Pawn endinge challenge: human vs engines.

[Chessqueen]

You probably will never see one of those positions that you have posted so far from real chess games, but Frank was correct it is better to practice positions from this book and try to convert those position into winning endgame.

Note: Also there are good lessons on youtube, such as this By GM Alex Lenderman

Try to solve this one, white to move and win
[pgn][Event "Computer chess game"]
[Site "DESKTOP-OFQ3C0P"]
[Date "2023.01.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ChessQueen"]
[Black "Dragon-2.6.1-64bit-avx2"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "3600"]
[Time "10:17:13"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[TimeControl "360+10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/pp6/4k3/5p1p/5P2/P4KP1/1P5P/8 w - - 1 1"]
[Termination "unterminated"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "program"][/pgn]

[Lazy_Frank]

I want to share this game here, because finish line of this game was very similar what you do, pepechuy.
Pawns ending starts at move 54.
Followed more closely what i will play in similar position, hardest moves for me will be 54. a4 and 59. Kg1, all others guessed right.

[pgn]
[Event "My Tournament"]
[Date "2023.01.04"]
[White "Stockfish"]
[Black "Leela"]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "rbbnknqr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RBBNKQNR w KQ - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "137"]
[SetUp "1"]
[Variant "fischerandom"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nfe6 3. Ne2 b6 4. d3 g6 5. f4 f5 6. Ne3 Bb7 7. Bc2 Qf7 8. g3
b5 9. Bd2 a5 10. O-O-O Rf8 11. Kb1 a4 12. Qe1 Nc6 13. a3 Na5 14. exf5 gxf5
15. d4 Nc4 16. Nxf5 Qh5 17. Rg1 Bf3 18. h3 cxd4 19. g4 Qxh3 20. Bc1 Bxg4
21. Nexd4 Bxd1 22. Bxd1 Ra6 23. Rh1 Qg2 24. Bf3 Qg8 25. Nxe7 Kxe7 26. Qh4+
Ke8 27. Bh5+ Rf7 28. Re1 Kf8 29. f5 Bg3 30. Nxe6+ Rxe6 31. Qd8+ Kg7 32.
Qxg8+ Kxg8 33. fxe6 dxe6 34. Rg1 Rg7 35. Bh6 Be5 36. Bxg7 Bxg7 37. Rd1 Kf8
38. Rf1+ Kg8 39. Bf7+ Kf8 40. Bxe6+ Ke7 41. Bxc4 bxc4 42. Rh1 h6 43. Rh4
Kf6 44. Kc2 Kg5 45. Rxc4 h5 46. Kd1 h4 47. Ke2 h3 48. Kf3 h2 49. Kg2 Be5
50. Rxa4 h1=Q 51. Kxh1 Kf5 52. Ra5 Ke6 53. Rxe5+ Kxe5 54. a4 Kd6 55. b4 Kc6
56. c4 Kb6 57. a5+ Ka6 58. c5 Kb5 59. Kg1 Ka6 60. c6 Ka7 61. b5 Kb8 62. b6
Kc8 63. a6 Kb8 64. a7+ Ka8 65. c7 Kb7 66. a8=Q+ Kxb6 67. c8=Q Kb5 68. Qaa6+
Kb4 69. Qcc4# 1-0
[/pgn]

[pepechuy]

You probably will never see one of those positions that you have posted so far from real chess games, but Frank was correct it is better to practice positions from this book and try to convert those position into winning endgame.

Note: Also there are good lessons on youtube, such as this By GM Alex Lenderman

Try to solve this one, white to move and win
[pgn][Event "Computer chess game"]
[Site "DESKTOP-OFQ3C0P"]
[Date "2023.01.04"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ChessQueen"]
[Black "Dragon-2.6.1-64bit-avx2"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "3600"]
[Time "10:17:13"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[TimeControl "360+10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/pp6/4k3/5p1p/5P2/P4KP1/1P5P/8 w - - 1 1"]
[Termination "unterminated"]
[PlyCount "0"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "program"][/pgn]

Hi.

Of course, the positions I am playing will never appear in an actual game.
¿Is it better to play from Benjamin's book? Most likely yes.
But I gave up on improving my chess a long time ago. I am just trying to have some fun, while keeping some chess skills for the next tournament I play in (last time, was in 2016, not counting club tournaments).

