his knight to be pinned: 5...Kh6 6.h4 Be3 7.hxg5+ Bxg5
8.Bxe4, and black cannot win.
6.Bg4+ Kh6! 7.h4! The knight will die, but how can white cope with black’s pawns?
7...Be3 8.hxg5+. White is not tempted by the bishops ending: 8.Bxe3? dxe3 9.hxg5+ Kxg5 10.Bd1
Bb1 11.Be2 Bc2! 12.Kd4 Kf4, and black wins.
8...Kxg5 9.Be2!! The point of white’s plan!
238

A pretty box-shaped position! It transpires, that white’s bishops feel fine here! Now there are two
continuations.
1) 9...Bxe2 10.Bxe3+ dxe3 11.Kxe4;
2) 9...Bxd2 10.Bxd3 exd3 11.Kxd4, each time destroying black’s pawns. A draw.
No. 76
Sochnev’s 55th birthday tournament, 2014
2nd prize
239

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s king is in a nasty spot and just saving the game would appear to be a good outcome.
For example, after 1.N6e5? Kc7+ 2.Ka7 Qxd1! 3.Qxd1 white gets mated: 3...Bc5+ 4.Ka6 Ra8#.
1.Ka7? Qb3
However, the black king is vulnerable too!
1.Rxd7! Kxd7+. Black cannot save the day with 1...Qxe4 2.N4e5 Bd6 3.Qa1 Bxe5 4.Nxe5 Qxe5
5.Rb7!, and white wins.
2.Kb7! Rb8+! Black won’t survive for long without a sac. For example: 2...Qxe4 3.N4e5+ Kd6
4.Nc4+ Kd5 5.Nf4+ Kd4 6.Ne6+ Kd5 (6...Kd3 7.Qb1+) 7.Nd2 Rb8+ 8.Kxb8 Bd6+ 9.Nc7+ Bxc7+
10.Kxc7 and so on.
3.Kxb8 Bd6+.
4.Ka8! Back to his starting position! After 4.Ka7? (4.Kb7? Qb3+) 4...Qxe4 5.Qc4 Qxf5! 6.N4e5+
Bxe5 7.Qg4? (the correct move is 7.Qxc6+) 7...e6! 8.Qxf5 Bd4+ the black bishop just manages to
avoid being taken.
4...Qxe4! There is no time to eat white’s knight: 4...Qxg4 5.Qc4 Kc7 6.Qb3! Qxe4 7.Qb8+ Kd7
8.Nf8#! Now it’s time for the white queen to take center stage!
240

5.Qc4!! The queen’s first silent sacrifice! Not the immediate 5.N4e5+? Bxe5 6.Qc4 Bd4!, and
white’s attack has run out of steam.
5...Qxf5. Black gets nowhere with 5...Qxc4 6.N6e5+ Kc7 7.Nxc4 Bxg3 8.Nxh6 and so on.
6.N4e5+! Checking with the other knight misses the win: 6.N6e5+? Bxe5 7.Qd3+ Ke6!, and the
worst for black is behind him. Not 6.Qd4? c5! 7.N4e5+ Kc7 8.Qg4 Qxg4 9.Nxg4 Bxg3 10.Nxh6
Kc6, and white doesn’t have the forces to keep his pawn. For example: 11.Nf5 Bf2 12.Nf4 e5
13.Nd3 Bd4 14.b3 Kd5, and a draw.
6...Bxe5. Technically, black has a material advantage, but...
7.Qg4! The second silent sacrifice!
241

7...Ke6! 8.Nf8+! Via a series of checks white improves the position of his knight.
8...Kf6 9.Nd7+ Ke6 10.Nc5+ Kf6 11.Ne4+ Ke6.
12.Qg8+! The beginning of the final storm!
12...Kd7. Black cannot save the day with 12...Qf7 13.Nc5+ Kf6 14.Nd7+ Ke6 15.Qxf7+ Kxf7
16.Nxe5+ Kf6 17.Nxc6, and the end.
13.Nc5+ Kd6 (13...Kc7 14.Qb8#) 14.b4! Throwing his reserves into battle!
14...Bd4. White also wins after 14...Bxg3 15.Qxg3+ Kd5 16.Kb7 h5 17.Qb3+ Kd4 18.Ne6+ Ke5
19.Qe3+ Kd6 20.Nc7 e6 21.Qd4+ Ke7 22.Kxc6 and so on.
Has white’s attack petered out? Suddenly: 15.g4!, and it transpires that the black queen cannot
move!
242

15...Qf6 is met by 16.Ne4+. Giving up control over e5 is fatal: 15...Qb1(f1) 16.Qe6+ Kc7
17.Qd7+ Kb6 18.Qb7#; 15...Qe5 16.Qd8# or 15...Qd5 16.Qb8#.
A pretty picture of final domination: the black king escaped execution only for his queen to be
trapped!
243

Are you sitting comfortably? Chess composer Nikolai Kralin and Oleg Pervakov with a statue of the
great writer Mikhail Bulgakov. Kiev, 2008
No. 77
J. Rodriguez Ibran’s 80th birthday tournament, 2015
2nd prize
244

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White needs to use his knight to mate the black king. However, he mustn’t act in haste: 1.Nc5?
Qf1! 2.a4 (or 2.a7 Rb3+! 3.Kxc6 (3.axb3 Qb5#) 3...Qg2+ 4.Kd6 Rb6+ 5.Ke7 Qg5+ and perpetual
check) 2...Rb3+! 3.Nxb3 Qc4! 4.Nd4 Qc5+! 5.Kxc5, stalemate.
White even loses after the logical 1.a7? Rxb3+ 2.axb3 Qxb3+ 3.Kxc6 Qe6+ 4.Bd6 Qxe8+ 5.Kb6
Qe4, and the end.
The knight needs to enter the battle with a tempo!
1.Bd7+! Kxd7! Black loses easily with the other captures: 1...Rxd7 2.a7 Qe3+ 3.Nc5 or 1...Qxd7
2.a7 Rxb3+ 3.axb3 and so on.
2.Nc5+ Kc8. Black has to retreat. If 2...Ke7, then 3.a7 Qc8 4.Nxd3, and white gradually kills his
opponent.
245

3.Bc3!! That’s the point! It’s too early for 3.a7? (3.b3? Qf1! 4.a7 Rxb3+ 5.axb3 Qb5#) 3...Ra3!
4.bxa3 Qxa3 5.Na6 Qe3+! 6.Nc5 Qa3 7.a8=Q+! Qxa8 8.a4. Is black’s queen caught?
8...Qa5+! It transpires that the rumors of the black queen’s death are exaggerated...
And white has to agree to stalemate after 9.Kxa5. The alternative to stalemate is worse: 9.Kxc6
Qd2 10.Bd6 Qg5 11.a5 Qg2+ 12.Kb6 Qd5, and only white risks losing.
3...Rxc3. After 3...Qg3 4.a7 Qxc7+ 5.Ka6 black is dead in the water.
4.a7 Ra3! 5.bxa3 Qxa3 (5...Qb3+ 6.Nxb3!) 6.a8=Q+! Qxa8. We now see the same pieces left on
the board that were left in the false trail, with the exception of the white bishop that was previously on
e5. This material reduction is to white’s advantage – black no longer has the stalemate trick available!
246

7.a4! Domination.
Now the queen is tied up. White wins.
No. 78
Belokon Memorial, 2015
2nd prize
(together with M. Gromov)
247

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White starts harassing the enemy king.
1.Qa1+! Not 1.Qe7+? Ka2, and the black king is out of danger.
1.Qa1+! Ra2 2.Qc1+ Ka4.
White has a huge array of attacking possibilities at his disposal. It’s tempting to go for 3.Qb1? but
black replies 3...Ra3+ 4.Kxc4 Rb8! 5.Rb6 (or 5.Qc2+ Rbb3 6.a6 Qb8 7.a7 Qb5+ 8.Kd4 Kb4, and a
draw) 5...Qa6+! 6.Rxa6 Rxb1 and a draw.
Nor can he win with the tempo attack 3.Qd1+? Kxa5 4.d4 c5! (but not 4...Ra3+? 5.Kxc4 Ra4+
6.Qxa4+! Kxa4 7.Rf2!, and white wins) 5.Kxc4 Rb8 6.Ra6+ Qxa6+ 7.Rxa6+ Kxa6 8.dxc5 Rbb2, and
black has nothing to worry about.
The correct continuation is 3.Kxc4! Rd8! (3...Rb8 4.Qd1+; 3...c5 4.Qb1!) 4.Qd1+ Kxa5.
248

