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| Linares Round 2 |
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The John Henderson Report: Round 2 . All Rook and Pawn Endings are drawn ... aren't they?
Round 2 (February 29, 2000)
Kramnik, Vladimir - Anand, Viswanathan 1/2 20 D18 Slav defence
Khalifman, Alexander - Kasparov, Gary 1/2 29 D97 Gruenfeld indian
Shirov, Alexei - Leko, Peter 1/2 71 C42 Petroff defence
SuperGM Linares ESP (ESP), 5 ii-9 iii 2000 cat. XXI (2752)
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1 2 3 4 5 6
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1 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2758 ** .. =. .. 1. .. 1.5 2905
2 Kasparov, Gary g RUS 2851 .. ** .. .. =. 1. 1.5 2896
3 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2769 =. .. ** =. .. .. 1.0 2741
4 Leko, Peter g HUN 2725 .. .. =. ** .. =. 1.0 2760
5 Khalifman, Alexander g RUS 2656 0. =. .. .. ** .. 0.5 2611
6 Shirov, Alexei g ESP 2751 .. 0. .. =. .. ** 0.5 2595
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ALL ROOK AND PAWN ENDINGS ARE DRAWN ...AREN'T THEY?
Hotel Anibal
WAS it Tarrasch? Maybe Tartakower? Or how about Spielman? No-one knows really which of the three it was who came up with the apt aphorism "All rook and pawn endings are drawn," but it's certainly a maxim I've concurred with over the years every time I get this ending - particularly when I'm the one with the extra pawn and trying hard to win!
A good endgame technique is essential for any player who wishes to attain the dizzy heights of chess mastery. After all, it's only rarely that games are won in the opening or the middlegame - and then only as a mistake on the part of your opponent.
For all chess-players - from beginners to world champion, whatever their style of play - one thing is certain: rook endings will feature in a large majority of their games. Even the best grandmasters have had to work hard to acquire the subtle techniques of rook endings. . It is said of the great Cuban, Jose Raul Capablanca, that in his early years he exhaustively analysed more than a thousand such endings, before he attained his splendid mastery in this field.
Do you want to increase your rating by over 100 points? A silly question! Of course you do - but how? Well, according to a recent book on the subject from the venerable Viktor Korchnoi (Practical Rook Endings, Edition Olms) the simplest way is to study rook and pawn endings.
Take this little gem, for example, that nicely illustrates just how a little knowledge goes a long way:
It's an example that could quite easily come-up at any time in any level of tournament. Just how does White, to play, manage to draw? Easy with a little know how! 1 Ra4!! Rxh4+ [1 ..Rh1 2 Kg3] 2 Kg5! Rh1 [2 ..Rxa4 is stalemate] 3 Ra7+ .
And, while we're on the subject of rook and pawn endings, how about the $20,000 one that Kasparov let go recently against Jeroen Piket?
Play continued: 44 ..Re1 45 Rc7 Re2 46 Re7 Ra2 47 f5 gxf5 48 e6 h4 49 Rxf7+ Kg8 50 Kf6 1-0
Sure, a tough position to hold. But believe it or not, one (with the exact same piece placement from GM Michael Stean and IM William Hartston, British Ch. 1972!) that was demonstrated as a draw by GM John Emms on page 81 of his excellent new book on this ending (The Survival Guide To Rook Endings, Everyman Chess): 44 ..Ra3! 45 Rc7 Ra6 46 Re7 Ra5! 47 f5 gxf5 48 e6 f4+! 49 Kxf4 Kf6 50 Rxf7+ Kxe6 51 Rf8 Ra2! draws. So there we have it. We can all do with brushing up on Rook and pawn endings - even Garry Kasparov!
Peter Leko with his Cuban trainer
Amador Rodriguez
The reason for telling you all this is the anguish caused with one during round two at Linares. Poor Peter Leko! He was giving another Cuban, his trainer, Amador Rodriguez, ulcers during the game as he had to find some really difficult moves in a very tricky rook and pawn ending. Not content with that, there were some poor journalists in the pressroom with deadlines to meet and they couldn't decide whether it was a draw or if it was a win for Shirov (one poor unfortunate phoning in the likely result as a win for Shirov! You could here cries of "Hold the Obituary page" when it finally dawned on him what was happening!). As questions were asked around the pressroom if Shirov was winning or not, I gave my stock answer to such assessments of this ending: "All Rook and pawn endings are drawn!"
