This game took place earlier today in New York. White is IM Shankland and Black is IM Barbosa. It is Black to move. Is this a win for White, Black, or draw? Play it out and analyze it deeply. It will help you with your K&P endgame play.
8/5pp1/1p3p2/1Ppk3p/P4P2/1P1K4/5P1P/8 b – – 0 31
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Black wins.
What’s the difference between this endgame and any other pawn endgame?
White wins, according to my analysis.
White has a breakthrough on the queenside. First move: 1. Kc3. Black King cannot invade the King side. For example, if 1..Ke4 than follows 2. a5 and either the b or a pawns queens.
Black cannot get a passer on the King side without the aid of his King, who has to keep an eye on the Queen side.
The game can follow along this line: 1. Kc3 g5
2. f5 g4
3. b4 cxb4
4. Kxb4 Kd6
5. a5 bxa5
6. Kxa5 Kc7
7. Ka6! Kb8
8. Kb6 h4
9. Kc6 The King suddenly shifts to the K-side.
9…. g3
10. fxg3 hxg3
11. hxg3 Kc8
12. Kd6 Kd8
13. g4 Kc8
14. Ke7 and White wins.
It is Black to move, so 1…. h4 seems to be okay.
2. Kc3 g5 (or 2… Kd6)
3. b4! cb
4. Kb4 …..
Within a few moves creates a passed pawn with the idea of a5. The triple Black pawns are not going anywhere.
Verdict: White wins!
Collin Madhavan
A. Weiler,
That is all good and fine, but black moves first.
Yancey, You are right. My mistake. However, I think that even giving Black the privilege of moving first, it cannot really change the basic situation, which I described in some detail in my previous post. So if Black to move, White can play according to a very similar line I presented in my previous post.
Best wishes
A. Weiler
Anon 7:04 asked what’s the difference between this K &P endgame and any other pawn endgame. Being only an intermediate player I can give this question a shot, but take into account my level of play. I think that in most K & P endgames the holy guidance rule is to keep the oppozition. And here in this K &P endgame, surprisingly the winning move is to give away the oppozition. The winning maneuver involves the move King to c3, a move that moves the White King out of the oppozition .
Again remember that my level of play is only intermediate so you should take what I say with some caution.
Best wishes
white wins doubled pawns were so annying
I agree with the verdict that White wins. The Black pawn majority on the kingside does not have the same mobility as White’s. The outside passed pawn will decide.
Kamalakanta
I think after 1 .., f5 by Black the White King has no way to penetrate the enemy camp.
The White Queen side pawns can be held in check by the Black K and Queen side pawns. Since White K can’t penetrate into the Blcak camp, it guarantees at least a draw for White.
A. Weiler,
No problem. A few weeks ago, I analyzed one of these positions not realizing that I was viewing the board from black’s side instead of the usual perspective.
Black should win with g5!
Susan, we desparately need your view on this one. I see only a win for White. Please Help!
Black will win… 1. … f5 and then whatever white plans black will exchange pawns and then its King will go to d6 and c7 and stop the passed pawn and then roll out pawns in the king side to win…