With which rook should he check black? Not the thematically false 5.Rh5+? c5 6.Rxc5+ Qxc5+!
7.Kxc5 Rdxd2 8.Rf2! Rxf2 (8...Rxd1? 9.Rxa2#) 9.Qd8+ Ka4 10.Qd4+ Kb3 11.Qe3+.
11...Ka4!, and the queen cannot win either rook, so it’s a draw.
5.Rf5+!! c5 6.Rxc5+ Qxc5+ 7.Kxc5 Rdxd2.
249

A pretty position where the black rook pair challenge white’s larger army! Black is threatening not
only to capture white’s queen, but also 8...Rac2+.
8.Rh2! A cross pin!
8...Rxh2 (8...Rxd1 9.Rxa2#) 9.Qd8+ Ka4 10.Qa8+ Kb3 11.Qb8+! Kc3 12.Qg3+, and the rook on
h2 perishes. White wins.
No. 79
FIDE World Cup, 2015
3rd prize
250

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
It’s too early for 1.Rg3? Be1! 2.f7 Nf6, and white needs to force a draw with 3.Rg7+ (the simplest
continuation) 3...Kh8 4.Rg8+ Kh7 5.Rg7+ and so on.
Advancing the pawn is even worse: 1.f7? Ng7! 2.Bh2 Bb4+ and mate to follow.
1.Kf7! Bxf6. Taking with the knight 1...Nxf6 makes it much easier for white: 2.Rg3 Kh6 (2...g1=N
3.Rxg1 Kh6 4.Bf4+ Kh5 5.Rg5+ Kh4 6.Kg6) 3.Bf4+ Kh5 4.Rxh3+ Kg4 5.Rg3+ Kh4 6.Rxg2, and
white wins.
251

2.Rg3! Now’s the right time! He misses the win after 2.Rg6? Bg7! 3.Bh2 Bh6! 4.Bg1 (4.Rg3 Nd6+
5.Kf6 Nc4) 4...Ng7 5.Rg3 h2! 6.Bxh2 Nf5 7.Rxg2 Bxe3 8.Be5 Kh6 and so on.
2...Kh6! Whereas after 2...Bh4 white can revisit his earlier plan: 3.Rg6! Bf6 4.Bh2 Bc3 5.Rg4 Kh6
6.Kxe8 with a win.
3.Rxh3+ Bh4! 4.Rxh4+. White ruins his effort with the languid 4.Bh2? Kg5 5.Kxe8 Bf2!
(5...Kg4? 6.Rxh4+!) 6.Ke7 Kg4 7.Rh8 Kf3 8.Rg8 Bxe3, and a draw.
4...Kg5.
Ideal play has led to this position, and each player now has the chance to outwit their opponent...
5.Rh8!! That’s the point! Not the thematically false 5.Rh3? Nd6+! (but not 5...g1=Q? 6.Rg3+ Qxg3
252

7.Bxg3 Nf6 8.Bh4+! Kxh4 9.Kxf6 Kg4 10.Ke5 Kf3 11.Kd4, and white wins) 6.Bxd6 g1=Q 7.Rg3+.
Is black losing here?
7...Kf5! 8.Bf4 (8.Rxg1, stalemate) 8...Qg2! 9.Ke7 (9.Rxg2, stalemate) 9...Qg1! 10.Rg5+ Qxg5+
11.Bxg5 Kxg5 12.Ke6 Kg6! 13.Ke5 Kf7 14.Kxe4 Ke6 with a drawn pawn ending.
5...g1=Q 6.Bf4+! But not 6.Rg8+? Ng7! 7.Rxg7+ Kf5 8.Rxg1, stalemate.
6...Kg4! (6...Kf5 7.Rh5+ Kg4 8.Rg5+) 7.Rg8+ Ng7! 8.Rxg7+ Kf5!
What has white achieved here? After 9.Rg3? (9.Rxg1?, stalemate) 9...Qg2! 10.Ke7 Qg1! we end up
with a position from the false trail where black saves the half-point.
Suddenly: 9.Bh6!! Qa1 10.Rg5#.
No. 80
64 – Chess Review, 2015
(together with L. Aronian and K. Sumbatyan)
253

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s bishop and pawn are under attack. Defending both weaknesses in one go is impossible.
However, white has reserves to support the victory!
1.Bf4! Not 1.Be5? Bxf3 2.Nc7+ Ka7 3.Nb5+ Ka8 4.Kb6 Bh6!, and black is saved.
1.Bf4! Bxf3. White easily converts his extra piece into a win after 1...Bc5 2.Nc7+ Ka7 3.Bd5 and
so on.
2.Nc7+! He mustn’t press the king immediately: 2.Kb6? Bd6! 3.Bxd6 Bxd5 4.Bxd5, and stalemate.
Nor can white win with 2.Nb6+? Ka7 3.Be3 Bg7!, and black’s bishops are out of danger. 2...Ka7
3.Nb5+ Ka8 4.Kb6! Domination! It transpires that black’s dark-squared bishop will die. Now there
are two continuations.
1) 4...Be7! 5.Nc7+ Kb8 6.Nd5+. The discovered attack is now executed!
6...Ka8! 7.Nxe7. White is two pieces ahead, but la lucha continua!
254

7...Bd5! Angling for stalemate!
8.Bb1! But not the immediate 8.Bb8? Bxa2 9.Kc7 Be6!, and white cannot win.
8...Be4. And a draw?
9.Bb8!! That’s the point!
9...Bxb1 10.Kc7! Be4 11.Nc8 Bd5 12.Nb6#.
2) 4...Bg7! 5.Nc7+ Kb8 6.Ne6(e8)+ 6...Ka8! 7.Nxg7.
255

7...Bd5! Again aiming for stalemate!
8.Bb1! Again, it’s too early for 8.Bb8? Bxa2 9.Ba7 Bf7! and a draw.
8...Be4 9.Bb8!! Bxb1 10.Ba7! Ba2. Or 10...Bg6 11.Ne6.
11.Ne8 Bd5 12.Nc7# with an echo mate!
256

Show in Text Mode
No. 81
Russian team championship, 2016
1st–2nd place
(together with E. Kopylov)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The concentration of black’s forces on the kingside enables white to launch pressing that will
deliver victory...
1.Ne7+ Kf8! Black loses quickly after 1...Kf7 2.Qd5+ Ke8 (2...Kxf6 3.Ng8+ Kg6 4.Qe6#) 3.Kc7
(the simplest continuation) 3...gxf6 4.Nf5 Qe2 5.Qg8+ Bf8 6.Nd6+ Ke7 7.Qxh7+ Ke6 8.Qf5+ and
mate next move.
2.Ng6+! Kf7! He cannot take the knight straight away: 2...hxg6 3.Qd8+ Kf7 4.Qe7+ Kg8 5.f7+ or
2...Bxg6 3.Qd8+ Kf7 4.Qe7+ Kg8 5.f7+ Bxf7 6.Qd8+ Be8 7.Qxe8#.
3.Qd5+! Not 3.Qd7+? (3.Ne5+? Ke6) 3...Kxg6 4.f7 Qb1+ 5.Kc7 Qxc2+ 6.Kd8 Bg4!! 7.fxg4 Qf2
8.Qe6+ Qf6+ 9.Kd7 Qxe6+ 10.Kxe6, stalemate.
257

3...Kxg6 (3...Kxf6 4.Qe5+ Kxg6 5.Qe6#) 4.f7 Qb1+. Black gets nowhere with 4...Bxf3 5.f8=Q
Qb1+ 6.Qb3, and the end.
White’s king needs to move to the c-file, but to which square? Not the thematically false 5.Kc8?
Bxf3 6.gxf3 Qb4 7.Qe6+ Kh5 8.Qg4+ Qxg4+ 9.fxg4+ Kg6 10.f8=N+ Kf7 11.Nxh7 Kg8 12.c4
Kxh7 13.c5 g6 14.c6 Bg7 15.c7 Be5, and the pawn is stopped.
White gets nowhere with a different promotion: 10.f8=B Kf7 11.c4?! (white could draw with
11.Bd6) 11...Kxf8 12.c5 g6 13.c6 Bg7 14.c7 Be5, and the pawn is again stopped.
The correct continuation is 5.Kc7!! Bxf3 6.gxf3. Black is fine despite the unusual material balance
after 6.Qe6+ Kh5 7.f8=Q Qxc2+ 8.Kd8 Qxg2, and a drawn position.
6...Qb4 (6...Qxc2+ 7.Kd8) 7.Qe6+ Kh5 8.Qg4+ Qxg4 9.fxg4+ Kg6! Hoping for stalemate after
10.f8=Q.
258

