chess

If all else fails when attempting to solve an endgame study, try logic. In this position, it just about does the trick. Composed by MV Tronov in 1913, it is White to play and draw.

A piece down, and with a passed h-pawn to contend with, White clearly needs something dramatic. His only hope must be something to do with Ke3, which has the merit of threatening mate with d4, but 1.Ke3 is met by d5 when 2.d4+ Kd6 is quite hopeless.

Let's try logic: If White allows Kd4, he is completely lost, but the only move to stop it is 1.Ke3, which loses to 1...d5. There is only one other possible first move for White which is 1.b5. Black must take it, since 1...h3 2.b6 h2 3.Kg2 wins for White.

After 1.b5 axb5, there's nothing left except 2.Ke3, but what difference has the first move made? Let's see: 2...d5 3.d4+ Kd6 4.e5+ Kc6. Now do you get the idea? 5.b4! and it's a draw. The position is locked and there's nothing Black can ever do.