Sunday, July 26, 2009

Weekly Chess Puzzle


I have an endgame puzzle for you this week. White has a bishop and a pawn nearing promotion. Black has a rook. It is White's move. Can Black prevent the pawn from promotion?

10 comments:

  1. Black can draw this very easily with Rg8 and Ra8 and taking the pawn. I don't see how white can win this, however if black can pick up the pawn, then R vs B is theoretically a win for black.

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  2. Correction, now I see why that doesn't work ha ha cause it's WHITE to move LOL. In that case.... white wins :D

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  3. Ok, how does White go about winning this game?

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  4. a7 Rg8 Bg3+

    If RxB pawn queens, and Q vs R queen wins.

    If king moves than Bb8 and the pawn queens.

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  5. What if Black plays 1. -- Rg2+ with the intention of perpetual check?

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  6. If a7 Rg2 Kb3 seems fine to me. Maybe I am missing the point of the puzzle LOL

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  7. If Kb3, Rg8 allows black to draw. White gives up the win. Can you find the winning moves?

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  8. I don't see how, if a7 Rg2 Kb3 Rg8, white still has Bg3+

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  9. If Bg3+, then Rxg3+ wins the bishop. The rook can return to g8 and win the pawn as well.

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  10. Ok, here's the full solution:

    1. a7 Rg2+ (if Rg8 then Bg3+ gives Q vs. R)
    2. Kb1 Rg1+
    3. Be1! Rxe1+
    4. Kb2 Re2+
    5. Kb3 Re3+
    6. Kb4 Re4+
    7. Kb5 and Q vs. R wins

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