I just saw this fantastic endgame in ChessToday.net (#3719). This was an actual game between 2 Brazilian players (Marques and Pereira).
It is Black to move and win!! Can you find it the right continuation? No computer analysis please.
8/2k2p2/5p1P/2p1P3/2P5/nN4p1/p3K3/8 b – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
In a blitz, I would go 1… Nc2 2.h7 Nd4+
Now if the knight takes my knight, I queen first and that with some good checks, I should squeeze out a win. If the white king moves, I take the knight and white queens first, but then it’s going to be Q+N vs Q endgame.
1…Nc2 looks like the best move to me. I don’t see the win, but this move does the most. It threatens Nd4+, which threatens the knight protecting a1. The h-pawn, if it queens, can’t check the next move, so black will have an extra tempo in any race.
Awesome play by black. I would have resign as black, lol. I gave up solving it from the diagram, so I had to try by moving pieces on my board. I tried for some minutes,and found this solution:
1… g2! 2. Kf2 Nxc4 3. h7 (3. Kxg2 Nxe5) 3… Nd2!! 4. Na1 Nf3 5. Kxg2 (5. Kxf3
g1=Q 6. h8=Q Qxa1 7. Qxf6 Qc3+ 8. Kf4 a1=Q) 5… Nh4+ 6. Kg3 Ng6
I can’t find any error and other winning lines, but posts it without any comp check, so the !s may be ?s 🙂
A. E.
Oslo
Nb4 looks interesting
1. … Nc2!
Must be the winning move!
Where do you find the answers to these puzzles?
I tweeted Susan and I got no reply.
Is it possible to find and publish their full name? Both “Marques” abd “Pereira” are very popular. Together with “Silva” and “Santos” half of bazilians have these family names.
As the black knight can not stop the whita h-pawn, my idea is to check the white king from d4 to guarantee the queen promotion.
Nc2 h7, Nd4+
If the king moves then the black knight captures the white knight on b3 and then follows h8=Q and a1=Q
If the black knight is captured on d4 then follows a1=Q and h8=Q
With both queens on-board black’s passed g-pawn is the winning differential.
Note that the white queen cannot deliver an immediate check, so black has a valuable tempo to check the white king and either capture the white knight or advance the g-pawn to g2.
Waw! Fantastic indeed. Those double pawns on f-file would be blocking the new (h) Queen’s path for all-important couple of moves.
1. … Nc2
2. h7 Nd4+
3. Nxd4 cxd4
4. h8=Q a1=Q
5. Qxf6 Qb2+
6. Kf1 Qc1+
7. Kg2 Qxc4
8. Qd6+ Kb7
9. Kxg3 d3
10.Qd7+ Kb6
11.Qd6+ Kb5
12.Qd7+ Kb4
13.Qb7+ Kc3
…and now it’s just a matter of time for black. 0-1.
An amazing position (almost looks composed). My very first thought was this couldn’t be a win for black (how could he possibly stop the h-pawn in time, or even queen one of his own), but if you play the only reasonable looking first move for black, it becomes obvious what he must do as a followup, and I then just followed the breadcrumbs to the solution. From the starting position, it is hopeless to queen the a-pawn- the white knight cannot be driven from either covering a1 or occupying it directly by an opposing knight. Black’s only chance appears to be to queen his g-pawn, but it looks like the white king has g1 under complete control, but that is quite deceiving as black has the ability to gain a critical tempo to threaten to queen the g-pawn:
1. …..Nc4!!
Why is this more obvious than g2? Because g2 is pointless- the white king will play to f2 and win the pawn and black is toast.
What does Nc4 accomplish? It brings the knight one move closer to f3 where he can support the queening pawn at g1. Indeed, it will bring him there just in time with the gained tempo I mentioned above:
2. h7
Nothing else is good here. If white plays the white king to f1 or f3 to win the g-pawn, black will fork the king and knight with Nd2 and will queen the a-pawn whether or not white takes at d2 or g3 [2.Kf1 Nd2 3.Nd2 a1(Q) 4.Kg2 (4.Kg3 Qe6 wins too) Qe6 will gobble up the h-pawn anyway]. Continuing:
2. …..g2!
