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Subject: Can this position be won under a 50-move rule?

Author: guy haworth

Date: 11:33:51 09/16/00


Consider the following position from Ken Thompson's 6-man EGT site:

[D] 8/8/7B/5B2/3K4/8/2k5/n6n b - - 0 1

It is a 'win' for White and also a maxDTC and maxDTM position.
DTC = 76 plies (38 moves) and DTM = 212 plies (106 moves).

Black cannot protract the first phase beyond 50 moves and therefore might be
best advised to maximise DTM and (within that, should a choice occur) minimise
DTC.

Similarly, White might be best advised to do the following in order:
    keep the first phase down to 50 moves or less,
    minimise DTM (Depth to Mate), and
    maximise DTC (Depth to Conversion).

These White/Black strategies leadd to what I call an SGM-C-_SM+C+ line.
However, White's (few) options and a Black defence along these lines can lead to

[D] 6B1/1K6/1B6/8/8/8/3nk3/8 b - - 0 40

and a KBBKN 2nd-phase allowing a 50-move draw claim.

So, the question is "Can this position be won under a 50-move rule, and if so,
how, given 'best play' by Black?".

G









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