Beginnings and Endings

Almost twenty five years ago a young composer who had just discovered the joys of endgame studies unleashed in gay abandon on the unsuspecting readers of this column a torrent of compositions. In that first rush of enthusiasm the BCM was the only chess magazine he had ever heard of. But that was a quarter of a century ago. Since that time his studies have appeared in as many journals as there have been intervening years, but that is about the limit of his success. So it is with trepidation that he has agreed to follow in the footsteps of a predecessor whose enviable qualifications and remarkable versatility he in no way matches. That he does so at all is because the association is an honour and because it is an opportunity to introduce to others some of the transcendental pleasure he has enjoyed himself from the world of endgame studies. Being a composer is the only slight qualification he has. Analysis is not his forte nor does he wish to become involved in it, and space will restrict him to the important lines of play, so some detective work must be left to individual sleuths. He aims to present three related studies each month interspersed with an occasional composing episode taken from his own experience. There will be situations to test the wit, to stretch the credulity and simply to tickle the fancy, but not being addicted to hard grinding solutions himself, the writer, who confesses unashamedly to hedonism, will try to blend pleasure with interest. There remains space for two items.

V Sokov 3rd HM., 64, 1937 White to play and draw

How does White extricate himself from this desperate situation? He must immediately counter-attack. 1. Rf5 Bg4; if 1... Be2+ 2. Kxc3 Rxc1+ 3. Kd2 and if ...Bg4 4. Kxc1 draws against Black's wrong coloured bishop. If 1... Be4 2. Rf1 draws. 2. Rf8+ Kxg7 3. Rf1 Be2+ 4. Kxc3 Bxf1 5. Bb2 draws. [Mike had the composer as P M Sobolevsky, but the composer named above seems to be correct - BDS.]

T B Gorgiev 5th Prize, Spartak, 1961-1962 White to play and draw

1. Nd4 1. Nc5 fails to ...Rf3. 1... b3 2. Nxb3 Rf3 3. Na1! See how he can afford 3... Rxg3 4. Kb1 Rg2 5. Nc2 a2+ 6. Ka1 Rxc2 stalemate. 3... Rf1+ 4. Kc2 Rxa1 5. Kb3 a2 And now what? 6. Kb2 is premature. There follows Gorgiev's delicious pas de deux. The bishop tip toes up the ladder to safety keeping always in the shadow of the black king. 6. Bh4 Kg2 7.Bg5 Kh3 8. Bh6 Kg4 9. Bg7 draws. [An extra note - 1... Rf1+ 2. Kc2 a2 3. Nb3 Rb1 4. Be5 =. Also, this study has been known to be unsound for some little time, having fallen victim to the tablebases. White has the following dual continuations - (A) 3. Na5 a2 (3... Rxg3 4. Kb1 Rg2 5. Nc4 a2+ 6.Ka1 Kg1 7. Nb2 =) 4. Be5 (4. Kb2? Ra3 5. Ka1 Rxa5 0-1) 4... Rf5 5. Kb2 Rxe5 6. Nc4 Re4 (6... Re2+ 7. Ka1 =) 7. Na3 Re2+ 8. Ka1 Kg2 9. Nc2 =; (B) 3.Nd4 a2 4. Kb2 Rxg3 5. Kxa2 = and (C) 5. Bh4 = - BDS]

This article first appeared in British Chess Magazine in February, 1975 and is republished here with permission.