Birnov 1952, presented by Andreas
Is it possible for White to win this?
4k3/8/5R1p/2B4K/8/2r5/8/7N w – – 0 5
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I don’t think so. I think it’s a draw.
Let’s see:
1.Rf6+! Ke8 2.Bg1 Rh3+ 3.Kg4 Rxh1 4.Rf1 Kd7 5.Re1 Kc6 6.Rd1 Kb5 7.Rc1 Ka4 8.Rb1 h5+ 9.Kg3 h4+ 10.Kg2 and finally the rook will be captured. 1-0
Maybe 1.Bg1, for instance 1. … Rh3+ 2.Kg4 Rxh1 3.Rf1 Kd7 4.Re1 etc.
anon (11:04) is starting back one move from the diagram (where the W rook is already on f6 and the B king is already on e8) – which makes me think maybe they looked something up? 😉 actually that line looks convincing but very hard to find. in a game i would have tried 1.Re6+ because there are chances for black to go wrong. e.g. 1…Kf7 2. Re7+ Kf6 3. Bd4+! or 1…Kf7 2. Re7+ Kg8 3.Kg6! or 1…Kd8 1.Bb6+ but i’m sure many players would go 1…Kd7 when black looks ok
1.Rf6+! Ke8
Help! I’m lost. White’s rook is already on f6; Black’s king is already on e8.
Maybe 1.Bg1, for instance 1. … Rh3+ 2.Kg4 Rxh1 3.Rf1 Kd7 4.Re1 etc.
Sorry, but I don’t see the “etc.” part. Could you be more specific? Black just keeps his king on white squares. If the White king approaches h1, Black’s rook escapes via h4.
Ah, thanks, Andrew. I see it now.
andrew,
i am very sorry – but i already knew the whole study. as we can see from the FEN, the diagram starts at move 5 of the original study/solution. so, just throw away my first move and start with 1.bg1.
the trapping of the rook is something (once seen) you’ll always remember and so is the cutting off of files so that the black king finally has no white square to go to.
If you already know the study, why ruin other people’s fun with it by copying the solution??
1. Bg1!!! the black square is danger… very danger!