[Event "IND-ch"] [Site "Visakhapatnam"] [Date "2004.12.12"] [Round "12"] [White "Sandipan, Chanda"] [Black "Gupta, Abhijeet"] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Sundararajan Kidambi"] [ECO "B66"] [WhiteElo "2543"] [BlackElo "2412"] [PlyCount "143"] [GameId "284825949875"] [EventDate "2004.12.04"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "19"] [EventCountry "IND"] [EventCategory "8"] [SourceTitle "CBM 103 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2005.01.01"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "2005.01.01"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 a6 8. O-O-O Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Be7 10. f4 b5 11. Be2 Bb7 12. Bf3 Rc8 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. f5 Qc7 15. fxe6 fxe6 16. Bg4 Kf7 17. Bh5+ Kg7 18. Qd3 b4 19. Ne2 Qc4 20. Nd4 Qxd3 21. Rxd3 Bxe4 22. Rg3+ Bg6 23. Nxe6+ Kf7 24. Bxg6+ hxg6 25. Nf4 Rc4 26. Nxg6 Rhc8 27. Re1 Rxc2+ 28. Kb1 Bd8 29. Nf4 f5 30. Rf3 Bf6 31. Nd3 Rxg2 32. Rxf5 Kg7 33. Ref1 Be5 34. h4 Rcc2 35. Rf7+ Kg8 36. R7f2 Rcxf2 37. Rxf2 Rg4 38. Nxe5 dxe5 39. Rf5 e4 40. h5 e3 41. Re5 Rg1+ 42. Kc2 Re1 43. Kb3 Re2 44. h6 Kh7 45. Re6 a5 46. Ra6 Rd2 47. Rxa5 e2 48. Re5 Kxh6 49. a4 bxa3 50. Kxa3 Kg6 51. Kb3 Kf6 52. Re8 Kf5 53. Kc3 Rd8 54. Rxe2 Rc8+ 55. Kd4 Rd8+ 56. Kc5 Rc8+ 57. Kd5 Rd8+ 58. Kc6 Rb8 59. Rh2 Ke5 {This loses easily} ({surprisingly Black can even do this one move slower with} 59... Kg5 60. Rf2 Kg4 61. Kc7 Rb3 62. Kc6 Kg3 63. Rc2 Rb8 64. Kd5 Kf3 65. Rh2 Ke3 66. Rh3+ Kd2 67. b3 Kc2 68. Kc4 Rc8+ $11) (59... Kg4 $1 {is the right way, the king should attack and destablise the opponent's rook on the second rank.} 60. Rg2+ Kf3 $11) ({To get an idea of this position this unnatural move was just tried} 59... Kg6 60. Rf2 Kg5 {This is a winning position, White needs to take his king to a7 in the most economical path and then transfer the rook to the b-file via c2-c5-b5 as pointed out by Averbakh.} 61. Kc5 $1 Rc8+ 62. Kb6 Rb8+ 63. Ka7 Rb5 64. Ka6 Rb8 65. Rc2 $18 {[%CAl Yc2c5,Yc5b5]}) (59... Ke6 {This is not the right defence for Black but this position is very instructive. This also could have occurred in the Adams' game} 60. Rh6+ Kf7 61. Rh7+ Ke6 62. Rh2 $3 {White's rook dance has given the move to the opponent, and the position is actually a reciprocal zugzwang. Black's moves worsen his position and take his king away from attacking the White's rook on the second rank!