Study 193

My Christmas Puzzle for year 2023 is a twin study:

Árpád Rusz
2023
Twin A
White wins

Watch this study on a dynamic board.

1. Kc8 Thematic try: 1. Kc6? Kxb8 2. Kb6 Ka8 3. a7 stalemate. There is no room for the black king next to the a-file. 1... Kb6 2. Kd7(8) Ka7 3. Kc7 We have reached the same position as the initial one but with BTM. 3... Ka8 4. Nd7 Ka7 5. Nc5 +-

The study has a twin by shifting the whole position by 5 files to the right:

Árpád Rusz
2023
Twin B
White wins

Watch this study on a dynamic board.

1. Kh6! Thematic try: 1. Kh8? Kg6! zz = There is no room for the white king next to the h-file. 1... Kxg8 2. Kg6 zz Kf8 3. f7 zz Ke7 4. Kg7 zz +-

Study 179

My Christmas Puzzle for this year is a twin study with DUPLEX solutions.

Árpád Rusz
RCS blog
2019

White wins
DUPLEX
Twin B: wR<->bR (the two rooks switch places)

1. Rd8+ 1. b7? Re8 2. Rg6 Rb8 3. Rxg3 Rxb7 = 1... Kh7 2. b7 g2

3. Rh8+! 3. b8=Q? g1=Q+ 4. Qb1+ Qxb1+ 5. Kxb1 = 3... Kg7 4. Rg8+! Kxg8 5. b8=Q+ +-

The DUPLEX stipulation means that black can also win if it is on move from the starting position. Due the symmetry, the solution is similar:

1... Re1+ 2. Ka2 g2 3. b7

3... Ra1+! 4. Kb2 Rb1+! 5. Kxb1 g1=Q+ -+

The twin also features rook sacrifices:

Twin B

1. b7 1. Rxg3? Rxb6 = 1... Ra6+ 1... Rd8 2. Rxg3 Rb8 3. Rb3 Kg7 4. Ka(b)2 Kf6 5. Ka3! Ke6 6. Ka4 Kd6 7. Ka5 Kc7 8. Ka6 Rh8 9. Ka7 +-

2. Ra3!! Rxa3+ 2... Rb6 3. Ra8+ +- 3. Kb2 g2 4. b8=Q+ +-

With BTM, we have a similar solution. I will give just the main line:

1... g2 2. Rh3+

2... Rh6!! 3. Rxh6 Kg7 4. b7 g1Q+ -+

Watch this study on a dynamic board!

Twin A: Click here!

Twin B: Click here!

Study 29

Árpád Rusz
Internet (Endgame Tablebases Forum)
2006

White wins
Twin B: Qe4->f3

Twin A:

sliding battery

1.Kd8+! [1.Kc8+? Kh6! 2.Qc5 Qg4+ 3.Kc7 Qg7+=] 1...Kg8 [1...Kh6 2.Qc5 Qh4+ (2...Qd3+ 3.Kc7 Qb3 4.Qb6++-) 3.Kc7 Qg3+ 4.Qd6++-] 2.Qb8!

a. 2... Qd4+

sliding battery

3.Kc7+ Kg7 4.Qb7! Qc5+ 5.Kd7! Kf6 6.Qc6+ +-

chameleon echo

b. 2...Qd5+ 2...Kf7 3.Qd6 Qe6 4.Kc7!+-

sliding battery

3.Ke7+ 3.Kc7+? Kf7 4.Qb7 Ke6! 5.Qc6+ Ke5!= 3...Kh7 4.Qc7! Kg6 5.Qd6++-

chameleon echo

Twin B:

1.Kc7!! [1.Ke7? Qg3! 2.Qd7 (2.Kf6+ Kh6=) 2...Qe5+ 3.Kf7 Qf4+! (3...Kh6? 4.Qe6 +-)

chameleon echo

4.Ke6+ Kh8!= (4...Kg8? 5.Qd5!+-); 1.Kd6+? Kh6!= (1...Kg6? 2.Qg1+ Kh7 3.Qh2+ Kg8 4.Qe5 Qf8+ 5.Kc7 Qf7+ 6.Kb6 Qb3+ 7.Kc5 Qc2+ 8.Kd6! Rundlauf 8...Qf2 9.Qd5+ Kh8 10.b3+-) ] 1...Qg3+ [1...Kg8 2.Qb8+ Kg7 3.Qb7!+-] 2.Kb7!! [2.Kc6+? Kg6! (2...Kh6? 3.Qd4 Qg2+ 4.Kc5 Qc2+ 5.Kb4+-) 3.Qd4 Qg2+ 4.Kc5 Qc2+ 5.Kd5 Qb3+ 6.Kc5 Qc2+=] 2...Qb3+ 3.Ka6+ Kg6 4.Qb6+ +-

Watch this study on a dynamic board! Click here and here!