Best Study for 1988

Today we will see the study, which was chosen as Best for the year 1988 by the Studies Subcommittee of the PCCC (Permanent Commission of Fide for Chess Composition), which has evolved in 2010 to WFCC (World Federation for Chess Composition).

[Study of the Year 1988] is a study by Maksimovskikh A. and Dolgov V., in which White has the opportunity to lead Black into a certain position, leaving en prise his pieces.

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Study of the year 1988.

	(Problem 491) Maksimovskikh A. & Dolgov V., 1st Prize, Kzlov MT Na Smenu!, 1987, White plays and wins. + (4 + 3)
[R1B5/K7/3r1P2/8/3k4/8/8/1b6]

Here follows the solution (with comments by Themis Argirakopoulos) ...

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(The game will be oriented to the promotion of the pawn or to the possible avoidance of the promotion. So we start with ...)
Key : 1.f7+! (and if 1...Rd8 then 2.Be6 and the the conversation is very short. That brings ...)
1...Rf6
2.Be6 (from where it keeps the pawn in the game and, threatening promotion, protects itself. The big problem of Black is the promotion - not the white bishop, thus he will try to push it away from defending the pawn, at any cost ...)
2...Bf5 (Without the danger to be tangled in aimless moves and transformations of the position, the White answers ...)
3.Rd8+ (If now 3...Kc5 4.Rd5+ and the superiority of white powers will simplify the situation, i.e. 4...Kc4 5.Rxf5+ Rxe6 6.f8=Q . If 3...Ke5 then 4.Bc4 Be4 5.f8=Q Rxf8 6.Rxf8 Kd4 7.Rf4 and White wins. Just a little better is the defense ...)
3...Kc3 (but white has got the squares (a2 or d5) to move his bishop, with the idea to promote the pawn to queen, exchange this queen with the black rook and, at the same time, to be able to capture with his rook the black bishop avoiding the [K+R vs K+B] ending, which is stalemate, with the exception of the black king being in the wrong corner. Let us continue with ...).
4.Bd5 Be4 (with the same pressing on the white bishop, aiming to the capture of the pawn. Then ...)
5.Rc8+ Kb2 (5...Kd4 is no better, since we can easily bring the same picture with the promotion f8=Q, i.e. 6.Bb3 Bd3 7.f8=Q . White continues with check ...)
6.Rb8+ (and if the king returns towards the center with 6...Kc3 then 7.Be6 Bf5 8.Ba2 and the chase with the bishops can not be continued, and we have the usual threats of the White. To the corner, then, with ...)
6...Ka1
7.Rb6 (What can Black capture now and not be disappointed? 7...Rxb6 8.f8=Q with easy win for the White, or 7...Rxf7 8.Bxf7 similarly, or 7...Rf5 8.Bb3 Rf3 9.Bc4 Rf5 10.Rd6 and brings forward the promotion threat. If he tries ...)
7...Rf1 (then follow the moves ...)
8.Bc4 Bd3
9.Rb1+ (and the position is ruined for Black. For example ...)
9...Kxb1
10.Bxd3+ +- (White wins)