Test 1/2-1/2 21.06.2022 (21.05.2023) Didukh Test 1/2-1/2 Chess Study Art 2022 ℹ Click to open. [Event "1.p Afek-70"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Serhiy Didukh"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/8/8/2p5/2n3n1/2pk1pK1/QR6 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2022"] {Judge Arpad Rusz: 48 studies were published in Variantim during the year 2022. Exactly one-third of them (16) got into my award. While this was pure coincidence, I like this percentage. This preliminary award will become final following the confirmation period on the 15th of August, 2023.} 1. Qb2 $1 (1. Rc1 $2 f1=Q+ 2. Rxf1 Nxf1 3. Qxf1 Ne2 ({or} 3... Nd1) 4. Kf3 c1=Q 5. Qxe2+ { (not a mate)} Kc3 $1 $19) 1... Kd3 $1 {Black has to win a tempo first in order to lose it.} (1... f1=Q+ 2. Rxf1 Nxf1 3. Kxf1 {zz} Kd1 4. Qb4 c1=Q 5. Qxc4 Kd2+ 6. Kg2 $11) 2. Rf1 $3 ({Logical try} 2. Rc1 $2 f1=Q+ 3. Rxf1 Nxf1 4. Kxf1 Kd2 $1 {Switching back to d2 the king loses two tempi: one minus two - and White is in zz.} 5. Kg2 Kd1 6. Qb4 Nd5 $1 7. Qa4 Nb6 $1 $19) 2... Nxf1 3. Kxf1 Kd2 { Black is sticking to the plan, but paradoxically, white is not in a zugzwang anymore! With the harmful pawn on f2, WTM draws!} 4. Kg2 $1 Kd1 (4... Ne2 5. Kxf2 c3 6. Qa2 Nc1 7. Qe6 $1 Nd3+ 8. Kf3 Ne1+ (8... c1=Q 9. Qe2#) 9. Kf2 Nd3+ 10. Kf3 {positional draw.}) 5. Qb4 Nd5 $1 6. Qa4 Nb6 $1 7. Qe8 $1 c1=Q 8. Qh5+ Ke1 9. Qe5+ Kd2 10. Qg5+ Kc2 11. Qg6+ Kc3 12. Qf6+ Kb3 (12... Kd3 13. Qg6+ $11) 13. Qxb6+ Ka2 14. Qa6+ Kb1 15. Qb5+ Qb2 {Not a counter-check because of Pf2!} 16. Qxc4 $11 {Judge: A paradoxical study around a harmful black pawn. White manages to keep that pawn on the board by blocking its promotion square by a surprising sacrifice (2. Rf1!!). Its harmful effect will be visible only on move 15.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "1.p Afek-70"] [Site ""] [Date "2022"] [Round ""] [White "Serhiy Didukh"] [Black ""] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/8/8/2p5/2n3n1/2pk1pK1/QR6 w - - 0 1"] [PlyCount "31"] [EventDate "2022"] {Judge Arpad Rusz: 48 studies were published in Variantim during the year 2022. Exactly one-third of them (16) got into my award. While this was pure coincidence, I like this percentage. This preliminary award will become final following the confirmation period on the 15th of August, 2023.} 1. Qb2 $1 (1. Rc1 $2 f1=Q+ 2. Rxf1 Nxf1 3. Qxf1 Ne2 ({or} 3... Nd1) 4. Kf3 c1=Q 5. Qxe2+ { (not a mate)} Kc3 $1 $19) 1... Kd3 $1 {Black has to win a tempo first in order to lose it.} (1... f1=Q+ 2. Rxf1 Nxf1 3. Kxf1 {zz} Kd1 4. Qb4 c1=Q 5. Qxc4 Kd2+ 6. Kg2 $11) 2. Rf1 $3 ({Logical try} 2. Rc1 $2 f1=Q+ 3. Rxf1 Nxf1 4. Kxf1 Kd2 $1 {Switching back to d2 the king loses two tempi: one minus two - and White is in zz.} 5. Kg2 Kd1 6. Qb4 Nd5 $1 7. Qa4 Nb6 $1 $19) 2... Nxf1 3. Kxf1 Kd2 { Black is sticking to the plan, but paradoxically, white is not in a zugzwang anymore! With the harmful pawn on f2, WTM draws!} 4. Kg2 $1 Kd1 (4... Ne2 5. Kxf2 c3 6. Qa2 Nc1 7. Qe6 $1 Nd3+ 8. Kf3 Ne1+ (8... c1=Q 9. Qe2#) 9. Kf2 Nd3+ 10. Kf3 {positional draw.}) 5. Qb4 Nd5 $1 6. Qa4 Nb6 $1 7. Qe8 $1 c1=Q 8. Qh5+ Ke1 9. Qe5+ Kd2 10. Qg5+ Kc2 11. Qg6+ Kc3 12. Qf6+ Kb3 (12... Kd3 13. Qg6+ $11) 13. Qxb6+ Ka2 14. Qa6+ Kb1 15. Qb5+ Qb2 {Not a counter-check because of Pf2!} 16. Qxc4 $11 {Judge: A paradoxical study around a harmful black pawn. White manages to keep that pawn on the board by blocking its promotion square by a surprising sacrifice (2. Rf1!!). Its harmful effect will be visible only on move 15.} 1/2-1/2 White to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Black to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Warning: This game can only be seen if JavaScript is enabled in your browser.