23 Jun 13
2 edits
Originally posted by robbie carrobieThere is only one winning move for White- all other moves win for Black.
[fen]1k6/1P6/2P5/P7/5ppp/8/6K1/8 b - - 0 1[/fen]
WHITE TO PLAY
Here's a hint: Black will lose if he is forced into a position where he has to move his king. White's goal is to maneuver his king in such a way that, when Black inevitably moves his pawns, he can place his king in a position to blockade them so that subsequent pawn moves would only result in black losing them one by one.
When that is accomplished, black will be in zugzwang. He will either lose all his pawns, or he will have to move his king, and if his king moves, white can advance his pawns and win.
Yeah, I know it's a big hint, but knowing the plan does not mean that the position will play itself, so you still have to find the moves.
EDIT: The important thing is to know how a king can stop three connected passed pawns in the absence of any other piece intervention. Know that, and all positions like this become much easier to solve.
2nd EDIT: We need an endgame blog.
23 Jun 13
Originally posted by Paul Leggettoh its no use , no matter how i shuffle my king around, one of the outside pawns always makes queen! How hard can it be, its a one in six chance for goodness sake.
There is only one winning move for White- all other moves win for Black.
Here's a hint: Black will lose if he is forced into a position where he has to move his king. White's goal is to maneuver his king in such a way that, when Black inevitably moves his pawns, he can place his king in a position to blockade them so that subsequent pawn moves woul ...[text shortened]... d all positions like this become much easier to solve.
2nd EDIT: We need an endgame blog.
P.S thanks for the hint, ill get this sucka if it takes me all summer, which it probably will.
24 Jun 13
2 edits
Originally posted by SwissGambityes i eventually got it through a process of elimination, King has five moves, all moves on the second rank fail because black will be able to reach a formation and queen a pawn and we cannot stop him. Kf2 ...h3, Kh2 ...f3 and we end up with a formation that is impossible or us to stop, that leaves three moves, Kf1, Kg1 and Kh1. Kf1 ...h3, Kh1 ...f3 and again we are in an formation that is impossible for us to blockade effectively, the only move therefore, after having eliminated all others must be Kg1!! and now if ....g3 then Kf2 and we blockade successfully or eat pawn, or if ...h3 then Kh2 and we blockade successfully or eat pawn, or if ...g3 then Kg2 and again we are successful.
[pgn]
[Event "Edited position"]
[Date "2013.06.23"]
[Round "-"]
[White "-"]
[Black "-"]
[Result " "]
[FEN "1k6/1P6/2P5/P7/5ppp/8/6K1/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]
1. Kg1 { ! - it is extremely important to wait and directly blockade any pawn that may advance. If 1.a6? then 1...g3! and white's K must let a P advance to f3 or h3, which is death. } 1... K establishes a direct blockade, it is all over. } 4...Kc7 5.a7 {1-0}
[/pgn]
a thoroughly instructive problem, thanks to everyone for taking the time. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to play through branches of variations in the the annotation window.
24 Jun 13
1 edit
Originally posted by robbie carrobieoops double post sowwy!
yes i eventually got it through a process of elimination, King has five moves, all moves on the second rank fail because black will be able to reach a formation and queen a pawn and we cannot stop him. Kf2 ...h3, Kh2 ...f3 and we end up with a formation that is impossible for us to stop, that leaves three moves, Kf1, Kg1 and Kh1. Kf1 ...h3, Kh1 ... ...[text shortened]... dn't it be nice to be able to play through branches of variations in the the annotation window.
25 Jun 13
OK not a problem as in a "white to win" type, but in this game I've just played over on chesscube there are some real endgame problems I need to solve. The guy I was playing was rated some 300 points higher so when he kept exchanging down I was quite happy as I thought I could draw the endgame fairly easily, but he posed some real issues for me to deal with. I'm white the fun starts at move 25. My mind set is "easy opposite coloured bishops draw"
what I thought was an easily drawn endgame proved to be anything but (and I'm sure I missed loads in the game and the analysis so feel free to point it out !)