White to move and draw. How can white save this game?
Source: ChessToday.net
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1.Rb4+!.
A>-1….Kd3.2.Rxb3+.Nxb3.3.Kxb3 draw
B>-1….Kd5.2.Rxb3..Nxb3.(otherwse white has liquidated the pawn and needs to liquidate one of the other minor pieces for a draw which he can do easily)3.Kxb3 draw
C>-1….Kc3.2.Rb5!!
C1>2….Bxb5. stalemate draw
C2>2….Nmoves.3.Rxb3+ and draws as in B above.
C3>2….b2..3.Rxb2 and draws as B
C4>2….king moves away from pawn protection.3.Rxb3 draws
C5>2….other bishop move.3.Rxc5+. followed by liquidating pawn and draws.
C6>2….Kc4.3.Rxc5+.Kxc5.4.Kxb3 or even 2.Rb4+! reaching the starting position and a perpetual drawing loop!
Harry
Easy:
1. Rb4+ Kc3
Any other move:
2. Rxb3 Nxb3 3. Kxb3 draw
2. Rb5!
Attacking the knight. Black has three options:
A) Moving the knight, e.g.
2. … Ne4 3. Rxb3+ and draw
B) Protecting the knight
a) 2. … Kc4 3. Rb4+ will draw by threefold repetition soon
b) 2. … Kd4 3. Rxb3 Nxb3 4. Kxb3 draw
C) Taking the rook
2. … Bxb5
stalemate!
Rb4+ Kc3 (any other square and white plays Rxb3 resulting in theoretical draw)
Rb5!! (threatening Rxc5)
if black plays Bxb5 then it’s a stalemate draw.
if black moves the knight then white plays Rxb3+ resulting in a theoretical draw.
Funny!
My immediate idea here was Rb4+ followed by Rb5.
Then I saw that bishop covers b5, which I had incredibly missed, so I had to look for other ideas.
Finding nothing, I started to think: “There has to be a stalemate motive somewhere”.
Of course there is:
1. Rb4+! Kc3 (otherwise Rxb3 Nxb3 Kxb3 draws)
2. Rb5!!
With the basic threat Rxc5+ Kd4 Kxb3 Kxc5 draws. Most black moves will lead to this.
Or Kc4 Rxc5+ Kxc5 is the same.
Black has no good replay, since Bxb5 is now stalemate!!
If black moves knight or pawn he looses pawn. Black can’t protect knight with bishop. Bf7 seems only idea to keep pawn, but even that doesn’t work.
2. … Kd5
3. Rxc5 Bf7 (Kxc5 Kxb3)
4. Rb5 and Rxb3
The same is:
2. … Bf7
3. Rxc5+ Kd4 (or any)
4. Rb5 and Rxb3
It ends with K+B vs. K in all lines, or black simply gives the pawn so it’s K+B+N vs. K+R.
Rb4+ Kc3 (else Rxb3)
Rb5 (BxR is stalemate; b2 RxNc5+ K moves and Kxb2; Kd4 Rxb3; Kc4 Rb4+ rinse and repeat)
Rb4 is the only reasonable looking start:
1. Rb4 Kc3 (else, 2.Rxb3 draws)
2. Rb5
I don’t really see another move for white here. Threatens the knight and still threatens the pawn. Black can return the king to c4 to protect both, then white just checks from b4 again which leads to draw by repetition. If black moves the pawn, white just captures at b2, and if black moves the knight, white can just capture the pawn with check.
1.Rb4+ Kc3 (otherwise 2.Rxb3) 2.Rb5 Bxb5 stalemate
1.Rb4+ Kc3
(else 2.Rxc3)
2.Rb5 Bxb5 stalemate
(2… N moves 3.Rxb3)
Rb8(d6,f6,h6) also draw so the title is pretty lame
LOL, the anonymous commenter who claimed Rb8, Rd6, Rf6, and, Rh6 also draw is correct. I checked with a Nalimov Tablebase. However, I still think 1.Rb4 is the easier of the draws to visualize and enforce.