The third Tata Steel studies solving competition witnessed yesterday once again a sensational success of the younger Dutch participants who won the top honours, leaving behind experienced solvers among which were two former world and Dutch solving champions.

The event, jointly organized by Tata steel Chess and ARVES (The Dutch-Belgian society promoting the art of the endgame-study), took place in hotel Zeeduin in Wijk aan Zee with 26 solvers from 8 countries. They had to crack in 3 hours 9 original studies which were especially composed by Jan Timman, Yochanan Afek and 11- years -old Jorden van Foreest.

The winner was 18 years old debutant FM David Klein from the town of Heemstede ahead of IM Joost Michielsen (25). They were followed by the English GM John Nunn, 3 times former world champion and the winner of last year edition, Russian GM Oleg Pervakov who is considered the world’s best contemporary studies composer and Polish GM Piotr murdzia, 5 times former solving world champion. Sixth was young Dutch IM Twan Burg , the winner of the first edition, one point ahead of Dutch GM Daniel Stellwagen. Chief arbiter was Luc Palmans assisted by Ward Stoffelen both from Belgium.

Dolf Vos, chairman of the organizing committee of Tata Steel tournament greeted the participants and awarded the prizes in the closing ceremony. Here are the final standings:

1. David Klein 32 (out of 45); 2. Joost Michielsen 30; 3. John Nunn (England) 29; 4-5. Oleg Pervakov (Russia) and Piotr Murdzia (Poland) 29 each (Nunn consumed 5 minutes less); 6. Twan Burg 28; 7. Daniel Stellwagen 27; 8-9. Marcel van Herck (Belgium) and Piet Peelen 25 each; 10-11. Alina Lámi (Romania) and Caspar Bates (England) 23 each; 12. Wouter van Rijn 21; 13-14. Dolf Wissmann and Tom Meurs 21 each; 15. Antti Parkkinen (Finland) 19; 16. Willem van Briemen 17; 17. René Olthof 15; 18. Jan Balje 14; 19-20. Hans Uitenbroek and Andre Kalinin (Latvia); 21.Harold vd Heijden 11; 22.Evgeny Kopilov 11; 23.Bert vd Marel 10; 24. Dennis van Leusden 9; 25.Roel de Jong 7; 26.Eric Spoor 1.

Meanwhile, here's this week's study!

Yochanan Afek, 2009

White to play and win

Next week the solution.

Solution last week

Yochanan Afek 2012

PGN string