Nº19 Sergey Osintsev

Draw

Sergey Osintsev (Russia)

wKg7,Ng1,Rc1/bKd2,Pb4,b5,c3

1.Ra1!
Thematic try 1.Rb1? c2 2.Nf3+ Kc3 3.Re1 b3 4.Re3+ Kb2! 5.Ne1 c1Q 6.Nd3+ Kc2! 7.Nxc1 b2! Black pawns are stronger than White’s Rook and Knight. 8.Re2+ Kxc1 9.Kf6 b1Q 10.Re1+ Kc2 11.Rxb1 Kxb1–+
Thematic try 1.Rf1? b3! (1…c2? 2.Nf3+ Ke3 3.Ne5! b3 4.Rf3+! Ke4 5.Rxb3 c1Q 6.Rxb5= The white Rook and Knight oppose the promotion Queen) 2.Nf3+ Ke2 3.Rc1 b2 4.Nd4+ Kd3 5.Rd1+ Kc4 6.Kf6 b4 7.Ke5 b3 8.Ne2 c2-+ or 3.Rb1 c2 4.Rxb3 c1Q 5.Nd4+ Kd2 6.Rxb5 Qg1+-+ The promotion Queen is stronger than the white Rook and Knight.

1…c2
1…b3 2.Nf3+=

2.Nf3+
2.Kf6? b3 3.Nf3+ Kc3–+

2…Ke3
2…Kc3 3.Ra8(a7/a6)!(3.. c1Q 4.Rc8+ Kb2 5.Rxc1 Kxc1 6.Nd4!=) 3…b3 4.Rc8+ Kd3 5.Ne1+ Kd2 6.Nf3+ Kd3 7.Ne1+= Perpetual check!

3.Ne1!
Thematic try 3.Ne5? Ke4! (3…b3? 4.Ra3! c1Q 5.Rxb3+ Ke4 6.Rxb5 Qc8 7.Nf7!= The white Rook and Knight oppose the promotion Queen) 4.Re1+ Kd5! 5.Nd3 b3 6.Nb2 Kd4 7.Kf6 Kc3–+ The Knight is trapped! 5.Nf3 b3 6.Re5+ Kd6 7.Rxb5 c1Q 8.Rxb3 Qf4! 9.Rb6+ (9.Ra3 Kc5!–+) 9…Ke7! 10.Rb7+ Ke8! 11.Rb3 Qf7+–+ The promotion Queen is stronger than the white Rook and Knight.

3…b3 4.Kf6
4…b2 5.Nxc2+=

4…Kd2 5.Ke5 b4!
5…c1Q 6.Rxc1 Kxc1 7.Nd3+ (or 7.Kd4 b2 8.Nd3+) 7…Kc2 8.Kd4 b2 9.Nxb2 Kxb2 10.Kc5=

6.Kd5!!
Thematic try 6.Kd4? b2 7.Nxc2 b3! The d4-square is blocked by the white King! 8.Rh1 bxc2–+ or 8.Rb1 Kxc2! 9.Rh1 b1Q–+;
Thematic try 6.Ke4?! The white King leaves the d4-square for the Knight, but 6…b2! (repetition of moves 6…Kc3 7.Rc1 Kd2 8.Ra1) 7.Nxc2 Kxc2! 8.Rh1 b1Q–+

6…b2 7.Nxc2 b3!
7…Kxc2 8.Rh1 b1Q 9.Rxb1 Kxb1 10.Kc4=

The d4-square is free! 8.Nd4!! bxa1N 9.Nxb3+=