10.f8=N+!! There is a second thematically false trail: 10.f8=B? Kf7 11.c4 Kxf8 12.c5 g6 13.c6
Bg7 14.Kd6 Ke8 15.c7 Be5+ 16.Kxe5 Kd7, and the king gets to the pawn in time.
10...Kf7 11.Nxh7! It’s much worse if the knight heads for the center: 11.Nd7? g6 12.c4 Bg7 13.c5
Bc3 14.c6 Bb4 and a draw.
11...Kg8 12.c4 Kxh7 13.c5 g6 14.c6 Bg7 (14...Bf8 15.Kd7) 15.Kd6, and the pawn cannot be
stopped. White wins.
No. 82
Chess Informant Jubilee Tournament – 50 years, 2016
3rd prize
(together with M. Minski)
259

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
This is a treat for studies fans who like their problems to resemble positions from real games – this
composition resembles a real slugfest! 1.Rf2+ Kg8 2.Qg6!! A queen sac! The threat is 3.Qf7+. The
attack runs out of steam after the impulsive 2.Bxc4+? Kh8 3.Qg6?! Rxd6!, and black grabs the
initiative.
260

2...Rb8! Black gets mated if he captures the queen 2...hxg6 3.Bxc4+ Kh7 4.Rh2+ Qh4 5.Rxh4#. He
also gets mated after 2...Kh8 3.Rh2 h6 4.Rxh6+! gxh6 5.Qxh6+ Kg8 6.Bxc4#. While after 2...Rb7
3.Qe4! Rb4 4.Qd5+ Kh8 5.Qxa5! Rb8 6.Qxa4, white’s material advantage is enough for him to win
the game.
3.Bxc4+ Kh8 4.Bd3! The threat is 5.Qxh7#. But not 4.Rh2? Qb6+! 5.Kf1 Rf8+ 6.Bf7 Bb5+ 7.d3
Bxd3+! 8.Qxd3 Rxf7+, and black wins.
4...Qh4!! A reciprocal queen sacrifice! Black gets mated after 4...hxg6 5.Rh2+ Kg8 6.Bc4+ Kf8
7.Rh8#.
5.Qf5! A weaker continuation would be 5.Qf7? Qxg3+ 6.Rg2 Qe1+ 7.Bf1 g6 8.Qf6+ Kg8 9.Kh2
Qe4!, and white’s attack is again dispelled.
5...Qxg3+ 6.Kf1.
261

6...Qxd3+! Another black queen sacrifice!
It appears that white’s position is falling apart at the seams and he needs to think about saving the
game...
7.Qxd3 Bb5 8.Qxb5! axb5.
9.d4!! This tactic has been long prepared! White wins beautifully, taking advantage of black’s weak
eighth rank.
9...exd4 10.Rc2! But not the immediate 10.d7? d3!, and black wins.
262

10...Rf8+. Or 10...d3 11.Rc7 Rf8+ 12.Ke1 Rd8 13.d7 Kg8 14.Rc8+.
11.Ke1! Kg8. Or 11...Rd8 12.d7! Rxd7 13.Rc8+ Rd8 14.Rxd8#.
12.d7 Rd8 13.Rc8. White wins.
Had this occurred in a real game the players’ names would be remembered forever!
263

With chess composer David Gurgenidze of Georgia. Pula, 1997
No. 83
A. Selivanov’s 50th birthday tournament, 2017
1st prize
264

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Black’s pawn is worth a whole piece. So how is white supposed to draw here?
1.Nf3! h1=Q 2.Nd2+ Kg1 3.Bxh1. White is advised not to check further here: 3.Nf3+? Qxf3+
4.Bxf3 Bxf5 5.Kf4 Bc2 6.Bb7 Ng6+ 7.Kg5 Ne7, and black wins.
3...Kxh1. Expecting to win with his material advantage...
265

4.Kf4!! Not the thematically false 4.Ne4? Nd5+ (4...Bxf5 5.Ng3+) 5.Kd4 Nxc7 6.Ke5 Ne8!! (but
not 6...Nf7+ 7.Kf6 Nd8 8.Kg7 or 6...Bg8 7.Kf6 Ba2 8.Nd6 Kg2 9.Kg7, with a draw each time)
7.Ke6 Ng7+ 8.Kf6 Nxf5 9.Ng5 Bg6 10.Ne6 Nd6! 11.Kg7 Ndf7, and black wins.
4...Nd5+. White still draws after 4...Bg8 5.Ke5 Ba2 6.Kd6 Nf7+ 7.Kc6 Nc8 8.Kd7 Nb6+ 9.Kc6.
5.Ke5! (5.Kg5 Nf7+) 5...Nxc7 6.Kf6 Ne8+ 7.Ke7 Ng7 8.Kf6! Throwing the pawn into the attack
doesn’t work: 8.f6? Nf5+ 9.Ke6 Bg6 10.f7 Nxf7 11.Kf6 Nh8!, and the end. 8...Nh5+ 9.Kg5 Ng3
10.Kf6! The threat is 11.Kg7 and so on.
10...Nxf5. Capturing with the bishop 10...Bxf5 is met with 11.Nf1! and a draw.
11.Nf3!! It’s mutual zugzwang on the board!
266

11...Bg6 12.Ne5 Bh7 13.Nf3 Kg2 (otherwise it’s a draw by repetition) 14.Ng5! Bg6 15.Ne6!
Nd6. Or 15...Kf3 16.Nf8, and a draw.
This is similar to the position in the false trail with one crucial difference – the black king has been
lured out of his corner...
16.Nf4+! capturing the bishop. A draw.
No. 84
Manvelyan Memorial – 70 years, 2017
2nd–3rd prize
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
267

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The white king needs to stop black’s c3 pawn. Surely the obvious move is 1.Ke3? However, that is
a thematically false trail: 1...exd5 2.d4! cxd4+ 3.Kd3 Kc7!! 4.b4 Kxc6! Mutual zugzwang!
5.Kc2 d3+! 6.Kxc3 d4+ 7.Kxd3 Kd5 8.e6 Kxe6 9.Kxd4 Kd6, and a draw.
The correct continuation is 1.c7!! Kb7! A weaker continuation would be 1...Kxc7 2.d6+ Kc6
268

3.Ke3, and black can resign. White has nothing to fear from a reciprocal pawn advance: 1...c2
2.c8=Q c1=Q+ 3.Kg4 Qg1+ 4.Kh5! Qh1+ 5.Kg6 Qxd5 6.Qb8+ Ka5 7.Qd6 Qf3 8.Qxc5+ Ka6 9.b4
Qxd3+ 10.Kf6, and black is doomed.
2.Ke3! It would be a blunder to continue with sacrifices: 2.c8=Q+? Kxc8 3.Ke3 exd5 4.d4 cxd4+
5.Ke2 Kd7! 6.b4 Ke6 7.b5 Kxe5 8.b6 Kd6, and now black wins
2...exd5 3.d4! cxd4+.
4.Ke2!! Whereas after 4.Kd3?! Kxc7 5.b4 Kc6! it’s a similar zugzwang, but with white to move.
4...Kxc7. A reciprocal dummy to lose a tempo doesn’t work: 4...Kc8 5.b4 Kxc7 6.b5, and white’s
pawns tear black’s king in two.
5.b4! Kc6 6.Kd3!, and zugzwang is now in white’s favor!
269

6...Kb5 (6...Kd7 7.b5) 7.e6 Kc6 8.b5+! Kd6 9.b6, and one of white’s pawns queens. White wins.
No. 85
64 – Chess Review, 2017
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
White to play and win
270

Show/Hide Solution
If white advances his b-pawn then the black queen can perpetually check the white king: 1.b7?
Qf5+! 2.Ke7 Qe5+ 3.Kd7 Qf5+ 4.Kc7 Qe5+, and a draw.
1.Qf3! Qe1! The most stubborn continuation!
Other lose quickly: 1...Qxh7 2.g6! Qg8+ 3.Ke7 or 1...b2 2.b7 Qg6+!? 3.Kxg6 b1=Q+ 4.Qf5!
Qb6+ 5.Kh5 Qxb7 6.Qf8+ Kxh7 7.g6#.
2.Qf6!! Continuing the attack, even at the cost of white’s most important piece!
After 2.Qf5(f4) 2...Qf2! the white queen is defenseless.
Again, it’s too early for 2.b7? Qe5 3.Qe2!? (3.Kg6 Qd6+! 4.Kh5 Kxh7) 3...Qf4+! 4.Kg6 Qd6+
5.Kh5 g6+! 6.Kh4 Kxh7, and a draw.
Nor can white win after capturing the central pawn: 2.Qxd5? Qf1+! 3.Ke7 Kxh7 4.Qe4+ (4.b7
Qf4) 4...g6! 5.b7 Qb5 and a draw.
2...gxf6 (2...Qf2 3.b7) 3.g6! Qe6+! 4.Kxe6 b2! Black’s new queen aims to attack g6!
271