Here, black will probably (I think, though I am not 100% sure this isn’t the right move here- the critical line is the first of the ones in this paragraph) draw, with best play, with 2. …Nd2 as this will allow black to queen either the a-pawn or the g-pawn depending on whether white takes at d2 with the king [2….Nd2 3.Kd2 g2 4.h8(Q) 5.g1(Q) with rough equality, I think] or, if white takes with the knight [3.Nd2 a1(Q) 4.h8(Q) Qe5 and black has an advantage in my opinion], or, if white just queens his pawn [3.h8(Q) Nb3 4.Qf8 5.Qf6 Nc1! 6.Kf3 a1(Q) and black will again have the advantage]. It took me a while to work through the lines here, but I think, now, that 2. …g2 could be a forced win for black. Continuing:
3. Kf2
This is forced. White loses quickly with 3.h8(Q): [3.h8(Q)? g1(Q) 4.Qh3 (4.Qf6 Qe3 5.Kf1 Qb3 and black gets another queen to win) Na5! and white will still get another queen!]. Continuing:
3. …..Nd2 (attacking the knight)
4. Na1
Worse is Nd2 [4.Nd2 g1(Q) 5.Kg1 a1(Q) 6.Kg1 Qa8 covers h8 and wins]; or h8(Q) [4.h8(Q) Nb3 5.Qf6 g1(Q) 6.Kg1 a1(Q) 7.Kh2 Qb2 8.Kg1 Qb1 9.Kf2 (9.Kh2 Qh7 10.Kg1/2 Qg6 or 9.Kg2 Qg6 exchanging off the queens and black wins with the pawns) Qc2 10.Kf3 Qd3 11.Kf2 (11.Kf4 Qf1 wins) Qd5 should win, though there is work to do]. With 4.Na1, white is forced to give black the critical tempo to allow
4. …..Nf3!!
5. Kg2
Forced since black wins easily on either h8(Q) by playing g1(Q) with check and winning at a1 and will queen another pawn, too; or, if white takes at f3, g1(Q) will win in a similar way. Continuing:
5. …..Nh4 (with check!!)
And, amazingly, the knight is going to reach g6 and hold up white’s h-pawn. Here, we have reached a critical branching point, in my opinion. I will have to consider several different strategies by both players. I will continue this in my next comment.
In my previous comment, I had analyzed the following line:
1. …..Nc4
2. h7 g2
3. Kf2 Nd2
4. Na1 Nf3
5. Kg2 Nh4
White faces a critical decision at this point. He can either bring the king forward to g3-g4-g5 to protect the pawn at f6 (after playing ef6) while at the same time threatening to infiltrate through h6 and g7 to attack f7; or he can bring the king over to win the pawns on the queenside. Let’s look at the latter strategy first:
6. Kf2 Ng6
7. ef6
This move (ef6) is an absolute must to hold this at all. Continuing:
7. …..Kd6 (heading for f6 and h7)
8. Ke3 Ke5
9. Kd3 Kf6
10.Kc4 Kg7
Is this position complicated? You can be sure of it. This type of position is why I am often as exhaustive as possible in considering the possibilities. Let’s look at the “obvious” move for white here- 11.Kc5:
11.Kc5 f5!
