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#
2 Whitewins
# 5 Draw
Studies for the Practical Player
# 7 White wins # 10 White to move, black draws
# 8 Draw # ll Draw
* 13 Draw # 16 Draw
# 14 Draw # 17 Draw
Studies for the Practical Player
# 19 White wins # 22 White wins
# 20 White wins # 23 Draw
# 25 Draw # 28 White wins
# 26 Draw # 29 White wins
Studies for the Practical Player
# 31 Draw # 34 White wins
# 32 White wins * 35 Draw
* 37 White wins # 40 White wins
* 38 White wins # 41 Draw
Studies for the Practical Player
• 43 White wins • 46 Draw
# 44 White wins • 47 Draw
# 49 White wins # 50 White wins
§OLUTIDl\15 Al\10 COM M EI\ITARY
The study of Barbe and Saavedra was treated extensively in the previous chapter. Positions 1-3 build on their theme - underpromoting the pawn to a rook. In # 1, black has to first win a
pawn and then sacrifice his rook for the other one. If only he could.
J.C�b41 Etf5 2.c6 Etxh5 3.c7 Eth4+
If white had begun with 1. 'it'c4 then 3 ... f!xh2 would have achieved a draw at once. And on l .'it'd4, black would have had 3 ... f!h8 with a draw.
4. �b5 Eth5+ 5. �b6 Eth6+ 6 . .Q.d6!
A moment of fun: white sacrifices his bishop in order to enter the Barbe/Saavedra position after 6 ... f!xd6+ 7.'it'b5, etc.
Black has the same goal as in • 1 but once again he'll be too late.
1.�cll Et xb5 2.c7 Etd5+ 3.�d3 Etxd3+ 4.�c2 and now follows the familiar finale:
4 ... E{d4 5.c8 = Etl Eta4 6.�b3
Another nice possibility existed:
l ... Etd5+ 2.�c2 Etc5+ 3.�d31 Etxb5 4.c7 EtbSI 5.cxb8 = .Q.II
Bishop and knight can, as you know, easily perform a mate. (But not 5.cxb8=� Stalemate.)
The Barbe/Saavedra Quartet only included the stalemate theme once, while study • 2 featured it twice. But in • 3 there are no less than four stale mates!
l.�e21
Much better than l .'it'c4? f!d2! 2.'it'c3 §d5! and white has to accept either 3.'it'c4 §d2 4.'it'c3 with a repetition of moves or 3.c8=� f!c5+! 4.�xc5 - the first stalemate.
Studies for the Practical Player
The second stalemate was to be found in 2.c8=� E!c3+! 3.�xc3.
2 ... Etd6 3 . .£Jd41
And the third was 3.c8=� E!c6+! 4.�xc6 stalemate!
3 ••. Etc6+1 4 . .£1 xc6+ <llb6 5.c8 = ftl
All the tricks have been tried but white has reached his goal - the pawn became a rook. S.c8=� Stalemate - number four! The most popular positions from the last cenrury are, as we have seen, still being perl'ected, and every time the main motif (the pawn's promotion to a rook) is combined with other srudy-like elements. Naturally. Each new genera tion of chess composer exploits all of the tools of the old masters in their pur suit of great art. Just as happens among practical players.
A classical stalemate srudy:
1.fth8+ <llg7 2.ftg8+ <llh7 3.Axa2 ftxa2+ 4.<llb1 ftb2+ s.<llal <llxg8 Stalemate; 4 . . • .£Jc3+ S.<llcl <llxg8
Stalemate; 5 . • . fta1+ 6.<llb2 ftbl+
7.<lla3 �xg8 Stalemate.
This srudy is 50 years younger that the previous one but still stalemate is what's it all about.
l.Etg5+ <i!;>h71 2.<i!;>bl Ae6 3.fte5 Ac4 4.ftc51
The bishop mustn't be allowed access to dS: 4.E!e4? ..lldS S.E!eS �a4.
4 ... .Q.e6 5.Ete5 (5.E!c2 <tla4) s ... Ags 6.Etg5 .Q.f7 7.Etf5 .Q.g8 8.ftg5 .£la4
Black will not accept a repetition of moves, but is he in for a surprise.
9.ftxg81 and you're back at the Liburkin srudy ( •4 after white's fourth move). Black has to be content with one of the three stalemates. In this way the old srudy became both more dynamic and refined due to its interesting beginning. In addition, a piece got locked up. A splendid example of the constant devel opment of themes in a study. Illustrated by some miniarures.