5.Ke7!! A roundabout maneuver! Why not the obvious 5.Kf7? You will see why shortly.
5...Kg7! 6.h8=Q+! White mustn’t mess around with 6.Ke8? b1=Q 7.h8=Q+ Kxg6!!, and white
cannot win.
6...Kxh8 7.Kf8!! b1=Q.
8.Kf7!! This explains the white king’s strange maneuvers – the players have reached mutual
zugzwang! After 8.g7+? Kh7 9.g8=Q+ Kh6 10.Kf7 Kh5! the black king has escaped regicide.
8...Qf5! (8...Qxb6 9.g7+ Kh7 10.g8=Q+ Kh6 11.Qg6#) 9.g7+ Kh7 10.g8=Q+ Kh6.
272

11.Qg7+! It’s still too early for 11.b7? Qd7+ 12.Kxf6 Qd6+ 13.Kf5 Qd7+, and a draw.
11...Kh5 12.b7 Qd7+ 13.Kxf6 Qxg7+ (13...Qd6+ 14.Kf5) 14.Kxg7 c2 15.b8=Q c1=Q.
16.Qh8+ (he just marks time with 16.Qe8+ Kh4 17.Qh8+) 16...Kg4 17.Qh3+ Kg5(f4) 18.Qh6+
and the game is over.
This study was dedicated to Yuri Bazlov.
273

At the award of the Chess Oscar to Vladimir Kramnik. With Alexander Zhukov and Alexander Bakh
(left to right). Moscow, 2007
No. 86
Russian Chess Federation website, 2017
(together with K. Sumbatyan)
274

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White wants to send his king to attack black’s pawns – 1.Kb3? e2 2.c4. However, after the precise
reply 2...a6! 3.a4 e1=Q 4.b5+ Kc5! 5.Bxe1 dxc4+ black draws.
So white needs to use his bishop to stop the pawn charge – 1.Bd8! d4! 2.cxd4.
It’s still too early for 2.Kb3? due to 2...d3! 3.Bh4 (or 3.Bg5 e2 4.Bd2 Kd5 5.c4+ Kd4! 6.c5 e4 7.c6
e3 8.Bc3+ Ke4 9.c7 d2 10.c8=Q d1=Q+, and a draw) 3...Kd5 4.c4+ Ke4! 5.Kc3 d2 6.Kc2 Kf3!
7.Kd1 Ke4! 8.Kc2 (8.Ke2 Kd4) 8...Kf3 and a draw by repetition.
2...exd4 3.Kb3 (now it’s time!) 3...d3.
275

4.a4! It’s only a draw after 4.Kc3? d2 5.Kc2 Kb5 6.Be7 a5 7.a3 axb4 8.axb4 Kc4, with white
unable to improve his position.
4...e2.
5.Ba5!! Returning to its starting position! It’s too early to open the diagonal for the bishop: 5.b5+?
Kc5 6.Ba5 a6! 7.Bb4+. Black loses if he sends his king to help the pawns: 7...Kd4? (7...Kb6? 8.Kc4)
8.bxa6 Ke3 9.a7 d2 10.Bxd2+ Kxd2 11.a8=Q e1=Q 12.Qa5+ exchanging the queens.
276

However black has 7...Kd5!! (mutual zugzwang!) 8.b6 a5! 9.Bxa5 Kc6, and black is saved.
5...Kd5! Or 5...a6 6.Kc4 e1=Q 7.b5+ axb5+ 8.axb5+ Kb7 9.Bxe1.
6.b5 a6!
7.Bb4! Black is in zugzwang and is forced to exchange pawns on the queenside...
7...axb5 8.axb5 d2 9.Bxd2 Kc5 10.Ka4. White wins.
This study is dedicated to Yuri Averbakh.
277

No. 87
Y. Afek’s 64th birthday tournament, 2016
2nd prize
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
It’s obvious what plan each side has to follow – black dreams of queening his pawn, while white
strives to stop him. Who will come out on top?
1.Rb1! Be2! But not 1...Bc2 2.Rf1 f2 (2...Kh2 3.Rxf3 Bd1 4.Nh4!) 3.Kf3 Kh2 4.Ne5!, and white
wins.
2.Nh4!! threatening 3.Rh1#. It looks tempting to play 2.Ke4? Kg3 3.Nf4! (3.Kxd4 f2). However,
after 3...Bc3! 4.Rg1+ Kh2 5.Rg4 (5.Rg6 Bd2 6.Rg4 Bxf4 7.Rxf4 Kg3 8.Ke3 Bxd3, and a draw)
5...Bd1 6.d4 Be1 7.Ke3 f2 8.Rg2+ Kh1 9.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2 Bb3, the white pawn will not get
promoted.
2...Be5+! 3.Kxe5 Bxd3! Black has no chance of saving the game if he pushes his pawn with 3...f2
4.Rh1+ Kg4 5.Nf5! Bxd3 6.Ne3+ Kf3 7.Kd4 or after 3...Kxh4 4.Kf4! Kh3 5.Ke3+, and white wins.
278

4.Rd1!! Not the thematically false tempo retreat 4.Rh1+? Kg3! 5.Kd4 Bc2! 6.Ke3 f2 7.Nf3 Be4!!
(but not 7...Bd3? 8.Nd2 Kg2 9.Rh5!! f1=Q 10.Rg5+ Kh3 11.Nxf1 Bxf1 12.Kf3 Kh4 13.Kf4 Kh3
14.Rg3+ Kh2 15.Kf3 Bd3 16.Kf2, and white wins) 8.Kxe4 Kg2 9.Rh2+ Kg3 10.Rh1 Kg2, and a
draw.
White cannot win with 11.Kf4!? hoping for 11...f1=Q?? 12.Rh2#, as black simply draws with
11...Kxh1.
The same is true of 4.Rb3? due to the precise move 4...Bc2! (4...Bc4? 5.Rxf3+ Kxh4 6.Rf4+) 5.Rc3
Kxh4 6.Rxc2 Kg3 and a draw.
4...Be2! The most stubborn resistance. White has an easy day after 4...Bc2 5.Rc1 Kxh4 6.Kf4+ or
279

4...Kxh4 5.Rxd3 f2 6.Rf3+ and so on.
5.Rh1+ Kg4! 6.Nf5! f2 7.Ne3+, preparing to meet 7...Kg3 8.Ra1 Kf3 9.Kd4 Bb5 by sending his
rook to attack black from behind: 10.Rb1 Ba6 11.Rb6 Be2 12.Rf6+, and the end.
So black attacks the knight...
7...Kf3 8.Rh3#!
An ideal mate with two active blockings. Had white blundered with 8.Kd4? black would save the
day with 8...f1=Q! 9.Nxf1 Kg2.
No. 88
Marwitz Memorial – 100 years, 2016
1st prize
(together with M. Gromov)
280

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
What’s the best way to attack the black king? Not 1.Rf2? Rb6+ 2.Kxa8 b2, and there are no tricks
with 3.Rg3? (white draws with 3.Rd3+! Ke1 4.Rdd2 Ra6+ 5.Kb7 b1=Q+ 6.Kxa6) 3...Ke1 4.Rc2 due
to 4...Ra6+! 5.Kb7 b1=Q+ and victory for black.
1.Rb2? Kc1!
White needs to send the rook to the edge of the board: 1.Rh2! Rb6+ 2.Ka7! Rejecting the sacrifice
offered! Black would be overjoyed were white to play 2.Kxa8? b2, and again white cannot play
3.Rg3? (3.Rh1+, and a draw) 3...Ra6+! 4.Kb7 b1=Q+ 5.Kxa6 Qg6+, and the black queen gradually
gets to the rook on g3.
2...b2! (2...Rc6 3.Kxa8) 3.Rg3! Now’s time! The threat is 4.Rg1#.
281

3...Bg2! Forcing the white rook to give up control over b3! After 3...Rb7+ 4.Kxa8 Rb8+ 5.Ka7
Rb7+ 6.Ka6 Rb6+ 7.Ka5 Rb5+ 8.Kxa4 Rb4+ 9.Ka3! the king has escaped.
Black cannot play 3...Re6 4.Rxb2 Bc6 5.Rg1+ Re1 6.Rb1+ as he loses his rook.
4.Rgxg2 Rb7+!
5.Ka6! Before starting the main battle white has to deal with the pawn on a4.
5...Rb6+ 6.Ka5 Rb5+ 7.Kxa4 Rb4+ 8.Ka5! And back! White only marks time with 8.Ka3 Rb3+
9.Ka4 and so on.
8...Rb5+ 9.Ka6 Rb6+ 10.Ka7 Rb7+ 11.Ka8! Rb8+.
282

