www.arves.org - Macedonian Problemist 2023

Studies awarded for The Macedonian Problemist 2023 tournament.

(Be aware there is also a Thematic Tournament: The Macedonian Problemist 2023)

The Macedonian Problemist 2023- Studies award. I received 18 original quality
studies from tourney director Zoran Gavrilovsky and was assisted by Gady
Costeff for varifying the originality of the selected ones. I thank them both
and apologize to all for the delay. Thanks to the high level of the entries
I awarded 11 of them. Yochanan Afek.

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist "] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "1-2 Pr. N0. 2791 M. Minski, (Germany)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5QB1/8/8/8/7K/3q4/1p1pRBPk/7r w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "17"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {The Macedonian Problemist 2023- Studies award. I received 18 original quality studies from tourney director Zoran Gavrilovsky and was assisted by Gady Costeff for varifying the originality of the selected ones. I thank them both and apologize to all for the delay. Thanks to the high level of the entries I awarded 11 of them. An outstanding logical study highlighted by mutual queen sacrifices following a complete set of second move Bishop tries.}  1. Bd5 $1 (1. Kg5 $2 d1=Q 2. Qf4+ Kxg2 3. Bd4+ Q1xe2 4. Bd5+ Qef3 5. Bxf3+ Qxf3 6. Qxf3+ Kxf3 7. Bxb2 $11) 1... Qxd5 2. Ba7 $1 ({logical tries:} 2. Be3 $2 Qc4+ 3. Qf4+ Qxf4+ 4. g4+ Qf2+ 5. Rxf2+ Kg1+ 6. Kg3 {position X with wBe3} d1=N $1 7. Rxb2+ Nxe3 8. Rb1+ Nf1+ $11) (2. Bb6 $4 Qc4+ 3. Qf4+ Qxf4+ 4. g4+ Qf2+ 5. Rxf2+ Kg1+ 6. Kg3 {position X with wBb6} b1=Q $19) (2. Bc5 $2 Qxc5 $1 3. Qxc5 d1=Q 4. Rxb2 Qd8+ $11) (2. Bd4 $4 Qxd4+ 3. g4+ Kg1+ $19) 2... Qe4+ $1 (2... Qc4+ 3. Qf4+ $1 Qxf4+ {see main line}) 3. Qf4+ $3 {the point} (3. Rxe4 $2 d1=Q 4. Qg8 (4. Qg7 {/Qf2} Qd8+ $11) 4... Qd3 $11) 3... Qxf4+ 4. g4+ Qf2+ 5. Rxf2+ Kg1+ 6. Kg3 {position X with wBa7} Rh3+ 7. Kxh3 d1=Q (7... b1=Q 8. Rg2+ ({ minor dual} 8. Rh2+ Kf1 9. Rh1+ Ke2 10. Rxb1 $18) (8. Rxd2+ $2 Kf1 9. Rf2+ Ke1 $11) 8... Kf1 (8... Kh1 9. Rh2#) 9. Rg1+ Ke2 10. Rxb1 $18) 8. Rd2+ (8. Rxb2+ $2 Kf1 9. Rf2+ Ke1 $11) 8... Kf1 9. Rxd1+ $18 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "1-2 Pr. No. 2856 O.Pervakov, (Russia)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "7q/6pk/6p1/2R2B2/7P/7K/6P1/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "21"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {A subtle and highly tactical battle of rook & bishop vs. queen seeking the right moment for the transition into the only winning pawn ending. A superb textbook training challenge!