White to Play
Published in Chess Puzzles
Anyone familiar with Edward Winter’s Chess Notes website knows his ability to dig up stuff from the dusty corners of chess history. I have his original printed volume one from 1982. Here’s an instructive lesson from a game apparently won by a Mr. Leonard Walls. Here’s your challenge: Can White draw here? Is 1.b4 a good or bad move?
- Solution: Yes, White can draw here, but 1.b4 is not the way to do it. In fact, you get mated! 1.b4?? Bb7!! 2.c5 [2.b5+ Kc5 3.b6 axb6#] 2...Bc8 3.b5+ Kxc5 4.b6 axb6# The proper way to draw was: 1.Kb4 Kb6 2.c5+ Kc6 3.Kc4 Be6+ 4.Kb4 Bf5 5.Kc4 a6 6.Kb4 [or, if you have a sense of humor: 6.b4 Be6+ 7.Kd4 Kc7 8.b5 a5 9.b6+ Kc6 10.b7 Kxb7 11.c6+ Kxc6 12.Kc3 Kc5 13.Kb2 Kb4 14.Ka1 Kxa4 and the bishop is the wrong color.] 6...Bc8 7.Ka5 Kxc5 8.b4+ Kc6 9.b5+ Draw
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