Chess Skills: Time and Speed

11 October 2022

Time and Speed

I posted this position on Chess Skills' Facebook page yesterday and it has elicited some discussion. One poster offered the drawing line five moves deep, a few offered the key move that must be played in the position, and several recommended the move played in the game, which loses.

White to move

Let's back up a few moves to see how this position came about. It was a three minute blitz game, so inaccuracy should be expected. Even so, my opponent and I both found a series of only moves and moves where two moves had to be played, but the sequence was not critical.

White to move

White had been better since my error on move 12. Here, 41.h5! secures the win as Black's king cannot step into the square. After 41.h5, Black could try 41...Rc1 42.Kxg4 Rg1+ 43.Kf5 Rf1+ 44.Kg5 Rg1+ 45.Kh6 and White's rook will eliminate Black's b-pawn then work its way to the g-file. There may be other ways to win as well after 41.h5! White still had 54 seconds at this point in the game.

41.Re4??

White converts the win to a draw.

41...Rc4!= 42.h5

Now this move, winning a move earlier, is the only way to maintain equality.

42...Kf8

Black could exchange rooks first, then play this move.

43.h6 Kg8 44.e6

White also can opt to exchange rooks before playing this move.

44...fxe6

White to move

45.Rxc4

Other moves lose. For instance, 45.Ke3 Rxe4 46.Kxe4 g3 47.Kf3 b4 and the White king is outside of the square of the b-pawn. Black's king cannot move, but it does not need to.

45...bxc4

We now reach the position at the top of this post.

46.Kg5??

This move loses because Black's g-pawn is faster than White's seemingly powerful f- and h-pawns.

46.Ke5 is the critical move. Black must play 46...g3 47.Kxe6 g2 (47...Kh7 also holds) 48.f7+

Black to move