Nº4 Daniil Yakimovich

Section A

Daniil Yakimovich (USA)

wKa8,Ne4,Pa4,d5/bKc4,Rb6,Pe7

1.d6!
1.a5? Rg6 2.Kb7 Kxd5

1…exd6 The Black Rook is blocked now along 6th rank. 2.a5 Rc6
2…Ra6+ 3.Kb7 Kb5 4.Nc3+ Kxa5 5.Nd5! mutual Zugzwang – Black Rook is blocked by its pawn and King 5…Kb5 6.Nc7+ =

3.Kb7 Kb5 4.Nf6! another mutual Zugzwang 4…Ra6
4…Kc5 5.Nd7+ =

5.Ne4
5.Nd5? Kxa5 White is in Zugzwang because of Black’s tempo-move Rc6

5…Kxa5
5…d5 6.Nc3+ =
5…Rc6 6.Nf6 = positional draw

6.Kc7 d5 7.Nc3 d4 Black Rook is blocked by its own King along A-file and cannot guard its pawn.
7…Kb4 8.Nxd5+ Kc5 9.Ne7! Ra7+ 10.Kd8 =

8.Ne2 d3
8…Kb4 9.Nxd4 Kc5 10.Nf5! Ra7+ 11.Kd8 Rf7 12.Ne7 Kd6 13.Nc8+ =

9.Nc1 d2 10.Nb3+ Kb4 11.Nxd2 Kc5! Black excelsior fails at the last moment, but suddenly he is counterattacking. White must play precisely. 12.Ne4+ Kd5 13.Nc3+ Kd4
13…Kc4 14.Ne4 = positional draw

14.Kb7! Any move of White Knight loses, but White King is coming to its rescue.
14.Nb5+? Kc5 15.Nc3 Ra7+
14.Ne2+? Kd3! 15.Nf4+ Ke4

14…Ra1 15.Nb5+ = White Knight breaks out. Draw
15.Ne2+? Kc5!! And it is still possible to lose! If White Knight carelessly goes to a wrong square, Black has an unexpected winning move.]