White to move and draw!
Daily Chess Improvement: Endgame Brain Teaser!
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White to move and draw!
I guess I need to start working on tactics trainer on chess.com…after Ke6 Bb5 all I see is both pawns dropping and black queening…I love these hard simple ones…good reference points for going into an endgame. I would like to know the answer if no one gets it. Thank you!
Wow! One of the great puzzles! Reti would be proud.
Now this is very nice. My very first thought was it had to be 1.Kf6, but after the obvious 1. ….Bd5, it became clear that black would take at c2 if white continues with 2.Kg5, and then put the bishop on g8 and the white king can do nothing to prevent black from bringing his king in for the kill at g7 to win the game since he has the right bishop for the h1 square.
I will leave it to others to find the right drawing line- it is beautiful.
I am tempted to play Ke6. No idea what it will lead to.
I had the same thoughts as you.
It reminds me in a way of the famous Reti puzzle that shows how quick a king can be sometimes in a pawn ending.
Alena,
You had correct solutions to all four problems from the day before except for the “Shortest Mate” problem- there is a mate in 3 in that position.
1. Kg8 h5 2. Kf7 Bd5+ 3. Kf6 h4 4. Ke5 and now if the bishop moves W can catch the pawn and if 4. … h3 5. Kxd5 h2 6. g8=Q h1=Q draw
Thank you James!
I someone else also was reminded of Reti. Here is the famous Reti problem:
7K/8/k1P5/7p/8/8/8/8 w White to move and draw.
1. Kg7 Kb6
2. Kf6 h4
3. Ke5 h3
4. Kd6 h2
5. c7 h1=Q
6. c8=Q
And James has the right solution and the main line of play. I would only add that if black moves the bishop to protect h7 on move 1, white just plays 2.Kh8 to force the issue again.
Nice