Black to move. Can Black pull out a win here?
Source: ChessToday.net
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1 … a1=Q+
2. B:a1 Ka2
3. Bb2 Be4
and wins the white B next move.
I don’t think so.
If the black king tries to attack the h4 pawn, then the black king goes to f4 and moves to g3 whenever the black king reaches h5. The white king can always go back to guard the b1 square before the black king reaches it. Meanwhile the white bishop moves back and forth from b2 to a1, guarding both a1 and c3.
Can you smell the zugzwang? I would play a1Q almost without thinking about it, though the kingside pawns give me just a tiny bit of pause until I can be sure white can’t move his safely:
1. …..a1Q
2. Ba1 Ka2
3. Bb2 g6 and white must either give up the bishop or the h-pawn right now, and the bishop on the next move anyway.
1. … a1Q+!
2. Bxa1 Ka2
3. Bb2 (forced) g6
… and we have a zugzwang situation – white loses his Bishop both after 4. Kd2 Kxb2 and after 4. h5 gxh5 5. Kd2 Kxb2.
a2-a1-Q+
BxQa1
Ka2
Bb2
g7-g6
and white lose bishop +=
daThe road to success is the a2 square:
1. … a1=Q!
2. Bxa1 Ka2
3. Bb2 g6
and white is in zugzwang.
Opposite-colored bishop endings are notoriously drawish, but not always drawn. (I’ve lost a few, so it’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way.) In this particular case, white lacks room to maneuver. Black can stifle him even more with this line :
1- … ; a1=Q+ (the idea is to free up a2 for black’s king.)
2- Bxa1 ; Ka2
3- Bb2 ; g6
And now white is in zugzwang. Moving either the king or bishop causes the bishop to drop, while playing h5 gives black an attractive passer (and does not resolve the zugzwang).
1…a1 (Q)+!! 2.Bxa1 Bg6! 3.Bb2 Ka2 Zugzwang! 4.h5 Bxh5 5.Kc2 Bg6+ 7.Kc1 Bd3 and wins! Zugzwang again!
White loses his bishop.
Kamalakanta
Maybe a Zugzwang… somehow, it seems to me that if black manages to get his King to a2 instead of a pawn there could be a Zugzwang if the king side pawn where blocked. Meanwhile, if the white bishop gets to a1 and the white king gets to play his moves, where would the win be?
It is therefore time for action:
1. …a1=R (just for fun since white has to take, right?)
2. Bxa1 Ka2
3. Bb2 (forced) g6! Zugzwang: The white bishop can’t escape. If the white king moves, the bishop falls and if the h-pawn moves it is captures and the Zugzwang remains.
Unable to find something brilliant here. But win for black anyway looks quite straightforward.
1. g6 Ba1 (only move)
2. Ka4 Kb2
3. Bb1 Kc1 (forced)
Now Black king can race to grab the h4 pawn.
If White king tries to protect the h4 pawn instead, it will leave a way open for Black king to reach a1 and grab the Bishop for free.
1…a1=Q+！ 2.Bxa1 Ka2 3.Bb2 g6
1. … a1=Q+ 2. Bxa1 Ka2 3. Bb2 (3. Kd2 Kxa1) 3. .. g6
To get some kind of attack here, black must necessarily make a sack first:
1. a1=Q! Bxa1 (enforced)
2. Ka2 Bb2 (enforced)
3. Bg6 (funny) h5? (alternative below)
4. Bh7! Kd2
5. Kxb2 Ke3
6. Kxc3
Since white has not Kd2/Kd3, so he can not keep c pawn without giving h pawn, that is no better. h5 pawn is now weak, black wins easily.
3. … Ba1
Best solution to the zugzwang problem may be to sack back right away. But no permanent solution, though:
4. Kxa1 Kc1
5. Ka2 Kd1
6. Kb3 Kd2
7. Bh7 h5
8. Bf5
There still is no Kd3 for black, either c or h pawn must be given, black may resign now.
1. …a1Q+ 2.Bxa1 Ka2 3.Bb2 g6 zugzwang
a1!
Promotion to Queen, Bxa1, Ka2, Bb2 and now just g6, zugzwang for white.
Oh my! I thought that the c3 pawn protects the b2 biship!