White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Mar 3, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

A very instructive king and pawn ending.

From Alekhine-Yates, Hamburg, 1910 1.Kd3! Not 1.Kb4?? Ke6 2.Kxb5 Kxe5 3.Kxa4 Ke4 4.b4 Kxe3 5.b5 f4 6.b6 f3 7.b7 f2 8.b8=Q f1=Q and it’s a draw as neither king can escape unending checks 1...Kd7 2.e4 Not 2.Kd4 Ke6 3.e4 f4 4.Kc3 Kxe5 5.Kd3 f3 6.Ke3 f2 7.Kxf2 Kxe4 8.Ke2 Kd4 9.Kd2 and it’s a draw 2...f4 3.Ke2 Ke6 4.Kf2! Losing a move on purpose. 4.Kf3?? Kxe5 5.Ke2 Kxe4 and Black wins! 4...Kxe5 5.Kf3 Kf6 6.Kxf4 with an easy win.

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.