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Instructive Puzzle #2: 2 pawns vs 3 pawns, no pieces

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30th December 2007, 05:54pm
#1
by Phobetor
Eindhoven Netherlands
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 619

Continuing where Fromper left off: White to play and hold the draw. Black has some winning attempts  which are hard to counter, but I'll also leave it up to you to find the  best moves for black  Smile

 

Good luck! 


30th December 2007, 06:58pm
#2
by ChessSoldier
Pittsburgh United States
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 98
Very cool.  I didn't see that winning save on the fourth and fifth move.
31st December 2007, 05:27am
#3
by Phobetor
Eindhoven Netherlands
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 619
Feel free to post a variation or the solution (unless you had seen it before). Judging from your comment I think you've found it (indeed, the 4th and 5th move are the important ones)
5th January 2008, 06:53am
#4
by Phobetor
Eindhoven Netherlands
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 619
Has anyone found the solution yet?
6th January 2008, 02:13pm
#5
by gooeyjim
Toronto Canada
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 10

The only move seems to be f3, because black is threatning to play the line:

1. ... f3

2. e3 f4!

3. exf4 e3

and black wins. f3 is the only move.

6th January 2008, 05:59pm
#6
by Phobetor
Eindhoven Netherlands
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 619
Nope, that's not it. Also notice that 1... e3 2. f3 doesn't win yet for black, but neither does 1... f3 2. exf3. So white isn't forced to make a pawn move yet...
6th January 2008, 06:53pm
#7
by likesforests
United States
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 2981

Excellent position. Where did you find it?


1. Kc6 Kb4 2. Kd5 Kc3 3. Ke5 Kd2 4. Kxf4! Kxe2 5. Kxf5 =

   (1... e3 2. fxe3 fxe3 3. Kc5 =)

   (1... f3 2. exf3 exf3 3. Kc5 =)


7th January 2008, 05:22am
#8
by Phobetor
Eindhoven Netherlands
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 619

3... e3 is a better try than 3... Kd2. For example 4. f3 Kd2 5. Kxf5 Kxe2 or 4. fxe3 fxe3 5. Kf4 Kd2 6. Kf3 f4! and black wins in both variations.

 

So you're not there yet :) 


7th January 2008, 07:20am
#9
by likesforests
United States
Member Since: May 2007
Member Points: 2981

Wow, what an interesting variation! I found White's defense because I knew one was there, but I doubt I would have found it in a real game.

 

  4.fxe3? fxe3 5.Kf4 Kd2 6.Kf3 f4 -+

  4.f3? Kd2 5.Kxf4 Kxe2 -+

  4.Kxf4! exf2 5.Ke3! = 


7th January 2008, 07:35am
#10
by Phobetor
Eindhoven Netherlands
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 619

That's a better solution Smile

 

After 1. Kc6 Kb4 2. Kd5 Kc3 3. Ke5! e3 4. Kxf4! exf2 5. Ke3 f1=R or 5... f1=Q it's both stalemate. If black promotes to a knight or a bishop, black can get to black's last pawn with 6. Kf4 and if 6... Bh3 7. e4, and if black doesn't promote on his 5th move, white just plays 6. Kxf2 with a draw.

 

I like such amazing studies alot, but I like puzzles like these, where the position looks very normal even more. You wouldn't say this is a composition, and at first sight you wouldn't say it involves a stalemate pattern. There are many puzzles with stalemate patterns, but only few have a normal position like this one. 


18th January 2008, 04:17pm
#11
by sirfraijo
Mesa United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 55
Great One!
 

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