Author: Brian Katz
Date: 14:28:28 12/30/03
Black to move and win ?? Yes !! >> >>[D]8/5p2/1kp5/p1p5/P1PpKPPp/1P5P/8/8 b >> >>The above position was derived from a real skittles game I had. I was Black and >>the King was on g7 and the f-pawn was on f6 as shown below: >> >>[D]8/6k1/2p2p2/p1p5/P1PpKPPp/1P5P/8/8 b >> >>White had just blundered with King from d3 to e4 1.Ke4??...From that position >>the win for Black is quite easy. White made it very easy for Black with: >>1.Ke4 f5+!!2.gf Kf6 3.Kf3 Kxf5 4.Kf2 Kxf4 and Black wins easily. The King cannot >>take the f5 pawn because the Black d pawn will promote. If the White King >>retreats to f3, ...fxg4+ wins, because ...Kc7 and Black gets to the queening >>square in time, and Black's d pawn always threatens to advance. And lastly, if >>white's h-pawn takes on g4 then Black will have a passed h4 pawn and a passed d3 >>pawn, and the White King cannot stop both. >> I was so fascinated with that position, that I wanted to see just how far away >>the Black King could be and still secure the win. The position is very >>deceiving. It appears at first that the Black King is out of the game and should >>lose or at least draw. But winning for Black ?? I showed this position to quite >>a few masters, and all did not realize that Black is winning. I even showed this >>position to Grandmaster Lev Alburt at the US Amateur Team East, 2 years ago, and >>he did not realize it either. Nor did GM Arthur Bisguier. >> >>The same motifs apply to the first position above. See how your programs >>evaluate this position. Some find it easily and some take much longer. >>The winning line results in both sides Queening. That is the analysis of Fritz8. >>Actually, Fritz 8 has White Queening first, but Black Queen' immediately after >>that with extra pawns that win. >>Enjoy >>Brian >>Happy New Year !!
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