Chess Skills: Doing it Right

16 December 2024

Doing it Right

I had White and the move from this position a couple of days ago. As a couple of my students and I have been working on rook endings, I spent some time in post game analysis. I thought that I played the ending well.

32.Rxc8

32.Ree1 was worth considering, but I was aiming to simplify, trusting that I could prevail with minimal risk in a rook ending with a one pawn advantage.

32...Rxc8 33.Bxd4

33.Rg4 g6 34.Bxd4 Bxd4 35.Rxd4 was not even considered.

33...Bxd4 34.Rxd4

Black to move

34...Rc7?

This error gives me winning chances.

34...a5 35.Re4 Kf7 36.Re5 Rc1+ 37.Kg2 Ra1 38.Rxb5 Rxa2 more than likely leads to a draw.

35.Kg2 Kf7 36.Rd6 Ke7 37.Ra6 h6?!

37...Rd7 38.d4 keeps White's advantage minimal.

38.Kf3+-

Black to move

38...g5 39.Ke4 Rd7 40.d4 Kf6 41.g4!

Black to move

Black's options are limited. My rook is more active and my king is threatening to advance.

41...Rc7

41...b4 42.h3 Kf7 was a better option for Black.

42.d5 Re7

42...Rc2 43.Rxe6+ Kg7 44.Re7+ Kf6 45.Rxa7 Rxf2 46.Ra6+ Ke7 47.Rxh6 Rf4+ 48.Ke5 Rxg4+-

White to move

This position might serve as a training exercise.

43.Kd4

I considered 43.Rxe6+ Rxe6+ 44.dxe6 Kxe6 45.f4+- but did not correctly evaluate the pawn ending. That would have simplified the game.

43...Kf7 44.d6 Rb7 45.Ke5 b4

Better would have been 45...Ke8 46.Kxe6 Kd8

46.Rc6?

My first error in the ending.

46.Ra5+- and the rest is easy. 46...Ke8 47.Kxe6

46...Rb5+ 47.Ke4

Much of my advantage has slipped away.

Black to move

47... Ke8?

47...Rd5 48.f4 a5

48.Rc7+-

Aron Nimzowitsch assures me that this should be winning.

48...Rd5 49.Rxa7

49.Re7+ Kd8 50.Rxe6 Ra5 51.Rxh6 Rxa2 52.f4+-

49...Rxd6 50.Ke5

I was happy with this fork as I believed that the penetration of my king would be decisive even if several of my pawns came off the board.

Black to move

50...Rd2 51.Kxe6 Re2+

ChessBase auto analysis gives this move a question mark, but a greater depth of analysis by the engines concurs with Black's decision.

51...Kf8, recommended in the auto analysis is about the same. 52.f3 Rf2 53.Kf6 Rxf3+ 54.Kg6 Rh3 is not substantially different than what occurred in the game.

52.Kf6 Rxf2+ 53.Kg6! Rxh2 54.Rb7 Rxa2

White to move

55.Rxb4??

I spoiled the win. Either 55.Kxh6 or 55.Rb8+ with 56.Kxh6 to follow would keep the win in hand. As often occurs with these online ten minute games, when I think that I played well, post game analysis with the help of my silicon friends reveals that I threw the game away with a terrible error.

55...Rg2??

My opponent returned the favor, and once again I am winning.

55...Rh2=

56.Kxh6 Kd7 57.Kxg5 Kc6

White to move

58.Rd4!

Cutting off the Black king from the side of the board where my king and pawn are ready to advance together assures me of reaching a Lucena Position.

58...Kc5 59.Rd8 Rg3 60.Kf5 Rxb3 61.g5 Rf3+ 62.Ke6 Re3+ 63.Kf6 Rf3+ 64.Kg7 Kc6 65.g6 Kc7 66.Rd1 Rh3 67.Kg8 Kc6 68.g7 Kc7

The Lucena position has been reached.

White to move