(276) The cute stalemate resultant from a queen sacrifice in an ending
V During a tournament in Roquetas de Mar in January 2013 I spotted an unusual possible stalemate saving resource in an ending for my opponent, Azerbaijani Grandmaster Mirzoev. I had this position as White - Play continued 62...c3 A critical alternative was 62...Re8+ when white can reach a won queen ending after 63 Re4 Kxe4+ 64 Kxe4 c3 65 axb4+ Kd6 66 g7 axb2 68 g8=Q b1=Q 69 Qd8+ and the a pawn drops off. But I noted that in this line white should avoid the smartarse trick of an x-ray check after 65...Kxb4 66 g7?? since after 66...cxb2 67 g8=Q b1=Q 68 Qb8+ black has the dastardly resource of 68...Ka3! 69 Qxb1 and stalemate! (See Diagram below.) Instead, of course, 66 bxc3+ wins easily. Endgame study enthusiast, Fide Master Paul Lamford, said he found the stalemate idea cute. It was news to him, even with his considerable experience and expertise in that specific area of chess. Well, at a Rapids event in Carboneras in August 2013 I got the position in the lower of the two diagrams...