Zoltan Almasi vs Lazaro Bruzon Batista (2014)

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Zoltan Almasi vs Lazaro Bruzon Batista
Capablanca Memorial (Elite) (2014), Havana CUB, rd 9, May-17
Italian Game: Classical Variation. Giuoco Pianissimo (C53) · 1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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May-17-14		Tiggler: Did Bruzon miss a chance to win after 48. f3?

May-17-14		cro777: Position after 47...Ra1 click for larger view 48.f3 is the correct endgame plan (as GM Susan Polgar also pointed out). In this type of endgame ( where attacking rook is in front of the pawn and the defending rook behind it) the defender must create active counterplay if the attacking king tries to approach the passed pawn. With correct play this endgame is a draw.

May-17-14		Tiggler: <cro777> I believe that 48.f3 draws, because it did. But is not Kf3 good?

May-17-14		cro777: <Tiggler> This is probably misunderstanding. The position after 48.Kf3 is also drawn but the same principle must be applied. Anyway, I'll delete my post.

May-17-14		Tiggler: <cro77> No need for that. I'm just trying to learn something.

May-17-14		cro777: <Tiggler> As you have seen, GM Susan Polgar gave a more complete answer. Because this is an instructive endgame it is worth repeating here. GM Susan Polgar: "The side with one less pawn must create counter play and eliminate some pawns. Otherwise, the other King can march over to the other side. Text book R & P endgame. None of the computers on chess arena understood this." That's why Almasi played 48.f3 followed by g4.

May-17-14		Tiggler: <cro777> OK, I understand that, but it is a little more complex. By playing 48.f3 white allows 48...a2 which immediately prevents white's K from moving away from g2 or h2, because of the rook check if he goes to the third rank, or if he goes to f2 then Rh1 will win. So now the white king is confined, there is less chance for counter-play, not more. On the other hand, if the black king wants to go to the queen's side to support the a-pawn, after ... a2 he has no place to hide from checks on the rank. That means his only chance will be to attack the king's side pawns. Maybe it does not work, but white's king is paralyzed on h2 or g2, so there could be chances. That is how I see it. If the white K went to f3, however, the black K can try to support his pawn on a3 but black gets strong counter-play on the king's side.

May-18-14		Sally Simpson: "after ... a2 he has no place to hide from checks on the rank." This is more less proved in the game. Edwards - Mansson, Southen Open 2004 click for larger view This postion bears an uncanny resembalance to the actual game. Here Black played 32...a2 and the Black King could not get away from the checks. Final position. click for larger view The game is not on here. [Event "Southend Open"] [Site "?"] [Date "2004"] [Round "7"] [White "Edwards, L Alan "] [Black "Mansson, James C"] [Result "½-½"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 Nf6 4. e5 Nd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 d6 7. Bc4 Nb6 8. Bb5 dxe5 9. Nxe5 Bd7 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. O-O g6 13. Re1 Bg7 14. Bg5 O-O 15. Bxe7 Qxd4 16. Nc3 Rfe8 17. Qxd4 Bxd4 18. Rad1 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Nd5 20. Bb4 Rxe1+ 21. Rxe1 a5 22. Bd6 Nxc3 23. a3 a4 24. g3 Rd8 25. Bb4 Nd5 26. Bc5 Rb8 27. Re4 Nc3 28. Rc4 Rb3 29. Bb4 Nb5 30. Rxc6 Nxa3 31. Bxa3 Rxa3 32. Ra6 h5 33. h4 Ra1+ 34. Kg2 a3 35. Ra7 a2 36. Ra8+ Kg7 37. Ra6 Kf8 38. Ra7 Ke8 39. Ra3 Kd7 $11 40. Ra8 Kc6 41. Ra7 Kb6 42. Ra8 Kb5 43. Rb8+ Kc4 44. Rc8+ Kb3 45. Rb8+ Kc2

May-18-14		Tiggler: <Sally Simpson> Thank you. That position is worth memorizing, because the white pawn formation is part of what makes him invulnerable. I had to analyze this to prove to myself that Black can make no progress on the king's side. Obviously he cannot do anything on the queen's side. Some variations lead into the draw with only black's a and h pawns and no white pawns left.

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