february 7 2012

The same people as for the previous session had braved the cold.
So it was an assembly of frozen neurons that struggled to find its way through the forest of variations proposed by the Master.

To begin with, a small and abundant study taken from this year's solving contest (https://www.wfcc.ch/1999-2012/isc12p/)

1 – White to play and win
Oscar CARLSSON
ISC 2012

8/B6P/7N/3p4/2r5/7K/1pPN2p1/b6k
W. : Kh3 Ba7 Nh6d2 Ph7ç2
B. : Kh1 Rç4 Ba1 Pd5b2g2
+ (6+6)

For the rest, a little Kasparyan to thaw it all out.
The position dates back to 1963, but it's still really nice to look for.

2 - White to play and draw
Genrikh M. KASPARYAN
Lidová demokracie 1963
2° Prix
 
6r1/8/6PK/n7/1B1k4/6b1/8/8
W. : Kh6 Fb4 Pg6
B. : Kd4 Rg8 Bg3 Na5
= (3+4)

The readers of the report are well treated, nothing is too good for them: an helpmate 3# was selected for this one, when it was only a 2010 original. It has just been honoured with the 2nd prize. We are giving it back. Three out of four honourable mentions were also presented in this report. The first prize (there is no 3rd) was eliminated as relatively trivial, despite an interesting theme. 

  
We complete it with a curious dismantling of a fortress and a longer amusette. These three problems have a difficulty inversely proportional to their number of moves.

 
  
The 2# emperor has cooked up a diabolical false trail. The "Novotny" is featured in the first 3#, the blocking mats in the second. The 4# are very dissimilar: corridor mats versus model mats in the centre; the only thing they have in common is that they date from the 19th century. 
  
Finally a triple echo in selfmate 6#, fully explained (I'm too good)... 
  
Ten days ago, the traditional international resolution tournament took place. New: France was absent, for the first time since its creation in 2005. What was not new, however, was the incompetence of the study selector, who chose a production by a German author who is a multi-recidivist and should be banned from this kind of competition for good. As a result, none of the world's best solvers scored more than 2 out of 5 points. 
  
Fortunately, the other study was a human one. We give it after having exposed it to the course. 
  Then, a Kasparian stalemate well led by a King's turn, leading a defensive piece to the desired location. With a seemingly forgotten defence, which fortunately does not destroy the study. 
  
Finally, a first prize from Gurgenidze at the Kasparian Memorial. This cannot be entirely bad. Although some judges (like some composers, including French ones) are complete morons... Here, the risk was reduced. All the more so as the Armenian grandmaster "à la pendule", multiple world champion by team, was in his judgement perfectly up to the task. 

A tribute to two belligerents who will soon be in the spotlight. But they didn't start fighting this spring... The theme of this psychedelic game is the transposition, at a sidereal level, of a perennial question agitating the coffee players of the most backward circles of the hexagon: to sacrifice or not a figure against two pawns in g5. 
  
See you after a break in three weeks on February 28. May God keep you. 
Have a good time. 
  
AV

In the Kasparyan Memorial, David Gurgenidze set out to create a composition with little material but rich in deep variations.

3 – White to play and draw
David GURGENIDZE

8/8/8/3p2r1/K6R/3B4/p7/n3k3
W. : Ka4 Rh4 Bd3
B. : Ké1 Rg5 Na1 Pd5a2
= (3+5)

For today's game, a great battle of the chiefs, who will soon meet again for a long match.

4 – Game of the day Anand - Guelfand 1996

1 e4 c5 2 Cc3 d6 3 f4
The Grand Prix attack popularised by "the Butcher" to win a maximum number of games with white in the opens
3 … g6 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Bc4 Nc6 6 d3 e6 7 0-0 Nge7
The square f5, which is thematic in this opening for the white attack, is now protected 4 times
8 Qe1 h6
on 8 ... 0-0 9 f5 is pleasant with, on the hold, 10 Qh4 and a penetrating attack.
8 ... Nd4 was played in the game Short - Guelfand
9 Bb3 a6
9 ... Rb8 is interesting
10 e5!?

The idea that Anand wanted to test
the same ones in 91 : 10 a4 Rb8 11 Qg3 Nd4 12 Nxd4 cd 13 Ne2 b5 14 ab ab 15 Qf2 Qb6 16 f5 ef 17 ef gf and here 18 Nf4 would be a good move
10 ... Nf5
10 ... de 11 fe Nxe5 12 Nxe5 Qd4+ 13 Kh1 Qxe5 14 Ne4 0-0 15 Bxh6
11 Kh1 Nfd4 12 Ne4
12 Nxd4 cd 13 Ne4 de 14 Qg3 0-0 15 f5! ef 16 Bxh6 Ne7! 17 Bg5 fe 18 Qh4 but there is 14 ... Qe7 instead of 0-0 with continuation 15 fe Bxe5 16 Bf4 Bxf4 17 Rxf4 f5! 18 Qxg6+ Kd8 19 Ng3 Qg5!
12 ... Nxf3 13 Rxf3
13 Nxd6+ Qxd6
13 ... de 14 fe Nxe5 15 Rf1 g5!
15 ... 0-0 16 Bxh6
16 Qg3 0-0 17 Bxg5!?

