White to move. How should White proceed?
3k4/2p5/8/P1pN4/1bP5/8/8/3K4 w – – 0 1
August, 1792
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Overnight endgame challenge
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White to move. How should White proceed?
3k4/2p5/8/P1pN4/1bP5/8/8/3K4 w – – 0 1
August, 1792
1. a6 kc8
2. Ne7+ kb8
3. Nc6+ ka8
and now white can pick up pawns and win.
Ne7
A5 – A6
1, Ne7
if 1… c6
2. Nxc6+ Kc7
3. Nxb4 cxb4
4. Kc2 Kb7
(or 4… Kc6 5. Kb3 Kc5 6. a6, Kb6 7. Kxb4 Kxa6 8. Kc5 Kb7 9. Kd6 Kc8 10. Kc6 Kb8 11. Kd7 wins)
5. Kb3 Ka6
6. Kxb4 wins
—- other lines for black on move 1 —
1… Kd7, 2. a6 wins
1… Bxa5 2. Nc6+ wins
1… Kxd7 2. a6 wins
Ne7 then probably c6. Nxc6 Kc7 Nxb4 cxb4 Kc2 Kc6 Kb3 Kc5
a pawn forward and then Kxb4 Kxa pawn. Kc5 and then the pawn advances
1. Ne7 1-0
(Bxa5, Nc6+,
otherwise a5-6-7-8)
Here’s my try: 1.Ne7 (blocks bK from c8 and c6, if 1…Bxa5, 2.Nc6+ forks the B and wins easily; 1…Kxe7 2.a6 and queens) c6 2.Nxc6+ Kc7 3.Nxb4 cxb4 4.Kc2 Kc6 5.Kb3 Kc5 6.a6 Kb6 7.Kxb4 Kxa6 8. Kc5 wins
1. Nd5-e7
1. Nd5-e7
ne7
Ne7!
1.Ne7!! wins.
How about 1. Nxb4 cxb4 2. c5. Then, if:
2… Kd7 3. Kc2 Kc6 4. a6 Kd7 (4… Kxc5 5. a7) 5. Kb5 and white will win the K+P ending.
2… Kc8 3. Kc2 Kb7 4. Kb3 Ka6 (or 4… Kc6) 5. Kxb4 and wins.