Leopold Mitrofanov

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Leopold Adamovich Mitrofanov (July 2, 1932-November 26, 1992) was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). He was a Russian chess composer, an International Master of chess (awarded 1980), and an International Judge of Chess Composition (awarded 1971).[1] By profession, he was a chemical engineer. Beginning in the 1950's he published more than 300 endgame studies, 40 of which were awarded first prizes. He participated in the finals of seven individual chess championships of the USSR between 1955 and 1985. Mitrofanov and V. Korolkov were jointly awarded three gold medals in FIDE competitions.

Mitrofanov's most celebrated study was awarded first prize, from among 250 entries, by the judges in the 1967 Rustaveli tournament, who included former world champion Mikhail Tal. Their report stated, "It doesn't look like any other, and is beyond the rest of the studies." Composer Alexander Herbstmann, another of the judges, said, "Immediately after the first preview, Mitrofanov's 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." Unfortunately, Mitrofanov's original study (as below, but with Black's knight on f3 rather than g2 -- see algebraic notation) was later found to have a cook: a miraculous defense that enabled Black to either obtain perpetual check or reach a drawn ending.[2] As corrected, it remains stunningly beautiful. Tim Krabbé wrote, "It would be my candidate for 'study of the millennium'".

Mitrofanov, 1967 (corrected). White to play and win.

Position after Black's 6th move.

From the position at left, White plays 1.b6+ Ka8 Allowing Black's bishop to interpose on b8 after White queens his g-pawn. If 1...Kb8, 2.Re1 Nxe1 3.g7 Nc4+ 4.Kb5 Nxb6 5.Kxb6 Bc7+ 6.Kc6 h1(Q) 7.g8(Q)+ Ka7 8.Qc8 wins. 2.Re1! Sacrificing the rook to avoid horizontal checks along the first rank from Black's soon-to-be-created queen on h1. Nxe1 3.g7 h1(Q) If 3...Nc4+, 4.Kb5 h1(Q) 5.g8(Q)+ Bb8 6.a7 Na3+ (or 6...Qh2 7.axb8(Q)+ Qxb8 8.Qxb8+ Kxb8 9.Kxc4 +-) 7.Kc6 Qh2 8.axb8(Q)+ Qxb8 9.b7+ Ka7 10.Qg1+ Ka6 11.Qb6#. 4.g8(Q)+ Bb8 5.a7 Nc6+ Black must sacrifice the knight in order to enable his queen to give check. 6.dxc6 Qxh5+ (See position at right.) Now what? If 7.Ka6 Qe2+ or 7.Kb4 Qh4+, Black will keep checking. 7.Qg5!! Mitrofanov's amazing conception. Having previously sacrificed the rook in order to avoid horizontal checks by Black's queen, White now sacrifices the queen, with check, simply to avoid diagonal checks from Black's queen. At first blush, the move looks like a misprint. Grandmaster Leonid Yudasin's reaction upon being shown this move reportedly was, "What? The queen is given for nothing -- and with check!"[3] Victor Charusin, an ICCF International Master and author of the book Mitrofanov's 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 Knight -- and wins." Qxg5+ 7...Qe8 8.b7+! Kxa7 9.Qc5# 8.Ka6 threatening 9.b7# Bxa7 If 8...Qb5+ 9.Kxb5 Nc2 10.c7! wins. Now (following 8...Bxa7), after 9.bxa7? Qc5 or 9.b7+? Kb8, White can resign. 9.c7!! (See diagram below.) An incredible position. Black, with a queen, bishop, and knight against White's two connected passed pawns, is helpless against the dual threats of 9.b7# and 9.c8(Q)+. Note that if the queen were on any other square of the board where it is not already giving check, Black would be winning easily. Only on g5 does the queen have no checks that do not simply lose the queen. Qa5+ No better is 9...Qd5 10.c8(Q)+ Bb8 11.b7+ Qxb7 12.Qxb7# or 9...Qg6 10.c8(Q)+ Bb8 11.Qb7#. 10.Kxa5 Kb7 The paradoxical nature of the 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 Black cannot stop both pawns. White queens a pawn and wins easily. 1-0