Meisterwerke

Start from the following position, which can be reached easily (black captures are e7xNd6 and f7xBg6, white captures are g2xh3, b2xc3, c2xb3, and hxgxf. The pawn originally from h2 promoted to a bishop on f8, and went into the southwest cage.

1. b4 Ka4 2. Nb2 Ka3 3. Kf3 a4 4. Rg5 Ba5 5. Rhg1 b6 6. R1g4 Ba6 7. Qd5 Bc4 8. Qb5 Bb3 9. ab3 Ka2 10. Nc4 Kb1 11. Ba3 Ka2 12. Nb2 Kb1 13. Kg2 Kc1 14. Nc4 Kd1 15. Ne5 Ke1 16. Bc1 Kd1 17. Bab2 Ke1 18. Nf3 Kd1 19. Kf1 a3 20. Rg1 a2 21. Rh1 a1=B

In this position, the last pawn move was just played. If it'll take more than 49.5 moves to reach the original diagram from this position, black may claim a draw with his next move, due to the 50-move rule. The quickest play is:

22. Ba3 Bb2 23. Ng1 Ba1 24. Kg2 Ke1 25. Kg3 Kf1 26. Kg4 Kg2 27. Nf3 Bb2 28. Rd1 Ba1 29. Ng1 Kh1 30. Bcb2 Kg2 31. Rb1 Kh1 32. Bc1 Kg2 33. Rb2 Kf1 34. Ra2 Ke1 35. Bab2 Kd1 36. Ra4 Ke1 37. Kg3 Kd1 38. Kg2 Ke1 39. Ba3 Kd1 40. Kf1 Bb2 41. Nf3 Ba1 42. Rg1 Bb2 43. Rh1 Ba1 44. Ng1 Bb2 45. Kg2 Ba1 46. Kf3 Ke1 47. Ke4 Kf1 48. Nf3 Kg2 49. Rd1 Bb2 50. Ng1 Ba1 51. Bcb2 Kh1 52. Rb1 Kg2 53. Bc1 Kf1 54. Rb2 Ke1 55. Nf3 Kd1 56. Nd4 Ke1 57. Ra2 Kf1 58. Bab2 Ke1 59. R4a3 Kd1 60. Qa4 Ke1 61. Kd5 Kd1 62. Kc4 Ke1 63. Kb5 Kf1 64. Ka6 Kg2 65. Kb7 Kg1 66. Kc8 Kf1 67. Kd8 Ke1 68. Ke8 Kd1 69. Kf8 Ke1 70. Kg8 Kd1 71. Kh7

And we have arrived at the problem position with black to move as required. However, it has taken 70.5 - 21.0 = 49.5 moves without pawn moves or captures to do so. The game is drawn, if black now makes a non-pawn, non-capturing move, and the only move available for that is Ke1

Solution by Henrik Juel