Greetings.

[pepechuy]

I want to share this game here, because finish line of this game was very similar what you do, pepechuy.
Pawns ending starts at move 54.
Followed more closely what i will play in similar position, hardest moves for me will be 54. a4 and 59. Kg1, all others guessed right.

[pgn]
[Event "My Tournament"]
[Date "2023.01.04"]
[White "Stockfish"]
[Black "Leela"]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "rbbnknqr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RBBNKQNR w KQ - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "137"]
[SetUp "1"]
[Variant "fischerandom"]

1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nfe6 3. Ne2 b6 4. d3 g6 5. f4 f5 6. Ne3 Bb7 7. Bc2 Qf7 8. g3
b5 9. Bd2 a5 10. O-O-O Rf8 11. Kb1 a4 12. Qe1 Nc6 13. a3 Na5 14. exf5 gxf5
15. d4 Nc4 16. Nxf5 Qh5 17. Rg1 Bf3 18. h3 cxd4 19. g4 Qxh3 20. Bc1 Bxg4
21. Nexd4 Bxd1 22. Bxd1 Ra6 23. Rh1 Qg2 24. Bf3 Qg8 25. Nxe7 Kxe7 26. Qh4+
Ke8 27. Bh5+ Rf7 28. Re1 Kf8 29. f5 Bg3 30. Nxe6+ Rxe6 31. Qd8+ Kg7 32.
Qxg8+ Kxg8 33. fxe6 dxe6 34. Rg1 Rg7 35. Bh6 Be5 36. Bxg7 Bxg7 37. Rd1 Kf8
38. Rf1+ Kg8 39. Bf7+ Kf8 40. Bxe6+ Ke7 41. Bxc4 bxc4 42. Rh1 h6 43. Rh4
Kf6 44. Kc2 Kg5 45. Rxc4 h5 46. Kd1 h4 47. Ke2 h3 48. Kf3 h2 49. Kg2 Be5
50. Rxa4 h1=Q 51. Kxh1 Kf5 52. Ra5 Ke6 53. Rxe5+ Kxe5 54. a4 Kd6 55. b4 Kc6
56. c4 Kb6 57. a5+ Ka6 58. c5 Kb5 59. Kg1 Ka6 60. c6 Ka7 61. b5 Kb8 62. b6
Kc8 63. a6 Kb8 64. a7+ Ka8 65. c7 Kb7 66. a8=Q+ Kxb6 67. c8=Q Kb5 68. Qaa6+
Kb4 69. Qcc4# 1-0
[/pgn]

Hi.

The position after move 53 is a very easy win for White.
There is nothing special about 59. Kg1, any waiting king move will have the same effect.
About 54. a4, it is one of several winning moves.

I like Chess960, and play it against engines on Lichess.
In my plans there is a Chess960 challenge, against weakened engines.

Greetings.

[Chessqueen]

Yes, but Not so easy if you remove the c pawn

[pepechuy]

Hi.

Now, the game against Stockfish, taking the c7 pawn.
A win for me.

I do not understand why Stockfish played 14... a6. I am threatening Kg4, and that moves does nothing to prevent it.
I think 14... f5 or 14.. h5 are better. Most likely I would have won anyway, but those moves put more obstacles to my plans than 14... a6.

[pgn]
[Event "banksia game"]
[Site "*"]
[Date "2023.01.05"]
[Round "*"]
[White "hm::Garcia Ruvalcaba, Jose de Jesus"]
[Black "Stockfish 15"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Time "16:54:53"]
[TimeControl "600+10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/pp1ppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[Termination "mate"]

