I have previously discussed the power of the bishop pair in the endgame. This time the following fascinating fight caught my attention :
51.01 M.Chraibi (1969) - A.Winnicki
(2104)
HSK 15 - St. Pauli 3, Hamburg 2005
The position should be dynamically balanced, but both sides must play very precisely and both are in terrible time trouble : 36.Rgg2 ?! Unnecessarily passive. 36.e5 dxe5 37.Nxe5 Bb5 38.c4 Be8 39.Rge4 and ; 36.Rf4 Rh1 37.Rff2 Bb5 38.Re3 Kc7 39.e5 dxe5 40.Nxe5 |
are better as White’s knight has found a good outpost, which is very important. 36...Bb5 37.Rd2 Rf3 ?! 37...Kc7 !? was more precise, according to the old positional rule that the worst placed piece should be improved. 38.Kc2 ? Again, it was better to improve the prospects of the knight : 38.Rg3 Rf1 39.e5 ! dxe5 40.Nc5 and White is OK, e.g. 40...Bc4 (40...h5 !?) 41.Rh3 Bg5 42.Rd7 Rf2+ 43.Ka1 Rf1+=. |
38...Bc4 ?
38...Ba4+ 39.Kb2 Bc6
is very unpleasant for White because of his weak pawns, e.g. 40.e5 (40.Rg4 h5 41.Rg3 Bxe4 ; 40.Rge2 ? Bb5 41.Kc2 Bg5-+) 40...dxe5 41.Nb4 Bb5 42.Nc2 Bc4.
39.a3 Rf1 ?! 40.Nb2 ! Bb5 ? A miscalculation ; 40...Ba2 was called for, but White can keep the initiative with 41.Nd1 Rf4 42.Nf2 Kc7 43.Ng4. 41.Rxd6 Rf3 42.Rxe6 ? Without the c3-pawn White’s king lacks shelter, which will be his undoing in the end. 42.Nd1 ! gives White a large advantage. 42...Rxc3+ 43.Kd1 Other king moves also offer nothing : 43.Kb1 Bd7 44.Rd6 Bc6 and 43.Kd2 Rb3. 43...Bd7 44.Rd6 Kc7 45.Rdd2
45.Rd3 ?! Ba4+ 46.Ke1 Rc1+ 47.Nd1 Ra1
gives Black a strong bind ; a real nightmare for the poor pinned knight. 45...Rxa3 46.Rc2+ ?! 46.Nc4 !? Ba4+ 47.Ke1 Bh4+ 48.Ke2 Bb5 49.Rc2 (49.Rxg7+ ?! plays with fire : 49...Kc6 50.Rc2 Ra2 ! 51.Kd1 Ba4 52.Ne3+ Kd6) 49...Bf6 and White should be able to hold. 46...Kb8 ?! 46...Bc6 looks more promising.
47.Rc5 47.e5 Bxe5 48.Nc4 doesn’t solve White’s problems because of
48...Ra1+ 49.Kd2 Bf5 50.Nxe5 Bxc2. 47...Bh3 48.Rgc2 Re3 |
now White should have directed his knight to b6 as 49.e5 ? is beautifully refuted. 49.Kd2 Rxe4 50.R2c4 ? Re8 51.Nd3 Bd7 is also horrible for White. But 49.Nc4 ! does the job : 49...Rxe4 50.Nb6 Ka7 51.Kd2 and a draw is the most likely outcome. However, not the direct 51.Rc8 ? Bxc8 52.Rxc8 because of 52...Rd4+ 53.Ke2 Rd8-+. 49...Bg4+ 50.Kd2 Bg5 ! 51.e6 Re5+ 52.Kd3 Bf5+ 53.Kd4 Re4+ |
54.Kd5 ? 54.Kd3 was called for, but Black’s winning chances are excellent : 54...g6 (54...Re3+ 55.Kd4 Bxc2 56.Rxg5 Rxe6 57.Rxg7 Rh6) 55.Rxf5 gxf5 56.Rc5 Rxe6 57.Rxf5 Be7. 54...Bf6 55.Nc4 ? 55.Rd2 Re5+ 56.Kd6 Rxe6+ 57.Kd5 Re5+ 58.Kd6 Re8 59.Rcd5 Rc8-+. 55...Rd4# 0-1 |
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