[Event "Lev Lepkyi 130, 1st prize"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.03.29"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Nielsen,Steffen"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "q5b1/8/3p4/2QP4/pN2P3/2p5/B3p3/1K3k2 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "26"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2018.04.01"]

{White is on the defensive, his biggest worry being the pawn on e2. It is not
yet time for active counterplay.} 1. Qb5 $1 (1. Qc4 $2 {loses after 1...Bh7 or
1...Qe8. That square is needed for the bishop.}) 1... Qe8 $1 {White is not
given time for 2. Bc4} (1... Bh7 2. Bc4 $11) (1... Qa7 2. Bc4 $11) 2. Qd3 {
Necessary retreat, the first of many.} (2. Qxe8 $2 e1=Q+ 3. Kc2 Qd2+ $19) 2...
Qxe4 $1 {There is no rest for White.} (2... Kf2 3. Qd4+ $11) 3. Qxe4 Bh7 {
The point. White must retreat, keeping an eye on the pawn.} 4. Qd3 (4. Qxh7 $2
e1=Q+ 5. Kc2 Qd2+ {we know already}) 4... Kf2 {Unpinning the pawn. White must
take one further step into his cave.} (4... Bxd3+ 5. Nxd3 $18) (4... Kg1 5. Kc1
e1=Q+ 6. Qd1 $11) 5. Qc2 Ke3 {Now the promotion cannot be stopped. Time to go
on the offensive for White?} (5... Bxc2+ $4 6. Nxc2 (6. Kxc2)) 6. Ka1 $1 {
Well, not exactly.} (6. Kc1 $2 e1=Q+ 7. Qd1 Qd2+ (7... Qf2)) (6. Qxh7) 6...
e1=Q+ 7. Bb1 {Luckily for White c2 is still immune.} Qd2 $1 8. Qa2 $1 {Perhaps
not the active counterplay White had been hoping for. But the only way to
cover b2.} (8. Qxd2+ cxd2 {leaves no hope}) (8. Qxh7 Qb2#) 8... Qc1 {fighting
for the c2 square.} 9. Nc2+ $1 {A check! White gets to give a check!
Simultaneously burying Bb1 and Qa2 even further.} Kd2 $1 {When White now saves
his knight, Black will play c3-c2 and have a win after the general exchange.
And it is not like White has any counterplay, is it?} 10. Nd4+ {Time to break
out!} (10. Qa3 $2 Bxc2 $19) 10... c2 11. Nb3+ {Not too late to go wrong. After
the fancy} (11. Qxc2+ $5 Bxc2 12. Nb3+ {Black wins with} Kd1 (12... axb3 $11) (
12... Bxb3 $11) 13. Nxc1 Kxc1 14. Ba2 Kd2 15. Kb2 (15. Bc4 Bd3) 15... Kd3 16.
Ka3 Kc3 {and White is in zugzwang.}) (11. Nxc2 $2 Bxc2 12. Qxc2+ Qxc2 13. Bxc2
Kxc2 $19) 11... axb3 (11... Kc3 12. Nxc1 $11) 12. Qa5+ Kd1 13. Qe1+ Kxe1
1/2-1/2

[Event "Schach, #5 2018 "]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.01.14"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Steffen Nielsen"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3bK3/4p1kN/6P1/2p5/5R1R/2n5/8/3q4 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "25"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]