1. c4 d6 {+4.04/27 83539 44826944} 2. d4 Kd7 {+4.08/24 12647 10202843} 3. Kd2
Kc7 {+4.24/27 96704 56479799} 4. Kc3 Kb6 {+4.40/24 68466 39710538} 5. b4 e6
{+4.67/27 90627 51637539} 6. Kb3 d5 {+4.55/26 104568 60602706} 7. c5+ Kc6
{+5.27/24 89444 52053178} 8. a4 g5 {+6.00/22 94572 60027032} 9. b5+ Kd7
{+6.79/21 10 39998095} 10. Kc3 Kc8 {+6.90/22 32610 25852381} 11. Kd3 Kd7
{+7.39/22 10 22300394} 12. Ke3 b6 {+6.83/18 6069 4273319} 13. c6+ Kc7 {+8.50/23
32565 25631500} 14. Kf3 a6 {+8.42/19 14513 8709816} 15. Kg4 f6 {+8.78/20 10
4435609} 16. Kh5 axb5 {+9.34/21 8224 9062408} 17. axb5 Kd6 {+10.36/21 10354
9687100} 18. Kh6 e5 {+10.84/22 7986 11035004} 19. e3 Ke6 {+13.32/23 21642
18669224} 20. Kxh7 Kd6 {+14.75/19 1285 4281574} 21. Kg6 Ke6 {+24.63/25 10
10973799} 22. h3 f5 {+19.00/19 14870 13734411} 23. Kxg5 exd4 {M-10/37 16406
12615519} 24. exd4 f4 {M-9/62 10 14392173} 25. Kxf4 Kd6 {M-8/109 5755 15918266}
26. h4 Ke7 {M-7/100 10 11074432} 27. h5 Kd6 {M-6/245 10 8061993} 28. h6 Ke7
{M-5/245 10 1659071} 29. h7 Kd6 {M-4/245 10 40118} 30. h8=Q Ke7 {M-3/245 10
20560} 31. Ke5 Kf7 {M-3/245 88 237770} 32. Qh7+ Kf8 {M-2/245 10 15121} 33. Kf6
Ke8 {M-1/245 10 497} 34. Qh8# 1-0
[/pgn]

Next game is against Berserk, taking the d7 pawn.
Greetings.

[pepechuy]

Hi.

Now, the game against Berserk, taking the d7 pawn.
A win for me.

¡This is the most interesting game I have played in this challenge!
The position got very tense after 14.e4: I had my pawn on e4 and f4, while Berserk had its pawn on e5 and f5; ¡and they remained there seven full moves!
I must admit that I was not sure what was going on. While I would not say I got "lucky", I can say that in that kind of positions it is just as likely that I make a bad move than a good move (in most positions, it is more likely that I make a good move).
I do not understand 26... b6, which loses trivially.

[pgn]
[Event "banksia game"]
[Site "*"]
[Date "2023.01.06"]
[Round "*"]
[White "hm::Garcia Ruvalcaba, Jose de Jesus"]
[Black "Berserk 9"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Time "17:19:46"]
[TimeControl "600+10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/ppp1pppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[Termination "mate"]

1. d4 e6 {+2.63/21 42783 35275620} 2. Kd2 Kd7 {+2.62/22 13873 15936818} 3. Kd3
Kd6 {+2.62/23 24679 18862913} 4. c4 c5 {+2.87/24 245869 186850478} 5. dxc5+ Kxc5
{+2.98/22 8438 12926470} 6. Kc3 f6 {+2.87/21 9874 9503812} 7. b4+ Kd6 {+2.92/24
64713 61070332} 8. Kd4 e5+ {+3.75/24 169515 152098729} 9. Ke4 Ke6 {+4.26/22
63373 36618315} 10. g4 g6 {+4.51/21 933 16973829} 11. f4 f5+ {+4.81/20 30961
22443102} 12. gxf5+ gxf5+ {+4.75/19 4034 9465264} 13. Kf3 Kd6 {+5.32/21 21805
19856244} 14. e4 Ke6 {+5.36/21 6311 14552008} 15. h4 Kf6 {+6.17/20 18915
19499775} 16. a3 Ke6 {+6.32/20 12136 11296190} 17. h5 Kf6 {+6.68/21 5725
5986898} 18. c5 Ke6 {+5.67/18 4068 4135857} 19. Ke3 a6 {+8.00/23 10 25557684}
20. Kf3 Kf6 {+8.77/23 1012 18976241} 21. a4 exf4 {+10.33/22 10 33474898} 22.
Kxf4 fxe4 {+18.48/20 33607 29488220} 23. b5 e3 {+11.12/19 17707 15527284} 24.
Kxe3 Kf7 {+27.26/19 11405 15481250} 25. Kf4 Kf6 {+238.12/20 21189 16001185} 26.
c6 b6 {+269.57/18 12799 9602506} 27. c7 axb5 {+14.16/17 8643 6639541} 28. axb5
Ke7 {+277.42/16 5985 4574168} 29. c8=Q Kd6 {M-5/38 2383 2123494} 30. Qc6+ Ke7
{M-4/46 10 232113} 31. Kf5 h6 {M-3/109 8126 6417950} 32. Qc7+ Kf8 {M-2/127 10
154548} 33. Kf6 Ke8 {M-1/127 10 1357} 34. Qc8# 1-0
[/pgn]

