White to move. Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? How should White proceed?
3N3n/3P4/1p3pk1/1p6/8/3K4/8/8 w – – 0 1
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Nc6 wins.
if 1.Nc6 than 1…Nf7 and white cant queen and than cant checkmate black with just knight!!
1. Nc6 given by anon-1 is refuted by 1..Nf7
Black is already in a min-zugzwang. There is the threat of a fork between f7 and g6 or any other square the black king might occupy. So the pawn on f6 cannot move. It needs to protect the e5 square. The knight on f7 cannot move too. The black king has very few squares left to move. For instance, 1..Kg7 would be met by Ne6+ followed by the queening. The only threat is the passed b-pawn. So, white should be able to win with 1. Kc3! Kf5 (there is no better move and there is no threat of fork on d6 because if 2. Nb7 2..Nf7 3. Nd6+ Ke6 and the white pawn falls. White needs to bring his king to c7 to support the pawn and make Nd6+ a real threat) 2. Kb4 Now black is in zugzwang. Even the black king has no good squares to go to. For instance, 1..Ke4 2. Nb7 Nf7 3. Nd6+ forking the knight and the king.
Black has to either go back to g6 or play 2..Kg4. So, Black king will be stuck to g6-f5-g4 squares and white king will move to c7-c8 and queen the d-pawn. One winning line for white:
2..Kg4 3. Kxb5 Kf5 4. Kxb6 Kg4 5. Kc7 Kh5 6. Nb7 Nf7 7. Nd6 Ng5 (if 8. d8Q 8..Ne6+ fork wins the queen) 8. Kc8 1-0
1.Kc3 Kh5 (black has no other move, he wants to push f pawn)
2.Kb4 f5 3.Kxb5 f4 4.Ne6 Nf7 5.Nxf4+ Kg5 6.Ne2 Kf6 7.Kxb6
and this endgame is won for white.
1, Ke4 should be a draw.
The white king will blockade the f-pawn.
and the white knight will blockade the b-pawns.
Black knight will be tied to defending d8. The black king will have to defend the f-pawn.
To make progress, black will have to figure out how to keep the b-pawns while trading the f-pawn for the d-pawn.
After 1. Ke4, black is somewhat in a zugzwhang. The king cannot move to square that will allow the white knight to come out of d8 with a check. The black knight needs to stay put at h8 in order that it can go to f7. So 1…. f5 or 1… b4 are the only possibilities.
1. Ke4 b4
2. Nc6 Nf7
3. Nxb4 Nd8
4. Kf4
=/=
1. Ke4 f5
2. Kf4 Kf6
3. Nc6 Nf7
4. d8(Q) Nxd8
5. Nxd8 b4
6. Nc6 b3
7. Nb4 b2
8. Nd5+ Ke6
9. Nc3 Kd5
10. Kxf8 Kd4
11. Ke6 Kd3
12. Kd6 Kc2
13. Na3+ Kb3
14. Nb1 Kb4
15. Kc6 b5
16. Kb6
now, the white king keeps attacking the backward b-pawn. if the forward b-pawn on b2 were to promote to b1 with the help of the black king, the knight will give itself up on b1, so the black king at b1 will not be able to defend the second b-pawn (which can at best be at b3).
Is there a hole in this line of thinking?
Yes after 1. Nc6 Nf7 is impossible due to the fork, thus a win.
Nc6? is draw after Nf7
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,to me,there are few combination but most of them leads to draw,white to win,Black has to make a careless mistake,if not it will be a draw,even if its “Nc6”.
I am giving here one example where white wins,due to a mistake of Black.
1. Kc3 f5
2. Kb4 Kf6
3. Nc6 Nf7
4. K*b5 Ke7
5. Nb8 Nd8
6. K*b6 f4
7. Kc7 f3
8. Nc6+ Ke6
9. N*Nd8+ Ke7
10.Nb7 f2
11.d8(Q)+ Kf7
12.Qd5+ Kf6
13.Q*f3+ Ke5
Black Resigns,if not
14.Qc3+ Kd5
15.Qd3 Ke6
16.Qd6+ Kf5
17.Kd7 Ke4
18.Nc5+ Kf3
19.Qe5 Kg4
20.Nc3 Kf3
21.Ke6 Kf2
22.Kf5 Kf1
23.Qe1+ Kg2
24.Qf2+ Kh3
25.Qg1 Kh4
26.Qg4+ mate.
White wins the game : 1 – 0
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
1. Nc6 Nf7 doesn’t seem to get anywhere for white.
But black’s f-pawn, N, and K have a problem moving. If the f-pawn moves, then Nc6 wins – Nf7 Ne5+ and the pawn promotes. Also if the K moves to a dark square (except h6) then the white N can vacate 68 with check, again promoting the pawn.
So it looks like White should just go after the Q-side pawns with, say, Kc3. White’s general plan is to get his K to c7, then play Nb7 and Nd6 to force the pawn through.
Given that a quick …f5 is bad for black, perhaps the play would go 1. Kc3 Kh5 2. Kb4 f5 3. Ne6 Nf7, but there are many, many variations.
