Mate in 34

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Avatar of scotchfaster

This was quite an interesting position. At this point, my opponent (playing white) said to me "I'm not sure what's going to happen - either it's a draw or I win." What happened was actually the option he hadn't considered.

On the surface, it does look like white has the advantage. But no - according to Bringer, this is mate in 34 for black.

Updated: this was black to move. Actual game (which had some inaccuracies) follows:



Avatar of notmtwain

Your diagram says "White to move."  If it's really white to move, I don't believe you. If it is black's move, it might be fun to see.

Would you mind posting your analysis?

Avatar of scotchfaster

Sorry, you were right - it was black to move. I put in the actual game, which wasn't the most accurate, but the Bringer program also played this position to a win for black.

Avatar of notmtwain

It looks pretty good but I wouldn't trust any computer to analyze an endgame of this complexity.

I would want to try 41 Na1 and try to hold the black king back with my king. Getting a passer wouldn't be easy with the knight able to check the king whenever it went to d4.

Avatar of NinjaBob

It doesn't look like white has the advantage on the surface, really.

That passed pawn is bad news for black.

Avatar of scotchfaster

Hmm, 41. Na1 seems promising, but then the white king is split between trying to protect the knight and defend against the pawn onslaught. Or am I missing something?

The interesting thing about this game happens around turn 30. At that point, I was hoping for a draw, but it look like it was a winning position as far as I can tell. Maybe I can credit some intuition here, but think I just got lucky.

Avatar of BigDoggProblem
Black has to be careful. If he gets to the position after move 44 in your analysis, only bad things happen if he takes the N in the corner.
 
Avatar of scotchfaster

Good point. That would be such a painful way to lose, smothered by your own pawn one square from promotion. I tried it the other way too, where black goes after the pawns after na1 and it looked like black still wins, but I'm not trusting my analysis.

Avatar of scotchfaster
My best game against an engine after 41. Na1:
 
Avatar of notmtwain

I meant that after 41.. Kd4, 42 Nb3+ . If ..Kc4, then N back to a1. If Ke5 or elsewhere, then Kd2.  

I meant to use the Nb3+ as a way to drive the black king back, since if you ignore the knight and a pawn, the king and four pawns versus king and three pawns wouldn't win unless the side with four pawns had a good king position. 

This type of thing has to be covered in one of the endgame books.

If black tries to push his pawns, at some point, he would end up with a king trying to shepherd a single pawn trying to queen.  If we continue to ignore the knight and a pawn, unless he has the opposition, this would normally end up a draw. However, once the position is reduced to a single pawn, perhaps black can abandon it at the right time and go after the knight.

If you go to the Nalimov table bases, which cover endgames with up to 6 pieces with 100% certainty, and reduce the pawn advantage to one remaining black pawn on d4, the table bases say it is a draw, with either side to move.

 
I know I haven't included all the possible alternatives or even the best alternatives where black gets his king in to f3 but it is easier if you just go to the table bases and try it yourself.  I think the position should still be a draw with best play on both sides. Perhaps if you can end up with a lone g or h pawn, then black can abandon it and get back to help the a pawn, but that shouldn't happen with careful play by white.
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