White to move. How should White proceed? Is this a win or draw for White?
2r5/7k/4KP2/8/8/3R4/8/8 w – – 0 90
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Definitely a must know. If white can get his rook to the 8th rank before black’s king gets to g7, then it is easy:
1. Ke7 Rc7
2. Rd7 Rc8
3. Rd8 Rc7
4. Ke8 Rc1 (what else?)
5. f7 Re1
6. Kd7 Rd1
7. Kc7 Rc1
8. Kb6 Rb1
9. Kc5 and white will walk right down to the rook on the b and c files until the rook is forced away for the one move that white needs to queen his pawn. The other main line that I see here is:
1. Ke7 Kg6 (Kg8? 2. f7+)
2. Rg3 Kh7 (what else?)
3. Rf3 Rc7
4. Kd8 Rf7
5. Ke8 Ra7 (Kg6 6. Rg3 Kf6 7. Rf3)
6. f7 Ra8
7. Ke7! Ra6
8. Kd6 and, as before, the king walk over to the rook along the 6th and 7th ranks to keep the rook from blocking at f8.
The only other line I can see here is
1. Ke7 Rc4 (Rc1 no different)
2. f7 Re4
3. Kg8! Rf4 and it appears that white might be stymied, but it only looks that way
4. Rh3 Kg6
5. Kg8! Rf7 (what else is there?)
6. Rg3 Kf6
7. Rf3 and black loses his rook.
I see no other lines that don’t lose even more quickly. I would have to say that Ke7 is definitely the right first move.
White wins.
1. Rd7+
1.. Black can make any move.
2. Ke7
2.. Black can make any move.
3. f7
3.. if black’s rook is on 7th rank, he may try to take this f7 pawn. It’s okay. take the black rook.
.. if black’s rook is on f file, still white is fine by losing the pawn and taking out the black rook.
This is rook ending game and white wins.
Win for white.
1.Ke7 Rc7+ 2.Rd7 Rc3 3.f7 Re3+ 4.Kf8
Now :
4…Re1 5.Rd4 etc., wins
Rg3 gives a winning line
My guess is:
1. Rg3 (giving the king no chance to come into the game) Rc6+
2. Ke7 Rc7+
3. Kd6 Re1
4. f7 Rd1+
5. Ke7 Re1+
6. Kf8
and in the next moves White can play 7. Rg7+ followed by 8. Kg8 and the pawn should be passed.
Rg3 would allow distant side checks and a draw. Ke7 is a basic Lucena Position and an easy win
What Abelian says is no good… instead of 3 .. – Re1, Ra7 seems sound. I see no way for white to proceed in that endgame.
Although the rook on c8 (instead of a8) is a big hint that this game is in fact a win for white… I was only able to find it after consulting with eh, Fritz.
The only winning line for white is Ke7. This will allow white block the rook check on c7 with its own rook. When black tries to check from below, white has time to push pawn to f7, and move king to f8, and achieve a Lucena-like position.
Ke7 looks good to me.
Rc7+ is no good because of Rd7
Kg8 f7+ and Rg3+ and pawn queens
Kg6 Rg3+
Rd7+ then proceed with Ke7 and then Pawn advnce.
It will be win for white.
Win for white. Black can best fight to sacrifice rook for pawn
Jack,
Consider this:
1. Rd7 Kg8! And now the rook isn’t able to keep the black king away as it could from d3.
2.Ke7 Ra8
And now Rd8 simply doesn’t work because black exchanges rooks and Kf7 wins the remaining pawn.
The other option for white starting with Rd7 followed by Ke7 also fails:
1. Rd7 Kg8
2. Ke7 Ra8
3. f7 Kf7
4. Rd1 Ra7
And the white king can never leave the pawn.
1. Rd7 Kg8
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Mohan said…
White wins.
1. Rd7+
1.. Black can make any move.
2. Ke7
2.. Black can make any move.
3. f7
3.. if black’s rook is on 7th rank, he may try to take this f7 pawn. It’s okay. take the black rook.
.. if black’s rook is on f file, still white is fine by losing the pawn and taking out the black rook.
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This was just the first thing I tried, but since you said “Black can make any move” I figured I was safe…
1. Rd7+ Kg8
2. Ke7 Rf8
3. f7+ Rxf8+ draw