I can’t say for sure if black can win this by taking at h7 (I simply haven’t looked at it), but f5 is the kind of move I am always looking to play when I have a knight and a pawn vs a king in an endgame (at least when I have time to think about what to do). I want the knight to support the pawn from one or two ranks behind the pawn so that the king cannot take the pawn or the knight (the pawn runs away from the king if he takes the knight). This is a key motif in these types of endgames and you should always be looking for them. Black is going to get the pawn to f4, and with the a-pawn still on the board, the white knight is forever tied to a1, c2, and b3. With f5 the endgame has reduced to king + knight + pawn vs king, or completely lost for white if the white king comes back alone to the kingside right now. The question is, does white have enough time to bring the king back to b2 to free the knight to defend f1 (and take at a2 and bring the king, too)? Let’s just see by playing it out, though I can do a quick move count and show that he does not:
12.Kb4 f4
13.Kb3 f3 (remember, I counted)
Now, the white king can’t even cover f1 himself, and he still must use a move to take at a2 before moving the knight:
14.Ka2 f2 and black wins since the pawn cannot be stopped.
So, back at move 11, when white took at c5, could he do better? Let’s look at the line where the goes for a2 first since this saves a bit of time in some lines:
11.Kb3 f5 (obvious move, still)
12.Ka2 f4 (Ne5 possible too)
13.Kb2
I doubt that it makes a difference which piece white starts bringing back first since he will need both of them anyway to have a prayer of holding this. A more difficult question to answer is, what is best for black here? What I want to do is to gather up the h-pawn, bring the knight to e5 and use him to support both pawns at c4 and f3. Does it matter which order I do this? Maybe, but I am getting tired so let just see if the direct, more “obvious” method can win:
13. ….f3
14.Nb3 f2 (protect c5 indirectly)
15.Nd2 Kh7
Black needs the support of the king, so this move plays itself. Due to issues of length, I will have to continue this analysis in my next comment.
In my previous two comments, I had analysed the following line:
1. …..Nc4
2. h7 g2
3. Kf2 Nd2
4. Na1 Nf3
5. Kg2 Nh4
6. Kf2 Ng6
7. ef6 Kd6
8. Ke3 Ke5
9. Kd3 Kf6
10.Kc4 Kg7
11.Kb3 f5
12.Ka2 f4
13.Kb2 f3
14.Nb3 f2
15.Nd2 Kh7
Now, continuing from this point:
16.Kc2
On 16.Kc3, black will cut off the white king with Ne5 and bring his king forward: [16.Kc3 Ne5 17.Nf1 Kg6 18.Kd2 Kf5 19.Ke2 Ng4 20.Nd2 Kf4 21.Kd3 Ne3 22.Kc3 (or 22.Ke2 f1Q 23.Nf1 Nf1 24.Kf1 Ke3 25.Ke1 Kd3 26.Kd1 c4 27.Kc1 Kc3 28.Kb1 Kb2 wins) 22. …Ke5 23.Kd3 f1Q 24.Nf1 Nf1 25.Kc4 Kd6 wins]. Continuing:
16. ….Ne5
17.Kd1 c4 (plays itself)
18.Nf1
No better is [18.Ke2 c3 19.Nf1 (or 19.Kf2 cd2 20.Ke2 Nf3 wins; or 19.Nb3 Ng4 20.Nd4 Kg6 and black will win this easily) 19. …Nc4 (most direct way) 20.Kd3 (or 20.Kf2 c2 wins; or 20.Kd1 Nd2) 20. …Nd2 21.Ne3 (or 21.Nd2 cd2 and the white king is helpless against the two pawns) 21. …Ne4 and the knight is completely invulnerable since the white knight can’t stop both pawns if the white king takes at e4, so black’s king comes forward and decides the game]. Continuing:
18. ….Kg6
19.Ke2
No better are knight moves, but I am too tired to work them all out.
