White to move. Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? No computer analysis please. This is a good one to figure out on your own. Enjoy!
8/7p/pp6/k1pn2B1/P2P4/KP5p/5P2/8 w – – 0 6
This is based on a theme puzzle by Smyslov.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Only Paul Keres can solve this problem.
Pretty neat! The 1st move has to be either 1. dxc5 or 1. Bd8.
I tried 1. dxc5 first. That only draws by repetition.
1. dxc5 bxc5 2. Bd8+ Nb6 3. Bg5
(If 3. Bc7 h6 and White is lost.)
3. .. Nd5 4. Bd8+ Nb6 5. Bg5 Nd5 6. Bd8+ Draw.
The more venturesome move 1. Bd8 wins.
1. Bd8 h2
(1. .. c4 2. Bg5 c3 (2. .. cxb3 3. Bd2+ Nb4 4. Bxb4#) (2. .. h2 3. Bd2+ c3 4. Bxc3+ Nxc3 5. b4#) 3. Be7 b5 4. Bd8+ Nb6 5.b4#)
2. dxc5 h1=Q 3. Bxb6+ Nxb6 4. b4#
Since the black pawn must be stopped at h2 or it will queen, white must either force black to give up control of f4, or he must find a mate in here. There are only two plausible moves from this position- Bd2 giving a check that must be blocked by the knight from b4 allowing white to put the bishop on f4 to cover h2. That may or may not hold the draw for white, but it is the second option that looks stronger since the mate is relatively easy to see when black goes wrong:
1. Bd8 h2?? (options later)
2. dc5
Threatens 3.Bb6 followed by b4# since the knight will cut off The black king’s escape after capturing the bishop at b6. There is no defense possible now. So, at move 1, black must take care of this threat:
1. Bd8 c4
Interesting is that cxd4 is still going to lead to mate since 2.Be7 threatens 3.b4# if black takes the bishop or otherwise moves the knight, or 3.Bd8 and 4.b4# if black plays b5, or 3.b4/Bb4 followed by 4.b4/Bb4# if black moves one of the other pawns. I will cover the knight moves at move 1 later. Continuing:
2. Bg5
Now threatening mate on the other side of the d-file at d2. Now, if black plays c3, black can return the bishop to e7 to threaten the various mating lines once again, but now black would have no defense. If black takes at b3, then 3.Bd2 starts the mate from there, and if black plays b5, then Bd8 starts the mate there as described earlier. This leaves only Nb4 to stop the mate:
2. …..Nb4
3. Bd2
The only move I see that holds. Continuing:
3. …..b5 (this or c3 first)
4. Bb4 Kb6
5. Bd6
Again, the only move since black now threatens h2-h1Q. Continuing:
5. …..cb3 (anything better?)
6. Kb3 ba4 (anything better?)
7. Ka4
And this is clearly lost for black. If the black king heads to g2, white will just push the d-pawn. If he pushes the h-pawns, white just waits until they reach h2 and captures them. The best I can see for black here is to put the king on d5 and force the bishop away with h2. However, he cannot repeat this process to win the f-pawn:
7. …..Kc6
8. Be5 Kd5
9. Ka5 h2
10.Bh2 Kd4
11.Ka6 Ke4 (h5 12.Kb6 wins)
12.Kb5 Kf3
13.Bg3 h5
14.Kc5 Kg4
15.Kd4 h4
16.Bh4! Kh4
17.Ke5 is an easily won K+P vs K ending.
At move 1, black had two playable knight moves- Nb4 and and Nc3, but they look worse than 1. …c4 to me:
1. Bd8 Nb4
2. dc5 Nc2 (mate otherwise)
3. Kb2! Kb4
If black tries 3. …Nd4, white can play cb6 and the tempo gained with b7+ will be fatal: [3. …Nd4 4.cb6 Nc6 (or 4. …h2 5.b7 Kb4 6.b8Q+ +-) 5.b7! Kb4 6.Bc7 will win the knight eventually.] Continuing:
4. cb6
Not sure if this is the best line for white, but it is all I really see now that I am sure wins. The move of 4.c6 still allows h2, but I don’t see a convincing win in that line. Continuing:
4. …..h2 (anything better?)
