This clever composition by Gerber was once called one of the late Irving Chernev’s favorite endgame compositions. It’s a dandy. Black threatens to queen and take one of the knights. Can you let him get a queen? That’s always a suspicion in these compositions. What else is possible? Take a look, and, remember, Black plays defense!

Solution:

Watching the bishop chase to get a stalemate is part of the fun of this, but the knight moves are great: 1.N6c7!! a1=N+ [1...a1Q 2.Bb6#] 2.Kb2 Nb3 3.Kxb3 Be3! 4.Bh2 Bg1 5.Bf4 Be3 6.Nb6!! Bxf4 [6...Bxb6 7.Bd2#; 6...Kxb6 7.Nd5+ Kc5 8.Nxe3 wins as K+B+N can mate a K, if you know how! Studies assume you do.] 7.Nc4#

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