Study 121

Árpád Rusz
Shakhmatnaya Kompozitsia
2017
2nd Honourable mention

White wins

1. Ng3 The knight takes the e4 square from the black king. 1... Nd6 1... Ke3 2. f5 Kf4 3. b4! Kxg3 4. b5 Kf4 5. b6 Nd6 6. f6 Ke5 7. b7! (7. f7? Nxf7+ =) 7... Nxb7 8. f7 +- 2. Kg7 2. f5? Ke5 3. Kg7 Nxf5+ 4. Nxf5 Kxf5 = 2... Ne4 Now the white knight has to leave. Fortunately, the black king still cannot attack efficiently the f-pawn because the e4 square is blocked. 2... Ke3 3. f5 Kf4 4. Kf6! Kxg3 5. Ke6 +-

3. Nh1!! The only way to win is by a Switchback move and a voluntary self-incarceration of the white knight! The knight had 5 other squares to go, let's see why were they wrong:
3. Nxe4? Kxe4 4. b4 Kxf4 5. b5 Ke5 6. b6 Kd6 7. b7 Kc7 =;
1st thematic try: 3. Nh5? Kc4 4. Kf7 Kb3 5. Ke6 Kxb2 6. Ke5 Position 1 6... Nf2! =;
2nd thematic try: 3. Nf1? Kc4 4. Kf7 Kb3 5. Ke6 Kxb2 6. Ke5 Position 2 6... Nc5! = (6... Nf2? 7. f5 Ng4+ 8. Ke6 Kc3 9. Ne3! +- echo sacrifice);

echo sacrifice

3. Nf5+? Kc4 4. Ne3+ Kd3 5. Nd1 Nd6 6. Kf6 Ke4 7. Kg5 Nf7+ 8. Kg4 Nh6+ 9. Kg3 Nf5+ 10. Kg4 Nh6+ 11. Kg5 Nf7+ perpetual check;
3. Ne2+? Ke3 4. f5 Kxe2 =
3... Kd5! 3... Kc4 4. Kf7! Kb3 5. Ke6 Kxb2 6. Ke5 Position 3 6... Nc5 7. Nf2! +-; 3... Ke3 4. f5 Kf4 5. f6 Nxf6 6. Kxf6 +- 4. f5 4. Kg6? Ke6 5. f5+ Ke5 mutual zugzwang 6. b4 Kd5 7. b5 Kd6! 8. Ng3! Nxg3 9. f6 Ne2 10. f7 Nf4+ 11. Kf5 Ne6 12. b6 Nf8 13. b7 Kc7 = 4... Kc4! Only now! Kf7 is not possible anymore. 4... Ke5 5. Kg6 +- mutual zugzwang 5. Kg6! 5. Kf7? Nd6+ 6. Ke6 Nxf5 7. Kxf5 Kb3 = 5... Kb3 6. Ng3! +- White white wins repeating the first move from the initial position.

echo sacrifice