End games of Jaap Bus
(English translation: Tom Kieboom)

1. Jaap Bus
                                           
        The first World Championship End game composition 
        in 2005 / 2006
had 42 participants. The best end game
        of Jaap Bus won the second position of categorie A.

        Below, you see an improved version of it, as the author
        did find much later that another first move delivered a
        quite remarkable deceptive solution. 

        It might be that this would have enhanced the score with
        a first position as possibility. Too late, however, to confirm.
    

The first Applet shows the deceptive solution.

Black plays after 8-3 (20-25) 7-2 (29-33) 19-14 no (33-39), as white wins through 3-17 (39-43) 17 x30!!
Therefore, black will play another move. All subsequent moves are forcings for black, until the surprising
end with (49-32!!) 45 x 34 (32-23). White cannot play now 24-29 and it ends in a draw.


It must be done otherwise, by an offer, resulting in only three pieces for white.
An important aspect of this end game is the fact that after 19-14, 8-3 (29-33), white can only win by a
stroke to 48! On the stroke 3x43 follows (4-9!) 7-1 (32, 38) with a draw.
Later on it will appear what is so remarkable about this.


Black is able to defend himself in this variant by another way, i.e. by playing (15-20) after white's 7-2 
instead of (33-39).
This leads to a beautiful ending that can also be accomplished by the way given in the Applet below
with black to move. This end position has many sharp (harakiri) courses.


It's time for the main variant. Black can make it more difficult for white by playing (15-20) instead of
(28-32), after white's stroke 3x48. The next trial of white for win seems logical, but black has again
a surprise, as shown in the fourth Applet!


All this leads to the most remarkable aspect of this end game. White was not allowed to go to 43 after.
(29-33). But now, after black's move (15-20) is 48-43!! the only winning action. So, the main variant is:



2. Jaap Bus

        In this position it is clear that 12-8 doesn't win after (29-34) 
        39-33, 8-3 of  8-2 (22-28, 23-29). 

        After the offer 30-24 and 12-8 (22-27) 8-3, black has a choice 
        between (20-24) or (20-25). 

        The key move after (20-24) is 3-26! With the course as given
        in the Applet below.

        It will appear that after (20-25) the solution is quite different.



The position after 8-3 is given in the next Applet, with a choice for black between (20-24) or (20-25).

Now it is apparent that after (20-25) white cannot win: 3-26 (36) 26-42 (27-32) 39-34 (23-28) =.
After 3-17 black gets a beautiful draw by (25-30!) 3-12 (23-28) 12-26 (31-36) 26-31 (36-41!) =.
Also 3-8 doesn't win after (31-36 !!) =.

Nevertheless, white is able to win on a spectacular way. The climax is the move 47-42!!


3. Jaap Bus
        This end game contains more white men as usual. 
        That's inevitable, as these white men are necessary for the end course.
        The ending is quite peculiar because only one white king is able to win 
        from two black kings, that cannot find a safe position!

        One would not expect that this could happen from the initial position.
        On first sight, there seems no way for black after 10-4.
        Black, however, has the surprising defense with (22-28). 
        Leading to a draw after 4 x 7 ? , but white knows and does better.

The first Applet gives the sharp variant if black gets one king. The main variant comes next, below.

 

The second Applet (black to move) shows one of both possibilities for black to get two kings. 
Black can also do it by another sequence, but white wins in the same manner.



               
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