A saved stalemate of mine

[David Blower]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Nf6 6. O-O d6 7. h3 Bb7 8. d3 Na5 9. c3 Nxb3 10. Qxb3 Be7 11. Be3 O-O 12. Nbd2 h6 13. Rfe1 Re8 14. Nf1 c5 15. c4 b4 16. Ng3 Bc6 17. Qc2 Nh7 18. Nf5 Bg5 19. Qd2 Bxe3 20. Qxe3 Ng5 21. Nxg5 Qxg5 22. Rad1 Qxe3 23. Rxe3 Re6 24. Rg3 g5 25. h4 Rg6 26. Ne7+ Kh7 27. Nxc6 f6 28. Ne7 Rg7 29. Nf5 Rd7 30. hxg5 fxg5 31. Rh3 Rf8 32. Rxh6+ Kg8 33. Rg6+ Kf7 34. Rg7+ Ke8 35. Rxd7 Kxd7 36. g3 Rh8 37. Kg2 Kc6 38. b3 Kd7 39. Rh1 Rg8 40. Rh7+ Kd8 41. Ra7 Rg6 42. Rxa6 Kc7 43. Ra7+ Kb6 44. Rg7 Rf6 45. Rxg5 Rf8 46. Rg6 Ra8 47. Rxd6+ Kc7 48. g4 Rxa2 49. g5 Ra8 50. g6 Rg8 51. g7 Rxg7+ 52. Nxg7 Kxd6 53. Kg3 Ke7 54. Kg4 Kf7 55. Nf5 Ke6 56. f4 Kf6 57. Nd6 Ke6 58. Nb7 Kf6 59. f5 Kf7 60. Nxc5 Ke7 61. Ne6 Kf6 62. c5 Ke7 63. c6 Kd6 64. c7 Kd7 65. f6 Kd6 66. c8=Q

OK then, so I am black in this game. Now I will admit, this is not the best standard that I have ever played a game of chess to, but I managed to get a stalemate out of it.

Some may wonder, why on earth did I not resign. Some sort of chess instinct simply told me not to resign, because I sensed that my opponent was simply making this game at the end, more difficult that it needed to be.

[Roger de Coverly]

but I managed to get a stalemate out of it.

[FEN "2Q5/8/3kNP2/4p3/1p2P1K1/1P1P4/8/8 b - - 0 66"]

That's actually rather nice. A more aware opponent would have promoted with a lesser piece or tried to construct a position where you were zugzwanged into a mate.

[John Clarke]

[FEN "8/2P5/3kNP2/4p3/1p2P1K1/1P1P4/8/8 w - - 0 65"]

Simplest seems 66.f7 Kd7 67.f8(Q), with no stalemate. Other black 66ths allow one or other of the Ps to queen with check and safe from capture.

[IM Jack Rudd]

You should send that one to Justin Horton. It's a Worst Move On The Board (TM).