1.Nc6! Nf7 2.Kd4 /2…f5? 3.Ne5/ 2…b4 3.Nxb4 f5! 4.Nd5 / or Kd4 / f4 5.Ke4 f3 6.Kxf3 b5 – draw
Right now, coming to this late, I agree with the Kc3 plan to that point:
1. Kc3 f5??
2. Nc6 Nf7
3. Ne5 wins for white. However, black can try, instead
1. Kc3 b4
2. Kb4 f5 this now is ok since
3. Nc6? Nf7
4. Ne5? Ne5!
5. d8(Q)Nc6+ wins for black. White must continue forward with the king at move 3 in this line. Continuing from that point:
3. Kb5 Kf6
4. Kc6 f4 (what else?)
5. Kc7 f3
6. Nb7 Nf7
7. Nd6 Now, it gets more difficult. I looked at this for quite a while, and see only
7. …..Kg7
8. Nf7 f2
9. d8(Q)f1(Q)
And now, I am going to have to get out my chess board. It isn’t immediately clear to me what the winning prospects in this line are for white. Also, I have not even bothered looking at other lines for white where the the king doesn’t end up on b4 allowing an early f5 for black. I got more work to do on this line.
Kd4! wins (main line will have Nc6, Nxb4 and Kd5, Kd6)
han
I gave the solution started with
1.Kc3 Kh5
OK, I saw, black has the idea : 1..b4+! If Kxb4, black can play f5 3.Nc6 Nf7 4.Ne5+ Nxe5 5.d1=Q Nc6+
If white plays after 1…b4+ 2.Kb3 black has b5 and white is in ZugZwang.
So I think, 2.Kc4 b5+ 3.Kb3 and black is in Zugzwang.
after 3…Kh5 4.Kxb4 f5 5.Kxb5 f4 6.Ne6 we return to my main variation.
ooops, a flaw in Kd4, blk later has Nb7+ and Nc5 attacking the pawn a forking on e6 if pawn queens.
So I looked again and it seems that Kc3 and Kb3 does the trick.
han
This is a really hard puzzle!
Re M. Pasman’s revised line.
1. Kc3 b4+;
2. Kc4 walks into f5 eg
3. Nc6 Nf7 and now Ne5 doesn’t work because after Nxe5 its check.
Re the post previous to this one.
1. Kc3 b4+
2 Kb3 b5 seems to hold just fine
White then gets three choices.
3. Kxb4 fails in the normal way as it will be checked from e5 after NxN
3. Nc6 Nf7 and because the pawn is still on f6 white does not have the Ne5 trick at all, but eqaully his K cannot go forward
3. Kb2 or Kc2 gives black time to play Kh5 and move his K and f-pawn down the board OK.
I can’t find a win here for white. It looks like a study that does not quite work.
Anyone able to prove a win?
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,as I have said earlier draw is child’s play,then I have given a set of moves,where White wins when Black comments a mistake.
When I checked again this space of the blog,one with the ID name “RU” said that ” I can’t find a win here for white. It looks like a study that does not quite work.Anyone able to prove a win? “
After reading this,I have analyzed the puzzle again,posting a set of moves which ensures White’s win without doubt.
Example one.
===========
1.Ke4 f5
2.Ke5 b4
3.Nc6 Nf7+
4.Ke6 b3
5.Ne5+ N*Ne5
6.d8(Q) b2
7.Qd1 Nc4
8.Qb1 b5
9.Kd5 Na3
10.Q*b2 Nc4
11.Q*b5 Ne3+
12.Ke5 Ng4+
13.Kf4 Nh6
14.Qe8+ Nf7
15.Qe6+ Kg7
16.Q*f5 Kg8
Rest of the moves are child’s play for white to win.
Example two
===========
1.Ke4 b4
2.Nc6 Nf7
3.N*b4 Nd8
4.Kd5 Kf7
5.Kd6 Nb7+
6.Kc7 Ke7
7.Nc6+ Ke6
8.Nd8+ Ke7
9.N*Nb7 b5
10.d8(Q)+
Rest of the moves are child’s play for White to win the game.
“RU’s” Opinion about these moves are appreciated.
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
Hi Venky
In your second line 3… f5 seems a simple way of securing the draw. The point is that black can sac his N for the pawn, so he can leave the N on f7. The only way that white can make progress is use his K & N together to drive the N away from f7. But if he tries that black marhces his pawn down the board and is fine. If white keeps the black pawn under control with his K, then black can use his K to get the white pawn.
e.g.
1.Ke4 b4
2.Nc6 Nf7
3.N*b4 f5+
4.Kd5 f4
5.Nd3 Kf5 =
4.Kf4 Kf6
5.Nd5+ Ke6
6.Nxb6 Kd6
7.Kxf5 Kc7
8.Ke6 Nd8+
9.Ke7 Nc6+
10.Ke8 Kxb6 =
I am still not seeing a win for white. Your go 🙂
Hi Susan Polgar,
Hi “RU”,
Well,at first I am glad that you have taken time to express your opinion,that really elevates your esteem and I am glad and thankful to you.
Now,coming to the moves and response,I have given two examples leading White to win,you have taken the second to justify your stand[Draw eminent ]on this puzzle,that’s fine and good,there are many variations of this puzzle support and leads to draw but with due respect to you,I wish that you may give a short to first example of mine[That drives White to win]which you may find slippery to justify your stand[Draw Eminent ].
But you may surprise me,if done my hearty appreciation to you. ):
Awaiting with eagerness.
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
Hi Susan Polgar,
Hi RU,
Well,still if you aren’t convinced that White has chance to win then I suggest that we both will play – I will do my best to see the White wins the game.
My first move is “Ke4” – awaiting your move (Reply)- ):
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
Hi Susan Polgar,
Hi RU,
Well,did I sound strong(rude)in my last comment,I have no intention to boast myself,above all,if I did sound boasting kindly excuse me.
Well,I had suggested to play out the puzzle between us with all sportiness and due respect & esteem to you [ Every opponent player ],I hope these words would have cleared fowl smell from my side,if any felt by others.
Coming to the puzzle,lets play it out between us with all sportiness,its a pleasure playing with brainy minds,like you all.
By
Venky[ Chennai – India]