One more of Reti's classics.
l.ftf31 g2 2.Jlfll gl = "l:J 3.fth3 Mate.
Superb thinking but with one drawback - it all happened a little too fast.
This one has the same pieces as the pre vious srudy by Reti though here the pawn is besieged by some interesting starting moves.
l.ftf211
At first this marvellous maneuver seems to defy common sense.
l ... g3 2.ftf31 (Reti's trap)
2 ... �h21
Neither 2 ... 'it>g4 3.'<1te4 g2 4 . ..1le6+ 'it>h4 S.E!h3+ 'it>gS 6.E!g3+ followed by 7.E! xg2, nor 2 ... 'it>h4 3.f!f4+ 'it>gS (3 .. .'it>h3 4 . ..1lc4 g2 S . ..llfl) 4 .'it>e4 g2 S.E!f8! gl=� 6.E!g8+ and 7.f!xgl would do black any good.
3.Ac41 g2 4.Af11
A final trap in the style of Reti.
4 ... gl = "l:: 5.fth3 Mate.
The difference was significant when compared to • 6: The solution became far more difficult and even contained a paradox (l .E!f2!!). The black king volun-
tarily went to the mating square (2 ... lt>h2!), and the play became much more dynamic - the black king didn't stay at just one spot, the white rook and bishop each made two moves and the pawn took not two but three steps. A classical example of the theme of underpromotion.
l.c6 .Q.g4 2.c7 �b7 3.c8 = �1 .Q.xc8 4.�b6 and white will win one of the black pieces and make a draw.
The author of this study is one of the real masters of having a "dialog" with the classical chess compositions.
l.h6! (Ulf7? b2 2 . .llg6 .:t:l><hS)
l ... b2!
White wins after l .. . .:t:lxg8 2.h7!
2 . .Q.h711 � xh7 3.hxg7 bl = .Q.I
Much better than 3 ... bl =� 4.g8=� �b3+ S.lt>e7 �xg8 Stalemate.
4.g8 = � C4.�f7? .lla2+ S.'<!tg6 Ag8)
4 •.• .Q.a2+ 5.�f5 .Q.xg8 6.�g6 �d7
7.�g7
And not until now does the king show its strength. Please compare this with the previous study.
The alternative finish 2.h7? had it own value and themes: 2 ... b l =� 3.h8=� 'i!i'b3+ 4.�f5! (4.'<!ile7 �xg8! but not 4 ... .:£:lxg8+? S.�xg8! �xg8 Stalemate.) 4 ... �d3+ (4 ... �xg8 s.�xg8 .:t:lxg8 6.'ifilg6 Draw) S.'<!ilf4! gS+!! 6.'<!txg5 �g3+ 7.'itlh6 (7.'<!ilf5 't!t'g4+ 8.'ifile5 't!t'e4+ 9.'itlxf6 �d4+) 7 .. :�·h4+ 8.'ifilg7 .:t:le8+ winning the queen.
Pogosjanz's interpretation of the familiar motives was interesting. Three more with some of the same elements. It is hard to believe, but the black fortress cannot be penetrated in this old study. Just look:
l . .§.c7 .Q.d5 2 . .§.c5 .Q.a2 3 • .§.b5 .Q.c41
4 . .§.b4 .Q.d5! 5.'�g6 .Q.f7+ 6.\tlf5 .Q.d5 7.1it>e5 .Q.a2 8 . .§.a4 .Q.b31 9 . .§.a3 Ac4
10 . .§.a8+ �f7 ll . .§.a7+ �f8 12.�f5 .Q.d3+ 13.�g5 .Q.c4 14.f7 \tlg71 fol lowed by 15 ... .Q.xf7 with a draw. You may find the next position in any endgame manual, but Grandmaster Benko transformed it into a fascinating modem study. The pawn only has to make one more move to promote so white's situation appears to be highly precarious.
l.Ac71
White would lose after l .Ad6 .§a6! 2.Ac5 lt>g3! 3 . .llxf2+ 'ifilf3 or 2.Ae5 .§aS 3.Ad6 .§fS 4 . .llc7 lt>g4 S . .llb6 lt>f3 6.A><f2 .§bS. Now the bishop only has one valid answer to each movement of the rook on the second rank. And that's just enough.
l ... .§.b2 (l.. . .§a7 2.Ab6; l ...lt>g4 2.lt>g2! .§b2 3.Ad6! .§b6 4 . .llc5) 2 . .Q.d6! .§.a2
(2 ... .§b6 3.Ac5) 3 . .Q.c71 .§.c2 4 . .1le51 .§.d2 C4 ... .§cS S.Ad4) 5 . .Q.f41 (S.Ag3? 'ifilg4! 6.Axf2 �f3) 5 ... .§.e21
In the hope that white will lose his com mon sense and take the rook - 6.�xe2?? lt>g2!
