24 February 2020

Rook Ending Tragicomedy

The third rook ending in Thomas Engqvist, 300 Most Important Chess Positions (2018) sent me back into my database. There I found a game that went from winning to drawn to losing, and then I won on time when my opponent had a forced checkmate in three. It was a blitz game, and likely we were both seriously short on time.

White to move

Stripes,J. (1618) -- Internet Opponent (1573) [E91]
freechess.org, 08.01.2006

55.Kh1 Rf2 56.Rf8+ Kg3 57.Rxf2??

Throws away the game.

Black to move

57...exf2??

57.Kxf2=

58.Rf1??=

58.Rb3+-

58...Kf3

White to move

59.Kh2??-+

59.Ra1=

59...g3+ 60.Kh1 g2+ 1-0

Black lost on time.

Analysis Positions


White to move
White should win easily, but 56.Ra3?? allows Black a draw.

Black to move
Black has a draw.

Black to move
Black has a draw.

Black to move
Not 61...gxf1Q=

1 comment:

  1. If White hadn't flagged, he had great drawing chances if Black forgot about autoqueen!

    ReplyDelete