19. ….Ng4
20.Nd2 c3
21.Nf1 Kf5
22.Kd3 Kf4 (simplest)
23.Kc3 Kf3
24.Nd2 Kg2
White sets the last trap. All black needs to do is to prevent white from forking the king and queen from g4. So keep the black king out of e2 here. A lesson I have learned the hard, brutal way:
25.Kd3 Nh2
26.Ke2 Nf3
27.Nf1
Of course, 27.Nf3 loses to f1(Q) with check. Continuing:
27. ….Ng1 and white loses his knight as the white king must give way. Yes, I have played this simple endgame position at the end many times over the last 5 years online, and mucked it up more than once. I tried to avoid such endgames if I have the chance- I despise having to deal with knights under a clock, but do better when I have lots of time to think it through.
Clearly, all the way back at move 6, the white king cannot travel to the queenside and hold this position. The only loose end is the king run up to g5 to prevent black from creating a passed f-pawn, and to threaten black’s own f-pawn and knight at g6. I will finish this in my next comment as it is the line that worries me the most.
1 … Nc3 may or may not work. I’ve analyzed it for a while, and it looks as though White can hold on. For example, in Chitta’s line, 8 Qxf7+ is better than Qd6+ and may draw.
Black has a better line:
1 … g2
The other possibility is 1 … Nc2, which I’ll examine later.
2 Kf2 Nxc4
3 h7 Nd2
The point of the Knight maneuver. Black now threatens to deflect White’s Knight and also to support the promotion of the g-pawn.
4 Na1
Or 4 h8=Q Nxb3, 5 Qxf6 g1=Q+!, 6 Kxg1 a1=Q+ and Black should win. 4 Nxc2 a1=Q, 5 Kxg2 Qa8+ wins.
4 … Nf3
5 Kxg2
5 h8=Q g1=Q+, 6 Kxg1 Nxb3,7 Qxf6 g1=Q+ as above.
5 … Nh2+
6 Kg3 Ng6
7 exf6 Kd6
8 Kg4 Ke5
9 Kg5 c4!
Black will need every tempo he can get. First the c pawn is pushed into position.
10 Nc2
White has nothing better to do than shuttle the Knight between a1 and c2 and in fact would be in Zugzwang if this weren’t possible.
10 … c3
11 Na1 Nh8!
This move is critical, as Black gains two tempo here. If 11 … Kd4 first, Black is going to end up at least one tempo short. The continuation would likely be: 11 … Kd4?, 12 Kh6 Kd3, 13 Kg7 c2, 14 Nxc2 Kxc2, 15 Kf7 Nh8+ (this gains a tempo over the immediate a1=Q, but it isn’t enough), 16 Kg7 a1=Q, 17 Kxh8 and draws. If 17 … Qxf6+, 18 Kg8, which is a known draw, and if Black tries checking, Black simply goes to h8 and advances the f-pawn.
With the given move, Black picks up a tempo later and another even later still.
12 Nc2 Ke4
Blsck loses quickly if he plays 12 … Nb3, 13 c2, and a pawn will promote.
13 Kh6 Kd3
One of the points behind Black’s 11… Nh8. By forcing White’s Knight to c2 before advancing the King, Black now picks up a tempo by attacking the Knight.
14 Kg7
Or 14 Na1 c2, 15 Nxc2 Kxc2, 16 Kg7 a1=Q Kxh8 Qxf6+, 17 Kg8 Qg3+, 18 Kh8 Qxh7+ (simplest), 19 Qxh7 f5 and wins.
14 … Kxc2
15 Kxh8 a1=Q
16 Kg7 Qg1+
17 Kxf7 Qh2
18 Kg7 Qg3+
19 Kf8
Black answers 19 Kh8 with Qe5, 20 Kg7 Qg4+, 21 Kf7 Qh6 and Black wins.
19 … Qh4
20 Kg7 Qg4+
21 Kf7 Qh6
Black wins one pawn, trades his Queen for the other pawn, and promotes his c-pawn.