12.Kxb8! It’s time for the hard-working king to have a meal!
12...b1=Q+ 13.Rb2! Qe4! 14.Rh1+! Qxh1 15.Rb1+ Ke2 16.Rxh1.
The first act in this show has reached its end. Now there are two continuations.
1) 16...Kf3 17.Rf1+! It’s too early to send the king into battle: 17.Kc7? Kg2! 18.h4 Kxh1 19.hxg5
h4 20.g6 h3 21.g7 h2, and a draw.
17...Kg3 (17...Kg2 18.Rf5! Kxh3 19.Rxg5) 18.Rg1+! (18.Rf5? g4) 18...Kxh3 19.Rxg5 h4.
283

20.Kc7! Now the king’s help is most welcome!
20...Kh2 21.Kd6 h3 22.Ke5 Kh1 23.Kf4 h2 24.Kg3! The king has reached the enemy forces in
the nick of time. White wins.
2) 16...Kf2! 17.h4! Kg2! We now have a position from a study by M. Grunfeld dated 1903!
18.Rh3!! Out of the frying pan and into the fire! It’s too early for 18.hxg5? Kxh1 19.g6 h4 20.g7 h3
21.g8=Q h2, and a draw.
18...Kxh3. The pawn charge doesn’t save the day: 18...g4 19.Ra3 g3 20.Ra5! Kh3 21.Rxh5 and the
end.
19.hxg5 h4 20.g6 Kg2 21.g7 h3 22.g8=Q+, and white wins.
284

A subtle two-phase study containing a famous finale!
Adding up the scores at the White Rook chess composition tournament. Dagomys, 2017
No. 89
UAPA, 2015
1st prize
285

White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
Black is two pawns up. Normally that should win. For example, after 1.Nd3? Nb3! 2.Rxa2 Rxd3!
3.Kxd3 Nc1+ 4.Kxe3 Nxa2 5.Kf4 Kg6 white is dead.
Nor can white immediately attempt to reduce the material deficit: 1.Rxa2? Nb3! 2.Ra4 Nc1+ 3.Ke1
Rc2 4.Kd1 Rxb2 5.Kxc1 e2 6.Re4 Ra2 7.e6 fxe6 8.Rxe6 Kg4, and black gradually converts his
material advantage.
1.Nd1! Ne4! White has nothing to fear from 1...Rc2 2.Nxe3 Rb2 (or 2...Ne4+ 3.Nxc2 Nc3+ 4.Kd3
Nxa4 5.Kc4, and a draw) 3.Kd3! Nb3 4.Kc3 Re2 5.Nd5! a1=Q+ 6.Rxa1 Nxa1 7.Nf4+ and so on.
While 1...Rc5 is met by 2.Rxa2 Rxe5 3.Rc2! followed by 4.Nxe3.
2.Rxa2. White loses after 2.Nxe3? Rc1! 3.Rxa2 Nc3+ forking the rook. It’s too early for white to
play his ace: 2.e6?! Ng3+ 3.Ke1 Rc2! 4.Nxe3 Rc1+ 5.Kf2 a1=Q 6.Rxa1 Rxa1 7.Kxg3 fxe6, and the
end.
2...Ng3+ 3.Ke1.
286

3...Rc1! It’s a draw after 3...Rd3 4.e6!! fxe6 5.Ra5+! Kh4! 6.Re5 e2 7.Nf2 Rd6 8.Re3 Ra6 9.Re5
Ra1+ 10.Kd2 Ra6 11.Ke1 Rb6 12.Kd2, and black cannot improve his position.
White can breathe easier now that he has grabbed a pawn back. However, black is threatening 4...e2
and winning the knight.
White gets nowhere with 4.Rh2+? Kg5, and he is out of good moves.
However, not all is lost! 4.e6!! fxe6. There is nothing for white to fear from 4...e2 5.Rxe2 Nxe2
6.exf7, and a draw.
5.Ra5+! Taking advantage of the fact that white’s knight and king cannot move, he sends his rook
on a suicide mission! But not 5.Ra1? Rc2! 6.Nxe3 Re2+, and white loses his knight.
287

5...Kh4! A cunning reply from the king! White counters 5...Kg4 with 6.Ra1! and saves the game,
as black cannot play 6...Rc2?? here due to 7.Nxe3+.
6.Ra4+ Kh3! The black king cannot head to the center: 6...Kg5 7.Rg4+! Kxg4, stalemate.
7.Rh4+! Kg2! 8.Rc4! Now switching his attention to black’s rook! Further harassing the king
doesn’t work: 8.Rh2+? Kf3, and white is out of checks.
8...Ra1! The rook is poisoned: 8...Rxc4 9.Nxe3+ and so on.
9.Rc1! Ra3! (9...Rxc1, stalemate) 10.Rc6! It’s too early to transpose to a knight ending: 10.Rc3?
Rxc3 11.Nxc3 Kf3, and white cannot hold the position.
10...e5. It’s an easy draw for white after 10...e2 11.Rxe6 Ra1 12.Rxe2+!
288

11.Rc5! e4. Is it time for white to resign?
12.Rc3! Now exchanging rooks saves the day!
12...Rxc3 13.Nxc3 Kf3 14.Nb5! Nf5.
15.Kf1! It transpires that despite white’s cramped king black cannot make progress.
15...Ng3+ 16.Ke1 Nf5 17.Kf1 e2+, otherwise it’s a draw by repetition.
18.Ke1 e3. Or 18...Ke3 19.Nd6 (the simplest continuation) 19...Nd4 20.Nf5+ Nxf5.
289

19.Nd4+! Nxd4. Stalemate.
Trying to solve a tough composition with PR director of the Russian Chess Federation Kirill Zangalis
290

and Executive Director of the Russian Chess Federation Mark Glukhovsky. Moscow, 2017
No. 90
Beliavsky’s 80th birthday tournament, 2016
Special prize
(together with M. Gromov and M. Minski)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
White’s horse pair look very sick – how is he supposed to win this?
1.Kg8! Evading the pin. Why not 1.Kh7? – we will find out shortly.
1...Bb2! (1...cxb3 2.Ne2+, the first fork) 2.Ne6+! But not 2.Ne2+? Ke3, and one of the knights
perishes.
2...Ke5! (2...Kf5 3.Nbc5!) 3.Nec5! Black saves the game if white plays the careless 3.Nbc5? c3
4.Be4 Ba3 5.Bc2 Kd6, and a draw.
291

3...Ba3! After 3...cxb3 black loses to a second fork – 4.Nd3+.
4.Nd7+ Ke6! Avoiding a third fork: 4...Kd6 5.Nb6! cxb3 6.Nc4+.
5.Nf8+! Had the white king been on h7 (1.Kh7?) this move would have been pointless!
5...Bxf8 6.Nd4+ Ke7 (6...Ke5 7.Nc6+)
292

7.Bf3!! Domination!
The longer move 7.Be4? allows black to save the day with 7...Kf6! 8.Kxf8 Ke5!, and the double
attack draws. Black draws with another double attack after 7.Bc6? Kd6! 8.Kxf8 Kc5.
7...c3! 8.Bd1 Ke8 9.Ba4+ Ke7 10.Bc2!
The tempting 10.Nc6+? misses the win: 10...Kd6! 11.Kxf8 c2.
10...Ke8 11.Bg6+ Ke7 12.Bd3! Ke8 13.Bb5+ Ke7. Is it a draw?
14.Ba4! Now black is in zugzwang!
14...c2 15.Bxc2 Bh6 16.Nf5+ and a final knight fork. White wins.
293

Show in Text Mode
No. 91
10th world team championship, 2017
3rd–4th place
(together with M. Gromov)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Not the thematically false hasty pawn promotion: 1.c8=Q? Rxc8! 2.Nf3+ Ke2 3.Rd2+ Ke3
4.Nd5+. (Note that here he could have played 4.h8=Q!? (let’s call this position B1). However, this
“obvious” move is spectacularly refuted.
294

4...Qf1+!! 5.Kxf1 Rxh8, and one of the white knights perishes)
4...Ke4 5.Rd4+! (5.h8=Q? Qg6+! 6.Kf1 Rxh8) 5...Kf5 6.Rxf4+ Kg6 7.Ne7+ (7.h8=Q Qe2+;
7.h8=N+ Kh7) 7...Kxh7 8.Rh4+ Qh6 (position B2)
9.Ng5+ (or 9.Rxh6+ Kxh6 10.Nxc8 a5 11.Nb6 a4 12.Nc4 a3, and a draw) 9...Kh8 10.Nf7+ Kh7
11.Rxh6+ (11.Nxh6 Rc2+) 11...gxh6 12.Nxc8 a5 13.Nb6 a4 14.Nxa4 Kg8! 15.Ne5 h5 16.Kh3 h4
with a draw according to Troitsky’s method.
The correct continuation is to first play 1.Nf3+!! Ke2 2.Rd2+ Ke3 3.Nd5+ Ke4.
295

