Costeff Promotion Study

by Junta

"...When I think of an abstract idea, I manage with no board and pieces. But after that, I use the board, and every once in a while I check things with the computer...This tool helps me to save earlier versions, so you can see how the idea has evolved. For some of my studies I have in my files 100 different versions, and there is at least an equal number of versions that I do not bother to save."

- Gady Costeff,
 in an interview from the book The Grandmaster's Mind (2004)

I was compiling six studies for my column in the 50 Moves Magazine (December issue will be out on Monday!), and came across some brilliant pieces which didn't make the cut - below is just one example. The theme for this issue was promotion. The solution is playable in a game viewer below the diagram, so don't scroll down if you want to solve it. By the way, the difficulty is super-duper high so unless you're a problem aficionado (even then!), it's going to be a fatefully tough one to crack. Please enjoy the solution (and all of the beautiful variations) either way!

White to play and win

Gady Costeff, 3rd Place

EBUR {ARVES}, 2004

While I was compiling studies for the issue, I went through all of Costeff and Gurgenidze's published studies (for which the stipulation was White to play and win) - they're definitely two of my favourite composers.