Chess study 1 – Richard Reti Study – Solution

in Chess Studies Chess Training on November 22, 2016 January 29, 2019

Chess Study 1

Richard Reti study 1921:

The very first weekly chess study I will post on this blog will be very famous study by Hungarian grandmaster Richard Reti, composed in 1921.

Richard Reti chess study is the first study I learned as a beginner and its simplicity and paradoxical solution made an enormous impression on me.

I realize that most chess players will be familiar with the solution, but I think that every chess blog should include it in it’s content somewhere.

   [White "Study #1"]   [Black "White to play and draw"]   [FEN "7K/8/k1P5/7p/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   {Although at the first glance there is no way for White to save himself since his pawn is controlled by the Black King, and h pawn is too far advanced.}   1 Kg7! {The point. White isn't going vertically towards the pawn. While he is moving diagonally he is also trying to support his own passed c- pawn.}   1... h4 2 Kf6 {Now Black has two choices.} 2... Kb6. {This seems smarter, first to catch the pawn and then push his own.} (2... h3 3 Ke7 h2 4 c7 4... Kb7 5 Kd7) 3 Ke5!! {Now again Black is at the crossroads}  3... h3 (3... Kxc6 4 Kf4{And White has managed to catch the h - pawn.}) 4 Kd6 h2 5 c7   {And both pawns promote at the same time. This study has left a great impression on the younger version of myself, due to its simplicity and paradoxical solution.

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