White to move. Is this a win, draw or loss for White? No computer please 🙂
8/4p3/5p2/4k1P1/7P/8/8/1K6 w – – 0 0
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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This is a win for white….starting with g6 and then h5
Yes, but how?
After g6 Ke6
h5 f5
h6 Kf6
g7 Kf7
Kc2 e5
How do you win?
white wins
1. g6 ke6
2. h5 f5
3. h6 kf6
4. g7 kf7
5. kc2 e5
6. kd3 and this (or almost same) position is analysed in Averbakh “comprehensive chess endings”
the point is that black cant push their pawns. for example: 6… e4 7. kd4 kg8 8. ke5 kf7 9. kf4 kg8 10. kxf5 and white wins.
if black doesnt push pawns, white circumvents them, gets to g5 and wins. the only problem is thoroughly calculating the tempos and i am too lazy to do it right now. however it appears that
6… kg8 7. ke3 f4 (or e4) is a draw, so (perhaps) 7. ke2 wins and so on 🙂
axel
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Axel, you’ve nailed this one perfectly. 7.Ke2! is the winner.
So, only 7.Ke2! wins, while after the ‘natural’ 7.Ke3 Black can draw starting with 7…e4 (7…f4 loses).
6k1/6P1/7P/4pp2/8/3K4/8/8 w – – 0 7
7.Ke2, and if Black replies 7…e4, only the now somewhat paradoxical 8.Ke3 wins. I think that’s very tricky and difficult to find. It is a zugzwang: In the same position but with White to move, Black can draw but now with btm., White can win.
(I need to admit that I looked it up in an endgame database because it is so difficult.)
4:08:00:
yep, you’re right! I erred, 7…f4 loses because white has a choice between 8. ke4 and 8. kf3 (and then kg4), and one of these moves must lead to a win in any case. but after 7….e4! white has no choice and no way for white to gain a tempo: 9. kf4 kf7 =