[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Endgame Analysis: A Bishop and Pawn Ending, Part Four

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Endgame Analysis: A Bishop and Pawn Ending, Part Four
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1210720997.shtml


   This fascinating position, with Black to move, has been the subject of
   three earlier posts ([1]1, [2]2 and [3]3):
   [dm_b_and_p_ending_study_1.jpg]
   Black can win the a-pawn right away with 1...Bd8 followed by ...Bxa5,
   or with 1...Bd6 first to induce the h-pawn's advance and only then
   ...Bc7 and ...Bxa5. We looked at the first try in the first post and
   the second in the next two; it turns out that both are inadequate to
   draw, though White must display real ingenuity to bring home the
   point. That leaves a third possibility, 1...Bc5, and only after the
   f-pawn moves to try 2...Bd6, 3...Bc7 and 4...Bxa5.
   That line also fails, with White again needing some brilliant play in
   the main line. That's Black's last try in the pawn ending, but there's
   still another question to be addressed: can Black avoid ...Bxa5 and
   hold the bishop ending? Finally, I've conveniently ignored a much
   simpler way for White to win all of the pawn endings, a maneuver that
   renders all the brilliant finesses irrelevant. The conclusion is
   therefore that the diagram position above fails as a study, because
   White a second, simple and prosaic win. Still, it almost works, and as
   there are some very nice lines, I'd like to think that a serious study
   composer could make something out of this. Ideas?
   Meanwhile, you can replay the 1...Bc5 analysis [4]here.

References

   1. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1208327190.shtml
   2. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1208987219.shtml
   3. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1209350442.shtml
   4. http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/files/dm_b_and_p_ending_study_4.htm