1. Nf8 {White must keep the pawn on g6 to create threats.} Nd5 (1... Nb5 2.
Rh7+ Kg8 3. Rh8+ Kxh8 4. Ne6 {with a deadly double threat.}) (1... Qd6 {
Now White has a long forcing win:} 2. Rf7+ Kg8 3. g7 Qc6+ 4. Nd7 Qxd7+ 5. Kxd7
Kxf7 6. Rg4 Kg8 7. Kxd8 e5 8. Ke7 e4 9. Kf6 e3 10. Kg6 e2 11. Rf4 {and mate on
the next move.} (11. Rh4)) (1... Ne4 2. Ne6+ (2. Rxe4) 2... Kxg6 3. Rxe4 Ba5 4.
Kxe7) 2. Rh7+ Kg8 3. Rh8+ $1 Kxh8 (3... Kg7 4. Ne6+ Kxg6 (4... Kxh8 5. Rf8#) 5.
Rg8+ Kh7 6. Rg7+ Kh6 7. Rh4+ $18) 4. Kf7 {Threat 5. g7#} Qh5 5. Rh4 {Counterpin
} Nf6 (5... Nf4 6. Ne6 Ba5 7. Nxf4 Qxh4 8. g7+ Kh7 9. g8=Q+ Kh6 10. Qg6# (10.
Qg7#)) {The charged key position. White has to find the right plan. He wants
to play Nf8-d7 at the correct time. Now is too early, as Black responds 6...
Nd7 Qxh4 7. g7+ Kh7 8. Nxf6 Qxf6+.} 6. Rh1 $3 {Threatening 7. Nd7 Qxh1 8. g7+
Kh7 9. Nxf6+ Kh6 10. g8=Q and mate.} ({After} 6. Rh2 $2 {, threatening 7. Nd7
Qxh2 8. g7+ Kh7 9. Nxf6+ Kh6 10. Ng4+ winning, Black defends with a surprising
manoeuvre:} Bc7 7. Rh1 Bf4 8. Nd7 Bh6 {!}) (6. Rh3 {? No threat. Black defends
by} Bc7 (6... Bb6) (6... Ba5)) 6... e6 $3 {A subtle defense, opening the line
b7-f7 (but closing b3-f7)} (6... e5 7. Rh2 {with a quicker white win.}) 7. Rh3
{White now threatens 8. Nd7 Qxh3 9. g7+ Kh7 10. Nxf6+ Kh6 11. g8=Q, as Black
has no check on b3.} (7. Nd7 $2 Qxh1 8. g7+ Kh7 9. Nxf6+ Kh6 10. g8=Q Qb7+ {
! was the point of Black's 6...e6!!}) 7... e5 {Opening the line b3-f7 (but
closing c7-h2)} 8. Rh2 $1 (8. Nd7 {?} Qxh3 9. g7+ Kh7 10. Nxf6+ Kh6 11. g8=Q
Qb3+) 8... e4 (8... Bc7 9. Nd7 e4 {transfers}) (8... Ba5 9. Nd7 Qxh2 10. g7+
Kh7 11. Nxf6+ Kh6 12. Ng4+ $1 (12. g8=Q $4 Qa2+)) 9. Nd7 Bc7 10. Rh1 {! Now
this is (again) the right square, as Black will not have Qb7+.} (10. Rh3 {?}
Qxh3 11. g7+ Kh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. g8=Q Qb3+) (10. Nxf6 $2 Bxh2 11. Nxh5 Be5
$11) 10... Qxh1 11. g7+ Kh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. g8=Q {+- There is no defence
against mate on g6 or g7.} 1-0

[Event "Shakhmatnaya Kompositzia, 1st prize"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.11.19"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Steffen Nielsen"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/P2KR3/2rbp1PR/3q4/6p1/4P3/2B5/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "47"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]