Studies for the Practical Player
It is time for the bishop to return to its 1.4)e31
home-square. All other moves would Threatening 2 . .£lf5. l .<\t>g4? would be bad waste all the nice work: 6 . .1ld6 §b2! due to l ...E!d3 2 . .£lf4 §d4.
7 . .1le5 §b5 8 . .1lc7 E!f5 etc. Or 6 . .1lc7 §a2! 1 . . • gh21 2.�g4 h3 3.�g3 gb21
7 . .llb8 §a8! 8 . .1ld6 §a6 9 . .1le5 §a5 4.4)g4 ( 4 . .£lfl? §b1 5 . .£lh2 §b3+) 10 . .1ld6 .§ f5 and black will remain on 4 ... gb3+ 5.�h2 �c71
top.
6 ... ges
The picture would just repeat itself after 6 ... .§d2 7 . .1U4!
7.Ag311
A truly fantastic way to save the situa tion. If black takes the bishop it will be stalemate.
7 ... �g4 8.�xf21 Draw.
In • 10 the inferior side succeeded in stopping a further advance of the pawn, but in • 1 1 he saved himself because the pawn moved forward. Pogosjanz creat ed a bridge between the two themes with:
1.�f21 (l...<it>g2 was threatened.)
1 ... ga2+1 2.�fl
And now 2 ... 'it>g3 3 . .1le5+! leads to the Ercole del Rio study ( • 1 0) while 2 .. .f2! 3 . .1le5+! �h3 4 . .1lc7! brings us back to the Benko position ( • 1 1). As we know white can make a draw in both cases. Genrikh Kasparian is the only Grandmaster of Composition who also holds the title International Master in over-the-board chess. And four times he participated in the USSR championship. It's hard to believe that this position, from a tournament game, would hide a masked stalemate combination.
The king is getting back into the game, but he won't be able to support his pawn.
6.4)f21
It wasn't possible to take the pawn with out allowing the pin: 6 . .£le5? <it>d6! 7 . .£lf7+ 'it'e6 8 . .£lg5+ <it>f5 9.<tlxh3 'it'g4 10 . .£lf2+ 'it'f3 1 1 ..£lh3 .§b2+ followed by 1 2 ... 'it'g3 and black wins.
6 ... gb2 7.�g1 h2+ 8.�h1 gxf2 Stalemate.
From one look at this position, it appears to be impossible for white to save himself by employing the stalemate theme.
1 . .Q.e5+ �g8! 2.gd8+1
Forcing the king to the seventh rank. White would lose after 2 . .§d2? 't!t'f3+ 3.<it>h2 't!t'h5+ or 2 . .§d3 't!t'h7+.
2 ... �f7 3.gd3 �e6!
The king is even gaining time while get ting back into play.
4.ge3 �h1+
Or 4 ... 'it'f5 5.'it'h2 't!t'h7+ 6.'it'g1 't!t'g6+ 7.'it'fl! 't!t'a6+ 8.<\t>g1 with a draw.
5 . .Q.h2+! �f5 6.gxb3
Finally the pawn is besieged - but black suddenly begins to attack.
6 .. :�·fl+ 7.�g3 't\'c4! s.gf3+ �g5 9 . .Q.g11 't\'g4+ 10.�h2 't\'xf3
This was one of the most time con suming studies ever - as Grandmaster Kasparian worked on it over three years. Countless variations had to be calculat ed to create the miniature.
The author dedicated the next study to the international Alekhine Memorial tournament in Moscow and in the years afterwards it won many prizes.
l.�hl+
If l .c6+ at once then l...'it'><c6 2.'1'ii'a6+ Jlb6 3.'1'ii'c4+ JlcS+ 4.'\'ii'><cS+ 'it'b7 with a draw.
l ... �b8
The alternative l...'it'a6 leads to the main line after 2.'\'ii'fl + 'it'b7 3.'1'ii'f3+ 'it'b8 4.'\'ii'f8+.
