Alain Villeneuve
The Problemist
2016
4th Prize
White wins
1. Kd7! Rc4! 2. Re1! Rd4+ Imagine you have this position in a tournament game. I am sure that you would play - just like me - Ke7. Would you not?
3. Ke8!! 3. Ke7? Rf4!! mutual zugzwang: the white rook is in a focal position, because it must observe at the same time e4 & c1 4. f7+ Kg7! 5. Rc1 Re4+! = 3... Rf4 The rook must control f8. 4. Ke7!! mutual zugzwang: this way, it is the black rook which is in a focal position, because it must observe at the same time a4 & f8.
mutual zugzwang
4... b4 4... Re4+ 5. Rxe4! c1=Q 6. f7+ Kg7 7. f8=Q+ +- 5. Ra1!! No more Ra4. 5... Re4+ 6. Kd6(7) Rd4+ 7. Ke6! Switchback. 7... Rd8 8. g7! Threatening Rh1. 8... Rc8 9. Rh1! Re8+ 9... Rc6+ 10. Ke5! Rc5+ 11. Kd6! Rg5 12. Rh8+! Kf7 13. Rf8+! +-; 9... c1=Q 10. Rh8# 10. Kf5! Kf7 11. Ra1!! Switchback. The chessboard is just wide enough! 11... Rc8 12. Ra7+! Kg8 13. Kg6! c1=Q 14. f7# Sorry that the white Rook did not disappear for a model mate! The study features 14 forced moves with a funny ZZ and a "swallow" ("Schwalbe") of the rook c1-e1-a1-h1-a1.
"A non-standard rook endgame with an unexpected mutual zugzwang and very wide play of the white rook" (judge Oleg Pervakov).
Watch this study on a dynamic board! Click here!
Alain Villeneuve
Phénix
2016
White wins (cooked?)
White hopes to have Kg7, Ng6 vs Ke8, or symmetrically Kd7, Nd6 vs Kf8. 1. e6! Threatening f7+ & Ng6+. 1... Rf3! It would be a draw with the Rook in f1, but a shorter win with the Rook in f2. 2. Ke5! Kf8! 3. Ng6+! Ke8! 4. Nh8!! A new version of the "strongest attacking move in the world" of Nimzovitch-Rubinstein 1926: 18 Ng3-h1!! pour 19 Nf2. 4... Kf8 5. Nf7! Rf2! Paradoxical defence: the Rook is best on the 1st rank but does not access it immediately for tempo reason. 6. Nd6! Threatening e7+. 6... Re2+ 7. Kd5! Re1! Now the only way to make progress is to ensure that Black is to move. It will take 8 moves. The reason will appear at the 18th move.
cyclic zugzwang (WTM)
8. Nc4!! Threatening Kd6-d7.
Unfortunately, it seems that there is an alternative way to win avoiding to reach the BTM side of the cycling zugzwang position. That means the position from the diagram is not a true cyclic zugzwang. 8. Nf7! Ke8 9. Nh8! Rg1 10. Kd6! Rd1+ 11. Ke5 Re1+ 12. Kf5 Rf1+ 13. Kg5! Kf8 14. Ng6+ Ke8 15. Nh4 Kf8 16. Kg6 Re1 17. Kf5 Rf1+ 18. Kg5! Rg1+ 19. Kh6 Rh1 20. Kh5 Kg8 21. Kg5 Rg1+ 22. Kf5 Re1 23. Ng6 Rf1+ 24. Ke5 +-
8... Ke8 Here White uses a simple triangulation. 9. Kd6!! The WK relays the N on the turntable d6. The threat is f7+ followed by Ne5. 9... Rf1! Benefit there is no more Nd6+ & e7+. 10. Ke5! Re1+ 11. Kd5! Simple Z (no reciprocal). 11... Rd1+! 12. Kc6! To bring another simple Z. 12... Rc1 The threat was Nd6+ & e7+. 13. Kc5!! It is more usual to protect a Knight while unpinning it, but 13 Kb5? draws and 13 Kd5?! is losing time. 13... Re1 Black is in zugzwang must make concessions : either the Rook unpins the Knight, either it comes on the 2nd rank (less favourable), either the BK lets his counterpart on d8 or on f8. 14. Nd6+! Kf8 15. Kd5! This is the position after the 7th black move, but it is now black to move.
