Best Study for 2007

The International Committee for Chess Problems selects one study each year and gives it the title [Study of the Year xxxx]. It is generally supposed that the best study of the year takes the title. The reality is slightly different, (that is there may be excellent studies for some year, not winning this title), but in some years the selected study is really beautiful.

In Jurmala of Latvia in 2008 as [Best study of the Year 2007] was selected a prized study of the Czech problemist Mario Matous, and we present it here.

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Study of the year 2007.

	(Problem 366) Mario Matous, First Prize, Polasek and Vlasak 50 J Ty 2007, White plays and wins. + (4 + 4)
[8/q7/8/2pp4/5K2/8/2RS1B1k/8]

To solve this study, you may begin with
Key : 1.Sf3+! Kh1! (why not 1...Kh3? )
and you discover the continuation (which is consisted from two 'symmetrical' variations).

The solution is written below...

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Key : 1.Sf3! Kh1!
(not 1...Kh3? 2.Sg5+ Kg2 3.Bxc5+ and the black Queen is lost)

2.Bd4!! ( > 3. Rh2# )
(not 2.Bxc5? Qa4+ 3.Sd4 Qxd4+! 4.Bxd4 = stalemate )

2...Qf7+!
(not 2...Qb8+? 3.Be5 Qf8+ 4.Ke3 Qh6+ 5.Kf2 c4 6.Ra2 Qb6+ 7.Bd4 Qb1 8.Ra1 1-0)
(not 2...Qc7+? with possible continuations [3.Se5 Qb8 4.Rb2! Qf8+ 5.Kg3 Qg7+ 6.Sg4 Qc7+ 7.Be5 Qh7 8.Rd2 Qb1 9.Rd1+ Qxd1 10.Sf2+ 1-0] or [3.Se5 Qc8 4.Kg3 Qg8+ 5.Sg4 Qb8+ 6.Kh3 Qb3+ 7.Rc3 Qb1 8.Sf2+ Kg1 9.Se4+ cxd4 10.Rg3+ Kf1 11.Sd2+ 1-0])

3.Ke3!!
(not 3.Kg3? Qg6+ losing the Rook)

3...cxd4+
4.Kf2! Qf4
5.Rc6!!
(not 5.Rc8? Qe3+ 6.Kg3 Qh6 7.Kf2 Qe3+ 8.Kg3 Qh6 = draw by triple repetition
nor 5.Re2? Qe3+ = draw
nor 5.Ra2? Qc1 6.Kg3!? Qc7+ 7.Kf2 Qc1 = draw by triple repetition
which cannot be avoided by 6.Ra8 Qc2+ 7.Kg3 Qg6+ 8.Kf2 Qc2+ =)

Black is in zugzwang situation.

First variation, where the pawn moves and blocks the diagonal b1-h7.
5...d3
6.Rc8! Qh6
7.Rb8! (avoiding Qb6+) 1-0

Second variation, 'symmetrical' to the main diagonal a8-h1.
5...Qe3+
6.Kg3 d3
7.Ra6! Qc1
8.Ra7! (avoiding Qc7+) 1-0

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Sad info : mario matous 1947 - 2013