White to move. Is this a draw or win for Black? How should White proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
R vs Q endgame
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White to move. Is this a draw or win for Black? How should White proceed?
If I am right this is a funny position which is worth to be known. I is a draw:
Black starts with
1. … Rh2+
2. Kxh2? stalemate
2. Kg3? Rh3+
3. Kxh3 stalemate
2. Kg4 Rg2+
3. Kf4 Rf2+
4. Ke4 Re2 Black forces to change queen and rook
If White’s King does not enter the e-file, Black always give rook checks on f2, g2 and h2.
Draw. As long as White can give up his rook in such a way that the Black king controls g2 after the capture, it will be stalemate.
The simplest way to do that would be to keep checking the king from h2 and g2 until the king takes the rook. If Black ever moves the king to f3 (hoping for Rf2+??), White can check from g3 – either the king will capture the rook, again leading to stalemate, or the rook will take the queen and lead to a draw.
Obviously, white needs a stalemate. My first and only real thought in this position is
1. Rh2
The rook cannot be taken at h2 since this leaves white with no legal move. If the black king moves to the fourth rank, white just keeps checking from h2, g2, and f2 with impunity. If the black king tries to cross behind the queen, the check from e2 wins her majesty. So, black must keep the king on the third rank so that the check f2 isn’t possible, but I can already see that this is also a draw. Continuing:
1. …..Kg3
2. Rg2 Kf3
3. Rg3! Kg3 is also stalemate.
With White on the move, it’s a draw.
1. Rh2+ Kg3 (1. … Kxh2 stalemate)
2. Rg2+ Kf3 (going to the h-file repeats)
3. Rg3+ draw by material or by stalemate.
Otherwise, White has endless checks along the f, g, and h files, or pins the queen with Re2 if the king tries to swing around.
In QvR endings, when the defending king is on the edge of the board, the attacking queen should not linger on the 3rd rank or file from the edge for long. Too many stalemates are lurking there.
rg3 draw
an important resource to remember, in what is actually a very tricky endgame!
The Queen has taken alot of the White King’s squares, so a stalemate possibility is present if the black king can be lured to a square controlling g2 via a rook sac.
1. Rh2 And now 1…Kxh2 is stalemate. 1…Kg3 2. Rh3 and draws again. Finally 1…Kg4 2. Rf2 Kf4 (2…Kf3 3. Rg3) 3. Rf2 will lead to a perpetual check; the king cannot run to e4 because of Re2. Draw!
Hello
This position is draw.
1. Rh2+
Black has 3 options
A)
1. …. , Kxh2 stalemate
B)
1. …. , Kg3
2. Rh3 stalemate
C)
1. …. , Kg4
2. Rg2 , Kf4
3. Rf2+ stalemate
the black king cannot escape of the perpetual check without happening to the column e and then Te2 secures tables.
Greetings from Spain
This a draw because of stalemate tricks. The Q belongs on e4 not e3 in these types of positions so as to avoid the stalemates.
1. Rh2+ Kg3
2. Rh3+ =
Wihte just keeps checking on the f g and h files and if black king approaches then goes for stalemate with Rg3 or Rh3 as appropriate.
If the K goes to the e-file then simply Re2.
It’s a draw. White starts out with 1. Rh2+. Black has to try 1… Kg4 (1… Kxh2 stalemate or 1… Kg3 2. Rh3+ Kxh3 stalemate) 2. Rh2+ now Black has to try 2… Kf4 (2… Kf3 3. Rf3+ Kxf3 stalemate) 3. Rf2+ and Black can’t play the king to e-file due to 4. Re2, so this will lead eventually to draw by repetition.
Lucy
Looks like an easy draw to me? Stalemate after rh2+ kxh2 and if king runs to f3 then Rg3 and stalemate or bare kings. Otherwise crazy rook checking with black king forever on f,g and h files. Of course I had a drink and am sleepy :).
What an obvious stalemating postion! Just move the rook along the second rank with check. If it is taken on h2=stalemate. If king walks to e-file=queen will get pinned. if king to f3=Rg3+ and either the queen gets exchanged or another stalemate position occurs. greets, jan
It’s a draw, either perpetual or stalemate.
1. Rh2 Kg3 (Kxh2 stalemate)
2. Rg2 Kf3
3. Rg3 Kxg3 stalemate.
Quorthon
1:Rh2+ Kxh2 is stalemate
so Kg3
2:Rg2+ Kf3
3:Rg3+
Now Black can choose stalemate or losing the queen
so it’s a draw,
I would move Rg3+, followed by stalemate if Black captures the rook.
Whoops, that loses to QxR. I’d try Rh2+ followed by Rg2+.
If Rg3 the queen can take without stalemate. Therefore, first Rh2+ (king takes –> stalemate) then Rh3+ either winning the queen or forcing stalemate.
Rg3 is not followed by a stalemate if the queen captures the rook.
Rg3+ is not the correct move. It is Rh2+, …Kg3, Rg2+…Kf3, Rg3+ and any variations leads to draw.
iMac Rg3 is not correct since the rook can be captured by the queen.
The solution is :
Rh2+ Kg3
Rg2+ Kf3
Rg3+
From spain…
1)Rh2+,Kh2 = draw
1)Rh2+,Kg3
2)Rg2+,Kf3
3)Rg3+! = draw
1)Rh2+,Kg3
2)Rg2+,Kf4
3)Rf2+,Ke4
4)Re2 = draw
Greetings from Spain
…there’s no stalemate if black captures the rook with queen.
This is often an extremely difficult ending to win, but so long as black can keep the white king on the side and with few squares to move to, I think black can eventually win. Because it’s white’s move, it might take a while though.
Rh2
Stalemate
Rh2+ and stalemate shortly after, if not perpetual check or exchange R vs Q.