Endgame puzzle

Black has just played ...Kd6-c5. Surprisingly, this throws away a won position.

How does white punish this move?

@bigdogg said
Black has just played ...Kd6-c5. Surprisingly, this throws away a won position.

How does white punish this move?

[fen]8/1p6/p7/2kP4/2P2Bp1/3PK1P1/6r1/8[/fen]

Just curious. How would you suggest one goes about solving things like this? A. Set up your board, move the pieces, using the diagram as a starting position or B. Look at the diagram and try to visualize it? This is the basic difference between C.C and OTB.

@mchill said
Just curious. How would you suggest one goes about solving things like this? A. Set up your board, move the pieces, using the diagram as a starting position or B. Look at the diagram and try to visualize it? This is the basic difference between C.C and OTB.

If you're trying to work on visualization, do it in your head.

If you just want to solve the puzzle, it helps to put it on a board and move the pieces around.

When I solved this one, it was not excessively long, so I was able to do it in my head. If they go for 10 moves or more, I tend to need the board.

I usually use software like WinBoard, or the analysis board on lichess, rather than setting up a physical board. I find this a lot faster, although old-school players may prefer the physical board.

@bigdogg said
Black has just played ...Kd6-c5. Surprisingly, this throws away a won position.

How does white punish this move?

[fen]8/1p6/p7/2kP4/2P2Bp1/3PK1P1/6r1/8[/fen]

D3 to D4 looks good. King takes C4, and pawn on D5 goes for the gold (pawn promotion). I would have to set up a board to see if that's right. Not sure if black rook can stop pawn, but I don't think so.

Edit: I think that's it. The black king isn't able to catch up to the pawn, and neither can the rook... correction, rook can get pawn but Bishop to g5 can take rook.
It looks like I will need to set up my board. But if this was an actual OTB game I'd just cross my fingers and go for it.

Should the black king have moved to D7?

@kilroy70 said
D3 to D4 looks good. King takes C4, and pawn on D5 goes for the gold (pawn promotion). I would have to set up a board to see if that's right. Not sure if black rook can stop pawn, but I don't think so.

Edit: I think that's it. The black king isn't able to catch up to the pawn, and neither can the rook... correction, rook can get pawn but Bishop to g5 can take rook.
It l ...[text shortened]... need to set up my board. But if this was an actual OTB game I'd just cross my fingers and go for it.

After d3-d4, one needs to consider also whether White has an effective reply to ...Kb6 (instead of ...Kxc4).

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@fmdavidhlevin said
After d3-d4, one needs to consider also whether White has an effective reply to ...Kb6 (instead of ...Kxc4).

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I suppose Kb6 could be good for black, but then white has 3 pawns to work with instead of 2.
And instead of the rook scooting up the h file it might want to position itself somewhere else on the 2nd rank, in which case the white king would need to come into play.
If I was playing black I wouldn't like my king being forced back into a corner with three pawns to deal with.. but it might be the only good move for black.
Right now the bishop appears to be more effective than the rook.

@fmdavidhlevin said
After d3-d4, one needs to consider also whether White has an effective reply to ...Kb6 (instead of ...Kxc4).

Hidden content removed

If ...Kb6 then pawn to c5 looks good.

@kilroy70 said
If ...Kb6 then pawn to c5 looks good.

After 1.d4+ Kb6 2. c5+ Kb5, how should White continue?

@fmdavidhlevin said
After 1.d4+ Kb6 2. c5+ Kb5, how should White continue?

I don't want blacks king to move to c6, so I'll leave the pawns where they are. Also should probably leave the bishop where it is. That just leaves the white king (something has to move) so K to d3 looks good... it prevents black king from moving to c4, and slightly limits where the rook can go.
So I'll go with Kd3 for the next move.

The pawn on a6 could be a problem if it didn't have far to go, so I'll ignore it for now.

@kilroy70 said
I don't want blacks king to move to c6, so I'll leave the pawns where they are. Also should probably leave the bishop where it is. That just leaves the white king (something has to move) so K to d3 looks good... it prevents black king from moving to c4, and slightly limits where the rook can go.
So I'll go with Kd3 for the next move.

The pawn on a6 could be a problem if it didn't have far to go, so I'll ignore it for now.

After 1. d4+ Kb6 2. c5+ Kb5 3. Kd3, 3...a5 seems to put White in a bit of a quandary. If 4. Kc3, then 4...Rf2 threatens either 5...Rxf4 followed by promoting the g-pawn or 5...Rf3+ to force White's king to the second rank.

White might appear to stand fairly well. Nonetheless, Black is ahead by the exchange for a pawn, and I think it behooves White to look to quickly exploit the central pawn mass before Black's rook and a-pawn become a real nuisance.

I've hidden a hint below.

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@fmdavidhlevin said
After 1. d4+ Kb6 2. c5+ Kb5 3. Kd3, 3...a5 seems to put White in a bit of a quandary. If 4. Kc3, then 4...Rf2 threatens either 5...Rxf4 followed by promoting the g-pawn or 5...Rf3+ to force White's king to the second rank.

White might appear to stand fairly well. Nonetheless, Black is ahead by the exchange for a pawn, and I think it behooves White to look to quickly ...[text shortened]... a-pawn become a real nuisance.

I've hidden a hint below.

Hidden content removed

I saw the problem with the rook and g pawn, and didn't think I had a choice but to deal with it.
I'll take back the white king move and look for a way to bypass blacks king.

Pawn to c6. b7 takes c6 then pawn to d6.
R to h2, pawn to d7, rook to h8, bishop to g5.

There are other possible responses to c6 but the result is the same.

@kilroy70 said
Pawn to c6. b7 takes c6 then pawn to d6.
R to h2, pawn to d7, rook to h8, bishop to g5.

There are other possible responses to c6 but the result is the same.

... unless king moves to b6. 🤔?

@kilroy70 said
... unless king moves to b6. 🤔?

I've found it beneficial to find and analyze all checks, captures, and moves that position a chessman to subsequently check, capture, or do something threatening.

After 1. d4+ Kb6 2. c5+ Kb5 3. c6 Kb6, does White have any moves that fall within one of the above categories?