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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) RookEndgame Hollis-Florian (Read 39615 times)
micawber
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #25 - 10/24/10 at 12:12:15
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Thx Stephan Buecker and Leeroth for the compliments.

On acquiering a grandmaster's opinion:

Of course I would like to see the opinion of an expert like Dvoretzky. 

But perhaps it would be more logical to try to get an opinion from one of the current Chesspub authors who published endgame books? Smiley

Emms (rook endgame survival guide),  Flear (mastering the endgame) ?
« Last Edit: 10/24/10 at 14:23:41 by micawber »  
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LeeRoth
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #24 - 10/23/10 at 20:33:04
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Yes, fantastic analysis and thanks much for all the hard work of presenting it in such a clear and understandable way.  Looks like you have improved on analysis by some pretty impressive people.  Maybe you should send it to Dvoretsky!   
  
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Stefan Buecker
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #23 - 10/23/10 at 09:19:54
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Great analysis - thanks, micawber, and congratulations! You have discovered subtle improvements in this classic, and your careful presentation of the material is also excellent. So the only rescue is 4...Ke6 (Kantorovich/Dvoretzky). It would be nice if your questions regarding the sources in your original post could also be answered.
  
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micawber
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #22 - 10/23/10 at 06:33:59
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The Finish

Time to clean up. This post contains the two remaining subvariations and the pgn-file.
Finally I have put together some verbal explanation about what imho you should remember about this endgame

To the forum members who have followed my posts, thx for your patience.
I might have shortened this post if I had cut away all explanatory variations on methods/lines that didnt work, and if I had cut off the variations where I was personally satisfied that the win was assured. But I feel that it would have made the analysis more difficult to follow.
Several endgame books treat this endgame in one or two pages. And you have to be quite strong to fill in blanks...

Finally I took me more time to fill in these posts, and explain my lines carefully, than to find the critical lines in the first place  Wink



Line D.2

diagram 13.repeated
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9.....,  Rb1
10.Kd3, 

10.Rd7+ wins as well
10........, Rb3+
11.Kd2,  Rb6
12.Rg7,  Rb7


diagram 15 (Repeated)
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We have seen this position in line D1
But with Black to move.
So White must lose a tempo.

13.Kc2,  Rb6
14.Kd3,  Rb3+
15.Kd2

And we are back in line D1.


Line D3
from diagram 13


9........., Ke6
10.Rg7,
10......., Kf6

10......,Ke5 11.Kc4 wins
10......,Kf5  11.Kc4!,Rb1 12.Kc5 +-

The most stubborn defence is:
10......,Kd5! 11.Kd3, Rb3+ 12.Kd2 see line D1

11.Rc7,  
11......., Kf5

11....., Ke5 12.Kc4,Kd6 13.Rg7 (White threatens Rxg6+) 13...,Ke5 14.Kc5,Rb1 15.Kc6 wins
12.Kc4,  Kg4
13.Rd7,  wins

Indirectly protecting the g-pawn.
(13...Kxg3 14.Rd3+ followed by Rb3)
13.Rg7 iso 13.Rd7 would have won as well


Afterword

Dvoretzky concludes his comments on Hollis-Florian with some wise words:

You should not try to remember the lines but the methods!

What have we learned:
1.Apparently Black's most promising defence is to put his Rook in front of the passed pawn
if white's rook defends it from the side.

2.To get rid of this defence white must keep the Black rook from reaching the 8th rank until it is too late.
5.Rc7! serves this purpose well.
5.Kc2, Re3! Does not.

3.After 5.Rc7 Black has two basic defences:
  A) Counterplay on the kingside
  B) Blocking the white king

4. Black's counterplay on the kingside consists of f6, g5 and Kf5-g4 setting up a passed pawn of his own. Every tempo is important. 
White must combine the march of his king to c8 with an indirect  defence of his g-pawn. 
The method to threaten to check black's king followed by putting the rook behind the b-pawn is worth remembering.

5.White should remember that Black almost always has the option to sacrifice his rook, hoping to transfer into a drawn ending with Rook versus pawn(s). Much depends on how far the pawns and the Black king have advanced. 
If Black is left with a lone h-pawn the following applies (white king on b7/b8)
with pawn h5/Kh4 white wins
with pawn h4/Kh3 white draws.


6.If Black opts for blocking White's king, White will play for Zugzwang. Eventually forcing blacks king to give way either to the queenside or the kingside.
This is not the whole story. If Black maintains a blockade to the queenside, White is forced to win both blacks kingside pawns, or reach a winning position with rook+h-pawn versus rook.
If we take into account that most R+h-pawn vs. R endgames are drawish, white must have a certain amount of technical knowledge to accomplish this task.




« Last Edit: 10/23/10 at 08:51:59 by micawber »  

Hollis_pgn.pgn ( 20 KB | Downloads )
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micawber
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #21 - 10/21/10 at 06:38:14
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Thx Proutiskeen for your service 
and 
thx gewgaw for your kind comment.


