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| White to make his 42nd move in Spanton (1923) - John Cummins (1748), but is the position winning for White, better for White but not necessarily winning, roughly equal, better for Black but not necessarily winning, or winning for Black? |
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This is about as simple-a-win for White as is possible in a position with equal material.
The key points are: Black's bishop is bad, ie it is severely restricted by its own pawns while being unable to attack White's pawns; White threatens at the right moment to create a passed pawn near a queening square on the kingside; White's king is nearer the centre and, by extension, nearer Black's vulnerable queenside.
42.a4
It makes sense to keep Black's queenside pawns on dark squares, partly to stop the black pawns rolling forward but also so White's king can enter via the light squares.
42...Bf6
Other moves were possible but none was any good - Black is totally lost.
43.Kd3 Kd7 44.Kc4 Ke6
44...Kc6 keeps White's king in its own half of the board, but then comes 45.g6 hxg6 46.Bxh6 etc.
45.Kb5 Bd8 46.Kc6 Be7
Or 46...Kf6 47.Kd7 Be7 48.Kc7 (there are other wins, but this is the simplest).
47.Kxb6 Bd8+ 48.Kxc5 1-0
I knew from the diagram that the position was a very easy win for White. If you were not so sure, you would probably benefit from reviewing any literature you have that covers good and bad bishops.
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