4.Ne7!! There is another false trail: 4.Rd4+? Kf5 5.Rxf4+ Ke6! (position B3)
It transpires that the pawn on c7 prevents white from forking black’s queen with 6.Nc7+.
4...Ke3! Otherwise black falls victim to a mating attack after 4...Re8 5.Rd4+ Ke3 6.Nf5+ Ke2
7.Rd2#.
5.c8=Q! Now it’s promotion time! Black has nothing to fear from 5.Nf5+? Ke4 6.N5h4 Ke3 7.Rd8
Qa2+ 8.Kh3 Qe6+ or 5.Rc2? Kd3 6.c8=Q Rxc8 7.Rxc8 Qa2+ 8.Kh3 Qe6+ 9.Kh2 Qh6+ 10.Kg2
Qxh7, and white’s attack has run out of steam.
5...Rxc8 6.h8=Q! Let’s call this position A1.
296

Unlike in position B1 the white knight has shifted from b6 to e7, which prevents black’s previous
defense of 6...Qf1+ 7.Kxf1 Rxh8 8.Kg2, and white’s two knights and rook will gradually outplay
black’s rook and pawns.
6...Rxh8 7.Nd5+ Ke4 8.Rd4+ Kf5 9.Rxf4+ Kg6. A step to the left doesn’t save black – 9.. .Ke6
(position A3)
10.Nc7+!, as unlike in position B3 there is no longer a white pawn in the way on c7 (the absence of
a pawn on h7 doesn’t alter the position’s evaluation).
297

10.Ne7+ Kh7 11.Rh4+ Qh6. Let’s call this position A2! It differs from B2 in that the black rook
has moved from c8 into the corner...
12.Ng5#, as the rook took away the king’s retreat square!
The theme of the world team championship required the composition of a logical study with a false
trail in which “critical position B would arise that was very similar to critical position A in its
solution, with only a small difference.”
That idea was demonstrated three times in this work!
298

Another joint composition is on the way! Oleg Pervakov and Sergei Tkachenko. Odessa, 2011
No. 92
Variantim, 2017
299

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
At first glance, white needs to salvage a draw via perpetual check – black’s army looks a real
menace. However, luck favors the brave!
1.Rcd7+! Kc8! Black cannot hold on after 1...Ke8 2.Rde7+! Kf8(d8) 3.Rh8+! Kxe7 4.Rxa8 Ra1
5.Kxh2 Kf7 6.Rh8! Rxa7 7.Rh7+ with a classic skewer.
2.Rdf7! Rd1!
300

3.Rf8+!! Not the thematically false 3.Rh8+? Rd8 4.Rxd8+ Kxd8 5.Kxh2 Kc8! 6.Rg7 h3! (mutual
zugzwang) 7.Kg1 Qd5!, and white needs to agree a draw. The attempt to play for a win with
8.Rg8+?? ends in a fiasco after 8...Qxg8+!
3...Rd8 4.Rxd8+ Kxd8 5.Kxh2 Kc8.
6.Rf7! But not 6.Rg7? h3!, and it’s once again zugzwang in black’s favor.
6...h3 7.Rg7! Now it’s zugzwang in white’s favor!
7...Qd5.
301

8.Rg8+!, and the rook cannot be taken. White wins. A real pleasure solving this one!
No. 93
Troitsky Memorial – 150 years, 2017
3rd honorable mention
(together with M. Gromov)
White to play and win
302

Show/Hide Solution
White’s pieces need to play like clockwork to disarm black’s menacing pawns...
1.Kd5 d3 2.Re3! It’s too early for 2.Kc4? (2.Re1? Kb2!) 2...Kb2! 3.Kxd3 a2 4.Re2+ Ka3! 5.Re1
b2 and a draw.
2...b2! White would meet 2...Kb2 with a demonstrative attack: 3.Rxd3! a2 4.Rd2+ Kc3 (or 4...Kc1
5.Rg2! a1=Q 6.Rh6! and mate is coming) 5.Rd1 b2 6.Rc6+ Kb4 7.Rd4+ Kb3 (7...Kb5 8.Rc5+ Kb6
9.Rb4+) 8.Rd3+ Kb4 9.Rb6+ Ka5 10.Kc6!, and black gets mated.
3.Re1 d2!
4.Rg1!! That’s the point! Not the thematically false 4.Rd1?! g2 5.Kc4 g1=Q 6.Rxg1 d1=Q 7.Rxd1
b1=Q 8.Rd2+ Qb2 9.Rbd6 Kb1 10.Rd1+ Qc1+! (but not 10...Ka2 11.R6d2 Qxd2 12.Rxd2+ Kb1
13.Kc3 or 10...Kc2 11.R6d2#) 11.Rxc1+ Kxc1 12.Kc3 a2, and white has to force a draw with
13.Rd1+ Kxd1 14.Kb2.
4...g2 5.Kc4. At first glance, white is in full control of the first rank. However...
5...d1=Q 6.Rxd1.
303

6...g1=Q! Black cannot play 6...b1=Q 7.Rbxb1! g1=Q due to the intermezzo 8.Ra1+! and there is
no stalemate.
7.Rxg1 b1=Q. The black queen cannot be captured as that would be stalemate. So is it a draw?
Nyet! 8.Rg2+! Qb2 9.Rbg6! Kb1 10.Rg1+ Kc2. Black cannot salvage a draw with 10...Qc1+
11.Rxc1+ Kxc1 12.Kc3 a2 13.Rg1# – the rook has moved from the d-file to the g-file.
Playing hide and seek is no good either: 10...Ka2 11.R6g2 Qxg2 12.Rxg2+ Kb1 13.Kc3+, and the
end.
11.R6g2#.
Ideal work by the rook pair!
304

No. 94
Sosura Memorial – 120 years, 2018
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
1.Bc7+ Ka8! The corner is the safest place for the king!
2.Kc8! An impulsive check leads only to a draw by perpetual check: 2.Nb6+? Ka7! 3.Nc8+ Ka8
and so on.
2...Ne7+! White meets 2...a1=Q with the first required mate: 3.Nb6+ Ka7 4.Bb8#.
3.Nxe7 a1=Q 4.Nd5! Restoring the mating threat of 5.Nb6+.
305

4...Ba5! It’s a second required mate after 4...Be5 5.Bxe5 Qxe5 6.Nc7+ Ka7 7.b6#.
5.Bxa5 Qxa5. Not 5...Qh8+ due to 6.Bd8, and black is dead.
6.g3!! That’s the point! There is a logical false trail: 6.Nc7+? Ka7 7.g3 Qb4!! 8.b6+ Qxb6 9.cxb6+
Kxb6 10.Nd5+ Kc5 11.Nf4 Kd4 12.Kd7 Ke4 13.Ke7 Kf3 14.Nh5 f4 15.gxf4 g3 16.Nxg3 Kxf4,
and a draw.
6...f6. But not 6...f4 7.Nc7+ Ka7 8.b6+ Qxb6 9.cxb6+ Kxb6 10.Nd5+ Kc5 11.Nxf4, and the end.
The third required mate is after 6...Ka7 7.b6+ Ka6 8.Nc7#. 7.Nc7+ Ka7 8.b6+ Qxb6 9.cxb6+
Kxb6.
306

10.Ne6!! The black pawn is no longer defending e6. But not 10.Nd5+? Kc5!, and white lacks a
tempo for his king to deal with black’s pawns: 11.Nf4 Kd4 12.Nh5 Ke4 13.Kd7 f4 14.gxf4 g3, and a
draw.
10...Kc6 11.Nf4! Kd6 12.Nh5! Ke5. Or 12...Kc6 13.Kd8 Kd6 14.Ke8 Ke6 15.Kf8!, and the end.
13.Kd7 Ke4.
14.Ke6! Just in time! White wins. The rest is easy: 14...f4 (14...Kf3 15.Kxf5) 15.Nxf4 Kf3 16.Nh5
and so on.
307

