a Unlocked WHITE TO PLAY


8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


a b c d e f g h


“Push your pawn up to f4 to try and make something on the kingside, and I will lock it up by pushing my pawn to f6. Then my passed pawn on c4 will win for me.” The King stared at the board, and then responded in mock horror, “Then I had better move the other f- pawn, and see if I can unlock the kingside.” With that he played 1. f6!


It was easy to see the next few


moves after the forced capture, as the King moved his pawns for a breakthrough. 1. … gxf6 2. f4 Kd4 3. g5 fxg5 4. fxg5


Here, the King’s brother


realized that making another pawn capture would free White’s h- pawn to advance and be promoted to a queen. He hurried his own king back to help out on defense. 4. … Ke5 5. gxh6 Kf6


Now the King let his pawns pro-


tect each other, and advanced to- ward his brother’s c-pawn with 6. Kc2!


See diagram, top of next column. “What?” sputtered the brother.


“If I move my king, one of your pawns will make its way to its queening square.” In frustration he


8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


a b c d e f g h played 6. … c3


The King then captured the c-pawn.


His brother realized that nothing had changed. “Your pawns can go nowhere, as long as my king sits still,” he said. “But you must move” came the reply, “and that will unlock the kingside and I will gain a queen.” With that, the brother resigned the game.


By Rick Kennedy g


“Now I’ve got you,” snarled the King’s brother across the chessboard, which was set up as follows:


WHITE TO PLAY


8 April 2016 www.uschess.org


A


b r


i


i


a


n h


n


K


t


s


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