In my 3 previous comments, I had analyzed the following line:
In my previous two comments, I had analysed the following line:
1. …..Nc4
2. h7 g2
3. Kf2 Nd2
4. Na1 Nf3
5. Kg2 Nh4
I had shown (I hope at least) that white does no good with 6.Kf2- it costs him both kingside pawns and the game as he does not have time to round up both passed queenside black pawns and get back in time to stop the f-pawn. At best, he could win the a-pawn and get back to complicate matters, but black was able to use the combination of the c and f-pawns and the knight to set up positions that gave black time enough to win h7 and bring the king forward decisively. Let’s now look the defensive strategy of protecting the white f-pawn and h-pawn with the king. Continuing from the line above:
6. Kg3 Ng6
7. ef6 Kd6
For a while (about 5 minutes), I wondered whether or not black can do better by bringing the king through the eighth rank to gobble up h7 before I realized that the black king cannot traverse g8 or g7 due to the white pawns, so Kd6 is the right move here:
8. Kg4
And, now, black faces a choice- try to still win f6, or take a chance at bringing his king to the queenside and advance his passed pawns (note, the white knight, by himself, can hold up both pawns from a1). Let’s look at the problem with the latter strategy:
8. …..Kd5
9. Kg5 Kc4 (in for a penny…)
10.Kh6 Kc3
11.Kg7 Kb2
12.Kf7
Here h8(Q) is too slow: [12.h8Q Nh8 13.Kh8 Ka1 14.Kg7 Kb2 15.Kf7 a1Q 16.Ke6 Qf6 17.Kf6 c4 wins for black]. Continuing:
12. ….Nh8
13.Kg7 Ka1
14.Kh8
Here, f7 looks like a draw to me: [14.f7 Nf7 15.Kf7 Kb1 16.h8Q a1Q with a likely draw by repetition at some point]. Continuing:
14. ….Kb1 (keep a1/h8 diag. open)
15.Kg7! a1(Q)
16.h8(Q) and my Nalimov tablebase search of this exact position with black to move tells me it is a draw, but I damned sure wouldn’t want to play black here trying to draw. So, black cannot win by bringing his own king to the queenside. Let’s go back to move 8 for black and see what happens if he tries to win f6 by setting up zugzwang positions and driving the white king away:
8. …..Ke5
9. Kg5 Ke6
And, now, the white king cannot move. He also cannot play h8(Q) without losing the game, but I see no reason he can’t just maneuver the knight to c2 and back to a1 as needed:
10.Nc2
Now, black could reply with Ke5 or Nh8, but this will lead nowhere. The last remaining question is, can black advance his c-pawn to c3 and then bring his king to the queenside? Considering what we saw in the previous line, I didn’t really think this could work when I first considered it, but, as usual, it is easy to overlook the possibilities in endgame positions (though my conclusion hasn’t changed)
10. ….c4
11.Na1 c3
12.Nc2 Ke5
Keeping the attack on f6 while bringing the king closer to d3 to support the advance of c2. This is the thing I overlooked in my simple move count- it isn’t the a-pawn the white king needs to support now, so he saves two moves.
Continued immediately in the next comment:
Continued from the comment above:
13.Na1
I will consider the other options at the end if, by some chance I find this line wins for black, otherwise I will call it a night.
13. ….Kd4
14.Kh6 Kd3
15.Kg7 c2
16.Nc2
Here, [16.Kf7 c1Q 17.Kg6 Qa1 18.h8Q Qg1 19.Kf7 (or 19.Kh7) a1Q will win] or [16.h8Q Nh8 17.Nc2 Kc2 wins since f7 can’t be won in this line] or [16.Nb3 Kc3 and black again gets two queens for one at worst]. Continuing:
16. ….Kc2
17.Kf7 Nh8
18.Kg8 a1(Q)
19.Kh8
Here, 19.f7 loses: [19.f7 Ng6 20.f8Q (h8Q 21.Qh8#) Qh8 21.Kf7 Nf8 wins]. Continuing:
19. ….Qf6
20.Kg8
And, to be sure, I had to consult the Nalimov tablebase again, and the tablebase tells me this is a draw.
