An interesting bishop and pawn ending

Problem ending demonstrated by Toby Rumford at Worcester City Club on 7 November 2002

It's white to move and win. Can you see how to stop black getting the King to h8 to force a draw against bishop of the wrong colour (because the bishop cannot control the queeening square, h8) and rook pawn?

To see the solution, scroll down the web page

 








White to play and win 3+1

 

 

 

Scroll down further for moves of solution

 

 

 

 

In the position above, white must stop black's king reaching h8.

1.Bd7! (Other moves fail, for example:1.Bg2? Ke3! (not 1...Kxg2? 2.h4 and the pawn reaches h8 before the king) 2.Bh3 Kf4 3.Be6 Kg5 4.h3 Kg6 5.Bd7 Kh5) 1...Ke3 2.h4 Ke4 3.h5 Ke5 4.h6 Kf6 5.Be8 Ke7 6.h7! (not 6.Bg6? because now black can march the king to h8 from which he cannot be displaced) Kxe8 7.h8Q+ 1-0

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Published 10 November 2002 by Ray Collett