2.�h8+ �b7 3.c6+ §.><c6 4:lii·ht �b6 5.�gl+
But certainly not 5.'\'ii'dS straightaway as it would allow S ... Jlb8! 6.'\'ii'bS+ 'it'a7 7.'1'ii'><c6 Stalemate.
5 ... �b7 6.�g2 �b6 7.�f2+ �b7 8.�f3 �b6 9.�e3+ �b7 10.�e4
�b6 l l.�d4+ �b7 12.�d5 and
white wins.
A tempting possibility is l.'it'el but black keeps the upper hand after l . . . .il><e2 2.�f2 (or 2.Jlc2+ . 'it'b4 3.'it'f2 -tlf3!) 2 ... -tlh3+ 3.�><e2 .tlf4+.
l.�e31 Jlxe2 2.Jlf51 d6
Also possible was 2 ... .1lb5 3.�f2 .tle2 4 . .il><d7 or 2 ... d5 3 . .1le6 Ac4 4.�f2 .tle2 S.A><dS with a draw.
3.�d41 (3.�f2? -tlf3! 4.Ad7+ .!lbS)
3 ... Jlf3 4.Jle4 .£)e2+
Looks like no trick in the world is going to save white. But ...
S.�c411 ,1lxe4 Stalemate.
l.�d7
Establishes an immediate threat in two directions: 'it'c6 and �e6.
l ... e4
It would be much easier for white to reach a draw after: l ...�c2 2.'it'e6 e4 3.Jlg5 .tlg4 4.'it'f5 -tlf2 S.Ae3 or l...'it'e2 2.'it'c6 e4 3.'it'b7 .tlf7 4.Ae7 or 1...-tlg4 2.'it'c6 e4 3.Ag5 etc.
2.Ag5 (2.'it'c6? e3 3.�b7 .tlfS)
2 ... .£)f7 3.Af4 �e2
If 3 ... �c2 then 4.'it'e7! .tlh8 S.'it'f6 leads to a draw.
4.�e61
Better than 4.�c6? �f3 S.Jld2 .tleS+ 6.'it'b7 .tlb6.
4 ... .£Jds+ C4 ... .£Jhs s.�f6 .£Jb6 6.�g7)
5.�d7
Starting to chase the knights.
5 ... .£)b7 6.�c6 .£)a5+ 7.�b5 .£)b3 8.�c41 (8.'it'c6? .tld4+ 9.�b7 .tle6)
8 ... �f3 9 . .1lg51 �g4 10.Ae31 .£)a5+ ll.�b5 .£lb7 12.�c6 .£)d8+ 13.�d7 .£)f7 14.�e61
A last detail: If 14.�c6 then 14 ... -tleS+ 15.'it'b7 .tlc4 and 1 6 ... .£Jab6.
14 ... �f3 15.Ad21 Draw.
White is striving to exchange the pawn but its not easy.
l.�b2 Aa41 2.�c3 .£)d6 3.d41
Surprising. Instead of an exchange, white sacrifices his pawn.
Studies for the Practical Player
Black has an alarming material superior ity, but he still can't use it.
6.ciflc4 (6 . ..Q..c4? �f5) 6 ... 4)b5 7.ciflb4 .£lc3 8.cifjlc4 4)e2
The weaknesses on a4 and d4 force black to regroup his pieces.
9.cifld3 .lld1 10.cifjld2 4)c3 ll.cifld3
And again white saves himself by chal lenging the bishop or the pawn.
11 ... 4)e2 ( l l ...?::lb5 1 2 . ..Q..c4) 12.cifjld2 Draw.
This is a very useful study for the theory of rook endgames. It appears that white is about to win the "adjournment."
t.d5 ciflf7 2.d6 cifjle8 3.d7+ cifldS 4.a5 Etb5 5.a6 Eta5 6.Etd6 Eta3
With mutual zugzwang.
7.ciflf21
Alternatively 7.�fl? would only lead to a draw after 7 ... Eia2 8.�gl g3 9.�fl Eif2+ and 10 ... Eia2.