A truly fascinating position. In the end, I don’t find it won for black. Of course, it is very easy to miss something here. I tried to be exhaustive in this analysis, but it is too complicated for that in just a single evening. It is possible that one of the lines I dismissed as draw earlier was, in fact, a win for black. Tomorrow morning, I will check to see what the other commenters come up with and take one last shot at winning this for black.
Tom Barrister may have the solution to the problem I ran into with his knight maneuver at move 11. In the morning, I will try to bring everything together in one winning line for black. For now, I am all done in.
Interesting, I think 1. ….g2 may safely transpose into the same line I was working on. Another thing to look at in detail in the morning.
……. Nc2
kf1
white should win
I think
1…..Nc2 is ok
also 1…..g2 is correct,
Quorthon.
Dear Susan, I consider that any analysis pierced. I made these variants during the night and I’m not enough time today to review. But I think the gist is through this path (I used the program ChessBase for many records – you know it is not an analysis program). Not yet researched the original game. Thanks.
[Date “2011”]
[White “MARQUES”]
[Black “PEREIRA”]
[Result “0-1”]
[FEN “8/2k2p2/5p1P/2p1P3/2P5/nN4p1/p3K3/8 b – – 0 1”]
2… Nc2 3. Kf1 (3. h7 g2 (3… Nd4+ 4. Nxd4 g2 (4… cxd4 5. h8=Q a1=Q 6. Qxf6
g2 7. Qxf7+ Kc6 8. Qd5+ Kb6 9. Qxg2 Qb2+ 10. Kf3 Qxg2+ 11. Kxg2 d3 12. Kf2 d2
13. Ke2) (4… a1=Q 5. h8=Q Qxd4 6. Qxf6 Qf2+ 7. Qxf2 gxf2 8. Kxf2 Kd7 9. Ke3
Ke6 10. Ke4) 5. Kf2 (5. h8=Q g1=Q 6. Nb5+ (6. Qf8) 6… Kd7 7. Qxf6 Qg2+ 8. Ke3
Qc6 9. Qxf7+) 5… g1=Q+ 6. Kxg1 a1=Q+ 7. Kg2 (7. Kh2 Qa8 $19) 7… Qa8+ $19)
4. h8=Q (4. Kf2 Nd4 5. Nxd4 (5. Na1) 5… g1=Q+ 6. Kxg1 a1=Q+ 7. Kh2 Qa8 $19)
4… g1=Q 5. Qh4 (5. Qxf6 Qe1+ $19) 5… Nd4+ 6. Nxd4 a1=Q 7. Nb5+ Kd7 8. Qh3+
Ke7 9. exf6+ Qxf6) 3… Ne3+ 4. Kg1 f5 5. h7 f4 6. h8=Q f3 7. Qf8 (7. Qh3 f2+
8. Kh1 g2+ 9. Qxg2 f1=Q+ 10. Qxf1 Nxf1 11. Kg1 Nd2 12. Na1 Nxc4 $19) (7. Qf6
f2+ 8. Kh1 g2+ 9. Kh2 g1=Q+ 10. Kh3 Qg4+ 11. Kh2 Qg2#) (7. Qg7 f2+ 8. Kh1 f1=Q#
) 7… f2+ 8. Kh1 f1=Q# 0-1
Susan… This is my idea to settle this game:
1…Nc2
2.h7 Nd4+
3.Nxd4 cxd4
4.h8=Q a1=Q
5.Qxf6 Qb2+
6.Ke1 Qc1+
7.Ke2 Qc2+
8.Ke1 Qf2+
9.Qxf2 gxf2+
10.Kxf2 Kc6
11.Ke3 Kc5
12.Ke4 Kxc4
13.Kf5 d3
14.Kf6 Kd5
15.Kxf7 Kxe5
16.Kg6 d2
17.Kg5 d1=Q
***White resign because black had Queen and anytime to ready “KO” (checkmate) – High Skill From MR KO (Malaysian)
1.… Nc2 2.Kf1 (2. h7 Nd4+ 3.Nd4 cd4 4.h8=Q a1=Q 5. Qf6 Qb2+ 6.Kd1 [6.Ke1 Qf2+ and Black wins the P ending] Qb3+ 7.Kd2 Qc4 and Black should win this Q ending) Ne3+ 3.Kg1 (3.Ke1 [or 3.Ke2] g2 4.Kf2 Ng4+ 5.Kg2 Nh6 6.ef6 Ng4 Black wins the N ending) f5 4.h7 f4 5.h8=Q f3 6.Qf6 f2+ 7.Qf2 gf2+ 8.Kf2 Ng4+ and Black wins the N ending.