{Initially, all action is on the 8th rank. 9 out of the first 10 half moves
are made there.} 1. Rh8+ (1. a8=Q+ {?} Bb8+ 2. Ke8 Rc8# {White must free f7
for his king.}) 1... Kxh8 2. a8=Q+ Bb8+ 3. Ke8 Rc8+ (3... e5 4. g7+ Kg8 5. Qb7)
4. Kf7 Rf8+ (4... Qxa8 5. g7#) 5. Kxf8 Qd8+ 6. Kf7 (6. Re8 $2 Qf6#) 6... Qg8+
7. Kf6 Be5+ (7... Qf8+ 8. Kxe6) 8. Kxe5 Qxa8 {The Merry-Go-Round comes to a
standstill. Time for a breath. White's advanced pawn gives him chances.} 9. g7+
Kg8 10. Kf6 {White now has various plans, for instance 11. Rf7 followed by 12.
Rf8+ winning.} Qf3+ (10... g3 11. Be4 {!} Qd8 (11... Qb8) 12. Bg6 g2 (12...
Qxe7+ 13. Kxe7 g2 14. Kf6 g1=Q 15. Bf7+ Kh7 16. g8=Q+ Qxg8 17. Bxg8+ $18) 13.
Bf7+ Kh7 14. g8=Q+ Qxg8 15. Bxg8+ Kxg8 16. Rg7+) (10... Qc6 11. Be4 $1 (11. Bb1
$2 Qb5 $1 12. Be4 Qh5) 11... Qxe4 12. Re8+ $18) 11. Kg6 Qc6 (11... Qa8) 12. Bb1
$1 {12. Be4 is not possible as Black takes with check. This was the point of
10...Qf3+.} (12. Bd3 $2 e5+ $11 {White has no check on the a2-g8 diagonal.} 13.
Kg5) (12. Kh6 $2 Qh1+) 12... g3 (12... e5+ 13. Kg5 Qa6 14. Bf5 ({or} 14. Bc2
Qb6 15. Bf5) 14... g3 15. Be6+ Qxe6 16. Rxe6 g2 17. Kf6 g1=Q 18. Re8+ $18) (
12... Qb5 {is now ineffective as White controls h5. White wins by for instance}
13. Kh6) 13. Rf7 $1 {Walking into the pin.} (13. Kh6) 13... Qe8 (13... e5+ 14.
Rf6 $18) 14. Kh6 $1 {And abandoning the rook.} g2 (14... Qxf7 15. Bh7#) (14...
Kxf7 15. Bg6+ Kg8 16. Bxe8 g2 17. Bd7 (17. Bg6)) 15. Rf6 $1 {A precise choice
of squares, foreseeing the sacrifices on h7 and g8.} (15. Rf3 $2 Qh5+) (15. Rf4
$2 Qh5+) (15. Rf2 $2 Qh5+) (15. Re7 $2 Qh5+) (15. Rd7 $2 Qh5+) (15. Rc7 $2 Qh5+
) (15. Rb7 $2 Qh5+) (15. Ra7 $2 Qh5+) 15... Qh5+ (15... g1=Q 16. Bh7#) 16. Kxh5
g1=Q {Finally everything becomes clear. Black is about to give that perpetual..
.} 17. Bh7+ $1 Kxh7 18. g8=Q+ Qxg8 (18... Kxg8 19. Rg6+ Qxg6+ 20. Kxg6 $18) 19.
Rh6+ Kg7 20. Rg6+ Kf7 21. Rxg8 Kxg8 22. Kg6 Kf8 23. Kf6 (23. e4 $2 e5 $11)
23... Ke8 24. Kxe6 (24. e4 $4 e5 $11) 1-0

[Event "Chessstar 2018, 1st prize"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2018.09.28"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Nielsen,Steffen"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1b1r4/2p5/4P2k/7p/4p3/4K1R1/Q7/2B2q2 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "35"]
[EventDate "2018.??.??"]

