Afek's Best (3)

Yochanan Afek will present you another of his remarkable studies. The theme is my favourite-domination. In order to achieve it white will have to sacrifice..., but do better see it yourselves-
[2nd Comm. Themes 64 1977 , 1977]
Annotations by [Afek,Y]

The black knight is stuck and dominated in the corner, nevertheless both hanging white pieces make it hard to take a direct advantage of it: 1.Ba4? cxb4 2.c5 b3 3.Bxb3 Nxb3 4.c6 Na2 5.c7 Nc6+ 6.Kd6 Na7=and white is one tempo short from his goal while 1.Na6? Kxd1 2.Nxc5 Nc2 3.Na6 Ne3 4.c5 Nc4+ 5.Kd5 Na5 is a simple book draw. Much more creative thinking is therefore required here: 1.Nc2! Nb3 Hoping for 2.Ne3? Na5! 3.Ke4 Nxc4! however... 2.Na1!! The knights exchange places and the capture now is forced in view of 2...Na5 3.Nb3+! 2...Nxa1

What have we got here? it is in fact the initial position just with the absence of the hanging knight on b4! This tiny difference finally paves white's way to an easy victory. 3.Ba4 Kc3 4.Kd5 Kb4 5.Bd1!

And in this reciprocal Zugzwang it's black to play...and lose! 1–0