Endgame: Knight vs Pawn

When an a-file or an h-file pawn is threatening to promote, the knight must find a way to two critical squares.  If the a-pawn is threatening to promote, the knight must get to the c8 or b5 square before the pawn reaches a7.  If it is the h-pawn, then the critical squares are f8 and g5.  

Hope you enjoy this lesson.

Prof Knox

Solve the following problem...

Playing through the moves to prove the drawn position...

However with just a slight variation in position, Black is lost

You're right Anna-Girl thanks!  Too bad I can't change the forum topic name. 

cheers, very nice post Professor!

:)

Well on that note: maybe he should say king and knight vs king and pawn...

About the post: Very nice of you to take time to help others out. Much appreciated and will keep it in mind.

nice post............

Cool glad you liked it.

thanks mate, that was really helpfull

For some reason I can't see your diagrams, but I assume it's a white pawn and black knight.

The answer is it depends on the position of the kings. Consider the following:

                                                   White to play wins.

                                                    White to play draws.

                                                     White to play draws.

                                                    Black to play wins.

As I mentioned, I can't see Lax-Lawless' diagrams - I get the rotating "Loading". I assume the problem is how to stop a rook's pawn with a knight when the latter's king is remote.

It's true that with the pawn on h6 it is sufficient to play the knight to g5, f8 or h7 (not necessarily e6) so long as the opposing king cannot immediately capture. 

My point is that it's not necessary. If the knight is too late to stop the pawn on h6 there are still drawing possibilities if the knight can be played to one of f7 or g6 because of the potential stalemate with the opposing king on h8 blocking its pawn and the (extinct) knight's king on one of f7 and f8. 

Which of f7 or g6 should be used by the knight in this case may depend on the position of the kings. E.g. in the third diagram I posted White would win if the knight were instead on b6. In the given position White is delayed sufficiently in threading his way through the knight's minefield to give the black king enough time to make the distance.   If the white king were instead on f6 then a knight played to b6 would seal the draw, whereas played to c7 would not.

As to how to recognise drawing positions in Blitz, I think the answer is practice. There are undoubtedly positions that would be difficult to fully analyze at Blitz, but your opponent will have the same problem.

White to play does not win, black can just move his king

If you're talking about my first position, Black can move his king but White in the meantime can queen his pawn, possibly capturing the knight in the process, and continue to mate. Maybe you're talking about OP's last position which, unfortunately, I can't see.

A position where a knight wins. 

The early posts in this thread require the use of V2 to be read (to see the diagrams).

Thanks for the posts

Thanks for the posts

useful one

I can see OP's last position now. It is won for White. If Black moves his king the knight then doesn't have time to catch the pawn. E.g.:

Bump. 

You might find this Grigoriev study more challenging. I give only a single line but all Black's moves are forced against the given defense (so if it says "incorrect" it is).

Note that the board is upside down. (Couldn't get it right way up without switching colours.)