       |
***
[A.J. Goldsby I]
***
Position check: White - King on h5, Rook on h4, Pawns on g5 and
h6;
Black - King on h7, Rook on g8.
(From
the game ...)
Zukertort- Steinitz; London, 1883.
In this position, it is difficult to make progress. Many
amateurs, (and quite a few
of my students over the years!); have given positions like this up as drawn.
But the best technique here is interesting and merits close study.
The primary problem is that Black has established a blockade on the g6-square.
White also suffers from a lack of maneuvering space. This is because the pawns
are on the edge of the board.
Move the pawns to the e and d files, and White wins easily!
(Cross-reference GM Yasser Seirawan's book,
"Winning Chess Endings."
Chapter Four, (4) beginning on page # 65.).
1. Rh2!,
A waiting move. White wants Black's rook to move to an inferior square.
[ Ineffective is : 1.Rg4
Rh1+;
2.Rh4
Rg1; 3.Rg4
Rh1+;
4.Rh4, and White
cannot make progress. Or 1.Rh3
Rg2; 2.Re3
Rh2+;
3.Kg4
Rg2+; 4.Kf5
Rf2+;
5.Kg4
Rg2+; 6.Rg3
Ra2; 7.Kf5
Ra5+; 8.Kf4
Ra6;
9.Kf5
Ra5+, and again,
White
has made no significant progress. ].
1...Rg3;
Forced to try and stop White's
pawns from advancing.
[1...Ra1?!; 2.g6+ Kg8; 3.Rg2 Ra5+; 4.Rg5, "+/-" ].
2. Re2!,
It is significant what file the Rook moves to. White needs to be able to block
the lateral checks from Black's rook with his own rook.
[
2.Ra2?
Rb3; 3.Ra7+
Kg8; 4.Kg4,
(4.g6??
Rb5+; 5.Kg4
Rb4+; 6.Kf5
Rb5+;
7.Kf6
Rb6+;
8.Kf5
Rb5+; 9.Kf4
Rb4+; and its a draw. White's King will not
find shelter from the checks. i.e.,
10.Ke3
Rb6; 11.h7+
Kh8;
12.g7+
Kxh7;
13.Kd4
Rg6; 14.Ke5
Rxg7; "=")
4...Rb4+; 5.Kf5
Rb5+; 6.Kg6
Rb6+;
7.Kf5
Rb5+; 8.Kg4
Rb4+; 9.Kh5,
and White's King is back
where he started. ].
2...Rh3+; 3.
Kg4
Ra3;
By having shortened the Black Rook's scope along the g-file, White has
prevented further checks and can now activate his own Rook.
[ 3...Rg3+??; 4.Kxg3; "+/-" ].
4. Re7+
Kg8;
Pretty much forced.
[ NOT 4...Kg6??;
5.Rg7#
! OUCH!
This trap is fundamental for
these positions. IF Black's
King could
SAFELY occupy
the g6-square, then the
game would be drawn! ].
5. g6!
Ra4+; 6.
Kf5
Ra5+;
Notice White can block lateral
checks now with the Rook.
7. Re5!,
Probably the best.
[ The move 7.Kf6, will probably also win for White, but is not as accurate. ].
7...Ra8;
At this moment, it is good to keep in mind the following practical advice by
GM R. Fine: "The safest way to win in such positions is to leave the pawns
on the sixth rank, and go for the exchange of Rooks."
[It is very important to note that pushing either pawn can set up nearly
impenetrable drawing opportunities for Black.].
8. Kf6!
Ra6+;
The only way for Black to proceed.
[
8...Rf8+; 9.Kg5
Ra8; 10.h7+
Kg7; 11.Re7+
Kf8;
12.Rb7
Ra6; 13.Kh6,
"+/-" ].
9. Re6
Ra8; 10.
Rd6!, (Maybe - '!!')
Another good move gaining time and space.
(It also puts Black in a form of Zugzwang.)
[
10.g7?
Kh7; 11.Kf7
Rg8; "~" And the game may now be drawn.
White would need dynamite to dig Black out of his hole.
(This was based on some notes I found in an old book ... and may
be incorrect!)
(Actually White can win by Zugzwang. 12. Rg6!) Now 12.Rg6!, "+/-" ].
10...Re8;
Black tries to prevent White from
moving to d6 and succeeding
in his quest to exchange the Rooks.
11. Rd5!,
Zugzwang.
11...Ra8;
There is not much Black can do. To leave the back rank allows mate.
[
11...Kh8; 12.Kf7
Rf8+; (!) 13.Ke7,
(13.Kxf8??
Stalemate!!);
13...Ra8;
14.Rd8+, "+/-" Or 11...Rf8+;
12.Ke7
Ra8; This looks
forced.
(12...Rf3??;
13.Rd8+
Rf8; 14.Rxf8#).
13.Rd8+
Rxd8; 14.Kxd8,
"+/-" ].
12. Ke7!
Ra7+; 13.
Rd7
Ra8;
Black is running out of choices.
[13...Ra1??; 14.Rd8# ].
14. Rd8+, ("+/-") and wins. 1-0
(
The K+P end-game is one a
child of four ...
at least one from Russia!!! ...
could win it easily. )
Copyright
(c) A.J. Goldsby I;
(c) 1999, (c) 2000, (c) 2001, & (c) 2002.
1 - 0
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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***
(Page posted on my web-site, January 10th, 2002.)
Copyright, (c) A.J. Goldsby I
© A.J. Goldsby, 1994 - 2004. Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2005. All rights reserved.
