Chess.com's Weekly Study: March 27th 2016

Hello Chess.com!

Starting with 2016, we will be posting a Weekly Study, courtesy of Yochanan Afek, Grandmaster for composing endgame studies. These challenging positions are designed to stimulate (and improve upon!) your creativity, depth of calculation, pattern recognition and pure imagination.

Y. Bazlov, 1970

Enjoy!

Next week's study!

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/endgames/chesscoms-weekly-study-april-3rd-2016

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FP YAY

Unfortunately, the 7-man tablebases reveal that this position is a win for Black, not a draw. After 1. Bf1+, Black can mate in 38 after either Kc5 or Kc6. In fact, any legal king move is winning for Black. Ka4 gives Black the longest win, mate in 71.

By the way, 1. Bf1+ is best for White. Any other first move will get White mated in 22 moves or less.

Now why did you have to go and ruin it, Bob?  But seriously, I sort of liked the days before tablebases.  Yes, you now know the truth about this position theoretically, but practically it doesn't do you much good except to say, "Bazlov, this is officer Baker, put down your pieces, you're busted." or "Bazlov, your clever goose is cooked." or "Your mate in 38 and don't be late, Bazlov."

And this is progress?

Best,
Bob

Truth is, Bob, Bazlov's solution is interesting, somewhat clever, but aesthetically baroque, so the loss is not great.  He's not exactly Troitsky, Kasparyan, Korolkov or your favorite, Grigoriev.

I like this one by Oldřich Duras because it is elegant, deceptively simple and instructive because it defies expectations, sort of like the famous king and pawn ending by Richard Réti.

Best,
Bob

Yes, that's a good one. It's like the Réti ending in that the white king has to be ready to go two ways.