Next game is against Crafty, taking the e7 pawn.
Greetings.

[Chessqueen]

I believe that it is more important for us to see you beating one of these engine from Snowy rated 1998 to Monarch 1.7 rated 2045 Pick any of these engine and show us how you can beat them on a normal chess game. I will start to play against Snowy very soon

426 Monarch 1.7 2045 +17 −17 48.2% +18.7 19.0% 1359
55.2%
427 Mustang 4.97 2043 +26 −26 44.5% +37.9 30.4% 529
55.0%
428 Matheus 2.3 2041 +23 −23 44.8% +46.2 22.8% 701
70.6%
429 ChessMind 0.82 2032 +23 −23 46.0% +30.8 19.2% 744
56.4%
430 Schola 1.1.0 64-bit 2030 +21 −21 48.4% +11.4 22.9% 826
52.8%
431‑432 Bestia 0.90 2029 +28 −28 51.4% −7.1 24.3% 469
49.7%
431‑432 Faile 1.4.4 2029 +23 −23 55.2% −28.5 22.1% 774
52.5%
433 Arabian Knight 1.55 64-bit 2028 +25 −25 46.5% +27.7 19.4% 608
51.3%
434 Slibo 0.5.1 2027 +26 −26 45.5% +33.8 19.4% 573
52.1%
435 Cupcake 1.1a 64-bit 2026 +22 −22 49.6% +4.2 16.1% 850
53.0%
436 Wuttang r2 64-bit 2025 +17 −18 47.5% +16.2 22.4% 1230
82.1%
437 Bubble 1.5 2013 +19 −19 43.6% +53.5 20.5% 1101
77.0%
438 La Dame Blanche 2.0c 2004 +15 −15 50.1% −1.1 18.7% 1766
56.0%
439 BibiChess 0.5 2002 +24 −25 45.7% +31.3 26.5% 607
52.5%
440 Oberon 0.04 2001 +24 −24 51.9% −15.5 19.4% 648
53.9%
441‑442 BSC 3.9 1998 +38 −38 45.5% +35.0 24.5% 253
49.7%
441‑442 Snowy 0.2 64-bit 1998 +26 −26 51.5% −11.7 19.0% 554

[pepechuy]

I believe that it is more important for us to see you beating one of these engine from Snowy rated 1998 to Monarch 1.7 rated 2045 Pick any of these engine and show us how you can beat them on a normal chess game. I will start to play against Snowy very soon

426 Monarch 1.7 2045 +17 −17 48.2% +18.7 19.0% 1359
55.2%
427 Mustang 4.97 2043 +26 −26 44.5% +37.9 30.4% 529
55.0%
428 Matheus 2.3 2041 +23 −23 44.8% +46.2 22.8% 701
70.6%
429 ChessMind 0.82 2032 +23 −23 46.0% +30.8 19.2% 744
56.4%
430 Schola 1.1.0 64-bit 2030 +21 −21 48.4% +11.4 22.9% 826
52.8%
431‑432 Bestia 0.90 2029 +28 −28 51.4% −7.1 24.3% 469
49.7%
431‑432 Faile 1.4.4 2029 +23 −23 55.2% −28.5 22.1% 774
52.5%
433 Arabian Knight 1.55 64-bit 2028 +25 −25 46.5% +27.7 19.4% 608
51.3%
434 Slibo 0.5.1 2027 +26 −26 45.5% +33.8 19.4% 573
52.1%
435 Cupcake 1.1a 64-bit 2026 +22 −22 49.6% +4.2 16.1% 850
53.0%
436 Wuttang r2 64-bit 2025 +17 −18 47.5% +16.2 22.4% 1230
82.1%
437 Bubble 1.5 2013 +19 −19 43.6% +53.5 20.5% 1101
77.0%
438 La Dame Blanche 2.0c 2004 +15 −15 50.1% −1.1 18.7% 1766
56.0%
439 BibiChess 0.5 2002 +24 −25 45.7% +31.3 26.5% 607
52.5%
440 Oberon 0.04 2001 +24 −24 51.9% −15.5 19.4% 648
53.9%
441‑442 BSC 3.9 1998 +38 −38 45.5% +35.0 24.5% 253
49.7%
441‑442 Snowy 0.2 64-bit 1998 +26 −26 51.5% −11.7 19.0% 554

