Why did the Bridge visit the counselor? It needed arch support.
In this week’s position, white wins by constructing a bridge that allows its pawn to cross the board to its promotion square. With this hint in mind, please try to find white’s winning blueprint.
As long as black can prevent the successful promotion of the white pawn, the game is a draw. Here, black’s rook and king keep the white king from coming out from behind the pawn and opening up the promotion square.
White’s best move is to check black from f1. Black’s best move is not to move closer to the white pawn with king to e6. White’s king then steps over to e8, threatening an immediate promotion, as black’s king shields white’s king from check. Black threatens the pawn with rook to d2, but white’s rook check from e1 pushes the black king away, and white’s pawn promotes (see next diagram).
After the check from f1, black’s king otherwise retreats to g7 or g6. Either way, white’s best reply is rook to f4. Now if the black rook remains on the “c” file to keep the white king off the “c” file with rook to c3, white’s king moves to e7. Black’s rook checks from e3 and white’s king moves to d6. The black rook checks from d3, and white’s king steps over to e6 and still defends the pawn. Black again checks from e3 and white’s king advances to d5 (see next diagram).
Black checks once again from d3, this time threatening to skewer white’s pawn. White’s rook, however, intercedes by moving to d4 (the point of the rook lift to f4). White has constructed a bridge that now allows its pawn to cross all the way to the other side of the board and promote.
Returning to the position after rook to f1, check, black king to g6, and white rook lift to f4, black may opt to move its rook to a2 instead of keeping it on the “c” file. White then moves its king to c7 and black’s rook checks from a7. White’s king, for example, moves to d6 followed by black, stopping the pawn with rook to a8 (see next diagram).
The white king next moves to e7. Black pins the pawn with rook to a7 but the white king moves to e8, ready to escort its pawn home.
The oldest bridge still in use is in Greece and dates to 1300 B.C. The bridge constructed in this week’s position dates to 1500 A.D. and is still widely used today.
Reach Eric Morrow at ericmorrowlaw@gmail.com or (505) 327-7121.
