No price is too great for the scalp of the enemy King.
If you are reading this instead of viewing a chess puzzle or game, then you must enable JavaScript on this website.
[Event "rated untimed match"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "White player"]
[Black "Black player"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[FEN "7r/6Kp/k1P5/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[TimeControl "0"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
{ The shortest route...|This king and pawn endgame lesson demonstrates that
a king can move towards two goals at one time. That fact allows him great
advantage over one-way pawns.|Believe it or not, white will move and draw
in this position despite starting way behind black's pawn. } 1. Kxh8 { The only
move that gives white any chances. } 1... h5 { Now the black pawn seems unstoppable.
The king is fully three moves outside the square (Square Concept) of the
pawn. } 2. Kg7 { The right idea. White's king move along the diagonal
approaching both his pawn and closing the distance to the black pawn. } 2... h4 { Black's best chance is to promote this pawn. So he races for the promotion
square. } 3. Kf6 Kb6 { Black rests his pawn and approaches white's advanced
pawn. } ( { Let's see what would happen if the black pawn continues to race for
promotion. } 3... h3 4. Ke6 { White moves his king to assist his pawn's
promotion. } 4... h2 5. c7 h1=Q 6. c8=Q+ { Promoting with check insures a draw
result due to even material. } ) 4. Ke5 Kxc6 { Black removes white's pawn
promotion potential. } ( { Let's see what would happen if the black pawn races
for promotion. } 4... h3 5. Kd6 { White protects his pawn and threatens its
promotion. } 5... h2 6. c7 Kb7 7. Kd7 h1=Q 8. c8=Q+ { A draw results due to even
material. } ) 5. Kf4 { White moves into the square of the pawn insuring that it
will not promote. } 5... h3 6. Kg3 h2 7. Kxh2 { A draw.|Other move orders are
possible, but the result is the same. } *