Hi.

That would be another challenge.
But I would rather begin in the 1600-1800 range.
If I win, then I gain confidence to face stronger engines.
If I lose, then I realize that I am not really good enough to play against the engines you suggest.

Greetings.

[pepechuy]

Hi.

Now, the game against Crafty, taking the e7 pawn.
A win for me.

The game took a familiar pattern: I get a pawn majority on one flank, and then find a way for my king into the other flank.
I think 7. d4 would have been more accurate than my 7. g4; but fortunately Crafty did not prevent it and I played 8. d4
My maneuver 15. a4 and 17. Ka3 (with the idea b4) is quite nice, but not really difficult to find.

[pgn]
[Event "banksia game"]
[Site "*"]
[Date "2023.01.07"]
[Round "*"]
[White "hm::Garcia Ruvalcaba, Jose de Jesus"]
[Black "Crafty-25.3"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "2600"]
[Time "15:31:32"]
[TimeControl "600+10"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/pppp1ppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
[Termination "resign"]

1. e4 Ke7 {-1.25/21 28938 48964706} 2. Ke2 Ke6 {-1.33/21 30264 108729888} 3. Ke3
f5 {-1.31/20 61067 154696540} 4. f4 fxe4 {-1.30/22 21541 54787433} 5. Kxe4 d5+
{-1.35/23 21101 58018660} 6. Kf3 a5 {-1.32/23 39568 115807474} 7. g4 g6
{-1.50/23 70732 232845973} 8. d4 h6 {-1.44/25 26799 91654545} 9. Ke3 b5
{-1.36/24 28106 81611122} 10. Kd3 Ke7 {-1.42/25 18150 44820893} 11. Kc3 Kf6
{-1.52/28 18085 63780134} 12. Kb3 h5 {-2.70/26 25869 82819322} 13. h3 c6
{-3.93/29 33364 118792387} 14. c3 Ke6 {-4.14/27 23511 77303784} 15. a4 hxg4
{-6.95/28 97953 260479027} 16. hxg4 Kd6 17. Ka3 bxa4 {-11.78/28 13173 43452212}
18. Kxa4 Ke6 {-14.38/29 67063 251331898} 19. Kxa5 Ke7 {-16.40/29 16168 67222353}
20. Kb6 Kd6 {-18.79/25 16163 83057196} 21. b3 Kd7 {-16.05/26 18307 95688142} 22.
c4 c5 {-26.08/27 42773 183194298} 23. Kxc5 dxc4 {-327.39/27 12207 61574751} 24.
bxc4 Ke7 {-327.43/26 8853 36044232} 25. Kc6 Ke6 {-327.45/25 9120 44797007} 26.
d5+ Kf6 {-327.47/27 8858 29569021} 27. d6 g5 {-327.49/27 8869 26769844} 28.
fxg5+ Kxg5 {-327.47/26 12085 58879451} 29. d7 Kxg4 {-327.51/29 8960 18739605}
30. d8=Q Kg3 {-327.53/32 8783 28100626} 31. Qf6 Kg4 {-327.55/38 8743 20168011}
32. Kd5 Kg3 {-327.57/77 8931 27446958} 33. Ke4 Kg2 {-327.59/124 1356 674} 34.
Ke3 Kg3 {-327.61/124 140 393886} 35. Qg5+ 1-0
[/pgn]

The next game is against Komodo, taking the f7 pawn.
Greetings.