Rapid Album: Endgames - white to play and win !?

 

This is endgame from one rapid game (20+0) played online after black had played 54...Kc7-d7.

White took some time to calculate the following line: 55. Bd5 Bxd5 56. Kxd5 Kc7 57. Kxe5 h4! when it seems that black would win since white king wouldn't be able to stop black passed pawn on king side.

Hence white continued with 55. Be2 ?? and draw was agreed soon.

Well, deeper analysis would show us that 55. Bd5 was the winning move as follows:

 

55. Bd5! Bxd5

56. Kxd5 Kc7

57. Ke4!

Amazing move by which white king remains inside square required to reach black passed pawn in case of black's move 57... h5-h4. 

 

57... Kb6 

(of course, now 'winning' option h5-h4 doesn't work, after g3xh4 white king is able to reach passed g pawn)

58. Kf5!

Another amazing move by which white king is approaching to the g5 and game would be soon over for black!