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Wesley So vs Alexander Onischuk
US Championship (2018), St Louis, MO USA, rd 2, Apr-19
Spanish Game: Closed. Martinez Variation (C78)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-19-18  Marmot PFL: Well played by white it isn't easy to avoid Marshall main lines and still keep initiative. 2-0 now but 11-0 is probably unattainable, like a starting pitcher winning 30 games or a perfect ncaa bracket.
Apr-19-18  pmukerji: How does this end? How does white win? If black checks on 45...Re6+. Then trades rooks of white covers or simply takes the pawn...and then it looks like a draw. What am I missing?
Apr-19-18  ChessHigherCat: <pmukerji: How does this end? How does white win? If black checks on 45...Re6+. Then trades rooks of white covers or simply takes the pawn...and then it looks like a draw. What am I missing?>

It's far from obvious. SF just gives a slight advantage to white. White wins a Q-side pawn and then 12 moves later wins a kingside pawn, which is probably good enough to win.

1) +1.76 (28 ply) 45...Re6+ 46.Re3 Rxe3+ 47.Kxe3 Kf7 48.e8=B+ Kxe8 49.Kd4 Ke7 50.Kd5 b4 51.Kc5 Kd7 52.g4 Kc7 53.Kxb4 Kc6 54.Kc4 Kd6 55.b4 Kc6 56.a4 Kd6 57.Kd4 b6 58.Ke4 Ke6 59.a5 b5 60.Kd4 Kd6 61.g3 Kc7 62.Ke5 Kd7 63.Kf5 Kc6 64.Kg6 Kd5 65.Kxh6

Apr-19-18  Marmot PFL: The K+P ending is very easy. White makes a passed pawn just by trading one g-pawn for black's h-pawn while black can never make a passed pawn on the queen side. E.g. 45... Re6+ 46 Re3 Rxe3+ 47 Kxe3 Kf7 48 Ke4 Kxe7 49 Kf5 Kf7 50 b4 Kg7 51 g4 Kf7 52 g5 hxg5 53 Kxg5 etc.
Apr-20-18  WorstPlayerEver: 45...Re6+ 46. Re3 Rxe3+ 47. Kxe3 Kf7 48. e8=Q+ Kxe8 49. Kd4


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The activity of the King decides.

Apr-20-18  thegoodanarchist: < Marmot PFL: ... 2-0 now but 11-0 is probably unattainable...>

Um...

A certain Mr. Fischer might disagree...

Apr-20-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  ajk68: After 48...Kxe8 the plan is simple.
Advance the king toward the king-side, capture the h-pawn and promote the g-pawn. White has more than enough tempos to force a zugzwang and gain control of the queening square. If black tries to exchange pawns, the white king is far enough in front of the trailing g-pawn to force a promotion.

1) +132.59 (46 ply) 49.Kf4 Ke7 50.Kf5 Kf7 51.g4 Kg7 52.g5 h5 53.g3 Kf7 54.g6+ Kg7 55.Kg5 b4 56.Kxh5 Kf8 57.Kh6 Ke7 58.g7 Kf7 59.Kh7 Ke7 60.g8=Q Kd7 61.Qd5+ Kc7 62.Kh6 b6 63.Qa8 a5 64.Qd5 Kb8 65.Qd7 b5 66.Qxb5+ Kc7 67.Qxa5+ Kd6 68.Qxb4+ Ke5 69.Qd6+ Ke4 70.Qd3+ Ke5 71.Qd5+ Kf6 72.Qe6+ Kxe6

Apr-20-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  ajk68: "A certain Mr. Fischer might disagree..."

Wesley So is no Fischer.

Apr-26-18  paulegavesky: So Good!

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