No. 95
64 – Chess Review, 2016
(together with E. Miroshnichenko)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Opposite-colored bishop endings tend to be drawn. For example: 1.b3? cxb3 2.Bxb3 c4 3.Bxc4
Ke7 and so on.
Nor can white win by pushing his rook’s pawn: 1.a6? Kc7 2.Be4 (2.b3 c3 3.Kf4 Kb6 4.Bd3 c4
5.bxc4 Kxa6) 2...Kb6 3.Bd5 Kxa6 4.Bxc4+ Kb6 5.b3 Be5+ 6.Kg2 Kc7 and so on.
A check from the center doesn’t work either: 1.Bf5+? Kc6! 2.Be6 Kb5 3.a6 Kxa6 4.Bxc4+ Kb6
5.b3 Be5+ 6.Kg2 Kc7, and a draw.
The correct continuation is to check from the side:
1.Ba4+! Kc8! The h2-b8 diagonal needs to be open!
2.Bb5.
308

2...c3! After 2...Bxb2 3.Bxc4 it’s only a matter of time before white wins: the pawn moves to a6,
and with the black bishop on b6 or b8 white’s h-pawn sets off, luring the black king towards it.
Meanwhile, the white king heads for b7 and accepts black’s surrender. So it’s black’s own pawn that
kills him!
3.bxc3 Bxc3 4.a6 Be5+.
5.Kg2!! Not the thematically false 5.Kh3?! c4! 6.Bxc4 Bb8 (mutual zugzwang!) 7.Bd5 Kc7!
8.Kg4 Kb6 and a draw.
5...c4! Sacrificing the pawn that is in the way! After 5...Bb8 6.Bc4 the way to win is the same as
described above. 6.Bxc4 Bb8!
309

7.Kh3!! Now it’s mutual zugzwang in white’s favor!
7...Bd6. After 7...Kd7 8.Kg4 Ke7 9.Kg5 Kf8 10.Kg6 the black king fails to reach h8. 8.Bd5! Kb8
9.Kg2. White wins. The black king didn’t have enough time to reach the required corner.
No. 96
Oleinik’s 82nd birthday tournament, 2017
3rd prize
310

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The queen doesn’t feel well on the side of the board, as can be demonstrated in the variation
1.Rxd2? Rf5+ 2.Kg4 Rf4+, and black wins.
The attempt to rescue the queen with tempo 1.Qg4+? is refuted by the accurate retreat of the black
king: 1...Kh8! 2.Qe2 Rf2 3.Qe5+ R8f6 4.Qxc7 R2f5+ 5.Kh4 Rf4+ 6.Rxf4 Rxf4+ 7.Qxf4 d1=Q, and a
draw.
The correct continuation is 1.Qg3+! Kh7! Drawing the queen to the “active” g6 square. After
1...Kh8 2.Qe5+ Kg8 (or 2...Kh7 3.Qe4+ Rf5+ 4.Kg4 h2 5.Kg3, white wins) 3.Kh4! d6 4.Rg4+ Kh7
5.Qe4+ Rf5 6.Qd4 and white wins.
2.Qg6+! The queen doesn’t want to remain on g3: 2.Rxd2? Rf5+ 3.Kh4 Rf4+ 4.Kxh3 Rf3 and the
pin leads to a draw. Whereas after 2.Qd3+? Rf5+ 3.Kh4 the h-pawn decides the outcome: 3...h2!
4.Qb1 Kh8 5.Rxd7 R8f7 6.Qa1+ Kh7 7.Rd8 Rg7 8.Qb1 Rgg5, and a draw.
2...Kh8 3.Rxd2.
3...h2! Luring the white rook to a suboptimal square! It’s too early for 3...Rf5+ 4.Kh4 Rf4+ 5.Kxh3
Rf3+ 6.Kh2, and white’s king has escaped persecution.
4.Rxh2. Refusing to accept the pawn leads to a draw: 4.Rd1? Rg7 5.Qe4 Rg1 6.Qd4+ Kh7!
7.Qxd7+ (7.Rxg1 Rf5+ 8.Kh4 Rf4+!) 7...Kg8 8.Qe6+ Kh8! 9.Qxh6+ Kg8 10.Qe6+ Kh8 11.Qe5+
Kg8 12.Qxh2 Rxd1 13.Qg3+ Kh8 14.Qxc7 Rg8 and so on.
4...Rf5+ 5.Kxh6. The king cannot take refuge further down the board, but now the position of the
311

queen on g6 plays an important role...
5...R8f6! Pinning the queen. But not 5...R5f6 6.Kg5#. Has white stumbled into a dead end?
6.c5!! An important role is assigned to the humble pawn on c4! The rook ending after 6.Rh3? Re6
7.Rxa3 Rxg6+ 8.Kxg6 Rf8 9.Ra7 leads to a draw: 9...Kg8! 10.Rxc7 Rd8 11.Kf6 Kf8 12.Ke5 Ke7
and so on. It’s the same in the pawn ending after 6.Qxf6+? Rxf6+ 7.Kg5+ Kg7 8.Rh7+ Kxh7 9.Kxf6
d6 and so on.
6...Re6! A subtle defense! Black loses the rook ending after 6...d6 7.c6! d5 8.Rh4 d4 9.Rxd4 Rxg6+
10.Kxg6 Rf8 11.Rd7 and so on.
7.c6! Undermining the defense of black’s e6 rook. After 7.Qxe6? dxe6 8.Kg6+ Kg8 the black rook
is protected.
7...Rd5! Black cannot capture the pawn: 7...Rxc6 8.Qxc6! dxc6 9.Kg6+, and black incurs losses.
312

8.Re2!! The Maltese Cross wins! White has to make the queen sac: 8.Qxe6? dxe6 9.Kg6+ Kg8
10.Rh7 Rd2 11.Rxc7 Rg2+! 12.Kf6 Rxa2, and a draw.
8...Rxg6+ (8...Rdd6 9.Rxe6! Rxe6 10.cxd7) 9.Kxg6 Rd6+. Or 9...dxc6 10.Re8#.
10.Kf7 dxc6 11.Rh2+ and mate on the next move.
313

Oleg Pervakov and Karen Sumbatyan, with whom Oleg has worked extensively on chess
compositions. Moscow, 2018
No. 97
Armenian Cup, 2017
1st–3rd place
314

White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Not 1.Ne2+? Kxg2 2.Ne1+ Kf2 3.Ng3 Kxe1 4.Rb3 Kf2! 5.Kxe7 b1=Q! 6.Rxb1 Kxg3 7.f6 Kg2
8.f7 Ne5! 9.f8=Q Ng6+ and a draw.
1.Ne1+? Kf2!
White wins with an unexpected sacrifice: 1.Nf4+!! Ne3!! A counter-sacrifice in reply! After
1...Kxf4 2.Ne2+ Kxe4 3.Ng3+ Kd4 (3...Kf4 4.Rf3#) 4.Rb3 black can throw in the towel.
But not 1...Kf2 2.Rf3+ Ke1 3.Nfd3+ Kd2 4.Nb3+ Ke2 5.Nd4+ Kd2 6.Nxb2 h1=Q 7.Rd3+ Kc1
8.Rd1+ Qxd1 9.Nxd1 Kxd1 10.Kxe7 and white wins.
2.Rxe3+ Kxf4. White cannot allow the knight to remain on f4: 2...Kg4 3.Ncd3! h1=Q 4.Nf2+
Kxf4 5.Rf3#.
315

3.Rf3+!!
There is a logical false trail: 3.Re1?! b1=Q 4.Ne2+ Kg4! 5.Rxb1 h1=Q 6.Rxh1, and black has
achieved stalemate.
3...Kxe4 4.Rf1 b1=Q 5.Re1+! Kf4! (5...Kd4 6.Ne2+) 6.Ne2+ Kg4 7.Rxb1 h1=Q.
This is similar to the position in the false trail, but without the white pawn on e4...
8.Rb4+! Refusing to capture the black queen! After 8.Rxh1? it’s stalemate again.
8...Kh5 9.Ng3+. White wins.
316

No. 98
Timman’s 65th birthday tournament, 2017
1st–2nd honorable mention
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
Pushing the pawn straight away doesn’t work: 1.bxc7? hxg3! 2.hxg3 (2.c8=Q gxf2 3.Qc1 Rg6 4.f5
Rg1) 2...Rxe5! 3.fxe5 Be6+, and white cannot win.
Checking with his knight in the center is no better: 1.Nf5+? Kh7! 2.bxc7 Rc6! 3.bxc6 Be6 4.Kg4
Kg6.
1.Nh5+! Kg6 2.bxc7 Rc6! No other rook sac works: 2...Rxe5 3.fxe5 Kxh5 4.c8=Q Be6+ 5.Qxe6.
3.bxc6 Kxh5. Black loses after 3...Be6+ 4.Kxh4 Bc8 5.Ng3 Kf7 6.f5.
317

