Hi Everybody!
How often have you resigned a chess game when the opponent was all set to queen a pawn? Here is an endgame study with White to play. Can White win? Don't scroll down for the answer till you have studied the position.
Black will promote their a2 pawn to a Queen.
Can white avoid losing? Or even win?
--- DON'T LOOK UNTIL YOU'VE STUDIED THE POSITION ---
Well! In this nice endgame study it seems the Rook cannot stop the pawn from queening. Neither can the bishop stop the pawn from becoming a Queen!
There is no perpetual check happening either. Once Black makes the Queen, he will take all the White pawns. Have you thought about how minor pieces can trap a Queen in this position in the corner of the board?
--- IF YOU DON'T SEE THE SOLUTION KEEP THINKING ---
Well! Yes! White can win!
Here is how the game went.
1. Rh7+ Kg8 2. Bd5+ KxR (because otherwise the King goes up to c2 and the Rook rolls down to h1 on Bishop support and traps the Queen)
3. Be4+ Kg7 4. Kc1 a1=Q+ 5. Bb1 1-0
Hope you enjoyed this study.
From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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LOL! I guess that goes to show you the power of pawns with assistance of a minor piece. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a novice, so why not the Black could move 1. Rh7+ KxR ?
ReplyDeleteCan the White win now?
For Jonas Oliveira... hey if 1. Rh7+ KxR then 2. Be4+ King moves anywhere 3. Kc1 a1=Q 4. Bb1 and queen is trapped again Now Black King cannot stop both c and f pawns from queening!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
ReplyDelete