Study 140

Árpád Rusz
Krug-50 JT
2017
Commendation

Draw

1. h7 Nf5! Black doesn't capture the c2 pawn anticipating a NN/P endgame with a harmful pawn! 1... Nxc2 2. h8=Q Bxd4+ 3. Qxd4 Nxd4 4. Nxb4! Nxb4 = 2. h8=Q Bxd4+ fork 3. Qxd4 Nxd4 4. Nxb4! 4. c4? bxc3 e.p. -+; 4. Kb7? Nc3! 5. Nxb4 Kxb4 -+ 4... Nxb4

refusal to fork

5. c4!! 5. c3? fork 5... Nbc6+! (5... Ndc6+? 6. Ka8! Nd3 7. c4 Nc5 stalemate) 6. Ka8!? (6. Kb7 Nd8+ 7. Kc7 N4c6! 8. c4 Ka6 9. c5 Ka7 -+ The white king cannot reach a8, the only safe corner if the pawn is blocked on c5.) 6... Ne6 7. c4 Ka6! Black doesn't block the pawn and lets it pass the Troitzky line! (7... Nc5? stalemate) 8. c5 Nc7# 5... Ne6 6. c5! Now it is too late to stop the pawn because it has passed the Troitzky line. 6... Nc6+ 7. Kb7 (or 7. Ka8 Kb5 8. Kb7 Ned8+ 9. Ka8) 7... Ned8+ 8. Ka8! White still has to be very careful! Even if the pawn has passed the Troizky line, a8 is the only safe corner. 8... Ne6 8... Kb5 stalemate 9. Kb7 Ned4 10. Ka8! positional draw - fortress 10. Kc7? Ka6 -+

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Fortress 3

Ben Schultz‏
Internet (www.reddit.com)
2017
- correction by Rusz -

White wins

This position with a very cool fight against a fortress got the name "The Trojan Horse Puzzle". In the original both 1.Kd2 and Kb1 were equally good keys, so I have modified the position a bit to eliminate the dual.

1. Kd2! (1. Na2?! Kg7(8) 2. Nxb4? cxb4 =) 1... Kg7 2. Ne2 Kf7 3. Ng1 Kf6 4. Nh3 Ke6 5. Nf2 (5. Nxg5+? hxg5 =) 5... Kf6 6. Nd1! This move explains why we have not chosen 1.Kd1?! 6... Ke6 7. Nb2 Kd6 8. Na4 Kc6 9. Kc1! Another precise move which puts black into zugzwang. 9... Kd6 10. Nb6 Ke7 11. Nd5+ (minor dual 11. Nc8+ Ke6 12. Na7 Kd7 13. Nb5) 11... Ke6 12. Nc7+ Kd7 13. Nb5 Kc6 14. Na3! Preparing this sacrifice was the reason of moving the white king to the c-file. The knight cannot be taken because the pawn endgame is winning. 14... Kd6 15. Nc2! This move explains why we have not chosen 9.Kc2?! 15... Ke6 16. Ne1 Kf6 17. Ng2 Ke6 18. Kd1(2) Kf6 19. Nh4! +- The white king is close enough so the knight cannot be taken and it will finally reach the f5 square.

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Fortress 2

G. Kasparian
Shakhmaty (Riga)
1973
2nd/3rd Prize

Draw

1. Nh2+ Kg3 2. Bf7! 2. Nf1+? Kxh3 3. Bf7 Bf2+! 4. Kxf2 a1=Q 5. Be6+ Kh4 -+ 2... a1=Q+ 3. Nf1+ Kg4 3... Kxh3?? 4. Be6# 4. Be6+ Kh5 5. Bd5! Qd4+ 6. Kh2 Qe5+ 6... Qxd5 7. Nf4+ = 7. Kg1 Kg4 7... Qd4+ 8. Kh2 positional draw - perpetual threat of fortress; 7... Bf2+ 8. Kxf2 Qf5+ 9. Bf3+ = 8. Bg2!

fortress

8... Bg3 9. Kh1 Qd4 10. Ng1 Qh8+ 11. Nh3 Bf4 12. Kg1 Qd4+ 13. Kh1 =

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Fortress 1

W. Rudolph
The Chess Amateur
1912

Draw

1. Ba4+! 1. c4+? Kxc4 2. Bd3+ Kd5 3. Be4+ Ke6 4. Bf5+ Kf7 -+ 1... Kxa4 1... Kc4 2. Bb3+ Kb5 3. Ba4+ perpetual check 2. b3+ Kb5 3. c4+ Kc6 4. d5+ Kd7 5. e6+ Kxd8 6. f5! = Black cannot win despite its huge material advantage!

fortress

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Corresponding Squares 1

Ébersz K.
Magyar Sakkvilág
1930

Draw

1. Kb2! Kg8!

2. Ka1!! This is the only move to draw! 2... Kf8 3. Ka2 Ke8 4. Ka3 Kd8 5. Ka4 Kd7 6. Kb4 Kc6 7. Ka5 Kd7 8. Kb4 Ke6 9. Kc3 Kf5 10. Kd2 Kg4 11. Ke2 Kg5 12. Kd1 Kg6 13. Kc1 Kg7 14. Kb1 Kg8 15. Ka1! positional draw - corresponding squares