In the last round of the U.S. Junior Closed Championship, NM Parker Zhao, one of the lowest rated competitors, would have clinched clear first place if he had won this game against FM John Bryant. Ahead by two pawns in the middlegame, he unwisely traded down to reach this position.

White to move and draw (Bryant - Zhao, St. Louis 2010)

The Solution:

The key realization here is that Black's bishop does not cover the h-pawn's queening square. So, all White needs to do is trade his knight for the e-pawn, and it will be a theoretical draw (diagram).

A Theoretical Draw: 1 Kh1 Kf3 2 Kg1 h3 3 Kh1 Ke2 4 Kg1 h2+ 5 Kh1 Ke1 6 Kg2 Be5 7 Kh1 Kf1 stalemate. Black cannot force the White king away from h1 with a dark-square bishop.

FM John Bryant realized this, so he played (from the problem position at the top of the page) 1 Nf2+! Now 1 ... exf2 2 Kxf2 leads to the theoretical draw, so Zhao tried 1 ... Kf4 2 Nd3+ Ke4 (2 ... Kg4 3 Nf2+ repeats the position) 3 Nf2+ Kd4 4 Kf3! with the unstoppable threat of 5 Ng4 and 6 Nxe3.

The players agreed to a draw after 4 ... h3 5 Nxh3 Kd3 6 Nf2+!. A tough result for Zhao, who went on to lose the playoff the following day.