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White to move and win

[FEN 8/3K4/8/8/k7/8/1Q1N4/3q4 w - 0 1]

White to move and win - Solution

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Solution
 

Today's solution is taken from Grandmaster Chess Move by Move by John Nunn 1.Kd8!  White sidesteps the dangerous queen check on g4 and puts Black into zugzwang (indeed, this is an example of reciprocal zugzwang.)  Other moves:  (1) 1.Kc7? (approaching the black king immediately fails to a stalemate defence) 1…Qg4 (or 1…Qe2) 2.Qb3+ Ka5 3. Nc4+ Qxc4+! 4.Qxc4 stalemate.  (2) 1.Kd6? Qg1! (the only move) 2.Qb3+ Ka5 3. Nc4+ Ka6 4.Qa4+ Kb7 5.Na5+ Kb6!  And White cannot make progress.  (3) 1.Qd4+? Kb5 (1…Ka3 also draws, based on the stalemate defence 2.Nc4+ Ka2! And there is no mate at b2 since White’s queen is pinned) 2. Qd5+ Kb4 draws.

White to move and win

1…Ka5  Black has few options.  Most queen moves fail to 2.Qb3+, 3.Nc4+ and 4.Qb6#, the exception being 1…Qg1, which runs into 2.Qb3+ Ka5 3.Nc4 Ka6 4.Qa4+ Kb7 5. Nd6+ followed by Qb5+ and mate.  2.Kc7!  Now that Black’s king is on an inferior square, White can approach with his own king.  It is unusual to see a kind of triangulation in a position with heavy pieces.  2…Qg4  Or 2…Ka4 3.Qd4+ Kb5 (3…Ka3 4.Nc4+ Ka2 5.Qb2#) 4.Qc4+ Ka5 5.Nb3+ and White wins the queen.  3.Nb3+! Kb4 4.Nd4+! Kc4 5.Qb3+! White wins Black’s queen.

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