White to move and win.
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Looks like an automatic win for white. I don’t see any possible tactic for black.
That’s your answer? Do you have a first move?
With any normal plan to shepherd the a pawn with the K White can’t stop repetition or allowing solidly restrictive Black moves such as Rb1 followed by Kc7 or Kc8 and Rc1. Therefore
1…a7 which at least threatens Rd8+ followed by a=Q
2.Rb1+
2…Ka6 and if Black keeps checking the WK can zigzag down to a2 and stop the checks.
3.Kc7 Rc8+
4.Kxc8 a=Q+ with a Q vs R ending which I think should be easy because the wide space between the WK and rook allows plenty of scope for forks.
Obviously attempting to fork the Black king and rook would be more sensible.
I don’t follow the logic
if 1. a7 Rb1+
2. Ka6 Ra1+
3. Kb5 Kc7
I don’t see how to promote the pawn – if WK approaches BR then Kb7; the R on a1 stops the promotion
not following the logic
if 1. a7 then Rb1+
2. Ka6 Ra1+
if 3. Kb5 Kb7
how are you going to remove the R from a1
Sorry I’m not being very logical today, as Yancey pointed out Kb6 prevents Kc7 and then the WK should stay off the a file to prevent the rook from controlling the queening square which I presumably I thought was protected by the R that the BK had captured or was shielded from attack by the pawn on a7 which had just queened or something.
James,
It is important to think about the other line:
1. a7! Rb1
2. Kb6!
White will let black off the hook with 2.Kb5.
oops,
I meant
1. a7! Rb1
2. Ka6 Ra1
3. Kb6!
Where 3.Kb5 is a draw.
How white does the zigzag matters because of the question Mario asked about the rook on a1.
Yes, I didn’t put enough thought into it sorry.
“Zigzaging” down (not necessarily to a2) has to be done smartly though.
After, eg, 1. a7 Rb1+ 2. Ka6 Ra1+ 3. Kb5 Kc7! Black King catches the pawn and draws.
So the main winning line seems to be 1. a7 Rb1+ 2. Ka6 Ra1+ 3. Kb6 Rb1+ 4. Kc5 Rc1+ 5. Kd4 Rd1+ 6. Kc3, etc.
and the killing trick of the position is the fact that when Black R returns to a1 eg now 6…. Ra1 7. Rh8 (or g8 or f8)! ends since
after 7… Rxa7 8. Rh7+ wins the rook. Simple and typical, “must know” indeed.
Yes, maybe I didn’t put much thought into that line because I was relieved that I managed to find a way of getting out of the drawing problems or maybe I was having some chess blindness problems.
Bingo!
1: kb8
no, 1: kb7
final shot = 1: ka7
with the idea to hide behind the rook with the king soon, then check the black king away, then advance the pawn!
even better is 1: a7, threatening to play for the rook loss if black takes the pawn after he checked the white king away. if black does not take, promote.