Chess Puzzle of the Week (177): Solution

Prokes – Wolf Bad Pistyan 1922
Black to play

The answer to last week’s puzzle is that both players made serious errors.

White, a famous endgame study composer, missed a stalemate defence. After 68… Rd3?, instead of 69. Rh1? he should have played 69. Rf8 (Rf7/6/5 also work) 69… c2 70. Rb8+ Kc3 71. Rb3+! with a draw as it’s stalemate if Black captures the rook either way. Instead, Black had a lot of better 68th moves: 68… c2 was simplest and quickest.