Simple but often misplayed position

White to play and win

Hi Bob,

Here is the solution with text and annotations so others can learn how handle this deceptively simple endgame.

Best,
Bob

A good and correct analysis, although I don't agree it is related to Bahr's rule, which applies when two rook pawns are blocked and there is an outside passed pawn on the other side of the board.

I looked up the 1998 New in Chess article in issue no. 7 of the magazine, which is where I first learned of Bahr's rule.  You are absolutely correct, Bob, but there is a diagram in the article showing a triangular path from b2 to f6 and then a "wall" from f6 to f8 that must be reached by White before Black.  Obviously, the key square is still f8 and preventing the opponent's king from occupying that square owes something to Bahr's rule, at least partially?  That's the rule of thumb I used when approaching the solution.

Best,
Bob

I would say it's the other way around, that Bahr's rule owes something to the more basic but unnamed rule about reaching f8. But any interpretation that gets you to the right solution must be OK.

I think you're correct about the order, it makes sense.  I first learned about the f8 square in that article, so that's why I relate the two.  I may have learned about f8 previously elsewhere, but if I did I forgot.

Most people I have shown this position to have first tried Ke3 or Kd3 or Kc3, validating the title of the thread. Kc2 is the only winning move, as fightingbob's analysis showed.

Incidentally, my position was inspired by the following study.

White to play and win