White to move. Is this a win or draw for White?
8/8/2k2p1p/p1p2P1p/P1P1KP1P/2P3P1/8/8 w – – 0 1
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King and Pawn endgame
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White to move. Is this a win or draw for White?
8/8/2k2p1p/p1p2P1p/P1P1KP1P/2P3P1/8/8 w – – 0 1
I think it’s a draw.
1 kf3, K moves
2 g4
if black takes, king takes and it is an easy win
if king moves, g5 wins
To me this looks like a straightforward win for white:
1.Kf3 Kd6
2.g4 Ke7 (gxf4+ is even worse)
3.g5 hxg5 (or fxg5, whatever)
4.hxg5 fxg5
5.fxg5 and wins.
Do not see how black could deviate here. Is it that easy or am i missing something?!
Beelze
With the black king defending d5 (from c6 or d6) and the pawns defending the queenside there may only be a breakthrough on the kingside pushing the g pawn up.
White must be careful not to close the position there, too, e.g. pushing the pawn without the king being able to recapture at once would lead to a simple draw e.g. 1. g4? hxg4 and the threat of (black) h5 forces white to play h5 himself and afterwards everything is close.
So white needs to get the king to f3 before playing g4. Black can now capture the pawn or let it proceed to g5 (or course not gxh5??) after which white threats g6! (or the prosaic gxh6) with a simple win but hxg5/fxg5 fxg5 and white gets connected passed pawns or a backed one and white wins.
So hxg4 (followed by Kxg4) is forced.
Now white must not play h5 but get the king in (Kg4-h5) and the only question is if black can get to g7 (h7) quick enough to stop the white king. If he can do so he gets the draw as he is just about quick enough: (1. Kh5 Kg7) 2. Kg4, Kf7 3. Kf3 4. Ke4, Kd6 or 4. Ke3!, Ke7! (Kd6?? 5. Ke4, Kc6 and now black needs one move too long to get back to g7) 5. Ke4, Kd6.
But that’s too much theory as black starts on c6 and is one move late. So this case is simple.
1. Kf3, Kd6 2. g4, hxg4 (forced) 3. Kxg4, Ke7 4. Kh5, Kf7 5. Kxh6 +-
It would be more interesting with the black king on d6 then it should be a draw, so it is a simple win but white does not have time as there is only one move that black needs to get the draw position.
Hmm, have I overseen anything or is it really that simple?
Sorry for this long and in this case unnecessary analysis.
Best wishes from Germany
Jochen
dude…..
kf3 black moves
g4 wins
A few of you got it right. But I delay in publishing your posts so others can solve it 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan
Kf3 d4 then d5…its all about timing.
I can’t see anything other than agreeing to a draw, or a draw by 3-move repetition.
Black’s pawn position protects every open space in the line except d4. Unless Black’s King goes somewhere other than d5 and c5, d4 will always be protected.
White’s only other move, is to offer Black a move besides shifting its King.
1. g4 Pxg4
But even this is quickly stifled:
2. (Anything) … h5
Following the most logical conclusion:
2. Ke3 h5
3. Kf2 Kd5
4. Kg2 Kc5
5. Kf2 Kd5
6. Kg2 Kc5
repeat ad nauseum
Unless, somehow, you let the pawn advance on G, and can work out a way to have Black’s new Queen give you a way in by having it get your own pawns out of your way. I don’t know that that’s all that likely to work out well for White in the end, though.
It is winning for white…I am almost sure :))
Draw
It looks like an easy win with
Kf3-g4-g5
Winning-Kf3,g4
it’s not that straightforward, but as long as white understands he will have to triangulate at least once to get proper timing, should be a win.
1. Kf3
2. g4
very easy
Win for white
1.Kf3,K moves 2.g4 Kmoves 3.g5 wins
win the white:
1. Kf3, K moves
2. g4 , k moves
3. g5, wins