White to move. Is this a win or draw for White? No computer analysis please.
3k4/2R5/4K3/1r1N4/8/8/8/8 w – – 0 3
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Must know endgame
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Rd7 K c9
Ne7 Kb8
Nc6 Kc8
Na2 Kb8
Nxb5
Arctic Knight
1. Rd7+ Kc8 (1. … Ke8 2. Nc7+ and the rook is lost) 2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+ Kc8 (3. …Ka8 4. Ra7#)
4. Na7+ the rook is forked
1.Rd7+ Kc8
(if 1…Ke8 2.Nf6+ Kf8 3.Rf7++)
2.Ne7+ Kb8
3.Nc6+ Kc8
(if 3…Ka8 4.Ra7++)
4.Na7+
wins the rook
White seems to win with Rd7+.
1. … Ke8 loses to Nc7, forking King and Rook.
1. … Kc8
2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+
Now Ka8 loses to Ra7++ and Kc8 loses to Na7, another fork.
Looks easy – a fork of black king and rook:
1. Rd7+ Kc8 (1… Ke8? 2. Nf6+ Kf8 3. Rf7#)
2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+ Kc8 (3… Ka8? 4. Ra7#)
4. Na7+ Kb8
5. Nxb5
Source : Forth, Giuoco degli Scacchi. Del finale di Torre e Cavallo contro Torre, 1853, 18
Cooked ? No
It is the position arising at the third move of this study.
1. Rd7+ Kc8
2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+ Kc8
4. Na7++
Surprisingly simple. 🙂
1. Rd7+, Kc8 (Ke8 2. Nc7+ +-) 2. Ne7+, Kb8 3. Nc6+, Kc8 (Ka8? 4. Ra7#) 4. Na7+ +- (5. Nxb5)
Win for White with a sequence of forcing moves. Rd8+ Kc8 (otherwise fork) Ne7+ Kb8 Nc6+ Ka8 (otherwise fork) Ra7 ++.
Seems like a win for white:
1.Rd7 +
if black plays 1 .. Kc8 , then:
2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+
if now , 3 .. Kc8 , then 4. Na7+ snatching the rook.
if 3 .. ka8 , Ra8+#
If initially after 1. Rd7+ , black plays 1 ..ke8 , then 2. Nc7+ takes the black rook.
1. Ra7!
If – 1. – Kc8 then 2.Ne7+ Kb8/Kd8
3.Nc6+ Kc8 4.Kd6 winning.
If 1.- Rb8 then 2.Rd7+ Ke8 3.Rh7 and white wins.
Looks like a win to me:
1. Rd7+ Kc8 (1. … Ke8 2. Nc7+ winning the black rook)
2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+ Kc8 (3. … Ka8 4. Ra7#)
4. Na7+ winning the black rook
A win for white after 1. Rd7+ Kc8 (Ke8 is lose after Nf6 and Rf7) 2. Ne7+ Kb8 3.Nc6+ Kc6 (Ka6 4. Ra7) 4. Na7 pinging the rook
(1)Rd7+ Kc8
(2)Ne7+ Kb8
(3)Nc6+
Now White is either going to win the Black Rook or deliver mate on the next move.
1.Rd7+ Kc8
(1..Kd8 2.Nc7+ & fork 1-0)
2.Ne7+ Kb8
3.Nc6+ Kc8
(3…Ka8 4.Ra7# 1-0)
4.Na7+ & fork 1-0 so white wins
R-h7 Kc8
K-d6 Kb8
K-c6 Ka8
Kxb5 with an easy mate in a few moves
Very nice, all with checks:
1.Rd7+ Kc8
Else Black falls into a N fork at c7
2.Ne7+ Kb8
3.Nc6+
and now:
(A) 3…Ka8 4.Ra7#, or
(B) 3…Kc8 4.Na7+ and 5.Nxb5.
I am curious to know whether a GM knows this position by heart or just calculates it out over the board. The thing I would be inclined to study about KRN vs KR would be the drawing technique for the weaker side — the means of avoiding this disastrous position on the edge. But perhaps I’m mistaken …?
“Rd7 K c9
Ne7 Kb8
Nc6 Kc8
Na2 Kb8
Nxb5
Arctic Knight”
Yep. 1…Kc9!! saves the game for black.
I’m worried I missed something, since this doesn’t lookhard
1. Rh7 Kc8
{Forced}
(1…Rc5 2. Rh8#)
(1…Rb6+ 2. Nxb6 Ke8 3. Rh8#)
(1…Ke8 2. Rh8#)
(1…Ra5 2. Rh8#)
(1…Rxd5 2. Kxd5
{mate to follow}
)
2. Kd6 Kb8 3. Kc6 Ra5 4. Nb6 Ra7
{there is no help}
(4…Rg5 5. Rb7#)
5. Rh8# *
Moves are forced… and always Rb5 -> out 🙂
1. Rd7+ Kc8
2. Ne7+ Kb8
3. Nc6+ Kc8 (if Ka8 is mate)
4. Na7+ Kb8
5. Nxb5, winning.