end game study

Here's a position from a game that a team member of mine played at an online chess server (fics). In this position White moved Ng4 and they agreed to draw. In our analysis we had a lot of problems to find a winning way for White. After a while we did find it, however I'm not sure if it was all best played for Black. What do you think about it and what steps/plan has White to follow to achieve a possible win?

My guess is Ng4 is winning. If you get the knight to h2 attacking the pawn, he has to put it on a dark g2 where the king can attack it. if he trades pawn and bishop for knight, you can win that endgame pretty easily I think. I didn't look too deep so I may be wrong.

I think Ng4 wins too. After:

1. Ng4 - 2. Nh2 f2 3. Ke3
Black loses the pawn and then white can force his way down the board.

So far so good. We will achieve this position with White to move.



The problem now is, that Blacks bishop is controlling a8-h1 and Black king will always stay around the squares g4-f5 making it impossible for White to bring his pawn to g4 (which White sooner or later has to do, if he wants to win).

Now the plan we figured out was to bring Black into Zugzwang, and somehow it always worked in our analysis. First the knight has to move around alot attacking both of Blacks pawns, forcing them to advance to a6 and h5. After that the knight might be able to bring black into some kind of Zugzwang that allows White to either bring his king to f4 or allow him to move up the g3 pawn.

My computer not knowing this plan, wasn't able to win the game. If I have enough time I'll play against it as White. But I'll probably win just because he doesn't know this plan so he won't try to prevent it. Computers are so dumb sometimes. 😛

Anyone agreeing with my winning plan? Or you see Black countermoves? It's really a difficult analysis because you have no forced move sequence that leads to win. And computers are not helpful at all, as mentioned before.

Originally posted by crazyblue
So far so good. We will achieve this position with White to move.

[fen]8/pb5p/8/P4k2/7P/6P1/5K2/5N2 w - - 0 1[/fen]

The problem now is, that Blacks bishop is controlling a8-h1 and Black king will always stay around the squares g4-f5 making it impossible for White to bring his pawn to g4 (which White sooner or later has to do, if he wants to win).

...[text shortened]... ove sequence that leads to win. And computers are not helpful at all, as mentioned before.

Once the pawns are on a6 and h5, one thing white can try is to play g4 at a certain point, temporarily giving up the pawn. He will win it back later on and have a free h-pawn.

Originally posted by crazyblue
So far so good. We will achieve this position with White to move.

[fen]8/pb5p/8/P4k2/7P/6P1/5K2/5N2 w - - 0 1[/fen]

The problem now is, that Blacks bishop is controlling a8-h1 and Black king will always stay around the squares g4-f5 making it impossible for White to bring his pawn to g4 (which White sooner or later has to do, if he wants to win).

...[text shortened]... ove sequence that leads to win. And computers are not helpful at all, as mentioned before.

how did you get to this position?

Originally posted by aginis
how did you get to this position?

From the position above it's 5 moves:
1. Ng4 Kh5 2. Nh2 f2 3. Ke3 f1=Q 4. Nxf1 Kg4 5. Kf2 Kf5

Or do you mean the entire game?

Originally posted by crazyblue
From the position above it's 5 moves:
1. Ng4 Kh5 2. Nh2 f2 3. Ke3 f1=Q 4. Nxf1 Kg4 5. Kf2 Kf5

Or do you mean the entire game?

wouldn't it make more sense for white to play g4-Kg3-Nh3-Ng1

Originally posted by aginis
wouldn't it make more sense for white to play g4-Kg3-Nh3-Ng1

Well, as mentioned above, White already played 1. Ng4 and after that they agreed to draw. I showed the position before the move, so that it's White's turn.

However in your move order I find this:
1. g4 Kf6 2. Kg3 Ke5 3. Nh3 Kd4
If 4. Ng1 then Black looks better (Ke3). White can probably force draw though by just moving the knight back and forth.
So White has to play 4. Kf2 followed by 4. .. Ke4 5. Kf2 Bc8 6. Ng5+ Kf4 7. Nxh7 Kxg4 will probably be drawn as well.

But as said, White played 1. Ng4 so this all doesn't matter 🙂