Black's extra pawn is doubled, isolated and held back by white's d-pawn. In this position, the "extra" pawn is inconsequential.

White has his rooks doubled up on the 7th rank, surely taking Nimzovich's advice to heart. The aggressive posture of these rooks, together with the passive stance of the black rook on h7 makes you say to yourself, "How does white NOT win this game?" But the fact that this position has been rated "insane" means it's not that easy.

The only move I have looked at is...

30 Kg5

This move protects the hanging pawn on h4 and threatens 31 Kf6 which would put the game away. You might think that this allows black to simplify with 30...f6+ 31 Kxf6 Rxc7, but instead of recapturing white would play 32 Rb8+ Rc8 33 Rxc8#.

From what I can see, black has two reasonable tries here:

- 30...Re2
- 30...Rf2

I dunno. I think the move with the most flexibility for black is

30...Re2

Not only does this threaten to check the white king, sending it back from whence it came, but it also covers e8, allowing black to block checks on the back rank if necessary. The logical follow up for white would seem to be...

31 f4

Stopping the rook check on e5.

That said, one of the few players alive today that strikes fear into Topalov's heart is Shirov. And Shirov is someone I DO like as a person, and I love his style. He's definitely the most creative and brilliant player alive today, and is kept from being among the world's very best only by his inconsistency and his nonchalant attitude about taking crazy risks which don't always work out.

It's always satisfying to see Shirov crush Topalov, especially with a deep tactical concept that only Shirov could conjure up. Like many people, I saw the first 3 or 4 moves of the winning line, but missed the sweet and unexpected mating net -- that the black king will be trapped and mated right there on g7, not on the back rank! Shirov brings the king and pawn up not to break open the seventh rank for the obvious back-rank mating net that everyone expected, but rather to freeze in position on the fifth rank to create an impenetrable wall on the sixth rank, trapping the white king in a rare mating net on g7. After 32. Kf5! it must have suddenly dawned on Topalov that white is now threatening Rc8+ and then Rbb8!!, and black's king is in his coffin on g7!

The only way out of the net is to play as Topalov did, bring the rook back to the e-file, where white then trades it off and wins the endgame effortlessly a couple moves later.

Without going into detail: it was not working out.

I always thought that Miss World was a cruel sport. Not because it was degrading to women, forcing them to prance around in swimwear for the titillation of a mostly male audience with their eyes on stalks. Not because of the killer heels and having to say "my dream is world peace, and I want a job looking after children." Not even because my mother used to make me watch it. And while I used to enjoy it as a spotty teenager, you don't really want your mum in the room at the same time.

No, Miss World is cruel because of the way that they announce the winner. Or at least, the way that they <used> to announce the winner. I haven't watched it recently enough to know if it's still the way they used. Honestly, Mem and Mum!

This is what used to happen. They would reduce the candidates down to say five or six. And then they would announce the top three in reverse order.

"And the third place goes to ..." drum roll, long pause, camera lingers over each expectant face ... "Miss Jamaica!"

And here comes the awkward bit. The remaining laydeez are in agony. If they don't hear their name called, does this mean that they are going to win the top prize, or are they destined for the obscurity of less than third?

"And the runner-up is .... Miss France."

For the remaining contestants the tension is as unbearable as having your legs waxed. First or last?

What do you mean, you want to hear about chess? Okay, here's the analogy. It's a sunday POTD, so our hopes aren't high of finding the solution. Hmmm - Shirov vs Topalov in a rook and pawn endgame - high level stuff.

Several minutes later, and you think you've got it. We need to get our king to f6 via e5 or g5 without allowing black to play f6+ and swap off one of our wonderfully doubled rooks. So how about this for a clever tactic: 30. Rb8+ Kg7 31. Kg5 and now the f6 pawn is pinned against the Kg7. We allow black a wibble move, then we play 32. Rbb7 Kf8 33. Kg6 and Rb8# cannot be stopped. That must be it!

Check the game score and ... another girl's name is read out first. Shirov sacrificed his kingside pawns to get g6 out of the way so he can get his king to f6. Same idea as mine, different execution.

