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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

K and P ending


Here’s an interesting K and P ending.  White’s first move looks fairly obvious, but an interesting situation arises if he mistakenly plays into the drawing line 1.Ke6.

White to move and win

1.Kf6!
The only winning move.

1.Ke6 Kg7! On any other move Black would lose. 2.Kd5 Kh6 3.Kc6 Kxh5 4.Kxc7 Kg5 And this position is a draw regardless of what White plays with one exception. 

White to move and lose

If White plays 5.Kc6 he loses! e.g. 5.Kc6?? 5...h5 6.Kd6 h4 7.c4 h3 8.c5 h2 9.c6 h1Q and Black wins the Q vs. P ending.  But if White play 5.Kd7 for example, then after 5...h5 6.c4 h4 7.c5 h3 8.c6 h2 9.c7 h1Q 10.c8Q the game is drawn.

1...Kf8 2.c4
2.h6 Ke8 3.c4! (3.Kg7 Capturing the P on h7 only draws. 3...Ke7 4.Kxh7 Kf7! Other moves lose) 3...Kf8 4.c5 winning.

2...Ke8
2...Kg8 is equally futile... 3.Ke7 h6 4.c5! This is quickest 4...c6 5.Kd7 Kf8 6.Kxc6 Ke7 7.Kb7 winning.

3.c5 Kf8
3...Kd7 also loses after 4.Kg7 with an easy win.

4.c6 h6 5.Kg6 Ke7 6.Kxh6  and wins

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