An Interview with Robert Pye
By Tony Foley
I have always found it difficult to get the time to compose studies . This means my overall output is fairly small . However I ’ ve always tried to compose studies with intrinsically interesting ideas , of the kind that would appeal both to study enthusiasts and to over-the-board players . Among my favourite studies is the one that came with least effort . One evening I was exploring some new ideas at the board when suddenly a highly original manoeuvre came into view , fully formed [ see below ]. I wish my other studies had taken shape as easily as this one !
Robert Pye Photograph by Laragh Pye
For those people unfamiliar with you , could you please give us a little essential background information to get us started ? I played for Ireland at junior , student and senior international level in the 1970s and was a moderately good over-the-board player ( highest rating 2230 or thereabouts ). You are deep into chess studies . How did you become involved with this rather specialized aspect of chess ? As a youngster I was fascinated by chess ideas – at any phase of the game – but the most developed literature on this related to endgame studies . Some studies were quite amazing . I remember solving some studies with a few of the participants , including John Nunn , at the European Under-21 Championship in Groningen in 1974 / 5 . We were all enthralled by a superb study by Kaminer ( Number 281 in ‘ 1357 ’ by Lommer ). I believe this unfortunate man died in the Stalinist purges but he left a very fine legacy of beautiful studies . I was always struck by the fact that studies could be enjoyed by anyone , anywhere , at virtually no cost , and transcended ethnicity and language . A minor art form . How many studies have you published to date ? And please give us one of your favourites !
Schach-Echo 1988-1991 3 rd Prize [ revised version ]
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White to play and win
1 . Rg8 Bh4 [ 1 … Bf6 2 . Rf8 Ne5 3 . Rxf6 Nxd3 4 . Kd2 Nb2 5 . Ra6 wins ] 2 . Rb8 + Ka2 3 . Kc2 Ka3 4 . Ra8 + Kb4 5 . Rf8 N ~ 6 . Rf4 + wins .
Who are some of your favourite study composers ? I have derived a lot of pleasure from studies by Nadareishvili , Fritz , Matous , Nestorescu , Bazlov , Bron , Gurgenidze , Mattison and Yakimchik , among others . How do you get your ideas ? Good question ! Often I wonder if a particular manoeuvre is actually possible . Then I try to decide whether the material needed to express the idea can be kept to an artistic minimum . Good studies depend a great deal on a very simple principle – how much can be done with just a few pieces and how thematic is the mainline play ? Of course , the central idea must be original or , at minimum , expressed in an original way .
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