} 1. Be4 $1 ({Thematic try-1:} 1. Rc8 $2 gxf5 2. Rxh8+ Kxh8 $11) (1. Bd3 $2 Kh6 2. Rc6 Qg8 $1 3. Rxg6+ Kh7 4. Rg5+ g6 $1 $11) 1... Kh6 $1 (1... Qd8 2. Rh5+ Kg8 3. Bd5+ Kf8 4. Rh8+ $18) 2. g4 $1 ({ Thematic try-2:} 2. Rc6 $2 Qg8 $1 (2... Qe8 $2 3. Rxg6+ Qxg6 4. Bxg6 Kxg6 5. Kg4 $1 $18) 3. g3 (3. Rxg6+ Kh7 4. Ra6+ g6 $1 5. Ra7+ Kh6 $11) (3. Bxg6 Qe6+ 4. Rxe6 $11 {Model stalemate}) 3... Qf7 {(e8)} 4. Rxg6+ Qxg6 5. Bxg6 Kxg6 6. Kg4 Kh6 $1 7. Kf4 Kh5 8. Kf5 g5 $1 9. hxg5 $11 {Ideal stalemate}) 2... Qd8 $1 (2... Qb8 3. Rh5+ $1 gxh5 4. g5# {Model mate}) 3. Rc6 $1 ({Thematic try-3:} 3. Rg5 $2 Qf6 $1 4. Rxg6+ Qxg6 5. Bxg6 Kxg6 6. Kg3 Kf6 $1 7. Kf3 g6 $1 8. Kf2 (8. Ke4 Ke6 9. g5 Kd6 10. Kf4 Ke6 11. Kg4 Kf7 12. h5 gxh5+ 13. Kxh5 Kg7 $11) (8. Kf4 g5+ $1 9. hxg5+ Kg6 $11) 8... Kf7 $1 9. Ke3 Ke7 $1 10. Kd3 Kd7 11. Kc4 Ke6 $1 12. Kd4 Kd6 13. Ke4 Ke6 14. Kf4 Kf6 15. Kf3 Kf7 $1 $11 {Positional draw}) 3... Qe8 ( 3... Qd4 4. g5+ Kh7 5. Bxg6+ Kg8 6. Rc8+ $18) (3... Qg8 4. Rxg6+ Kh7 5. Ra6+ g6 6. Ra7+ $1 Kh8 7. Ra8 $18) (3... Kh7 4. Bxg6+ Kg8 5. Re6 $18) 4. g5+ $1 { The key} Kh7 5. Bxg6+ Qxg6 6. Rxg6 Kxg6 7. Kg4 Kf7 (7... Kh7 8. Kf5 $1 Kg8 9. Kg6 $18) 8. Kh5 $1 (8. Kf5 $2 g6+ $1 9. Ke5 Ke7 $11) 8... Kf8 $1 9. Kg6 Kg8 10. h5 $1 (10. Kf5 $2 Kf7 11. h5 g6+ $1 $11) 10... Kf8 11. Kh7 $1 (11. h6 $2 Kg8 $1 12. hxg7 $11 {Model stalemate}) 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist "] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "3 Pr. No. 2788 J. Sprenger, (Italy)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5k2/1B2n3/6P1/8/8/4p3/3b2KP/B7 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {Model or even ideal mates by the bishop pair had been naturally demonstrated. Here however the real novelty lies in the second main line: Following the surprising pawn sacrifice 5.h4!! after 6...Bf2 the gained tempo is used to force a 2 B vs N won ending.} 1. g7+ Kf7 {Forces White to be precise: after 1.. . Kg8 both 2. Ba6 and 2. Be2 are possible, with transposition to the solution.} 2. Bf3 $1 (2. Kf3 $2 e2 $1 3. Kxe2 Bh6 $10) ({The thematic try} 2. Ba6 $2 { looks more natural, keeping the f3 square for the king, but Black counters with } e2 $1 3. Bc4+ Kg6 4. Bxe2 {and with the king on g6, he can play} Bh6 $1 5. Bd3+ Kf7 6. Bc4+ Kg6 7. g8=Q+ Nxg8 8. Bxg8 Bg7 $10 { and White remains with the wrong bishop.}) 2... e2 $1 (2... Kg6 3. Be2 { prevents the black bishop from attacking the g7 pawn by Bh6 or Bg5 and Bf6. White wins technically, e.g.} Ng8 4. Kf3 Ba5 5. Bd3+ Kh6 6. Kg4 Bd8 7. Kf5 $18) 3. Bh5+ $1 (3. Bxe2 $2 Bh6 4. Bc4+ Kg6 5. g8=Q+ Nxg8 6. Bxg8 Bg7 $10) 3... Kg8 4. Bxe2 Bg5 $1 {Preparing Kf7 and Bf6, forcing the exchange of the a1 bishop, or more slowly Kh7, Ng8 and Bf6.} (4... Bh6 $2 { does not work with the king on g8:} 5. Bc4+ Kh7 6. g8=Q+ Nxg8 7. Bd3#) 5. h4 $3 {A tempo for activating the king is worth more than a pawn!} ({Thematic try} 5. Kf3 $2 {Planning to break the black defensive plan with fast Kg4.