Originally posted by ilywrinAbsolutely. 1. Rc8 forces the draw. White sacs both pieces for both Pawns and Black doesn't have enough material to mate.
An interesting position I've stumbled while disproving the corectness of a study of mine 🙁 Oh, well...
[fen]R7/8/3b4/8/N7/pk6/2p5/K7 [/fen]
Can White draw?
On a side note: if anyone is interested in helping me with a study for the Nunn Tournament give me a PM
Originally posted by AThousandYoungNo! 1.Rc8?? Be5+ 2.Rc3+ (else mate in 1) Bxc3+ 3.Nxc3 (Nb2? then c1Q# ) c1Q+ 4.Nb1 Qb2#
Absolutely. 1. Rc8 forces the draw. White sacs both pieces for both Pawns and Black doesn't have enough material to mate.
But 1.Nc5+! does the job: if Bxc5 or Kc4 then Rxa3+ followed by Kb2 (taking on a3 = stalemate)
Originally posted by Mephisto21.Nc5+ Kc4 2.Rxa3 no check! c1Q+ 3.Ka2 Qc2+ 4.Ka1 Be5+ 5.Rc3 Bxc3# is not a solution.
No! 1.Rc8?? Be5+ 2.Rc3+ (else mate in 1) Bxc3+ 3.Nxc3 (Nb2? then c1Q# ) c1Q+ 4.Nb1 Qb2#
But 1.Nc5+! does the job: if Bxc5 or Kc4 then Rxa3+ followed by Kb2 (taking on a3 = stalemate)
2.Ra4+ doesn't help either: Kxc5 3.Ka2 c1Q 4.Rc4+ Qxc4+ avoiding the stalemate or 4.Ra5+ Kb6 avoiding the stalemate.
I think the authors intention was 1.Rb8+ allowing the opponent to decide which piece to take. Unfortunaly this doesn't seem to work:
1. ...Bxb8 2.Nc5+ Kc4 3.Nb3(stalemate motiv) Be5+ 4.Ka2 Bb2 5.Na5+(5.Nd2+ Kd3) Kb4 6Nc6+ Kc5 black wins.
White doesn't even get the draw after 1. ...Kxa4 2.Rc8 Kb3 (threatening Be5+ once again) 3.Rb8+(stalemate motiv) Kc3 4.Rc8+ Kd2 black wins
2.Ra8+ would be the next try: Kb4 3.Txa3 (stalemate motiv) c1Q+ wins as described up top(the king on b4 doesn't matter). 3. Rb8+(last try) Kc3 transposes to the line above.
I believe that White can't force a draw.
Originally posted by jfkjmh1.Nc5+ Kc4 2.Rxa3 no check! c1Q+ 3.Ka2 Qc2+ 4.Ka1 Be5+ 5.Rc3 Bxc3# is not a solution.
1.Nc5+ Kc4 2.Rxa3 no check! c1Q+ 3.Ka2 Qc2+ 4.Ka1 Be5+ 5.Rc3 Bxc3# is not a solution.
2.Ra4+ doesn't help either: Kxc5 3.Ka2 c1Q 4.Rc4+ Qxc4+ avoiding the stalemate or 4.Ra5+ Kb6 avoiding the stalemate.
I think the authors intention was 1.Rb8+ allowing the opponent to decide which piece to take. Unfortunaly this doesn't seem to work:
1. ...Bxb8 2.Nc5+ ...[text shortened]... 3. Rb8+(last try) Kc3 transposes to the line above.
I believe that White can't force a draw.
Sure, I forgot to mention after Kc4 2.Nb3 Kxb3 and then Rxa3+. Not taking on b3 doesn't help black (white can play Ka2 in most variations). So I believe 1.Nc5+ IS the solution.
I think jfk was on the right way...
The idea is to play Rxa3 with check coz then its stalemate. Maybe it works like that:
1.Nc5+ Kc4 (on 1... Bxc5 comes 2. Rxa3+ right away) 2.Nb3!
Now it seems Black has to take the knight followed by Rxa3 and stalemate.
If Black won't take the knight, White might even win after Ka2 or so.
2... Kxb3 3. Rxa3 + K/Bxa3 stalemate (if Black doesn't take the rook...3... Kc4 then 4. Kb2 and wins the pawn and draw also)
edit: it seems i was too slow since mephisto figured that out too 😉
Indeed 1.Nc5+ is the drawing move 😉 I've been wondering if a mechanism for repeated sacrifice of a piece (three or four consecutive times) /like the knight in this occasion/ can be done, and the acceptance of the sacrifice either leads to stalemate or a theoretical draw...
Well done 🙂