Best Study for 2008

We present today the study which was selected, in the World Chess Composition Congress of 2009 in Rio de Janeiro Brasil, as the best for the year 2008 by the Studies Subcommittee of the PCCC (Permanent Commission of Fide for Chess Composition).

[Study of the Year 2008] is a study by Velimir Kalandadze.

John Roycroft (from Great Britain) announcing the award, urges young players to see this study because it is very instructive.

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Study of the year 2008.

	(Problem 385) Velimir Kalandadze, First Special Prize, Nona JT, 2008, White plays and wins. + (4 + 3)
[8/1q1P3K/5k2/8/Q7/p7/P7/8]

The solution follows...

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Key : 1.Qf4+! Ke6(Ke7)
2. Qf7+ Kxf7 ( not 2...Kd8 3.Qe8+ Kc7 4.d8=Q#, neither 2...Kd6 3.d8=Q+ Kc6 4.Qxb7 +- )
3. d8=S+ Kf6+
4. Sxb7 Ke5
5. Kg6 ( the white King rushes to confine in column 1 the black, to inhibit the promotion of the black Pawn ) Kd4
6. Kf5 Kc3
7. Ke4 Kb2
8. Kd3 Kxa2
9. Kc2 Ka1 ( Will Black try the scheme “buried alive” with 10...a2 to draw? ...)
10. Sc5 Ka2 (... no, because there is 11.Sb3#)
11. Sd3 Ka1
12. Sc1 a2
13. Sb3#