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Looks easy but for some hiccups.
1.Kb7 The only move
(1.a7 Rb1+ 2.Ka6 Kc7 3.a8=N+ Kc6 4.Ka7 Rb4 0-1)
1…… Rb1+
2.Kc8
(2.Ka8 Kc6 3.Ka7 Ra1 0-1)
(2.Ka8 Kc6 3.a7 Rg1 4.Kb8 Rg8#)
2.Kc6
3.a7 Ra1
4.Kb8 1/2-1/2
1. Kb7 so that the white king can hide on a8 when black rook gives check on b-file
A-1.Kb7!.
If A1-1..Ra2.2.a7!.Rb1+3.Ka8!draws.
If A2-1..Kd7.2.a7!.Ra2.3.Ka8!draws.
Note that white should not queen due to following variation”-
If in above 1…Kd7.2.a7!.Ra2.3.a8=Q.Rb2+4.Ka7??.Kc7! and black wins! here correct would be 4.Ka6! and draws as black has to exchange rook for a8 queen or there is a perpetual check..
Also Not B-1.a7..Rb1+.
If B1-2.Ka6.Kc7.
If B11-3.a8=Q.Ra1+.4.Kb5.Rxa8 and black wins
If B12- 3.a8=N+.Kc6..4.Ka7.Rb2+. 5.Ka6.Ra1+ as in B11 and black wins
If B2-2.Ka5.Kc7.
If B21-3.a8=Q.Ra1+.4.Kb5.Rxa8 and black wins
If B22-3.a8=N+.Kc6.followed by Ra1+ mate or winning the knight and black wins.
Harry
Black could in many lines win this.
I see 2 different ideas of how to save this game:
A.
1. Kb7 Rb1+
2. Ka8 (not Ka7? Kc7! with zugzwang)
Whatever black now plays, white plays a7 next.
Here I can’t see how black prevents white from either queening the pawn or being stalemated in the corner.
B.
1. a7 Rb1+
2. Ka6 Kc7 (Kc6?? a8=Q+ white wins)
3. a8=N+
This knight seems to save the day for white, but I’m not sure.
I guess that not both A and B could be right…
Kb7 is a draw. Other moves loses.
pht
The underpromotion won’t save white in the 1.a7 line. Black simply moves his king to c6 covering c7, while the rook and king cover b6, trapping the knight on a8. White is forced to move the king to either a7 or a5, but of course 4.Ka5 loses to the skewer from a1, so white must continue with 4.Ka7. From the top:
1. a7 Rb1
2. Ka6 Kc7
3. a8N Kc6
4. Ka7
And now black need only play a waiting move of the rook along the b-file. The shortest mate should be….
5. …..Rb4
And now white can’t play Ka6 since Ra4 is mate. So white must play Nc7 or Nb6 losing the knight. From either position, the mate is forced now.
I am puzzled because this is the second time that my views are neither endorsed nor proved to be wrong.I feel my variations are correct.Regarding Pht‘s variation 1.Kb7 Rb1+ 2.Ka8 as drawing my view that white is losing as elaborated in my first comment,whereas 1.Kb7 Rb1+ 2.Ka7 Kc7 is losing for white as pointed out by him is correct but he does not elaborate.I think this could be the continuation.3.Ka8 Rb8+ 4.ka7 Rb6 when white is in zugzwang.5.ka8 Rxa6# I learnt a great deal from this problem since I was also thinking initially white’s heaven lay in “a” file.