Hastings 2007-08
 |
| White has just captured on d2 - is Black's advantage enough to win? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
Black has a winning advantage, but it requires correct technique.
40...Kf6 41.Ke3 a6 42.a4 g5 43.f4
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
43...g4?
The simplest way to win is 43...gxf4+, eg 44.gxf4 Ke6 45.Kd3 Kd6 46.Kc3 Kc6 47.Kb3 b5 etc, or 44.Kxf4 Ke6 45.h3 (no improvement is 45.Kg5, eg 45...Ke5 46.h4 Kd4 47.Kh6 Kxc4 48.Kh7 b5 49.axb5 axb5 50.h5 b4 51.Kg6 b3 52.h6 b2 53.h7 b1=Q 54.h8=Q f4+ etc) Kf6 46.h4 h5 47.Kf3 Ke5 48.Ke3 a5 49.Kf3 Kd4 50.Kf4 Kxc4 51.Kxf5 Kb3 52.g4 hxg4 53.Kxg4 c4 etc.
Immediately on playing the text, I saw White draws.
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
44.Kd3
This is OK, but arguably more precise is 44.a5!, forcing 44...bxa5, after which the black king cannot cross the halfway line, and so the game is drawn. However, the game is also equal after the text, provided White spots the drawing idea.
44...Ke6
Stockfish11 reckons Black has the upper hand after 44...a5, but Komodo11.01 rightly recognises the position as still drawn.
45.Kc3
This was the last chance to play a5! Black can try 45...Kd6 but 46.axb6 Kc6 47.Kc3 Kxb6 is another draw as again the black king cannot break through.
45...Kd6 46.Kb3
If 46.a5 then 46...b5 wins because the black king can stop the white a pawn after 47.cxb5 axb5.
The game finished:
46...Kc6 47.Kc3 b5 48.axb5+ axb5 49.Kb3 bxc4+ 50.Kxc4 Kd6 0-1
No comments:
Post a Comment