In this episode of Chess Studies I take a look at the mother of all chess studies.

As always, leave your comments below!

[pgn_compat]

[Event “?”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2014.09.03”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Richard Reti, 1921”]
[Black “White plays and draws”]
[Result “*”]
[Annotator “Waldemar Moes, Better Your Chess”]
[SetUp “1”]
[FEN “7K/8/k1P5/7p/8/8/8/8 w – – 0 1”]
[PlyCount “11”]

{It seems as if White’s king can no longer stop Black’s passed h-pawn
and that Black’s king in the meanwhile can control White’s passed c-pawn. But
with some beautiful counterintuitive geometrics, White shows that (in contrast
to mathematics) in chess diagonal lines are equally long as vertical or
horizontal lines.} 1. Kg7 $1 {White’s king goes to the most flexible square
from where it can react perfectly in response to whatever Black chooses to do
next.} h4 {Black runs for the hills!} 2. Kf6 $1 {White keeps walking
diagonally!} Kb6 {Black tries to be smart now and tries to eliminate White’s
counterchance, the c-pawn.} ({If Black keeps running then White will be able
to support his c-pawn:} 2… h3 3. Ke6 h2 4. c7 Kb7 (4… h1=Q 5. c8=Q+ $10) 5.
Kd7 h1=Q 6. c8=Q+ $10) 3. Ke5 $1 {But again White moves diagonally!} h3 (3…
Kxc6 4. Kf4 $10) 4. Kd6 h2 5. c7 h1=Q 6. c8=Q $10 *

[/pgn_compat]

PGN notation:

[Event “?”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2014.09.03”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Richard Reti, 1921”]
[Black “White plays and draws”]
[Result “*”]
[Annotator “Waldemar Moes, Better Your Chess”]
[SetUp “1”]
[FEN “7K/8/k1P5/7p/8/8/8/8 w – – 0 1”]
[PlyCount “11”]

1. Kg7 $1 h4 2. Kf6 $1 Kb6 (2… h3 3. Ke6 h2 4. c7 Kb7 (4… h1=Q 5. c8=Q+ $11
) 5. Kd7 h1=Q 6. c8=Q+ $11) 3. Ke5 $1 h3 (3… Kxc6 4. Kf4 $11) 4. Kd6 h2 5. c7
h1=Q 6. c8=Q $11 *