The Chess Mind

Author: Dennis Monokroussos.
This is a blog for chess fans by a chess fan who is more than a chess fan - other topics do creep in from time to time, per my interest.
All material here is copyrighted, and may not be reproduced without my prior permission.
All Opposite-Colored Bishop Endings Are Drawn, Except When They're Not
Visiting my friend Alex Herrera's correspondence chess website, I came across this position:


(His diagram and arrow.)

It's from the game Walters-Herrera, USCCC18, and of it Alex writes "Draw". Does this mean that the position is a draw (objectively) or that it wound up drawn, or both? Was 1.Kxf6 played, or should it be played, or is it White's threat but with Black to move? I have answers to some but not all of these questions, but for the sake of simplicity, let's set things up this way:

Suppose it's White to move. What should he do, and what's the right result? Work it out, but save your answers for a second post, so that those who come across this post later don't have the solution spoiled for them. I'll offer my thoughts later - if necessary. (If my talented and industrious readers work it out themselves, all that will be left for me is to say yea and amen.)

Related Posts (on one page):

  1. All Opposite-Colored Bishop Endings Are Drawn, Except When They're Not - Comments Post
  2. All Opposite-Colored Bishop Endings Are Drawn, Except When They're Not
Posted by Dennis Monokroussos on Saturday June 27, 2009 at 11:35pm
Alex Herrera:
It was white to move. I thought Bc2 was winning, moving the king to g6 and pushing e5 as a sac to get the f pawn going. The bishop and King will be overloaded defending the f and b pawn. Walters (+3 =3) still qualified 1st in the section, ahead of Musitani +2 =4 and me +1 =5. I made it through to the finals in another section.
6.28.2009 8:45pm
Alex Herrera:
This was my main line looking back, with some deviations that were also fatal for me:
56.Bc2! Bd4 57.Kg6 Kc5! 58.Bd3 Bc3 59.Kf7 Kd6 60.e5+ fxe5 61.f5 Kc5 62.Ke7 e4 63.Be2 +-
6.28.2009 8:56pm

Post as: [Register] [Log In]

Account:
Password:
Remember info?
Please keep comments clean, polite and on-topic. If you're interested in addressing a topic or asking a question not really related to the post at hand, then please write to me directly via the Contact link at the top of the sidebar.