cyclic zugzwang (BTM)
15... Re2! 16. Nf5!! It was necessary to move the BR from e1 to e2 to realize the decisive plan. The threat is Kd6-d7 again. 16... Ke8! 17. f7+! At last, White can compromise his pawn-chain: this should not win with the Rook on e1. 17... Kf8 18. Nh4!! This requires that the Rook is in 2nd rank, otherwise, it would reach the "g" file, preventing Ng6+. 18... Rd2+ 19. Kc5!! The WK likes this square (see 13th move) but here, we have the feeling he deserts! 19... Rc2+ 20. Kd4! It was an illusion: he comes back, to the meeting of the BR. 20... Rf2 21. Ng6+! Kg7 22. Ne5! Threatening e7. The N relieves the WK on the turntable e5. 22... Kf8 23. Kd5! Again the threat Ng6+. 23... Rd2+ 24. Kc6! Toward d8. 24... Rc2+ 25. Kd7! Rd2+ 26. Kc7! Rc2+ 27. Kd8! Rd2+ 28. Nd7+! +- So, White has after the 15th black move the same position than after the 7th, except for one little detail ("la petite différence"), the Rook is on e2 instead of e1, allowing the implementation of the plan. Preparation of 8 moves, for a total of 23 fully determined moves.
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Alain Villeneuve
Phénix
2016
White wins
Thematic try: 1. Kc6? g2! 2. Rc1 Ke5 3. Rg1 Ke4 4. Rxg2 Kxe3 =
Position B
1. Kb6!! The square c6 must be left free for the Rook. 1. Rc6+? Ke5! 2. Rg6 f4! 3. Rg5+ Ke4! 4. exf4 Kxf4 = 1... g2 1... Kf6 2. Rc8! +- 2. Rc6+! Kd5 2... Kf7 3. Rc1 +- 3. Rg6! Ke4
4. Rg3!! 4. Rxg2? Kxe3 = 4... Kd3 4... g1=Q 5. Rxg1 Kxe3 6. Re1+!! Kd3 7. Rf1! Ke4 8. Ka(b,c)5 f4 9. Kb(c)4 Ke3 10. Kc3 f3 11. Re1+! +- 5. Kc5! Ke2 6. Rxg2+! Kxe3
Position A
7. Rg3+!! +- Switchback and echo of 6 Re1+!! in the 4th black move line. 7. Kd5? f4 8. Ra2 f3 9. Ra3+ Ke2 10. Ke4 f2 11. Ra2+ Ke1 12. Ke3 f1=N+! =; 7. Kc4? f4 8. Rg8 f3 9. Re8+ Kd2! =
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Alain Villeneuve
Phénix
2018
Draw
1. Bd3!! 1. Be2? b5! 2. Bd1 d4!! (2... b4? 3. Bb3! d4 4. Ke6! d3 5. Ke5 d2 6. Ke4 =) 3. Be2 b4! 4. Ke6 d3!! (4... b3? 5. Ke5 =) 5. Bxd3 Kd4! 6. Bc2 c5 -+; 1. Ke6? b5! 2. Ke5 b4! 3. Be2 b3! 4. Bd3 b2! -+ (4... Kb4? 5. Kd4! b2 6. Bc2! (6. Bb1? Kb3 -+ zz) 6... Ka3 7. Kc5! =) 1... b5 2. Bb1!! As far as possible from the BK, and also from the pawns. 2. Bc2? Kc4!! (2... d4? 3. Bd3! b4 4. Ke6! =; or symmetrically 2... b4? 3. Bb3! d4 4. Ke6! =) 3. Kxc6 b4 (or 3... d4) 4. Kb6 (4. Kd6 d4! 5. Ke5 d3! -+) 4... d4! 5. Ka5 b3! -+ 2... b4 3. Ba2!! The key square, preventing both ...b3 & ...Kc4. 3... d4 4. Ke6! d3 5. Ke5! d2 6. Bb3! =
"sea snake"
Watch this study on a dynamic board! Click here!
Alain Villeneuve
The Problemist
2018
White wins
"There are 3 candidates moves: push the "a" pawn, push the "g" pawn or activate the white King. None of them is good, but you must make a "silly" move, a check ("weak players see a check, make a check !") and afterwards, according to the place the black King went, all the candidate moves now occur."
Try1: 1. a5? Kd7! =
Try2: 1. g6? Bf8! =
Try3: 1. Kg6?! Bc1! 2.Kh5 Ba3 waste of time.
Solution: 1. Bb3+!!
a) 1... Ke5 2. a5! Bc5 3. g6 (minor dual 3.a6 +-) 3... Kf6 4. Kh6 Bf8+ 5. Kh7 +-
b) 1... Ke7 2. g6! +-
c) 1... Kd7 2. Kg6! +-
Although the logic of the intention is interesting, at first sight, this study feels completely wrong, with lots of duals. See this link: Syzygy endgame tablebases
The author has a detailed analysis here showing that, despite the numerous time losing duals, the study is still sound.
