White to move. Is this a win or draw for White? How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. Is this a win or draw for White? How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
k-e5 seems to win depriving the b knight of useful squares
1. Ke5 Ne1
2. Ke4
3. g6
4. g7
5. g8Q
+-
i would say ke5 to avoid the knight interference and only then advance the pawn
It’s a loss for white after
1 Nh6 Kg3
2 Kg6 Kh3
3 Kh5 Nf4#
… but white may have improvements 😉
Since the black king is no threat to the eventual queen of the g pawn, the only strategic issue is preventing the black knight from f4, so
1 Ke5 wins easily
I think it would probably be a draw because white cannot maintain opposition in front of it pawn.
Looks to me like Ke5 was winning for white, denying the black knight access to the fourth rank.
Beelze
How could it possibly be a loss? Just push that pawn. It can’t be stopped.
1.Ke5
1. Ke5 to prevent Nf4 might be accurate as g6 at once fails to Nf4,g7,Nh5+
The problem with 1. g6 is Nf4, g7, Nh5+, king anywhere, Nxg7 draw. Most 1. king moves allow Nf4, making it seemingly easy to trade the knight for the pawn. Therefore, I’d try Ke5.
Asbjørn is obviously joking (I hope).
The pawn is easily stopped if White just pushes it:
1. g6 Nf4 Now the pawn must move or it’s lost. 2. g7 Nh5+ and the pawn falls.
White wins by placing the king where knight forks aren’t possible and where it takes away f4.
1. Ke5 (guarding f4)
2. … Kg4
3. g6 Now the pawn is out of reach both of Black’s king and Black’s knight.
2. … Ne1
3. g6
Pushing the pawn immediately only draws: 1.g6? Nf4 2.g7 (else 2.-Ng6:) Nh5+ and 3.-Ng7:
But 1.Ke5! keeps the knight away and should win after 1.- Ne1 2.g6, e.g. 2.-Nf3+ 3.Kf4 or 2.-Nd3+ 3.Ke4 Nf2+ 4.Kd5 Ng4 5.Ke6 and now g7-g8=Q cannot be stopped.
Asbjorn, you missed that 1. -, Kg3 is an illegal move. I like your solution though. Maybe 1. -, Kh2!! may save it?
I “feel” that 1. Ke5 is the only way to proceed (and try for a win).
1. g6?, Nf4! 2. g7, Nh5+ = does not help. As soon as the black knight gets up it is hard for white so Ke5 to stop black from playing Nf4 (Nh4 is already stopped by the white knight so keep it there where it is).
1. Ke5 simply threatens 2. g6. Rest should be calculation.
Black can try 1. -, Ne1 2. g6, Nf3+ 3. Kf6! or 1. -, Kg4 2. g6, Nf4 3. g7, Ng6+ 4. Kf6.
Both are very simple lines so I must be missing something. Back to Asbjorn’s line it looks more senseful.
Happy new (almost old in between) year to the chess world and especially to you, Susan.
Jochen
1. Kf7 Nf4
2. Ne3 Kg3
else
if 2… Kh4 3. Ng2+ Nxg2 4. g6 and the pawn cannot be stopped.
or if 2… Nh5 3. g6 makes forward progress for white, similar to the line below.
3. Nd5 Nh5
(3… Nxd5 4. g6 and the pawn cannot be stopped)
4. g6
and the pawn will eventually queen.
e.g.,
4… Kh4
5. Nf6 Nf4
6. g7
1. Ke5 to protect the f4 square and leave behind any unpleasnt forks and after black plays Kg4 to regaing access to f4 then 2. g6 and the pawn cannot be stopped avoiding the forks.
Its not a matter of just pushing the pawn. For instance.
1. g6 Nf4
2. g7 Nh5 forking the king and pawn and draws.
I think
1. Ke4 preventing Nf4 and then pushing the pawn
@Jochen: After 1 Nh6 the king is actually free to move to g3, but of course 1 .. Kh2 “wins” too. 🙂
However, 1 Ke5 to prevent Nf4 is of course a better way to go than the rather depressive line I first gave.
Many thanks to Susan for posting many interesting puzzles! 🙂
Asbjorn, my fault! Then of course your line is the most accurate! Well done!
Best wishes
Jochen