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These are a challenge for you to solve. You know you can move the pieces on the diagrams below – in order to analyse. But we have switched off the diagram engines, so you do not get the solution with a single button click.
Black will do everything he can to trade his rook for the white pawn. The position looks fairly simple, but you may discover that Black has plenty of defensive resources. You need to work them all out and find the unrefutable win for White.
This simple-looking endgame position is actually mind-bogglingly complex. With equal material the game seems to be headed to a draw, and Black has the additional advantage of being able to clear the path for his pawn with a check (...Bg6+), something White cannot do. If you are able to find the stunning first move White must play to secure the win, then congratulations are due. But even if you find it, you need to work out the strategy against the most resilient black defence. To do so requires equally stunning play by White.
This looks like an easy win for White: the bishop moves to d6 to b7 and captures both black pawns. So why is this not a win, and how must White proceed to actually triumph? You probably suspect it: opposition plays an important role in working out the win.
The video solutions to these puzzles will be provided in a week. That is the time you have to try to work everything out on your own. Chapeau, if you succeed! We suppose it is clear that you must not post any solutions in the feedback below. Just tell us how easy or hard you found the puzzles, how long it took you to solve them.
Magical Chess Endgames Vol. 1 & 2 + The magic of chess tactics
In over 4 hours in front of the camera, Karsten Müller presents to you sensations from the world of endgames - partly reaching far beyond standard techniques and rules of thumb - and rounds off with some cases of with own examples.
