Back to the basic endgame

4 comments

• Reply

  

  computojon says:

  April 22, 2007 at 3:11 am

  Without answering the question directly, the key to the B+N vs K ending is to know several key methods and positions. Right here, White obtains the position that Pandolfini memorably calls “the lock”: Bc4! Kb7 Nd5! Ka7 (or wherever) Bb5!. Now the Black King is locked in. The next step is for the Bishop to take over the a6-c8 diagonal, with help from the White King (which hones in via c7, either directly or after wasting a move.) Mate is then only several moves away.

• Reply

  

  Anonymous says:

  April 22, 2007 at 4:20 am

  Hi,

  1. Bc4 Ka7
  2. Nd5 Kb7
  3. Bb5 Kb8
  4. Ba6 Ka7
  5. Bc8 Kb8
  6. Nb4 Ka7
  7. Kc7 Ka8
  8. Bb7+ Ka7
  9. Nc6#

  if 3. … Ka7
  4. Kc7 Ka8
  5. Ba6 Ka7
  6. Bc8 Ka8
  7. Nb4 Ka7
  8. Nc6+ Ka8
  9. Bb7#

  So I believe white needs 9 moves and black decides whether bishop or knight mates.

  Jakob

• Reply

  

  Anonymous says:

  April 22, 2007 at 11:19 am

  1. Bc4 Kb7
  2. Nd5 Kb8
  3. Ba6 Ka7
  4. Bc8 Kb8
  5. Nb4 Ka7
  6. Kc7 Ka8
  7. Bb7+ Ka7
  8. Nc6++ mate.

• Reply

  

  kspiteri says:

  April 23, 2007 at 9:09 pm

  This comment has been removed by the author.