Rather than an instruction to do something, today's position asks a question. Should White take the pawn on a4? We've done some practical middle game positions. Now, let's see how you do with practical endgame decisions. No coin flipping here! You have to know why it's yes or no. Happy analyzing!

Solution

The answer is NO! This position is from a tournament game between the great artist and pretty good amateur chess player, Marcel Duchamp and wily grandmaster Savielly Tartakower at Nice, 1930. Duchamp took the pawn and lost. If he had played nearly anything else he would have drawn against the grandmaster. We give two of the major roads to travel.

Taking the pawn:

1.Kxa4 Kxe7+ 2.Ka5 [2.Kb4 Kd6 3.b7 Kc7 4.Kc5 Bh5] 2...Kd6 3.Kb4 Bh5 [3...Bc6 4.b7 would allow White to draw.] 4.Bh1 f3 and wins. That discovered check gives Black a tempo to get back to the business of stopping White's b-pawn. As long as he gets the tempo, he can afford to take the pawn on e7. Then the bishop can go about its work of attacking the White bishop and helping the Black pawns promote.

Not taking the pawn:

1.Kb4 Kd6 [1...Kxe7 2.b7 wins for White] 2.Bg2 Bd7 [2...Bh5 3.b7 Kc7 4.Kxa4 f3 5.Bxf3 Bxf3 6.b8Q+ Kxb8 7.e8Q+ Kc7 8.Qf7+wins for White] 3.Bf3 [3.Ka5 a3 wins for Black] 3...Be8 [3...a3 4.b7 Kc7 5.Kxa3 Be8 6.Kb4 Bd7 7.Kc5 Be8 8.Kd4 Bd7 9.Ke5 Kb8 10.Kf6 (10.Kxf4) 10...Be8 11.Kg7 Kc7 12.Kf8 wins for White] 4.b7 Kc7 5.Kc4 Bd7 6.Kb4 and it's a draw because neither side can make any headway. As you compare the similar lines you can see how just one little move can affect the very direction of the game. If you want to get good at chess you have to play endgames well.

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