Welcome back, members of the puzzle contest! We have a new member, which is RosarioVampire. Now for the answer to Puzzle #3:

For the analysis, we can see that Black's king is too far away to stop White's g-pawn, but White's king is doing its best to stop Black's b-pawn. If White's king can get in front of Black's b-pawn, it's an easy win for White. Another plus for White is that his g-pawn will queen with check. However, when Black's pawn advances to b3, that move comes with check. So after 1 g4 b5 2 g5 b4 3 g6 b3+ 4 Kc3 b2 4 g7 b1=Q 5 g8=Q+ Ka1 6 Qa8+ Qa2 the game is a draw. White must not lose a tempo to Black's b-pawn and he will win.

Solution with explanation: 1 Kc3. Threatening 2 Kb4 winning and forcing Black's king to move. 1...Ka3 2 Kc4 Ka4. Again, Black had to address the threat of 3 Kb5. 3 g4 b5+ 4 Kd3!!. Although White lost a tempo to the b-pawn, this move comes with tempo because of the threat of Kc2 followed by Kb1. The rest is easy. 4...Ka3 5 g5 b4 6 g6 b3 7 g7 b2 8 Kc2 Ka2 9 g8=Q+ 1-0

Scores:

pawn2467134:(this was because he include analysis) 6 points

videogamefan: 5 points

RosarioVampire: 4 points

oinquarki, anmol21, EM1NEM: 0 points

Standings:

videogamefan: 22 points

pawn2467134: 15 points

RosarioVampire: 4 points

oinquarki: 2 points

anmol21, EM1NEM: 0 points

Now for the puzzle:

1. Analyze the position and decide who is better-5 points

2. White to move and win-5 points

I recommend you include an analysis because analysis is worth 5 points!

Analysis: White is better if he moves because he can push the pawn and threaten to promote. If black moves, he can only draw because he can't push the pawn without losing it.

The solution is 1. f7 Rf3 to stop the promotion. If black plays 1...Rb8, then 2. Rxe3 Rf8 3. Rg1 threatens Rh3 mate. Or 1...Kg7 2. Rxe3 Rxe3 Rf1 promotes. 2. f8=Q+ Rxf8 3. Kxb3 and now white is up by a rook. Now 3...Ra8 4. Ra1 or Ra2 captures the pawn and wins. White can win by confining the king to a side of the board and checkmating or forcing a capture of rooks leading to a won king and rook vs king endgame.

Analysis: White is better here, due to the threat of promotion, AND the fact that the rook on b3 can be captured by utilising by a pin of the other rook to the king.

White to move and win: The best move would be 1.f7 Kg7 2.f8Q+! Kxf8 3.Rf1 (now the threat of Rg2+, Rh1# has to be stopped.) When the rook intercepts, e.g. 3...Rf3, 4.Ref2 to pin the rook to the king, as well as place another attacker on it. This wins a rook, because there is nothing black can do: 4...Rbc3+ 5.Kb4 Rb3+ 6.Ka4 Rxf2 7.Rxf2+ King moves 8.Kxb3; 6...Rook moves 7.Rxf3+ winning a rook; 4...Rxf2 Rxf2+ followed by 5.Kxb3. 3...Ke7 4.Rfe1 follows the same plan.

If black plays 1...Rb8, then 2. Rxe3 Rf8 3. Rg1 threatening Rh3 mate.
1...Rf3 is the other possible reply. However, this falls to 2.Rg2 indirectly protecting the rook with threat of Rh1#. White can then promote 3.f8Q on the next move for an easy win.

I couldn't solve this one

White can't checkmate with the rooks the pawn doesn't have time to queen and killing the rooks doesn't seem to do anything So I think black is better. Black can't checkmate with his rooks and black's pawn gets taken by the rook.

The 5th puzzle is out at http://www.chess.com/forum/view/more-puzzles/puzzle-5-of-puzzle-contest!