Games: Chess
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Your support makes all the difference.I found this position in a new reprint of Richard Reti's Best Games by Harry Golombek (Batsford, pounds 13.99) which also contains a number of Reti's endgame studies. This one is White to play and draw.
At first glance, White's task looks hopeless. For example after 1.Kd7 Bd6 2.Kc8 Ne7+ 3.Kd7 Nd5 4.Kc8 Nb6+ 5.Kd8 Ke6 6.Ke8 Bc7 Black wins easily (as long as he knows how to mate with bishop and knight). The solution contains the sort of paradox Reti loved. White must lose a move by playing 1.Kd8! Bd6 and only now 2.Kd7! Since 2...Ne7 now allows 3.b8=Q, Black has nothing better than 2...Kd5 when 3.Kc8 Ne7+ 4.Kd7 leaves Black unable to make progress - his king takes the all important d5 square away from the knight.
If you are looking for refreshingly original ideas, Reti's Best Games is highly recommended.
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