There is nothing new under the sun

Discovering a masterful battle of the rook against queen, Martin Minski and I gladly sent it to a tourney in Azerbaijan.

Siegfried Hornecker & Martin Minski

Dedicated to Klaus Rubin

ŞAHMAT BƏSTƏÇİLİYİ–15 YUBİLEY YARIŞI, 2018
Special Prize [final award]

White to move and win

1.Sf7+ Ke6 2.Ke8 g2 3.Sf7 Rh8+ 4.S:f8 g1Q

 5.Re4+! Kd6 6.Rc4! Ke6 7.Sf7 Qg2 8.Ra4! Qe2 9.Rb4! Qe3 10.Rb2!! (zugzwang) 10.-f5 11.Rg2! f4 12.Rg6 mate

A great study, very well worthy of the second prize given, if there was not, as found by Sergiy Didukh... (PS, 30 December 2018: but it received the Special Prize in the final award!)

Peter Krug

The Problemist, March 2013

White to move and win

1.Sf7! Be7+ 2.R:e7 Q:g4 3.Bh3! Q:h3

4.Rc7! Qg2 5.Ra7! Qf1 6.Ra2! (zugzwang) 6.-g5 7.Rh2 Qb1 8.Rf2+ Kg6 9.Se5+ Kh5 10.Rh2 mate

With this, our study, which is superior to Krug's setting, has only the bare minimum of existential right, but sadly no justification for any award. What a horrible coincidence!

But why was the dedication to Klaus Rubin?

Siegfried Hornecker

White to move and win (incorrect)

Original publication

Not: 1.S:c7? Q:b5+! 2.S:b5 B:d5 3.Sf7+ Kf4!! (3.-K:e6? 4.Sd4 mate!) 4.e7 Bc6+ 5.Kd8 B:b5 6.Sd6 Bc6 7.Sc4 Kf5! 8.Sb6 Ke6 draws

1.Sf7+! Kf4 2.Rb4+! Kf5 3.S:c7 B:d5 4.S:d5 K:e6 5.Se3! (or 5.Se7) Qf3 6.Rb6+ Qc6+ 7.R:c6 mate

Symbiosis of checkmate in try and solution. 

But Klaus Rubin, on testing, claimed that 2.Rc5! also wins. Upon further examination, I found the variation 2.-Qg1! 3.Rc4+ Kf5 4.S:c7 B:d5 5.S:d5 K:e6 6.Se7!, and the study now of the Azerbaijan tourney is reached, after 7.Sf7 there.

So seeing this idea, Martin Minski developed a great foreplay, leading up to the duel of rook against queen. Sadly, now it turned out to be anticipated.

"There is nothing new under the sun", the proverb says. But also not anymore on the chessboard?


PS, 30 December 2018: The original study for SB15 has received a Special Prize now. The text above is amended to tell this.

Selected Studies #01 - Stalemate Avoidance

I will start a new column here in which I offer studies to solve from time to time. You can post your solution idea in the comments.

We start with a study which is by Martin Minski and me.

This is taken from the new book of the late Mark Dvoretzky and Oleg Pervakov, page 150: "Etiud i partija ediny". Biblioteka FSHR. Moscow 2018. ISBN 978-5-907077-03-4

Martin Minski & Siegfried Hornecker

"Studies for practical players" tourney 2017, commendation

White to move and win

Israel, Arabia and the neverending chess controversy

With many thanks to a German chess official whose deep knowledge, this time in form of the following link, was shared with me quickly after sending him a nightly e-mail, I can present the following question to readers:
Why is Russia allowed, despite Ukrainians not feeling good going there, to host a World Chess Championship, but Saudi Arabia is denied the same for excluding Israeli players?

Original German link:
https://perlenvombodensee.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/schiffeversenken-im-schwarzen-meer-schnellschach-in-russland/

Google Translate link:
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fperlenvombodensee.wordpress.com%2F2018%2F12%2F03%2Fschiffeversenken-im-schwarzen-meer-schnellschach-in-russland%2F
(Note that "World Championship" is wrongly translated as "World Cup")

[German] Israel, Arabien und die nimmerendende Schach-Kontroverse

Dank einem mit fundiertem Wissen aufwartenden Schachfunktionär, der auf meine nächtliche E-Mail zum Thema den folgenden Link geschickt hat, kann ich die Frage an Leser weitergeben:
Warum darf Russland die Schachweltmeisterschaft ausrichten, obwohl dort Ukrainer sehr ungern hingehen werden, jedoch Saudi-Arabien nicht, da es Israelis die Einreise verbietet?