A smiling Peter Leko after drawing
in 71 moves against Alexei Shirov
At dinner that evening, Peter told Amador and myself that his ending had even upset his fiancée, Sofi, in Armenia. Apparently she was nearly in tears following the game back home on the Internet. She told him during their telephone conversation that her father, the Armenian GM, Ashok Petrosian, was reassessing his future son-in-laws chances by the move after he survived into the ending - "He's drawing, Sofia. No, no I think he might be losing. Hold on, maybe he's drawing after all, Sofia!" And Peter? He was only interested in trying to see his favourite football team, Bayern Munich, who were playing that evening in a European Cup match in Spain against Real Madrid. Luckily they had no problems winning 4-2!
But before that epic, the one we were all drooling over in the pressroom: The Battle of the World Champions!
World number one Garry Kasparov
drew with black against FIDE Champion Alexander Khalifman.
A Khalifman - G Kasparov
Linares
(2)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 Qb3 dxc4 6 Qxc4 0-0 7 e4 Na6 [The Prins system, which Kasparov has stayed loyal to (and indeed enhancing the theory of) throughout his Grunfeld years. Unbelievably, most of his preparation for this system stems back to his 1986 match with Anatoly Karpov.] 8 Be2 c5 9 d5 e6 10 0-0 exd5 11 exd5 Bf5 12 Be3 Qb6 13 b3 Rfe8 14 Rad1 Rad8 [A new move in this position, but it looks sensible and fits in with the Black set-up in the Prins system.] 15 h3 Qa5 [Also fitting in with the system was 15 ..Ne4 but after 16 Nxe4 Rxe4 17 Qc1 the d5-pawn starts to look a problem for Black. Kasparov's choice of 15..Qa5 is correct as the f6 Knight may be needed to counter the d5-pawn.] 16 Rfe1 Nd7 17 Na4 Nb4 [17 ..Re4? 18 Qb5!]
Khalifman-Kasparov (2) after 17.
...Nb4
18 Bg5!? [18 Nxc5?! offered Black good piece play: 18 ..Nxc5 19 Bxc5 Nc2 20 b4 Qa4 21 Rf1 b6 22 Bd4 A) 22 ..Qxb4?! 23 Bxg7 Qxc4 (23 ..Kxg7 24 Nd4! Qxc4 25 Nxf5+ gxf5 26 Bxc4) 24 Bxc4 Kxg7 25 Bb3; B) 22 ..Nxd4! 23 Nxd4 Re4 24 g4 Bd7 25 Bf3 (25 d6 Qa3 26 Nc2 Rxc4 27 Nxa3 Rc3 28 Nb5 Rc2 29 Rfe1 Rxa2) 25 ..Rxd4!; 18 Bd2!? pinning the Queen was worth a shot: 18 ..Re4! 19 Qc1 (19 Qb5 Qxb5 20 Bxb5 Rxe1+ 21 Bxe1 Nxa2) 19 ..Rde8 20 Bf1 Qd8 21 Nxc5 Nxa2 22 Qa3 Rxe1 23 Bxe1 and the d-pawn is starting to look menacing.] 18 ..Nc2 19 Bxd8 Qxd8 20 Rf1 [20 Nxc5? Nb6! 21 Qb5 (21 Qf4 Nxe1 22 Rxe1 Nxd5) 21 ..a6 22 Qa5 Nxe1 23 Rxe1 Nxd5 wins.] 20 ..Nd4?! [The defining moment of the game where Kasparov slips-up and allows Khalifman some chances. The pressroom was fully expecting: 20 ..Na3!? 21 Qc1 Rxe2 22 Qxa3 Be4! 23 Nxc5 (23 Nh2 Qg5!) 23 ..Bxf3 24 Nxd7 (24 gxf3 Qg5+ 25 Kh1 Nxc5 26 Qxc5) 24 ..Qg5! 25 g3 Qxg3+ 26 fxg3 Rg2+ 27 Kh1 Rf2+ with a draw.] 21 Nxd4 Bxd4 22 Rxd4! [22 b4 Re4 didn't look particularly inviting.] 22 ..cxd4 23 Bg4! [23 Rd1? a6! with ..b5 to come wins a piece.] 23 ..Bxg4 24 hxg4 Re4 25 f3 Ne5 26 Qb4 [The Khalifman team wanted their man to play 26 Qb5 explaining to him after the game that he had "some" chances of going on. Standing over the board in the analysis room, Khalifman contemplated what could have been. 26 ..Re3 27 Qxb7 Nd3 28 Qxa7 Qxd5 29 Nc3! Qe5 30 Ne4 but even this offered Kasparov escaping chances.] 26 ..Nd3 [The bank of televisions in the pressroom all focused on Kasparov here as he huffed and gruffed, realising that he now had to repeat the position. Anything else looks darn right dangerous 26 ..Re2 27 Qxd4 Qf6 28 Qd1 Rxa2 29 Nc3 and once again the passed d-pawn is becoming a big problem for Black.] 27 Qc4 Ne5 28 Qb4 Nd3 29 Qc4 ½-½
Khalifman inspecting some post-game
suggestions
Shirov-Leko Round 2. Leko held a
draw in 71 moves.
