Black to move. This was an actual game between GM Kritz and IM Sarkar. It was played in round 2 at the New England Masters. I believe Black resigned here. But did he have to? Can you save the game for Black?
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Huh? It never would occur to me that this was anything but a dead draw. It’s not just that I see a save for Black, it’s that I plain don’t see any winning chances for White.
it’s that I plain don’t see any winning chances for White
What about the obvious Kf4 followed by Ke4 or Ke5 and then grabbing pawn d4? You may be a genius but you have to explain to us mere mortals why this only wins a pawn but not the game.
If black does not play exactly right, white will win the d4 pawn, and eventually sac it to gobble and gain an unstoppable passer. If white gets the king to e4, I think black is toast.
I am still looking for the hold for black.
take the opposition with …Ke6!
If white gets the king to e4, I think black is toast.
Well, White will get his king to e4, and Black then will lose pawn d4. But Black saves his neck by entering through the king side, going for pawn c2, and then pushing pawn c3. At first, I thought this takes too many moves but it actually works.
Yes, anon 1:21, white will win if black plays 1 careless move….
White will just outflank Black then…
…Ke6 taking the opposition is the move
I don’t think that Ke6 does it.
..Ke6
Kf4 (Threatening to get to e4), Ke5
Kf5 and now what?
.. a5
Kf4 Kc5
Ke4 and the pawn falls
or
if the king moves instead of a5, White gets to Ke4 immediately.
I am just not seeing this one as a hold for black, but I will keep looking.
Sorry I meant black Kd5 not e5 on the 2nd move,.
Anonymous-1:57’s idea is right.
The starting move must be Kg6!.
After Kf4 it is Kh5!
After Kg4 it is Kh6!
Black is going to c2 if white’s king attacks d4.
Impressive.
jochen, very nice. You are right, very impressive!
Black can seize the opposition with …Kg7! Then, if White goes for the Black pawns, Black will have enough time to maneuver to take the c2 pawn and will win. The position is drawn.
Just a minor addition: If White grabs d4 and lets Black’s King enter from the King Side, Black even gets winning chances. White should not go for pawn d4, stay on f4/g4/h4 and stop the Black King from entering the white position. Drawn then.
Black has winning chances if he can queen his advanced pawn. so he takes his king around the outside while white messes up by taking the d4 pawn. here we go. This is not best moves but shows one problem white faces. The game is therefore a draw.
1. …. a5 outrageous. but almost all moves work.
2. Kf4 going for the pawn.
2. Kf4 Kf6
3. Ke4 Kg5 !!!
4. Kxd4 Kf4
5. d4 Kd2
6. d5 Kxc2
7. d6 Kb2
8. d7 c2
9. d8Q c1Q+
10 Kb5 Kxb3
from here it is interesting.
However, instead of taking this to the end. I need to say the best moves were not made by white. He can not take the d4 pawn so it is a draw.
The lesson here is to understand the side flanking maneuver. Very powerful at times to go to the side. We tend to only think forward. But to the side is many times the correct approach as it was here.
The first move does not have to be a5. But it will get played later so this illustrates the power for black in the position.
But if you dont move right you lose. Black did not know how to move correctly so he resigned too early. Study those end games and keep working on Susan’s puzzles.
Black wins from the position given by the last anonymous.
I have to concur with Anon1:57 and Jochen:
Jochen said…
“Anonymous-1:57’s idea is right.
The starting move must be Kg6!.
After Kf4 it is Kh5!
After Kg4 it is Kh6!
Black is going to c2 if white’s king attacks d4.
Impressive.”
Have to admit I didn’t find this, but cheated by looking at the replies after I couldn’t find a save myself. White has to take the draw by retreating and going back and forth from f3 to g3 to keep out the black king.
Sorry, you are all wrong.
1..a5? Kg4! (and not Kf4) and it is white who wins as the black K will take more time to break the opposition and will promote after white did.
The same goes for 1..Kg6? 2.Kf4 Kh5 3.Ke4 Kg4 4.Kxd4 Kf3 5.Ke5! and again white promotes first.
The solution is 1…Kf6! 2.Kf4 (forced) a5! only now! 3.Ke4 Kg5 and now it is black who promotes first 4.Kxd4 Kf4 opposition to avoid white K to reach the e file! This is the key as black will promote second but with check 5.Kc5 Ke3 6.d4 Kd2 7.d5 Kxc2 8.d6 Kb2 9.d7 c2 10.d8=Q c1=Q+ and white has at least a draw after 11.Kb6 Qh6+. Note that if 11.Kxb4?? Qc3# is mate and the white K cannot also go to the d file with 11.Kd6?? Qe2+ queens are exchanged and black will win by taking on b3 and promoting his b4 pawn.
You need to learn to use the extra tempo (a5! in this case) on your favor and avoid the opponent using it himself on his.
I didnt use a computer or even a chess set. It was all visualizing the screen.
incaking: If it weren’t for the fact that your lines don’t make any sense, you would be a genius for seeing through everyone else’s analysis w/o a board or program.
However, in your line after 1…Kg6, black can transpose to the same line you give for 1…Kf6 with 4…Kf4 – literally the exact same line, if he doesn’t deviate for no reason at all. The same is true of 1…a5: most initial moves for black draw in this position, as long as you see the outflanking later.
Furthermore, the line you give as losing, with 4… Kf3 5. Ke5, is totally fine for black because he doesn’t need the check after queening – he still has a safe queen and king position even if the white king is on e5. White doesn’t even have an effective check at the end of this line: 5…Ke3 6. d4 Kd2 7. d5 Kxe2 8. d6 Kxb3 9. d7 c2 10. d8=Q c1=Q. Go ahead, find a use for that tempo.
Finally, this is irrelevant, but your proposed 11. Kxb4 could also be met strongly by 11…axb4!!
Next time you might want to look at your lines OTB before you publish your refutations in such a smug tone.