White to move. Is this a win, loss or draw for White? How should White proceed and what is the plan?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Endgame calculation
About Author
White to move. Is this a win, loss or draw for White? How should White proceed and what is the plan?
King to D5.
I dont see how to win with white. Black king can get stalemate
– Vinay
Vinay said that Black can get stalemate. I think Vinay is right. Must confess I was positive white wins with Kd5. But than came Vinay..
White cannot stop the black king from cornering himself at h8 square. Unless of course white will let black queen one of his pawns, the road to h8 and g8 square is unstoppable. Also when white will capture the a pawn on a2, it will be stalemate.
This puzzle is great!
Is it taken from an actual game?
Black can’t just corner his king here, because he will be forced to play pawn h5 and then white release square g8 again to pick up this h5 pawn and will win.
But there is still the h-pawn that can move – so stalemate the king, force black to move h6-h5 “destalemate” black, win that pawn and push the white’s pawn to h6 to get a free g-pawn (after g7xh6 or after white’s h6xg7).
In the first moment I thought white would get in trouble because of the black pawns (white’s bishop isn’t able to stop them both alone) and I found only one way (!) to stop them starting with Kb5 but of course other king moves seem to hold them easily, too….
But they just stop him but give black chances! So Kd5 could be wrong I think. Black’s defense is not getting stalemate but attacking the pawn on f6.
1. Kd5 Kf6 and what now?
e.g. 2. Kxd4 a3 with the threat of a2 and win of the g-pawn.
3. h5 Kg5 4. Kc3 (only way I see to save the g-pawn but now black’s h-pawn get’s the hero status) Kxh5 5. Kb3
g-pawn saved but black simply plays Kg5 and pushes the h-pawn – white’s bishop has to take care of it so g-pawn will fall. DRAW.
I think the right solution is 1. Kb5! Attacking the right pawn!
But black has defense plans here (e.g. forcing the white pawn to h5 then entering the stalemate edge), too, and probably that also just leads to a draw.
Now I am interested to read what the others found I’m gonna rethink that later!
Nice problem!
Jochen
Black can force draw in every variant. After 1. Kb5 (or c5 or d5) d3! and now white has two possibilities
(a) 2. Bxd3 a3 3. Bb1 Kf6 4. Kanywhere (4. h5 is a theoretical draw after Ke7-f8 as observed in previous posts…) a2 5. Bxa2 Kxg6 6. whatever Kh5 7. whatever Kxh4 draw.
(b) 2. Kxa4 (or Kb4 or Kc4) d2 3. Bc2 Kf6 4. Kanywhere (again 4. h5 Ke7-f8 leads to theoretical draw) d1Q 5. Bxd1 Kxg6 and white cannot prevent black from trading last white pawn after moves 6. … Kf6, 7. … h5!, 8. … g5
Ah, I see…. if white plays h5 himself black does not have to enter the edge to have the draw.
I thought if white could play Ba2 afterwards to prevent the king from getting to h8 white could win – but f8 is sufficient, too.
Thanks, anonymous, I oversaw that.
Then it seems to be “simple”.
Jochen
There are some theoretical positions in which “wrong” bishop and h-pawn can play for a win against g & h pawn by trying to stalemate the defending king. (There was one ending in the 1978 Karpov-Korchnoi lovefest like this.)
Kb5 wins for white
Agree with Chandra.
1. Kb5, a3
2. Kc4, Kf6
3. Kb3, h5
4. Bd3!, Ke5
5. Be2, Kf4
6. Bxh5
Good tough position.
I don’t think White can win with 1 Kb5 after 1…d3!
(1…a3? is a mistake after 2 Kc4 d3 3 Kxd3 Kf6 4 h5 Kg5 5 Ke4 Kf6 [If 5…Kxh5, then 6 Kf5 wins for White] 6 Kf4 Ke6 7 Ba2+ and White wins.
2 Bxd3
(2 Kxa4 d2 3 Bc2 h5!= and Black wins the g-pawn and White ends up with the wrong-colored rook’s pawn and can’t win)
2…a3 3 Bb1 Kf6 4 h5 Kg5=
So does Susan eventually post solutions to these puzzles?
Stephen,
I only post the solution when no one gets it correctly. However, it seems that there is always at least one right answer each time 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Derek said 1…,a3? is a mistake.
But isn’t also 1…,d3?
I still think white wins after
1. Kb5, d3
2. Kxc4, d2
3. Bc2, h5
4. Bd1, Kf6
5. Bxh5
sorry, 2.Kxa4
Sorry rail, but in your line after:
5 Bxh5, Black plays 5…d1=Q
6 Bxd1 Kxg6 =
and now White has the wrong Rook’s pawn and cannot force a win. The Bishop needs to cover the same color squares as the queening square, and here it does not.
Sorry, but this line is a draw.