And now comes the cruel dream. What if I have spotted an alternative solution or ... whisper it quietly ... a better solution than Shirov found? What if the game continuation is flawed? With a trembling ego, it's time to read the kibitzing. I've not got third place, but maybe second or first place will be mine!

And, of course, no-one else is talking about my line. Well <vincentl> does, but dismisses it after 30. Rb8+ Kg7 31. Kg5 f6+. But f6+ is illegal due to the pin on the seventh rank (the whole reason we checked on b8 first). So now we glimpse an even holier holy grail, if such a thing is possible. Perhaps, just perhaps, we have found a winning combination that both Shirov and the other kibitzers have missed? Not third place, not runner-up, but the crown, the applause, the glamour of becoming Miss World?

The agony is unbearable. First or nowhere?

It takes Fritz to bring us down to earth. 30. Rb8+ Kg7 31. Kg5 Re2 32. Rbb7 Kf8 33. Kf6 I finally made it!

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The solution that no-one else could find! Fireworks, flowers, the band stikes up. They place a glittering tiara on my head and I can dream of marrying a footballer or an actor, and then maybe a career in the movies, playing wonderwoman perhaps, or a bond girl, a fat contract to be the face of some cosmetic company. And ... who cares about world peace and working with children really?

33...Re6+

Oops. The cruel dream is revealed at the last. It's not first place, it's nowhere. I haven't found an answer that Shirov missed - I've just allowed a winning position to drift into a deadlock.

I am going to write down all my moves in notebook. (A la' dzechiel.) Once that is saved and locked in, I will do "position set-up" (in ChessBase 10) and enter my moves in. (NO ENGINE!!!) I will also add the positions ... to make it easier to follow my moves.

Then - and only then - will I look at the game. (BUT! Only after I have posted.)

If I am right, of course, I will gloat. (I am pretty sure that I have this one nailed.) If am wrong, I will come back and explain.

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(REMEMBER! I analyzed using ONLY the diagram!)

Its pretty obvious that both of White's Pawn moves are worthless. (30.g5??, RxP/h4+) or (30.h5? gxh5; and 31...Rh2.) And none of the White Rook moves are terribly impressive, although it might be good to move your WR (on b7) to a7 at some point.

SO ... its GOT to be a king move! (Simple, right?)

Using the "imagination technique" that <my good friend> Moshe (Khatena) taught me, I say to myself, "Boy! If I could get my King to f6, its <Game over, man!>."

So ...

Line # 01.)
30.Kg5!? Re2; Black has to stop me from playing Kf6. (Not 30...a4??; 31.Kf6 ) 31.f4 Re6 32.Ra7,

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and White is probably a little better here. (Although I DON'T see any way for White to crash through.)

**********

(Back to the starting position - the first diagram.)

Line # 02.)
30.Ke5! Re2+; 31.Kxd5 Re3; (Or 31...a4?!; 32.Ra7±) 32.f4 Rxd3; <unclear?>

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Initially, I thought I was MUCH better ... (My King is so active!) But now, I don't see any way to proceed. Maybe Black eats up my Pawns. And my King cannot easily get to f6. (Ke5, a Rook check, and then ...Re6+.)

**********

(Back to the starting position - the first diagram.)

Line # 03.)

After spending at least 30 minutes on the stuff above, I suddenly had a FLASH OF PURE BRILLIANCE!!!!!

Black can be put into a mating web. (By moving the White King ... ... ...

BACKWARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

30.Kg3!! Rd2;
(Black's Rook MUST remain active.)

31.Rb8+ Kg7; 32.Rcc8 Kf6T; (forced)
Black has no choice here, if he remains on g7, he will be surrounded ...

(Obviously, much worse was: 32...Rxd3??; 33.g5 , etc.)

33.Re8! (To cut the Black King off.)

33...Rxd3; (Black can't do much here.)

[(I will take a stab at analyzing ...P-KN4; but I am starting to get a headache here.) 33...g5; 34.hxg5+ Kxg5; 35.Rg8+ Kf6; 36.g5+ Kf5; 37.Rb6 Rxd3; 38.Rf6+ Ke5; 39.Re8#.]