} Ke7 (62... Rc8+ 63. Kb7 Rc4 64. Kb6 Kd7 $1 (64... Rb4+ 65. Kc5 Rb3 66. Rd2 Rb8 67. Rd6+ Ke7 68. Rb6 $18) 65. Rh5 $1 Rg4 (65... Rc6+ 66. Kb5 Rg6 67. Rc5 $18) 66. Rc5 Rh4 67. b3 $1 $18 {Black is not able to stop Rc4 and b4}) 63. Kc7 Rb3 64. Re2+ Kf6 (64... Kf7 {If Black is not taking his king actively towards the opponent's second rank, then White's plan is to bring the king back, get Re3 and play b3, thats a marginal improvement he can aim for which would ultimately lead to a win.} 65. Kc6 Rb8 66. Kc5 Rc8+ 67. Kd4 (67. Kb5 Rb8+ 68. Ka5 Ra8+ 69. Kb6 Rb8+ 70. Ka7 Rb3 71. Ka6 Rb8 72. Rc2) 67... Rd8+ (67... Rb8 68. Kc3 Rc8+ 69. Kd3 Rb8 70. Kc2 Rc8+ 71. Kb1 Rb8 72. Re3 Kf6 73. b3 Kf5 74. Kb2 Kf4 75. Re1 Kf3 (75... Kf5 76. Kc3 Rc8+ 77. Kd3 Rd8+ 78. Kc4 Rc8+ 79. Kd4 Rd8+ (79... Rb8 80. Kc4 Rc8+ 81. Kd5 Rb8 82. Rf1+) 80. Kc5 Rc8+ 81. Kd5 Rd8+ 82. Kc6 Rb8 83. Rb1 $18) 76. Re5 Kf4 77. Rc5 $18 {Rank cut off wins}) 68. Kc3 Rc8+ 69. Kd2 Rb8 70. Kc1 Rc8+ 71. Kb1 Rb8 72. Re3 Kf6 73. b3 Kf5 74. Kb2 Kf4 75. Re1 Kf5 76. Kc3 Rc8+ 77. Kd3 Rb8 78. Kc4 Rc8+ 79. Kd5 Rd8+ 80. Kc6 Rc8+ 81. Kb7 Rc2 82. Rb1 $18) 65. Kd6 Rb8 (65... Kf5 66. Kc5 $18) 66. Rf2+ Kg5 {We know that this position is win unless Black is already in a position to attack the rook with Kg3, now White's task is to bring back the king and safeguard his pawn on b2 and win.} (66... Kg6 67. Kc5 Rc8+ 68. Kb5 Rb8+ 69. Ka5 Ra8+ 70. Kb6 Rb8+ 71. Ka6 Kg5 72. Rc2 Rb3 73. Rc5+ Kf6 74. Rb5) 67. Kc5 Rc8+ 68. Kb6 Rb8+ 69. Ka7 Rb3 70. Ka6 Kg4 71. Ka5 Kg3 72. Rd2 Kf4 73. Ka4 Rb8 74. b4 $18 {Black will run into a rank cut off with a known win.}) 60. Rh5+ Ke6 61. Rb5 Rc8+ 62. Kb7 Rc2 63. b4 Rc4 64. Rb6+ Kd5 65. Ka6 Kd4 66. Ka5 Rc8 67. Rd6+ Kc4 68. b5 Ra8+ 69. Ra6 Rh8 70. Rc6+ Kb3 71. b6 Rh7 72. Ka6 1-0 [Event "3rd Cambridge Int Open"] [Site "Cambridge ENG"] [Date "2025.05.26"] [Round "2.30"] [White "Adams, Michael"] [Black "Schroer, M.."] [Result "1-0"] [Annotator "Sambit Panda"] [ECO "B12"] [WhiteElo "2661"] [BlackElo "2085"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/8/4r3/1k6/6K1/8/4p1P1/4R3 w - - 0 61"] [PlyCount "31"] [GameId "2185396174604807"] [EventDate "2025.05.26"] {[#]} 61. Kf3 Kc4 $4 {a step in the wrong direction Black should go behind not come towards the front} (61... Kc5 $1 62. Rxe2 Rf6+ 63. Kg4 Rf8 $1 {this was an easier draw for Black} 64. Ra2 (64. Re5+ Kd6 65. Rf5 Rh8 66. Kf3 Ke6 67. Kg4) 64... Rg8+ 65. Kf4 Rf8+ 66. Ke5 Rg8 67. Kf6 Kb4) 62. Rxe2 Rf6+ 63. Kg4 Kd5 64. Kg5 Rf8 65. g4 $4 (65. Kg6 $5 {Kidambi} Rg8+ 66. Kf7 (66. Kf6 Kd4) 66... Rg3 $1 67. Kf6 Kd4 (67... Rg8 68. Re5+ $1 Kd6 69. Rg5 Rf8+ 70. Kg7 Rf1 71. g4 Ke6 72. Rg6+ Ke7 73. g5 $18) 68. Kf5 Kd3 69. Ra2 Ke3 70. Rb2 Rg8 71. g4 Rf8+ 72. Ke5 Rg8 73. Rb3+ Kf2 {Black holds by a miracle. A very instructive position which Black's king actively attacks from behind the pawn. This is not a typical technique in Rook and Pawn endgames.