Nº25 Rainer Staudte & Michael Schlosser

Win
Section B.1.
Rainer Staudte & Michael Schlosser

1.g8Q g1Q
As we shall see the Black Queen is on the g-file in a poor position, because the Black King has to cross this file to reach the passed Pawn and to play for stalemate. Guarding the promotion square from an other line (the 8th rank or the a2-g8 diagonal) promises a more successful defence. Therefore squares like c8 or d5 are key squares for the Black Queen. White has to prevent any not-tempo-wasting Queen manoeuvre to such a key square.]

2.Qe6+ $1
maintains the initiative (1)
( 2.Qc4+ $2 Kf5 $1 $11 )

2…Kf4 3.Qf6+ Kg4
The critical crossing.

4.g7
threatens Qg6+

4…Qg2+
(2)
( 4…Qh2+ 5.Kc3! aims for Kd4 (6) 5…Kh5 (7) 6.Qf3+! Kh6 7.g8R! wins (8) 7…Qc7+ 8. Kb2 Qb6+ (9) 9.Kc2 Qc5+ 10.Qc3 Qf5+ 11.Qd3 Qc5+ 12.Kd2 Qf2+ 13.Kd1+-)
( 4…Kh5 5.Qf7+! Kh6 6.g8N+! Kg5 7.Qg7++-)

5.Kc3!
(3) aims for Kd4 and prevents the Black Queen from transferring to the key square c8.
( 5.Ka3? is harmless: Dg3+ Qa8+ and transferring the Black Queen to c8 is possible, too. 6.Ka4 Kh5! 7.Df7+ Kh6! 8.g8T This underpromotion does not help. White cannot avoid stalemate, e. g. Da3+ 9.Kb5 Dc5+ 10.Ka6 Db6+ 11.Kxb6=; 10.Ka4 Db4+ 11.Kxb4= )
( 5.Kb3? Qb7+ 6.Kc4! Qc8+! position Z; disconnects the Queen from e5. 7.Kd5 /Kd4 7…Kh5! loses the Pawn; )
( 5.Kc1? Qh1+! position X; keeps a path to d5 and via b7 to c8 open. 6.Kb2 ( 6.Kc2 Qe4+! 7.Kc3 Kh5 8.Qf7+ Kh6= A stalemate combination prevents the promotion to a major piece. ) ( 6.Kd2 Qd5+! 7.Ke3 Qb3+! 8.Ke4 Qb7+! 9.Ke5 ( 9.Ke3 Qb3+!) 9…Kh5 10.Qf5+ Kh6=) 6…Qb7+! ( 6… Qh2+? 7.Kc3! Kh5 8.Qf3+!+-) 7.Kc3 Qc8+! 8.Kd4 Kh5! 9.Qf7+ Kh6= Play for stalemate refutes the promotion to a major piece. )

5…Kh5
(4)
( (4) 5…Qg3+ position Y 6.Kd4! guards e5. And now 6…Kh5 is refuted by the fork 7.Qe5+!+-)

6.Qf7+ Kh6 7.g8=N+!
(5)
( (5) 7.g8R? Qd2+ 8.Kb3 ( 8.Kc4? Qa2+-+) 8… Qa2+ 9.Kxa2 Stalemate )

7…Kg5 8.Qg7+ Kf4 9.Qxg2+-

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