Section B1 – Min Win
1.f7
{While this first move is very obvious, White should also be aware
that the advanced pawn is a target and that there is only a very
narrow path to enable its promotion.}
1…Bg7
{Starting a tough battle between the two bishops.}
2.Bb2
( 2.Ng5 ? Kg6 = )
2…Bf8
( 2…Bh6 3.Bd4 ! {see main line} )
3.Bh8 !
{White should avoid Black’s defensive setup with Bg7 and Ke7. The only
way to do so is to counter-intuitively move the bishop into the corner
of Black’s camp.}
( 3.Ke2 ? Kg6 !
( 3…Ke6 ? 4.Ng5+ Ke7
( 4…Kf5 5.Nh7 +- )
5.Bd4 Bh6 6.Bc5+ +- )
4.Ne5+ Kf6 5.Kf3 Bg7 6.Kg4 Ke7 {White is one move too late to protect
his advanced pawn.} 7.Kf5 Bxe5 8.Bxe5 Kxf7 = )
( 3.Ne5 ? Ke6 = )
( 3.Bd4 ? Kg6 4.Ne5+ Kf6 5.Ke2 Bg7 6.Kf3 Ke7 7.Bc5+ Ke6 8.f8=Q Bxf8
9.Bxf8 Kxe5 = )
3…Bh6
( 3…Kg6 4.Ne5+ Kh7 5.Bf6 +- )
( 3…Ke6 4.Ng5+ Ke7 5.Bd4 +- )
4.Bd4 !
{White should be able to answer Ke7 with Bc5+.}
( 4.Ke2 ? Ke6 5.Ng5+ Ke7 = )
4…b3
{On 4…Bf8, White could simply advance the king.}
5.Kd1
{White must in fact react defensively to the advance of the b-pawn.}
( 5.Ke2 ? Ke6 6.Ng5+ Ke7 7.Bc5+ Kf6 8.f8=Q+ Bxf8 9.Nh7+ Kg7 10.Nxf8
b2 = )
5…Bf8
( 5…Ke6 6.Ng5+ Ke7 7.Bc5+ Kf6 8.f8=Q+ Bxf8 9.Nh7+ Kg7 10.Nxf8 +- )
( 5…Ke4 6.Ke2 Kd5 7.Kd3 Ke6 8.Ng5+ Ke7 9.Bc5+ Kf6 10.f8=Q+ Bxf8 11.
Nh7+ Kg7 12.Nxf8 +- )
6.Bh8 !
{Once more, this is the only chance to successfully address the
defensive setup with Bg7 and Ke7.}
( 6.Bb2 ? Kg6 7.Ne5+ Kf6 8.Ke2 Bg7 9.Kf3 Ke7 10.Ba3+ Kf6 11.Ke4
( 11.Kf4 Bh6+ 12.Ke4 Ke6 13.Bb2
( 13.Kd4 Bg7 = )
13…Bg7 = )
11…Ke6 12.Bb2 Ke7 13.Ba3+ Ke6 = )
6…Bh6 7.Bb2 !
{The only way to get to the a3-f8 diagonal (as soon as Black’s king
enters it) and to keep b2 under control at the same time.}
( 7.Bc3 {or 7.Bd4} 7…Bf8 {and White has nothing better than
repeating 8.Bh8.} 8.Ke2 ? Kg6 = )
7…Bf8 8.Ke2
{Finally, after a lot of preparation, the white king is allowed to
become active.}
8…Kg6 9.Ne5+ Kf6
{Once more, Black strives for the defensive setup with Bg7 and Ke7.}
10.Kf3 Bg7 11.Kg4 Ke7 12.Ba3+ Kf6
( 12…Ke6 13.Kg5 ! Kxe5 14.Kg6 {leads to the same position.} )
13.Kh5 !
( 13.Bb2 Ke7 14.Ba3+ {would just repeat moves.} )
13…Kxe5 14.Kg6
{Marvellously, White has achieved this move for which originally one
tempo was missing.}
14…Bf8 15.Bxf8 b2 16.Bg7+ Ke6 17.Bxb2
{The white bishop’s complete triumph – finally capturing both the
opponent bishop and the dangerous passed pawn.}
1-0