The Winning Method: Building A Bridge
The Lucena position| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
In the Lucena position, the side with the pawn has a winning method that works for any pawn except a rook pawn (i.e. on the a- or h-file). In some circumstances, it also works for a rook pawn.
In this position, White can win with
- 1. Rd1+ Ke7
- 2. Rd4!
Now, if Black plays a waiting move, such as
- 2... Ra1
hoping to harass the white king with checks again as in the above variation, White continues
- 3. Kc7 Rc1+
- 4. Kb6 Rb1+
- 5. Kc6 Rc1+
(Or 5.Ka6 Ra1+.)
- 6. Kb5 Rb1+
- 7. Rb4!
The black rook can no longer check the white king and Black cannot prevent the pawn from queening (Ward 2004:48). White's shielding his king and pawn with the rook in this way was described as "building a bridge" by Aron Nimzowitsch (Hooper & Whyld 1992:238).
It is important that the white rook go initially to the fourth rank if Black uses his most active defense: repeatedly checking the white king. If Black abandons this defense, the white rook can build a bridge on the fifth rank. In the line above, after
- 5. Kc6
if Black moves
- 5... Ke6
there is a trap for White: if 6.Rd5?? (to build a bridge on the fifth rank) then 6...Rxb7! draws. However, if
- 6. Rd6+ Ke7
- 7. Rd5!
and White can build a bridge on the fifth rank by getting the rook to b5, the king to b6, and then the pawn can promote (Ward 2004:48–49) (position reflected):
- 7... Rc1+
- 8. Kb6 Rb1+
- 9. Rb5
and White wins.
Read more about this topic: Lucena Position
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