THE FOURTH POSITION
Although White is a piece ahead he has great difficulties in winning on account of the weak position of the man on 12. Black's man on 3 holds
32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | oo | | | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | o | | oo | | oo | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | * | | ** | | ** | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1
DIAGRAM 101.—White to Move and Win.
him in check without being impaired in his effectiveness towards the center of the board. If Black had the move, White could not win at all, as he would be unable to dislodge Black's Kings. As it is, he wins by means of a sacrifice which often occurs in endings with 4 Kings against 3.
Black White
(1) … 14-9 (2) 1-5 9-13 (3) 5-1 11-15 (4) 2-6 10-14 (5) 1-5 15-18 (6) 5-1
32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | oo | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | oo | | oo | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | o | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | ** | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | * | | | | ** | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1
DIAGRAM 102.
It would not help Black to play 6-2 on account of 13-9; (7) 5-1, 9-5; (8) 2-6, 14-17; (9) 6-2, 17-13; (10) 2-6, 18-15; (11) 6-2, 15-10, etc.
(6) … 14-9 (7) 6-2 9-5 (8) 2-6 18-15 (9) 6-2 15-10
This is the important move, which forces the win.
(10) 2-6
If 2-7, White exchanges by 13-9
(10) … 10-7
Only with this pretty sacrifice can White win the game. After (11) 3-10 White plays 5-9 and should Black answer (12) 6-2, White would get "two for one" by 9-6. Therefore, Black can do no better than play (12) 10-15, 9-2; (13) 15-19, etc., and get a King in each double corner. White then wins as explained in the chapter on elementary endings.
Fourth position results in a draw only when the man is held on 12 or 21, according to whether the weaker side is Black or White. In third position it is useless to hold the man on the above squares, but sometimes a draw is obtained by holding him on 20 or 13.
In defending a game with two Kings against two Kings and a man, the weaker side must have the move in the system in which the man is pinned. The following position for instance is drawn with White on the move.
32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | | | | | oo | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | oo | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | ** | | * | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | ** | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1
DIAGRAM 103.
Black, on the move, would win by (1) 13-17, 22-13; (2) 14-9.
In Diagram 104 the drawing move is 27-31. The game ought to run like this:
(2) 20-24 23-27 (3) 24-28 27-32 (4) 30-26 31-27 (5) 22-18 27-24
32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | ** | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | | | oo | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | oo | | ** | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | * | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1
DIAGRAM 104.—WHITE TO MOVE.
(6) 26-23 24-20
and White moves back and forth between 24 and 20. In the position of Diagram 105 White draws by:
(1) … 23-19 (2) 28-32 19-24 (3) 7-2 24-19 (4) 2-6 19-24 (5) 6-9 24-19 (6) 9-14 19-24 (7) 14-17 15-19
32 31 30
+———————————————————-+
| | | | | | | | | 29
|———————————————————-|
28 | ** | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | oo | | | | | 21
|———————————————————-|
20 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | oo | | | | | 13
|———————————————————-|
12 | * | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
| | | | ** | | | | | 5
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
3 2 1
DIAGRAM 105.—WHITE TO MOVE.
Changing the guard
(8) 17-22 19-23
and Black can make no progress.