Monday, March 21, 2011

White to play

Can white fight the passed pawns?

10 comments:

  1. Awesome position. I had something very similar come up once in a blitz game, but didn't find the right solution until analyzing it with the computer afterward. Very neat stuff.

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  2. Looking at some variations, Black can win the pawn endgame even if the White rook captures both passed pawns. Therefore, the only viable defense for White has to come from creating a passed pawn of his own. The direct Rg6 is not enough by one tempo, which suggests Rg1+ as the solution, forcing the Black king in front of his pawn: 1 Rg1+ Kb2 2 Rg6 Kc2 3 Rxh6 b2 4 Rb6 b1=Q 5 Rxb1 Kxb1 6 h6 and White wins. Nice one!

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  3. Duh. 1...Ka2 is enough for Black. Then I think the striking Rg5 could give White a draw.

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  4. I think 1.g5 right away is necessary so the h-pawn can queen with check in the 1...hxg5 lines:

    1...gxh5 2.h6 b2 3.h7 b1Q 4.h8+ (if 4...Qb2 5.Qxb2+ Kxb2 6.fxg5 1-0) Ka2 5.Qa8+ K-any 6.Qxb7+ K-any 7.Qxb1+ Kxb1 8.fxg5 1-0

    1...b2 2.Rxf5 b1Q 3.Ra5+ Kb2 4.Kb5+ K-any 5.Rxb1 Kxb1 f5 1-0

    [Note: K-any = any of the equally good best king moves available.]

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  5. Totally agreed! 1.Rg5 saves the day for white!

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  6. I would like to pose a problem...it's interesting...
    White: Kd6, Rg6, g2
    Black: Kh8, g7,c4, d3
    White plays... and... what's the result?

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  7. rateodoro, very interesting. I could not spot white's resource here without an engine. In fact, it took a depth of 14 ply for it to find white's win: Ke7. Definitely something I'll look into when I have the time.

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  8. Heyas dude,

    I would like to add that one of best ways to try to solve this kind of example is by method of ''elimination''. The problem was composed by great Paul Benko and I think deserves a good view :-D

    Best regards,

    rate

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  9. Like has been pointed out, 1.Rg5 is the move!

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