5. b7 h1Q
6. b8Q Kc5 (only move)
7. Bb6 Kc5 (Kb4 8.Qf4+-)
8. Qa8 skewers the majesties to win the game.
1. dxc5 – bxc5
2. Bd8+ – Nb6
3. Bc7 and win
White can win by zugzwang:
1. dxc5 (a) h2?
2. Bd2+ Nb4 or Nc3
3. Bxb2 or Bxc3#
1. dxc5 (b) bxc5
2. Bd8+ Nb6
3. Bc7 (b1) h2
4. Bxh2
3. … (b2) c4
4. b4#
Mark
I like:
1. Bd8! h2 (alternatives below)
2. dxc5 h1=Q
3. Bxb6+ Nxb6
4. b4#
What does queen and knight help black, when white has the b-pawn…
Black can of course avoid this with 1. … Nc3 or 1. … Nb4 with the plan to defend himself with check.
White must then choose between
2. dxc5
leading to two queens on the board and unclear situation, or
2. Bc7
looking drawish.
I think this is a draw.
1. Bd2+ Nb4 (forced)
2. dxc5 bxc5 (forced, otherwise 3. Bxb4#)
3. Bg5 (threatening mate on d8) Nd5
4. Bd2+…draw by repetition follows.
Is this correct? It would be kind of you to post the answer.
Really love your blog. Many thanks.
White Wins!
1.Bd8 h2
2.dxc5 h1=Q
3.Bxb6+ Nxb6
4.b4#
What about
1. Bd8 h2
2. xc5 h1Q
3. Bxb6+ N xb6
4. b4#
Does black have a way of stopping this?
Thanks
Forget about my first solution, I clearly don’t like:
1. Bd8 Nb4
2. Bc7 Nc3+
3. Kb2 Nxd4
and black seems comfortable.
And no better looks:
1. Bd2+ Nb4
2. Bf4 Nc3+
3. Kb2 Nxd4
Both seem loosing to me!
I think it has to be:
1. dxc5! bxc5
2. Bd8+ Nb6
3. Bc7
with the plan Bh2 and f4 etc.
Nd5 doesn’t seem to help black before f5 is reached and f6 is temporarily prevented.
But then white reverts to use zugzwang moving bishop in the diagonal. Black must push both h-pawns to h2 and loose them there, therafter play Nb6 and white plays f6 and gets queen.
1.dxc5
if 1…bxc5 2.Bd8 Nb6 3.Bc7 h2 4.Bxh2 Nd5(or Na8) 5.f3 h6 6.f4 etc. (the N can’t move except to b6 or Bc7#)
if 1…h2 2.Bd8
if 2…h1=Q 3.Bxb6+ Nxb6 4.b4#
if 2…Nc7 3.b4#
if 1…b5 Bd8+
if 2…Nc7 3.Bxc7#
if 2…Nb6 3.b4#
if 1…Nb4 3.Bxb6#
if 1…h6 Bd2+ mate in one.
My latest solution was also nonsence. I forgot that in this line, after Nd5 black can of course play his king via b6!
So right now, I am out of ideas.
May have a feeling that the right moves are easy to see, just to sequence them in the right order is difficult….
To “lupo33”:
You seem to have forgotten the same as I did, Kb6!
Your line is loosing because of
3. Bg5?? Nd5
4. Bd2+ Kb6!
and you can’t stop h-pawn from queening, since knight now prevents Bf4.
In your line necessary was:
3. Bf4 (threating mate on c7) Nd5
but I don’t see that white has any enforcing move here either, black shall anyway play Kb6!
Bd8 looks promising but I have not been able to complete the game with that as yet
1.Bd8 c4 2.Bg5 Nb4 3.Bd2 b5 4.Bxb4+ Kb6 5.Bd6 Kc6 6.Be5 Kd5
1.Bd8! threatening dxc5 with unstoppable mate after b4+ and Bxb6
a) … cxd4 2.Be7 followed by b4++
b) … Nb4 2.dxc5 Nc2+ 3.Kb2 Kb4 4.cxb6 h2 5.b7 h1=Q 6.b8=Q+ Kc5 7.Qb6+ Kd5 8.Qb7+
Best defense is:
c) … c4! 2.Bg5! Nb4! 3.Bd2 b5 4.Bxb4+ Kb6 5.Bd6
White is just in time to stop the h-pawn but in the resulting endgame, all pawns will be exchanged off except white’s f-pawn and black’s lone h-pawn. Black’s king will go to e4-f3-g2, white’s bishop will be captured and white’s f-pawn will be first to queen. I haven’t actually worked out the whole sequence but my guess is the white king will be able to rush back in time to mate the king before black gets stalemated.
