The endgame R+P vs B+P (blocked a- (h-) pawns and the bishop can protect its pawn) might be a good candidate for the most difficult endgames.
If the white pawn is further forward it becomes easier.
what's the hardest endgame to win?
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Mar 12, 2025
0
#24
ThrillerFan wrote:
Planet_CHESS0344 wrote:
ThrillerFan wrote:
How about this one that I failed to win last night over the board? I had 19 minutes left, used 17 and gave in. I had 3 candidates and turns out one actually does win.
So if White goes for the race, whether f-pawn or h-pawn, he promotes first, but Black promotes with check on g1 and draws.
So I thought "What if I threaten g3 a move faster?" Turns out it wins, but I missed the last part of it. The g-pawn can actually be defended.
1.Kxf4! Kc5 2.Kg5! Kd4 3.Kxh4! f4 (otherwise g3 falls), but here I stopped and thought it was drawn, so was trying to find a way out of check without losing the pawn in both the Queen Endings. But no, 4.Kg4! Ke3 5.h4! Kf2 6.Kh3! And White wins.
All 6 moves are only moves - otherwise, it's a draw, which was the result of the game.
Wow, nice! Do you have an OTB rating?
Yes - in 2014, it peaked at 2185. Now that I am older, it has fallen back into the 1900s, but I have yet to hit my floor.
Niceeeee, is that FIDE or USCF? (I assume its USCF)
I've just started learning endgames, and my main rule so far is not to give up early. 😂 But your analysis makes me want to go deeper into the topic!
By the way, here is https://legiano-at.net/ a great platform for entertainment and not only, a lot of games for logic and mathematical thinking, whoever wants to test themselves, come in and try to win.
ThrillerFan wrote:
How about this one that I failed to win last night over the board? I had 19 minutes left, used 17 and gave in. I had 3 candidates and turns out one actually does win.
So if White goes for the race, whether f-pawn or h-pawn, he promotes first, but Black promotes with check on g1 and draws.
So I thought "What if I threaten g3 a move faster?" Turns out it wins, but I missed the last part of it. The g-pawn can actually be defended.
1.Kxf4! Kc5 2.Kg5! Kd4 3.Kxh4! f4 (otherwise g3 falls), but here I stopped and thought it was drawn, so was trying to find a way out of check without losing the pawn in both the Queen Endings. But no, 4.Kg4! Ke3 5.h4! Kf2 6.Kh3! And White wins.
All 6 moves are only moves - otherwise, it's a draw, which was the result of the game.
I don't understand. Doesn't the white king just eat all the black pawns in the position you inserted?
Bishop and Knights Cant Do Anything.
ThrillerFan wrote:
How about this one that I failed to win last night over the board? I had 19 minutes left, used 17 and gave in. I had 3 candidates and turns out one actually does win.
So if White goes for the race, whether f-pawn or h-pawn, he promotes first, but Black promotes with check on g1 and draws.
So I thought "What if I threaten g3 a move faster?" Turns out it wins, but I missed the last part of it. The g-pawn can actually be defended.
1.Kxf4! Kc5 2.Kg5! Kd4 3.Kxh4! f4 (otherwise g3 falls), but here I stopped and thought it was drawn, so was trying to find a way out of check without losing the pawn in both the Queen Endings. But no, 4.Kg4! Ke3 5.h4! Kf2 6.Kh3! And White wins.
All 6 moves are only moves - otherwise, it's a draw, which was the result of the game.
Very Nice analysis! At the moment I'm going thru a book of K&P endings where GMs misplayed a position. I had thought I was pretty good at them but every example shows me maybe they are more complicated.
Q&p vs Q, it's a small number of ideas plus a lot of calculation with lots of options at each branch. So far in my games I've been not good but better at them than my opponents -- at least.
We all study rook endings a lot so the feel easier than others but to me they feel like a LOT of a special case ideas and a LOT of calculation.
-bill
Mar 14, 2025
0
#30
Honchkrowabcd wrote:
king vs 30 queens and king
that is physically impossible
Mar 14, 2025
0
#31
ghe-23 wrote:
Bishop and Knights Cant Do Anything.
yes they can, but for your small brain they can't
Mar 16, 2025
0
#32
ChessAGC_YT wrote:
Honchkrowabcd wrote:
king vs 30 queens and king
that is physically impossible
they might accidentally resign
HI ALL YOUR MOM IS
I imagine 2 weak knights vs a passive rook, with opposite-colored bishops-
Would be pretty much drawn.
King and two knights vs King and a pawn. Depending on the position of the pawn it is possible, but the key is to force the King into a corner position, then trap him in what would a stalemate if he didn't have the pawn to move, then manoeuvre the other knight to give checkmate before the pawn queens.
How about this one that I failed to win last night over the board? I had 19 minutes left, used 17 and gave in. I had 3 candidates and turns out one actually does win.
So if White goes for the race, whether f-pawn or h-pawn, he promotes first, but Black promotes with check on g1 and draws.
So I thought "What if I threaten g3 a move faster?" Turns out it wins, but I missed the last part of it. The g-pawn can actually be defended.
1.Kxf4! Kc5 2.Kg5! Kd4 3.Kxh4! f4 (otherwise g3 falls), but here I stopped and thought it was drawn, so was trying to find a way out of check without losing the pawn in both the Queen Endings. But no, 4.Kg4! Ke3 5.h4! Kf2 6.Kh3! And White wins.
All 6 moves are only moves - otherwise, it's a draw, which was the result of the game.
Wow, nice! Do you have an OTB rating?
Yes - in 2014, it peaked at 2185. Now that I am older, it has fallen back into the 1900s, but I have yet to hit my floor.