Section A2 – Draw
1.b4!!
You’ll see the point of this seemingly baffling move at the end of the solution. White is preparing a stalemate rescue.
( 1.Kc2? Bg7
( or 1…Bh8 )
2.Kd3
( 2.b4 Kb7 3.b5 Kc7 4.Kd3 Kd6 5.Ke4 Ke6 )
2…Kb7 3.Ke4 Kc6 4.Kf5 Kd6 )
1…Kb7
( 1…b5 2.Kc2! Bf6 3.Kb3 )
( 1…axb4 2.Kc2 Kb7 3.Kb3 Ka6 4.g7!
( 4.h8=Q? Bxh8 5.Kxb4 Bg7 6.Kb3 Ka5 7.Ka3 Bh6 8.Kb3 Bf8 )
4…Bxg7 5.Kxb4 =, quiet )
2.b5!
( 2.Kc2? Be5
( 2…Bg7 )
( 2…Bh8 )
3.Kd3 Kc6 4.Ke4 Kd6 5.b5 Ke6 )
2…Kc7 3.Ke2!
White hurries to guard the g6-square The White king’s next moves to a critical position is not unambiguous, but these are organic (harmless) duals.
3…Kd6 4.Kf3
( or 4.Ke3 Ke6 5.Kf4 )
4…Ke6 5.Kf4
( or 5.Kg4 )
5…Bf6 6.Kg4! Ke5 7.Kh5! Bg7 8.Kg5
( or 8.Kh4 )
( or 8.Kg4 )
8…Ke6 9.Kh5
( or 9.Kg4 Kf6 10.Kh5 Kf5 11.h8=Q! Bxh8 12.Kh6 and then as in the main line )
9…Kf6
[#] A critical position: White is losing the g6 pawn.
10.h8=Q!
That’s an unexpected rescue!
10…Bxh8 11.Kh6 Bg7+
( Thanks to the b5-pawn, White can simply promote the queen after 11…Ke5 12.g7 Bxg7+ 13.Kxg7 Kd5 14.Kf6 Kc5 15.Ke6 Kb4 16.Kd6 Kxa4 17.Kc6 Kb4 18.Kxb6 =, quiet )
12.Kh7 Bf8 13.Kg8 Bb4 14.Kh7!
( 14.g7? Kg6 15.Kh8 Bc3 16.Kg8 Bd4 )
14…Bf8 15.Kg8 Bh6 16.Kh7 Bg7 17.Kg8 Kxg6
stalemate
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