White to move. How should white proceed?
8/8/2kP2K1/4r3/8/3p4/8/4R3 w – – 0 1
Another classic from Lolli
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Re5 – mr. tricky dick
(1) Rxe5 d2
(2) Rd5 Kxd5
(3) d7 d1(Q)
(4) d8(Q)+ K moves
(5) Qxd1 1-0
Rxr d2
rd5 Kxd5
d7 and
d8=Q
The setup sort of gives it away, but let’s first look at the most tempting move that won’t work:
1. d7?? Rd5!
And black will win white’s rook.
The setup with the passed pawns on the same file suggests that the end will involve sequential queenings, but with the black king on d-file, too. This immediately suggests:
1. Re5
And, now, black cannot take at d6 since white will just play Re3, and since the black king cannot protect the d3 pawn, black will have to play d2 to save the pawn for a single move, but then Rd3 gets behind the pawn and wins it on the next move. So, black can only push with d2 on the first move:
1. …..d2
2. Rd5!
Otherwise the pawn will queen, and white’s king is too far away from the white pawn to have a draw in a R+P vs Q endgame. Continuing:
2. …..Kd5 (else 3.Rd2/d1 wins)
3. d7!
And no matter what black does, white will queen and win the pawn at d2 on a king move off the d-file at move 3, or win the new queen at d1 after queening with the check and skewer through the king at d5.
Rxe5
– Kxd6 Re1 d2 Rd1
– d2 Rd5 Kxd5 d7 d1=Q d8=Q+ Kc5 Qxd1
– d2 Rd5 Kd7 Rxd2
those are the main possibilities near as I can tell. The thematic move being Rd5 with the skewer after promotion.
1. Rxe5 d2
(on any other move 2. Re3 wins)
2. Rd5! Kxd5
3. d7 d1=Q
4. d8=Q+ and wins
this will lead to a win:
1. Rxe5 d2
2. Rd5 Kxd5
3. d7 d1Q
4. d8Q+ Kany
5. Qxd1
greets, jan
1.d7,Re1 2.d8=Q
1.d7,Kd7 2.Rd5
1. Rxe5!
1. … d2 2. Rd4! Kxd4 3. d7 +-
1. … Kxd5 2. Re3 d2 3. Rd3+ +-
d7 and White either wins the R or gets Q versus R
At first glance it looks dangerous to take the rook, but this is an illusion:
1. Rxe5 d2
2. Rd5! Kxd5
King is now unable to stop whites pawn, and it is pinned in the d-file.
3. d7 d1=Q
4. d8=Q+
followed by Qxd1, wins.
1.Rxe5 d2
2.Rd5 Kxd5
3.d7 d1=Q
4.d8=Q+ kC4
5.Qxd1
– Black resign because not enough material to fight
The procedure here is simple, but material creates blind spots. 1. Rxe5 Kxd6 (1. … d2 2. Rd5 (which, probably, is the point of the problem) Kxd5 3. d7 & uh-oh) 2. Re3.
But one file to the left and it wouldn’t be the same result. In the diagram position, Black won’t simply play 3. … d1=Q as in the lines given. White wins only because after
1. Rxe5 d2
2. Rd5 Kxd5
3. d7 Kd4
4. d8=Q+ Kc3
White can gain tempos with which the King can approach, e.g.
5. Qc7+ Kb2
6. Qd6 Kc2
7. Qc5+ Kb2
8. Qd4+ Kc2
9. Qc4+ Kb2
10. Qd3 Kc1
11. Qc3+
and the Black king has to play … Kd1 to stay with the pawn, blocking promotion and allowing White a free move for the King to come closer. Repeat the process until the White king is close enough and capture the pawn.
But if all the pieces were shifted one file to the left, after
1. Rxd5 c2
2. Rc5 Kxc5
3. c7 Kc4
4. c8=Q+ Kb3
and draws because of
5. Qb7+ Ka2
6. Qc6 Kb2
7. Qb5+ Ka2
8. Qc4+ Kb2
9. Qb4+ Ka2
10. Qc3 Kb1
11. Qb3+ Ka1!