This is our last endgame challenge for Chess Summer School, but it’s a dandy! Don’t be fooled by its simple appearance. GM John Nunn picked out some incredible teaching problems.

- Solution: I will confess that my first try was 1.a4 Kg2 2.Ke2 Kxh2 3.Kf2 3...Kh1 4.a5 h2 5.b5, winning; however, 3...a5!! draws because Black can self-stalemate before White queens. AND if White tries 1.Kd2 then 1…Kg2 2.Ke3 Kxh2 3.Kf2 Kh1 4.a3 h2 5.Kf1 a5 6.a4 axb4 and Black wins! The only winning method is to use that “a3 idea” by playing it first. You’ll see why that’s important: 1.a3 Kg2 [1...Ke3 2.Ke1 Kd3 (2...Kf3 3.Kd2 Ke4 4.Ke2 Kf4 5.Kf2 Kg4 6.a4) 3.Kf2 Kc3 4.Kg3 Kb3 5.Kxh3 Kxa3 6.Kg4 Kxb4 7.h4 a5 8.h5 a4 9.h6 a3 10.h7 a2 11.h8=Q]2.Ke2 Kxh2 3.Kf2 Kh1 4.Kg3 h2 5.Kf2 a5 6.a4 axb4 7.a5 b3 8.a6 b2 9.a7 b1=Q 10.a8=Q+ Qe4 11.Qxe4#

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