Continuing with our ongoing series taken from Willie Ryan's Tricks Traps & Shots of the Checkerboard, this month we present a complex problem that Willie himself admired greatly, as he clearly states below.

"No compendium of classical coups would be complete without including the historical Horsefall Stroke, which I consider one of the great masterpieces of scientific play. Here's the run-up:

WHITE

BLACK
Black to Play and Draw

A---Weak, but drawable. The following makes an easier draw: 3-8, 19-15, 2-7, 22-17, 7-10, 17-13, 10-19, 26-22, 19-26, 30-23, 14-17, 21-14, 11-15, 18-4, 9-18, 23-14, 6-9, etc.

B---Strongest, forming position illustrated. If instead of 8-11, white moves 25-22, the only moves to draw are: 7-11*, 8-6, 2-9, 22-18, 9-13*, 18-14, 13-17, 14-10 (23-18, 21-25, 30-21, 19-24 results in a draw), 5-9, 23-18, 9-13, 18-15, 17-22."

We're well beyond the introductory material in Mr. Ryan's classic book, so you can't expect an easy ride. Don't horse around; try to rein in the problem, and then click on Read More to gallop directly to the Willie's solution.

Solution

Continue from diagram: 20-24*, 27-20, 10-15*, 11-18, 7-10, 20-11, 10-15, 23-16, 15-31, 25-22, 12-19, 22-17, 19-23, 11-8 (17-14, 2-6), 31-26, 8-3, 26-22, 17-13, 22-18, 3-8, 5-9, 13-6, 2-9, 8-11, 9-14; a draw.