Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Intriguing Ending


I came across this position on the Oberlin College Facebook page and found it interesting.

White to move
1.Rg5!!
The obvious 1.Rg1+ loses after 1...Ka2 2.Rg7 (2.Rg5 doesn't work now 2...hxg5 3.h6 b2 4.h7 b1Q 5.h8Q Qc2+ 6.Kg1 Qd1+ 7.Kf2 Qd2+ 8.Kf1 Qxf4+ and Black wins) 2...b2 3.Rxb7 b1Q 4.Rxb1 Kxb1 5.Kg1 Kc2 6.Kf2 Kd2 7.Kg2 Ke3 8.Kg3 Ke4 and White loses the f-Pawn.

1...hxg5
1...b2 2.Rxf5 b1Q 3.Ra5+ Kb2 4.Rb5+ Kc2 5.Rxb1 Kxb1 6.f5 winning

2.h6 b2
White wins after 2...Ka2 3.h7 b2 4.h8Q b1Q 5.Qa8+ Kb2 6.Qxb7+ Ka2 7.Qxb1+ Kxb1 8.fxg5

3.h7 g4!
If 3...b1Q 4.h8Q+ Qb2+ 5.Qxb2+ Kxb2 6.fxg5 and the P queens. Now the winning technique is very instructive. 

4.h8Q Ka2 5.Qa8+ Kb3 6.Qxb7+ Kc2 7.Qc6+ Kd1 8.Qb5 Kc1 9.Qc5+ Kb1 10.Kg3 Ka1 11.Qa5+ Kb1 12.Qxf5+ Ka2 13.Kxg4 winning

What was interesting about this is, I was reminded of Alexander’s win against Bronstein at Hastings, 1953.  Don’t let the fact that the game is 120 moves long deter you from playing over it because it’s both interesting and instructive.
 

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