White to move. Is this a win, loss, or draw for White? No computer lines please.
4r3/3KP3/5k2/8/8/5p2/4R3/8 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Must know endgame
About Author
White win
1. Re3
Black have 2 choice:
First Choice:
1. … f2
2. Rf3+ K moves anywhere
3. Kxe8
Second Choice:
1. … Rxe7
2. Rxe7 f2
3. Ke8 f=Q
4. Rf7+ K moves
5. RxQf1
I think 1.Re6+! is the key to winning this for white. After 1…Kf7 2.Re3 Rxe7+ 3.Rxe7+ this capture is with check and provides the vital tempo to win. For example, the immediate 1.Re3? would spoil it after 1…Rxe7+! 2.Rxe7 f2 3.Re8 Kg7.
Beelze
1. Re3 maybe?
… Re7
2. Re7 f2
3. Ke8 f1Q
4. Rf7++-
White wins with 1. Re6+. Some examples:
1. … Kf5
2. Kxe8 Kxe6
3. Kf8 f2
4. e8(Q) Kd5
5. Qf7+
1. … Kf7
2. Re3 Rxe7+
3. Rxe7+ Kf6
4. Re3
and the pawn falls.
My guess is that white wins and the first move is Re3. I’m not sure what black’s best move is here, but if black plays f2, white blacks Rf3+ and later takes the pawn.
1.Re6+ Kf5 2.Kxe8 Kxe6 3.Kd8 Kf5 4.e8=Q 1-0
or
1…Kf7 2.Re3 the point being that 2…Rxe7+ can be answered with 3.Rxe7 CHECK.
Hi! I think this is a draw…
Well, logical moves seems to be:
a) 1.Re6+
b) 1.Re_ (3,4)
For direct 1.Re6+, I think:
a1) 1… Kf7 2.Re3 with subsequent take of pawn f3. White wins.
a2) 1… Kg5 2.Kxe8 f2 3.Kf7 f1=Q+ 4.Kg8 and pawn promotes, winning.
a3) 1… Kg7 – not permitting white’s king access to kingside – is, for me, the best attempt. Now 2.Kxe8 f2 3.Kd7 f1=Q 4.e8=Q Qb5+ 5.Rc6 and I think White must win… 🙂
Otherwise
b) 1.Re3 Rxe7+ 2.Rxe7 f2 3.Ke8!, and next 4.Rf7, and I see the point is in white’s hands…
A good position for think-to-learn, thanks!
1. Re6 is the key move as it picks up a tempo. Black’s best move is Kf7 and then 2. Re3 should finish it. The point is if Black now plays Re7, when White takes back it is with check.
In my opinion
1. Re6+ Kf7 (Kf5 2.Kxe8 Kxe6 3. Kd8 f2 4. e8+ wins, and if the king does not threaten the rook, the rook + queen versus queen ending is surely eventually won even though black gets his queen first.) 2. Re3 wins.
2. … Rxe7+ 3.Rxe7+ Kg7 4. Re3 secured the pawn, and
2. … f2 3. Rf3+ wins the rook and secures the pawn.
Indeed, it seems the most critical position arises after
1. Re6+ Kf5 white must not play Re3 because after Re7+ the black pawn cannot be stopped, but 2. Kxe8 f2 3. Kf7 f1=Q 4. e8=Q and I cannot see black able to stop and eventual queen trade.
Oh I got mixed up in my thoughts. After 1. Re6+ Kf5 2. Re3 Re7+ 2. Kxe7 Kf4, the black pawn must still be stopped. I am unsure if the black rook can do it alone with the white king so faraway.
Also, at 1. Re6+ Kf5 2.Kxe8 Kxe6 white wins the black pawn.
However, 1. Re6+ Kf5 2.Kxe8 f2 white can gain a tempo by playing 3. Kf6, when 3… f1=Q 4. Rf6+ wins.
So black could try 1. Re6+ Kg5 when I think white wins by 2. Kxe8 f2 3. Rg6+ Kxg6 4. e8=Q+.
There must be mistakes in this since this seems an incredibly complicated position for such a simple one.
“So black could try 1. Re6+ Kg5 when I think white wins by 2. Kxe8 f2 3. Rg6+ Kxg6 4. e8=Q+.” Well here I forgot the white king. =)
Instead 1. Re6+ Kg5 2. Kxe8 f2 3. Kd8 f1=Q 4. e8=Q+ and after 4….Qd3+ (or Qd1+) 5. Qd7 black has no checks.
1.Re6 is the only winning move: 1.Re3 Re7, 2.Re7 Kf5 is a draw.
Some have suggested 1. Re3, but that lets the win slip to a draw.
1. … Rxe7+
2. Rxe7 Kf5 holds the draw, not 2. … f2, which allows 3. Ke8, and the pawn falls.
As Spock once said, “There are always alternatives.” (How nerdy was that?)
i like
Re6+ Kf7 (or Kf5)
Rf6+
if …Kxf6
Kxe8. both pawns queen and it looks like a draw for black by perpetual check (or just by common sense)
if … K moves to g file Rxf3 should win.
however, i only glanced at this for a couple minutes. apologies
Yes, such an “anonymous” said 1.Re3? is bad in view of 1… Rxe7+ and 2…Kf5.
1.Re6+ wins easily. Thanks for the responses 🙂