While I was putting together the pgn I discovered I made an analytic error in Dvoretzky's drawing line.
It concerns the position in variation B1.x after
White's 11th move:
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Here i gave 
11.....Kxg3 12.Rxg6 as drawn and that is correct.

But White can still win after 
11......., Kxg3
12.Kc4!
   (iso 12.Rxg6?)
12.......,  Rb1
12.Rd7!

With a transposition to line B1.y which I proved to be winning.

Morale:
Check my variations carefully  Huh 
  
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gewgaw
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #20 - 10/19/10 at 17:14:48
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Great work by @micawber!

Thanks for the service @proutiskeen

What a wonderful forum!

3 bows by @gewgaw
  

The older, the better - over 2200 and still rising.
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #19 - 10/19/10 at 15:04:56
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Because the diagrams do not print when you hit the 'print' button here at chesspub - you get the FEN instead - I have taken the liberty of cutting / pasting Micawber's analysis into a PDF file.

http://www.mediafire.com/?933rw6rgo9k5arq

It's 16 pages of double columned text.  Hopefully it works for everyone, should you decide to download it.

Thanks to Micawber for his hard work!  I know what I'll be studying for the next few days!
  
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micawber
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #18 - 10/19/10 at 07:07:14
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Variation D

5....., Ke6
6.b7, Rb3
7.Kc2

In fact there is little else white can do

diagram 12
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*

7....., Rb6!
7....., Rb5 does not really change the situation by much.
7....., Rb4?! allows white a gain of tempo with Kc3

7....., Kd6 8.Rxf7 (8.Kxb3?,Kxc7  9.Kc4,Kxb7 10.Kd5,Kc7 11.Ke5,Kd7 12.Kf6,Ke8= is a drawn)
When 8.....Rb6 9.Kc3,Kd5 transposes back into the main line.

8.Kc3,

8.Kd3 is possible as well
a) 8....., f6? 9.Rc6+,Rxc6 10.b8Q+- is not a fortress.
b) 8....., Kd5 9.Rxf7,Rb3+ 10.Kd2,Kc6 11.Rg7,Kd5
12.Kd3,Rb3+ 13.Kd2 transposes to the main line.variation D.1.y.

8......,    Kd5!

Here is the central idea of the variation. Black gives up his f-pawn in order to block the route of the white king to  the b-pawn.

Holding on to the pawn would have held little promise.
8......,    f6 9.Kc4!
A) 9....,Kd6 10.Rf7, Rb1 (10....Ke5 11.Rd7,Ke6 12.Kc5,Rb1 13.Rd6+ followed by 14.Rb6) 11.Rxf6+,Kf7 12.Rxg6, Kf8 13.Rh6+-

B) 9.... Ke6 10.Kc5,Rb1 11.Rc7
(with the by now familiar threat Rc6+ and Rb6)
11....Kf5 12.Rd7! Wins.
(We have actually transposed into the game score of Hollis – Florian which had move order 5.Kc2,Rf5+ 6.Rc7,Rb5 7.b7,Ke6 8.Kc3,f6 9.Kc4,Rb1 10.Kc5,Kf5 11.Rd7)

Finally there is another way to give up the f-pawn..
8......,Kd6 9.Rxf7, Kd5 10.Kd3 
with similar play as in the main line.

9.Rxf7,

diagram 13
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This is the first critical position
Black has three waiting moves:
{D.1} 9.....Kc5
{D.2} 9.....Rb1
{D.3} 9.....Ke6

White's plan to make progress is 
to give up is b-pawn and win both blacks kingside pawns. 
In general the endgame R+2p vs R is won.

He can always exchange the b-pawn for the g-pawn, with Rxg6 when Rxb7 is forced in return. 
But the win of the remaining h-pawn while holding on to both his kingside pawns is not always guaranteed.

Variation {D.1}
9........, Kc5?!
10.Rg7, 

{D.1.x} 10......, Rb1?!
{D.1.y} 10......, Kd5!


Variation {D.1.x}
10........Rb1?!
11.Kd3, Kd5
12.Ke3!


12.Rxg6?! wins as well, Rxb7  
a)13.Rg5+?=,Kf6 14.Rxh5 (14.K?, Rh7=),Rg7
And it turns out white cant hold on to both his pawns.
15.Rg5 (otherwise 15...Rxg3+) , Rxg5 16.hxg,Kxg=
b)13.Ke3!,Ke5 (13....Rh7,Kf4+-) 14.Rg5+ +-

diagram 14
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12......,Ke5
13.Rxg6!,Rb2+
14.Kf2, Rxb7
15.Rg5+,Ke4
16.Rxh5 +-


Variation {D.1.y}
Diagram 13 repeated
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10......., Kd5!
11.Kd3!

     
11.Kd2?!=, Rb3! 12.Kc2, Rb6 13.Kd3,Rb3+
14.Kd2 and we arrive at the main line of this variation (only two moves later).

11......,  Rb3+!
11......,  Kc5? 12.Ke3 +-
12.Kd2!

12.Kc2?!=,Rb6 13.Kd3 just repeats the position.

