Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the recent Aeroflot Open.

Since the start of 2018, I have decided to adopt the style of only saying which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.

Black to play

Could you (as White, of course: White has just played 118 N*c6) win this position in a tournament game? With sufficient time? Or with little time, perhaps only 30 seconds increments?

I suggest playing it against your favourite engine.

Gallego Alcaraz v Martirosyan, Aeroflot Moscow 26/2/18

Solution

White managed to win this position, after a further 32 moves.

Looking at the statistics on Megabase 2018, the ending has occurred about 1,600 times, and has been won 76% of the time. Or, drawn 24% of the time.

The earlier part of the endgame, from about move 70 onwards, was interesting. A top class fight. The game, at the time of writing, is in TWIC; and I am sure will be in MegaBase 2018 in its not upload.

FEN

8/8/2NK4/1k6/8/8/5B2/8 b – – 0 118