Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the currently ongoing Batumi Olympiad. I am writing this message live as I watch the games, though it will be posted on my site in several days’ time, since I write my blogs some days in advance.

Since the start of 2018, I have decided to adopt the style of only saying which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.

Black to play: White win or draw?

Radjabov v So, Ajerbaijan v USA , Round 8, Batumi 2/10/18

Black to play: White win or draw?

(position set up; not from the game).

Solution

Years ago, I watched a wonderful series of videos by Alex Yermolinsky on ICC which taught me a lot about these endings. The second is drawn- White hasn’t got a lever in which to force some discomfort on the king file, so Black will play g6, h7-h6, and shuffle his king between h7 and g7 to the end.

But the game continuation is won. White will nudge the a pawn forward to a7 if allowed, and then play his king up the board to the comfort of b8, where the Rb7 will cover him from a check on the b file.

Black’s best is to try to hope for a fortress in a QvR ending if allowed, though maybe White can always prevent this by moving his king to say b2 and then advancing it on the a and b files.

As I write this blog, the game is ongoing, but I assume Teimour will win.

FEN

6k1/5pp1/P1R4p/8/8/6KP/5PP1/1r6 b – – 0 41
wKg3,Rc6,Pa6,f2,g2,h3/bKg8,Rb1,Pf7,g7,h6