Puzzle of the week #280

Submitted by eugen on Wed, 07/22/2015 - 23:46

Opposition

Level
3-Bishop
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #280"][Date "2015.07.22"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "6k1/6p1/8/4K1P1/8/8/7P/8 w - - 0 1"]
During the last few classes before the end of the school year we learned and practiced a few types of endgames. This summer puzzle is a good opportunity to practice what you have learned. In this King and pawns endgame white moves first; your tasks:
a) Can white play for a win? Explain your answer
b) Find the best line you can think of

Total available points for this puzzle is 20 and they will be considered for the September - December semester for all solvers. The answers will be published next time (in September) together with puzzle #281.

Puzzle #279 solution:
Game Em. Lasker – Tarrasch. The best answer has been put together by Aaron:
"a) Black stands better because
- White has doubled pawns
- Black's pawns are halfway across the board
- The pawns on the left (Queen side) are 3 vs 2
- Black's king is very close to the white pawns

[Event "Puzzle #279"][Date "2015.05.26"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/6K1/8/ppp2k2/8/1P6/1P5P/8 w - - 0 1"]1.h4 Kg4 2.Kg6 Kxh4 {Lured the black King away} 3.Kf5 Kg3 4.Ke4 Kf2 5.Kd5 Ke3 6.Kxc5 Kd3 7.Kxb5 Kc2 8.Kxa5 {White saves a draw} 8...Kxb3

Correct solutions:
Aaron - 17 points
Hyson - 14 points
Coco, Bradley - 10 points
Benjamin, Cody, Andrew - 5 points
Deryk, Yakov - 2 points

FINAL STANDINGS:
Coco - 248 points
Bradley - 220 points
Cody - 213 points

Benjamin - 187 points
Hyson - 184 points
Jalen - 179 points
Aaron - 136 points
Deryk - 130 points
Yakov - 124 points
Terry - 84 points
Uros - 26 point
Dheera - 14 points
Andrew - 13 points