Watch this study on a dynamic board! Click here!
Alain Villeneuve
Phénix
2018
- after J. Timman -
Draw
1. Bg2! W must prevent ...e5-e4, at least when the Bishop is misplaced. (1. Bh3? e4! -+) 1... Rg1 (1... Kd3 2. Bh3! e4 3. Bf5! Re2 4. Bg6 = This reminds a famous positional draw... with another black Rook in e4 instead of the pawn.) 2. Bh3!! (2. Bf3? Ke3! 3. Be4 Kf4 -+; 2. Be4? Rg5! 3. Ke6 Ke3 -+) 2... Rg5 Threatening ...Ke3-f4. (2... Rg3 3. Be6? (3. Bf5/c8! =) 3... Rg5! 4. Ke4 Kc3!! (ZZ on the wrong side) 5. Bf7 (5. Bf5 Rxf5! 6. Kxf5 Kd4! -+; 5. Kd5 Kd3 -+; 5. Bh3 Kc4! -+) 5... Kb4! (threatening ...Kc5-d6) 6. Kd5 Kb5! 7. Be8+ Kb6 8. Bd7 Kc7 9. Be6 Kd8! 10. Ke4 Ke7! 11. Bf5 Kd6 -+) 3. Ke4! Kc3 4. Be6!! This ZZ comes, if I am not wrong, from Timman 1983. The Bishop is in a focal position : it must prevent ...Kc4 and be ready , on ...Kb4, to play Bf5 before the BK accesses to d6. See comment of the 2nd black move. (4. Bc8? Kc4! 5. Ba6+ Kc5! -+; 4. Kd5? Kd3! toward f4 (4... Kb4? 5. Bf1!! Kc3 6. Ba6!! =); 4. Bf5? Rxf5! 5. Kxf5 Kd4 -+; 4. Bf1? Rg1! 5. Bh3 Re1+! 6. Kd5 e4! -+)
mutual zugzwang
4... Rh5 (4... Kb4 5. Bf5! =) 5. Bf7!! The 4th heroic move of the Bishop. The flexibility of the Rook is too narrow : always the "short side" story, like in Rook + pawn / Rook ! With an "i" file, B could play 5...Ri5! 6. Be6 Rg5! obtaining the ZZ on the good side for Black. 5... Rg5 (5... Rh7 6. Be6! Re7 7. Kxe5 =) 6. Be6! =
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Most of the annotations on this page are by the author of the studies, Alain Villeneuve.
9 comments:
Study 2.
Sorry Mr Rusz but your variation in only losing time ("Zeitverlust"), not a cook.
Going on your line, 24...Rf2 25 Ne7+ Kf8 26 Nf5 Re2+ 27 Kd5 is my main line on 16th, while 27 Kd6 (best) is my variation on 16th also.
All these complications to be 10 moves late !!
Alain Villeneuve
Study 5
The alleged "cooks" are also Zeitverlust.
Thank you, I will recheck them!
Study 2:
You wrote: "Now the only way to make progress is to ensure that Black is to move. It will take 8 moves."
In my view, that would be the main idea of the study. That idea is cooked. There is another way to win, even if it is longer, and white doesn't have to revisit the same position (but with BTM).
Study 5:
I still think this is a cooked study, almost everything wins:
https://syzygy-tables.info/?fen=8/8/4k3/6PK/P7/b1p5/2B5/8_w_-_-_0_1
"Almost everything wins" ?? Are you crazy ?
I consider this as insulting and stop talking with you.
By the way, this is also insulting for Y. Afek, who selected this one in his column.
I begin to be tired with "cyberomanes" in the world of artistic studies and problems, disconnected with the reality of chess.
Please read sometimes http://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/
My apologies, study 5 seems to be a complicated case!
I have found a detailed analysis here: http://lecoursdumaitre.e-monsite.com/pages/moi-etyudy/finales-de-fou/f-pp-vs-f-p.html
Number 2 is a beautiful study.
Honestly it is difficult to avoid that in a long manouver of the Knight there is also some loss of time.
In this case the alternatives to 8.Nc4! was even five (Nb7/Nc8/Nf7/Nf5/Nb5) and because the further minor lines, it equally difficult to verify that all return sooner or later in the main.
In example after 8.Nb5 Ke8 9.Nd6 is obviously, but in case of 9.Nc7 Kd8 there is a very long loop.
I also liked that study. The problem is not the time losing duals but the alternative win... White doesn't need to revisit the same position (with changed side to move). So the main idea is not there anymore...
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