34.g5+ Kf5; 35.Rb5, " "

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OK, all kidding aside. I give myself a "D". (Maybe a D-.)

My analysis was terrible. I did NOT find the best moves, and I failed to correctly appraise some positions. (So much for having this one NAILED!)

Maybe I can seek a little redemption in the fact that 30.Kg3, was the second chocie of Fritz ... and may even win.

But that's about it, I definitely did NOT get today's puzzle.

So I play 3...Qb6 not a novelty but a rarety. Funny most of my opponents [in blitz games] will play the easy-going 4.Nf3 and allow 4...Bg4

Black can't chase the king away with 30. ... f6+?? because of 31. Kxf6 followed by mate.

30.h5!

Very forcing, in view of the deadly threat 31.hg. The WK is nicely sheltered on f4 - why allow an exchange of the bad Rh7?

A) 30... gh 31.g5! (threatening g6 *and* Kf5) Rg2 (Rg7 32.Rb8/c8#) 32.Kf5 Re2 (forced) 33.Rc8+ Re8 34.Rxe8+ Kxe8 35.Kf6 h4 (Rh8 36.Kg7) 37.g6 (tempo-gaining) Rh5 (or Rh6) 38.Rxf7 h3 39.Rh7 Rxh7 40.gxh7 wins

A.1) 31... Re2 32.g6 Rg7 (Rh8/h6 33.Rxf7+ forces mate) 33.gf and there is no defense to 34.Rb8+.

A.2) 32... h4 (Rg7 33.Rb8/c8#) 33.Rb8+ Kg8 34.Rcc8 Rh5 35.Rg8+ Kh7 36.Rh8+ Kg7 37.Rbg8#

A.3) 33... Kg7 34.Rbb8 wins as in A.2

B) 30... Rh6 31.Rxf7+ Ke8 32.Kg5 Rh8 33.hg forces mate.

B.1) 31... Kg8 32.Kg5 wins similarly.

C) 30... g5+ 31.Kxg5 f6+ 32.Kxf6 Rxc7 33.Rxc7 Kg8 (Ke8 h6) 34.Kg6 Kf8 35.h6 wins

C.1) 31... Re2 32.Kf5 Rd3 33.Rc8+ Re8 (Kg7 34.f4 followed by 35.Rbb8 forces mate similarly to A.2) 34.Rxe8+ Kxe8 35.Ra7 and white wins all queenside pawns with an easy win.

I'm pretty sure white has many ways to win (and lose!) this position eg Kg3 followed by Ra7 looks a pretty solid approach, but not a quick win.

The theme of the week is initial pawn tweaks, so it must be between 30 g5 and 30 h5 gxh5 31 g5

30 g5 Rxh4+ 31 Kg3 (<31 Ke5 Re2+ 32 Kxd5 Rf4 followed by Rf5+ and Rxg5>)31..Rah2 and black has draw by repetition available whether white continues 32 Rxf7+ or 32 Rc8+/Rb8+, so we can forget that one.

30 h5 gxh5 31 g5 Rg2 (<31..Rg7 32 Rb8#; 31..Re2 32 g6 Re8 33 gxh7>) 32 Kf5 ...

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and here black has Hobson's choice to avoid Kf6 and backrow mate:

Attacking f3 with Rg3 or Rf2 are met by 33. f4 and now black has nothing better than Re2/3 (see 32..Re2)

32..Rxg5+ 33 Kxg5 is just terminal material loss

32..Kg8 33 Rb8+ Kg7 34 Rc8 forces Rxg5+ (see 32..Rxg5+)

32..Kg7 33 Rxf7+ Kg7 34 Rxh7 and looks like mate in few.

32..something 33 Kf6 Rh6+ 34 gxh6 Rg6+ 35 Kf5 Rxh6 is still a rook down

Leaving ...

32..Re2 33 Rb8+ Re8 (<33..Kg7 34 Rc8 etc>)34 Rxe8+ Kxe8+ 35 Kf6...

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... only wing pawns can move

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This shows that white does not need to get the king to f6 to force a win.

Another position of interest is the defense 30... g5+ 31.Kxg5 Re2.

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