Study 170

Árpád Rusz
Shakhmatnaya Kompozicia
2019
1st/2nd Prize

Draw

1. Nxe6! Threatening with checkmate on c7. Thematic try: 1. Nf4+? g2 2. Bxg2+ Rxg2 3. N8xe6 (3. Nxg2 Nf7 4. Nxe6 Qc4+ 5. Nc7+ Qxc7+ 6. Kxc7 Nxh6 -+) 3... Nxe6 4. Nxe6 Qg4! -+ Black pins the knight. The g4 square was empty because the rook managed to move away. 1... Nxe6 2. Nf4+ g2 3. Nxe6! White again is threatening to give checkmate on c7. The knight cannot be pinned by Qg4. Letting the rook to move away from g4 is again a mistake: 3. Bxg2+? Rxg2 4. Nxe6 Qg4! -+ 3... Qc4+ 3... gxh1=Q?? 4. Nc7# 4. Nc7+ Qxc7+ 5. Kxc7 Rxg7+! 5... Bb8+ 6. Kd8! The white king leaves the c8 square empty. 6... gxh1=Q 7. Qa6+ Ba7 8. Qc8+ Bb8 9. Qa6+ perpetual check 6. Qxg7 Bb8+

7. Kc6!! Triangulation. White lets black to promote the pawn with check. Thematic try: 7. Kb6? gxh1=Q -+ mutual zugzwang 7... gxh1=Q+ 8. Kb6! Focal Theme. The black queen has to keep an eye on both b7 and a1.

mutual zugzwang

8... Qg1+! Moving the knight would be very bad: 8... Nf1?? 9. Qa1+ Ba7+ 10. Qxa7#; 8... Nf3?? 9. Qb7# 9. Qxg1 Ba7+ 10. Kc7 Bxg1 11. b6 = The knight is again in a wrong place blocking the h2 square for the bishop.

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Study 151

Árpád Rusz
Internet (RCS blog)
2018

White wins

The stipulation seems wrong: shouldn't white only fight for a draw?
1. Ba5+ Kc8 1... Kd7 2. Nf6+ +- 2. Nc5! 2. Nf6? Qg7 3. Bf3 Qc7! 4. Bg4+ Kd8 = 2... Qg7 3. Bf3! Thematic try: 3. Be4? Qf7 4. Bg2 Qh7 5. Bf3 Qg7 mutual zugzwang 6. Be4 Qf7 positional draw

mutual zugzwang

Now the black queen cannot move: it has to keep an eye on both the b7 and g4 squares (Focal Theme). The knight moves lead also to a disaster:

a. 3... Nf7 4. Bb7#
b. 3... Ng6 4. Bg4+ +-

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This study features one of the first mutual zugzwangs found by Syzygy Endgame Explorer (SEE). More details in the next post.