Nº25 Alexey Gasparyan

Draw

Alexey Gasparyan (Armenia)

wKf8,Qf2,Na5,Pb3,c5,c6,h5/bKd8,Nc1,g3,Rd5,Pb5,c7,d2,f4,f7

1.Nb7+! Kc8 2.Nd6+!! Rxd6 3.cxd6 d1Q 4.d7+! Kd8 and only now 5.Qxf4!
5.Qc5!? Qd6+! 6.Qxd6 cxd6 7.h6 Nd3! 8.h7 Ne5!–+

5…Nxh5
5…Qd6+ 6.Qxd6 cxd6 7.h6! draws, for example 7…Nd3 8.h7 Ne5 9.Kg7 Ng6 10.Kxf7 Nh8+ 11.Ke6 Ne4 12.b4=]

6.Qg5+!
6.Qh4+!? f6–+]

6…f6 7.Qg8! Qxb3! 8.Qe6!
8.Qg6!? Qa3+ 9.Kg8 Ng7! 10.Kxg7 Qe7–+

8…Qa3+ 9.Kf7 Qa2! 10.Kf8! Qa3+ 11.Kf7 Qb3 12.Kf8! Qb4+ 13.Kf7 Qc4 14.Kf8 Qxe6= stalemate

The threat of mate in the final of this study allowed White to escape in a seemingly hopeless position.