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A pity, but I am familiar with this problem from another source. A beautiful composition, though.
The BK is seriously immobile, with potential mate threats. The only mobile piece B has is the BQ, but she is kept out of key e1/c1 squares by the WN.
1. Kg3 (threatening h4 followed by Nf4#)
1. …. Qxe2 2. Nf4+
1. … Qb3 2. h4 d5 3. Be3 Qd6+ (dxe3 4. Nf4#) 4. Nf4+ Qxf4 5. Kxf4
1. … Qh1 2. Bd2 d5 3. Bc1 (Zugzwang!) Qg1 (say) 4. h4 Qf1 4. Nf4+ Qxf4 5. Kxf4
Very powerful defending by the BQ managing to move from b3 to d6.
A more traditional queen could do this instead.
1. … Qb3 2. h4 d5 3. Be3 Qb8+ (dxe3 4. Nf4#) 4. Nf4+ Qxf4 5. Kxf4
One has to add 1… d5 as another defending (and the most interesting for me) line.
After 1. Kg3 d5 there is a serious stalemate threat Qxd3+! (so 2. h4 Qxd3+ 3. exd3 stalemate).
White has to find some “waiting” moves to avoid the stalemate and also to get to the Zugzwang
noted by Karthik. I think the only and truly extraordinary move is 2. Be3! After 2… dxe3 3. h4
(no stalemate anymore) Qf1 4. Nf4+ Qxf4 5. Kxf4 Kxh4 6. Kxe3 Kxg5 7. Kd4 Kf6 8. Kxd5 Ke7 9. Ke5
and the pawn endgame is won for White (please note that with Black pawn on d6 it would be a drawn
engame; what a brilliant detail!)
After 1. Kg3 d5 2. Be3 there is also 2… Qh1 (trying to stop h4) but 3. Bd2 leads to that Zugzwang
position where Black has to leave h1 square, allow h4 and there is no defence against h4 and Nf4+
(a tricky attempt 3… Qe1+ does not work because after 4. Nxe1 there is no stalemate).
1. Kg3! – Qh1!
2. Bd2 Qd1! or 2. h3 d5!
and the rest seems to be draw !
Haven’t you noticed that you fall exactly in the variations given above?
Only slower a bit. For instance 1. Kg3 Qh1 2. h3 d5 3. Bd2 and what now?
If 3… Qd1 4. Be3! etc. wins. (If 3… Qb1 trivial 4. h4 wins, since there is no
stalemate after Qxd3. The fact that there is no Qb8+ because of the d6
pawn adds even more harmony to the composition). It may “seem” to be
a draw but closer analysis shows it is not.
Hi Philoshopher
1. Kg3 Qh1 2. h3 d5 3. Bd2 Qxh3 = DRAW
(even if i do 3…. Qb1 4. h4 Qxd3+ DRAW)
closer analysis shows it is draw 🙂
1.Kg3 d5
(1…Qh1 2.h3 d5 3.Kf2 Qd1 4.Bf4 Qb1 5.Ne1 Qe4 6.Bd2 Qh4+ 7.Kg1 Qg3 8.Nf3 d3 9.Be1 Qxe1+ 10.Nxe1 d2 11.Nf3 d1=Q+ 12.Kf2 Qa4 13.g4+ Qxg4 14.hxg4+ Kxg4)
2.Be3 Qh1
(2…Qf1 3.h4)
3.Bg1 Kxg5 4.Nf2
Wow! 3. Bg1 is a fantastic move. This must be the main line of the solution.
But if so, there must be a drawish line after 1. Kg3 Qh1 2. h3 d5 3. Bd2….
There cannot be 2 solutions in such a composition.
It is the main line, and your instincts about that line you end at 3.Bd2 are correct:
1. Kg3 Qh1
2. h3 d5
3. Bd2 Qh3
Thanks. Simple and beautiful. With the pawn on h2 it was not a stalemate threat.
Now it is. Smyslov was a genius indeed.
1. Kg3 Qh1 2. h3 d5 3. Bd2 Qxh3! = DRAW
1. Kg3 Qh1 2. h3 d5 3. Bd2 ?? Qxh3! = DRAW
But, if white plays Kf2 !! at 3. Kf2, then white wins as PROF.S.G.BHAT said above.
1. Kg3 Qh1 2.h3 d5 3.Kf2 Qd1 4.Bf4 Qb1 5.Ne1 Qe4 6.Bd2 Qh4+ 7.Kg1 Qg3 8.Nf3 d3 9.Be1 Qxe1+ 10.Nxe1 d2 11.Nf3 d1=Q+ 12.Kf2 Qa4 13.g4+ Qxg4 14.hxg4+ Kxg4)
Easier looks 6.Nf3 Qxf4 7.g4+ Qxg4 8.hxg4+ Kxg4 9.Nxd4
An interesting line is…
1. Kg3. d5.
2. Be3. dxe3.
3. h5. Qxd3.
4. exd3. e2.
5. Kh3! e1=Q
6. g4#!