Novotny (chess)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Novotny (also often spelled as Nowotny, even in non-German sources) is a device found in chess problems named after its discoverer Antonín Novotný. A white piece is sacrificed on a square where it could be taken by two different black pieces - whichever black piece makes the capture, it interferes with the other. It is essentially a Grimshaw brought about by a white sacrifice on the critical square.

This pattern could conceivably arise as part of a combination in an actual game, but it is extremely rare (see MacDonald–Burn game below), and would probably not be called a "Novotny" if it happened--use of the term Novotny is essentially limited to the context of chess problems.

Contents

[edit] Examples

[edit] Basic

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 ql c6 d6 bl e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 pd f5 pd g5 h5
a4 nl b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 kd g4 h4 kl
a3 b3 c3 d3 pl e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 rd b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 pl h2
a1 bd b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
White to play and mate in two.

The device can be understood by reference to the problem to the right, a mate in two moves (white moves first, and must checkmate black in two moves against any defence). The key (first move of the solution; see chess problem terminology) is 1.Nb2 (see algebraic notation). This interferes with black's rook and bishop, and whichever of those pieces takes the knight, it will interfere with the other—this is the Novotny idea at its most basic. So, if black plays 1...Bxb2, this interferes with his rook and allows 2.Qf2#, while if he plays 1...Rxb2, it is the bishop that is interfered with, allowing 2.Qd4#.

Problemists would generally agree that a single Novotny with no other play, as in this example, makes for a relatively uninteresting problem. Usually, Novotnys are combined in problems with other ideas, or several Novotnys are shown in a single problem.

[edit] Multiple Novotnys

R. C. O. Matthews, British Chess Magazine, 1957
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 bd b8 rd c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 bd b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 rl b6 c6 d6 nl e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 rl c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5 rd
a4 b4 c4 pl d4 pd e4 f4 g4 pd h4
a3 b3 pl c3 kd d3 pl e3 f3 ql g3 pd h3
a2 bl b2 c2 nl d2 e2 pl f2 g2 pd h2
a1 b1 nd c1 kl d1 e1 f1 g1 bl h1 nd
Image:chess zhor 26.png
White to play and mate in three.

The problem to the right is very well known. It contains no less than six separate Novotnys. It is by R. C. O. Matthews, was published in the British Chess Magazine in 1957 and won the Brian Harley Award. It is a mate in 3.

The key is 1.b4, threatening 2.Bxb1 and 3.Ra3#. Black has six thematic defences, each of which is followed by a white Novotny on move two:

  • 1...Bb6 threatens 2...Ba5, interfering with the path of the white rook to a3. White counters with a Novotny interence: 2.Rd5. This interferes with the black rook on h5 and the bishop on a8, and so threatens 3.Nb5# and 3.Ne4#. Black can prevent one by capturing on d5, but not both, because the capturing piece interferes with the other (so 2...Rxd5 3.Ne4#; or 2...Bxd5 3.Nb5#).
  • 1...Rbxb5 threatens 2...Ra5 stopping the threat. White can now play 2.Qd5 with the same interferences and threats as follow 1...Bb6.
  • 1...Bc5 threatens 2...Bxb4 to defend a3, stopping white's threat. White counters with 2.Rb7, interfering with the bishop on a8 and the rook on b8 and leading to the same threats and comparable continuations as follow 1...Bb6 (additionally, 2...Bxd6 allows 3.Bxd4#).
  • 1...Bb7 threatens to capture the white rook which would give mate. White can now play 2.Rc5 interfering with the bishop on a7 and the rook on h5, and so threatening 3.Nb5# and 3.Bxd4#. As before, a capture on c5 stops one of the threats, but not both.
  • 1...Bd5 threatens 2...Bxc4, after which black could meet white's threatened 3.Ra3 with 3...Bb3. White instead plays 2.Rbb6 with the same threats and variations as follow 1...Bb7.
  • 1...Rhxb5 threatens 2...Ra5, stopping the threat. White instead plays 2.Rb6 with the same threats and variations as follow 1...Bb7.

The solution, in short form, is thus: 1. b4

  • 1...Bb6 2. Rd5
  • 1...Rbxb5 2. Qd5
  • 1...Bc5 2. Rb7
  • 1...Bb7 2. Rc5
  • 1...Bd5 2. Rbb6
  • 1...Rhxb5 2. Rb6

Four of white's Novotnys in these variations are executed by the rook on b5--only the rook will do in those variations, because the square it comes from, b5, must be vacated for the white knight to deliver mate. In the other two lines, that rook is captured, meaning it cannot execute the Novotny, but also meaning the square vacation is no longer necessary (the white knight can simply capture the black piece on b5). Therefore another piece can make the Novotny interference in those lines. (There is one other non-thematic defence in the problem: 1...Nd2, threatening a nuisance check on b3. This allows 2.Ra3+ Nb3+ 3.Rxb3#.)

[edit] As part of a larger scheme

Milan Vukcevich, Schach-Echo, 1976
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 bd b8 bd c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 qd h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 bl b7 c7 d7 rd e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 pd f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 nd h5
a4 b4 c4 nl d4 e4 f4 g4 rl h4 pd
a3 pd b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 kd g3 h3
a2 kl b2 c2 d2 pd e2 f2 g2 rl h2 ql
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
White to play and mate in two.

Many problems include a Novotny as part of some larger scheme. The problem to the right, by Milan Vukcevich, published in Schach-Echo in 1976, includes a Novotny as just one part of a more complex problem. It is a mate in 2. The key is 1.Qd6, which is a Novotny interference with the black rook and bishop on b8, so threatening 2.Ne5# and 2.Nxd2#. After the capture of the queen by the rook or bishop, the other black piece is still interfered with by the capturing unit; so 1...Rxd6 rules out 2.Nxd2 but still allows 2.Ne5#, while 1...Bxd6 rules out 2.Ne5 but allows 2.Nxd2#. Just as these Novotny lines work as a pair, so the other black defences work in pairs:

1...Rxa7 (removes white guard of e3) 2.Qd3#
1...Bxa7 (removes white guard of e3) 2.Qf4#
1...e5 (pins the knight that gives the mate in the Novotny lines) 2.Qf6#
1...Bd5 (pins the knight) 2.Qxa3# (not otherwise possible because of 2...Rd3)

[edit] The Novotny theme in practical play

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 qd d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 pd c7 rd d7 e7 f7 g7 kd h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 pd e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 pl b5 c5 pd d5 pl e5 pd f5 g5 bd h5 bl
a4 b4 c4 pl d4 e4 f4 g4 h4 nd
a3 b3 pl c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 pl
a2 b2 c2 d2 ql e2 f2 pl g2 h2 kl
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 rl h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
MacDonald–Burn, offhand game, Liverpool 1900, position after White's 33rd move.

As noted above, this is extremely rare. The strong English master Amos Burn, in an offhand game in 1900 (diagram at right), nonetheless produced an example of the Novotny theme in actual play. In a seemingly desperate position, with his king apparently about to fall to a powerful attack by White's pieces, Burn played 33...Qg4!! The point is that if the bishop or pawn takes the queen, the white rook's pin on the black bishop is lifted, allowing 34...Bxd2; if the rook takes the queen, the white bishop no longer protects f3, so Black can play 34...Nf3+ and 35...Nxd2. Burn won in 15 more moves.(scroll down to No. 258)

[edit] External links

Languages