Endgame Gambit

Black is clearly worse in the position. While playing it, I remembered some discussion with Gary Younker, then president of the Spokane Chess Club, about the difficulties he faced with a rook against three connected passed pawns. I neither had seen the game not studied the ending.

This post is a continuation of yesterday's "Rook vs. Three Connected Passed Pawns".

Black to move

With the memory of Gary's comments, I opted for the rook exchange. My opponent was Phil Weyland, one of the strongest youth players in my city at the time. He was a B Class player; I was in C class. The game took place during our Taxing Quads event in April 2002.

46...Rxd4+ 47.Rxd4 g5 48.Ke3

The right idea. The rook cannot battle the pawns alone.

48...Kg6 49.Ke4 f5+

White to move

50.Ke5!

Phil finds the only winning move.

50...h4 51.Rd6??

This move spoils the win. White had to play 51.Rd3, putting Black in zugzwang.

Analysis after 51.Rd3

51...g4 and here the intuitive 52.Kf4 is premature, due to h3 and 53.Rd8 leads to a position similar to that in Sam Shankland, Theoretical Rook Endgames (see yesterday's post).

51...f4 and White has several possibilities. 52.Rh3 Kh5 53.Kf5 (only move) g4 54.Ra3 f3 55.Ra8 and facing a mate threat, Black must surrender a pawn.

51...Kh5 52.Kxf5 is easy to see, as is

51...h3 52.Rxh3

51...Kf7 also allows 52.Kxf5

Phil's move looks strong because it wins the f-pawn by force, but Black has a drawing resource.

51...Kh5 52.Kxf5 h3!=

White to move

53.Rd7 Kh4

The only move to avoid checkmate.

54.Rd4+ Kh5

I found the drawing idea, but not yet. Perhaps, 55.Rg4+ worried me somewhat.

55.Rd8 Kh4 56.Rh8+

Phil forced me to find the right idea.

Black to move

56...Kg3

Here, the only legal move is one I could have played two moves earlier.

57.Kxg5 h2 58.Rxh2 and we agreed to a draw.