The full game can be seen at S3 but here I want to concentrate on the instructive rook-and-pawn ending.
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| The ending arose after White's 38th move |
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Material is equal. White has a passed pawn and should be able to easily create a second one, but Black can win the g2 pawn, thus making the h pawn a protected passer. Stockfish15 reckons the position is dead-equal, but Komodo13.02 gives White a slight edge.
38...Rg1 39.Kd3
This gives the king the option of supporting either the b or f pawn.
Not 39.Rg6?! Kf7 40.Rg4?, when Black has several winning moves, including 40...g5, eg 41.b4 Kf6 42.d6 axb4 43.axb4 Ra1 etc.
39...Rxg2 40.b4 axb4 41.axb4 Rb2
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| How should White proceed? |
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42.Ke4!
This is the best try as 42.d6? loses to 42...Rxb4, with ....Rd4+ to come, while both 42.Kc4 e4 43.fxe4 f3 44.Kd3 f2 and 42.Kc3 Rf2 43.b5 Rxf3+ are dead-equal, according to the engines.
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| How should Black respond? |
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42...Rxb4+?
This loses whereas 42...Re2+ 43.Kf5 e4 gives good drawing chances, eg 44.fxe4 f3 45.Rc1 f2 46.Rf1 g5!, or 44.d6!? Kf7 45.Rc7+ Kf8 46.Re7+ Kd8 47.Rxe4 g6+!? 48.Kxf4 Rb2, although neither line is simple.
This loses whereas 42...Re2+ 43.Kf5 e4 gives good drawing chances, eg 44.fxe4 f3 45.Rc1 f2 46.Rf1 g5!, or 44.d6!? Kf7 45.Rc7+ Kf8 46.Re7+ Kd8 47.Rxe4 g6+!? 48.Kxf4 Rb2, although neither line is simple.
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| White to play and win |
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43.Kxe5?
This lets Black draw. The winning plan consists of using the e pawn to shelter the white king from checks so the king can usher forward the passed pawn, eg 43.Kf5 e4 44.d6 Rd4 45.Kg6 (45.fxe4 also wins) Kf8 46.Rc8#, or 43...Rb8 44.d6 Kf7 45.Rc7+ Kf8 46.Ke6 Re8+ 47.Kd7 Kf7 48.Rc8 Re6 49.Kc7 etc, or 43...Kf7 44.Rc7+ Kf8 45.d6 Rd4 46.Ke6 g5 47.d7 etc.
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| Black to play and draw |
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43...Rb8?
Most moves along the b file hold, according to the engines, but not the text. Easiest is the active 43...Rb3, eg 44.d6 Kf7 45.d7 Re3+ 46.Kxf4 Rd3, or 46.Kd6?! Rd3+ 47.Kc7?? (better is 47.Ke5 Rxd7 48.Kxf4) Ke7 etc. If 44.Kxf4 then 44...Kf7 equalises.
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| White to play and win |
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44.d6
44.d6
Pushing the passed pawn is the only way to win, eg 44.Ke5? Re8+ 45.Kd7 Kf7 draws.
The game finished:
44...Re8+ 45.Kd5 Kf7 46.d7 Re3 47.Rd6 Rd3+ 48.Ke5 1-0
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