Tom Barrister’s line is spot-on. Black’s 1 Nc2 may win, but it’s complicated. I don’t see a flaw in 1 g2.
The problem with 1… Nc2 is that White won’t capture Black’s c-pawn in some lines BEFORE he advances the c pawn to c3 (and before the King leaves the e5 area). Needing to capture the pawn on the way, and then get out of the way so that the c-pawn can advance sill slow White down enough to allow Black to draw or possibly even win.
1… g2 forces 2 Kf2, after which 2 … Nxc4 gets rid of the pawn, paving the way to the rest of the continuation.
Hi!
I revised the g2 line and I didn’t find a mistake, but I didn’t see the mistake in my line either, so maybe both win.(no computers, of course, they bore me,in my opinion chess loses magic with comps). Here it is:
1…Nc2 2.kf1 (only move, Nd4+ threatened) Ne3+ 3.kg1
(3.ke2 g2 4.kf2 Ng4+ 5.kxg2 Nxh6
6.exf6 Ng4 0-1) f5 4.h7 f4 5.h8=Q f3followed by f2+ 0-1
Barcelona. Hi Oslo.
I looked at both the various 1. ….Nc2 lines and Tom Barrister’s 1. ….g2 line and my own 1. …Nc4, and I am getting the feeling that there transpositions that ultimately make these lines coincident. Indeed, I reached the identical positions with the white c-pawn gone, the white knight on a1, the white king on g2, the white h-pawn on h7, and the black knight at h4 delivering check- for example, with 1. ….Nc2, a completely plausible line (I am too damned lazy to include all the sidelines, but many are already pointed out by other commenters (Arte Xadrez in particular):
1. …..Nc2
2. Kf1 Ne3
3. Kg1 Nc4 (c-pawn taken)
4. h7 Nd2 (key move in Nc4 line)
5. Na1 Nf3 (key move in Nc4 line)
6. Kf1 g2 (to force Kg2)
7. Kg2 Nh4
And I saw this exact position in both other starting lines, and they seem forced by best play in all three beginnings. All in all, I think Tom Barrister’s line is the most complete on the key variation I had trouble with last night.
@Tom barrister:
First of all, I like your line is better then mine and you got it nailed.
However,
>For example, in Chitta’s line,
>8 Qxf7+ is better than Qd6+
>and may draw.
–You can’t do Qxf7 because the f-pawn is protected by the Queen at c4.
Having said that, even I am not fully convinced that this will lead to a win…for eg, 13. Kf3 in lieu of 13. Qb7 may lead to perpetual.
So..your line (g2) is the best continuation. Nc2 is leaving to too many options…may be there is a clear win but I will need to work on it in my free time.
Nice job Tom!
A3xC4
C4xE5 This strips whites pawns away, also giving strength to the double pawn to pinch the king into check. The night will have to peel off the pinned pawn and attempt to capture pawns to equalize the game but in doing so pushing the pawns forward to A1 and G1 gives massive strength to control and eventually mate.
As requested by an anonymous, the name of the players are Joao Paulo Cassemiro Marques,2032,14 years old against Juliano Pereira Resende, 2241.
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