-2
[fen "8/6pk/N7/8/8/4rN1P/6PK/8 b - - 1 1"]

with Black to move or WHITE King on h2 Knights on a6 f3 pawns on g2 h3 BLACK King on h7 Rook on e3 pawn on g7 with BLACK to move. Is this eight pieces position a win for White or a draw ? The position is a variation of a Stockfish vs Slowchess game.

Brian Towers
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user33335
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1 Answers1

3

This is no definite answer and shouldn't be accepted, but too long for a comment. I entered the position into the LiChess engine, and the evaluation is steadily rising. This is typical for a position with slow plans. My own plan is based on standard endgame knowledge and I believe suffices for winning:

  • First of all, get the horse a6 out of the botanics before it goes nowhere.
  • At all cost avoid a pawn exchange, because then Black simply sacrifices the rook against the last pawn. You can't protect it from all sides (unless it is very far advanced).
  • That said, gang up your two mares on the poor Pg7. If Black defends it with the rook, capture it anyway.
  • Advance the pawns very carefully, especially the h pawn who wants no discussion with the Pg7.
  • Side checks are easily blocked with the knights.
  • At depth 50 Stockfish is at +2.0, and I'm too lazy to let it run, I have an appointment :-)
Hauke Reddmann
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  • What version of Stockfish you were using? Were you also using tablebases? And what was the evaluation at depth =40 and depth =45? – Stefano Sep 26 '22 at 22:37
  • I've no idea of what Stockfish says, but for a human evaluation I totally agree with Hauke: White must be winning with the gradual plan described. In a real game, I would be very confident if entering this with White, and very desperate if with Black... – Evargalo Sep 27 '22 at 07:03
  • @Stefano: Standard LiChess analysis Stockfish, no defaults changed. Initial ("blitz") evaluation +1, at standard depth 22 about +1.5, rising to +2.0 (I think already at depth 40). – Hauke Reddmann Sep 27 '22 at 08:08