The65thSquare Endgame Problem 001
By Kvuzon
Can white win this?


Do white have enough advantage to win?

Here is a endgame that might have happened in a game I'm analyzing. White stands better but is it enough for a win? How is it done? Can black draw? How?

Solution

Here is what I think. I present several solutions after each other.

1. a3 { Stopping the black knights from doing anything on the queenside.} Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Nd6 5. Nxd6 Kxd6 6. Nd5 Nd7 7 . c4 b5 8. cxb5 cxb4 9. axb4 f5 10. Kf2 g5 11. Ke3 g4 12. fxg4 fxg4 13. Kf 2 Ke6 14. Kg3 Nf6 15. Nxf6 Kxf6 16. Kh4 Kg6 17. b6 { Else 17... b6.} Kh6 18. h3 gxh3 19. Kxh3 Kg5 20. g3 Kg6 21. Kh4 Kh6 22. g4 hxg4 23. Kxg4 Kg6 24. b5 +-

This variation differs from the above that black keeps the knight instead of 14... Nf6.
1. a3 Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Nd6 5. Nxd6 Kxd6 6. Nd5 Nd7 7 . c4 b5 8. cxb5 cxb4 9. axb4 f5 10. Kf2 g5 11. Ke3 g4 12. fxg4 fxg4 13. Kf 2 Ke6 14. Kg3 Kf7 15. Kh4 Kg6 16. Ne7+ Kf6 17. Nf5 Kg6 18. b6 Nf6 19. Nd6 Nd 7 20. Nxb7 Nxb6 21. Nd6 Nd7 22. b5 Nb6 23. Nf5 Nc4 24. Ng3 +-

One try to be active with the king.
1. a3 Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Nd6 5. Nxd6 Kxd6 6. Nd5 Nd7 7. c4 Kc6 8. Ne7+ Kd6 9. Nxg6 b5 10. cxb5 cxb4 11. axb4 Kc7 12. Ne7 Kb6 13. Nd5+ Kxb5 14. Kf2 Kc4 15. Ke3 h4 16. g3 hxg3 17. hxg3 b6 18. f4 b5 19. fxe5 Nxe5 20. Nxf6 Kxb4 21. Kd4 Nf3+ 22. Kd5 Kc3 23. e5 b4 24. Ne4+ Kc2 25. Nc5 b3 26. Nxb3 Kxb3 27. e6

Trying to defend with the king.
1. a3 Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Nd6 5. Nxd6 Kxd6 6. Nd5 Nd7 7. c4 Ke6 8. Kf2 Kd6 9. g4 hxg4 10. fxg4 g5 11. Kg3 Ke6 12. h4 gxh4+ 13. Kxh4 Kf7 14. Kh5 Kg7 15. g5 fxg5 16. Kxg5 Kf8 17. Kg6 Ke8 18. Kg7 cxb4 19. axb4 b5 20. cxb5 b6 21. Nf6+

One failed attempt to win if black doesn't play 10... g5.
1. a3 Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Nd6 5. Nxd6 Kxd6 6. Nd5 Nd7 7. c4 Ke6 8. Kf2 Kd6 9. g4 hxg4 10. fxg4 Ke6 11. h4 f5 12. gxf5+ gxf5 13. Ke3 f4+ =

A much better attempt.
1. a3 Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Nd6 5. Nxd6 Kxd6 6. Nd5 Nd7 7. c4 Ke6 8. Kf2 Kd6 9. g4 hxg4 10. fxg4 Ke6 11. Ne3 b5 12. cxb5 cxb4 13. axb4 Nb6 14. h4 Na4 15. h5 gxh5 16. gxh5 Nc3 17. Kf3 Nxb5 18. Nf5 Kf7 19. Ke3 Kg8 20. Kd3 Kf7 21. Kc4 Na3+ 22. Kd5 Nc2 23. b5 Na3 24. Nd6+ Ke7 25. h6

Last what could happen if black tries to keep the knights.
1. a3 Nc6 2. b4 Kd7 3. f3 Nb8 4. Ne3 Ke6 5. Nd5 Nd7 6. Kf2 { If black moves Nc8 then we transpose to the above.}


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