WCCI 2016-18: Alexey Sochnev (RUS)

(1)
Alexey Sochnev
Troizky-150 MT
2017
1st Prize

White wins

1. g7 a1=Q+

Logical try: 2. Kb7? Qg1 3. g8=Q Qxg8 4. Nxg8 d5! 5. f6 Ke6 6. e5 d4 7. Nh6 d3 8. f7! Ke7 9. e6 d2 10. Ng8+! Kf8 11. Nf6 d1=Q 12. Nxh7+! Ke7! 13. f8=Q+ Kxe6 14. Qf6+ Kd7 15. Nf8+ Ke8 16. Ne6 Qd6!! zz

mutual zugzwang (WTM)

17. Kc8 17. Nc7+ Kd7 18. Qf7+ Qe7 19. Qf5+ Kd6 20. Qd3+ Ke5 21. Qe3+ Kf6 = 17... Qd7+ 18. Kb8 Qe7!! The only way! It would be easy to make a mistake: 18... Qd6+? 19. Kb7! zz as in the main solution 19. Nc7+ 19. Ng7+ Kd7 20. Qf5+ Kd6 21. Qd3+ Ke5 22. Qe3+ Kf6 23. Nh5+ Kf7 = 19... Kd7!! 19... Kd8? 20. Qf4! etc. as in the main solution 20. Qd4+ Qd6 21. Qg7+ Kd8! 22. Qg8+ Ke7! 23. Qg7+ Kd8 24. Qg5+ Kd7 positional draw

Solution: 2. Kb8!! Qg1! 2... Kxe4 3. g8=Q Qf6 4. Qxh7 d5 5. Qg6 Qd8+ 6. Kb7 Qd7+ 7. Kb6 Qd8+ 8. Kxc6 +-; 2... Qa6 3. g8=Q Qb6+ 4. Kc8 Qa6+ 5. Kxd7 +- 3. g8=Q Qxg8+ 4. Nxg8 d5! 4... c5 5. Nh6 c4 6. Ng4+ Kxe4 7. f6 c3 8. Ne3! Kxe3 9. f7 c2 10. f8=Q c1=Q 11. Qh6+ +-; 4... h5 5. Kc7 h4 6. Nh6 h3 7. Ng4+ Kf4 8. Nh2 +- 5. f6 Ke6 6. e5 d4 7. Nh6 d3 8. f7! 8. Ng4? h5 9. Nf2 d2 10. Kc7 h4! 11. f7 Kxf7 12. Kd7 h3 13. e6+ Kg7 14. e7 h2 = 8... Ke7 9. e6 d2 Systematic movement 10. Ng8+! 10. Nf5+? Kxe6 11. f8=Q d1=Q 12. Ng7+ Ke5! 13. Qf5+ Kd6 14. Qf8+ Ke5! 15. Qf5+ Kd6 positional draw 10... Kf8 10... Kxe6 11. f8=Q d1=Q 12. Qf6+ Kd5 13. Qd8+ +- 11. Nf6 d1=Q Black excelsior! 12. Nxh7+! 12. Nd7+? Ke7 13. f8=Q+ Kxe6 14. Nc5+ Ke5 15. Qe7+ Kf4/Kf5 = 12... Ke7! 12... Kg7 13. f8=Q+ Kxh7 14. Qf7+ Kh6 15. e7 +- 13. f8=Q+ Kxe6 14. Qf6+ Kd7 15. Nf8+ Ke8 16. Ne6! Qd6+ 16... Qb3+ 17. Kc8 +- 17. Kb7!! zz

mutual zugzwang (BTM)

17... Qe7+! 18. Nc7+! Kd8 18... Kd7 19. Qxc6+ With a king on b7, this is both possible and necessary. 19... Kd8 20. Qd5+ with a quick mate 19. Qf4! 19. Qh8+? Kd7 20. Qd4+ Qd6 21. Qg7+ Kd8! 22. Qg8+ Ke7 23. Qg7+ Kd8 24. Qg5+ Kd7! positional draw, as in Logical try 19... Qa3 20. Qd4+/Qg5+ Ke7 21. Qg7+ Kd8 22. Ne6+ Ke8 23. Qg8+ Kd7 24. Qc8+ Kd6 25. Qf8+ +-

