This position is a truly astounding discovery. White sacrifices a piece to reach a drawn position in which he is two whole minor pieces down and has just one pawn on the second rank. The refusal to capture Black's bishop at move 4 is especially surprising. Other studies with this concluding material balance (such as Avni #20415) have involved stalemate, but this one is based on a positional draw. This study shows that there are still simple and striking positions waiting to be discovered.
1.Nh8!
Black's bishop occupies a dominating position which makes it hard for White to activate his pieces. White's first move clears g6 in order to play his king to that square. [The alternative is 1.Kg7?
Nd6
2.Ne5
g3
but Black can secure his pawn on g3 and gradually improve the position of his pieces. Of course, he must avoid the exchange of knights, which leads to a positional draw provided White's king can reach f1. Although the win is not easy, it can be accomplished in the end; for example, 3.Kg6
Bd8!
stopping the white king reaching e6, after which it is very hard for Black to displace the centralised white pieces 4.Kh5
Ne4
5.Kg4
Bc7
6.Kf3
Nd2+
7.Ke3
(7.Ke2
Nb3
8.Ng6
Kc6
9.Kf3
Nd4+
10.Kg4
Kd5
11.Nf4+
Ke4
wins) 7...Nf1+
8.Ke2
Nh2
this prevent s the white king approaching the g3-pawn and gives Black time to bring his own king up 9.Nd3
Kc6
10.Ke3
Kd5
11.Nb4+
Ke5
12.Nc6+
Kf5
13.Nd4+
Kg4
14.Nc2
Bb6+
15.Ke2
Kf4
followed by ...Ng4, with a technical win.]
1...Ne5
The only winning chance is to prevent White's king moving immediately to g6. [After 1...Nxh8
2.Kxh8
Kc6
3.Kg7
Kd5
4.Kg6
Be3
Black cannot move his bishop to f4 or h4 without losing his pawn, so he loses another tempo later when White attacks the g3-pawn with his king 5.Kf5
g3
6.Kg4
Bf2
7.Kf3
Kd4
8.Ke2!
the king reaches f1, with a standard positional draw.]
2.Nf7!
Quick action is necessary, or Black just approaches with his king, but this move is simply unbelievable. Already one piece down, White offers a second one! Black must accept as both his minor pieces are under fire.
2...Nxf7
3.Kg6!
Ne5+!
[The best try is to sacrifice the bishop, as 3...Kc6
4.Kxf7
Kd5
5.Kg6
draws as in the note to Black's first move.]
4.Kf5!
Declining the offer. [4.Kxg5?
loses after 4...Kc6!
5.Kf4
Kd6!
gaining the opposition 6.Ke4
(6.Kf5
Kd5
wins) 6...Ke6
7.Kf4
Kf6
8.g3
Ke6
9.Kg5
Kd5
10.Kf5
Kd4
11.Kf4
Kd3!
and the g3-pawn falls.]
4...Nf7
Amazing but true; Black cannot win despite being two clear minor pieces up. [4...Nf3
5.Kxg4
and; 4...Bf6
5.Kxf6
Nf3
6.Kf5
Nh2
7.Kf4
are both clear draws.]
5.Kg6
Ne5+
6.Kf5!
1/2-1/2