Kubbel 1922 by Andreas
White to move and draw. No computer please.
2k5/8/P7/P2p4/1p1K4/8/8/8 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Tricky endgame
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Kubbel 1922 by Andreas
White to move and draw. No computer please.
2k5/8/P7/P2p4/1p1K4/8/8/8 w – – 0 1
The following fails:
1. Kc5 b3
2. Kb6 b2
3. a7 b1+
4. Ka6 Qb2#
So the alternative seems to be to not go all out, but stop the black pawn:
1. Kd3, Kb8
2. Kc2, Ka7
3. Kc3, Kxa6
4. Kxc4 draw
Don’t see a way for black to win in this second line.
1. Kxd5 b3
2. Kc6 Kb8
3. Kb6 Ka8
4. a7 b2
5. Ka6
How about:
1. Kxd5 b3
2. Kc6 Kb8
3. Kb6 b2
4. a7+ Ka8
5. Ka6 b1=Q and stalemate?
“So the alternative seems to be to not go all out, but stop the black pawn:
1. Kd3, Kb8
2. Kc2, Ka7
3. Kc3, Kxa6
4. Kxc4 draw
Don’t see a way for black to win in this second line.”
2…d3 and if 3.Kc3 then d2 and black wins. Chandra got it right:
“Chandra said…
1. Kxd5 b3
2. Kc6 Kb8
3. Kb6 Ka8
4. a7 b2
5. Ka6
Also 2…b2 3.a7 b1-Q 4.a8-Q+ Qb8 is draw.
-Chris
1.Kxd5!
[1.Kd3 Kb8 2.Kc2 d4 (Not 2…Ka7 3.Kb3 d4=) 3.Kd3 b3 4.Kd2 Ka7 5.Kd3 Kxa6 6.Kd2 Kxa5 7.Kc1–+ d3 etc.]
1…b3 2.Kc6 Kb8 3.Kb6! b2 4.a7+ Ka8 5.Ka6! b1Q= stalemate.
Pharaoh
Anon-2, you said:
“2…d3 and if 3.Kc3 then d2 and black wins.”
Do not see a 2…d3. What is your Move 1 for Black?
This is in reference to Anon-1’s:
1. Kd3, Kb8
2. Kc2, Ka7
3. Kc3, Kxa6
4. Kxc4 draw
1.Kxd5! b3 2.Kc6 Kb8 (2….b2 3.a7)
3.Kb6 b2 4.a7+ Ka8 5.Ka6 and stalemate if black promotes to queen or rook.
“Anon-2, you said:
“2…d3 and if 3.Kc3 then d2 and black wins.”
Do not see a 2…d3. What is your Move 1 for Black?”
There are some typos in ano’s post but his winning idea for black after Kd4-d3-c2 is of course right.
That is a well known endgame pattern with non-connected pawns that look easy attackable but defend each other.
2. Kc2, d4! and now 3. Kb3, d3! or 3. Kd3, b3! and withe can’t capture a pawn as the other one would be free on his way to promote.
This would leave black with a simple win.
1. K x d5 is the way to go.
We teach this as build a box and get inside it to steal the draw.
I’ll share this excellent example with our scholastic players!
Peter / chesstoplay