}) (65. Ra2 $1 {the only winning move in the position...White tries to activate his rook via rank and go for rank cut off of Black's king while holding on to his pawn but its hard to play as its counterintutive as well because White gives up the file cut off he had achieved in the process} Rg8+ (65... Ke5 66. Ra5+ Ke6 67. Ra6+ Ke5 (67... Ke7 68. g4 Rb8 69. Rf6 $18 (69. Kg6 Kf8 70. Kh7 Rb7+ 71. Kh8 Rb2 (71... Kf7 72. g5 $18) 72. Rf6+ Ke7 73. Kg7 Rg2 74. Rg6 $18) 69... Rg8+ 70. Rg6 Ra8 71. Kh6 Kf7 72. Rg7+ Kf8 73. g5 Ra1 74. Rb7 $18 Ra8 75. Kh7 $18) 68. Rg6) (65... Ke6 66. Ra6+ $1 Ke7 67. Ra7+ Ke6 68. Rg7 $1 $18 Rf5+ 69. Kh6 Rf2 70. g4 Rh2+ 71. Kg6 $18) 66. Kf5 Rf8+ 67. Kg5 Rg8+ 68. Kf6 $1 Kd6 $1 {Unbelievable Defense ! Now White has to triangulate to get Black into a zugzwang} (68... Rf8+ 69. Kg7 $1 Rf4 70. Kg6 $1 Rf8 71. Ra5+ $1 Ke6 (71... Ke4 72. g4 Rg8+ 73. Kh5 Rh8+ 74. Kg5 Rg8+ 75. Kh4 Rh8+ 76. Rh5 Rg8 77. Rh7 Rf8 78. g5 $18 Kf5 79. Kh5 Ke6 80. Kh6 $18) 72. Ra6+ $1 Ke5 73. g4 $1 Kf4 74. Ra4+ Ke5 75. g5 $18) 69. Kf5 $1 (69. Kf7 Rg3 70. Kf6 Rg8 71. Kf5) (69. Rb2 $5 {Am wondering if I just wait how is Black holding but then there is a resource} Kc5 $1 $11 {I dont have Ra5+ Rg5 now!}) (69. Rd2+ $4 {the most obvious move doesnt win here...Who would even believe?} Kc5 70. Kf5 Rf8+ $1 71. Kg6 Rg8+ 72. Kf7 Rg3 $1 73. Kf6 Rg8 $11) (69. Ra6+ $1 {is perhaps an easier win as seen in Sandipan-Gupta game analysis.- Kidambi}) 69... Rf8+ (69... Kd5 70. Rd2+ $1 Kc4 71. g4 $18 Rf8+ 72. Ke6 Rg8 73. Rg2 $18) (69... Ke7 70. Ra7+ Kd6 71. g4) 70. Kg5 $1 (70. Kg6 $2 Ke5 $1) 70... Rg8+ 71. Kf6 $1 {We achieve the zugzwang position any move Black makes now harms him} Rf8+ (71... Rg3 72. Rd2+ $1 Kc5 73. Kf5 $18 Rg8 74. g4 Rf8+ 75. Ke6 Rg8 76. Rg2 $1 $18) (71... Kc5 72. Ra5+ $1 Kd4 73. Rg5 $18) (71... Kd7 $5 {A valid defensive mechanism its not as simple as it looks to win for White ...hidden tricks remain in the eventual path} 72. Kf7 Rg3 73. Rd2+ Kc6 74. Ke6 Rg8 (74... Kc5 75. Kf5 $18) 75. Rc2+ Kb5 76. Kf5 Rf8+ 77. Kg6 $1 Rg8+ 78. Kh7 Rg3 79. Kh6 $1 Rg8 80. Rf2 $1 Kc4 81. Rf4+ Kd5 82. g4 Ke5 83. Ra4 $1 (83. Rf5+ Ke6 84. Rg5 {looks winning but....