} Kf7 $1 { [threatening Bf6]} 6. Bc4+ Kg6 7. g8=Q+ Nxg8 8. Bxg8 Bf6 $10) ({thematic try}  5. Bc3 $2 Kh7 $1 {Here Kf7 fails to Bc4+, and so Black prepares Ng8 and Bf6. With the white king on g2, he is just in time:} 6. Kg3 Ng8 7. Bc4 Bf6 8. Bxg8+ Kxg7 $10) 5... Bxh4 6. Kh3 $1 Bg5 ({Main B:} 6... Bf2 7. Kg4 Kf7 8. Kh5 Ke6 9. Bc4+ Kf5 10. Kh6 { and White will force Black to give the bishop for the pawn, e.g.} Bh4 11. Bc3 Bf6 12. Bb4 Bxg7+ 13. Kxg7 $18) 7. Kg4 Bh6 { Otherwise Kh5 followed by Bc4+ decides.} 8. Bc4+ Kh7 9. g8=Q+ $1 Nxg8 10. Bd3# {Model mate after 2 active self-blocks.} 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist "] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White " Sp. Pr. No. 2789, Jan Sprenger (Italy) & Martin Minski (Ger)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/1Q6/8/2Kn4/1P1r4/BR4b1/3q3k w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "13"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {An original logical study displaying brilliantly reciprocal changes of the royal thematic replies between the main lines.} 1. Rb1 Bd5+ $1 2. Kxd5 {main A: } Nxb3+ ({main B:} 2... Ne2+ 3. Ke5 $1 (3. Ke6 $2 Nc1 4. Qc6+ Kh2 5. Rb2+ Ne2 6. Qe4 Kg3 7. Rxe2 Rd6+ 8. Ke5 Rd5+ 9. Qxd5 Qxe2+ $11) 3... Nc1 4. Qc6+ Kh2 ( 4... Kg1 5. Rxc1 $18) 5. Rb2+ Ne2 6. Qe4 Kg3 7. b4 $18) 3. Ke6 $1 (3. Ke5 $2 Nc1 4. Qc6+ (4. Bd5+ Rxd5+ {with check!}) 4... Kh2 $1 5. Rb2+ Ne2 6. Qe4 Kg1 $1 7. Rxe2 Rd5+ $3 8. Bxd5 Qxe2 $1 9. Qxe2 {stalemate}) 3... Nc1 4. Bd5+ $1 (4. Qc6+ $2 Kg1 $1 5. Rxc1 Rd6+ $1 6. Qxd6 Qxc1 7. Qg3+ Kf1 $11) 4... Rxd5 5. Qc6 $1 {the decisive pin} Kh2 (5... Kg1 6. Qxd5 Qxd5+ 7. Kxd5 $18) 6. Rxc1 Rd6+ 7. Qxd6+ {with check! Reciprocal change of 3.Ke5/Ke6 in main A and B.} 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist "] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "2 HM N0. 2738 Pavel Arestov, (Russia)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/B3P3/4P1kP/8/5K2/3r2n1/8 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "23"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {A duel between a bishop and a knight highlighted by a subtle choice on its fifth move.} 1. e7 Nh4+ (1... Ne1+ 2. Ke3 $18) 2. Ke4 $1 ({Not} 2. Ke3 $2 Nf5+ 3. Kxd2 Nxe7 $11) 2... Rd4+ $1 3. Kxd4 Nf5+ 4. Kc5 $1 ({The right choice.} 4. Kd5 $2 Nxe7+ 5. Kd6 Nf5+ 6. Ke6 Nd4+ 7. Kd5 Nf3 $1 8. e6 (8. Be2 Nxe5 $1 $11) 8... Kf6 $1 9. h6 Ng5 10. Bd3 Nxe6 $11) (4. Ke4 $2 Nxe7 5. Be2 Nc6 $1 6. e6 Kf6 7. h6 Kg6 $1 8. Kd5 Ne7+ $11) 4... Nxe7 5. Bd3 $3 ({TRY:} 5. Be2 $2 Kf5 6. Kd6 Nc8+ 7. Kd5 (7. Kd7 Kxe5 $11) 7... Ne7+ 8. Kd6 Nc8+ $11) 5... Kxh5 6. Kd6 Nc8+ ({Or} 6... Ng8 7. Bh7 $1 Nh6 8. e6 $18) 7. Ke6 $1 ({Either} 7. Kd7 $2 Nb6+ 8. Kd6 Nc8+ {Or}) (7. Kc7 $2 Ne7 8. Kd6 Nc8+ {Is loss of time}) 7... Nb6 (7... Kg5 8. Ba6 {See main line}) 8. Ba6 $1 (8. Kd6 $2 Nc8+ {Is loss of time}) 8... Kg5 9. Kd6 Kf5 10. e6 Kf6 11. e7 Nc8+ 12. Bxc8 {Winning.} 1-0

