Endgame Puzzle - Amazing Draw

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Avatar of ArikDigital

I found this endgame study yesterday and it blew me away.

White to move and draw.

Avatar of ShadowIKnight

Thats a nice draw to know about.
I suppose if Kf1, then just manuever the knight to h3 and then that forces white's king to move away, letting the black king out. Ill try to remember this one =P

Avatar of ArikDigital

Shadow, the fundamental problem with Kf1 is the knight can eventually "cover" that square when the King is on f2. Stepping on f2 ensures that the knight checks the king each time. Of course the knight is so clumsy he cannot simultaneously check the king and cover the other square at the same time. Nor can he simply waste a tempo like a bishop without switching square colors.

Avatar of kdawg3333

knight blocks with f3 doesnt that stop stalemate and win it for black?

Avatar of khpa21

You mean on move 2? That just transposes to the only sideline the OP gives.

Avatar of rogiregal

One interesting point of this puzzle - you cannot win a tempo with a knight!

Avatar of ArikDigital
kdawg3333 wrote:

knight blocks with f3 doesnt that stop stalemate and win it for black?


 khpa is right. 1... Nf3+ transposes to the variation given. 2.Ke2 h2 3.Bd5! h1(Q) 4.Bxf3+ etc.

Avatar of Matt0715

not a draw:

    ...Knf6

Kgf2 ... Kg4

G column is cleared for occupation of black king and pawn advance

Avatar of khpa21
Matt0715 wrote:

not a draw:

    ...Knf6

Kgf2 ... Kg4

G column is cleared for occupation of black king and pawn advance


How does that stop White's king from shuffling between f2 and f1 ad infinitum?

Avatar of Cry_Wolf

nice, mate :) The trick is to move the king to the color square which the knight will attack next turn, thus "checking" you instead of preventing your intended next move.

Avatar of ShadowIKnight

And so I was right about Kf1 failing to eventuall the knight coming to h3 right?

Avatar of ArikDigital
ShadowIKnight wrote:

And so I was right about Kf1 failing to eventuall the knight coming to h3 right?


Kf1 fails simply to Nf3, Kf2, Nd2 and the King cannot access F1. But yeah Nh3 is the same idea.

Avatar of khpa21

And here's a game where this drawing pattern proved crucial. http://www.chess.com/forum/view/game-showcase/bruce-pandolfini-saved-me-a-half-point

Avatar of byakuugan86

I saw the solution in about 3 seconds. I might consider writing an essay on it in my youtube channel www.youtube.com/user/byakuugan86

Avatar of Fikzter

It is most definately NOT a draw. It is a clear win for Black.

After 1. Bxa2 h2?? it is a draw. After 1. .. Kg3 it most definately is not. Let me know what you want to play after 1. .. Kg3 Smile

Avatar of einstein_69101

After white plays 1. Bxa2, it looks like black can win with 1...Kg3.  If white tries 2. Kf1, then 2...h2 3. Bd5 Nf3 and white can't stop the pawn.  If 2. Bd5, then 2...Ng2+ 3. Kf1 Ne3+ wins for black.

Avatar of ShadowIKnight

khpa's one is correct though, which is nice. At least the idea still remains true.

Avatar of Dnick007

that's pretty cool, because the king is trapped and the knight cant cover both g1 and g2 at the same time, so the game is drawn.

Avatar of Chessisfunforme
WRONG Fikzter is right