{At first some precision. White needs to find the right square for the queen,
covering Bc1 as well as creating threats towards the black king.} 1. Qa1 $1 (1.
Qc2 $2 Qe1+ 2. Kf4 c6+ $1 3. Kf5+ Kh7 4. Rg7+ Kxg7 5. Qb2+ Kg8 6. Kg6 Qg3+ 7.
Bg5 Be5 8. Qb7 Bc7 9. Qb2 Rd7 10. exd7 Qd6+ 11. Kxh5 Qxd7 12. Qf6 Qf7+ 13. Qg6+
Qxg6+ 14. Kxg6 Bb6 $1 $19 {and Black keeps both his pawns.}) (1. Qb2 $2 Qe1+ 2.
Kf4 Rf8+ 3. Ke5+ e3 4. Bxe3+ (4. Rxe3 Qa5+ 5. Kd4 Ba7+) 4... Kh7 5. Qc2+ Kh8 6.
Rh3 c6+ 7. Ke4 Rf4+ 8. Kd3 Qf1+ 9. Kd2 Qg2+ 10. Kd3 Qxh3 $19) (1. Qa3 $2 c5 2.
Kxe4+ Kh7 3. Qxc5 Qe1+ 4. Re3 Qh1+ 5. Rf3 Qh4+ 6. Rf4 Qe1+ 7. Qe3 Qb4+ 8. Kf3
Bxf4) {Now White is almost winning, but a non standard combination tips the
scale in Black's favour.} 1... Qe1+ 2. Kf4 Rf8+ 3. Ke5+ e3 $1 (3... Kh7 4. Rg7+
Kxg7 5. Bh6+ Kxh6 6. Qxe1 $18 {This variation shows why 1. Qa1! was better
than 1. Qb2?}) 4. Bxe3+ (4. Rxe3 $2 c6+ 5. Ke4 Rf4+ (5... Qh1+) 6. Kd3 Qd1+)
4... Rf4 $3 5. Qb2 $1 (5. Kxf4 $2 Qxa1 6. e7 Qa4+ {and White gets no time for
7. Rg8.}) (5. Qxe1 $2 c6#) (5. Qa8 $2 Qa5+ (5... Qa1+) 6. Kxf4 Qxa8 7. e7 Qa4+)
5... Qc3+ 6. Kxf4 Qxb2 7. e7 {Now, compared to 5. Kxf4?, Black has no winning
check on a4.} (7. Kf5+ $2 $19 Kh7) 7... Qh8 8. Kf5+ ({Logical try} 8. Ke4+ $2
Kh7 9. Rg7+ Kxg7 (9... Qxg7 $2 10. e8=Q Qg6+ 11. Qxg6+ Kxg6 12. Bf4 $1 $11) 10.
Bd4+ Kf7 11. Bxh8 c6 $1 {and Black ends up with two extra pawns as White has
not the possibility to play the king the g5.}) 8... Kh7 9. Rg7+ $1 Kxg7 (9...
Qxg7 10. e8=Q $11) 10. Bd4+ Kf7 11. Bxh8 c5 (11... c6 12. Kg5 $11 ({or} 12.
e8=Q+ Kxe8 13. Kg5 $11)) 12. Bf6 (12. Kg5 $2 Kxe7 13. Kxh5 Ke6 14. Kg4 (14. Bc3
Be5 (14... Kf5)) 14... Be5 $19) 12... Bd6 (12... Bg3 {eg} 13. Bg5) 13. Ke4 $1
Bxe7 {In the end, White is saved by Black having the wrong bishop for the h1
square:} 14. Bd4 $1 cxd4 (14... c4 15. Kd5 h4 16. Kxc4 h3 17. Bg1 (17. Be5 $2
Ke6 18. Bh2 Bd6 $19) 17... Ke6 (17... Kf6 18. Kd3 Kg5 (18... Bd6)) 18. Kd3 $11)
15. Kxd4 h4 16. Ke3 $1 (16. Ke4 $2 h3 17. Kf3 Bh4 $19) 16... h3 17. Kf2 h2 18.
Kg2 $11 1/2-1/2

[Event "WCCT 10, 6th place"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.04.30"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[Annotator "Steffen Nielsen"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "k5q1/2b1P3/K4n2/3R1P2/P2n4/8/8/5Q2 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "2016.??.??"]

1. Rd8+ (1. Rxd4 {?} Qc8+ 2. Kb5 Qb7+ 3. Kc4 Qa6+) 1... Bxd8 2. Qh1+ $1 {
Not all queen sacrifices has to be played} ({Thematic try} 2. Qg2+ {?} Nd5 {
A position of mutal zugzwang. White must create a disadvantageous block.} 3. a5
(3. Qxg8 Nb4#) (3. Qh1) (3. e8=Q Qxe8) (3. f6 Qe6#) (3. exd8=Q+ Qxd8) 3... Kb8
4. exd8=Q+ Qxd8 5. Qb2+ Kc7 6. Qxd4 Nb4+ 7. Qxb4 Qa8+ 8. Kb5 Qc6# {POSITION A})
2... Nd5 3. Qg2 $1 {But this queen sac is correct. We have the same zugzwang
position with Black to move.} Kb8 (3... Qxg2 4. exd8=Q#) (3... Bxe7 4. Qxg8+) (
3... Nb3 4. Qxg8) (3... Nc6 4. Qxg8) 4. exd8=Q+ Qxd8 5. Qb2+ Kc7 6. Qxd4 Nb4+
7. Qxb4 Qa8+ 8. Kb5 Qc6+ {POSITION B} 9. Ka5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Problemist of Ukraine 2017-18"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2017.04.23"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Steffen Slumstrup Nielsen"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Nielsen,Steffen"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/r7/3P1k2/1P6/bp6/3p4/2PP4/3BRK2 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "21"]
[EventDate "2017.??.??"]

