Author: Mike Byrne
Date: 16:10:37 12/30/03
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On December 30, 2003 at 17:28:28, Brian Katz wrote: >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 !! It doesn't take too long for Crafty 19.08 SE to see the best move f5 -- but it would take awhile to see a winning +4 score.... Amazingly, even if you take the same position and change side to move, white still does not have a win. Thanks for posting.
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