Black to Play and Draw

Pete Tamburro on Jun 8, 2009

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King and pawn endings can be simple and tricky all at the same time. Who queens when matters in this position from Allen Kaufman vs. Franklin Howard, Marshall Chess Club Championship, 1955. Howard found the path to draw the game even though White's passed pawn queens first. See how you do!

Solution:

If you tried the straightforward approach with 1...d3 2.g7 d2 3.g8Q d1Q 4.Qb3+ Kc1 5.Qxd1+ Kxd1 6.a4 Kc2 [6...bxa3 7.bxa3 Kc2 8.a4 and the king can't catch the pawn] 7.a5 b3 8.a6 Kxb2 9.a7 Kc2 10.a8Q b2, Black will lose this as the queen will prevent the pawn from queening while the White king approaches. One example to show you how it's done: 11.Qa2 Kc1 12.Ke3 Kc2 [12...b1Q 13.Qd2#] 13.Qc4+ Kb1 14.Kd2 Ka1 15.Qa4+ Kb1 16.Kc3 Kc1 17.Qc2#

So, how do you draw? Since White wins above because he's able to play 4.Qb3+, forcing the queen exchange and setting the pawn running, White has to figure out a way to deny White that square: 1...b3 2.axb3 [2.g7 bxa2 3.g8Q a1Q is drawn: see below] 2...d3 3.g7 d2 4.g8Q d1Q 5.Qc4+ Kxb2 6.b4 Qd8 and, according to the late world champ Dr. Euwe, Black achieves a draw with minimal worries. the reasons are several: the White king is exposed to a flurry of checks that it can't escape, the Black king can "chase" the White pawn and queen up the board if White tries to escort the pawn up slowly toward b8 as that would allow the Black queen and king to attack the White pawn and the White king can't help because it's cut off from its own men. If he tries to get over there, this happens: 7.Ke4 Qh4+ 8.Kd5 Qd8+ 9.Kc5 Qc7+ 10.Kd4 Qf4+ 11.Kd5 Qf7+ and on and on and on... Just one little move changed everything! It is also worthwhile to know that, if the opposing king is far enough away, the king and pawn on its 7th rank can draw against the queen and king if the pawn is an a,c,f or h-pawn because of the stalemate possibilities (e.g., White queen takes Black pawn on c2 while Black king is on a1 and it's stalemate). Never, ever, underestimate king and pawn endings!

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.