1.Bd8! threatening dxc5 with unstoppable mate after b4+ and Bxb6
a) … cxd4 2.Be7 followed by b4++
b) … Nb4 2.dxc5 Nc2+ 3.Kb2 Kb4 4.cxb6 h2 5.b7 h1=Q 6.b8=Q+ Kc5 7.Qb6+ Kd5 8.Qb7+
Best defense is:
c) … c4! 2.Bg5! Nb4! 3.Bd2 b5 4.Bxb4+ Kb6 5.Bd6
White is just in time to stop the h-pawn but in the resulting endgame, all pawns will be exchanged off except white’s f-pawn and black’s lone h-pawn. Black’s king will go to e4-f3-g2, white’s bishop will be captured and white’s f-pawn will be first to queen. I haven’t actually worked out the whole sequence but my guess is the white king will be able to rush back in time to mate the king before black gets stalemated.
1.Bd8! threatening dxc5 with unstoppable mate after b4+ and Bxb6
a) … cxd4 2.Be7 followed by b4++
b) … Nb4 2.dxc5 Nc2+ 3.Kb2 Kb4 4.cxb6 h2 5.b7 h1=Q 6.b8=Q+ Kc5 7.Qb6+ Kd5 8.Qb7+
Best defense is:
c) … c4! 2.Bg5! Nb4! 3.Bd2 b5 4.Bxb4+ Kb6 5.Bd6
White is just in time to stop the h-pawn but in the resulting endgame, all pawns will be exchanged off except white’s f-pawn and black’s lone h-pawn. Black’s king will go to e4-f3-g2, white’s bishop will be captured and white’s f-pawn will be first to queen. I haven’t actually worked out the whole sequence but my guess is the white king will be able to rush back in time to mate the king before black gets stalemated.
I forgot last night to mention the variation 1.Bd8 cxd4 2. Be7, so including that, the solution would be:
1. Bd8
(1. dxc5? bxc5 2. Bd8+ Nb6 3. Bg5 (3. Bc7? h6 loses for White) 3. .. Nd5 4. Bd8+ Nb6 5. Bg5 Nd5 6. Bd8+ only draws)
1. .. h2
(1. ..c4 2. Bg5 c3 (2. .. cxb3 3. Bd2+ Nb4 4. Bxb4#) (2. .. h2 3. Bd2+ c3 4. Bxc3+ Nxc3 5. b4#) 3. Be7 b5 4. Bd8+ Nb6 5. b4#)
(1. .. Nb4 2. dxc5 Nd5 3. Bxb6+ Nxb6 4. b4#) (1. .. cxd4 2. Be7)
2. dxc5 h1=Q 3. Bxb6+ Nxb6 4. b4#
Katrina,
Your line for 1.dc5 is probably a draw since black can relieve the mate threat by simply playing Kb6, thus freeing the knight from blocking the check from c7. Safest for white, I think, is to take the perpetual that Lucymarie described in her first comment, though I don’t think black has a winning line after 3.Bc7 anyway, but I am not sure of this.
Yancey,
You are right! f3 fails to Kb6. Thank you. I didnt see that.
I can see now where I missed the winning line.
It’s this line by Yancey Ward:
1. Bd8 Nb4 (best looking to me as well)
2. exc5 (i didn’t dare to believe in this) Nc2+ (expected)
3. Kb2 Kb4 (I didn’t see that this escape move was enforced!)
Here I wrongly anticipated:
3. … h2??
and thougt black should get queen.
Neither 4. Bxb6+ Kb4 nor 4. Kxc2 is good now, but I missed the elementary:
4. Kc3!! h1=Q or any
5. Bxb6#
pht,
Interesting. I missed that last subvariation myself. Never even considered 3. ….h2 in that line, only 3. …Nd4, though if I had, I might well have missed 4.Kc3 anyway since I had 4.cb6 stuck in my head already (which does win, too, though not with a quick mate, I think).
