      |
[A.J. Goldsby I]
***
(Position
check: White- King on b6, Pawn on c7;
Black - King on a1, Rook on d6.)
The "Saavedra Position."
This position was thought to be
a draw for OVER 150 years, ...
until F. Saavedra published this study
... in 1895. (!!!)
White to move and win.
Cross-reference:
[ See "Winning Chess Endings,"
(by GM Yasser Seirawan.).
Chapter # 4, page # 66. Diagram # 72.]
(This is the actual position that is in the Seirawan book.)
***
(The Black Rook could have
been on the d4-square, and
moved to d6; with check.).
The correct procedure is not at
all easy, and contains many
hidden fine points.
1. Kb5!, The only move.
[ 1.Kb7?? Rd7; Black follows up with Rxc7 with a draw.
Certainly not:
1.Kc5??
Rd1!; 2.Kb6,
Forced.
(Definitely not 2.c8Q??
Rc1+; 3.Kd6
Rxc8; "-/+" and Black
wins! )
2...Rc1; 3.Kb7
Rxc7; 4.Kxc7,
"=" and again ...
it is a draw. ].
1...Rd5+; 2. Kb4!, Again the only move.
The threat of the "X-ray" attack keeps White off the c-file.
[
Not 2.Kb6?
Rd6+; which just repeats the position.
Now 3.Kb5
Rd5+; 4.Kb6
Rd6+; is a draw by repetition.
Definitely NOT: 2.Kc4?? Rd1!, "-/+" (See the diagram just below.)
|
|
...
which wins for Black!
(The handy "Skewer," or
"X-Ray Attack," strikes again.) ].
2...Rd4+; 3.
Kb3!,
Continuing the King march.
Because of the skewer tactic,
White must stay off the c-file.
[
Not
3.Kc5??
Rd1; 4.Kc6,
This is now forced.
Not
4.c8Q??
Rc1+; ("-/+")
wins for BLACK!!!
4...Rc1+; 5.Kb6
Rxc7; 6.Kxc7,
"=" ].
It looks like Black has run
out of checks, and he loses.
(Appearances can be VERY
deceiving!!)
4...Rd4!!; Huh??!!?
(Black allows me to promote?).
A great move, which has the additional benefit of looking like a ...
"do-nothing" move!
The move, 4...Rd4!!;
looks totally
innocuous.
(It seems that there is
not hardly any threat at all.)
But this move, 4...Rd4!!;
is truly a
sneaky one -
... and sets a really
nefarious trap.
5. c8R!!, (Maybe - '!!!')
Wow!!
A truly inspired move, one
that changed chess history.
***
If now 5. c8 (Q)??, then 5...Rc4+!; 6. QxR/c4[], Stalemate!!!
For over 150 years,
(!!!) this was
thought to be the
solution to the beginning
position!
***
White threatens 6.Ra1#. There is only one good defense to this threat.
[
5.c8Q??
Rc4+!; 6.Qxc4[].
(White is forced to capture. If he moves his
King, {??} ... Black will capture the new White Queen ... and
win!!!)
Stalemate folks ...
and that is a draw! ].
5...Ra4[]; (Box,
or forced.)
Forced, any other move allows
a deadly Rook check.
[ 5...Rc4+?; 6.Rxc4 Ka2; 7.Ra4#.
Or 5...Rh4?; 6.Ra8+ Ra4; 7.Rxa4# ].
6. Kb3!, "+/-" (Maybe - '!!') White wins.
1 - 0
He threatens
both 7. KxR and 7. Rc1#.
There is no defense
to both of the mortal threats.
(The computer says White will mate in 5!).
***
[I actually saw this position occur in a tournament game in the State of Alabama. {circa early 80's} The side with the pawn ... lost!!! - He missed the skewer!].
***
In the old days,
(BEFORE computers were strong enough to be of any real
use in these types of positions); I used to give this
position to my students
and friends.
They would analyze for days, and
say, "White wins." Then I
would
show them the drawing trick.
Then a week - or a month later -
I would
show them the win! (This would ALWAYS completely blow
their minds.)
--->
It's
also good joke for
those people who think simple
positions -
... positions with reduced material ... are EASY!!
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I; (c) 1999, (c) 2000, (c) 2001, & (c) 2002.
This
is the complete version of this game as it exists on my hard drive in my endgame
database,
I have NOT shortened it for publication! If you would like a copy of this
endgame
- in the ChessBase format -
to study on your own computer, please drop
me a line.
If
you enjoyed this position, and would like to study ANOTHER
Rook-and-Pawn endgame, ("The LUCENA Position");
click HERE.
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Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 1994 - 2004. © A.J. Goldsby, 2005.
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