} Rh8+ $1 85. Kg7 Rh4 $1 86. Kg6 (86. Rg6+ Ke5 87. g5 Kf5 $11) 86... Rh8 $1 $11) 83... Kf6 84. g5+ $1 $18) 72. Kg7 Rf4 (72... Rb8 73. g4 $4 Rb1 74. g5) 73. Kg6 $3 Ke7 $1 (73... Rf8 74. Ra6+ Kd7 75. g4 $1 $18 Rg8+ 76. Kf5 Rf8+ 77. Rf6 Ra8 78. g5 Ke7 79. Kg6 $18) (73... Kd5 74. Kg5 Rf8 75. Ra6 $1 $18) 74. Ra5 $1 {only move to win White now changes his plan and aims to cutoff the king via file while also shielding his own king from the behind checks} (74. Ra7+ Kf8 75. Ra8+ Ke7 76. Ra5 $1) 74... Rb4 (74... Rg4+ 75. Rg5 Rc4 (75... Rf4 76. g4 $18) 76. g4 Kf8 77. Kh7 Rf4 78. Rg8+ Kf7 79. Rg6 $1 Kf8 80. g5 Rf7+ 81. Kh8 Rf5 82. Rg8+ Kf7 83. Kh7 $18) 75. Rf5 $1 {again the only move cuts off the king via file} (75. Rg5 Kf8 76. Kh7 Rh4+ $11) 75... Ra4 (75... Rg4+ 76. Rg5 Rb4 77. g4 Kf8 78. Kh7 $18) 76. g3 $1 {with the idea to play Rf4 and then proceed with g4} (76. Kg5 Ra8 77. Kh6 $1 Rg8 78. Rg5 $1 $18) 76... Ra8 (76... Rb4 77. Rf4 $1 Rb8 78. Rf7+ Ke6 79. g4 $18) 77. Kg7 Ke6 78. g4 Ra4 79. Rf6+ Ke7 80. Rg6 $18 (80. g5 $18)) (65. Re4 Kc5 66. Re3 (66. Re2 Kd5 (66... Kb6 67. Ra2 Kb5) (66... Kb5 67. Ra2 Rg8+) 67. Ra2) 66... Kd5 67. Re2 Kc4) 65... Rg8+ 66. Kh4 Rh8+ 67. Kg3 Rg8 68. Re1 Kd4 (68... Kd6 $1 {White can't put Black in any zugzwang as his king will just keep moving between the d6 and d5 squares} 69. Re2 Kd5 70. Re7 Kd6 $11) 69. Re6 Kd5 70. Ra6 Ke5 71. Kh4 Kf4 72. Rf6+ Ke5 73. g5 Rh8+ 74. Kg4 Rh1 75. Ra6 Rh2 76. g6 1-0 [Event "ch-USA 2020"] [Site "lichess.org INT"] [Date "2020.10.26"] [Round "2.1"] [White "Nakamura, Hi"] [Black "Lenderman, A.."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [Annotator "Jacob Aagard"] [ECO "B10"] [WhiteElo "2736"] [BlackElo "2634"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/7r/3k4/8/8/7K/4R1P1/8 w - - 0 51"] [PlyCount "188"] [GameId "2188640117440233"] [EventDate "2020.10.26"] [EventType "tourn (rapid)"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCategory "17"] [SourceTitle "Conceptual Rook Endgames"] [Source "Mark Crowther"] [SourceDate "2020.10.26"] [SourceVersion "2"] [SourceVersionDate "2020.10.27"] [SourceQuality "2"] {[#]} 51. Kg4 {How should Black continue?} Rg7+ $2 {An understandable mistake, but an instructive one.} (51... Rh8 $1 {This was the only drawing move. You can explain with variations- and I shall- but dont lose sight of the reason why this is working.It extends the checking distance.