Study 181

Árpád Rusz
Mikitovics-70 JT
2020
- win section -
6th Place

White wins

1. Nd7+! Qxd7 2. Bc5+! Kxc5 3. Rc1+ Kb6 4. Rc6+! Qxc6 5. bxc6 Bxh5 6. c7 Is it over? Not yet! Black has a counterplay by setting a stalemate trap! 6... g6! During the introduction, White has lost a Knight, a Bishop, a Rook, and a Queen. We will see some kind of a Phoenix promotion now, right? No!

7. Kc8!! anti-Phoenix 7. c8=Q? echo stalemate 7... Kc6 8. Kd8 Kd6! An echo stalemate trap!

9. Ke8!! The Pawn is also sacrified! Does White really want to win this endgame? 9. c8=Q? echo stalemate; 9. Kc8?! Kc6 10. Kb8 Kb6 positional draw 9... Kxc7 10. Ke7 mutual zugzwang

Position A

10... Kc8! 10... Kc6 11. Kxe6 Kc7 12. Kxe5 Kd7 13. Kf6 +-

Thematic try: 11. Kxe6? Kd8 12. Kd6 (12. Kxe5 Ke7 13. Kd5 Kd7 14. e5 Ke7 15. e6 Ke8 16. Kd6 Kd8 17. e7+ Ke8 18. Ke6 stalemate) 12... Ke8 13. Kc6 Ke7 14. Kc7 Ke6! The e6 pawn is missing! 15. Kc6 Ke7 positional draw

The right move is 11. Kd6! Kd8 12. Kc6 Ke7 12... Kc8 13. Kb6 Kb8 14. Kxa6 +- 13. Kc7! The kings have interchanged their places! 13. Kb6? Kd6 14. Kxa5 Kc5 15. Kxa6 Kd4 =

Position B

13... Ke8 Unfortunately, the e6 square was not empty. 14. Kb6 Kd7 15. Kxa5! 15. Kxa6? Kc6 16. Kxa5 Kc5 17. Ka6 Kd4 = 15... Kc6 16. Kxa6 Kc5 17. a5 Kc6 17... Kd4 18. Kb5(6) Kxe4 19. a6 Kf3 20. a7 Kxg3 21. a8=Q Kh2 22. Qa2+ +- 18. Ka7 Kc7 19. a6 mutual zugzwang 19... Kc8 20. Kb6 +- 20. Ka8?! Kc7 21. a7? Kc8 stalemate