This is a compilation of a large set of positions posted by Sune Larsson at the CCC computer chess forum. Try your silicon and find out that there is still hope for human kind as these are the strategic kind of positions computers still have a hard time. You even may find out you will do better than the silicon.

Enjoy!

Move

White Black Rare Pawn ending (1) Badai,B (Shajmati) 1962 A clean cut pawn ending this time, 5 versus 6 pawns. But white to move and win. This is a rare flower and not a normal ending. A Swedish IM once told me that he had studied and learned all there is about pawn endings. And that he now *knew* them all. As in the stories he then went out to play an important team match, faced a complicated (right!) pawn ending - and lost it. They can be real tricky. This one is about taking squares instead of pawns - taking space instead of material. Mind you - a pawn down in a normal ending is mostly a loss. And here white moves for the win. Test: White to move and win. 1) Can your program find the win? 2) How much time needed? 1. f5 fxe5 2. h4 c4 3. Kf1 a5 4. Ke2 a4 4...e4 5.Ke3 a4 6.Kf4 c3 7.Kxg3 c2 8.Kh3 c1Q 9.g4# 5. Kf3 c3 5...Kxh4 6.f6 6. Kxg3 cxb2 7. Kh3 b1=Q 8. g4+ 1-0

Move

White Black 3 pawns vs bishop and 2 pawns (1) Ellison 1972 No story around this one, except to show how tricky endgames with very few pieces can be. One mistake and you're dead... Here white is fighting for the draw. After 1.gxh6 he will find the way, to the remaining black pawn, very long... Test: White to move and draw. It might be interesting to check if your program can make it in blitz [5-10 min] or rapidgame [30-60 min] or tournamentlevel [40/2]. 1. g6 f6 1...f5 2.a4 2. Kg4 Kxa3 3. h5 3.Kf5? h5 4.Ke6 Bh8 5.Kf5 Kb4 6.g7 Bxg7 7.Kg6 Bh8 8.Kxh5 Kc5 9.Kg6 Kd6 10.h5 Ke6 11.Kh7 f5 3... Kb4 4. Kf5 Kc5 5. Ke6 Bh8 6. Kf7 f5 7. g7 Bxg7 8. Kxg7 f4 9. Kxh6 1/2-1/2

Move

Novikov Hjartarson Instructive Bishop ending (1) Tilburg 1992 Bishops of the same color, 6 pawns each and black wins. His pawns are targets. A bit surprising first move! At least for the eye... Test: Black to move and win. Try out how fast your programs find the winning line. 37... b5!! 38. axb5 38.Bf1 bxa4 39.bxa4 Bd7-+ 38... Bxc4 39. b6 Kd8!! 39...Kd6? 40.bxc4 a4 41.f4 a3 42.fxe5+ Kc6 43.e6+- 40. Ke3 Bxb3 41. Kd2 Kc8 42. f4 exf4 43. e5 Be6 44. Bf3 Bxh3 45. Bd5 g5 46. Kc3 a4 47. Kc4 a3 48. Kb3 f3 49. Bxf3 Be6+ 50. Kxa3 g4 51. Be4 h5 52. Kb2 h4 53. Kc3 g3 54. Kd2 c4 55. Ke3 c3 0-1

Move

White Black Superb co-operation (1) Kubbel (Shajmati) 1925 In this position black can relax a bit. His main worry is the dangerous pawn on h7, but now he's ready to send it to the blissful hunting-grounds. Then he should be able to play for a win since white's pawns are somewhat loose?! No, not this time monsigneur! Look above - the name Kubbel spells brilliant co-operation of the white pieces. True - it's actually white to move and win. This one is about covering and taking squares. And shows what a rook and knight can do to a queen... Test: White to move and win. The time for your program to find the correct line, gives a clue about the performance in blitz, rapid game and tournament level. 1. Re3! Qxh7 2. Ne6+ Kc8 3. Rc3+ Kb8 4. Nf8 Qf5 5. e4 dxe4 6. Rc5 Qg4 7. h3 Qe2 8. Nd7+ Ka7 9. Ra5+ 1-0

Move

White Black Schröder's Beauty (1) Schröder 1931 Well, Mr Schröder seems to be a man of many talents. This is a very   nice position, made in his youth I think. Black is about to promote   and the white pieces sort of step on eachother's toes. But there is   a way for white to draw. A stunning resource that shows the beauty   of chess. Rebel might prove good at this one...   Test: White to move and draw. The quicker the better. 1. Nf5 exf5 2. Bf8 a2 3. Bb4 a1=Q 4. Bc3+ Qxc3 1/2-1/2

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