“Large-scale study of the grandmaster level with a record range effect of foresight, original systematic movement, mutual tricks and a bright finale”. (Judge Y. Bazlov)

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(2)
Alexey Sochnev
Troizky-150 MT
2017
Special Prize

Draw

1. b5 Ra7! 1... Ra8+ 2. Kd7 Ra7+ 3. Ke6 Nxe7 4. b6 Rxa5 5. b7! =; 1... Rxa5 2. Kf8! Nd6 3. e8=Q Nxe8 4. Kxe8 Rxb5 5. d6 = 2. Kd8! Nxe7! 2... Rxe7 3. a6 Rh7 4. b6 = 3. b6 Rxa5 4. d6! 4. Kxe7? Rxd5 -+ 4... Nc6+ 5. Kc7 Rc5

Thematic try: 6. b7? Nb4+ 7. Kb6 Kc4 8. b8=N! Rc8! -+

8... Rb5+? 9. Kc7 Nd5+ 10. Kc8 Rc5+ 11. Kb7 Nf4 12. d7 Ne6 13. Nc6 Rd5 14. Kc8 Rd6 15. Nd8!! (15. d8=N? Nf8 -+) 15... Nc5 16. Nf7! Rc6+ 17. Kd8 Kd5 18. Ke8 Re6+ 19. Kd8 Kd4 20. Kc8 positional draw; 8... Rh5? 9. d7 Nd5+ 10. Kb7 (or} 10. Kc6 Rh6+ 11. Kb7) 10... Rh7 11. Kc6 Rh8 12. Na6 Rh6+ 13. Kb7 Rb6+ 14. Kc8 Ne7+ 15. Kc7 Nd5+ 16. Kc8 =

Solution: 6. d7! Nd4+ 6... Na5+ 7. Kb8 Nc6+ 8. Kc7 = 7. Kd6 Kc4 8. d8=N! Rd5+ 8... Rc8

9. Kd7 Rb8 10. Kc7 Ra8 11. Kd7! Rb8 12. Kc7 Ra8 13. Kd7 positional draw. Unlike the thematic try, the rook has not enough room on the 8th rank. 9. Kc7 Nb5+ 10. Kc8 Nd6+ 11. Kc7 Ne8+ 12. Kc8 Rc5+ 13. Kd7 Nf6+ 14. Kd6

a) 14... Rd5+ 15. Kc7 Rd1 16. b7 Nd5+ 17. Kd7!! 17. Kc8? Nb6+ 18. Kc7 Kb5 19. b8=N (19. b8=Q Rd7#) 19... Nd5+ -+; 17. Kc6? Nb4+ 18. Kc7 Na6+ 19. Kb6 Nc5 20. Kc7 Kd5 21. b8=N Rh1 -+ 17... Nb4+ 18. Kc8! Na6 19. Nc6 Rd6 20. b8=N! Nc5 21. Na5+! Kd5 22. Nb7! =

b) 14... Ne4+ 15. Kd7 Rb5! 16. b7 Nc5+ 17. Kc8! Na6 18. Nc6 Rc5 18... Rb6 19. b8=N! = (19. Nb8? Nc5 -+) 19. Kd7 Rd5+ 20. Kc8 Rc5 20... Rd6 21. b8=N! Nc5 22. Na5+ Kd5 23. Nb7! = 21. Kd7 Rb5 22. Kc8 positional draw

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(3)
Alexey Sochnev
Akobia-80 MT (Section C)
2017
2nd Prize

Draw

1. g7 Rg5 2. Kxc6 Rg6+ 3. Kxd5 Nf5! 4. g8=Q+! 4. Kxe5? Nxg7! 5. Rxe3 Re6+ 6. Kf4 Nh5+! -+; 4. Ke4? Rxg7! 5. Kxf5 Bxc5 6. Rc3 Rc7 -+ 4... Rxg8 5. Kxe5! 5. Ra8+? Kb(c,d)7 6. Rxg8 Ne7+ -+ 5... Rg5 6. Kf6 Rh5 7. Kg6 Rg5+ 8. Kf6 Rh5 9. Kg6 Bxc5!! 10. Ra2! 10. Rc3? Ng3 11. f4 Ne2(4) -+ 10... Ng3

