Section A2 – Draw
1.g4!
Attempts for an early promotion of the h-pawn fail:
( 1.Bf3+? Kd6 2.Bxb7 Rxb7 3.Rf8 Ra7 -+ 4.Kg6 Nd7 5.Re8 a4 6.h6 Ne5+ 7.Kf6 Nf7 8.h7 a3 9.h8=Q Nxh8 10.Rxh8 a2 -+ )
( 1.Kg7? Kd6 2.h6 Bxg2 3.h7 Be4 4.h8=Q Ne6+ -+ )
1…a4!
Given that White threatens to simply advance the g-pawn, Black’s only try for victory is to push the a-pawn.
2.Bxa4+
Otherwise, the a-pawn makes a home-run.
2…Nxa4 3.g5
( 3.Kg7? Still, it’s too early to prepare an immediate advance of the h-pawn. 3…Nc5 4.Rf6+ Kb5! 5.h6
( 5.g5 Bd5 -+ )
5…Be4
( 5…Bd5? 6.h7 =, quiet )
6.g5 Rb7+ 7.Kh8 Rc7! 8.g6 Nd7 9.Re6
( 9.Rd6 Ne5 -+ )
9…Rc8+ 10.Kg7 Bd5 11.Rd6 Rg8+ 12.Kh7 Nf8# )
3…Nc5
( 3…Kd6 4.Rxb7! Rxb7 5.g6 Nc5 leads to the same position )
4.g6 Kd6 5.Rxb7!
( 5.g7? Nd7 6.Rf8
( 6.Kh7 Be4+ -+ )
6…Rxf8 7.gxf8=Q+ Nxf8 -+ )
5…Rxb7
( 5…Nxb7 6.g7 Nc5 leads to the same position )
6.g7 Rb8 7.Kg6 Ke7 8.h6 Rb6+
( 8…Nd7 9.h7 Nf8+ 10.gxf8=Q+ Rxf8 11.Kg7 =, quiet )
9.Kh7
( 9.Kh5? Kf7 -+ )
9…Nd7 10.g8=Q Nf6+
( 10…Nf8+ 11.Kh8 Rxh6+ 12.Kg7 Rg6+ 13.Kh8 =, quiet )
11.Kg7 Nxg8 12.h7! =, quiet
In the end, the h-pawn really promotes.
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