A Shirov - P Leko
Linares
(2)
1 e4 e5! [Leko moves away from his beloved Sicilian Pelikan! During dinner after the game, he told me that when he was about 12 (and before he had a computer with ChessBase), he once sent his mother into town with around 50 Informators(!) to photocopy all the B66 games! Haven't you heard of a thing called copyright, Peter? That reminds me, I think I better start quoting the sources for these games, ChessBase Mega 2000, before Frederic Freidel decides have a little word with me!] 2 Nf3 Nf6 [The Petroff Defence: not a bad choice for someone of Leko's careful style.] 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 d4 d5 6 Bd3 Bd6 7 0-0 0-0 8 c4 c6 9 Qc2 [Remember I said in the notes to Shirov first round encounter with Kasparov that 9 Qc2 is well met by 9..Na6? Well....] 9 ..Na6 10 a3 Bg4 [10 ..Re8!? 11 Nc3 Bg4 (Ehlvest-Dokhoian, SU 1996) 11 Ne5 [11 c5 Bc7 12 Ne5 Bxe5 13 dxe5 Nexc5 14 Bxh7+ Kh8 15 b4 Qh4 16 Bd3 Nxd3 17 Qxd3 Nc7 18 h3 Bh5 19 f4 (Timman-Salov, Saint John (m/4) 1988) 19 ..f6!?] 11 ..Bxe5 [11 ..Bh5?! 12 cxd5 cxd5 13 Bxe4 dxe4 14 Qxe4 Re8 15 Bf4 Nc7 Timoshenko G.-Makarichev, Moscow 1990] 12 dxe5 Nac5 13 f3 [The only possible way to look for an advantage. 13 b4?! Is weakening as 13 ..Nxd3 14 Qxd3 Bf5 15 cxd5 cxd5 16 Qd4 Rc8 and Black has a nice game with pressure on the c-file Hazai-E.Vladimirov, Rotterdam EU Cup 1988; 13 cxd5 was seen in another Linares encounter 13 ..Qxd5 14 Bxe4 Nxe4 15 Nc3 Nxc3 16 Qxc3 Rfe8= ½:½ Ljubojevic-Akopian, Linares 1995] 13 ..Nxd3 14 Qxd3 Nc5 15 Qd4 Nb3 16 Qxg4 Nxa1 17 Bh6 [Leko now goes into the biggest think he's ever had in a game (80 minutes for move 17 and 18), the result of which leaves him desperately short of time during critical variations. 17 ..g6 [17 ..Qb6+ 18 Kh1 g6 19 Qf4!]
Shirov-Leko (2) after 17.
...g6
18 Nc3! [It's TN time from Shirov! Shirov, who is one of the great romantics in the game, comes up with a new twist in the line. Previously seen before has been 18 Bxf8 Qxf8 19 cxd5 cxd5 20 Qd4 Nc2 21 Qf2 Rc8 22 Qxa7 d4 23 Nd2 Qe7 24 f4 Ne3 25 Rb1 Qd7 26 Ne4 Kg7 27 Qb6 Rc6 28 Qb3 Qf5 29 Qd3 Rc2 30 Qxd4 Rxg2+ 31 Kh1 Qh3 32 e6+ Kh6 0-1 Ljubojevic,L-Hort,V/Amsterdam 1988/CBM 09.] 18 ..Qb6+ 19 Rf2 Rfe8 20 Qf4 f5 [Just in case!] 21 cxd5 Nb3 22 e6 cxd5 23 Nxd5 Qxe6 24 Nc7 Qc6 25 Nxe8 Rxe8 26 g4 [In time-trouble already due to the big think at moves 17 and 18, Leko admitted after the game that this was the one move he didn't expect! Remember, Peter, It's Shirov you're playing; you've got to expect the unexpected!] 26 ..Qc5 27 Kg2?
