Chessic Trench Warfare

Submitted by Gonnosuke on Fri, 05/02/2008 at 4:09pm.

I came across this wonderful thinking exercise over at Dennis Monokroussos' blog, The Chess Mind and have reproduced it here with permission.

It's not your typical puzzle, and by that I mean it's not a position in which there's a key winning move or correct answer (as far as I know!). Instead, this position is the equivalent of chessic trench warfare! The battle will be a difficult, protracted contest between two evenly matched enemies along a clearly formed demarcation line. With strengths and weaknesses on both sides, it's possible that the struggle will all be for naught. In this challenging thinking exercise, there is only one goal:

Can you find a way for white to win?

» posted in Endgames

| 644 reads | 8 comments |

1 vote:

Comments:

by KingSnake - 4 months ago
lowa United States

Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 33

this is the longest game ever played

by dimarunong - 4 months ago
Philippines

Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 20

greenlaser is right..

by NM GreenLaser - 5 months ago
Chester, NY United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 703

In the actual game White won with 1.g4 (61.g4). 107 moves were played. If you have or find that game, you can play it over. The ideas as played resemble the other choices. It is Ismael Karim-Zhu Chen, Gibtel Masters, Gibraltar 2008. White could have won without two "fancy" moves, temporarily offering the bishop.

by NM GreenLaser - 5 months ago
Chester, NY United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 703

My suggestion (quickly made without a board) after Bd7 should not have f3 because the bishop needs to use f3. I believe that 1.Bd7 and 1.d6 win after more than 20 moves. Showing that is beyond a comment, it is an article.

by Gonnosuke - 5 months ago
Southern California United States

Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 566

How about this:

1.g4 Bd6 Bd7 Bb8 d6 Bxd6 Kd5 Bb8 Bf5 and whatever black plays, white would seem to have a decided advantage...no?

1.g4 Bd6 Bd7 Ke7 Bf5 Kf6 Bc8 Bb8 d6 Bxd6 and again I think white has a strong hand.

by davidetal - 5 months ago
Tarragindi Australia

Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 1104

Equal in material and position. There is no way for White to win unless, as Greenlaser shows, Black lets White's K get into his position. All Black has to do is keep moving his B back and forth. In fact, the side that tries to push for a win loses. Um, I think.

by Gonnosuke - 5 months ago
Southern California United States

Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 566

GreenLaser said:

"If 1.Bd7 Bd6 2.Bg4 Ke7 3.Kf5 Ke8..."

What if black moves 3...Bb8 or Bc7 instead of Ke8? Doesn't that put a wrench in white's spokes, so to speak?

by NM GreenLaser - 5 months ago
Chester, NY United States

Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 703

I would first analyze d6 with the idea of Kd5 which leads to the win of either the c5-pawn or the a5-pawn. Preparing first by restraining Black's movable pawns, allows Bd6. However, if the bishop stays on d6, Black will have to move the king. If 1.Bd7 Bd6 2.Bg4 Ke7 3.Kf5 Ke8 4.Kf6 Kf8 5.Bf3 allows White to play g4, Be4, and f3. Then White will get in Bh7 and Bg8, when Black's king is on e8 winning the f7-pawn. If Black plays Be7+ in such a position, the e5-pawn falls.

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