1. Bd8,
a) If 1…., cxd4 2.Be7 threatening 3.b5+, NxB5 4.Bxb5+ Mate. If 2…., Nxe7, 3.e5+ Mate
If 2…., b5 3. Bd8+, Nb6 4. 35+ Mate.
b) If 1…., h2, 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb7+, NxB 4.b4+ Mate.
By: Danny Guintu
Please disregard my previous post due to many errors. Initially, I analyzed without looking at the illustration or a board, typed my comments/ solution directly on the blog area, posted it without proofreading, and then found out that I committed many notation errors This second posting is the correctly annotated one. Sorry and Thanks ….Danny Guintu
1. Bd8,
a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b5+ Mate
If 2…., b5 3. Bd8+, Nb6 4. 35+ Mate.
b) If 1…., h2, 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb7+, NxB 4.b4+ Mate.
By: Danny Guintu
I easily found the solution to this puzzle by not being “afraid” of the queening pawn and disregarding the pawn on h7,viewing it as a mere diversion from the correct solution.
Below is my solution where Black has no way out.
1. Bd8,
a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b5+ Mate
If 2…., b5 3. Bd8+, Nb6 4. 35+ Mate.
b) If 1…., h2, 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb7+, NxB 4.b4+ Mate.
By: Danny Guintu
In my previous comments I failed to consider Blacks’ reply to White’s 1. Bd8, which is 1. …., c4.
Below is my complete analysis and solution:
1. Bd8,
a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b4+ Mate
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate.
b) If 1…., h2; 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb7+, NxB 4.b4+ Mate.
c) If 1…., c4; 2.Bg5
If 2…., c5xb3; 3. Bd2+, Nb4; 4. Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., c3; 3.Be7 threatening 4. b4+, Nxb4; 5. BxN+ Mate, that is if 3.…., b5 is not made, or 3….., Nxe7 is not made. If 3 ….., Nxe7; b4+ Mate of course.
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate
By: Danny Guintu
In my previous comment I committed notation errors although on the board I got everything right. It was just a matter of presenting the whole thing properly.
Below is my corrected complete analysis and solution:
1. Bd8,
(a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b4+ Mate
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate.
(b) If 1…., h2; 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb6+, NxB 6.b4+ Mate.
(c) If 1…., c4; 2.Bg5
If 2…., cxb3; 3. Bd2+, Nb4; 4. Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., c3; 3.Be7 threatening 4. b4+, Nxb4; 5. Bxb4+ Mate, that is if 3.…., b5 is not made, or 3….., Nxe7 is not made. In which case if 3 ….., Nxe7; 4.b4+ Mate of course.
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate
Just when I thought I had every response of Black to 1. Bd8 covered, I realized that there is one more reply that prolongs the game beyond move 4. In this line, White cannot possibly mate Black on the 4th move; he’ll have to steal the queen first and that takes several more moves. I am referring to the Black’s line of defense that starts with 1. …., Nb4. I have added that line of play under (d) below.
Below is my corrected complete analysis and solution:
1. Bd8,
(a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b4+ Mate
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate.
(b) If 1…., h2; 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb6+, NxB 6.b4+ Mate.
(c) If 1…., c4; 2.Bg5
If 2…., cxb3; 3. Bd2+, Nb4; 4. Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., c3; 3.Be7 threatening 4. b4+, Nxb4; 5. Bxb4+ Mate, that is if 3.…., b5 is not made, or 3….., Nxe7 is not made. In which case if 3 ….., Nxe7; 4.b4+ Mate of course.
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate
(d) If 1. …., Nb4; 2.dxc5
If 2. ….; Nc4 or Nd3 ; 3. Bxb6+ Mate
If 2. ….; Ndc2+ ; 3. Kb2. Black now has two options: One is to go for promotion of his pawn on h6, or the other, which is to move his king to b4 to avoid an eventual discovered check. Let us analyze the promotion first.
If 3. …., h2; 4, c5xb6, h1 (=Q); 5. b7 disc+, Kb4; 6. b8(=Q)+, Kc5; 7. Qb6+; Kd5 (the only move); 8. Qb7+ winning the Black queen.
