Friday, February 26, 2010

Last Round at USATE

As I mentioned in my previous post, just because I had .5 out of 5 didn't mean I'd get an easy pairing. In fact I got to play a 2250 who had 4.5 out of 5. It was probably one of my better played games in the tournament, but losing a pawn to a master doesn't usually lead to good things. I missed a big opportunity to get the pawn back. I saw the move, but didn't look deep enough to see that it actually does get the pawn back.

After that there were no more chances, howeverI felt like I put up a decent fight right to the end. It's very instructive in how he won the rook and pawn ending. If nothing else I got to see how to convert since so often it's difficult to win those endings.

Here's the game

pw-dmilovanovic021510-2.pgn


This is the final position. It's too bad it's my move. If it's Black's move it's a draw.



Here's a possible continuation if Black is on move. 57... Ke6 58. Ke2 Kf7 59. Kf1 Kf6 60. Kg2 Ke6 61. Kf2 Kf6

Now if Black makes the mistake of 61... Kf5?? 62. Kg3! he would be the one in zugzwang.

The opposition is a powerful thing!

3 comments:

LinuxGuy said...

Nice that you kept it that close.

I think 39.b4 gives you better drawing chances, where his best response seems to be 39...a4, and White will put a rook on the third rank, perhaps playing h3 first (not sure about that one).

In any case, if he plays 39....axb
40 Rb2, then 41. axb and push the pawn up again after that to b4, if he lets you.

He can't play 40..bxa because of 41. RxR a2 42. Rxb+ and 43.Ra6

He can't play

LinuxGuy said...

On second thought, I think Black knew that the ending was won, made even easier by his rook in front of your b-pawn, but it doesn't look like objectively there was anyway to stop it.

Perhaps, perhaps if your q-side pawns had been more advanced and the rook were guarding the 3rd rank, and your king guarding the other side, but that implies more structural initiative in the position than there was.

For example, pawns on a4 and b3, h4, and g3, rook on d3, king also on 3rd rank. Now that "V-formation" on each side is picking off the pawns as the come down and the rook is still available to give checks.

From the patzer said...

"57... Ke6 58. Ke2 "

I think you misanalysed here, after 57. ... Ke6 white plays 58. Kf2 and then goes up and down (Kg2-Kf2-Kg2-...). If black attacks the white pawn then you simply reply with Kg3.

58. Ke2 might be a good move and achieve the same as 58. Kf2 when black plays 57. ... Ke6 but all by all 58. Kf2 is a much stronger response on which black has to respond immediatly while 58. Ke2 gives black still some room to fantasize.