White to move. Is this a win or draw for White? How should White proceed?
8/1Pk5/2P5/P7/5p2/6p1/6Pp/7K w – – 0 2
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Special endgame review
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Win.
1. b8Q. Kxb8
2. a6. and black is in zugzwang, a or c -pawn goes in.
1.b8=D, Kxb8; 2.a6, Kc7 (or 2… Ka7; 3.c7 winning) 3.a7 winning.
1 b8=Q+ K:b8; 2 a6 zugzwang
1 b8=Q+ K:b8; 2 a6 zugzwang
1. P-b8(Q)ch KxQ
2. P-a6 wins
A win for white.
1. b8=Q+! Kxb8
2. a6! f3
3. gxf3 g2+
4. Kxg2 h1=Q+
5. Kxh1 zugzwang for black
if for example:
5. … Ka7
6. c7 Kxa6
7. c8=Q+ lost for black
News in Michigan
A very simple endgame theme wrapped in a complex setting. The key is the first move for white- if he plays a6, he is probably going to draw since black can snap up all three queenside pawns in this position by playing Kb8 and waiting for white’s forced moves of the a or c pawn. However, if you play enough chess, you will come upon single file separated passed pawns on the sixth rank and beyond vs a king. White wins by sacrificing the b-pawn:
1. b8(Q)! Kb8
2. a6!
And it is over. I have been on both ends of the position more than a few times over the last 10 years. Black can move his king to any of the 4 available squares and white will push one pawn or the other setting up one to queen, or if black pushes the f-pawn, white then captures at f3 and pushes the new f-pawn to the queening square. Briefly for each king move option:
2. …..Ka7 or Ka8
3. c7 and black can’t even get to b7 or b8 to stop c8Q. Or
2. …..Kc7 or Kc8
3. a7 with the same outcome.
This should be a win with
1. b8 (Q) + K x Q
2. a6
if
2. Ka7
3. c7 and queens
if
2. Kc7
3. a7 and also queens
After 1. b8(Q) Kxb8 2. a6, White has what Lawrence Trent called “trousers” during an online commentary for the recent London Chess Classic. Of course, Black doesn’t want to play …f3 to let loose a rogue pawn, and no matter where the Black king moves, White can block off b7 and b8 for a promotion and the easy win; e.g., 2. … Kc7 (or or Kc8) 3. a7 and promotes, or 2. … Ka7 (or Ka8) 3. c7 and promotes.
What was funny about the commentary is, when Trent mentioned it, I, too, thought I had read it in some endgame manual (where I think it was called “pants”), but everyone in the room thought Trent was looney. The result of the commentary, though, is that everyone now remembers the technique.
b8Q
Hello, I thik this game will be win by white.
1. b8=Q+ , Kxb8
2. a6
Black has 5 possible moves
1)
2. …. , f3
3. gxf3 and black king cann’t stop all pawns
2 and 3)
2. …. , Kc8 or Kc7
3. a7 and black king cann’t stop the a pawn promotion
and
4 and 5)
2, ,,,, m Ka8 or Ka7
3. c7 and black king cann’t stop the c pawn promotion
Greetings from Spain
1. b8=Q Kxb8 2.a6 and White wins
The solutions presents itself.
White has only two possible moves.
1. a6 Kb8
2. c7 Kxc7
3. a7 Kxb7
4. a8Q Kxa8 =
So, in order to win, white has to play
1. b8Q+! Kxb8
2. a6 +-
and now black is in zugzwang. Whichever way the black king goes, the other white pawn queens.
1.b8=Q! Kb8 2.a6 wins for white…
It must be a win for White or you wouldn’t be asking, 🙂
How about 1.b8=Q kxb8 2. a6.
Then if 2…Ka7/a8, 3. c7.
Or if 2…Kc7/c8 then 3. a7
or 2…f3 3.gxf3.
b8=Q+!!
b8 wins Kxb8 then a6. If Ka7 then c7 wins. If Kc7 then a7. c3 just loses the c pawn.
1.b8=Q+ Kxb8 2.a6 any move of black white wins..
The first move is very important.
1.b8=Q+ Kxb8 2.a6 f3 3.gxf3 Kc7 4.a7 Kxc6 5.a8=Q+ Kd7 6.Kg2 Ke6 7.Qh8
Two notes:
1) 1.b8R is whimsical but works too
2) These kinds of positions were analysed very early in chess history.
Source: Carrera, Il Giuoco degli Scacchi, 1617 (without black pawn f4)