Underpromotions And Stalemate
While I am preparing a “real” post, here is a beautiful chess composition, printed in Sunday’s “Danas” under editorial of IM Nikola Karaklajic. It is White to move, but you have to determinate what is the final outcome. The title gives some hints. Enjoy 
Update (2nd August): Since White King is locked on h5, 1. c7 is losing to 1…f1=N! and 2…Ng3 checkmate on next move. Therefore, White has to start with 1. b7 f1=N (promoting to Queen loses because Kh5 will be safe and White would have an extra Queen), but then on 2. b8=Q Black plays 2…Kh1! and forces stalemate with next 3…Ng3+.
Is there anything that White could do to prevent tis outcome?
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SonofPearl said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
Does underpromoting to a bishop work?! It avoids the stalemate but still prevents the checkmate.
Goran Urosevic said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
You are right
Bishop then goes to e5 and White pushes his c-pawn.
But with this in mind, Black can alter the move order - 1. b7 Kh1! first, then if 2. b8=Q f1=N and on 2. b8=B f1=Q!
SonofPearl said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Fantastic! What about 1.b7 Kh1 2. B8=R?
After 2. f1=Q and 3.c7 White Queens the pawn. So does White win?
Goran Urosevic said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
Yes!
and 1. b7 Kh1 2. b8=R f1=N, there is 3. Rxb3 and Black Knight can’t reach g3 or e2
White wins with a careful move order
SonofPearl said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 7:28 pm
That was great to figure out. Thanks for posting such a nice puzzle!
Would you mind if I used the puzzle myself on my blog? (with a link to your blog included, of course)
:)
Goran Urosevic said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 7:38 pm
Feel free!
By the way, you can find much more in IM Karaklajic’s column in Danas. The archive is awkward and there is no English version, but if you enter ’site:www.danas.co.yu Nikola Karaklajic’ into Google search, you will find diagrams and moves. Should be good enough
SonofPearl said,
Wrote on August 3, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Many thanks!