Draw (7 + 5)

Marcin Banaszek,    2nd Prize Max Euwe 100 MT 2001    1.Rf7 (activates the white battery B/P and takes squares f2 and f8 under control) (1.Ba5? loses after 1...Ra3 2.Kb6 Bxc7+ 3.Kxc7 Rg8) 1...Bg1 (Black creates a counter B/R battery. After 1...Ra3+ White saves the day with 2.Kb6! Rxa8 3.Rf8 Rxf8 4.gxf8Q Nd7+ 5.cxd7 Rxf8 6.Bh4) 2.c7+! (Precise choice of continuation. The thematic try is 2.g8Q+? Rxg8 3.c7+ Rf3+ 4.Bf2 Bxf2+ 5.e3 Bxe3+ 6.Kb7 Nc6! (but no 6...Rxf7? stalemate) 7.Rxf3 Na5+ 8.Ka6 Rxa8+ and Black wins. After 2.Rf2+? Kh3! 3.c7 Re7! 4.Rg2+ Kg3 5.Ka8 Nc6+ 6.Kb7 Bxf2 7.Bxf2+ Kxf2 Black also wins) 2...Rf3+ (Crosscheck and rook selfpin) 3.Bf2! (Pure sacrifice to set a stalemate at the end. After 3.e3? Bxe3+ 4.Kb7 Rxf7 5.g8Q+ Rxg8 there is no stalemate and Black wins. White will get mated if he plays 3.Kb7? Rb3+ 4.Bb4 Rxb4 mate) 3...Bxf2+ 4.e3! (The next sacrifice to close the 3rd line. If 4.Kb7? then Rb3 mate) 4...Bxe3+ 5.Kb7 (White king blocks his bishop and unpins black rook) 5...Rxf7 (With pin of the white pawn. There is no mate on b3 now. This time 5...Nc6? loses even after 6.cxd8Q) 6.g8Q+ (The last sacfrifice in the defense strategy of White) 6...Rxg8. Model stalemate with blocked bishop und pinned pawn. "Through an ingenious network of pins and counter pins White succeeds to sacrifice all his pieces in order to reach a pure stalemate. The initial position is more or less natural; the finish is breath-taking. Euwe would have been very impressed by the various elements that make this study so great." (Jan Timman)