Misplaying a Rook Ending
Why are rook endings difficult? The rook's move is arguably the simplest in chess, yet a rook ending where one side has an advantage of one pawn can prove vexing.
This ending arose in a game-10 Arena on chessdotcom. Both players had slightly more than three minutes remaining after 67 moves. I had Black.
White to move
Now, the position is equal. 68.Kd5 leads to a win.
68...Rh1
68...Rd1 also holds the draw.
69.Kg4 Rg1+ 70.Kf5 Rh1 71.Ke4
Black to move
71...Rf1 was the only move.
After the subsequent 72.Rf5+, Stockfish gives 72...Ke6 as equal, but an advantage of two pawns after 72...Ke7. However, experience analyzing many rook endings with Stockfish has taught me that anything under +4 should not be considered a decisive advantage. 72...Ke7 likely also hold the draw.
72.d5!+-
White is again winning. The next errors cam after thirteen more moves.
72...Ra1 73.Re6+ Kf7 74.Ke5 Re1+ 75.Kd6 Rf1 76.Re7+ Kf6 77.Re8 Kf7 78.Re7+ Kf6 79.Re4 Rc1 80.Kd7 Kf7 81.d6
Black to move
White to move
85.Re5 secures the full point
85...Rxf5?
Black puts White back in the driver's seat. Four possible moves along the c-file would have held the draw.
86.Re8+ Kf7 87.Kc7 Rc5+ 88.Kd6 Rc1
White to move
89.Re7+
This move does throw away the win, but White nonetheless missed the right idea.
89.d8Q Rd1 90.Kc5 Rxd8 91.Rxd8 Kf6 92.Rd5 and Black's king cannot help the advance of his pawns.
89...Kf6
Three moves later, the game was drawn by repetition.
This move does throw away the win, but White nonetheless missed the right idea.
89.d8Q Rd1 90.Kc5 Rxd8 91.Rxd8 Kf6 92.Rd5 and Black's king cannot help the advance of his pawns.
89...Kf6
Three moves later, the game was drawn by repetition.
No comments:
Post a Comment