This one is presented by Andreas. It came from a game of Kasparov against another former World Championship challenger. It is Black to move. How should Black continue?
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Clearly black must set up a zugzwang in which white is forced, at some point, to convert black a-pawn into a b-pawn since, the ending, without the two white pawns is already drawn. There are probably a number of beginnings, but the natural move to me is Kg2:
1. …..Kg2
2. Kd1
I doubt it much matters what white does here. At some point he would give up the tempo move of b3 anyway, and whether or not the king goes to d1 or d2 shouldn’t matter since black always has bishop moves with which to wait with:
2. …..Kf2
Pushing white back. Continuing:
3. Kd2
Same note as previously- I don’t see how white does better with b3 or Kc1/c2. Continuing:
3. …..Be2
Probably the most accurate, though black should still win with Bc6/d7/e8. Continuing:
4. Kc3 Ke1
Not sure this is fastest, but it makes the most sense. In this position, black’s pawn is completely safe. A move like Ke3 here seems less accurate since black wants to pressure the backwards b-pawn anyway. Continuing:
5. Kc2
To keep the black king out of d1/d2. Continuing:
5. …..Bg4
Eventually, to make progress, black will need to take away d3/c2/b1 from the white king if white doesn’t play to b1, so he will need to have access to the b1/h7 diagonal, also, allows access to a2/g8 diagonal when needed. Continuing:
6. Kb1
Now or later. Continuing:
6. …..Kd2
7. Ka2 Kc2
To this point, there wasn’t much white could do otherwise. If the king runs away from the corner, black just wins the pawns directly. Now, black must create the winning zugzwang:
8. Ka1
Alternatives later. Continuing:
8. …..Be6
9. b3
Or [9.b5 ab5 10.b3/b4 Kb3 wins]. Now comes the critical moment where black can still go wrong:
9. …..Bf5
Here, Bb3 will only draw after 10.b5 ab5 stalemates white, and 10. …a5 fails to convert the drawing a-pawn into the b-pawn. Also, I think 9. …Kc1 transposes anyway. Continuing:
10.Ka2
Here, 10.b5 just concedes axb5 and the game. Continuing:
10. ….Kc1 (most direct)
11.Ka3
Or [11.Ka1 Bb1 12.b5 ab5 13.b4 Bd3 wins]. Continuing:
11. ….Kb1
12.Ka4
Or concede with 12.b5 axb5. Continuing:
12. ….Kb2
13.b5
Or [13.Ka5 Bd3 14.Kb6 Kb3 15.Kc5 Kc3 16.Kd5 Kb4 and white won’t make it back to the corner to stop the pawn now]. Continuing:
13. ….Bd7! (pins the pawn)
This move I could only see about 2 moves back when I considered the run up the a-file, but it is easy to spot from that distance:
14.Ka5 ab5
I am pretty sure black even wins now with Bxb5 since I don’t see how the white king can make it back to the corner in time, but ab5 is the safest way to win for certain. Continuing:
15.Kb4 Bc6
16.Kc5 Kb3 and the pawn can’t be stopped, though black probably can shorten the game by playing Be8/d7 at move 15.
So, the holes in this are back at move 8 which I will consider in my next comment due to length.
In my previous comment, I discussed the following line:
1. …..Kg2
2. Kd1 Kf2
3. Kd2 Be2
4. Kc3 Ke1
5. Kc2 Bg4
6. Kb1 Kd2
7. Ka2 Kc2
To this point, there wasn’t much white could do otherwise. If the king runs away from the corner, black just wins the pawns directly. In my previous comment, I showed that black wins after 8.Ka1. Now I will consider white’s alternatives:
8. b3 Kc1
9. Ka1
If 9.Ka3, black wins as I showed previously. Continuing:
9. …..Bf5
10.Ka2 Bd3
11.Ka1
If 11.Ka3, black wins with Kb1 as before. Continuing:
11. ….Bb1
12.b5 ab5
13.b4 Bd3 with an easy win.
Or, at move 8:
8. Ka3 Be6
9. Ka4 Kb2 wins as before.
I think that pretty well covers it.
The position as it stands (with the a-pawn) is unwinnable because of the wrong coloured bishop. Consequently the winning plan comprises forcing the white king into stalemate so the white pawns have to be moved enabling black to convert the worthless a-pawn into a winning b-pawn.
1. … Bf1!
Bishop going to stay there till white plays b3.
2. Kd2 (b3 Bb5!) Kf2
3. Kc3 Ke3
4. b3 Bb5!
White king must retreat by zxugzwang.
This is the basic position I guess, black should slowly but certain win this.
it is so hard for me , how can change a to be and also donät let to become white king near
Does Susan ever give her approach/answer?
Compare with this study:
Horwitz, The Chess Monthly, 1879
Fen: 8/1k6/1p1K4/1p6/5B2/P7/8/8 w – – 0 1
ASCII: wKd6,Bf4,Pa3/bKb7,Pb5,b6
White plays and wins
Nice technique of Kasparov, though!