Fusilli: Position after 53.Kc4:
 click for larger viewSo, yes, black managed to get stalemated a few moves later, but was it really a draw? Van Wely has a video on chess.com where he goes over this endgame. In this position:
 click for larger viewVan Wely played 56.Kd4, falling for the stalemate trap. He doesn’t discuss 56.Kd3, and I was wondering if it would win. It doesn’t: 56. Kd3 d4 57. Kc4 d3 58. Kc5 d2 59. Kb6 Re8 60. Rd1  click for larger viewAnd black draws with 60…Re6+. Black will keep checking and if the king moves to the c-file, black will get the rook behind the a-pawn and draw. If white brings the king down on the b-file, once the king is sufficiently far (Kb4) then black plays Re8, and after Rxd2, Ra8 and Rxa7 draws (with or without stalemate). Van Wely does discuss 56.Kb5, which wins:
 click for larger viewIt is fascinating:
54... e3 55. Kc6 d5 56. Kb7 Rxa7+ 57. Kxa7 d4 58. Re1 Kg7 59. Kb6 Kf6 60. Kc5 Ke5 61. Kc4 Ke4 This looks worrisome, but white wins by means of zugzwang.  click for larger view62.h3! d3 63.Kc3
 click for larger view63…d2 64.Ra1 Kf3 65.Kd3
 click for larger view65…Kf2 66.Rb1
 click for larger view66…Kf3 67.Rf1+ Kg2 68.Ke2
 click for larger viewWhite wins. |