OK, you’ve had a week of bishop and pawn endings where you’ve learned about the value of underpromotion. We will finish with one that involves knowing the principle of opposition. That should be a big hint as it’s the only way Black can draw! Based on a composition by Falco in 1919.

Solution:

Make sure you look at the variations! 1...Bd4 2.Bd6 [ White doesn’t want 2.Bf6 Bxf6 3.Kxf6 Kf8=] 2...Bg7 3.Kf5 Bb2 [Black doesn’t want 3...Bh8 4.Be5 Bxe5 5.Kxe5 Ke7 6.Kf5 Ke8 7.Ke6 and the opposition wins] 4.Be5 Bc1! [Horrid would be 4...Bxe5?? 5.Kxe5 Ke7 6.Kf5 Ke8! (a nice try if White plays Kf6 but...)7.Ke6! Kf8 8.Kf6 Kg8 9.g7] 5.Kf6 Kf8 [5...Bh6 6.Bd6 Kd7 7.Bf4 Bf8 8.Kf7 and wins] and the Black king gets to g8 where it cannot be nudged.

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