Presented by Andreas
White to move. Can White save this game?
8/8/8/4p1p1/8/5P2/6K1/3k4 w – – 0 1
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Kh1 is a draw
This is why endgames are boring … moves have no sense. How to find Rh1 ?
Black should try g4 after that … but it is draw.
The mistake to avoid is 1.Kf1? Kd2!, after which White will eventually lose the opposition, his pawn, and the game.
Black should try g4 after that … but it is draw.
Cute, since 2.fxg4? loses.
The secret is to obtain the opposition so as not to get into zugzwang and 1.Kh1 just achieves that…
Kh1 being a draw? I do not see why this is a draw after g4. With the king on h1 the e pawn queens with check (!).
1. Kh1, g4 2. fxg4, e4 3. g5, e3 4. g6, e2 5. g7, e1Q+ -+
I first thought Kh3!? was better as black couldn’t proceed here.
Black can again try g4+!? but that only gives success if white fails with 2. fxg4?? ending in 5. g7, e1Q 6. g8Q, Qh1+ [idea of Qg1+ -+] but of course 2. Kxg4 is a draw.
1. -, Ke1! seems to best way to set complications for white.
2. Kg2 seems forced giving black kind of opposition after Ke2.
3. Kg3, Kf1! (much better then Ke3 which doesn’t seem to help black much after 4. Kg2, Kf4 5. Kf2) and I do not see a way to hold this.
Addition: Kg1 and Kf1 seem to lose simply after g4; black gets one additional check to win the “race”; 1. Kh2, Kd2 seems to give a zugzwang for white, e.g. 2. Kh3, Ke1 as above; 1. Kg3, Ke1 2. Kg2, Ke2 as above; 1. Kf2, Kd2 2. Kg1/2/3, Ke1/2/1 or 2. Kf1, Ke3
In my eyes this end game seems to be far more complicated as it looks.
I have to rethink about this later (or just read other comments telling me what I’ve overlooked), at the moment I’d say black wins in all variations. :-
Best regards
Jochen
Ah, of course, you’re so right.
1. Kh1, g4 2. Kg2 draws.
Silly me. 🙁