Rook versus pawn
Level
2-Knight
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #350"][Date "2018.06.02"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "6RK/8/3k4/2p5/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
White has a Rook for a pawn material advantage in this endgame. It remembers that in order to win it needs to win the pawn, but does not remember how. Your tasks:
a) Find the winning line
b) Explain how you came up with it
Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #351.
Puzzle #349 solution:
Questions by Valer Eugen Demian, 2018. This week's best answers are by the top scorers:
Answer (a)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/1K6/8/8/8/8/pk6/8 w - - 0 1"]{The position is a draw because the black King can hide in the corner in front of the a2-pawn, threatening stalemate. The white King cannot come and help} 1.Qd2+ Kb1 2.Qb4+ Ka1 3.Qa3 Kb1 4.Qb3+ Ka1 {Draw}
Answer (b)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/8/8/1K6/8/8/pk6/8 w - - 0 1"]{The position is a win. White will check from the side and then bring its King close. When black promotes, its Queen cannot stop the checkmate} 1.Kb4 a1=Q 2.Qd2+ Kb1 3.Kb3 {White wins}
Answer (c)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/1K6/8/8/8/8/1kp5/8 w - - 0 1"]{The position is a draw because the Queen cannot capture the c2-pawn. The black King goes in the corner and in case of capture, we have stalemate} 1.Qd2 Kb1 2.Qb4+ Ka1 3.Qc3+ Kb1 4.Qb3+ Ka1 {Draw}
Answer (d)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/8/8/1K6/8/8/1kp5/8 w - - 0 1"]{This was a trick question; the position is a draw like for question "c". It does not matter the white King is 2 rows closer} 1.Qd2 Kb1 2.Qb4+ Ka1 3.Qc3+ Kb1 4.Qb3+ Ka1 {Draw}
Correct solutions:
Coby, Mengbai, Matthew, Eric - 60 points
Aiden - 55 points
Jacey - 41 points
Joey - 40 points
Blake, Lyvia - 36 points
Walter - 32 points
Zhengyu, Itamar - 26 points
Lucas - 22 points
Brian, Glyn - 18 points
Chris - 5 points
Blake - 3 points for puzzle #348
Standings:
Matthew - 156 points
Aiden, Coby, Eric - 141 points
Joey - 128 points
Lyvia - 125 points
Mengbai - 116 points
Walter - 106 points
Zhengyu - 100 points
Blake - 85 points
Jacey - 72 points
Glyn - 69 points
Brian - 62 points
Lucas - 59 points
Itamar - 34 points
Chris - 15 points
Steven - 14 points
a) Find the winning line
b) Explain how you came up with it
Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #351.
Puzzle #349 solution:
Questions by Valer Eugen Demian, 2018. This week's best answers are by the top scorers:
Answer (a)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/1K6/8/8/8/8/pk6/8 w - - 0 1"]{The position is a draw because the black King can hide in the corner in front of the a2-pawn, threatening stalemate. The white King cannot come and help} 1.Qd2+ Kb1 2.Qb4+ Ka1 3.Qa3 Kb1 4.Qb3+ Ka1 {Draw}
Answer (b)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/8/8/1K6/8/8/pk6/8 w - - 0 1"]{The position is a win. White will check from the side and then bring its King close. When black promotes, its Queen cannot stop the checkmate} 1.Kb4 a1=Q 2.Qd2+ Kb1 3.Kb3 {White wins}
Answer (c)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/1K6/8/8/8/8/1kp5/8 w - - 0 1"]{The position is a draw because the Queen cannot capture the c2-pawn. The black King goes in the corner and in case of capture, we have stalemate} 1.Qd2 Kb1 2.Qb4+ Ka1 3.Qc3+ Kb1 4.Qb3+ Ka1 {Draw}
Answer (d)
[Event "Puzzle #349"][Date "2018.05.27"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3Q4/8/8/1K6/8/8/1kp5/8 w - - 0 1"]{This was a trick question; the position is a draw like for question "c". It does not matter the white King is 2 rows closer} 1.Qd2 Kb1 2.Qb4+ Ka1 3.Qc3+ Kb1 4.Qb3+ Ka1 {Draw}
Correct solutions:
Coby, Mengbai, Matthew, Eric - 60 points
Aiden - 55 points
Jacey - 41 points
Joey - 40 points
Blake, Lyvia - 36 points
Walter - 32 points
Zhengyu, Itamar - 26 points
Lucas - 22 points
Brian, Glyn - 18 points
Chris - 5 points
Blake - 3 points for puzzle #348
Standings:
Matthew - 156 points
Aiden, Coby, Eric - 141 points
Joey - 128 points
Lyvia - 125 points
Mengbai - 116 points
Walter - 106 points
Zhengyu - 100 points
Blake - 85 points
Jacey - 72 points
Glyn - 69 points
Brian - 62 points
Lucas - 59 points
Itamar - 34 points
Chris - 15 points
Steven - 14 points