|
|
|
59. Rh2 Nf5
|
Black demands a high price for that h-pawn. I had set its value, by now, at higher than the two White passers. Could that value be realised? Let's see! |
 
|
| |
|
|
60. Ke4 Kg6 61. Rh3
|
We've been here before, but things were different, then... |
|
| |
|
|
61... Ng3+
|
A tempo gainer. The King will take over the protection of the h-pawn, whilst the minor pieces continue their operations elsewhere. |
|
| |
|
|
62. Kf3 Kh5
|
Now the Black h-pawn is at least as big a menace as White's two passed pawns, and White has been driven into a relatively passive position. But White is by no means yet bereft of resources, |
|
| |
|
|
63. Rh2 Nf5
|
Threatens ...Nd4ch. |
|
| |
|
|
64. Ke4
|
Preventing the knight fork ...Nd4ch. But now the Black King is permitted to invade via g4. But after, say, 64.Rb2 or Rh3, then ...Ne7 aiming for ...Ng6, leads to a strong attack for Black anyway. Probably best was 64.Rh1, which seems to lead to Black having to let go the h-pawn to round up the White g- and f-pawns: 64.Rh1 and [A] 64...Nd4ch 65.Ke4 Nxb3 (...Ne2 might offer more) 66.Rd1 Nc5ch? (...Kg6 is better) 67.Kf5 h3 68.Rg1! Nxa4 (really greedy, eh?) 69.Rg3 Kh4 70.Rg4ch Kh5 71.Rg3 Kh4 etc and a draw by repetition. [B] 64...Be7(!) 65.Rd1 h3 66.Rd7 h2 67.Kg2 Bd6 68.Kxh2 Bxf4ch when Black has an edge, but, as earlier discussed, maybe not enough. |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
64... Kg4 65. g6
|
White has threats of his own! If White allows the pawn to advance on more square, then ...Nxg7; Rg2ch wins for White. This probably represents as good a chance as any for White, but now the game begins to slip away from him. About now I was starting to fancy my chances of a win. |
|
| |
|
|
65... Bf8
|
Forced, to allow ...Ng3 in response to Rg2ch (were White to play that). |
|
| |
|
|
66. Ke5
|
66.Kd5 is the same but 66...Bg7 in reply is no check. |
|
| |
|
|
66... Bg7+ 67. Ke6 Bd4
|
Dual purpose. The bishop and knight together effectively blockade the g-pawn - or at least have it under close surveillance. At the same time, the bishop covers the f2-square, allowing the king to threaten the f-pawn. |
|
| |
|
|
68. Rh1
|
To regain access to the f-file, and so the f-pawn is once again protected (68...Kxf4?? 69.Rf1ch wins a piece). |
|
| |
|
|
68... c6
|
! - Played to prevent Kd5. I did consider 68...c5, here, but was a bit concerned about the exposure of the b6-pawn to attack. This move leaves the c6-pawn weak, but it seemed to me that it were better to give that one up for the two White K-side pawns than to relinquish the h-pawn. I was by now valuing the h-pawn as worth a rook. It was not long before White reached the same conclusion. |
|
| |
|
|
69. Kd7
|
Maybe 70.c5!? was worth a look? 70.c5 Bxc5 71.Rxh4!? ... and now [A] 71...Nxh4?? loses to 72.g7!, but [B] 71...Kxh4 72.Kxf5 Bd4 and Black should win this end game. |
1 comment
|
| |
|
|
69... h3 70. Ke6
|
A little bit of a surprise, this, as I was expecting 70.Kxc6 Ne7ch 71.Kd6 Nxg6 72.f5 Nf4 or something similar. |
|
| |
|
|
70... Ng7+ 71. Kd6 Kg3
|
!? - The alternative was a case of 'as you were': 71...Nf5ch 72,Ke5, and then try 72...Ng3. I could have played ...Ng3 at move 70, but felt that the king was the better piece to guide the h-pawn home. |
|
| |
|
|
72. Kxc6 Kg2 73. Rd1
|
There was nothing better. |
|
| |
|
|
73... h2 74. Kd5
|
Naturally, 74.Rxd4 is hopeless. But the rook will have to be given up for the pawn. Black has now a winning game - for a given value of 'winning'. White isn't going to give this one away. |
|
| |
|
|
74... Bg1
|
Now White's next two moves are forced. |
|
| |
|
|
75. Rd2+ Kf3 76. Rxh2 Bxh2 77. c5
|
! - Grand master Paul Keres once remarked that few positions are so hopeless as to offer no hope whatever of offering resistance. White realises that he can wipe out Black's last remaining pawns, leaving himself with the bare King-bishop-knight end game. Now, if he can force Black to give up a piece for a fast running passed pawn, the game would be drawn. Which will be the runner? White's a-pawn! |
|
| |
|
|
77... bxc5 78. Kxc5 Bxf4 79. b4
|
! - This is how to force an exchange or the win of material. Immobilise the target, then attack it. Well, Black's pawn was immobilised way back at move 6, but the principle is the same. Black will have no pawns left. |
|
| |
|
(2340)