A Draw A Piece Down

There are three main attempts by white, numbered I, II, and III, with various subsections of each, using letter and number combinations to show the different variations:


I. 1. Ke6 Bd4

[1...Re2 2.d6 Bf4+ 3.Kd5 Re5+ 4.Kd4 Kc8 5.Rxf3 Rf5 6.Kc4 Rf8 7.Rd3 very close to winning for white; the b4 pawn can be picked up anytime and the white pawns are monsters]

2.d6 Bxc5

3.b7 Bxd6 [3...Ba7 4.Rxf3 Re2+ 5.Kd5 Kd7 6.Rf7+ Ke8 7.Rc7 b3 too late; white promotes first, winning the bishop and covering the b-file with the rook; black will still draw, but no more 8.Rc8+ Kd7 9.b8Q Bxb8 10.Rxb8 b2 11.Rb7+ Kc8 12.Rb5=]

4.Kxd6 Ra6+ 5.Kc5 Kc7 6.Rxf3 Kxb7 7.Kxb4= ½-½

I.a. 2.Kd6? This is a mistake, and now white can only hope that black will try the superficial mating attempt, which still draws, but if black plays this correctly, he wins.

I. a. 1. 2...Rc2 3.Rxf3 Bxc5+ 4.Kc6 Rc3-+ 5.b7 (5.Rf1 b3 6.Kb5 Ba3) 5...Ba7+ black wins;

I. a. 2. a 2...Rg2 threatens mate, but is inferior to the immediate 2. ...Rc2 3. Kc6 Rc2 the threat of mate may have been attractive, but it turns a black win into a draw, since, strangely, even though the white king is on the c-file and susceptible to the rook, his strong king position keeps it drawn 4.Rxf3 Rxc5+ 5.Kd6 Kc8 6.Rf4 b3 7.Rxd4 Rb5 8.Rd1 Rxb6+ 9.Kc5=

II. 1.d6 Is an attempt by white to win, but will only still draw after 1. ...Bxd6! But in a practical game, it may well be the best choice as here black can go wrong if he does not sacrifice the bishop for the pawn on this or the next move 1...Bxd6.

2.cxd6 Kc8 3.Rxf3 Rb2 4.Ke6 Re2+ 5.Kd5 Kb7 6.Rb3 Rd2+ 7.Kc5 Rc2+ 8.Kxb4 Kxb6= So it appears this is a draw as well with best play.

II. a. 1...Kc8 appears to lose though, as logical, as it may seem, unless black transposes back to the main line with Bxd6 after white's Ke6.

2.Ke6 Bd4 whereas Bxd4 draws earlier, now it loses

3.d7+ Kd8 4.b7 Re2+ 5.Kd5 Be5 6.c6 Bc7 7.Rxf3 Ke7 8.Rh3 Rd2+ 9.Kc4 Rc2+ 10.Kb5 Rd2 11.Rh7+ Kf6 12.d8Q++-

III. White's third attempt:

1.Rxf3 Bd4 2.b7 Kc7 3.c6 Bc5 4.Rh3 Rf2+ 5.Ke6 Re2+ 6.Kf6 Rf2+ 7.Ke6 Re2+ However, here black must stop the pendulum checking with 8. ... Re8!, cutting the white king off from his pawns, else retreating the white king to q-side, as shown,will provide him with winning chances. Then 9. Rh7+ Kb8 will hold the balance. 8.Kf5 Rf2+ 9.Ke4 Re2+ 10.Kd3 Re5 another winning line for white 11.Rh7++- But after Re8, we should have a draw.

Any comments on this article or improvements to the analysis, please send to me by message here. I am always happy to discuss chess!