Hexagonal Chess by I G Shafran: Endgames

(By E A Baum, candidate-master of sport in chess.)

Checkmating a lone King

Example #1

(Queen vs King)

White: Ka4, Qb2 (2);
Black: Ke10 (1).
Checkmate in one move.

Solution:

1. Qb2-e8×.

Example #2

(King and Queen vs King)

White: Kd6, Qb2 (2);
Black: Ke10 (1).
Checkmate in two moves.

Solution:

1. Kd6-e7   Ke10-d9 (or e9)
2. Qb2-e8×.

Example #3

(King and Rook vs King)

White: Kf8, Rg5 (2);
Black: Kf10 (1).
Checkmate in two moves.

Solution:

1. Rg3-g9   Kf10-e10
2. Rg9-e9×.

Example #4

(King and two Knights vs King)

White: Kd7, Na5, Ni10 (3);
Black: Ke10 (1).
Checkmate in two moves.

Solution:

1. Na5-c8   Ke10-d9
2. Ni10-f8×.

Example #5

(King, Knight and Bishop vs King)

White: Kd7, Nc4, Bi9 (3);
Black: Kd9 (1).
Checkmate in two moves.

Solution:

1. Nc4-e7+  Kd9-e10
2. Bi9-g8 (or h7)×.

Example #6

(King and two Bishops vs King)

White: Kd7, Bb2, Bd2 (3);
Black: Kd9 (1).
Checkmate in two moves.

Solution:

1. Bb2-e8+  Kd9-e10
2. Bd2-g8×.

Opposition

Example #7

(King and i-Pawn vs King)

White: Ki7, p. i8 (2); Black: Ki9 (1).

If White is to move, the game is drawn:

1. Ki7-h6   Ki9-h8
2. K ~      Kh8:i8

If Black is to move, he loses:

Variant A:

1.  ...     Ki9-h10
2. Ki7-h8    ~
3.  i8-i9

and the white Pawn is queened.

Variant B:

1.  ...     Ki9-i10
2. Ki7-h7   Ki10-g9
3. Kh7-i9

See diagram.

3.  ...     Kg9-g10
4. Ki9-h8   Kg10-h10
5.  i8-i9+   ...

Variant C:

1.  ...     Ki9-g8
2. Ki7-g6   Kg8-i9
3. Kg6-g7   Ki9-i10

After 3. ... Ki9-h10 White wins by 4. Kg7-h8.

4. Kg7-h7 (certainly not Kg7-g8) Ki10-g9 (4. ... Ki10-h10 loses quickly after 5. Kh7-h8) 5. Kh7-i9 etc.

Example #8

(King and h-Pawn vs King)

White: Kh7, p. h8 (2); Black: Kh9 (1).

If White is to move, Black manages to get into opposition and draw the game by capturing the Pawn or by achieving a repetition of moves:

1. Kh7-g6   Kh9-g8
2. Kg6-i7   Kg8-g7

The same rule of opposition holds true for all other files of the board.

If Black is to move, White can always win:

1.  ...     Kh7-h10
2. Kh7-i8   Kh10-g8
3.  h8-h9   Kg8-h10
4. Ki8-h8   Kh10-f9
5. Kh8-i8

See diagram.

Example #9

(King and e-Pawn vs King)

White: Ke6, p. e7 (2); Black: Ke8 (1).

If Black is to move, White can always win:

1.  ...     Ke8-e9
2. Ke6-c5   Ke9-e8
3. Kc5-c6   Ke8-e9
4. Kc6-c7   Ke9-f10
5. Kc7-d8

5. e7-e8+ won't do because of 5. ... Kf10-e9, getting into opposition and achieving a draw.

5.  ...     Kf10-g10
6. e7-e8

and the white Pawn is queened. (See diagram.)

Pawn endgame with Bishops moving on different colours

White: Kd5, Bf7 (2);
Black: Kc2, Bb3, pp. d4, e6, f8 (5).

1. Kd5-e4   Bb3-e9
2. Bf7-d3   Kc2-b3
3. Ke4-d5   Kb3-a4
4. Bd3-f7   Ka4-b6

If Black plays 4. ... Ka4-b3, White repeats his first move, 5. Kd5-e4.

5. Kd5-d6   Kb6-c8
6. Kd6-e8   Be9-d7

and a draw (see diagram).

Or:

3.  ...     Kb3-c2
4. Kd5-e4

Not 4. Kd5-c4? because of 4. ... Kc2-d2 5. Kc4-e5 f7-f8+. White would have to trade his Bishops for two Pawns and would lose the game.

4.  ...     Kc2-d1
5. Ke4-f3

and a draw.