White to move. Is this a win or draw for White? How should White proceed?
8/8/8/8/4pk1K/8/3P4/2N5 w – – 0 1
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White wins playing
1. Kh5¡ Kf5 trying to cut off the white king
2. Ne2 Ke5
3. Kg5 e3¡?
4. d3¡ and white king captures easily the pawn
If black king tries to catch the pawn with 1… Kf3, then
2. Kg5 Kf2 (2..e3 3.d3 e2 4. Nxe2)
3. Kf4 Ke1
4. Nb3 +-
Kh5! wining
Ne2+ Kf3
Nc3 e3
d4 Kf4
and white has all the important squares under control. The white king then comes backwards to reach e2, after which the d pawn can advance further as the knight no longer needs to watch the e2 advance. After d5 the black king must follow to e5 and white takes the e pawn.
I probably need to look for some improvement for black, beacause in all variations white seems to win easily.
1. Kh5 Kf3 2. Kg5
or
1. Kh5 Kf5 2. He2
or
1. Kh5 e3 2. d3
1. Ne2+ Kf3 (1. … Kf5 2. Kg3 Ke5 3. Kf2 Kf5 4. Ke3 Ke5 5. Nc3 and the pawn falls)
2. Nc3
With the knight posted here, the Black king cannot hold opposition because of the threat to the pawn.
2. … Kf4 (2. … Kf2 3. Nxe4+ and the pawn runs)
3. Kh3 Kf3
4. Kh2 Kf4
5. Kg2 Ke5
6. Kf2 Kd4
7. Ke2 Ke5 (7. … e3 and either 8. d3 or 8. dxe3 ends it)
8. Ke3 and the pawn falls.
1.Ne2+ Kf3 (otherwise 2.Kg3! +-)
2.Nc3 Kf4 (2..Kf2 3.Nxe4 Kf3 4.d3 and Nf2! +- 2…e3 3.d4! +- and the knight will happily sacrifice himself.
3.Kh5! Ke5 4.Kg5 etc… or 3….Kf5 4.Kf6! or 3….Kf3 4.Kg5 1-0
1 Ne2+ wins, but there’s an easier way:
1 Kh5! Kf3
The best try. 1… Kf5, 2 Nc2 e3, 3 d4 Ke4, 4 Kg4 Kd3, 5 Kf3 wins. An immediate 1…e3 leads to similar to the main line.
2 Kg5 e3
The best shot. 2… Kf2, 3 Kf4 Ke1, 4 Nb3
3 d3!
And not 3 d4? Ke4, 4 Ne2 Kd3.
3 … Kf2
4 Kf4
——
And now for the story behind the game. This game occurred at a chess tournament in Illinois in 1972. White was Walter Karpuska, a well-known and popular old fellow in chess circles in that area. Karpuska, who never got much higher than 1800 (USCF) was well-known for his dashing attacking style.
In the actual game, White played the silly Kh3. His opponent was a 16 year old girl with a rating in the 1400’s. I remember her first name to be Andrea, and I don’t remember seeing her play chess again after this tournament. I picked up the game a few moves earlier. Her play here was worthy of a master, albeit aided somewhat by her opponent.
1 Kh3? Kf3
Now White is out of position to get to Black’s Pawn.
2 Kh4 Kf2!!
And not 2 … e3?, 3 d3! Kf4 Ne2+, pushing the King back and allowing White’s King to get to Black’s Pawn.
3 Kg4 Ke1
4 Nb3 Ke2
5 Kf5!
If 5 Kf4 Kd3, and White is in Zugzwang and must yield the draw. With the given move, White attempts to put Black in the same position.
5 … e3!!
And not 5 … Kd3?? 6 Kf4, and now we have the same position as in the footnote to White’s 4th move, except that it’s Black’s move and Black is in Zugzwang!
The given move forces White’s hand.
6 d4 Kd3!
6 … Kd1??, 7 Nc5 e2, 8 Nd3 Kd2, 9 Ke4 wins.
This was the last game going during the round, and most of the players in the room were watching, including me.
7 d5 e2
7… Kc4 fails to 8 Ke4! e2 (8… Kxb3, 9 Kxh3, and the Pawn promotes), 9 Nd2+ and 10 Nf3.
7 … Kc3 doesn’t work because of 8 Nc1 Kd2, 9 Ke4.
8 Nc1+
Now it looks hopeless for Black, since the d Pawn appears to be too far away to catch.
In fact, in the actual game, Black, reached for her King and tipped it over to resign. At that point, there were a few groans from the onlookers.
Karpuska, who had been following Black’s brilliant play, wasn’t having any of it. He put the King back in place on d3 and said: “Surely that was an accident. You did mean to move the King.”
Black, a 16 year old girl, looked at her opponent questioningly but saw a solemn, serious, interested face. She furrowed her brows and looked at the position again. After a few seconds, her eyes lit up, and she played:
8… Kd4!!
8… Kc4 also works.
9 Nxe2+ Kxd5
At that point, the room erupted into applause