White to move. What is the winning plan for White? This was a key game at the 2005 World Championship. 
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Important endgame
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White to move. What is the winning plan for White? This was a key game at the 2005 World Championship.
1. Rb7 and 2. Kd6 and black should resign…
I think the general idea of rb7, winning the b-pawn and then attacking the e-pawn is correct.
It’s funny though that when I set two computer engines against each other with the position, 5 minutes a side, black resigned only after 21 moves later.
I can’t imagine the drain on two humans trying to play that out.
When the board colors are black and any other color, I cannot tell if there are any black pawns on any of the black squares. I wonder if any one else has this problem. I do love these endgames though.
Paula
Rb7 is also what I came up with. Preventing black from promoting, black runs out of hope fast.
The idea of 1.Rb7 sounds good, except that White can instead take the rook on g1 and on 1…b2, White has 2.Rb1. This takes away all of Black’s potential counter play. Also, Black has the d8 square to go to, so there’s no stalemate.
Plan: 1. R+K go after b-pawn, 2. R+K go after g-pawn, 3. Exchange rooks, 4. Promote the e- or f-pawn. Black’s king will be busy blocking the protected passed pawn on f6. The extra e-pawn will serve as a useful shield. This looks like a long win, maybe 30 moves. I will try it later today, but my first moves are likely 1.Rb7 and 2.Kc4 I will try it later today.
David, Black has an e5-pawn preventing your idea of Rxg1.
I meant to say, Black has a *g5* pawn. 🙂
I didn’t see the g pawn. The dark squares are too dark.
After 1.Rb7 Ra1 2.Kc4 Rc1+ 3.Kd4 Rd1+ 4.Kc5 Ra1 5.Kd6 I reached the same position as 1.Rb7 Ra1 2.Kd6, so 2.Kd6 is stronger.
You mean that 2.Kd6 is faster.
Yes, 2.Kd6 is faster.