White to move. How should White proceed?
k7/2p5/r6P/2P1p3/1RKp4/p7/P2P4/8 w – – 0 1
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1. h7 would be pretty good if Black didn’t have 1. … Rh6.
Here’s a crazy-looking try:
1. Rb6? cxb6!
and now White has only
2. h7 b5+ and 3. … Rh6
or
2. c6 Ra7 and 3. … Rh7
The crazier-looking 1. Ra4 seems to work:
1. Ra4 Rxa4+
2. Kb5 and Black can’t stop the h-pawn or queen the d- or e-pawn.
1. Rb6
This is a promotion problem.
So, how to restrict Black’s Rook from capturing the White pawn at h8.
I worked through several lines that failed and then hit on what I think is correct.
Ra4!
Black is stuck with an absolute pin!!
Very good puzzle! TY Susan
Rb6 1-0
Ra4 1-0
1.Rb6…cxb
2.Kb5…Kb7
3.h7 wins
Rb6 doesn’t work because black has a pawn check on b5. Ra4 is the only way.
1. Ra4 pins the rook.
1. … Rxa4
2. Kb5 Ra7
3. c6 traps the rook from stopping the h pawn.
1. Rb6 fails to 1. … cxb6 2. h7 b5+ and the rook gobbles up the h pawn.
1.Ra4 Rxa4 2.Kb5 Ra7 3.c6 ..
then black cant stop the h-pawn!!!
1.Ra4 Rxa4 2.Kb5 Ra7 3.c6 ..
then black cant stop the h-pawn!!!
1.Ra4 Rxa4+ 2.Kb5 Ra7 3.f6! and White wins.
ra4+, rxh4+
kb5, ra7
c6 +-
rb5, cxb5
kb5, ra7 -+
han
1.Ra4 Rxa4
2.Kb5 Ra7 (last try)
3.c6! (3.h7? 4.c6+ and 5.Rxh7)
just to complete the analysis of Maurits.
The rook is caught in traffic. Note that c6 also prevents Rb7+ and Rb8.
1, Ra4 Rxa4+
2, Kb5 Ra7
3, c6!! ANY
4, h7 and will be QUEEN!
Best from Hungary
This one is very tricky. Here goes my line:
1. Ra4 Rxa4 (forced)
2. Kb5 Ra7
3. c6!! (The point. trapping the rook with out any moves. 3.h7 is disastrous for white as black has a check with 3….Rb7+ and then moves his rook to b8 and prevents white from queening)
Now black can’t stop white’s h-pawn .
1. Ra4 Rxa4+
2. Kb5 Ra7
3. c6! and black can’t stop the h-pawn
1-0
Piece of cake.
1. Ra4 Rxa4
2. Kb5 Ra7 (threatening c6+ to stop the h-pawn)
3. c6 and the h-pawn cannot be stopped.
Sure, Black doesn’t have to keep trying to stop the h-pawn with the rook on the 2nd move, and can try promoting one of her own pawns instead. That can be exciting. For example:
1. Ra4 Rxa4
2. Kb5 d3
3. Kxa4 e4
4. c6 (just have time for this little move)
4…. e3
5. h7 exd2
6. Kb5 d1=Q
7. h8=Q+ Ka7
8. Qd4+ Kb8
9. Ka6
Black can also try to combine the idea of promoting a pawn, AND getting her king out of the corner, but there isn’t enough time for this either. This can also lead to some excitement, if White is looking for it:
1. Ra4 Rxa4
2. Kb5 Kb7
3. Kxa4 Kc6
4. Kb4 (have time for this)
4….. e4
5. h7 e3
6. h8=Q e2
7. Qe5 d3
8. Qe6+ Kb7
9. c6+ (the fun way to win; 9. Kc3 is the prosaic way to win)
9…. Kb6 (as good as any)
10. Qc4 e1=Q (nothing is any better)
11. Qc5+ Ka6
12. Qa5#
I suppose one could call this last the cat-and-mouse variation.
1.Rb6 cxb6
2.Kb5 Ra7 is better for black, 2.h7 loses to b5+ followed by Rh6, 2.c6 is no good, as well…
Guess Maurits is right, 1.Ra4, pins the rook to the king, so there must follow Rxa4+, when 2.Kb5 seems to do the job, for black can’t retreathis rook to a place where it could stop the h pawn, for Ra7 is answeared by c6,which makes impossible for the rook to prevent the queening of the h pawn… trying to promote either the d or e pawn,which is the other try for black, takes too long:
2. … Ra7 3.c6 e4 4.h7 e3 h8=Q#, any checks by the rock on the a file delays mate and on b7 is similar to the other line or 2. … e4 3.Kxa4 e3 4.h7 e2 5.h8=Q+, followed by Qh1.
1. Ra4 Rxa4+ 2. Kb5 Ra7 3. c6 and now Black has no way of stoppibg the h pawn
Rb6ÉÉÉ c/b6 with b5/ coming and Rh6 to pick up the H pawn. I saw someone say Rb6 ÉÉÉ c/bKb5ÉÉ (haha) c`mon. the RA4 is the win. After R/R check Kb5 its over.
Rb6 wins as already said. But as far as I see it, Ra4 does the trick as well:
1. Ra4 Rxa4+
2. Kb5 and there is no way to prevent
the pawn from promotion
1. Rb6 looses because of
… cb
2. Kb5 Ra7
but
1. Ra4 Rxa4
2. Kb5 Ra7
3. c6 !! and white wins
1.Ra4 Rxa4+ 2.Kb5 Ra7 3.c6! and White promotes.
1. Ra4 Rxa4
2. Kb5 Ra7
3. c6! +-
1.Rb6 doesn’t work due to
1. … cxb6!
and now
2. h7 b5+
3. K move Rh6 -+
while 2. Kb5 is countered by 2….Ra7 and 3…. Rh7
RB6 or even c6 are probably the worst moves available to white.
RA4 wins the house. After rook takes rook Kb5…the games over.
Hi Susan Polgar,
How you all ? After many days I am now over the internet.
Coming to this chess puzzle – as usual brainy minds had already given the best combination – “Rb6” – I go with it,nothing much to add.
1.Rb6 c*Rb6
2.Kb5 Kb7
3.c6+ (Kc7/Ka7)
In either case of black’s move,the rest of the moves of White is child’s play to win the game in its favor.
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
I completely agree with Logothetis. He is right – Ra4 wins for white, because of:
1. Ra4 Rxa4
2. Kb5 Ra7
3. c6 !! and white wins