4.c8=B! Not 4.c8=Q? Be6+ 5.Qxe6.
4...e6! Blocking his bishop but white’s too! Not 4...Bc4 5.Bg4+.
5.Bd7!! Charging here with 5.f5!? isn’t dangerous: 5...exf5 6.Bxf5 Bc4 7.Bg4+ Kg5 8.Bxf3 Bf1+
9.Bg2 Be2! 10.f4+ (or 10.f3 Kh5! 11.c7 Ba6 12.e6 Bd3! 13.Bh1 Bf1+ 14.Bg2 Bd3!, and a draw by
repetition) 10...Kh5. Remember this position – we will come back to it!
318

11.Bd5 (11.Bf3+ Bxf3 12.c7 Bg4+, and a draw) 11...Bf1+ 12.Bg2 Be2! with another draw by
repetition.
White gets nowhere with charging forwards 5.c7? Bh7! 6.Bxe6 Bf5+ 7.Bxf5, stalemate.
5...Bf7 6.f5!
Again he has to avoid 6.c7? Bg6! 7.Bxe6 Bf5+ 8.Bxf5, stalemate.
Attempting to win could in fact be fatal: 7.Be8? (instead of 7.Bxe6) 7...Bxe8 8.c8=Q Bb5! 9.Qc1
Bd3, and the queen is helpless against the bishop.
6...Kg5! If 6...exf5, then 7.e6.
7.Bxe6.
It would be a disaster to play 7.fxe6?? Bg6 8.e7 Bd3 9.e8=Q Bf1#.
319

7...Bh5. Black cannot save the day with 7...Be8 8.Bd5! Bh5 9.Bxf3 Bxf3 10.f6! Bg4+ 11.Kg2 Be6
12.Kf3 Kg6 13.Ke4 Kf7 14.Kd4 Bf5 15.Kc5, and white cannot be stopped.
8.f6 Bg6 9.Bg4 Bd3 10.Bxf3 Bf1+ 11.Bg2 Be2!
12.f4+!!
Much better than attempting to shut down the activity of the black bishop: 12.f3!? Kh5! 13.f7 (or
13.c7 Ba6 14.e6 Bd3 15.Bh1 Bf1+ 16.Bg2 Bd3, and a draw by repetition) 13...Bc4! 14.f8=N Bd3!
15.Bh1 Bf1+ 16.Bg2 Bd3, and a draw.
12...Kh5.
This position is similar to that from the false trail. However, white still has his pawn on f6...
320

13.Bf3+! Now the sacrifice proves decisive! White wins.
How have you coped with these studies? I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Two more to go!
321

Oleg with the Chief Editor of 64 – Chess Review, Alexander Roshal. Moscow, 1997
No. 99
Joaquín Pérez de Arriaga’s 85th birthday tournament, 2017
1st prize
White to play and draw
Show/Hide Solution
1.Qe1!! The queen is under attack but she moves to another square from where she can be
captured! Playing quietly is no good: 1.Qg1? Qd6+ 2.Ne6 Qxe6+ 3.Rg6 Nf6 4.Qg5 (4.Qxf2 Ng4+)
4...N2g4+, and the end.
1.Qe1!! Qd6+! In fact, the queen is poisoned: 1...Qxe1? 2.Nf7#.
2.Ne6! It’s a reciprocal mate after 2.Kh5? Ng7+ 3.Kh4 Qh6#.
2...Qxe6+ 3.Rg6 Nf6! But not 3...Ng4+? 4.Kg5! Nef6 5.Qh4+! Nh7+ 6.Qxh7+ Kxh7 7.Rxe6, and
white wins.
322

4.Qc3! The pin is much stronger than 4.Qxf2? Ng4+ 5.Kg5 Qxg6+ 6.Kxg6 Nxf2, and black wins.
4...N2g4+! 5.Rxg4. White has to make the capture: 5.Kg5? Ne5! 6.Rxf6 Qg4+ 7.Kh6 Qh4#.
5...Qf5! 6.Rh4 (6.Rg5? Qh7#)
6...b4! Black wants to chase the queen from the long diagonal.
7.Qd4 b3! (7...e3? 8.b3) 8.Qc3! It’s too early for a furious rook: 8.e3?! b6!! 9.Qc3 b5 10.Qd4 b4
11.Qd8+ Ng8+ 12.Qxg8+ Kxg8 13.Rg4+! Kf7 14.Rg7+ Ke6 15.Rg6+ as black has 15...Kd5! 16.Rg5
Qxg5+ 17.Kxg5 Kc4 18.Kf4 Kd3, and white loses due to zugzwang.
8...e3! Closing the third rank! Not 8...b6? 9.Rxh3, and white wins.
323

9.Qd4! Again, aiming for a furious rook leads to disaster: 9.Qc4?! Ng8+ 10.Qxg8+ Kxg8
11.Rg4+! Kf8 12.Rg8+! Ke7 13.Rg7+ Kd6 14.Rg6+ Kc7 15.Rg7+ Kb8 16.Rg8+ Ka7, and the king
has hidden behind the pawn.
9...b6! 10.Qc3! Avoiding another temptation: 10.Qd8+?! Ng8+ 11.Qxg8+ Kxg8 12.Rg4+! Kf7
13.Rg7+ Ke6 14.Rg6+ Kd7 15.Rg7+ Kc6 16.Rg6+ Kb7 17.Rg7+ Ka6, and white is out of checks.
The desperate 10.Rxh3? fails to bring a result: 10...Qxh3+ 11.Kg5 Qg2+! 12.Kf5 (12.Kxf6 Qg7+)
12...Qd5+ 13.Qxd5 Nxd5 14.Ke4 Nc3+, and black wins.
10...b5 11.Qd4 b4. Is white in zugzwang?
Not any more, as all of black’s pawns have used up their moves:
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12.Qd8+(c4) 12...Ng8+ 13.Qxg8+ Kxg8. And the furious rook seals the draw!
14.Rg4+! Kf8 (14...Qxg4, stalemate) 15.Rg8+! Ke7 (15...Kxg8, stalemate) 16.Rg7+ Kd6 (16...Kf6
17.Rf7+! Kxf7, stalemate) 17.Rg6+ Ke7 18.Rg7+. Draw.
325

Oleg Pervakov and the legendary Russian chess coach Mark Dvoretsky, with whom Oleg wrote two
books
No. 100
Lipky Memorial – 130 years, 2018
2nd prize
(together with M. Gromov)
White to play and win
Show/Hide Solution
The bishop pair is usually more agile than a bishop and knight...
1.Bg3+ e5! Black wants to open up the a2-g8 diagonal. Otherwise he loses quickly after 1...Kb7
2.Qe4+ Ka7 3.Qe5!
2.Bxe5+ Kb7 3.Qe4+ Ka7 4.Ne7! The threat is 5.Nc8+.
4...Qc4+! Luring the king to the a1–h8 diagonal. He gets nowhere with 4...Bd7 due to 5.Qd5!, and
black cannot survive.
326

5.Kh8!! Only the corner! There is a logical false trail: 5.Kg7? Qxc5! 6.Bxd4 Bc3 7.Nc6+ Kb7!
8.Ne5+ Bc6!, and it transpires that the white king has closed the seventh rank for the queen: 9.Qh7??
isn’t check!
5...Qxc5! Black loses simply after 5...Bd7 6.a6! Kxa6 7.Qa8+ Kb5 8.Qb7+ and his bishop
perishes.
6.Bxd4. A pin.
6...Bc3! And a reciprocal pin!
7.Nc6+! Now there are two main continuations.
1). 7...Kb7 (7...Bxc6 8.Qe7+! or 7...Ka8 8.Qe8+!) 8.Ne5+! Bc6 9.Qh7+! But not 9.Qb1+? Ka8!
327

10.Bxc5 h2, and the pawn cannot be stopped.
9...Kb8! Black’s last chance to swindle, hoping for 10.Bxc5? Bxe5+ 11.Kg8 h2 12.Ba7+ Ka8, and
the pawn again keeps black safe.
10.Qg8+! White wins.
2). 7...Ka6 8.Nb4+! It’s a disaster after 8.Nb8+? Kxa5 9.Qa8+ Kb6, and black wins.
8...Kxa5 9.Qa8+ Kb6 10.Nd5#! The required mate with the black queen pinned.
In the first line, the knight grants his bishop freedom. Meanwhile, the queen gets out of the attack
on it with a tempo, which was prepared by the king moving into the corner.
If the black king tries to avoid the discovered check (the second line) then he gets mated.
An original spectacle around a Maltese Cross!
Wow – haven’t these 100 studies been amazing? Until next time – I have move studies books in the
oven!
328

Table of Contents
Title page
3
Introduction
4
Studies 1-10
9
Studies 11-20
35
Studies 21-30
64
Studies 31-40
91
Studies 41-50
123
Studies 51-60
153
Studies 61-70
184
Studies 71-80
224
Studies 81-90
257
Studies 91-100
294
329