White to move. This is an actual game. Can White win this or is this a draw? How should White proceed? No computer please 🙂 Calculate everything out.
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Opposite Bishop and Pawn endgame
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1. Bc7: Kc7: 2. Ke7 with the idea 3.d6, for example: 2…Kb6 (2..Bc8 3.d6; and if 2…Kc8 3.d6 the b-pawn will finally distract the king from guarding d7) 3.d6 Kb5: 4.d7 Bd7: 5.Kd7: and the pawn ending is won for white.
“and the pawn ending is won for white”
Prove it!
I do not think that end game is won because black’s king can walk to f2 and create a passed pawn himself.
The best ending situation I found was w: Kg4, Qh8, Pg3 b: Kd2, Qe1 with white to move.
I do not see any chance of exchanging queens and I don’t think that this end game KQP vs KQ can be won (perhaps it is won, I am not sure – but probably not without tablebases….).
To get to this position black has to handle the position after Kxd7 well because there is one very tricky tempo loss he has to find.
5. -, Kc4 6. Ke6, Kc3!! (Kd3?? loses to 7. Ke5, Ke2 8. Kxe4, Kxf2 9. Kf4, g5+! (last try!) 10. hxg5!, h4 … 13. g8Q, g1Q (or h1Q) 14. Qa2+ 15. Qa/b1+ 16. QxQ, KxQ 17. Kxg4 and 1:0) 7. Kf6 (7. Ke5?, Kd3!), Kd2! (Kd3?? 8. Ke5!) 8. Kxg6, Ke2 9. Kxh5, Kxf2 10. Kxg4, Kxe3 10. h5, Kd2 (are there better king moves here?) … 13. h8Q, e1Q and…. !? draw?
Perhaps I have overseen anything here but I think 1. Bxc7 isn’t a win….
Perhaps there is another way to win the bishops endgame but I suppose it is a draw!?
Greetings
Jochen
I think the key to this one is white’s bishop is free to move and black’s bish is stuck.
so forcing a pawn exchange on d6 with the square protected by the white bishop allows the b pawn to be escorted in by the king and bishop with the black bishop getting free a move too late to hit the b7 square.
white has to move Ke5, Bb4 and push the pawn. black can move his king pretty much anywhere. it doesnt matter.
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Jochen’s analysis is incorrect…White easily wins the pawn ending after:
1. Bxc7 Kxc7
2. Ke7 Kb6
3. d6 Kxb5
4. d7 Bxd7
5. Kxd7
The black E4 pawn falls and the game is over. It takes black too long to get to F2 and when he takes on f2 white puts his king on f4 and the white e pawn queens.
1. Bxc7! Kxc7 2.Ke7 Kb6 3.d6 Kxb5 4.d7 Bxd7 5.Kxd7
Well the King and Pawn ending is not trivial so here is a line.
5……Kc4 6.Ke6 Kd3(Kc3 7.Ke5 Kd3 8.Kf4 Ke2 9.Kxe4 Kxf2 10.Kf4 transposes) 7.Ke5 Ke2 8.Kxe4 Kxf2 9.Kf4! g5+! 10.hxg5 h4! 11.g6 hxg3(h3 is the same)12.g7 g2 13.g8=Q g1=Q 14.Qa2+ Kf1 15.Qa1+ Kg2 16.Qxg1+ Kxg1 17.Kxg4 and the e-pawn promotes.
jochen, the black king can get the pawn on f2, but that does not create a passed pawn. Black doesn’t have time to get the g3 pawn so he loses the pawn ending.
You’re right (… 1. Ke5, Kd3 2. Kd5! makes the day) but it’s not as easy as you think.
Again black has this surprising try g5+! after Kf4.
But similar as in the other variation white queens, black queens in the same move and white can exchange queens to win easily.
Thank you for correcting me!
Btw. I find this breakthrough with g5+ very surprising….
Greetings
Jochen
Btw: can anyone post the whole game? Did white win it?