A Few Pawn Endgames
The position on the first diagram was reached in Ilyin Zenevski - Botvinnik, 1938. White has a passed pawn, but as we will see the decisive factor was one spare tempi. Black’s problem is limited mobility of his own pawns, as White h5 is holding two of them.
1. Kf3!
But still some caution is needed. The straightforward 1. Kf4 allows Black to escape with 1…g6! (but not 1…Ke6 2. g3! and White will win) 2. hxg6 Kxg6 3. g3 h5 and White no tempo and is forced to step back. 1. Kf4 g6 2. g3 isn’t helping either, 2…Kg7! Black can wait as long as the King is close enough to both “e” and “g” pawns, 3. e6 Kf6 4. hxg6 Kxe6 5. g7 Kf7 6. Kxf5 Kxg7 and draw again.
Now with Kf4 is reserve, Black is facing a nasty zugzwang.
1…g6
The other variation is 1…Ke7 2. Kf4 Ke6 (g6 is no longer possible) 3. g3…
2. hxg6 Kxg6 3. Kf4 h5 4. g3 and Black is losing the f5-pawn after the zugzwang.
On the same year, Ilyin Zenevski was able to escape with a draw as White from the above diagram after his opponent Abramson missed the best continuation.
1…g3!
Now White can try two defences, but both will ultimately fail. Let’s see what happens if White is seeking a stalemate in the corner.
2. Ke1 Kc5 3. Kf1 Kc4 4. Ke2 Kc3 5. Ke1 Kd3 6. Kf1 Ke3 7. Kg1 Ke2 8. Kh1 f3! 9. gxf3 Kf2!
And Black promotes. But not 9…Kxf3 because this can’t be won - try it on your own board.
White can also go after Black pawns with
1…g3 2. Kf3 Kc5 4. Kxf4 Kd4!
When Black wins thanks to the side opposition and according to Loume study, which will be examined next.
White is to move from the diagrammed position, but who will win? The relative distance of Kings from the pawns on the queenside is only an optical illusion, it is White who claims full point! The key is long and side opposition together with the maneuver known as “shouldering the King”.
1. Kf2!
It is very important not to allow Black King to take long opposition, for example with 1. Kd2 Kd6 or 1. Ke2 Ke6. How can White King reach the main battleground on the queenside on time if he is moving into opposite direction? Actually, the King can advance diagonally as fast as vertically. He needs 7 moves to reach b7 and this can be done via different routes, even by going through g3! Try it…
But in this position, White should try to be close to the enemy King, not more than two rows away. Soon we’ll find why.
1…Kc6 2. Ke3 Kb5 3. Kd4 Kxa5 4. Kc5!
Still on the route to b7 pawn, but White is taking advantage of the side opposition to bring Black into zugzwang and force him to lose one move. Namely, Black King can move only to a4, where it still stands on the way of his own pawn!
Moving the h-pawn does not help, 4…h6 5. h3 h5 6. h4 or 4…h5 5. h4 and the zugzwang remains.
4…Ka4 5. Kd6
Now the King continues his travel to b7.
5…Kb3 6. Kc7 a5 7. Kxb7 a4 8. Kc6 a3 9. b7 and White promotes with check, winning another key tempo.
Basic Endgame Course available for Chess Strategy readers!
