Mating with Night and Bishop
01.10.2005
[McLeod, Fraser]

White must drive black's king to a corner square of the same colour as the bishop moves on, e.g. white in this example. It is relatively straightforward to drive the black king to the edge of the board so we start from this position.

1.Nf7 Kf8 2.Kf6 Kg8 3.Bf5 Kf8 4.Bh7
driving the king out of the 'wrong' corner

4...Ke8 5.Ne5 Kd8 6.Ke6 Kc7
This is the hardest part to see over the board. Black's king seems to be escaping from the edge of the board but it is a short-lived escape.

7.Nd7 Kc6 8.Bd3
This move prevents the king getting away. See how effectively the bishop and knight combine here to box the king in.

8...Kc7 9.Be4
Restricting the black king further and forcing him to return to the edge of the board.

9...Kd8 10.Kd6 Ke8 11.Bg6+ Kd8 12.Bf7
A waiting move.

12...Kc8 13.Nc5 Kd8 14.Nb7+ Kc8 15.Kc6 Kb8 16.Kb6 Kc8 17.Be6+ Kb8 18.Nc5 Ka8 19.Bd7
Another waiting move. An immediate Na6 would be stalemate! [19.Na6 ]

19...Kb8 20.Na6+ Ka8 21.Bc6# *