7 ... Etf3+ 8.cifjle21 (8.�el? g3 9.�e2 Eif2+ 10.�e3 Eia2) 8 ... Eta3 9.ciflell (9.�d2? g3 1 0.�e2 §a2+) 9 ... Ete3+ (9 ... g3 lO.�fl Eia2 l l .�gl) 10.cifjld2 Eta3 ll.cifle2 E{a2+ 12.ciflfll Etal+ 13.ciflf2! Eta3 14.cifjlg2
Finally black has to make a move in this position.
14 ... Eta2+ 15.ciflg3 Eta4 16.ciflh4 Etb4 17.a7 Eta4 18.E{h6 and black is bound to lose a rook.
The black knight is holding on by the skin of its teeth, and at the end it will fall.
1 . .11,b6!
It would be a mistake to play l...Q..el.
l ... ciflh7 2.Ae3
Makes sure that black's king won't res cue the knight.
2 ... d5 3. ciflf6 d4
It takes the sacrifice of a pawn to break the blockade of the king.
4 . .1l,xd4 ciflh6 5.ciflf5 ciflh5 6.cifjlf4 ciflh4 7.ciflf31 ciflh3 8 . .1l,e51
A last finesse: 8.Eigl? ?::lg3 9.hxg3 Stalemate.
8 ... 4)g3 9.hxg3 and white wins. A rich battle crowned by a magnificent mate by a single knight (the only surviv ing white piece).
1.f7 E{a6+ 2 . .1la31 (2.�b2 Ei f6)
2 ... E{xa3+ 3.ciflb2 Eta2+1 4.Cif;lc11
The alternative 4. �c3? would let the vic tory slip away after 4 ... Eic2+! 5.�b4 f!b2+.
4 ... E{al+ 5.Cif;ld2 Eta2+ 6.cifle3 Eta3+ 7.ciflf4 Eta4+ 8.ciflg5 Etg4+ 9.ciflh6!
If 9.�xg4? then 9 ... ..Q..xf5+ 10.�xf5 �g7 with a draw.
9 ... E{g8 10.4)e7 Ae6 ll.fxg8 = t:/+ .11,xg8 12.4)g6 Mate.
One more rook ending. And again not one without finesse.
1.E{d8+ ciflg7 2.e71 d1 = 'ltr+ 3.Etxd1 ciflf7 4.E{e1 Cif;le8 5.a41
The king would get inside the square of the pawn in time after 5.f!e2? Eib7 6.a4 §xe7 7.Eixe7+ '!;xe7 8.a5 �d8.
5 ... Etb3+ 6.�g21 Etb2+ 7.ciflh11 Etb4 8.a5 Etb5 9.a6 Etb6 10.a7 Eta6
ll.E{g11
The final picture bears some resem blance to • 19 although the winning method is totally different.
Vifjla811 4:)d7 2.e6 dl� 3.exd7 �xd7
All over the board white's pieces are hanging, but at the end they will unite their forces.
1.4:)b4+ Cit'a5 2.4:)c6+ Cit'a4
The king is fleeing one knight just to be chased by the other.
3.4:)b6+ Cit'a3 4.4:)c4+ Cit'a2
The knights have completed the hunt and now its time to take care of the bishop.
5 • .Q.f311 �xf3
If 5 .. :t!i'f8+ then 6.\tth7 'iii'f7+ 7.<it'h8 �xc4 8 . ..1ld5! �xd5 9.<t\b4+.
6.4:)b4+ lit'al 7.4:)c2+ lit'a2 8.4:)b4+
A perpetual check solely with the knights is very unusual. This work of art gave birth to a new motif named "The Mechedruli."
l.Ac4 §.c5 2.Ag811 lit'bl 3.§.b81 §.cl + 4.Cit'd2 §.c2+ 5.1it'dl al = �
6.§.xb4+ Etb2 7.Etc41 Etc2 8.Etb4+ Etb2 9.§.c4
A positional draw. And one of the most original studies on the theme "perpetual mating threats" (here .§c4-cl mate).
Ex-World Champion Mikhail Tal said about this study: "The endgame in this position takes the form of a game in itself. And one may think that, no maner how many pawns are promoted simulta neously, a draw would be easy to achieve. But this impression is deceiv ing." To begin with: l .'ittc7 d1="«r 2.b8="«r �d7 mate.
4.b8� Cit'a6 5.�d6+ �xd6
Stalemate.
On 3 .. 'it'a6 follows 4.b8=<tl+ 'it'b6
S.d8="«r+ �xd8 and again a stalemate with a pinned knight. As you saw, despite its simple look a study rich in complications.
