Chess Fundamentals Part 15

He goes back with the King to support his K P, and thus be able to utilise his Rook. It is, however, useless, and only White's weak play later on gives him further chances of a draw.

19. P - K R 4 K - B 1 20. R - R 5

To prevent the Black Rook from controlling the open file

20. ........ K - Q 2 21. R - Kt 5 R - B 2 22. K - B 3 K - B 1

He must keep his King on that side because White threatens to march with his King to R 6 via Kt 4.

23. K - Kt 4 R - B 3 24. K - R 5 K - Kt 2 25. P - R 4 P - Q R 3 26. P - R 5 R - R 3

He can do nothing but wait for White. The text move stops White from moving his Rook, but only for one move.

27. P - Kt 4 R - B 3

The only other move was K - R 2; when White could play R - Kt 7, or even P - Kt 5. {118}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

28. P - Kt 5

A weak move, which gives Black a fighting chance. In this ending, as is often the case with most players, White plays the best moves whenever the situation is difficult and requires careful handling, but once his position seems to be overwhelming he relaxes his efforts and the result is nothing to be proud of. The right move was 28 R - Kt 7.

28. ........ R P P 29. P P R - B 1 !

30. R - Kt 7 R - R 1 ch 31. K - Kt 4 P P 32. K P R - R 7 33. P - B 6 ch K - Kt 1 34. R R P R - Kt 7 ch 35. K - R 5 R - R 7 ch 36. K - Kt 4 R P

Black misses his last chance: R - Kt 7 ch, forcing the King to B 3, in order to avoid the perpetual, {119} would probably draw. The reader must bear in mind that my opponent was then a very young and inexperienced player, and consequently deserves a great deal of credit for the fight he put up.

37. R - K 7 R P

R - Kt 7 ch; followed by R - K R 7, offered better chances.

38. P - R 6! R P ch 39. K - Kt 5 R - Q 8 40. P - R 7 R - Kt 8 ch 41. K - B 5 R - B 8 ch 42. K - Q 4 R - Q 8 ch 43. K - K 5 R - K 8 ch 44. K - B 6 R - K R 8 45. R - K 8 ch K - R 2 46. P - R 8 (Q) R Q 47. R R K - Kt 3 48. K P K P 49. K P K - B 4 50. K - K 5 Resigns.

This ending shows how easy it is to make weak moves, and how often, even in master-play, mistakes are made and opportunities are lost. It shows that, so long as there is no great advantage of material, even with a good position, a player, no matter how strong, cannot afford to relax his attention even for one move. {120}

27. THE DANGER OF A SAFE POSITION

EXAMPLE 58.--A good proof of the previous statement is shown in the following ending between Marshall and Kupchick in one of their two games in the same Tournament (Havana, 1913).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

It is evident that Marshall (White) is under great difficulties in the above position. Not only is he bound to lose a p.a.w.n, but his position is rather poor. The best he could hope for was a draw unless something altogether unexpected happened, as it did. No reason can be given for Black's loss of the game except that he felt so certain of having the best of it with a p.a.w.n more and what he considered a safe position, that he became exceedingly careless and did not consider the danger that actually existed. Let us see how it happened.

1. P - Kt 4 R R P

{121} The mistakes begin. This is the first. Black sees that he can take a p.a.w.n without any danger, and does not stop to think whether there is anything better. R - B 7 ch was the right move. If then K - Kt 3, R P. If instead White played K - K 4, then R - K 4 ch followed by R R P.

2. R - Q 1 R - R 5 ch

Mistake number two, and this time such a serious one as to almost lose the game. The proper move was to play P - B 4 in order to break up White's p.a.w.ns and at the same time make room for the Black King, which is actually in danger, as will soon be seen.

3. R - Q 4 R (R5) - R 4

Mistake number three and this time fatal. His best move was R (Kt 4) - R 4.

After the text move there is no defence. Black's game is lost. This shows that even an apparently simple ending has to be played with care. From a practically won position Black finds himself with a lost game, and it has only taken three moves.

4. R (Q 4) - Q 8 R - Kt 2

If 4...P - B 4; 5 R - R 8 ch, K - Kt 3; 6 R (B 8) - Kt 8 ch, K - B 3; 7 R P ch, R - Kt 3; 8 P - Kt 5 ch, K - K 2; 9 R (R 6) R, P R; 10 R - Kt 7 ch, K - K 1; 11 R Kt P, and wins easily.

5. P - R 4 P - R 4 6. R - R 8 ch Resigns.

The reason is evident. If 6...K - Kt 3; 7 P P ch, {122} R P; 8 R R, K R; 9 R - R 8 ch, K - Kt 3; 10 P - R 5 mate.

28. ENDINGS WITH ONE ROOK AND p.a.w.nS

The reader has probably realised by this time that endings of two Rooks and p.a.w.ns are very difficult, and that the same holds true for endings of one Rook and p.a.w.ns. Endings of two Rooks and p.a.w.ns are not very common in actual play; but endings of one Rook and p.a.w.ns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate. Here is an example from a game between Marshall and Rosenthal in the Manhattan Chess Club Championship Tournament of 1909-1910.

EXAMPLE 59.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

{123} In this position Marshall had a simple win by R - B 7 ch, but played P - B 6, and thereby gave Black a chance to draw. Luckily for him Black did not see the drawing move, played poorly, and lost. Had Black been up to the situation he would have drawn by playing R - Q 3.

1. P - B 6 R - Q 3 !

Now White has two continuations, either (_a_) P - B 7, or (_b_) R - B 7 ch.

We have therefore:

(a) 2. P - B 7 R - Q 1 !

3. R - R 5 ch K - B 5

and White will finally have to sacrifice the Rook for Black's p.a.w.n. Or--

(b) 2. R - B 7 ch K - Q 5 !

3. P - B 7 R - Kt 3 ch !

a very important move, as against R - K B 3, R - K 7 wins.

4. K - B 1 R - K B 3 5. R - Kt 7 K - B 6

and White will finally have to sacrifice the Rook for the p.a.w.n, or draw by perpetual check.

If there were nothing more in the ending it would not be of any great value, but there are other very interesting features. Now suppose that after 1 P - B 6, R - Q 3; 2 P - B 7, Black did not realise that R - Q 1 was the only move to draw. {124} We would then have the following position: