Daily Chess Improvement: Endgame Improvement!
SusanPolgar
White to move. What is the best continuation for White?
8/8/R4p2/5k2/2n4P/2p2K2/P7/8 w - - 0 51
No. 1-17
Yancey_Ward
Alena, Told you, very difficult problem. Here is the comments section from its previous posting on Ms.Polgar's site: <a href="http://web.chessdailynews.com/very-difficult-endgame-challenge/#comments">Link</a>. I wrote 8 comments, 7 of which were analysis trying to solve it. Like I wrote above, I found the first move pretty quickly since I had a pretty good background in such rook endings already, but there were parts of the solution that were difficult to find and understand. The line you give is the one I considered to be the most resistant. If you have access to the Lomonosov Tablebase, it would probably be worthwhile to study all the variations. Unlike the Nalimov, however, the Lomonosov must be purchased still.
Alena
Here is the solution for the second puzzle.
I had to look through my encyclopedia of rook ending to understand how to solve this endings with rooks on h-file.
- Rh7! Rxh3
- Kxd6 Kh2
- Ke5 Re3+
- Kf4 Rh3
- Rh8 Kg2
- Kg4 Kh2
- Kf5 Kg1
- Kg6 Rg3+
- Kh7 Kf2
- Rg8 Rc3
- Kh8 Kf1
- Rf8+ Ke2
- h7 Rg3
- Rg8 Rh3
- Re8+ Kd3
- Kg7 Kd4
- h8=Q Rxh8
- Rxh8
Surpriselover
Also the flexibility you can have knowing these endings...you can see them in the middle game and go for them and your opponent might be awed at the beautiful work!
Surpriselover
You know though Yancey, this is really good practicing blind chess. And the hard endings after gruelling hard over them when you are shown the answer you remember it so much better.
Yancey_Ward
Surpriselover, it is a tough, tough puzzle. The first time I encountered it, I found the first move pretty quickly, even if I didn't really understand all the details. Even then, I struggled to find both the best lines for black and white afterwards. Of course, you can now buy the Lomonosov Tablebases, and it will no doubt give you the full details on this 7-man problem right from the starting move.
Surpriselover
After I struggled with last night and gave my answer I put it on Analyze This and it gave a different answer. Next time I will not spoil the try it again option...I do not want to spoil it for anyone else...thank you Yancey!
Surpriselover
Ok
Yancey_Ward
Surpriselover, and if black replies to 1.Kd5 with 1. ....Kh2? In any case, the line 1.Kd5 Rxh3 is already a theoretical draw. Try again.
Surpriselover
Kd5!...with the potential to use the black pawn for shielding on the way to the h6 pawns aid (a6-h6 vertical file) and giving the black rook less options. What to do with black? ...Rxh3, Ke4! ...keeping a watch on that rook. ...Kh2 Preparing to check white over and over and avoiding mate threats. Kf5 d5, Kg6 Rg3+, Kh7 d4, Rg8 Ra3, Kg6 Ra6+, Kg5 Ra5+, Kg4...the black pawn shields white for a tempo!
Surpriselover
Love those hard endgame puzzles...working on it now!
Surpriselover
That second one Yancey is great..
Alena
Here is the solution for the first puzzle.It's really very very easy. I solved as soon as I saw it.
V-1
- Rh6 B any move
- Rxh7#
V-2
- Rh6 gxh6
- g7#
Yancey_Ward
7R/8/2Kp3P/8/7r/7P/8/7k w - - 0 1 White to move and win.
Yancey_Ward
Only two puzzles for Alena tonight- one fairly easy, but one that is amazingly difficult: 5Kbk/6pp/6P1/8/1p6/1p5R/1P6/8 w - - 0 1 Find the shortest mate
Yancey_Ward
Considering that the win seems pretty straightforward after 1.Ra4, I think the intent of this problem is to encourage one to understand why white can't defend against the c-pawn by moving the king on move 1.
Alena
It's an interesting ending.
- Ra4 (to delay the black c-pawn) Ne5+
- Ke2 (to get to the pawn square) Kg6
- Kd1 Kh5
- Rf4 Nd3
- Rd4 Ne5
- a4 Nc6
- Rf4 Kg6
- Kc2 f5
- Kxc3 Na5
- Kb4 Nc6+
- Kb5 Na7+
- Kc5
After destroying the black c-pawn white should move the a-pawn.
GM_Beinar
I don't see why Ra3 is bad either?
