Several month's back, there was a forum on chess in movies, and I said I would re-watch the Luzhin Defense and post the final winning position.  I did not do so. and apologize to the original forum.  I failed to find the position discussed anywhere on the web.  The movie was not written to appeal to chess players, and the position is "bleeped over" annoyingly quickly requiring the use of the pause and slo-mo buttons, none of the moves are as clear as they should be and two of the moves in the winning sequence are not shown at all.  However, it was decodable, and assuming I enter the position correctly, I got it.  Nabokov was an accomplished player and puzzle maker.

The hero, the unkempt Luzhin, is black and down a knight.  During adjournment, he died, but his bride has acquired his notes.  The dashing what's-his-name is white and does not believe there is a solution.  Without intending a spoiler, I should mention this is a black-to-move-and-win problem, not a forced mate in all combinations problem.  Please try to see it through before moving.

To be able to do such a thing just once OTB, and I will retire with a permanent smug obnoxious grin until some friend (or enemy) punches me out and brings me back to earth.

Dmytro, I think that last rook sac would have been hard to see from the beginning and necessary to see from the beginning.  I would like to get ahold of the book and see if Nabokov actually put the position in there or if the movie makers just asked around for a good position. I could just ask here, of course? 

wow that was really nice puzzle

that was really good!

In Search of Luzhin's Defence

Stylish! It seems Nabokov was a good puzzle composer as well as being a brilliant writer.

afair it wasn't in the novel - but i don't have a copy at hand now to confirm it [i read it 29 years ago; i've not seen the new reprint]

JD Good link and respect to your Googling skills.  I got tired after 5-6 pages of potential links.

Norma Jean, The local library does not have it (I could, of course order it) and If your memory is accurate, than it may not be a Nabokov puzzle at all.

Thank you both.

very nice

Nabokov reputedly played at master strength.  The book is far superior (but not an easy read) to the movie.

I enjoyed that very much.  Like that you came back and fulfilled your promise of long ago;)

Didn't care for the film, but still want to give the novel a chance sometime even though I'm not much of a Nabokov fan.

I am currently reading the book. While it is a little slow going it is a good book. I haven't seen the film but thus far the book doesn't give any actual chess moves but instead simply refers to his mysterious defence without outlining what exactly it is.

very nice

you could download the book from 4shared, if that is legal in your juridiction ;)

Awesome position and win.