USSR Championships for chess composition
Which title was conferred to Leopold Mitrofanov in 1961?
Leopold Mitrofanov Leopold Adamovich Mitrofanov ( July 2 , 1932November 26 , 1992 ) was a Russian chess composer , an International Judge of Chess Composition ( awarded 1971 ) and an International Master of Chess Composition ( awarded 1980 ) . He was born in Leningrad ( now St . Petersburg ) and , by profession , was a chemical engineer . Beginning in the 1950s , Mitrofanov published over 300 endgame studies , 40 of which were awarded first prizes in competitions . Between 1955 and 1992 , he participated in the finals of eight USSR Championships for chess composition . In FIDE competitions , he and Vladimir Korolkov were jointly awarded 3 gold medals . Mitrofanov composed a number of studies jointly with grandmaster Alexander Beliavsky . In 1967 , Mitrofanovs most celebrated chess study was awarded first prize from 250 entries to a tournament commemorating the twelfth-century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli . Former world champion Mikhail Tal was among the judges . Their report stated that Mitrofanovs entry doesnt look like any other , and is beyond the rest of the studies . Another judge , composer Alexander Herbstmann , said : Immediately after the first preview , Mitrofanovs masterpiece created a tremendous impression by the intensity and novelty of the idea . The ranking of the other studies was designated by us beginning with the second place . Famous study . Unfortunately , Mitrofanovs original study ( as below , but with Blacks knight on f3 rather than g2 ) was subsequently found to have a cook , a miraculous defense that enabled Black either to obtain perpetual check or reach a drawn ending . After correction , the study remains notable . According to Tim Krabbé , [ i ] t would be my candidate for study of the millennium . From the position at above left : - 1.b6+ Ka8 : Allows Blacks bishop to interpose on b8 after White queens his g-pawn.If 1...Kb8 , then 2.g7 Kc8 3.g8 ( Q ) + Kd7 4.Qe6+ Kd8 5.Qxd6+ Ke8 6.Rxe5+ Kf7 7.Qg6+ Kf8 8.Re8# . - 2.Re1 ! : Sacrifices the rook to avoid checks along the first rank from Blacks soon-to-be-created queen on h1.If 2.g7 , then draws ; all other 2nd moves lose for White . - 2...Nxe1 : If 2...Nc4+ , then 3.Kb5 winning . - 3.g7 h1 ( Q ) : If 3...Nc4+ , then 4.Kb5 h1 ( Q ) 5.g8 ( Q ) + Bb8 6.a7 Qh2 ( 6...Nd6+ 7.Kc6 Qxd5+ 8.Kxd5 Kb7 9.axb8 ( Q ) + Ka6 10.Kxd6 Kb5 11.Qb3+ Ka6 12.Qa8# ) 7.axb8 ( Q ) + Qxb8 8.Qxb8+ Kxb8 9.Kxc4 +- ) Na3+ 7.Kc6 Qh2 8.axb8 ( Q ) + Qxb8 9.b7+ Ka7 10.Qg1+ Ka6 11.Qb6# . - 4.g8 ( Q ) + Bb85.a7 Nc6+ : Since 5...Qxd5+ ? is met by 6.Qxd5 Nc6+ 7.Qxc6# , Black must sacrifice the knight in order to enable his queen to give check.5...Nd7 is rebutted by 6.Qe6 Nc5 7.axb8 ( Q ) + Kxb8 8.Qd6+ Ka8 9.Qd8+ Kb7 10.Qc7+ Ka8 11.Qa7# . - 6.dxc6 Qxh5+ : ( see position at above right ) Now what ? If 7 . Ka4 Qh4+ or 7.Ka6 Qe2+ or 7.Kb4 Qh4+ , Black will keep checking . - 7.Qg5! ! : Mitrofanovs amazing conception . Having previously sacrificed the rook in order to avoid horizontal checks by Blacks queen , White now sacrifices the queen , with check , solely to avoid diagonal checks from Blacks queen . At first blush , the move looks like a misprint . Upon being shown this move , grandmaster Leonid Yudasin reportedly said : What? ! The queen is given for nothingand with check ! Victor Charusin , an ICCF International Master and author of the book Mitrofanovs Deflection , called it a move from another world . Krabbé observed : White lifts his mating threat , the pin of [ the bishop on b8 ] , lets his Queen be captured with check on an unguarded square , remains with a few pawns against Queen , Bishop and Knightand wins . - 7...Qxg5+ : 7...Qe8 8.b7+ ! Kxa7 9.Qc5# - 8.Ka6 : Threatens 9.b7# - 8...Bxa7 : If 8...Qb5+ , then 9.Kxb5 Nc2 10.c7 ! Na3+ ( or 10...Nd4+ ) 11.Ka6 and mate next move.If 8...Qa5+ , then 9.Kxa5 Bxa7 10.c7! ! and the winning method is as shown in the main line.Following 8...Bxa7 , 9.b7+ ? only draws ( 9...Kb8 10.c7+ Kxc7 11.b8 ( Q ) + = ( 11...B ( K ) xb8 is stalemate ) ) and after 9.bxa7? ? Qc5 it is mate in 4 . - 9.c7! ! : ( see diagram below ) An incredible position . Black , with a queen , bishop , and knight against Whites two connected passed pawns , is helpless against the dual threats of 10.b7# and 10.c8 ( Q ) + . Note that if the queen were on any other square of the board where it is not already giving check , Black would easily win . Only on g5 does Black have no checks that do not lose the queen . - 9...Qa5+ : 9...Qd5 10.c8 ( Q ) + Bb8 11.b7+ Qxb7+ 12.Qxb7# and 9...Qg6 10.c8 ( Q ) + Bb8 11.Qb7# lose even quicker . - 10.Kxa5 Kb7 : All other Black moves result in mate in two . The paradoxical nature of this problem is highlighted by the fact that Black is now losing because of the two minor pieces . Without the knight , Black draws with 10...Bxb6+ 11.Kxb6 stalemate ; without the bishop , Black draws with 10...Kb7 followed by Nd3-e5-d7xb6 . - 11.bxa7 1-0 : One of the pawns will queen ; White mates in ( at most ) 11 more moves . External links . - Tim Krabbé , A Genius Bad Luck