In the below position, how many moves will it take for Black to be stalemated? Black moves first, and both sides are working together. Black's pawns are moving down. Have fun solving!
Zdravko Maslar, Problem 1958, Special Prize
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Sign up to join this communityIn the below position, how many moves will it take for Black to be stalemated? Black moves first, and both sides are working together. Black's pawns are moving down. Have fun solving!
Zdravko Maslar, Problem 1958, Special Prize
I believe the solution is the following
[FEN "K1b2rk1/4pr2/1b1n1p2/5q2/3p1p2/1p5n/8/8"]\n1.... f4-f3 2.Ka8-b8 f3-f2 3.Kb8-a8 f2-f1B 4.Ka8-b8 Bf1-d3 5.Kb8-a8 Bd3-b1 6.Ka8-b8 Bb1-a2 7.Kb8-a8 Qf5-b1 8.Ka8-b8 f6-f5 9.Kb8-a8 f5-f4 10.Ka8-b8 f4-f3 11.Kb8-a8 f3-f2 12.Ka8-b8 f2-f1B 13.Kb8-a8 Rf7-f2 14.Ka8-b8 Kg8-f7 15.Kb8-a8 Kf7-e6 16.Ka8-b8 Ke6-d5 17.Kb8-a8 Kd5-c4 18.Ka8-b8 Kc4-c3 19.Kb8-a8 Kc3-b2 20.Ka8-b8 Kb2-a1 21.Kb8-a8 Rf2-b2 22.Ka8-b8 Rf8-f2 23.Kb8-a8 Bc8-f5 24.Ka8-b8 Bf5-c2 25.Kb8-a8 d4-d3 26.Ka8-b8 Bb6-e3 27.Kb8-c7 e7-e5 28.Kc7xd6 Be3-c1 29.Kd6-e6 Rf2-d2 30.Ke6-f5 e5-e4 31.Kf5-g4 Bf1-e2+ 32.Kg4xh3 e4-e3 33.Kh3-g2 Be2-d1+ 34.Kg2-f1 e3-e2+ 35.Kf1-e1 stalemate
What gives me confidence in this one is that it appears carefully crafted to only admit a single line of play.
Replay scroll down to second game. Thanks @Rewan for help with the FEN.