King Position

I am working my way through pawn endings that I have played over the past twenty years that ended drawn (see "Four on Four"). Some of these are completely lost for one player who was saved by the clock. Many of them are blown wins by one side or the other. Several games reveal that both players threw away a win, as yesterday's "More Endgame Errors".

Of course, these games nearly all come from blitz games played online. By the time a pawn ending is reached, the players may have only a few seconds remaining. Even so, better instincts can be trained, leading to better endings when one must play instantly.

This morning's review turned up an interesting position with both sides possessing pawn majorities, but White's king is better placed.

Stripes,J -- Internet Opponent [D32]
rated blitz match  freechess.org, 17.10.2005

White to move

33.a4+-

Seems like the wrong pawn, but ...

33...Kg7

33...a5 34.Kf3 Kg7 35.b4 axb4 36.Ke2 Kf7 37.a5 Black's king is outside the square.

34.b4 Kf7

White to move

35.a5??

35.Kf3!+- Ke7 36.Ke4 Kd6 37.Kd4 a6 38.b5

Black to move

Analysis diagram

38...a5

(38...axb5 39.axb5 Kc7 40.Kd5)

39.f4 Kc7

(39...g5 40.fxg5 fxg5 41.Ke4)

40.Kc5 Kd7 41.Kd5 Kc7 42.Ke6 g5 43.fxg5 fxg5 44.Kf5+-

35...Ke6–+

Black, nonethless, managed to fail, too. The game was drawn at move 61.