{At first, White wants to keep his material advantage.} 1. c4 {Creating three
dangerous passed pawns, forcing Black's answer.} (1. c3 $2 Bxd1 2. Rxd1 Ke6 3.
Rb1 (3. cxb4 Ra2 4. Kf2 Rb2 5. Ke3 Rxb4 6. Rh1 Rxb5) 3... bxc3 4. dxc3 Kxd6 {
= EGTB}) (1. cxd3 $2 Bxb5) 1... bxc3 (1... Bxd1 2. Rxd1 $18) 2. b6 {Using the
fact that the rook needs to cover the bishop.} ({After} 2. Bxa4 {Black draws
by exchanging everything:} cxd2 (2... Rxa4 $2 3. dxc3) 3. Re3 Rxa4 4. Rxd3 Ra1+
5. Ke2 d1=Q+ 6. Rxd1 Rxd1 7. Kxd1 Ke6 $11) (2. dxc3 $2 d2) 2... Rh7 $1 {
Black must go on the offensive.} 3. b7 $1 ({Too slow is} 3. Bxa4 $2 Rh1+ 4. Kf2
Rxe1 {and a draw, as} 5. Kxe1 {loses to} c2) (3. d7 $2 {with the same idea is
met by} Bxd7) 3... cxd2 $1 {Threatening 4...Rh1+.} ({After} 3... Rxb7 {White
stabilizes like this:} 4. Bxa4 cxd2 5. Rd1 Rb4 6. Be8 $1 Rd4 7. d7 $18) 4. Re7
$1 (4. Re6+ {? Allows Black to slip away narrowly.} Kxe6 5. Bg4+ Kd5 6. Bf3+
Kc4 7. b8=Q Rf7 8. Qc8+ Kb4 9. Qg4+ (9. Kg1 Rxf3 10. Qg4+ Kc3 11. Qxf3 d1=Q+ {=
}) 9... Kc3 10. Qxa4 (10. Kg2 Rxf3 11. Qxf3 d1=Q 12. Qxd1 Bxd1 13. d7 d2) 10...
Rxf3+ 11. Kg2 Rf7 (11... Rf4 {=})) (4. Re8 {?} Rxb7 $11) (4. b8=Q $4 Rh1+ $19)
4... Bxd1 (4... Rh1+ 5. Kf2 $18) (4... Rh8 5. Bxa4 $18) 5. b8=Q {[#]} Bb3 $1 {
It appears that White's threats to the Black king is not so serious.} (5...
Be2+ 6. Kf2 d1=Q 7. Qf8+ (7. Qb2+)) 6. Qxb3 (6. Qf8+ Bf7 (6... Kg6 {=})) (6.
Rf7+ $5 Bxf7 7. Qb2+ Ke6 8. Qxd2 Bg6 {and Black holds the balance.}) 6... d1=Q+
7. Qxd1 Rh1+ {[#]} 8. Kg2 $1 {A key move, anticipating a Black knight
promotion.} ({After the natural} 8. Kf2 $2 Rxd1 9. Re4 ({or} 9. Re5 d2 {
with similar lines}) 9... d2 10. Rd4 Ra1 (10... Rb1) (10... Rh1) 11. d7 d1=N+
$1 {=}) 8... Rxd1 {[#]} 9. Re5 {! This move secures that the black king is one
move too late to support his pawn.} ({Try} 9. Re4 {?} d2 (9... Ra1 10. d7 Ra8
11. Re8) 10. Rd4 Ke5 $1 11. d7 Kxd4 12. d8=Q+ Kc3 {!= In the resulting
position, White's queen is unable to push the king off the pawn.}) ({Another
natural move} 9. Re3 {? is met by} Rd2+ 10. Kg3 Re2 $1 11. Rxd3 Re8 $11) (9.
Re8 $2 d2 10. d7 Rg1+ $11) 9... Kxe5 (9... d2 10. Rd5 Rb1 11. d7 d1=Q 12. d8=Q+
) (9... Rb1 10. d7 Rb8 11. Re8) (9... Rd2+ 10. Kf3 (10. Kg3) 10... Kxe5 11. d7
$18) 10. d7 Ke4 (10... d2 11. d8=Q $18 {The pawn will quickly drop.}) 11. d8=Q
$18 1-0

