GM Jan Timman RIP

[Hans Jung]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/speelman-agony-237 Imagine a bottle of wine with a label that has a diagram showing your best surprise move.

[Hans Jung]

I have wanted to write about Timman's influence on generations of players. First of all the awareness he brought to me and many other players of the joy of both composing and solving complex endgame studies. I recently saw a picture that I remember in the past. It was Jan Timman sitting across from Yochanan Afek in a pub somewhere in Holland. In front of them was a position from an endgame. Timman's face was very expressive and he seemed to be making a point probably in the midst of analysis. Watching in rapt attention were Manuel Bosboom and Sosonko amongst many grnadmasters and IM's.
I will probably introduce later some of Timman's most famous endgame studies but I want to start with a simple position (how could anything be simpler in chess?) Its a five piece composition, a total of three pawns, two white pawns and one black pawn and two kings.

White to move and win. Simple, right? Its a composition by Harold van der Heijden who founded the famous endgame database. You can solve this by brute calculation or by logic and creative vision.

[Hans Jung]

The solution to the above problem in post 32 is 1.Kh1! and then two main move choices for Black. If 1...Kf3 2.e5 fxe5 3.g5, e4 4.Kg1, e3 5.Kf1 and stops the E-pawn.

If 1....Kf1 2.e5 fxe5 3.g5, e4 4.g6, e3 5.g7 e2 6.g8=Q, e1=Q 7.Qg2 mate.

[Kerry Liles]

The solution to the above problem in post 32 is 1.Kh1! and then two main move choices for Black. If 1...Kf3 2.e5 fxe5 3.g5, e4 4.Kg1, e3 5.Kf1 and stops the E-pawn.

If 1....Kf1 2.e5 fxe5 3.g5, e4 4.g6, e3 5.g7 e2 6.g8=Q, e1=Q 7.Qg2 mate.

Excellent study... very tricky. Thanks for posting.

[Hans Jung]

In Timman's last column titled "Give pieces a chance" in New in Chess #8, 2025 he says : "Attacks may flourish brilliantly or flounder tragically, but dynamic and tactically rich chess is always fascinating to watch"

The first two games he chooses are Theodorou - Predke, European Teams 2025 and Boyer - Jobava also European Teams 2025. They are chaotic and tactically brilliant. Timman's analysis is crisp and to the point and enhances the games.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2973365 Theodorou - Predke, 2025 European Teams Batumi

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2976321 Boyer - Jobava, 2025 European Teams Championship, Batumi

[Hans Jung]

Excellent study... very tricky. Thanks for posting.

You are welcome Kerry. Glad you are enjoying. I hope to add more.