Nº32 Jan Sprenger

Draw

Jan Sprenger (Germany) – (correction )

wKh4,Ba2,Rb2,g1,Pf2,g3,h3/bKf5,Qc6,Bg2,Pg6,h7

1.g4+
1.Bb1+ Kf6 2.f4 Qc5!–+

1…Kf4 2.Rb4+
2.g5 Qc3! 3.Rxg2 Qxb2 4.Bd5 h5–+ followed by Qd4

2…Kf3 3.g5
3.Kg5 Qc5+ 4.Kh6 Qxb4 5.Bd5+ Ke2! 6.Rxg2 Kf1 and Black will win material

3…Qc5!
3…Kxf2 4.Rgb1 Bf3 5.R1b2+ Be2 6.Rf4+„

4.Bd5+! Qxd5 5.Rg4 Bh1! thematic move Black disturbs the coordination of the white rooks before implementing his main plan. [Black’s logical try 5…h5!? fails because the rooks are still connected: 6.Rg3+ Kxf2 7.R1xg2+ Qxg2 8.Rxg2+ Kxg2 stalemate; correction try 5…Bf1!? 6.Rxf1 h5 7.Rg3+ Ke2 8.Rgg1! Qf3 9.Re1+ Kd2 10.Rd1+ perpetual

6.Rxh1 h5! 7.Rg3+
7.gxh6?? Qh5#
7.Ra4 eg 7…Kg2 8.Rha1 Qf3

7…Kxf2
7…Ke2 8.Re3+! Kxf2 9.Rhe1 Qd4+ 10.Re4=

8.Rh2+
8.Rg2+? Kxg2! (8…Qxg2? 9.Rh2! Qxh2 stalemate) 9.Rh2+ Kf1 10.Rf2+ Ke1–+

8…Kf1 Now Qe4+ looks lethal, but White still has a shot: 9.Rh1+! thematic move The first rook sacrifice draws the queen to h1… 9…Qxh1 10.Rg2!! …and the second closes the door behind her! Capture means stalemate, but refusal does not help: 10…Ke1 11.Rg1+! Qxg1 stalemate
Both Black and White sacrifice a piece in the corner. The Rg2 tactic and the final position is based on Sprenger & Minski, Neidze MT 2021: https://eg.org.ua/chessgame/minskim-sprengerj–0270–45g4e2/stalemate