The Marvelous Aesthetics of Chess

Every so often, you encounter a position that makes you pause and appreciate. The following puzzle is one such time. Feel free to give it a try — it is quite high-level.

White has connected passed pawns, while Black has a lonely-looking passer on g3. It’s not too hard to see that if White gets a moment for Kg2, they will win the g3-pawn and be easily in time to stop any attempt of Black’s in the centre, before winning with their own pawns. So, Black must act quickly with 1. …d4!.

Now White does not have time to chase the g-pawn, since the d-pawn would run free. So we look at 2. exd4 e3.

This is a fascinating question. The split passers are a mischievous duo: imagine Kg2, and …e2! would win for Black, so White can’t approach either pawn. But how do we feel after White pushes 3. d5? Think about it again, then we will proceed.

Black obviously can’t push a pawn, and can’t shuffle sideways, because for example …Kd7 f6 would force a step back, at which point …Ke8 e6 has Black pushed inexorably towards defeat. There is one winning move: 3. …Ke8!!.

f6 (or equivalently d6) allows …Kf7, and the pawns become frozen — if then d6 Ke6, White is forced to give up pawns, or move the king. Similarly, 4. e6 Ke7 demonstrates a phenomenal zugzwang, and is the best picture.

Funnily enough, Black’s king stops three pawns, while White’s can’t stop two. White must make a losing concession, and Black wins.