17 ... hg 18 Nxg5
the threat is clear : 19 Qh4
18 ... Ng6! 19 Rae1 Qe7
19 ... Bxb2 20 Nxf7! Rxf7 21 Qxg6+ Rg7 22 Bxe6+ Bxe6 23 Qxe6+ Kh8 24 Re3 Rh7 25 Rf7 Rh5! 26 Rxb7 Bg7 is not really clear
better is 19 ... Bf6 20 Rxe6 Bxe6 (20 ... Bxg5 21 Rxg6+) 21 Nxe6 Qe7 22 Nc7 Kg7 23 Nd5 Qe2 24  Re1 Qd2 and the blacks have no more worries
20 Rf5! Bf6
20 ... Bh6 21 h4 c4 22 Bxc4 b5 23 Bb3 Qb4 22 Nxf7 Rxf7
21 Nxe6 fe ?
21 ... Re8! 22 Ref1 Bh4!
22 Rxe6 ! Kg7
22 ... Bxe6 23 Qxg6+ Qg7 24 Bxe6+ Rf7 25 Bxf7+ Kf8 26 Qxf6
 23 Rxe7+ Bxe7 24 Rxf8 Bxf8 25 h4 abandon

A real good fight

For the third half, it starts very strong with Peter Harris

5 - hs#2 maximum (!) Anticirce (!!) Super-Circe (!!!) with twin (!!!!)
Peter HARRIS

2p5/1P1P4/8/2P5/3b4/2k5/8/K7
W. : Ka1 Pb7d7ç5
B. : Kç3 Bd4 Pç8
hs‡2 (4+3)
b) Bd4->c6
Maximum : black is required to play the longest geometrically legal moves
Anticirce  : the capturing piece is reborn on its native square
Super-Circe : the captured piece is reborn on any legal square chosen by the taker

For this second problem, we approach a new genre in Saint-Lazare

6 - h#3,5 contra parrain Circe (!) with neutral (!!) equihopper (!!!)
Kevin BEGLEY

W. : Kf3 Pç5
B. : Kç4
Neutral : EQnf1
h‡3,5 (2+1+1)
contraParrain Circé  : a captured piece remains in the air and makes an anti-equipollent movement to the movement of the piece of its camp which plays after
Neutral Equihopper : a piece which makes a jump by making an equipollent movement with respect to any sautoir of the board within the limit of this one of course - neutral a piece which plays for one camp or the other

A big pile now, but more reasonable in the statement with a nice duo of authors

7 - s#7 with double Bishop-Grasshopper and double Grasshopper
Klaus WENDA
Hans Peter REHM

3q4/P1p1Rp2/2P2k1P/WPB2z1Q/KNP2R2/4P3/8/8
W. : Ka4 Qh5 Ré7f4 Bç5 Nb4 Pa7ç6h6b5ç4é3 Wa5
B. : Kf6 Qd8 Pç7f7 Zf5
s‡7 (13+5)
l=Double-Bishop-Grasshopper : a kind of Grasshopper moving on the lines of the Bishop and which must make two movements
U=Double-Grasshopper : Grasshopper with 2 movements

and the last one

8 - h#5 Functionnaries Chess with twin
Stephan DIETRICH

8/8/8/4K3/6k1/5q1N/6P1/8
W. : Ké5 Nh3 Pg2
B. : Kg4 Qf3
h‡5 (3+2)
b)Ke5->e6
Functionnaries ; a piece can only play and a fortiori capture if it is threatened (or observed if we want to be precise) by an opponent piece

I hope there are not too many mistakes, with the mittens, it is not very practical.
Good reading to all.
The next course will be held on the 28th, perhaps it will be a bit warmer.
 
Yours sincerely

le greffier 

poilades in negligeus

Just a remark on the first study: it is indeed exhumed from the 2012 tournament, but was composed in 1975. And the "Gurg" one is from 2010.
 
Do the recipients of the review all know that "the Butcher" refers to the very likeable Mark Hebden? And his Asian look, as if from a James Bond film, is only there to give the impression.
 
Of course, I would never reproach the greffier of the court with the Frenchization or not of proper names, as I myself have never known what I was dealing with for the last 30 years. I had done a bit of research at the time of my first edition of the "Endgames", but I had concluded that no one cared, well, they didn't care at all. I had decided not to be more royalist than the king. Unless an angry recipient advises me otherwise, I will continue to write Gelfand or Guelfand, Gurgenidze or Gourguénidzé, depending on my mood. Or even the absurd Gurgénidzé.
 
In the 10...dxe5 variation, I am still happy with my 14...g5!
In 20...Bh6 I prefer 23...Kg7! (or even 21...Kg7!).
On 21...Re8! catastrophic is 22 Ref1? you have to try 22 Re4! or maybe 22 Rff1.
 
In short, no mistakes in the report, only a few remarks in the form of a walk.
Have a good time.
AV

the 24 January statue in a different light