Stalemate

This morning in a desperate position I "blundered" away a rook. My opponent fell for the ruse.

White to move

I played 53.Ra1 after which Black wins easily with 53...Nd4+ and taking the rook the next move. However, 53...Rxa1 fails to win, as my opponent learned after ending the game with that move.

A search of my online games database shows nearly 1100 games that have ended in stalemate. A portion of these were provoked in the manner of this morning's offer of a rook, and were preventable. 

This position arose on the Internet Chess Club in 1999. Black to move.

Black to move

I played 65...Rd5+ and my opponent took the rook. If they would have played Ke6, the next check could be met with Kf7. The engine needs some depth to realize that White's king has no shelter from the rook's sacrificial efforts. White's 65.Bf5 was the error that led to this position. The bishop had been on g4. 65.Re8+ would have eliminated the stalemate prospects.

Something similar and simpler arose in an OTB game in 2006.

White to move

My opponent played 54.h7?? Naturally I played 54...Rxb7 and we agreed to a draw after I took the other pawn, too.

And again in 2000 on ICC.

White to move

55.a7+?? allowed me to start checking with my rook. 55.Ka8 56.Ka5 Ra1+ 57.Kb6 Ra6+ 58.Kxa6. White has some work to do to win this ending, but pushing the pawn made Black's efforts simple.

This position arose more than two decades ago on the Internet Chess Club.

Black to move

I threw away the win with 55...Rg2. My opponent forced stalemate.

Even worse on my part was this position five months later.

Black to move

56...Bf8 leads to checkmate on the following move, but I played 56...Be5. No effort was needed by my opponent, except the stubborn refusal to resign in a hopelessly lost position.

No stalemate threats seem evident in this position from a five minute game.

Black to move

Nonetheless, 45...Kg4 surrendered the win. 46.Rxe5 f3 47.Re4+ Kf5 48.Rb4 h2+ 49.Kh1 and now White will try to eliminate his rook and succeeded another dozen moves later.

Black could have played 45...f3 and then used the e-pawn as shelter from rear checks.

I did not suspect this opponent of cheating, but he was banned a few hours after we played on Chess.com yesterday. 

White to move

As a final act of desperation, I played 55.a5. My opponent obliged with 55...bxa5 when 55...b5 would have won. I offered a draw. He refused. I told him it was a dead draw. He replied that he did not agree. We played until stalemate.

However, I have suspicions about my opponent in a game that reached this position.

White to move

42.Rd6+

Although inferior to 42.Rc1+, White has so far kept the win in hand.

42...Kc5 43.Rxe6 Kd4 44.Rxb6

Grabbing pawns seems sensible if you are not skilled and have turned off the engine because you are confident of securing victory on your own. I began to maneuver for the opportunity to swindle half a point. 

45.e6 Kxf4 46.e7 Rxe7 47.Ra6 Kg3!

White to move

48.Rxa5?!

48.Rf1 Rd7 49.Rf3#

48...Re2 49.Rxf5??

49.Rf1 still wins.

49...Re1+

Stalemate is forced in two moves. I was surprised how easy it was to swindle this player.