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A classical endgame study by Luigi Centurini

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feynarun

 

White to move and Win
Can you demonstrate the winning technique?


Credit-I found this endgame study in the book Fundamental Chess Endings by Karsten Muller and Frank Lamprecht. You can buy it here.
https://amzn.to/2PAlDq6

jjupiter6

I can't see any way forward in this puzzle, which explains my rating.

kindaspongey

For a start, think about where you might prefer the bishop to be.

Prometheus_Fuschs

Bh4, Kb6, Bf2+, Ka6 but then I'm stuck.

Thee_Ghostess_Lola

My plan would be to take control of the b8-h2 diagonal first. Then work my king over to a8. This should render black's bishop as ineffective. Then you can play 1...b8 (Q).

How one gets there ?....uhh, don't ask me.

feynarun

@jjupiter6 Black bishop is on the h2-b8 diagonal. This prevents the b pawn from queening. So, What should white try and do? White should maneuver it's Bishop, bring it to the b8 square and exchange it with the Black Bishop. Black bishop would often not capture it and move away. Black King could also try to guard the a7 square by playing moves like King a6 and prevent the White bishop from going Ba7 to Bb8.In the end, the White bishop will often need to sacrifice itself on the b6 square to facilitate the promotion of the b7 pawn. White can easily win the resultant Queen vs Bishop ending.

 

kindaspongey

It might be helpful to look for a way to win if the Black bishop were on g3 (instead of h2) in the original position.

Tsala91

1.Ba5,now if black plays the bishop,say 1...Bg3,then 2.Be1 Bh2 3.Bf2 Bf4 (or somewhere) 4.Ba7 Bh2 5.Bb8 Bg1 6.Bh2 Ba7 7.Bg1

kindaspongey
anapofasist0s wrote:

[In the original position,] 1.Ba5,now if black plays the bishop,say 1...Bg3,then ...

What if 1...Bd6 ?

kindaspongey
Chase457 wrote:
Be7 = mate

What happens after 1 Be7 Kb6 (in the original position)?

kindaspongey
feynarun wrote:

In the end, the White bishop will often need to sacrifice itself on the b6 square to facilitate the promotion of the b7 pawn. ...

Don't see what White gains if Black replies to Bb6 with …Kxb6.

Tsala91
kindaspongey wrote:
anapofasist0s wrote:

1.Ba5,now if black plays the bishop,say 1...Bg3,then ...

What if 1...Bd6 ?

Then 2 Bb4 Bh2 3 Be1 Kb6 4 Bh4 Bf4 (4...Ka6 5 Bd8 and 6 Bc7) 5 Bd8+ Kc6 6 Bg5 Bh2 7 Be3 and 8 Ba7

Johands2609

Move The white bishop in a way it gets to B8 over A7. Once in B8 white wins the game.

kindaspongey
anapofasist0s wrote:
kindaspongey wrote:
anapofasist0s wrote:

1.Ba5,now if black plays the bishop,say 1...Bg3,then ...

What if 1...Bd6 ?

Then 2 Bb4 Bh2 3 Be1 Kb6 4 Bh4 Bf4 ...

What about 4...Bd6 ?

 

kindaspongey
Johands2609 wrote:

Move The white bishop in a way it gets to B8 over A7. ...

The devil is in the details.

Tsala91

Dang it,i always miss that move...i'll look at it again tomorrow

perro_sordo

I think I got it... but maybe not. After a lot of tries I've realized that the possible black bishop to h2 is something that has to be to stoped somehow. 

Please let me now if I missed something, and sorry for not putting the variations (this is the first time I post something like this), and for the english.  

perro_sordo

3..., Bh2 might have sounded arbitrary, but I think was the best. This is another variation without 3..., Bh2, which in my opinion, was the best move because 3..., Bg3 or other move just make it quicker.

 

Then, again, I might have missed something. 

kindaspongey

Congratulations. I think this also works (building on the Prometheus_Fuschs idea):

 

perro_sordo
kindaspongey escribió:

Congratulations. I think this also works:

 

Thanks, and yes, indeed! It seems that in both ways Bc5 is a must to make black lose a tempo and move his bishop from h2 (and protecting b6 and d6).