White to move. Is White’s position hopeless?
Level of difficulty: 2.5 out of 4
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1.Rd8+ K- 2.Rxd3=
It’s stalemate without White’s rook, so White should harass the Black king with the rook. Black’s attempts to avoid the stalemate tend to worsen Black’s position. For instance
1. Rd8+ Kc6
2. Rxd3 Kc4
3. Re3 Kd3
4. Rxe2
Now, White just picks off the pawn and Black lacks mating material.
jcheyne
Looks like it is time for the mad-rook defense!
I don’t understand why the rook doesn’t just get taken with the first two moves offered here.
Anonymous: Because of stalemate.
The key is that the last (white) piece that can make legal moves can’t be captured while the (white) king has no square, otherwise it would become an immediate stalemate (draw).
1.Rd8+ is a good start, for example.
If, say, 1..Kc6 then 2.Rxd3 (The rook can take almost anything and get away with it.)
if 2..Kc5 then 3.Re3 (threatening Rxe2)
if 2..c3 (threatening c3-c2) then 3.Rd4 (threatening both Rxe4 and Rc4)
(Keep in mind, amongst other things, that K+N vs. K is a draw if there are no other pieces left.)
Where are the soultions for the puzzles?
It’s simple. I would say 2.5/4 is too much.