White to move. Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? How should White proceed?
8/8/8/8/3r4/p1pP2k1/R3P3/5K2 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
R and P endgame
About Author
It’s a loss if white takes the pawn after Rb4. But after Ke1 and Kd1 it looks like a draw to me.
Just looking into this problem… it seems White can’t avoid drawing, as Black has this Rb4 move. But then, I was going to sleep right now and just passed to see if there was any new endgame. And I’m very sleepy, soo…. I’ll take a look tomorrow.
Good night 🙂
White wins with Rxa3.
This comment has been removed by the author.
if Rxa3 then Rb4. I think that’s the refutation
1. e4 then 2. Ke2. I think draw.
1. Ke1..
If 1…Rb4 then 2. Kd1 and white seems to win. If 1…Ra4 then 2. e4 and so on.
I think White has to race with the King to c2, playing e4 as needed to keep both pawns alive, then pick off Black’s pawns and advance the pawn duo. I think it wins. Otherwise, Black has some serious threats with Rb4. Phil
If Ke1, then Kg2 loses to e3+; and if Ke1 is answered by Kf4, then White can play Kf2. Phil
Tough. Maybe 1 Ke1 Rb4 2 Kd1 Rb1
3 Kc2 Rb2 4 Rb2 ab2 5 d4! Kf4 6 d5
Ke5 7 e4! holds. I am not seeing any other strong try for Black, so I think 1 Ke1! drawing is the right move for White.
Everything else just looks horendous. 1 e4? Rb4! and White is going to have to give up his rook to stop the pawn. 1 Ra3? Rb4! 2 e4
c2 3 Rc3 Rb1 4 Ke2 c1=Q 5 Rc1 Rc1 is an easy win for Black.
-Justin Daniel
Rather 2.Kd1 instead of 2.e4 if 1…Ra4
Sounds like loss for white, I don’t see any good defence against Rb4, Rb1+, Rb2+.
1. Rxa3 Rb4. Now white has very limited options how to defend mate. 2.Ra1 a2 followed by Rb1. 2e4 Ke3 and white has only bad moves Ra1 or Kg1.
1.e4 Rxd3 and there is no way how to prevent Queen without loosing white rook.
Best defence is 1.Ke1 Rb4 2.Kd1 Rb1+ 3.Kc2 Rb2+ 4.Rxb2 axb2. This is tricky win for black. 5.d4 Kf4 6.d5 Kf5. Black needs to reach setup with white pawns on d5 and e4, black king on c5 and white king on b1 so he can go to b4 forcing white king to move.
Ke1 Loses. Black wins with Rb4 followed by Rb2, Rxb2, cxb2, black king mops up the white pawns and comes over to support to the promotion.
It’s white to move, but: My Fritz12 proves that white is lost!
Hehe, never seen that before in a puzzle.
Can’t be true, or?
I’m not so sure Ke1 holds:
1 Ke1 Rb4
2 kd1 Rb1+
3 Kc2 Rb2+
4 Rxa2 axb2
5 d4 Kf4
6 d5 Kf5! (tempo must be right for black’s 10th move here)
7 e4+ (7 e3 Kf6! 8 e4 Ke5 is the same) Ke5
8 Kb1 Kd6
9 Kc2 Kc5
10 Kb1 Kb4! (the crucial move)
11 Kc2 (11 d6 Kb3 12 d7 c2#) Ka3
12 d6 (12 Kb1 Kb3 13 d6 c2#) Ka2
13 Kxc3 b1=Q and the pawns are easily stopped by the black queen.
If:
11 Ka2 Kc4
12 d6 Kd3
13 d7 (11 Kb1 Kd2 12 d7 c2+ 13 Kxb2 c1=Q+ 14 Kb3 Qc7) Kc2
14 d8=Q b1=Q+
15 Ka3 Qb3#
Anyway, in these variations the black king can get the tempo right to stop the white pawns at d5 and e4, and then play Kb4 in response to Kb1 at the right moment.
I haven’t found any saving line for white so far…