White to move and win!
4b3/7P/8/4P3/8/B7/5Krk/8 w – – 0 2
Level of difficulty: Difficult
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Difficult, but logical.
Of course let me know if I’ve missed something…very instructive –
1.Ke1 Rg1+ 2.Kd2 Rg2+ 3.Kc1 Rg1+ 4.Kb2 Rg2+ 5.Ka1 Rg1+ 6.Bc1!
[if Rxc1+ 7.Kb2]
The ideas are impressive. You must look at the constraints of both sides. White must hang on to his rook pawn at all costs because it is his “trump” so to speak.
In order to do this, he has to avoid a position where black can put his rook on h3 (behind the white pawn), so white must avoid the 3rd rank. (e.g., Ke3 Rg3+, king moves and Rh3)
Also white has to be careful of black’s bishop, controlling the light squares.
Black, on the other hand, must keep checking to avoid white’s h8->Q.
So, it all makes sense once these ideas are understood.
Tagging along …
7…Rc2+!
8.Kb1! Kg3
9.h8=Q Bg6
10.Qg7
… seals the deal. Recently Susan gave us a different K+Q+P vs. K+R+B ending that was drawn, but this one is a win for White.
7. … Rb1+
?
If 7…Rb1+, White can march his king to d8 (via black squares!), promote his h-pawn, and win the K+Q+P vs. K+R+B ending.
How do you guys feel about the use of tablebases in analyzing long-winded endings like this? In poptech’s line, after 6…Rxc1+ White has a mate in 44 beginning with 7.Kb2. Could you demonstrate a win from there without machine help? I certainly couldn’t.
Tim Krabbé has a lot of interesting stuff about extreme endgames on his site, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Well, this took me a while. Don’t know if the whole thing is correct.
1.Ke1 Rg1+
2.Kd2 Rg2+
3.Kc1 Rg1+
4.Kb2 Rg2
5.Ka1 Rg1+
6.Bc1 Rxc1+
7.Kb2 Rb1+ (7…Rc2 8.Kc1 Bg6 9.h8(=Q)+ Kg3 10. Qg7 Rc6+11.Kb2 and white should win here)
8.Kc3 (8.Kb2 Bf7+ 9.KxR Bg6+ and draw) Rc1+
9.Kb4 Rb1+
10.Ka5 Ra1
11.Kb6 Rb1+
12.Ka7 and white wins
point is that if no comment/reply is given this ex. are useless; who is right and who is wrong ?
Luca fm Italy