Nº26 Yochanan Afek

Draw

Yochanan Afek (Israel)

wKg3,Rf3,Pg2/bKa1,Ra4,Pa2

Black’s promotion is unavoidable. How should White meet the new-born Queen?
1.Rb3!
1.Rf1+? Kb2 2.Rf2+ Kc3 3.Rf3+ Kd2 4.Rf2+ Ke1–+

1…Rc4! 2.Kf3!
2.Kf2? Rc2+ 3.Kf3 Rb2 4.Re3 Rb4!–+

2…Rc3+!
Non thematic main line 2…Rc1 3.Rb4!! (3.Rb8? Rb1 4.Ra8 Rb4! 5.g4 Kb2! 6.Kg3 Rb3+ 7.Kf4 Ra3–+; Likewise 3.g4? Rb1 4.Ra3 Rb4!–+) 3…Rb1 4.Ra4 Kb2 5.g4 a1Q 6.Rxa1 Rxa1 7.Ke4! shouldering 7…Kc3 8.g5 Ra5 9.Kf4=

3.Rxc3 Kb2 4.Rc7!!
4.Rc4? a1Q 5.Kf2 Qa7+!–+

4…a1Q 5.Kf2! Qa6!
main 5…Qd1 6.Rf7 Kc3 7.Rf3+ Kd2 8.g4 Qh1 (8…Qe1+ 9.Kg2 Ke2 10.g5 Qh4 11.Rg3 Qe4+ 12.Kg1 Qh4 13.Kg2=) 9.Kg3÷ Followed, when needed, by 10. Rf5 with a third echo fortress.

6.Rf7! Qb6+ 7.Kf1! Alternatives are met by an immediate fork. 7…Kc1 8.Rf3! Completeing a cool blooded Rook Rundlauf! 8…Kd1 …And a Chameleon echo fortress A 9.Rd3+ Kc1 10.Rf3
10.Rh3? Kd2! 11.Rf3 Qb1+ 12.Kf2 Qe1# Chameleon echo mate A1

10…Qd4
Or 10…Kd2 11.Rf2+ Kd1 12.g3!=

11.g3! Qe4 12.Kf2 Qh7 13.Kg2
13.Kg1? Qh3–+

13…Qe4 14.Kf2 Kd2 15.Rf4! Chameleon echo fortress B! 15…Qe1+ 16.Kg2= Positional draw
.[16.Kf3? Qe2# Chameleon echo mate B1.

Both fortress positions, known from theory, appear as Chameleon echo pictures along a single main line (with a third one in another main line).