} 52. Kf5 Rf8+ 53. Kg6 (53. Kg5 Rg8+ 54. Kf6 Rf8+ 55. Kg7 Rf4 56. Kg6 Rf8 57. Ra2 Ke5) 53... Kd5 $3 {also an important move.The idea is to avoid Re6+ followed by Rg6} 54. Kg7 (54. Ra2 {would allow the Black king closer} Ke5 $1 {Black simply draws.}) 54... Rf4 $1 {preventing the g-pawn from advancing.} 55. Kg6 Rf8 $1 {Black holds.}) 52. Kf5 Rg3 $6 {Not the strongest defence} (52... Rf7+ 53. Kg5 $1 {White can zigzag between threats of advancing the g-pawn and checking the black king away to the far queenside.The technique is important to understand, so you can use it in your own games.} Rf8 54. Ra2 $1 Rg8+ (54... Ke6 55. Ra6+ Ke7 56. Ra7+ Ke6 57. Rg7 $1 {This is the key idea behind 54.Ra2}) 55. Kf6 Kd7 (55... Rf8+ 56. Kg7 Rf4 57. Kg6 {Black cannot stop White's g-pawn from advancing.}) 56. Kf7 Rg5 57. Rd2+ Kc6 58. Kf6 Rg8 59. Kf5 $1 Rf8+ 60. Ke6 Rg8 61. Rc2+ Kb6 62. Kf6 $5 {A tablebase move which is interesting to understand. Black;s rook is stuck and White puts Black in a sort of mini zugzwang, where he has to make an uncomfortable move with the king.} Kb7 (62... Kb5 63. Kf5 Rf8+ 64. Kg6 Rg8+ 65. Kh7 Rg3 66. Kh6 Rg8 67. Rf2 $18 {[%CAl Yf2f5,Yf5g5]}) 63. Kf5 Rf8+ 64. Kg5 Rg8+ 65. Kf4 Rf8+ 66. Ke3 Rg8 67. Kf2 Rf8+ 68. Kg1 Rg8 69. Rc4 Ra8 $5 70. Kf2 $1 $18) 53. Kf4 $2 ({Missing the easy win with} 53. Re6+ Kd7 54. Rg6 $18) 53... Rg8 54. g4 Rf8+ 55. Kg3 Rg8 56. Re1 Kd5 57. Re7 Kd6 58. Re2 Kd5 59. Re3 Kd6 60. Re2 Kd5 61. Re7 Kd6 62. Re4 Kd5 63. Kf3 Rf8+ 64. Rf4 Rg8 65. Rf5+ Ke6 66. Kf4 Ra8 67. Kg3 Rg8 68. Kh4 Rh8+ 69. Rh5 Rg8 70. Ra5 Kf6 71. Rf5+ Ke6 72. Rf4 Ke5 73. Kg3 Ke6 74. Rf5 Ra8 75. Kf4 Rb8 76. Kg5 Rg8+ 77. Kh4 Rh8+ 78. Rh5 Rg8 79. Rh7 Kf6 80. Rh6+ Kg7 81. Ra6 Rc8 82. Kh5 Rc5+ 83. g5 Rc7 84. Rb6 Ra7 85. Rg6+ Kh7 86. Rb6 Kg7 87. Rb5 Kh7 88. Rd5 Kg7 89. Rd4 Kh7 90. Re4 Kg7 91. Re3 Kh7 92. Rf3 Kg7 93. Rf2 Kh7 94. Rg2 Kg7 95. Rg1 Kh7 96. Rh1 Kg7 97. Rh4 Rb7 98. Rf4 Ra7 99. Rb4 Kh7 100. Rb3 Kg7 101. Rb2 Kh7 102. Rb1 Kg7 103. Rc1 Kh7 104. Rd1 Kg7 105. Rd2 Kh7 106. Re2 Kg7 107. Re3 Kh7 108. Rd3 Kg7 109. Rd4 Kh7 110. Rc4 Kg7 111. Rc5 Kh7 112. Rb5 Kg7 113. Rb6 Kh7 114. Rb8 Kg7 115. Rc8 Kh7 116. Rd8 Kg7 117. Re8 Kh7 118. Rf8 Kg7 119. Rf4 Kh7 120. Rf3 Kg7 121. Rg3 Kh7 122. Rg4 Kg7 123. Rh4 Rb7 124. Rh3 Ra7 125. Rf3 Kh7 126. Re3 Kg7 127. Rd3 Kh7 128. Rc3 Kg7 129. Rb3 Kh7 130. Rb4 Kg7 131. Rb5 Kh7 132. g6+ Kg7 133. Kg5 Rc7 134. Ra5 Rb7 135. Rd5 Ra7 136. Re5 Rb7 137. Kf5 Ra7 138. Rb5 Rc7 139. Ra5 Rb7 140. Re5 Ra7 141. Kg5 Rb7 142. Rf5 Ra7 143. Rf7+ Rxf7 144. gxf7 Kxf7 1/2-1/2