White to move!
V. Platov (1906) – Mirror Image
Daily Chess Improvement: Classic Chess Tactic!
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White to move!
V. Platov (1906) – Mirror Image
1. Ka3 Re8 2. Bc8 Re3+ 3. Kb2 Re2+ 4. Kc3 Re3+ 5. Kc4 Re4+ 6. Kxc5 and wins
1. Ka3 Re3+ 2. Ka2 ( 2. Kb2? c4 3. Bd1 Re8 )
1. Ka3 Rb1 and no way to prevent black from taking the pawn for draw, no?
Yes, I was being much too superficial and overconfident to start with and I was too lazy to admit that to myself.
1. Be6! Rxe6
2. b8=Q Re4+
3. Ka3 Ke2
It’s a winning position
James you could look for the solution in case 2…Rb1 or Ra1+.
Yes, It was my fault. Actually I meant the first move not the second.
No, it was 1. Be6 and
1. … Ra1+ 2 Ba2 c4 3. Ka3 and wins
1. … Re4+ 2. Ka5 Rb4/Re1/Re3 3. Bc4+ and wins
Okay I’ve made 3 mistakes on the b file so far so this is probably wrong
1. Be6 Rb1 2. Bb3 Ra1+ 3. Kb5 Rb1 4. Kc4 Rc1+ 5. Kd5 Rd1+ 6. Kc6 Rd8 7. Kc7 Rh8 8. Be6 Rh7+ 9. Bd7 and wins. Assuming the WP didn’t get trampled to death by a herd of elephants that I hadn’t noticed on the b file.
Yes that was wrong,
1. Be6 Rb1 2. Bb3 Ra1+ 3. Ba2
1. Be6!! Rb1, 2. Bb3! Ra1+, 3. Kb5, Rb1, 4. Kc4 Rc1+, 5. Kd5 and now Black Rook cannot get to d1 because White Bishop covers the d1 square. If 5…Rd1+, then 6. Bxd1 and White wins.
It is a theme you need to keep in mind in such endings- checks followed by skewers of the new queen if the king is on the edge, a or h file and the pawn is on the b or g file respectively. If I remember correctly, I gave Alena a puzzle that had this theme buried in some variations a few weeks back. If I didn’t, I might have not given it because it was overall too easy in my estimation- I will look back through the comments.