The task
- To move
- Dark
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Goal
- only winning move
8 squares are still empty. With the right move the final count is 37 to 27; the other 5 moves do not win. Eight empty squares, and one move wins. Count parity: who gets the last move in each region?
What to look for
- The target is a corner.
- Every other move fails, so check each candidate to the end.
How the answer is checked
There is exactly one first move that forces the result; any other first move allows the defence to escape. Moves that keep the forced result are accepted later in the line, and a move that loses it is taken back with a short note.
Show the key move
The key move is a8. The main line runs: a8 · g6 · h7 · h6 · f4 · g3 · h3 · h4.