My First Endgame Study: A Chess Composition Tourney Sponsored by WFCC and ChessBase India
Chess, like a multifaceted jewel, embodies the diverse hues of human ingenuity, catering to the intellectual bent of every kind. Anatoly Karpov, former World Champion, aptly described it as sport, science, and art all rolled into one. Yet, while its sporting aspect enjoys widespread attention in high-stakes, competitive tournaments, the nuanced and slow-paced but no less fascinating endeavour of chess composition, where the game's artistic side shines the brightest, languishes in relative obscurity. We at ChessBase India are on a mission to change that. In partnership with the World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC), we proudly present 'My First Endgame Study,' a beginner-friendly study composing contest designed for chess enthusiasts eager to explore the creative world of chess composition, specifically studies. Details follow.
Compose Your First Endgame; win Exciting Prizes!
Chess compositions fall into two primary categories: problems and studies. In problems, the solver has to achieve the stipulated goal in a set number of moves (example: mate in 2, helpmate in 3, etc.). Studies, in contrast, are more game-like, seeking a win or a draw without restrictions on the number of moves. Important: this is a study composition event only. Submissions must be studies; problems will not be eligible.
Who Can Participate:
Anyone who has never published an endgame study. This includes everyone from chess amateurs all the way to world-class players like Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen! There is NO entry fee. Chess lovers of any age, nationality, etc., may apply!
When:
The deadline to send your submission is January 15, 2025. Well, composing isn't a rush job. We give you 8 weeks to carefully conceive and shape your original idea into a polished study.
How:
Submit up to 3 endgame studies to the director of the event Satanick Mukhuty at chessbaseindiasocial@gmail.com. You can send the positions along with the intended solution in any format of your liking, but PGNs would be preferred.
Theme:
Your study must end in a mate.
Results:
The results will be published by January 31, 2025 – all participants will receive a link to the results.
Prizes:
Amazingly, we're offering an incredible prize pool of at least 10 awards! Our top creators will receive exclusive copies of the highly anticipated book One Endgame Study in a Thousand, and premium ChessBase products, including the brand-new ChessBase 18.
Judge/Mentor:
World-renowned composer Gady Costeff will spearhead the tournament as judge and mentor. Got questions about composing or want feedback on your studies before you submit them? You can reach out to him directly at costeff@gmail.com.
How to Compose a Study:
In this article, GM Johan Hellsten provides a lucid, step-by-step guide to composing your first chess study. We provide some additional advice along with examples:
1. Choose a pretty mate position.
2. Where did the mating piece come from? Find a square to place it on, such that White’s only move to win is to give the mate.
3. Now find a last move for Black. All moves by Black should lose and the composer gets to decide which of them Black will play in the solution.
4. Repeat the process. Sometimes you need to add material to force a move to be unique. Try to add as little material as possible.
5. Attractive qualities in a study: sacrifices, under-promotions, active play by both sides, and anything surprising. Undesirable but sometime necessary: simple trade of material,
sidelines that require long analysis, captures on the first move of a study. Try to maximize the desirable and limit the undesirable.
6. It is okay to start the study with a black move.
7. Learn from the examples below!
Example 01
1. The black king is hunted across the board where it is mated by just a king and knight! Such movement makes the study more dynamic.
2. 8.Qa3+!! is a beautiful queen sacrifice on an empty square and it takes advantage of Nb3 blocking the black king.
3. Ideally all units, or at least all officers play during the solution. Here the black queen is just a spectator which is a slight negative.
Example 02
1. 2.a8=N+ promoting to a piece that is not a queen is a form of sacrifice. Sacrifices are artistically desirable because they are surprising.
2. 5.Rxg5+ d5+! and 7…c1=Q+ 8.Nc3+! are checks and immediate counterchecks. When both sides attack each other, the excitement rises which is artistically desirable.
3. Every unit participates in the mating picture. This is desirable, but not a requirement.
Important Links
1.Wikipedia article on endgame study
2. A step-by-step guide by GM Johan Hellsten on how to compose an endgame study
