This is me studying my King and Pawn endings in bed.
Three puzzles for you this week all with a similar theme.
No need for a clue. You will get the idea very s’ooo’n.
R. Mamedov - D. Navara, Romanian Grand Prix Chess.com 2022
Black to play and win.
answer
Black played 0-0-0 and it was 0-1
Benjamin Barker - Cosmic Warrior RHP 2018
White to play and win
answer
White played 0-0-0+ and Kxb2
Benjamin Barker - LEUR RHP.2019
White to play and win
answer
White played 0-0-0+ and Kxb2
OK (did you notice that twice Benjamin pulled off that trick.)
R. Palliser - V. Stoyanov, 4NCL:2023
Black to play
Answer
1...Qe6+ 2.Qxe6 forced. Stalemate.
Benjamin Barker - Glackentino2 RHP 2018
Another Benjamin win. (my new hero) White to play and win.
Answer[
1. g5+ Kxg5 2. Qg7+ Kxh5 3. Qg4 mate.
I happened upon this the other day.
R. Swinkels - J. Krassowizkij, German Bundesliga, 2023
White to play what would you do? (You are losing time to think of a crafty trap.)
White played 1.Rg3 Black fell for it 1...a3 2.Rxa3 a draw. 2...Rxa3 is stalemate.
Two Red Hot Pawn examples of players walking into this type of Stalemate.
chickenlittle - dn84 RHP 2022
White played 1.Kf6 Rxb6+ 2.Rxb6 stalemate.
This next one...I do not know whether laugh or cry. It’s simply Amazing,
Gary Riley - GabiG RHP 2022
FEN
8/8/8/7k/6p1/R6p/pr6/7K w - - 0 62
[FEN "8/8/8/7k/6p1/R6p/pr6/7K w - - 0 62"] 62. Ra5+ Kh4 63. Ra6 Rb1+ 64. Kh2 {Black can play g6 checkmate.} 64... a1=Q 65. Rxa1 {Black can still play g6 checkmate.} 65... Rxa1 {Stalemate.}
A few blogs ago I was showing Queens taking all four Rooks. Here is a good
OTB game with a similar theme. Both players were awarded the Brilliancy Prize.
Efim Geller - Harry Golombek, Budapest 1952
Oddly enough the exact same series of moves appeared
48 years later in S. Rodriguez - H. Adib, Santiago 2000.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 {The Nimzo Indian First played by Dick West (1851-99) so it should be called the West Indian.} 4. e3 {Rubinstein’s Variation. First played by Joe East (1861-99) it should be called the East West Indian.} 4... c5 {(Greenpawn are these opening names correct?....Russ.)} 5. a3 cxd4 {Golombek's pet line, he played it frequently, The most common choice is 5...Bxc3.} 6. axb4 dxc3 {I cannot see anything wrong with 7.bxc3 but Geller played....} 7. Nf3 {...which I like. For the pawn White gets the ball rolling.} 7... cxb2 8. Bxb2 d5 9. c5 {Now 9...0-0 looks OK But let us trust Golombek he has been here before.} 9... b6 10. Bb5+ Bd7 11. Bxd7+ Nfxd7 {This move certainly livens things up. 11....Nbxd7 12.c6 and 13 b5 is good for White} 12. Qc2 {To hold the c-pawn and aim at h7 making Bxg7 a real threat.} 12... Nc6 13. Bxg7 Nxb4 {This is getting very interesting. Both players are looking for a killing shot.} 14. Qb1 {White is committed to staying on the h7 pawn for tactical chances.} 14... Rg8 15. c6 {To get that Knight away from c2 15.Qxh7 Rxg7 16,Qxg7 Nc2+ pans out in Black favour.} 15... Nxc6 {Looks best. 15....Nf8 16. Bxf8. Black wants the d7 Knight to go to f6 after Qxh7.} 16. Qxh7 {Now 16...Ne7 and we have a different game, But Black can practically force a draw here.} 16... Nf6 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 {Both Rooks hanging with a check. Both players working hard.} 18. Qxg8+ Kd7 {Not 18....Ke7 19 Qg5 and that is 1-0.} 19. Ne5+ {A good move to slip in. 19....Qxe5 20. Qxf7+ and 21.0-0.and White is on top.} 19... Nxe5 20. Qxa8 {White takes the Rook there is nothing better both players have worked out the draw.} 20... Nf3+ 21. gxf3 Qxa1+ 22. Ke2 Qb2+ {Draw agreed, the . Rodriguez - Adib game continued with....} 23. Kf1 Qb1+ 24. Kg2 Qg6+ 25. Kf1 Qb1+ 26. Kg2 Qg6+ *