11. Rg2 Rh8! 11... Bd6 12. Rxg3 Bxg3 13. Kxh5 = 12. Rc2 12. Rxg3? Rg8+ -+ 12... Rg8+ 13. Kh6! 13. Kf6? Rf8+ 14. Kg5 Rf5+ 15. Kg4 Nf1!! 16. Kxf5 Ne3+ -+ 13... Rh8+ 13... Nf5+ 14. Kh5 Ng7+ 15. Kg6! Ne8+ 16. Kh6! = 14. Kg6 Rh5 15. Rg2 Rh3 16. Rc2 Rh5 17. Rg2! positional draw

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(4)
Alexey Sochnev
Dvoretsky-70 MT
2017
4th Prize

Draw

Logical try: 1. Bxg4? Rxg4 2. Ng6 Nd5+ 3. Kxd6 Nf6 4. Ke7 Ng8+ 5. Kf8 Nh6 6. g8=Q Nxg8 7. Kxg8 Rg5! 7... Rg2? 8. Kf7! Rh2 9. Nf4 Rh4 10. Kg7 Rg4+ 11. Ng6! = 8. h6 Rxg6+ 9. Kh7

9... Rg2!! 10. Kh8 Ne2 11. h7 Ng3! 12. Kg7 Nf5+ 13. Kf6 Rh2 -+

1. Bf3+!! Kh2 2. Bxg4 Rxg4 3. Ng6 3. h6? Nf5 4. h7 Rxg7+ -+ 3... Nd5+ 4. Kxd6 Nf6 5. Ke7! Ng8+ 6. Kf8 Nh6 7. g8=Q Nxg8 8. Kxg8 Rg5! 8... Ne2 9. Kf7 Nd4 10. h6 = 9. h6! Rxg6+ 10. Kh7

10... Rg2 10... Rg3 11. Kh8 Ne2 12. h7 Nf4 stalemate 11. Kh8 Ne2 12. h7 Ng3 13. Kg7 Ne4+ 13... Nh5+ 14. Kh6 =; 13... Nf5+ 14. Kf6(8) = 14. Kf8 =

Judges A. Yusupov, V.Barskij, O.Pervakov: “Another great logical study with foresight for 13 moves. It is a pity that the black rook g4 essentially did not take part in the game”.

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(5)
Alexey Sochnev
6th FIDE World Cup
2018
3rd Prize

White wins

1. Nc4 Be6+ 1... Kb5 2. Bxd4 +-

Logical try: 2. Kh8? Bxc4 3. dxc4 d3! 4. d7 Bc7 5. Bd6! d2! 6. Bxc7 d1=Q 7. d8=Q Qxd8+ 8. Bxd8 f3 9. g6 f2 10. g7 f1=Q 11. g8=Q Qf7!! zz

mutual zugzwang

12. Qxf7 stalemate

Solution: 2. Kh7! 2. Kf8? Bxc4 3. d7 Bc7 4. dxc4 d3 5. g6 d2 6. g7 d1=Q 7. g8=Q Qxd7 = 2... Bxc4 2... Kb5 3. Bxd4 Kc6 4. g6 +- 3. dxc4 d3! 3... Bxd6!? 4. Bxd4! +- (4. Bxd6? f3 5. Bg3 d3 =) 4. d7 Bc7 5. Bd6! d2! 5... Kb7 6. Bxf4! Kc6 7. g6 Kxd7 8. g7 Bxf4 9. g8=Q +- 6. Bxc7 d1=Q 7. d8=Q Qxd8! 8. Bxd8 f3 9. g6 f2 10. g7 f1=Q 11. g8=Q Qf7+!

12. Kh8!! zz 12. Qxf7? stalemate 12... Qh5+ 13. Kg7 Qg4+ 14. Kf8 +-

Judge Harold van der Heijden: “This shows us a good construction of a (non)-obvious stalemate, which surprisingly seems to be original. The zugzwang position is remarkable. It is a pity that the less obvious move (2.Kh8?) is the thematic try. The bKa6 does not play”.

