Can you win this endgame position as White?

[@pramodvora2067]

Excellent end game solution! You indeed sharpen my wits! Thanks. Love your end games solutions......!!

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

Glad you like them!

[@frankcoverjr.-jz3ne]

Thanks again, Average Chess Player! I like how you recap your analysis to emphasize the important points. On a different note, a wall hanging or curtains will reduce the echo! Keep it up!!!😊

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

Glad you enjoyed it! I will play around my mic settings to handle that echo too. Thanks for the feedback 😁

[@josandoy]

Highest possible level of chess !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@AbouTaim-Lille]

Wow. That is not at all a puzzle of an "Average Chess player" . It consists of a series of only-moves ! Maybe Some master players like Karpov , Spassky or Petrossian could fail in this puzzle.

[@lajos-berenyi]

Maybe over the board they could miss the win (not knowing, that it is winnable), especially if they don't have enough time, but as a puzzle, they would definitely solve it. For example I am 1870 ELO player and could solve it, it took about 3-4 minutes. Sometimes you can calculate only moves easier, then other movers. For example first I calculated b6, axb6 , a6, Kc6, Bxd6, but then I realized, that it fails with one tempo (b5, Bc5, Kc6, Ba6, b4, Kd3, Kc6, Kc4, b3, Kxb3, Kb5). Then I calculated, that instead of Bxd6 we can play Be7 and only after Kc7 we play Bxd6, so after black plays Kc6 back, we gained the necessary one tempo to win.

[@chelovek10117]

​@@lajos-berenyiI am a 2050 elo player and I saw it in like 10 seconds lol

[@lajos-berenyi]

@@chelovek10117 I can belive in you, that you saw the first move or the first 1-2-3 moves in 10 seconds, but sorry, I don’t belive, that you were able to calculate it up to the end in 10 seconds. But anyhow, the original comment stated, that maybe some word champions would have failed to solve it, I just reacted on this false statement.

[@chelovek10117]

@@lajos-berenyi yeah I didn't see b6 Kc6 Bxd6 a6 idk how to win, now watching the video rn

[@chelovek10117]

@@lajos-berenyi just saw Be7 a6 Bd8 also I did see everything after b6 axb6 a6

[@GaneshRamakrishnanRG]

Another good endgame puzzle and clear explanation. For the sake of completeness, the possibility of Black king going to c8 (instead of c6) from c7 could also have been analyzed.

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

Ah yes! Thanks for calling it out. With Kc8, White has to play a waiting move like Bg3, since the pawn or the bishop cannot move as they are both covering b8 and b7 from the Black king. After this white will eventually capture the pawn on b5 and it will lead to a zugzwang for black like in the other positions from the video and white will eventually queen the pawn.

[@girornsveinsson7970]

Playing Bc5 before queening the pawn is an instant checkmate when queening I think

[@the_benjamin_effect]

These endgame puzzles are excellent.

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

Glad you enjoy it! 😀

[@marcvanleeuwen5986]

While you give quite a few lines, there are several you completely ignore and which are still subtle. You should at least have mentioned some variants where it is a draw, not because Black can capture the last pawn, but because the Black King can reach the a8 promotion square, and although deprived of all other pieces cannot be chased by pawn, wrong colour Bishop and King, just stalemated. This happens for instance when deviating from the main line by 3.B×d6? b5 4.Bb8 Kb6 5.b7, or (again from the main line) 4.Bd8+? Kb8 5.B×b6 Ka8 (where contrary to what you say at 6:30 White can prevent Black from taking the pawn even though allowing them to get to b8), and also later 5.Bb8? Really this is all about keeping the Black King away from a8, more that about saving your last pawn. Also note that. in spite of your kind of dismissive remark at 8;:06, the move 4.Kb3 is also an only move: stopping the b pawn as fast as possible is crucial in later blocking the Black King from the 5th rank.

[@DavidRodriguez-ku2lo]

Awesome video!

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pashapasovski5860]

Sacrifice the B and push the pawn

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

That's the general idea, but we need some precise moves with the bishop though.

[@pashapasovski5860]

@@YourAverageChessPlayer I don't have a board or a know how to use the computer so I have to work it out in my head 🙃, I mean I don't know how to watch the video and have a board at the same time! It helps you to be methodical, but certain options are pretty obvious in the beginning and the end, the middle is interesting 🤔

[@DanacChess]

For the record, here is my answer: 1. b6 ab 2. a6 Kc6 3. Bxd6 b5 4. Bc5 b4 5. Ba7 and white wins. Could add sidelines too

[@DanacChess]

Realised it does not work, white continues with 5... b3 6. Kd3 Kb4 and it is a draw

[@themingxhe5330]

Kd3 instead after b4?

[@Nickulous64]

I think you overcomplicated this. Why Bishop e7? Why not Bishop d6 taking pawn. If king takes Bishop advance Pawn, if not move Bishop to b8 then pawn to a7 and they protect each other. You have all day to take the other pawn with King and then come up to force king away and queen the pawn. Seems faster and easier than the way you did it. But I am a less than average chess player, so I’m sure I am missing something.

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

After 1. b6 axb6 2. a6 Kc6 If 3. Bxd6 then Black plays 3. ... b5 4. Bb8 Kb6 5. a7 Kb7 and Black's King will not let go of control of a8 square resulting in a draw through stalemate soon

[@Nickulous64]

Oh I get it, because my king cant force his out of the corner. Ok, thank you for your reply. I appreciate your tutorials. I told you I was less than an average player!

[@petersiegfriedkrug]

From the diagram I would say 1.b6 all other moves are immediatly draw. And after Kc6 2.Be7 I do not know if I am right...

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

You are indeed right. Black can also play axb6 instead of Kc6. You have to calculate that line too :) Great solving!

[@chelovek10117]

I saw it like in ten seconds first saw b6 axb6 a6 Kc6 Bxd6 b5 Kc7 Ba7 and I just know that position is winning because I've seen that setup before on chess vibes then found a comment saying about Kc6 took me a few seconds to find Bxd6 axb6 a6 leads to the same position and if Kb7 Bc7 axb6 I have axb6 While writing this comment saw a6 took me a few minutes to realise I have no winning plan after that ill watch the video

[@chelovek10117]

Took me a few minutes to find the idea of playing Be7 and leaving the pawn alive lol

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

That's the idea! 😁

[@vijaykone8827]

Why not play Bxd6 at 3:02

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

b6 Bb8 Kb6 a7 Kb7 and Black King cannot be evicted from the a8 square anymore.

[@GyanjyotiKhanikar-vv6hf]

I got this but it took 2 minutes though ❤

[@YourAverageChessPlayer]

That's awesome!