ChessBase Christmas Study 2018

My friend Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen has accompanied one of his 2017 studies with a nice Christmas story to make the ChessBase Christmas Study for this year.

Now I am not entirely neutral, as I mediated the contact, but personally I recommend reading it here:
https://en.chessbase.com/post/a-christmas-study

The readers named Eva Nemcova should notice the dedication is to a woman of that name in Steffen's country Denmark. So it's not the Czech basketball star.

[Short story] A special night

(Note that I also have published this on Reddit today. It was originally uploaded an published on my Dropbox on 8 January 2018 but probably nobody read it there.)


The following story is inspired by true events.

-----

Andrew sat down. He was an old man, proud of the life he had lived. There were certainly a few regrets, but all in all his both grandchildren visiting him tonight were proof enough that this fateful night he would tell them about really had its good.

He started talking about his youth, how he went to school, about his parents who had died a few years ago, prior to him telling the story, but after his grandchildren were born. They screamed a short "greatgramma" and "greatgramps" but then continued to listen. It was a time of political tensions, and when an assassination took place on the Balkans, in a town called Sarajevo, the world turned to war. It was in the first year of war that Andrew was conscripted.

Andrew spared a lot of details about the conscription, they would not matter. What mattered was that a few weeks after the conscription, winter had come over the battlefield. In the cold of night, they were fighting to the last drop of blood, a war that lost its humanity. The enemy was a countless horde of man, but so was their own. They ran out of ammunition, the front line provided no warmth during the fight and it raged until deeply in the night. Finally the ammunition was out. They made it look like they still had ammo, but they had used too much for the week. Of course more was on the way, but it would only arrive the next morning. It was cold and dark and the enemy was everywhere. Some time went by but then the enemy started to notice there was only sporadic fire coming from them, and eventually no fire came at all. Two courageous Germans finally went out of their holes, coming closer. They had the guns in their hand. They came to Andrew, and he was sure this was the end.

The children heard the story for the first time, their shocked expression was clearly visible. "But then", Andrew continued, "a miracle happened." One of the soldiers pointed the gun down at Andrew, ready to shoot. The other one reached out his hand and gestured Andrew to follow. They would take him as prisoner, he was sure. Would they torture him now? They brought him to a tent, he had to sit down. It was rather warm inside, a small fire was burning. Then one of the Germans took a wooden box and opened it. They offered it to Andrew. Was that tobacco? The other guy reached him a bracket of chocolate. Was that poison? Reluctantly Andrew let it melt in his mouth, but he refused to smoke.

He didn't understand what was the reason for the Germans' behavior when they showed him their clock. He only understood when they started to sing, and in his own language he fell into the chorus: "Sleep in Heavely Peace. Sleep in Heavenly Peace."
Just like it was today when he told his grandchildren the story, it was that time to celebrate something bigger than all the differences of mankind. It was something that could stop a war. It was Christmas.

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).