Author: guy haworth
Date: 07:42:45 04/25/00
Go up one level in this thread
Tim Krabbé focuses on games (but does cover studies) and Noam Elkies focuses on
studies:
TK ... http://www.xs4all.nl/~timkr/chess2/minor.htm
NDE .. http://www.h3.org//pub/acj/extra/Elkies/Elkies06.html
See also Beasley and Whitworth "Endgame Magic" for an Underpromotion Chapter
TK cites exactly 9 situations (1 study, 8 games) where just one of P=R or P=B is
available and necessary to secure the win.
The study (#1) is P=R to draw; the games (#s 8, 18, 36, 46-50) have P=R 3x and
P=B 5x, all 'to win'.
It is not clear, to me, that in Chan-Depasquale, P=B leads to a forced win ...
at least it is not as easy as White allows.
Positions #s 31, 33 & 34 have P=B_or_N to win ... and after that, the remainder
of the 50 positions would have been won by P=Q or by another move. However, in
some of these P=R/P=B was the move to secure mate fastest.
TK asks if there has ever been a game where one side underpromotes to secure the
draw.
Since 'genuine underpromotion' is an exotic theme for composers, P=R/P=B
features more in compositions than games. The Babson task features P=Q/R/B/N
answered by P=Q/R/B/N in a composition ... amazing ... and it has been done now
more than once.
G
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