There was sad news for the international chess community last week with the news of the death of the great Dutch grandmaster Jan Timman at the age of 74.
At his peak in the 1980s Timman was considered the world’s strongest player outside the Soviet Union, but he was much more than that.
He was also a very fine writer: if you check out any of his books you won’t be disappointed.
But Timman had a third string to his bow as well. Not content with being one of the world’s leading players, and one of the world’s best chess authors, he was also an aficionado and outstanding composer of endgame studies.
This is one of his simpler compositions. See how you get on.
6th commendation The Problemist 2004
It’s White to play and draw.
As always in studies, there is good and bad news for you. The good news, I suppose, is that you’re a pawn ahead, and that you’ll be more than happy to share the point. The bad news is that your rook and knight are both under attack, and Black is also looking to deliver an Arabian Mate (Nf3 and Rh2#).
See how you get on.