https://perlenvombodensee.wordpress.com/2018/12/03/schiffeversenken-im-schwarzen-meer-schnellschach-in-russland/

New FIDE creates new Women World Chess Championship cycle [Press release reprint]

FIDE Women's World Championship Cycle

Press release
FIDE and the newly elected President, Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich, consider the development of women's chess to be one of their most important priorities. We believe that this goal can be achieved by increasing the number of elite tournaments for women and by establishing a coherent and logical system to the Women’s World Championship cycle. We are pleased to note that the first official steps in this direction have been taken.
According to the existing regulations, in 2019 there should have been a Women’s World Championship match between the current winner of the 2018 Women’s World KO Championship and the winner of the FIDE Women`s Grand Prix Series 2017-2018. Unfortunately, the previous FIDE leadership were unable to hold the Grand Prix series, thus threatening the 2019 Women`s World Championship match entirely.
It is therefore why the newly elected FIDE leadership have taken the necessary decision to hold the Women’s Candidates Tournament in the first half of 2019. The winner will then earn the right to play a match against the reigning Women’s World Champion. At the last Presidential Board meeting, FIDE reinforced its support for women’s chess by increasing the prize fund of the Women’s World Championship from €200,000 to a record-breaking €500,000.
FIDE has prepared amendments to the 2020 Women`s World Championship Cycle and subject to approval the new structure will look like this:

• Women's Candidates Tournament – first half of 2019.
  
• Women's World Championship Match – between the winner of FIDE World Women's KO Championship and the winner of Women's Candidates – end of 2019.
  
• FIDE Women's grand prix – to be launched and conducted in 2019-2020.
  
• Women's knockout world Cup – to replace Women's KO World Championship with the same financial terms: August 2020.
  
• Women's Candidates Tournament – 2021 etc...

We would like to stress that the prize fund of the new Women`s World Cup will be no less than the prize fund of the current Women`s KO World Championship. All players who are qualified for the Women's World Championship 2020 will automatically proceed to the Women's World Cup 2020 and retain all rights.
We believe that, not only will the new Women’s World Championship cycle guarantee a new range of top-level events but will also bring it in line with the World Championship cycle. FIDE is already working with potential organizers to secure future locations.
FIDE is fully committed to its pledges to make positive reforms. We recognize that there may be some transitional issues, but in the end, having a clear system can only be a huge benefit to chess.
Together we will make chess better.

Bidding procedure for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2019

1. FIDE is opening a bidding procedure for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2019
2. Each bid shall contain the following particulars as minimum:
a) Proposed exact place and dates of the event.
b) Proposed tournament venue.
c) Proposed prize fund for the players (minimum 200,000 euros should be offered net of any applicable local taxes).
d) The contribution to FIDE (net of any applicable local taxes and not less than 20% of the prize fund in addition to the prize fund).
e) Commitment to cover all financial obligations to FIDE, including all the stipends.
f) Commitment to cover all organizational costs, in accordance with the regulations of the event.
g) Category of official hotel (minimum 4 stars), and its name, with special room rates including meals.
h) A statement that the applicant accepts the regulations of the event without any reservations.
i) An invitation for at least two members of the GSC to inspect the proposed venue and examine the other conditions, with all travel and hotel expenses paid by the bidder.
j) The applicant's name, signatures and authentication
k) Letters of support from the national federation and relevant local authorities.
3. A bid is considered valid if it is accompanied with a non-refundable Bid Fee of 1,000 euros payable to FIDE.
4. With effect from 1st January 2013, a bid for any FIDE Competitions onwards shall include the name of a FIDE licensed International Organizer.
5. All bids should be submitted by the due date in sealed envelope or scanned documents to the FIDE Secretariat, postal address: 9 Syggrou Avenue, 11743 Athens - Greece / Fax: (+30) 2109212859 / Email: office@fide.com by 15th December 2018, 16:00 local time (UTC/GMT + 2 hours).

Wish we had a videocock affair!

If only Nixon would have been at the Hancock Hotel instead of the Watergate Hotel...

The new FIDE? President Dvorkovic elected, what does it mean?

