Fundamentals (part 40)

Spanton (178) - H Trevor Jones (161)
Kent League

White to play and draw

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30.Ke2?
White draws with 30.b4, eg 30...Ke5 31.b5 Ke4 32.a4 Kf3 33.Ke1 Kxe3 34.a5 g3 35.Kf1 d4 36.b6 axb6 37.axb6 d3 38.b7 d2 39.b8=Q d1=Q+ 40.Kg2, reaching a drawn queen-and-pawn ending.
The game finished:
30...Ke5 31.Kf2
It is too late to push on the queenside, eg after 31.b4 Ke4 32.b5 d4 33exd4 Kxd4 the white king cannot capture the g pawn and get back to the queenside in time to stop the black a pawn.
31...Ke4 32.b4 g3+ 33.Kxg3 Kxe3 34.a4 d4 35.a5 d3 36.b5 d2 37.b6 d1=Q 38.b7 0-1