Moving the Black king away from discovered check ends up in the same manner with the stealing of the Black queen, the only difference being that White promotes the b pawn to queen ahead of Black’s promoting the h pawn to queen.
This is such a great puzzle!
By: Danny Guintu
Just when I thought I had every response of Black to 1. Bd8 covered, I realized that there is one more reply that prolongs the game beyond move 4. In this line, White cannot possibly mate Black on the 4th move; he’ll have to steal the queen first and that takes several more moves. I am referring to the Black’s lined of defense that starts with 1. …., Nb4. I have added that line of play under (d) below.
Below is my corrected complete analysis and solution:
1. Bd8,
(a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b4+ Mate
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate.
(b) If 1…., h2; 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb6+, NxB 6.b4+ Mate.
(c) If 1…., c4; 2.Bg5
If 2…., cxb3; 3. Bd2+, Nb4; 4. Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., c3; 3.Be7 threatening 4. b4+, Nxb4; 5. Bxb4+ Mate, that is if 3.…., b5 is not made, or 3….., Nxe7 is not made. In which case if 3 ….., Nxe7; 4.b4+ Mate of course.
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate
(d) If 1. …., Nb4; 2.dxc5
If 2. ….; Nc4 or Nd3 ; 3. Bxb6+ Mate
If 2. ….; Ndc2+ ; 3. Kb2. Black now has two options: One is to go for promotion of his pawn on h6, or the other, which is to move his king to b4 to avoid an eventual discovered check. Let us analyze the promotion first.
If 3. …., h2; 4, c5xb6, h1 (=Q); 5. b7 disc+, Kb4; 6. b8(=Q)+, Kc5; 7. Qb6+; Kd5 (the only move); 8. Qb7+ winning the Black queen.
Moving the Black king away from discovered check ends up in the same manner with the stealing of the Black queen, the only difference being that White promotes the b pawn to queen ahead of Black’s promoting the h pawn to queen.
Sent to Susan Polgar’s “Tricky tactice review” on Sept 6, 10:40 PM.
Just when I thought I had every response of Black to 1. Bd8 covered, I realized that there is one more reply that prolongs the game beyond move 4. In this line, White cannot possibly mate Black on the 4th move; he’ll have to steal the queen first and that takes several more moves. I am referring to the Black’s lined of defense that starts with 1. …., Nb4. I have added that line of play under (d) below.
Below is my corrected complete analysis and solution:
1. Bd8,
(a) If 1…., cxd4; 2.Be7 threatening 3.b4+, Nxb4; 4.Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., Nxe7; 3.b4+ Mate
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate.
(b) If 1…., h2; 2.dxc5, h1=Q 3. Bxb6+, NxB 6.b4+ Mate.
(c) If 1…., c4; 2.Bg5
If 2…., cxb3; 3. Bd2+, Nb4; 4. Bxb4+ Mate
If 2…., c3; 3.Be7 threatening 4. b4+, Nxb4; 5. Bxb4+ Mate, that is if 3.…., b5 is not made, or 3….., Nxe7 is not made. In which case if 3 ….., Nxe7; 4.b4+ Mate of course.
If 2…., b5; 3. Bd8+, Nb6; 4. b4+ Mate
(d) If 1. …., Nb4; 2.dxc5
If 2. ….; Nc4 or Nd3 ; 3. Bxb6+ Mate
If 2. ….; Ndc2+ ; 3. Kb2. Black now has two options: One is to go for promotion of his pawn on h6, or the other, which is to move his king to b4 to avoid an eventual discovered check. Let us analyze the promotion first.
If 3. …., h2; 4, c5xb6, h1 (=Q); 5. b7 disc+, Kb4; 6. b8(=Q)+, Kc5; 7. Qb6+; Kd5 (the only move); 8. Qb7+ winning the Black queen.
Moving the Black king away from discovered check ends up in the same manner with the stealing of the Black queen, the only difference being that White promotes the b pawn to queen ahead of Black’s promoting the h pawn to queen.
This is such a great puzzle!
By: Danny Guintu
wht is wrong with
1. Bd2 Nc3
2. Bxc3#
sorry cancel my last comment 🙁