The era of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov is over as president of the FIDE which is regarded as "World Chess Federation" but declares itself as "International Chess Federation". In the era upcoming where Mars is about to be colonized - what a time to live in! - this can become an important distintion, as by its title the FIDE could also be the head of chess federations on the Mars. This, however, will be something to be thought about in the next ten or so years until the projects start.

Today we will talk about the end of the Kirsan era. Kirsan was a man of great political power, but so is Dvorkovic. Mr. Dvorkovic is a (former?) high Russian politician, now president of the FIDE. That chess and politics can go very well is proven by the former Serbian sports minister Alisa Maric (yes, the strong chess master!) and of course by Sersch Sargsjan / Serzh Sargsyan (apologies for probably misspelling the name, as I can't transcribe Armenian, so I use the Wikipedia transcription). As head of the Armenian Chess Federation, the Prime Minister of Armenia (now former) has developed the chess to the level where Armenians won great international tourneys, including the Chess Olympiad, if I remember it correctly.

Everyone is aware that I am an opponent of Kirsan, but FIDE also profited from Kirsan. As Donald Trump has shown - whom I don't want to compare to Kirsan except for the brilliancy as businessman - the great politics led by businessmen can be very impressive, yet also controversial. As president of Kalmykia, Kirsan has built Chess City in Elista, he has shown to be a man whose love to chess is great and rich, and he has collected many sponsors all around the world. But the shadow also lies in those connections, as Kirsan was friends with many dictators, including a rapist of children as young as 16 years old. Now, I believe strongly that Kirsan was not aware of that, but he must have been aware that his friend violated human rights, the Libyan Muammar al-Gaddafi. Furthermore one of Kirsan's banks does business with the pedosexual organisation Da'esh (also known under their propaganda name "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" and under a name that insults the family of Egyptian gods who are holding the power of life and death, namely the sister of Osiris, Isis. Oh, what a shame to see their names be as much abused as the swastika, the holy symbol of protection, was by Hitler and his band of rascals!

In any case, I believe strongly that Kirsan, be he an unscrupulous businessman, is not in his deepest heart one of evil. He is not a good man either, but - in terms of the D&D alignment system - rather on the (true) "Neutral" stance. His interviews given many years ago show that he is searching for the spiritual truth and has not found it yet. He does what he feels he should do, without consideration for the ethical values, but also without the drive to do evil. Unfortunately that brought FIDE in the situation where it is connected with such people who indeed are evil. Kirsan knows them of the both sides, the evil and the good, and this is the critique I must uphold against him. His personality brought FIDE dark clouds, which were recognized when he was forbidden from holding any more power in the FIDE. But with him likely many sponsors will go.

Mr. Dvorkovic is influential, I don't know about his personality, but he will have a rough start. He has the task of showing strength while also being diplomatic and at the same time acquiring new - or old - sponsors for the FIDE. His tests to come will decide if FIDE will prosper, and unfortunately it will also affect the chess composition, which thankfully receives a small funding by the FIDE, as well as the sponsorship for the FIDE World Cup (not to be confused with the game tourney of the same name) where composers can receive FIDE cerficates and small money prizes - big in the composing world.

Kirsan once said, he will go to the monastery when the time has come to stay there for a few weeks. Maybe now is the time, he can re-orient his life. Whatever the case, I want to lay aside my differences and wish Kirsan that he finds the spiritual truth, that he truly meets the love of God, which he is searching, and that he will see the consequences in what he will do in the future to contribute to a strong and prospering Kalmykia and Chess City, and to promote the chess and the kindness to many people.

As for Mr. Dvorkovic, I wish him the strength, the power and the luck to fulfill his difficult task. Maybe we are of one family - gens una sumus - but only the family's eldest and his close workers can do what is necessary now. God bless Kirsan and Mr. Dvorkovic! And God bless the FIDE and give the wisdom to the officials to now prepare a golden future, not to let go of the prosperity that Kirsan has brought!

For me, my personal battle is over. I can make peace. Will there be more to come, then only again for the best of chess - or what I believe to be it. In that stance, I am "Chaotic Good". I speak out when necessary. I put myself on the line. But I hope to do it for the best and not be blinded. Good people can do bad things, and bad people can do good things - against their intention. At least I did not offer money for rat tails to get rid of a rat plague, as it once was done by the British in India, I think. It only led to breeding more rats in order to receive the money for the tails, making the problem worse. Unforeseen consequences...