I happened to be reading ‘The Delights of Chess’ which is the follow up book
to ‘Adventure in Chess’ both by Assiac the apt pen name of Heinrich Fraenkel
1897-1986 Assiac is ‘Caissa’ in reverse. both books are a mine of rich treasure.
Within the ‘Delights’ book I found this study by Emanuel Lasker.
White to play and win. I’ll give a silly joke before the solution.
FEN
K7/2P4R/8/k7/8/8/2r4p/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "K7/2P4R/8/k7/8/8/2r4p/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Kb7 {Threatening 2.c8=Q.} 1... Rb2+ 2. Ka7 Rc2 {So what has changed. The White King is in a better position.} 3. Rh5+ {If 3...Kb4 then 4.Kb7, The Black King has to stay off the b-file.} 3... Ka4 4. Kb7 {Again threatening to promote the c-pawn.} 4... Rb2+ 5. Ka6 {If you got this far you are on the right track.} 5... Rc2 6. Rh4+ Ka3 7. Kb6 {Any Rook move along the rank allows c8=Q and along the file then Rxh2.} 7... Rb2+ 8. Ka5 Rc2 {Black has to prevent c8-Q.} 9. Rh3+ Ka2 10. Rxh2 {The pawn promotes into a Queen v Rook ending and that is a White win.}
And, as predictable as ever, a few RHP examples with the same theme only this time
the plan of swapping Rooks to promote a pawn was not forced, it needed a blunder.
JimmyKeppler - stiffmiddlefinger RHP 2020 (Black to play)
1...Ra5 with a draw as the most likely outcome . Instead we saw. 1...Kh6
2.Rh4+ Kg6 3.Rg4 this forced off the Rooks and the a-pawn promoted.
tritonix - Chessward RHP 2020 (Black to play)
1...f5 should draw. But 1...Kg5 was played. 2.Ra5 the Rooks came off and it was 1-0.
steen49 - spartangreek RHP 2021
FEN
8/R7/5K2/7p/2k3rP/8/8/8 w - - 0 71
[FEN "8/R7/5K2/7p/2k3rP/8/8/8 w - - 0 71"] 71. Ra4+ Kb5 {This should be a draw but White overlooks something.} 72. Rxg4 hxg4 73. h5 g3 74. h6 g2 75. h7 g1=Q {White should now play Kf7.} 76. h8=Q {Kf7 It is a draw because the Black King is too far away from the h-pawn.} 76... Qd4+ {The White Queen has been skewered.} 77. Ke6 Qxh8
Next it appears both players did not know a bog standard winning/drawing procedure
vision1959 - zsleep RHP 2022
FEN
R7/P5k1/8/7p/r7/5K2/8/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "R7/P5k1/8/7p/r7/5K2/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Kg3 {This is a draw, all Black need do is to keep playing Kh7 and Kg7.} 1... Kf7 {White now wins with 2.Rh8 Rxa7 3.Rh7+ or 2...Kg7 3.a8=Q.} 2. Kh3 {But White missed it. 2...Kg7 and the draw is back on the board.} 2... Ke7 {Now White stumbles onto the winning idea.} 3. Rh8 Kd7 {3...Rxa7 4.Rh7+ wins the Rook.} 4. a8=Q Rxa8 5. Rxa8 {Black resigned.}
See the missed opportunities below for one more classic example of a
Red Hot Pawn player going astray in a Rook v promoted pawn ending.
I mentioned this self inflicted Queen trap in 2015. Back then there were
96 victims. A quick look has revealed this is now up to 139 the latest is;
luckytuck - Curtis Motes RHP 2023
1. d4 {Although it transposes most of the blunders have come from 1.d4.} 1... e6 2. e4 {So we have a French Defence.} 2... Qf6 {The only point I can for this move is after...} 3. e5 {3...Qg6 may have some awkward merit but the Queen does appear misplaced.} 3... Qf5 {Very easy to do, as the number of victims proves.} 4. Bd3 {The Queen is lost.}
mcmahon - Allen Montgomery RHP 2023 (Black to play)
Yet another remarkable position from a Red Hot Pawn game.1....g2+ 2.Qxg2 Rxg2
is stalemate and 1...Rxa8, which was played, is stalemate. However there is a win.
FEN
Q5r1/8/8/8/8/6p1/5k2/7K b - - 0 71
[FEN "Q5r1/8/8/8/8/6p1/5k2/7K b - - 0 71"] 71... Rh8+ {This move is the winner.} 72. Qxh8 g2+ 73. Kh2 g1=Q+ 74. Kh3 {Black could skewer the White Queen but...} 74... Qg3 {.,,Checkmate is better.}