Readers experienced in normal over-the-board games may be surprised by the great number of studies in this book which end in a stalemate, a theme that is certainly not very common in tournament play though it does appear now and then - even in World Championship matches.
A good example is how Botvinnik once got out of a very difficult situation in his 20th game of his re-match with Mikhail Tal in 1961 due to a stalemate idea found during analysis. And how many obviously winning games have been saved because the defender dis covered a study-like stalemate?
Unfortunately the limitations of this book do not allow us to illustrate every idea with a position, but we couldn't let the following one remain unnoticed.
Studies for the Practical Player
In this position, white (on move) cannot stop the e-pawn but he still found an absolutely fantastic way to force a draw.
t..£ixc4+1 dxc4 2.l!d111 exd1 = .£11
After 2 ... exdl='i!t or 2 ... e><dl =.§ white would be stalemated, and 2 ... exdl=.ll 3.Ae4! Axe4 would be stalemate.
3 . .Q.e41
Now if 3 ... .Jlxe4, white is stalemated despite the fact that the pawn became a knight.
3 ... .£jxc3 4 . .Q.xa8 .£i xa2 5 . .Q.d5 c3
(5 .. .'it'b3 would have been meet with 6.Axc4+) 6 . .Q.xa2 c2 7 . .Q.bll c1 = �
and the theme: Stalemate is repeated again no matter whether black promotes to a queen or rook. A unique endgame!
Six different stalemates appear after various promotions! A wonder that would have pleased any chess compos er. The conclusion is obvious: The stale mate theme is not a stranger in practical play. In fact it may often lead to game of highly artistic value.
Another discovery by this Grandmaster an unusual stalemate combination in the battle between a queen versus a queen and knight.
1.e8 = 'itt .Q.e5+ 2.'itfxe511
White has hardly got his queen before he throws it away again.
2 ... 'itfa8+ 3.l!f81 �xf8+ 4.�h7 �f7+
OK - the queen couldn't be taken any
way because of the stalemate.
5.�h8 'itffB+ 6.�h7 �h6+ 7.�g8 �g6+ 8.�h8 'itth6+ 9.�g8 Draw.
Will white be able to conserve enough pieces to win?
1 . .Q.a6 .Q.e2
The knight is placed unfortunately which might raise black's hope of find ing rescue.
2.�b3 .Q.dl+ 3.�b21 .Q.e2 4.�c3
To maintain the pin, black now has to move his pawn each time the white king completes the triangulation maneuver b3-b2-c3.
4 ... h6 5.�b3 .Q.d1+ 6.�b21 .Q.e2 7.�c3 h5 8.�b3 .Q.d1+ 9.�b21 .Q.e2 10.�c3 h4 ll.�b3 .Q.dl+ 12.�b21 .Q.e2 13.�c3 h3 14.�b3 .Q.d1+ 15.�b21 .Q.e2 16.�c3 and its all over. Grandmaster Pogosjanz holds a World record: He has created more than 5000 studies in different genres!
"Why so many?" asks the skeptical reader: "Quantity doesn't always imply quality." The composer answers with a laugh: "Quality is often connected to quantity!!"
And the readers of this book have a splendid opportunity to assess the cor rectness of this statement - as Pogosjanz's marvellous studies can be found in each and every chapter.
1 . .Q.fl .Q.b51
Black will get no counterplay after l...Ad7 V�:lg5.
2.jlg2 .Q.fll
A familiar motive - stalemate.
3 . .Q.xf1 g21
Looks like white has been taking a nap - 4 . .llxg2 Stalemate - but...
#
5 ... Ag7 6 . .Q.b5+ �b3 7 . .Q.xe2 Af51 l.�f6 �h6 2.d6 .£)e8+1 3 . .Q.xe8 e3Black is hoping for 4 . .1lb5? e2 5 . .1lxe2+ Stalemate.
4.d7i e2 5.d8 = .£) 1 el = �
I f black also promotes his pawn to a knight, then: 5 ... el =<tl 6.-tlc6! <tlf3 7.-tle7 <tlh4 8.-tlg8 mate.
6 . .£)f7+ ctt'h5 7.-tle5+ �h4 (7 ... <J;;h6 8.-tlg4 mate.) 8 . .£)f3+ and the queen is lost and white wins.
It would be premature to play: l .E ha2? c1 =<tl+ 2. 'J;;b2 <t\xa2 3.-tlf2+ 'J;;h2 4. 'J;;xa2 E!.g2 and the knight is pinned - and lost.
