White to move. Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? What is the best continuation for White?
6k1/R4p2/1p2b2P/4KpP1/4p3/4P3/p7/n7 w – – 0 1
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1. g6 wins.
1. g6 Nc2 2. h7+ Kg7 3. Ra8 a1Q 4. h8Q+ K:g6 5. R:a1 N:a1 6 Q:a1 and white should be able to win this.
1. g6 fg 2. K:e6 Nc2 3. R:a2 after the N moves, the white K will eat up all the K-side pawns.
1. g6 fg 2. K:e6 Nb3 3. R:a2 Kh7 is probably black’s best defense, but after 4. Kg6 the h-pawn is taboo.
g6!
This is a loss for white, and the best continuation is:
1.g6 !
[1.♔f6? ♘c2 2.♖a8+ ♔h7 3.g6+ fxg6 4.♖a7+ ♔xh6 5.♖a8 ♔h5 6.♔xe6 a1=♕ 7.♖xa1 ♘xa1 -+]
1…fxg6!
[1…♔f8? 2.♖a8+ ♔e7 3.h7 ♘c2 4.h8=♕ a1=♕+ 5.♖xa1 ♘xa1 6.♕f6+ ♔f8 7.g7+ ♔g8 8.♕h6 f6+ 9.♔xe6 ♘c2 10.♕h8#]
[1…♘c2? 2.♖a8+ ♗c8 3.♖xc8# ]
2.♔xe6 ♘c2 3.♖xa2 ♘xe3 4.♖h2 ♔h7 -+ and only black has the winning chances.
Marcelo
very easy solution 🙂
1.g6 and white wins
I think black has important tempi here.
After Nc2 he has a1=Q with check, and this also efficiently prevents Ra1#. And also Rh8# in some lines is prevented since rook is on 7th rank. Because of this it looks like a draw. Without this it would have looked like a win for white.
But I have probably missed something smart….
Let’s try…
1. g6 fxg6 (to avoid mate or h-pawn queening)
2. Kxe6
if
2……..Nc2
3. Rxa2 Nxe3
4. Kf6 Kh7
5. Kg5 then Ra7+ with Kxg6 and h7 looks like the W-win in the next variation
or if
2……..Nb3
3. Rxa2 Kh7
4. Kf6 f4 (Kxh6? 5. Rh2#)
5. Kg5 f3
6. Ra7+ Kg8
7. Kxg6 Kf8
8. h7 f2
9. h8=Q#
Looking once more, enforced seems to pick a bishop first!
1. g6! fxg6 (otherwise Ra8#)
2. Kxe6! Nb3! (deflecting rook)
3. Rxa2 (enforced) Kh7 (only defense)
4. Kf6! Nc5 (Kxh6? Rh2#)
It seems like white should probably win this, eventually.
The white plan will be Kg5 (must prevent Ne5+ first), then Ra7+ and Kg6 (must prevent some other N check first).
Finally Ra8 should mate.
So the important discoveries must be:
– Kill that bishop with g6!
– a pawn also falls
– defend h pawn with Kf6! and h6 can’t be taken without immediate mate
– the sole night has to be outmanouvered when trying to prevent Kg5 (Ne4 isn’t possible!), Ra7+, Kg6 and R mate in 8th rank (or h pawn queens).
It’s a win.
g6!
(..b5, f5, Bc4, Bb3, Nb3, Nc2, Kh8) then: Ra8+, either mates or with mate to follow.
..Bd7 Rxd7 fxg6 Kf6 Nc2 h7+ Kh8 a1=Q Rd8#
..Bc8 Rxf7 Nc2 h7+ Kh8 Rf8+ Kg7 h8=Q+ Kxg6 Rf6+ Kg5 Qg8+ Kh4 Rh6#
..Kf8 h7 Kg7 Ra8 Nc2 h8=Q+ Kxg6 Rg8#
..Kf8 h7 Kg7 Ra8 Kxg6 h8Q Kg6 Rg8#
..Kf8 h7 fxg6 h8=Q+ Bg8 Qg7+ Ke8 Qe7#
..f6+ Kxe6 any Ra8#
..g6 fxg6 Kxe6 Nc2 Rxa2 Nxe3 Kh7 Kg5 Ng4 Ra7+ Kh8 Kxg6 Nxh6 Kxh6 +-
..Bd5 Kxd5 fxg6 Ke6 Nc2 Rxa2 Nxe3 Kf6 Ng4+ Kg5 Kh7 Ra7+ Kh8 h7 e3 Kxg6 Ne5+ Kf6 Ng4+ Kxf5 Kg6 +-
To Craig B:
1. g6 Nc2? or other “smart” moves
2. Ra8+ Bc8
3. Rxc8#
This is why 1. fxg6 is absolutely enforce.
1. g6 fg 2. K:e6 Nb3 3. R:a2 Kh7 4. g6
looks correct.