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Endgame puzzle

Endgame puzzle

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Here is particularly interesting endgame puzzle by Troitzky and
Korolkov.

White to play and win:

Hint: A Rook pins a Bishop which pins a Bishop which pins a Rook
which pins a Rook!

FEN: R7/8/1pB3p1/5b1r/K4R2/P1Pk4/1p3P2/8 w - - 0 1

Rein

1 edit
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Originally posted by Rein
FEN: R7/8/1pB3p1/5b1r/K4R2/P1Pk4/1p3P2/8 w - - 0 1
8th rank:- W rook, 7 empty squares
7th rank:- 8 empty squares
6th rank:- 1 empty, B pawn, W bishop, 3 empty, B pawn, 1 empty
5th rank:- 5 empty, B bishop, 1 empty, B rook
4th rank:- W king, 4 empty, W rook, 2 empty
3rd rank:- W pawn, 1 empty, W pawn, B king, 4 empty
2nd rank:- 1 empty, B pawn, 3 empty, W pawn, 2 empty
1st rank:- 8 empty

Have I set the board up correctly? (I hope not because if I have then I
can't find any pinning a thing pinning another thing which pins another
thing pinning another thing kind of move - best I can find is Rb4 to
stop the pawn promoting)

Mark

1 edit
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Mark,

You have the position correct, and Rb4 is the correct move. Now, the
question is what do you do against ...Rh4, black's only good move,
pinning your rook?
This is where all the pins come into play.

Rein

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Thanks Rein. As usual I'm a level or two below what's required! 😀

I'll take another look at it now. Appreciate you checking it for me.

Mark

2 edits
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You answered my question Rein.

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Originally posted by Rein
Mark,

You have the position correct, and Rb4 is the correct move. Now, the
question is what do you do against ...Rh4, black's only good move, [b]
pinning your rook?
This is where all the pins come into play.

Rein[/b]
After ... Rh4:
d4 ... Rxd4
Bc5

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Originally posted by richjohnson
After ... Rh4:
d4 ... Rxd4
Bc5
I'm guessing you meant Bb5, pinning the black rook at c4.

So, we have
1.Rb4Rh5
2.c4Rxc4
3.Bb5

but what does white do after 3...Bd7 which pins the bishop which pins
the rook which pins the rook?

Rein

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Originally posted by Rein
I'm guessing you meant Bb5, pinning the black rook at c4.

So, we have
1.Rb4Rh5
2.c4Rxc4
3.Bb5

but what does white do after 3...Bd7 which pins the bishop which pins
the rook which pins the rook?

Rein
Yeah, thanks Rein, that's what I meant. (It's hard with no board in
front of me). I guess white would follow up with yet another pin:

4. Rd8, pinning the bishop?

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That's correct. It's an interesting predicament, eh? A Rook pins a
Bishop which pins a Bishop which pins a Rook which pins a Rook. But
suddenly, Black runs out of pins and pieces!

Rein

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Originally posted by Rein
[b]Mark,

You have the position correct, and Rb4 is the correct move. Now, the
question is what do you do against ...Rh4, black's only good move...
Is Bh4 black's only good move? Is it, in fact, a good move at all? I
was thinking black ought to play ...Kc3 instead.

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Well, Bennett, White is up a a piece, so he wins if the b2 pawn is
captured. What would black do against, say, Rb8?

Rein

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Originally posted by Rein
Well, Bennett, White is up a a piece, so he wins if the b2 pawn is
captured. What would black do against, say, Rb8?

Rein
Yes, white's up a rook, but it looks like blacks ...Kxc3 could either
force white to sacrifice its b-file rook or promote that pawn. Either way
it's a far sight better than ...Rh4.

As for white playing Rb8 after ...Kxc3, I think white may want to
reevaluate that decision...,😀

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Originally posted by bbarr
Yes, white's up a rook, but it looks like blacks ...Kxc3 could either
force white to sacrifice its b-file rook or promote that pawn. Either way
it's a far sight better than ...Rh4.

As for white playing Rb8 after ...Kxc3, I think white may want to
reevaluate that decision...,😀
Yes. I probably should have lo0oked at the board before I posted. My
memory's not up to the task! 😀

Rein