A classical masterpiece

In the October issue of the Deutsche Schachzeitung in 1888 the following position was published, which later became one of the most well-known studies of all time. It features several queen sacrifices followed by skewers.

L. van Vliet
Deutsche Schachzeitung
1888
White wins

1. Qb4! Qh1! 1... Qd5 2. Qa4+ Kb6 3. Qb3+! Qxb3 4. b8=Q+ +-; 1... Qf3 2. Qa4+ Kb6 3. Qb3+! Qxb3 4. b8=Q+ +-; 1... Qg2 2. Qa3+ Kb5 3. Qb2+! Qxb2 4. b8=Q+ +-; 2. Qa3+ Kb6 3. Qb2+ Ka6 3... Kc7 4. Qh2+! Qxh2 5. b8=Q+ +- 4. Qa2+ Kb5 5. Qb1+! Qxb1 6. b8=Q+ +-

The key position in his study is a mutual zugzwang, so I have tried to compose a version with a thematic try.

L. Van Vliet
1888
Deutsche Schachzeitung
version by A. Rusz (2026)
White wins

The immediate 1. Qb4? is answered by the waiting move 1... Qc2! (and not 1... Qc6? 2. Ka8 zz +-), and after 2. Ka8 Qc6, white is in zugzwang.

The solution is 1. Ka8! Qc6 (forced), and only now 2. Qb4! zz etc.

mutual zugzwang

Other versions were also composed since 1888, the best is probably Zhukov's where four units move before the key position:

L. Van Vliet
1888
Deutsche Schachzeitung
version by A. Zhukov (2026)
White wins

1. b7 Qe4 1... Qf4+ 2. Ka8 Qe4 3. Qa2+ Kb6 4. Qb1+! +- 2. Ka8! Qc6 3. Qb4 etc.

Study 197

My Christmas Puzzle for year 2024:

Árpád Rusz
White wins

1. Rh4! 1. Rh1+? skewer Kc2 2. Rxa1 Kb2 3. Rh1 Kxa3 4. Rb1 Ka2 5. Rb8 a3 6. Kf3 Ka1 7. Ke3 a2 8. Kd3 stalemate 1... Kc2 2. Rxa4 Kb3 3. Ra8! Nc2 4. a4 Nb4! Now it is time to approach with the white king. 4... Kb4 5. a5 Kb5 6. a6 Kb6 7. a7 Kb7 8. Rc8! +-

5. Kh4!!

There is only one exit from the corner area for the white king! 5. Kg4? Nc6 6. Ra6 Ne5+ 7. Kf5 Nc4 =; 5. Kf4? Nc6! 6. Ra6 Nb4 7. Ra5 Nc6 8. Rc5 Nb4 9. a5 Nd3+ 10. Ke3 Nxc5 =; 5. a5? Ka4 6. a6 Ka5 7. a7 Nc6 =; 5. Kg2?! Nc6 6. Ra6 Nb4 7. Ra5 Na2 8. Ra8 Nb4 9. Kf1 Nc6 10. Ra6 Nb4 11. Ra5 Na2 12. Ra8 Nb4 13. Ke1? (13. Ke2? Nc6 14. Ra6 Nb4 15. Ra5 Na2 16. Ra8 Nc3+ =) 13... Nc6 14. Ra6 Nb4 15. Ra5 Nc6! 16. Rc5 Nb4 17. a5 Nd3+ = 5... Nc6 6. Ra6 Nb4 7. Ra5 Na2! 7... Nc2 8. Rc5 (8. Ra8? Kb4 9. a5 Kb5 10. a6 Kb6 11. a7 Na3! 12. Rb8+ Kxa7 13. Rb4 Nc2 =) 8... Nb4 9. a5 +- 8. Ra8! Kb4 8... Nb4 9. Kg5 Nc6 10. Ra6 Nb4 11. Ra5 Nc6 12. Rc5 Nd4 13. Rd5 (13. a5? Ne6+ 14. Kf6 Nxc5 =) 13... Kc4 14. Rd6 Nb3 15. Rb6 Nc5 16. a5 +- 9. a5 Kb5 10. a6 Kb6 11. Rc8! Ka7 11... Kxa6 12. Ra8+ +- skewer 12. Rc4! Kxa6 13. Ra4+ +-

Watch this study on a dynamic board.

