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Puzzle 0411

This problem was composed by Kubbel in 1922. White to play and win.

The Solution The knight sacrifices itself for the sake of a tempo. Using the bishop for same purpose is ineffective, for example 1 Bf6 a2 2 Bxd4 Kxd4 3 Nc6+ Ke4 and White cannot stop the pawn. 1 Nc6! Kxc6 Black must accept, because after 1...a2 2 Nb4+ he loses his only hope. 2 Bf6 Attacking the undefended pawn on d4 holds Black up for another move. 2...Kd5 Once again Black's reply is forced, as after 2...Kc5 3 Be7+ he loses the pawn. What is the next step in White's struggle against the a-pawn? 3 d3 White wants to play c4+ without allowing the reply ...Kxc4. 3...a2 The only move. Black's king must guard d4, and 3...Kc5 still loses to 4 Be7+. 4 c4+ Kc5 After 4...dxc3 5 Bxc3 White wins by bringing his king back to support his own d-pawn. Now we are at the climax of the study. Black's a-pawn is about to promote with check, but it turns out that while White has been trying to hold back the a-pawn, he has also had a secret agenda to achieve .... what? 5 Kb7!! Now Black must promote, or else Bxd4 wins. 5...a1Q Answer, checkmate! 6 Be7 mate.

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