[Event " The Macedonian Problemist"] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Sp. HM No.2737 Branislav, Djurasevic (Serbia)"] [Black ""] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/6p1/8/8/p7/6P1/1k4n1/4K1B1 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {An unusual initial position with the White King in check is followed by an accurate play displaying switchback maneuvers by both White King and Bishop.}  1. Kf2 $1 ({Thematic try:} 1. Kf1 $2 {The more sensible looking option.1...} Nf4 $1 2. gxf4 (2. Bd4+ Kc2 3. gxf4 g6 $1 $11) 2... Kc3 $1 3. Bc5 Kd3 $1 4. Kf2 Ke4 5. Kg3 Kf5 $1 $11) 1... Nf4 $1 (1... a3 2. Kxg2 Kc3 3. Bc5 a2 4. Bf8 $18) 2. gxf4 g6 $1 (2... Kc3 3. Kf3 $1 a3 ({Or} 3... g6 4. Bc5 $1 {Wins.}) 4. f5 $1 {Winning} ({Whereas} 4. Ke4 $2 g6 $1 {Leads to a positional draw!})) ({Or} 2... a3 3. f5 $1 a2 4. Kf3 $1 Kc3 5. Ke4 $18) 3. Ke2 $1 a3 (3... Kc3 4. Bc5 $1 $18) 4. Kd2 $1 a2 5. Bd4+ Kb1 6. Ba1 $3 { The famous Stamma's move from the 18th century} (6. Kd3 $2 Kc1 $1 7. Ba1 Kd1 $3 $11 {The same positional draw again!}) 6... g5 ({After} 6... Kxa1 7. Kc2 $1 g5 8. f5 {White promotes first to mate.}) 7. f5 g4 8. Bd4 { Or bishop any. Bishop's switchback Bd4-Ba1-Bd4} (8. f6 $2 g3 $1 {Just draws.}) 8... g3 9. Ke2 {or Ke1/Ke3} g2 10. Kf2 $1 { Switchback again, this time a King's one to win} 1-0

[Event "The Macedonian Problemist "] [Site ""] [Date "2023"] [Round ""] [White "Comm.No. 2859Jarl H. Ulrichsen, (Norway)"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator ",Afek"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/1pp4p/7N/8/7K/8/8/7k w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "19"] [EventDate "2023"] 
 {A precise and attractive Knight manoeuver (even if not entirely unfamiliar) chasing a pair of passed pawns.} 1. Kg3 Kg1 ({After e.g.} 1... b5 2. Kf2 b4 3. Nf5 b3 4. Ng3+ Kh2 5. Ne2 { the white knight stops the black pawns and the black king is imprisoned.}) 2. Nf7 { ! The knight seems to move away from the battlefield, but is heading for f3.} ( {The black pawns are too strong after} 2. Nf5 {?} Kf1 3. Kf3 Ke1 4. Ke3 c5 5. Ng7 c4 6. Kd4 b5) ({Or after} 2. Ng4 {?} b5 3. Ne5 c5) 2... b5 {the best try} ( {After e.g.} 2... Kf1 3. Nd8 b6 {(or 3...b5)} 4. Ne6 { the white knight stops the pawns.}) 3. Ng5 {!} ({After} 3. Ne5 {?} c5 { ! black wins.} ({But not} 3... b4 {?} 4. Nf3+ {leading to the main line).})) 3... b4 (3... c5 {can be met by e.g.} 4. Ne4 c4 5. Nd6 c3 6. Nxb5 c2 7. Nd4 c1=Q 8. Ne2+ {(White also draws after 4.Se6 and 4.Sxh7.)}) 4. Nf3+ Kf1 ({ After e.g.} 4... Kh1 5. Kf2 c5 6. Nd2 { White draws as the black king is once more imprisoned.}) 5. Nd4 {!} h5 { The black pawn on b4 is lost after} (5... Ke1 6. Nc2+) ({And after} 5... c5 6. Nb3 c4 7. Nd2+ {Black loses his c-pawn.}) 6. Nc6 {!} ({Not} 6. Kh4 {?} Kf2 7. Ne6 c6 ({(Not} 7... b3 8. Nc5 b2 9. Nd3+ {)}) 8. Nc5 Ke3 9. Kxh5 Kd4 10. Na4 c5 11. Kg4 c4 12. Kf3 Kd3 13. Nb2+ Kc3 14. Na4+ Kb3 15. Nc5+ Kc2) 6... b3 7. Na5 b2 8. Nc4 b1=Q (8... b1=N {offers no chances.}) 9. Nd2+ Ke2 10. Nxb1 1/2-1/2