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1. f6+!
A – 1…..Kxf6. 2. Nf2!.
A1- 2…..b2. 3. Ne4+!. K~. 4. Nxd2! Stops b pawn. Followed by 5. Nb2. The N cannot be attacked; even if so attacked by K, Bf5! Protects the N and it is a draw!
A2- 2…..Kg5. 3. Ne4+! As in A1 above and draws.
A3- 2…..Ke5. 3. Bg4! Covers d1.
A31- 3….b2. 4. Nd3+! And 5. Nxb2. Even give up piece and B cannot queen d pawn for WB plays on d1-h5 diagonal and Black can do nothing. Draw.
A32- 3….Kf4. 4. Bd1! . b2 (forced as otherwise 5. Bxb3 and WB controls d1-a4 diagonal for a draw.
A33- 3….Kd4. 4. Bf5! Stops b pawn. If 4….Ke3. 5. Nd1+!.Ke2. 6. Bg4+! Kd3. 7. Bg5+! Keeps BK away and covers d1/b1/c2 while N covers b pawn – a draw. If 4….Kc3. 5. Nd1+! Keeps BK away!
A34- 3….B~. 4. Nd1! Stops everything! Draw!
B- 1….Bxf6?. 2. Nf2! And 3. Bf5! Stops everything. Draw!
Continuing
C- 1….Kd8!. 2. Nf2!. Kxc8.(otherwise WB escapes to f5 and it is a draw). 3. f7!. Bg7 forced. 4. Nd1! Draws. Black cannot afford to let white queen for then it will surely end in a draw with perpetuals!
The key in variation C is white King will attack the b pawn and black will be forced to give up f8 for white to Queen.
As said before, Troitzky was a true chess artist so the foregoing solution seemed
a bit trivial to me. In particular, in such artistic puzzles it is vital that each and every
piece has its own place and cannot be placed anywhere else. In this position Ka5
puzzled me: why there? Why not outside the battlefied, some Kh1 or Ka8?
It took me a while to find out why.
Hariharan’s analysis is very accurate, although misses the most brilliant, truly
“Troitzkian” line:
1. f6+ Kxf6
2. Nf2 b2
3. Ne4+ and now it is not as simple as “3… K~anywhere 4. Nxd2 and stops b pawn”
3. … Kg6 (only move! Black has to keep close to f5 to prevent Bf5 stopping b pawn but
also not blocking Bh8 to go out)
4. Nxd2 Bc3+ wins the N, so black wins because nothing can stop promotion b1Q! Right?
and here is the genius and the answer why K is on a5:
4. Nxd2 Bc3+
5. Ka4! Bxd2
6. Ba6!! b1Q
7. Bd3+!! Qxd3 stalemate!!
Wow! It is just fabulous! :-)))
Well done. You uncovered the hidden gem. This is one Troitzy’s classics, and it is so classic for exactly that hidden variation. I remember the first time I saw this problem- I had the same reaction initially- it seemed pedestrian, but wasn’t. As far as I can tell, this is the first time posted on Susan’s blog, too.
Quite remarkable. 7.Bd3+ draws for all promotions except 6….. b1=B.
Very Good variation with Bc3+, Ka4, Bxd2 and Ba6! However, 6….b1=B is a draw anyway and does not need a 7. Bd3+?
Of course I never meant after 6…. b1=B 7.Bd3+ is compulsory but only stated that 6…. b1=B needs different treatment.
Fantastic!
Source: Troitzky,A, Bohemia #208, 5.1.1908, version.