1 . .£)f2+ �h2 2 . .£)g4+ �hl 3 . .£lf2+ �g2
The king heads in a new direction after its initial (and controlled) maneuvers. But he has a surprise waiting for him.
4.E!,xa21 cl = .£1 + 5.ctt'b2 .£lxa2 6 . .£!d3
This very position was already found by A. Gurevich back in 1947. So again we're witnessing a dialog between the old masters and the young ones.
6 ... E!,dl 7.ctt'c2 E!.fl 8.�b2 E!.dl
On 8 ... E!.f3 follows 9.4Jel+.
9.�c2 E!.hl lO.�b2 E!.dl
Or 10 ... E!.h3 l l .<tlf4+.
ll.�c2 with a draw.
l . .Q.c6+ ctt'b3 2.E!.b5+ �a3 3.E!.a5+ �b4 4.E!.b5+
On 4.E!.a4+ black has the decisive 4 ... 'J;;c5 5.E!.e4 .llg7+ 6.'J;;bl .llf5.
4 • . . �c4 5.E!.e51
White would lose his bishop after 5.E!.bl? .llg7+ 6.'it>a2 'J;;c5+.
Playing for mate though all he's going to get is stalemate. A result that would also occur after 7 ... 'J;;c2 8 . .lldl + 'J;;cl 9 . .1lb3 .llxb3.
8.Adl+ �a3 9 . .1lc2 .llxc2 Stalemate.
Two pawns are - in the present case - stronger than a rook. But you still have to prove why it's true.
l.f61 E!.g81
Black is NOT going to be inactive.
2.fxe7 E!,xg7+ 3.�h3 E!.h7+
Or 3 ... E!.xe7 4.E!.al + mating.
4.ctt'g3 E!.g7+ 5.ctt'f21
Here too the pawn is impossible to digest (5 ... E!.xe7 6.E!.h4 mate.)
5 ... E!.f7+
It looks like its going to be perpetual check but white finds an effective way to end the hunt on his king.
6.E!.f411 E!.xf4+ 7.ctt'e31 and the pawn will queen.
The remaining part of this chapter is dedicated to the classics. Knowledge of those works are very useful to practical
players. Many of the studies look like a position from a common game, but the solutions are full of true wonders.
l.�b4
A silent move. The black queen has access to four squares (while maintain ing the pin), but on each of them an unpleasant surprise awaits her.
l. .. �d5 (or l . .:�f3) 2.�a4+ ctt'b6 3.�b3+1 �xb3 4.b8 = �+ followed by 5.�xb3.
Studies for the Practical Player
Or 1 .. :�·g:z :Z:/tra3+ �b6 3. �b:Z+I Vit'h11
'/trxb2 4.b8 = �+ and S.�xb:Z. Only this option will save white as Or 1 ... �h1 :Z.�a3+ �b6 3.�b:Z+
�c7 (3 ... 'ifila6 4.fl'a2+ 'itib6 S.fl'bl +! fl'xbl 6.b8=fl'+ and 7."i!i'xbl .) 4.�h2+1 '/trxh:Z s.b8 = �+ and 6.�xh:Z.
A classical miniature based on the theme: Symmetry. All the pieces are located on the long diagonal after:
l.J}.b21
The black rook is in danger and depend ing on where it goes various syrrunetri cal variations will decide. Two of the most easy ones are:
l. .. .§.f7 :Z . .§.h3+ �g8 3 . .§.h8 Mate, and the symmetrical 1 ... .§.g6 :Z . .§.c8+ �h7 3 . .§.h8 Mate.
The next two lines are far move difficult:
l. .. .§.fS :Z . .§.c7+1 �g8 3 . .§.g7+ �h8 4.�a21
Now black is in zugzwang so white wins. But note that 4.'ifilbl? is a mistake because of 4 ... E!fl + s.�a2 E!al +! 6.'ifilb3 E!a3+! 7.'ifilc2 E!c3+ 8 . .1lxc3 and taking the rook has been expensive for white as black is stalemated.
1 ... .§.h6 :Z . .§.g3+1 �h7 3 . .§.g7+ �h8 4.�bll
This time it is 4.'ifila2? that would let go of the victory.
4 ... .§.h1 + s . .§.g1 + and wins.
A famous study which illustrates the importance of the rule of opposition in