Single Bishop vs 8 pawn

Sam Loyd intended with this problem to show the power of a single Bishop in controlling the record number of all eight pawns.

    Of course it is common knowledge from Endgame practice that a chain of three or four pawns can normally defeat a single Bishop. But it with his tongue in his cheek that loyd shows here that even a chain of six pawns does not necessarily guarantee a win; and that with all eight pawns on the board the single Bishop may still hold them to a draw.

 The problem has thus taken on the nature of a "task", in this case a "maximum" task, with a witty setting and a defenitely humorous element in the solution, for after the 4th move, Bh1, Black has only a few useless moves on the  a-file and then the bishop will ear up the pawns one by one as they move onto the long diagonal, and all Black's material advantage has come to nothing.

At first I thought there were alternative moves for white to play, but it's really an elegant simplicity. Nice

i dont think this position can come in real game

mathew, anything can happen

Awsome i made a draw

Really awesome thinking,devi.............

Can black win?

#12. Yeah, I think so. 1. ... Kf4 2. Kb2: Kg3 3. Kb3: Kf2 4. Nd3+ Kf1 and white has to give his knight for the first pawn on the e-line not being able to prevent the promotion of the second one. The problem for white is that he can not come close to that second pawn. Therefor do I think that black will always win. The knight can't do much, because it must always cover the promotion field, hence can not win a tempo.

Well, white wouldn't play Kb2. Simply Nf3-Ne1-Nf3.

This isn't impossible:

Black goal is to remove the Knight by forcing and exchange on file. Then advance the pawn on his 6th rank to 7th rank.

? Is there a line that wins against premoving Ng2-Ne1-Ng2?

To the OP position: it's basic endgame knowledge that when you have pawns against a bishop you want to advance your pawns on the same colour square of the bishop (supporting each other). Otherwise the bishop can blockade them.

Ah, this thread reminded me of the less known chess rule that when you reach the 8th rank you can promote your pawn to 3 new pawns (to be put on a starting square of your choosing).

@Scottrf: I knew there was something I overlooked, stalemate off course.

2 things here the Knight is Overworked and a Passed Pawn must be pushed. White has no way to avoid this. Even at worse if a beginner did not know about an over worked piece it is obvios that he will find ((the time move)- forgot the german for it right now....Zugwang or Zigzang  something like that .... tired ) a move by instinct and push the pawn.

Black win in such position by move like c5 :) and a4 which you denied ..
you are wrong ..

Are you talking about my positions? Because the knight isn't overworked, and zugzwang has no effect.

In the 2nd diagram of the Doubled pawns? Ahhhh Tripled lol.Well the knight has to try to defend against the king advancing and defend against the pawn being promoted.

If a beginner was aware of theory they would have to use a time move using the king and might have to hope for a mistake. Not sure which time term it is here( I know of 2 but in german they look alike to me so will not reference them having somebody look them up and working to find the correct term). I just know a beginner would have to move the king using like 3 squares and might require some help from opponent.