White wins. But before looking at the solution, see if you can figure out what to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solved it at a glance knowing you have to block the rook

To drag out the solution till it's a bit more obvious - there are nuances you missed.

1.Rc2 (my move, Rh2, wins as well in the same way since 1...Kb7 2.Rc2 is an extra tempo for white=trivial win) Ke7 2.Rc8 Kd7 3.Rb8 Rh1 4.Ka7 Rb1+ 5.Ka6 Ra1+ 6.Kb6 Rb1+ 7.Kc5 and the checks run out when the white king approaches the rook.

 

Much more clever is 2... Kd6! (covering c5, thus forcing white to take another approach 3.Rb8 Rh1 4.Kb7 Rb1+ (4..Ra7+? 5.Kb6 no more checks) 5.Kc8 Rc1+ 6.Kd8 Rh1 7.Rb6+ Kc5 8.Rc6+! (8.Re6? Ra1 and white gets nowhere, 8.Ra6 Rh8+ 9.Kd7 Rh7+ 10.Ke8 Rh1+ 11.Kf7 Ra8 is also useless for white) 8...Kb5 9.Rc8 Rh8+ 10.Kc7 Rh8+ 11.Kb8 and black has to give his rook for the pawn.

 

Unless you saw the line with 8.Rc6+! to the end, don't claim it was easy!  It's not, but I have to admit that I got it all, if only for having seen it before.

 

Could anyone so inclined make this analysis possible to play through on a board, please?

hmmm....this is remarkably similar to a chess mentor course. in that case, you should play it out like that lesson did.

cuendillar wrote:

To drag out the solution till it's a bit more obvious - there are nuances you missed.

1.Rc2 (my move, Rh2, wins as well in the same way since 1...Kb7 2.Rc2 is an extra tempo for white=trivial win) Ke7 2.Rc8 Kd7 3.Rb8 Rh1 4.Ka7 Rb1+ 5.Ka6 Ra1+ 6.Kb6 Rb1+ 7.Kc5 and the checks run out when the white king approaches the rook.

 

Much more clever is 2... Kd6! (covering c5, thus forcing white to take another approach 3.Rb8 Rh1 4.Kb7 Rb1+ (4..Ra7+? 5.Kb6 no more checks) 5.Kc8 Rc1+ 6.Kd8 Rh1 7.Rb6+ Kc5 8.Rc6+! (8.Re6? Ra1 and white gets nowhere, 8.Ra6 Rh8+ 9.Kd7 Rh7+ 10.Ke8 Rh1+ 11.Kf7 Ra8 is also useless for white) 8...Kb5 9.Rc8 Rh8+ 10.Kc7 Rh8+ 11.Kb8 and black has to give his rook for the pawn.

 

Unless you saw the line with 8.Rc6+! to the end, don't claim it was easy!  It's not, but I have to admit that I got it all, if only for having seen it before.

 

Could anyone so inclined make this analysis possible to play through on a board, please?

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Thanks for the analysis, Cuendillar. 

Indeed, 1.Rh2 is another way of reaching the b8 square.

The analysis beginning with 2....Kd6! was particularly very interesting.