White to move. Is this a win for White. How would you proceed?
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Rook and Pawn endgame
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White to move. Is this a win for White. How would you proceed?
Ra2 Rc3
Ra7 Rc6
Rc7 Ra6
Rc8
this secures the c file for the white king to move out of the pawns way and not allowing the black rook to put him in check.
wolverine
1. Rf7+
If 1. … Kf8
2. Re5
If 1. … Kf6
2. Ke8
is this a Lucena?
the given position is a win for white. without blacks extra pawn on f5 it would indeed be of the Lucena type, but the pawn prevents the usual winning method.
1.Re7+ Kf6
(1…Kf8 2.Re5 Rf1 3.Kc7 Rc1+ 4.Kd6 Rd1+ 5.Ke6 f4 6.Rf5+ Kg7 7.Rd5 +-)
2.Ke8 Rh1
3.d8Q Rh8+
4.Kd7 Rxd8+
5.Kxd8 f4
6.Kd7 only move!
(e.g. 6.Re1? Kg5 7.Ke7 f3 8.Rf1 Kf4=
or 6.Re8? Kf5 7.Kd7 f3 8.Kd6 Kf4 9.Kd5 f2 10.Rf8+=)
6…Kf5
7.Kd6 f3
8.Kd5 Kf4
9.Kd4 f2
10.Rf7+ Kg3
11.Ke3+-
to illustrate, that the position is not of the real Lucena type (which is won for the stronger party independent from the right to move) let’s assume black to move first in the given position. black can hold to a draw then:
1…Rd1!
e.g. 2.Re7+ Kf6
3.Re8 f4
4.Kc8 Kf5
5.Re1! Rxd7!
6.Kxd7 f3
7.Re3 Kf4
8.Re6 Kg3
9.Re3 Kg2
10.Re6 f2=
greetings
The first ideas where not too difficult to find: Give check and at the same time create a “shelter” for the king with Re7+, go behind the shletlter and d8Q:
1.Re7+ Kf6
2.Ke8 Rh1
3.d8Q Rh8+
4.Kd7 Rxd8+
5.Kxd8 f4
But after that I completely failed to find the method of play (Kd7!… many subvariations; I would have try 6.Re8 intending to give checks and attack the pawn from behind, but it doesn’t work at all…I find it difficult without the new position on board…) and I would have ended in a draw.
@jean-luc – so you are on a really good way – keep in mind: your first 4 moves have been absolutly correct!
in an otb game the position – after the initial 4 moves – will be – let’s say – in front of your eyes: so your vizualization ability will become handy again – for the next 4 – 5 moves, or so
– im sure, you would have found 6.Kd7! with ease in a real game!
greetings from germany
your Vohaul
Thank you very much Vohaul
Maybe it’s a question of attitude:
I just believe that it’s too hard for me and so it become.
I really MUST create another state of mind: “I believe I can do it and I will dedicate myself to it”.
State of mind is very important in chess (as in life…).
Greetings from Switzerland.