Nº 17 David Blundell

Win

David Blundell (Gales)

wKg2,Pa4,h3/bKd6,Pa6,e4

1.a5/i Ke5 2.Kf1/ii Kf5 3.Ke2 Kf4 4.Kf2z e3+ 5.Ke2 Ke4 6.h4 Kf4 7.h5 Kg5 8.Kxe3 Kxh5 9.Kd4 Kg5 10.Kc5 Kf5 11.Kb6 Ke6 12.Kxa6 Kd7 13.Kb7 wins.

(i) Any other move can be met with 1…a5. Thematic is 1.Kf1? a5 2.Ke2 Ke5 3.Ke3 Kf5 4.h4 Kg4 5.Kxe4 Kxh4 6.Kd4 Kg4(g5) 7.Kc4 Kf5 8.Kb5 Ke6 9.Kxa5 Kd7 and with the pawn capture occurring at a5 instead of a6 we now have 10.Kb6 Kc8 and draws.

(ii) 2.Kf2? Kf4 is the central zugzwang with White to move, 3.Ke2 Kg3 4.Ke3 Kxh3 5.Kxe4 Kg4 6.Kd5 Kf5 etc.

After 2.Kg3? both 2…Kd4 and 2…Kf5 draw, e.g. 2…Kd4 3.Kf2 Kd3 4.Ke1 Ke3 5.h4 Kf4 6.Ke2 Kg4 7.Ke3 Kxh4 8.Kxe4 Kg~ etc.

Notes
(1) The study has been tested for soundness by the Nalimov tablebases but these were not used during composition.