Shirov-Leko (2) after 27
Kg2?
[An object lesson to us all Shirov try's to play on Leko's time-trouble by dashing out 27 Kg2?. With a little bit of thought, he may have found the winning attempt with: 27 Qa4! Re1+ 28 Kg2 Nd4 29 Qd7 Ne6 (29 ..Re7 30 Qd8+ Kf7 31 Qf8+ Ke6 32 Bg5) 30 gxf5 gxf5 (30 ..Qxf5 31 Qc8+ Kf7 32 Qxb7+ Kf6 33 h4) 31 Qxb7] 27 ..Nd4 28 b4 Qe5 29 Rd2 Qxf4 30 Bxf4 Ne6 31 Be3 a6 32 gxf5 Ng7 33 Bc5 Nxf5 34 a4 Ne3+ 35 Kf2 Nc4 36 Rd7 Ne5 37 Rxb7 Nd3+ 38 Kg3 Nxc5 39 bxc5 Rc8 40 Rb6 Rxc5 [Phew! Made the time-control - and only just!] 41 Rxa6 Kg7? [Everyone in the pressroom thought that 41 ..Rg5+! was the best option to draw the ending. 42 Kh3 Rh5+ 43 Kg3 Rg5+ 44 Kf4 Rh5 and Black just keep's on attacking the h and f pawn in-between the checks. As it is, Leko has to spend nearly an extra 3 hours defending the game now.] 42 Ra7+ Kh6 43 Rb7 Rg5+ 44 Kh3 Rh5+ 45 Kg2 Rh4 46 a5 Ra4 [The rook's nicely placed here for the defence: cutting of the King and behind the passed pawn.] 47 Rb5 g5 48 Rb6+ Kh5 49 a6 g4 50 f4! Ra2+! [50 ..Rxf4? 51 Rb5+ Kh4 52 Ra5 Rf8 53 a7 Ra8 54 Ra4 h5 55 Ra5!] 51 Kg1 g3! 52 h3!
[52 hxg3 Kg4 draws due to the mating threats generated by the White King being marooned on its own backrank. Notice also how Shirov's 52 h3 has left the Black King without any squares.] 52 ..Rc2 [Black can't go for the pawn as it's as self-mate! 52 ..Kh4?? 53 Rh6#] 53 Rb7 Ra2 54 Rg7 [54 Rxh7+ Kg6] 54 ..Rxa6 55 Kg2 h6 56 Kxg3 Ra3+ 57 Kg2 Ra2+ 58 Kf3 Kh4 59 f5 Kxh3 60 f6 Ra1 61 Kf4 Rf1+ 62 Ke5 h5! [Crucial! Black has to start moving his own pawn up the board in order to sacrifice his rook to draw if needed. The further up the board the pawn is, the harder it is for Shirov to win.] 63 Rg5 h4 64 Rf5 Re1+ 65 Kf4 [65 Kd6 Re8 66 Rg5 (66 f7 Rf8 67 Ke7 Rxf7+ 68 Kxf7 Kg3 and the King is too far away to stop the pawn.) 66 ..Kh2 67 f7 Rf8 68 Ke7 Rxf7+ 69 Kxf7 h3 70 Ke6 Kh1 71 Ke5 h2] 65 ..Rf1+ 66 Kg5 Rg1+ 67 Kh6 Rg8 68 Rg5 Rf8 69 Kg7 Ra8 70 f7 Kh2 71 Kf6 Rf8 ½-½
Kramnik-Anand (2)
Kramnik against Anand was a respectful draw in 20 moves. Kramnik's 12. Bb3 was a TN.
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(1) Kramnik,V (2758) - Anand,V (2769) [D18]
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(2) Shirov,A (2751) - Leko,P (2725) [C42]
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(3) Khalifman,A (2656) - Kasparov,G (2851) [D97]
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