Black - can draw or not?

[masrost71]

[d]6k1/4p3/5bBP/8/5B2/3K4/8/8 b - - 0 1
Many chess engines prefered this position is winning for white but I still believe black can draw by not move the e pawn,black bishop secure a1-h8 diagonal and protect e pawn and black king's move only to f7,f8,g7.g8,h7 and h8 squares.

[Terry McCracken]

[d]6k1/4p3/5bBP/8/5B2/3K4/8/8 b - - 0 1
Many chess engines prefered this position is winning for white but I still believe black can draw by not move the e pawn,black bishop secure a1-h8 diagonal and protect e pawn and black king's move only to f7,f8,g7.g8,h7 and h8 squares.

Unless you can win the Black Bishop..it's a Dead Draw.

[smirobth]

[d]6k1/4p3/5bBP/8/5B2/3K4/8/8 b - - 0 1
Many chess engines prefered this position is winning for white but I still believe black can draw by not move the e pawn,black bishop secure a1-h8 diagonal and protect e pawn and black king's move only to f7,f8,g7.g8,h7 and h8 squares.

Unless you can win the Black Bishop..it's a Dead Draw.

There is no reason Black has to give up anything and the position as given is indeed a dead draw exactly as the original poster noted. However Black needs to keep more than just his bishop to draw ... if Black loses the e-pawn (without a dark square bishop trade or White first having pushed his h-pawn) he loses.

These bishop endings with a rook pawn occur so frequently (in which chess programs very often get totally confused) that I think a program might pick up about 10 ELO points by solving it somehow. Even something as simplistic as a penalty for having only pawns on a rook file and a bishop the same color as the queening square might help some.

[Terry McCracken]

[d]6k1/4p3/5bBP/8/5B2/3K4/8/8 b - - 0 1
Many chess engines prefered this position is winning for white but I still believe black can draw by not move the e pawn,black bishop secure a1-h8 diagonal and protect e pawn and black king's move only to f7,f8,g7.g8,h7 and h8 squares.

Unless you can win the Black Bishop..it's a Dead Draw.

There is no reason Black has to give up anything and the position as given is indeed a dead draw exactly as the original poster noted. However Black needs to keep more than just his bishop to draw ... if Black loses the e-pawn (without a dark square bishop trade or White first having pushed his h-pawn) he loses.

These bishop endings with a rook pawn occur so frequently (in which chess programs very often get totally confused) that I think a program might pick up about 10 ELO points by solving it somehow. Even something as simplistic as a penalty for having only pawns on a rook file and a bishop the same color as the queening square might help some.

You're correct Robin, Black can't be forced to concede either the pawn or the Bishop, it's a draw.

I was being sarcastic as it's an obvious draw.

[smirobth]

You're correct Robin, Black can't be forced to concede either the pawn or the Bishop, it's a draw.

I was being sarcastic as it's an obvious draw.

Several programs want to play the losing move e6, so for these programs it is not so obvious.

[Terry McCracken]

You're correct Robin, Black can't be forced to concede either the pawn or the Bishop, it's a draw.

I was being sarcastic as it's an obvious draw.

Several programs want to play the losing move e6, so for these programs it is not so obvious.

A case where a little endgame knowledge would go a long way...EGTB's are soon going to be a waste of time