White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Sep 30, 2026

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This is a Grigoriev study that demonstrates that the lone king and advanced c-pawn on c2 don’t always draw. Can you do the whole concrete calculation all the way, with the variations, to the finish?

1.Kf5 Ke3 2.Ke5 c6 2...Kd3 3.Kd5 Kc3 4.Kc5 c6 5.a4 3.a4 Kd3 4.a5 c5 5.a6 c4 6.a7 c3 7.a8Q c2 8.Qd5+ Ke2 8...Kc3 9.Qd4+ Kb3 10.Qa1 9.Qa2 Kd1 10.Kd4 c1Q 11.Kd3 with mate to follow. And a hat tip to the principle of opposition.

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.