Endgame problem by Reti
White to move. Can White save this game? How should White proceed?
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Kg7-Kf6-Ke5. Black then has the choice between: (a) taking the white pawn with his king, which allows the white king to catch up to the black pawn, and (b) pushing his own pawn forward, which allows white to queen as well.
The famous chess problem!
This chess problem when i first saw it was an eye opener to chess geometry.
Can someone present some lines? I don’t see it easily
– Vinay
Vinay, if u want to check all lines set the position here :
http://www.shredderchess.com/
online-chess/online-databases/
endgame-database.html
Great stuff.
I have seen this puzzle long back, and i still remember the below comment by the author of the book
“If you cant solve this problem, then blame your geometry teacher who taught you that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line !!! “
Ah, this is the great one from Reti, isn’t it. White can draw by double threat and due to his advanded pawn.
Bernd from Germany
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yep, the famous study by Reti. BTW, it originated from an actual game (Lasker-Tarrasch)
Funny that this problem is posted now. I consulted this problem when trying to unravel the Zhurbinsky/Chatsky endgame posted earlier (the moves of which I am still hoping to find).
Strange how some positions cause others to pop into mind.
jcheyne
Very old problem, based on the optical illusion that in chess a straight line isn’t the shortest distance between two points.
In real life, measured with a ruler, Ke8-e7-e6-e5-e4-e3-e2-e1 is MUCH shorter than Ke8-d7-c6-b5-c4-d3-e2-e1, but in chess, where a lateral move and a diagonal one both equal 1, the distance is the same. That’s how Whie can chase the black pawn and defend his own simultaneously, without losing time.
It is incredible.
The best puzzle I have seen.
I can’t wait to show it to the kids in the library. Very valuable.
Thanks Susan for posting this.
Hi Anon at 1:52,
Thanks so much for the link !