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(6)
Alexey Sochnev
Ural Problemist 25 JT
2018
1st-2nd Prize

White wins

1. e8=Q+ Ne5 2. Qa8+ d5 3. Nxh4 (3. Qa4+? Kd3 4. Nxh4 a1=Q! 5. Qxa1 Rb7+ 6. Ka2 Ra7+ =; 3. N1g3+? Kd3 4. Nxh4 a1=Q! 5. Qxa1 Rb7+ 6. Ka2 Ra7+ =) 3... a1=N+! (3... g1=Q 4. Qa4+! d4! 5. Qa8+ Kd3 (5... Rd5 6. Nf5! +-) 6. Ng2! a1=N+! 7. Kb2! Nc4+ 8. Kb1! Kc3 9. Qxa1+ Kb4 10. Ne1! Qg6+ 11. Nc2+ Kb5 12. Rb8+ +-) 4. Qxa1 Rb7+!

Logical try: 5. Kc3? d4+! 6. Kc2 Rc7+! (6... d3+? 7. Kc3! Rc7+ 8. Kb4 Rb7+ 9. Kc5 +-) 7. Kd1 g1=Q 8. Rf4+! Kxf4 (8... Kd5 9. Qa2+ Rc4 10. Nf5! e2+ 11. Qxe2 +-) 9. Qxd4+ Kg5 10. Qxe5+ Kxh4 (or 10...Kg4 11. Qe6+ Kh5 12. Qe8+ Kxh4 13. Qh8+) 11. Qh8+ Kg4 12. Qg8+ Kf3! 13. Qxg1 e2+ 14. Kd2 Rd7+! = there is no d5 pawn and the d-file is open (16... Rc2+? 17. Kxc2 +-)

Solution: 5. Kc2!! Rc7+ 6. Kd1 g1=Q 7. Rf4+! (7. Qb1+? Nd3 8. Re8+ Kf4 9. Rf8+ (9. Qxd3 Qg4+ 10. Qe2 Rc1+! 11. Kxc1 Qxe2 =) 9... Ke4 10. Ke2 Qg4+! 11. Rf3 Rc3! 12. Ng3+ Kd4 13. Nhf5+ Kc5 =; 7. Qxe5+? Kxe5 8. Nf3+ Ke6 9. Nxg1 Rf7 10. Re8+ Kd7 =) 7... Kxf4 8. Qd4+ Kg5 9. Qxe5+ Kg4! 10. Qe6+ Kh5! 11. Qe8+! Kxh4 Now the knight must be captured. (11... Kh6 12. Qh8+ Rh7 13. Nf5+ Kg5 14. Qg8+ +-) 12. Qh8+ Kg4 13. Qg8+ skewer 13... Kf3! 14. Qxg1 e2+ 15. Kd2! The d5-pawn prevents a check on the d-file. Remains... 15... Rc2+!

Logical try: 16. Kxc2? e1=Q 17. Nd2+ Ke2 18. Qg4+ Kf2 19. Qh4+ Ke2 20. Qh5+ Kf2 21. Qh2+ Ke3 zz 22. Qe5+ Kf2 23. Qh2+ Ke3 positional draw

Solution: 16. Kd3!! Rc3+! 17. Kxc3! In check! 17... e1=Q+ 18. Nd2+! Ke2 19. Qg4+ Kf2 20. Qh4+ Ke2 21. Qh5+ Kf2 22. Qh2+ Ke3 23. Kc2 !! zz d4 (23... Qe2 24. Qg3+ Kd4 25. Qc3#; 23... Qf2 24. Qe5#) 24. Nc4+ Kf3 25. Ne5+ Ke4 26. Qh7+ Ke3 27. Qh6+ Ke4 (27... Ke2 28. Qh5+ Ke3 29. Qf3#) 28. Qc6+ Kf5 29. Qg6+ Kxe5 (29... Kf4 30. Nd3+ +-) 30. Qe8+ +- skewer

Judge Sergei Osintsev: “Grand idea! Two consecutive 'foresight effects'! The turned Queen walked almost the entire chess Board and returned to the starting position, dominating along the way over the two turned black queens! Perhaps this nuance was decisive in the choice of the author of the opening game, despite the capture of the knight non-playing black Queen. But both knights became playing - black and white. But nonetheless…”

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