Study 113

Árpád Rusz
Boris Oleynik MT
2017
2nd Prize
- version -
White wins

1. Nf5! 1. Ng4? Kb3 = 1... f2 1... Kb3 2. Nd4+ +- 2. Ng3! 1st thematic try: 2. Ne3? Kb3 3. h4 Kxc3 4. Nd1+ Position X' 4... Kd2! Better than 4...Kd3? which leads to a check. 5. Nxf2 No check! 5... c3! 6. Ne4+ Ke3! 7. Nxc3 Kf4 = 2... Kb3 3. h4 Kxc3 4. Ne4+ Position X 3... Kd3 Unlike in the 1st thematic try, the black king had no access to the d2 square so moving to d3 is the only option. 5. Nxf2+ Check! 5... Ke2 5... Ke3 6. Ng4+ Kd2 7. Nh2! (7. Ne5? c3 8. Nc4+ Kd3 9. Na3 Ke4 =) 7... c3 8. Nf1+! Ke2 (8... Kd3 9. Kxa2 c2 10. Kb2 +-) 9. Kxa2 c2 10. Kb2 Kd1 11. Ne3+ +-

5. Nh1!! 2nd thematic try: 5. Ne4? Kf3 6. h5 Kxe4 7. h6 c3 8. Kxa2 Position Y' 8... Kd3! Black has to avoid moving to the e3 square! 9. h7 c2 10. h8=Q c1=Q = 5... c3 5... Kf3 6. h5 c3 7. Kxa2 +- 6. Ng3+ Kf3 7. Kxa2! Kxg3 7... Kg4 8. h5 +- 8. h5

8... Kf4! Réti manoeuvre 9. h6 Position Y 9... Ke3 Unlike in the 2nd thematic try, the black king had no access to d3, therefore it could not avoid moving to the mined square e3... 10. h7 c2 11. h8=Q c1=Q 12. Qh6+! +- Boom!

Watch this study on a dynamic board! Click here!

The original version was one move shorter:

White wins

An improved version was published in the e-book "In Search of Beauty" (2025) by "Paparazzi", who added the try 1.Ng4? and the surprising first move 1.Nf5! to the study. He moved the black king away from the a-pawn, not to "strangle" the white king. Visually, this initial position seems lighter, and all black pieces are on white squares (and the white ones on black squares). On the other hand, that pawn is hanging in the initial position, which I usually try to avoid.

White wins

Related study: Study 113a

Study 111

Árpád Rusz
5th UAPA Ty
2017
Special Honourable Mention

Win

1. Rf7+! 1. gxh7? Rb8! (1... Rh5? 2. Ra4+ Ke3 3. Ra3+ Ke4 4. Rh3 +-) 2. Rf7+ Kg5! (2... Ke5? 3. Kf3 Ke6 4. Rb7! rook sacrifice 4... Rh8 5. Kg4 Kf6 6. Kh5 +-) 3. Rg7+ Kh6 4. Rg8 Rb2+ =; 1. g7? Rg5+ 2. Kf2 Rg6! = (2... Kg4? 3. Ra1! Rxg7 4. Rg1+ +-; 2... h5? 3. Ra4+ Kf5 4. Ra5+ +-) 1... Kg4 1... Kg5 2. g7 Rb8 3. Rf8 +-; 1... Ke4 2. gxh7 Rh5 3. Kg3 Ke5 4. Kg4 +- 2. g7! Rg5

3. Kh1!! Thematic try: 3. Kh2? h5 4. Rf1 Rxg7 5. Rg1+ Kh4! 6. Rxg7 stalemate

chameleon echo stalemate

3... h5 3... Rh5+ 4. Kg1! Rg5 5. Rf2 Kh3+ (5... Kh4+ 6. Rg2 +-) 6. Kh1 Rxg7 7. Rh2+ Kg4 8. Rg2+ +-; 3... Kh4 4. Rf4+! (4. Rf2? Rxg7 5. Rh2+ Kg5 =) 4... Kh5 5. Rf5! +- rook sacrifice 4. Rf2! Thematic try: 4. Rf1? Kh3! (4... h4? 5. Kh2! Rxg7 6. Rg1+ +-) 5. Rg1 h4! 6. g8=Q Rxg8 7. Rxg8 stalemate

chameleon echo stalemate

4... h4 5. Kh2! Rxg7 6. Rg2+ +-

Watch this study on a dynamic board! Click here!