Henri Weenink. White to play and win
My choice is determined by the simplicity of the study, interesting move ideas and some elements of surprise.
It's clear that White can't win with "simple" moves. If Bishop goes to d3, e4 or f5, White will lose a decisive tempo while the King approaches: 1. Bf5? Kc3 2. Kb5 Kd4 3. Kc6 Ke5 4. Bb1 g6 etc.
If White plays g5-g6 early, then the Black King reaches f8, and White can't win - one of interesting ideas of this study.
Another similar variant: 1. Bh7? Kc3 2. Kb5 Kd4 3. Kc6 Ke5 4. g6 (after 4. Kd7, Black forces a draw with 4... g6) 4... Ke6!, and Black King reaches f8 again.
Another "simple" system is the immediate King's march: 1. Kb4? Kxc2 2. Kc4 Kd2 3. Kd4 Ke2 4. Ke4 Kf2 5. Kf5 Kg3 6. g6 (6. Kg6 Kg4) 6... Kh4 7. Ke6? Kg5 8. Kf7 Kh6! etc.
Henri Weenink. White to play and draw.
How to salvage this endgame?
Henri Weenink. White to play and win.
It's impossible to win without King's help, and so White needs to clear the path for it.
Germans Matisons. White to play and draw.
The White King is in bad position, so they can't prevent the pawn's queening with conventional measures: 1. Rb5+ Kc1 2. Rc5+ Kd1. So, the first move is necessary.
Germans Matisons. White to play and draw.
Germans Matisons. White to play and draw.
Richard Reti. White to play and win.
In accordance with my preference to simplicity, I should have chosen the study with King and pawn vs. King and pawn, but it's too well-known, and few things can be added to it. So I decided to annotate another study of the great Czech grandmaster.
White's material advantage is enough to win, but in this particular situation, Black has an ominous threat after any Queen moves: 1... Be5 and 2... Rh8#.
Another situation arises after 1. c4 bxc4? 2. bxc4 Be5. White has a surprise reply 3. Kg7! that brings victory: 3... Bxf6+ 4. gxf6 Rh8 5. Kxh8 Kd7 6. Kh7 (g8) or 3... Bh2 4. c5 dxc5 (4... Be5 5. c6 or 5. cxd6) 5. e5 and 6. e6.
1. c4 should be met with immediate 1... Be5! Now White has nothing except 2. Kg7, but after 2... Bxf6+ 3. gxf6 b4! White is in zugzwang: 4. e5 dxe5 5. c5 e4 6. c6 e3 7. c7 Kd7 8. Kxf8 e2.
Now we see that this endgame study is a zugzwang problem. So, here's the solution.
Richard Reti. White to play and draw.
It's hard to find a more famous endgame study than this one.
Richard Reti. White to play and draw.
After 1. f7? Bb4 2. Kg8 Nd7 White's position is hopeless. So they shouldn't allow the Bishop to get to this important diagonal.
