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Black to Play

Pete Tamburro on

Published in Chess Puzzles

This endgame, Ljubojevic-Browne,1972, has reached a point where Black can win or draw, depending on what move he plays. In the game, GM Walter Browne picked the wrong move. Even “simple” king and pawn endings can be tough on grandmasters, not just amateurs. How does Black win this?


- Solution: As in our more complex puzzle last time out, just because you can push a passed pawn two squares, it doesn’t mean you have to. For example, in this position, Black pushed the f-pawn two squares, a natural move. However,after 1...f5 2.Kb4! [putting the White king “in the “square of the pawn. Losing would be 2.b4?? f4 3.b5+ Kb7]2...Kd5 3.Kc3 Ke4 4.Kd2 Kf3 5.b4 f4 6.b5 Kg2 7.b6 f3 8.b7 f2 9.b8=Q f1=Q is a draw. The winning method is: 1...Kd5 2.b4 [Now the King move doesn’t work because Black’s king can oppose the White king: 2.Kb4 Kd4 3.Ka5 f5 4.b4 f4 5.b5 Kc5!(Same idea as in the main line—slow the pawn down for a bit and force the White king to a square where he will lose to a queen check) 5...f3 6.b6 f2 7.b7 f1Q 8.b8Q Qa1+ 9.Kb6=) 6.b6 Kc6 7.Ka6 f3]and NOW 2...f5 3.b5 f4 4.b6 Kc6! 5.Ka6 f3 6.b7 f2 7.b8Q f1Q+ 8.Ka5 Qa1+ 9.Kb4 Qb1+ This is a very important lesson in king and pawn endings. When you are in a pawn promotion race, make sure—if you’re queening first or second—you’re able to get the first check (often by forcing the opposing king to a “checking square”)

 


Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

 

 

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