11.Ke2?=,Ke4 
a) 13.Rxg6,Rb2+ 14.Ke1 (14.Kf1,Kf3=),Rxg7 15.Rg5,Kf3=
b) 13.Re7+,Kd4 14.Kf2,Kd5 15.Rg7,Ke4 16.Kg2 (16.Rxg6,Rxb7 17.Kg2,Rb2+ 18.Kh3,Rb5=) 16...Rb2+= 17.Kh3,Rb3 18.Rxg6,Rxb7=
And white does not succeed in capturing both blacks kingside pawns.

diagram 15
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{D.y.1}12......., Ke5
{D.y.2}12......., Ke4
{D.y.3}12......., Kd4


Waiting moves with his rook will not help black:
12......., Rb1 13.Ke3!,Ke5 14.Rxg6!,Rb2+
12......., Rb6 13.Ke3, Ke5 14.Rxg6, Rb2+
both transpose into variation  {D.1.x}

King moves to the 6th rank allow Rxg6+ with tempo
12....Kd6 13.Rxg6+,Kc7 14.Rg7+ +-
12....Ke6 13.Rxg6+,Kf7  14.Rh6+-
12....Kc6 13.Rxg6+,Kxb7 14.Rg5,Kc6 15.Ke2! (White must first protect his g-pawn before he can capture on h5)15....,Kd7 16.Ke6,Rxh5+-

Kc5 /Kc4 allows whites king to move up the board and break the blockade

12.....Kc5?? 13.Rxg6, Rxb7 14.Ke3! +-
(we have reached support position 4)

12.....,Kc4? 13.Rxg6,Rxb7 14.Ke3 +-
(we have reached support position 4)



Variation D.1.y.1

12......,Ke5
13.Kc2,Rb6
14.Kd3!

Now Black is in a kind of Zugzwang
14.Kc3?,Kd5 and white has not made any progress.
14......, Kd5
15.Ke3!,
(15.Rxg6,Rxb7 16.Ke3!+- wins as well)
15........,Ke5
16.Rxg6


diagram 16
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16.....,    Rb3+
17.Kf2,   Rxb7
18.Rg5+,Ke4
19.Rxh5, Rb2+
20.Ke1!


We have reached support position 6
White has completed his mission. He has captured both black kingside pawns, holding on to his own kingside.
Note that 20.Kf1?, Kf3= would have thrown away the win.

Variation D.1.y.2
Diagram 15 Repeated
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12......, Ke4
13.Rd7!

(13.Kc2,Rb1 14.Rd7,Kf5 is a transposition)
13........, Kf5
(13....,Ke5 14.Kc2,Rb6 15.Kd3,Ke6 16.Rg7 is a transposition)
14.Kc2,   Rb6
15.Kd3,   Ke6

16.Rg7!

diagram 17
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16......, Ke5
16.....Kd5 17.Rxg6 +- (17.Ke3,Ke5 18.Rxg6+-)
see variation D.1.y.1
17.Kc4
The white king has broken the blockade, and is heading for the b-pawn.


Variation D.1.y.3
Diagram 15 repeated
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12.........,Kd4
13.Rd7+!,
13..........,Kc4!

Black maintains the queenside blockade.
Other moves are easier to handle:
a)13...Ke4 14.Kc2,Rb6 15.Kc3+-
b) 13...Kc5 14.Kc2,Rb6 15.Kd3,Kc6 16.Rg7,Kd5 17.Ke3+-
c) 13...Ke5 14.Kc2,Rb6 15.Kd3,Ke6 16.Rg7,Kd5 17.Ke3+-
14.Ke2,
White can not make progress with other moves:
a) 14.Rc7+,Kd5 15.Rg7,Kd4 repeats the position after move 12.
b)14.Rg7, Kd4 repeats the position after move 12.

14......., Kc5
15.Rg7, Kd4
16.Rxg6, Rxb7
17.Rg5!


diagram 18
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17......., Rh7!

a)17...Ke4 18.Rxh5 +- 
We have reached support position 6
18.....,Rb2+ 19.Ke1+-

b)17...Rb3+ 18.Kf2,Ke4 19.Rxh5+-
c)17...Rb6 18.Rxh5,Ke4 19.Rxg5+-

18.Kf3  
18........, Rf7+

(18....,Rh8 19.Kf4+-)
19.Kg2,Rh7
And we have reached support position 3.
20.g4!!+-

By the end of the week I will post the remaining variations
D2 and D3. But there will be not much new analysis there, 
as most lines transpose one way or another to D1.
I will also attach a pgn file.
[/b]
If no one refutes it, I can at least have the satisfaction of having found something that 7 or 8 endgame authors overlooked.
Wink 
« Last Edit: 10/19/10 at 09:13:57 by micawber »  
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micawber
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #17 - 10/17/10 at 18:59:31
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Introduction to the final variations B4 and D
Variation B4/D caused me some trouble, and in my next posting you probably will see why.

* * * * * * * *
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*

Before we delve into the positions with Ke6 let's have  a look at what we are up against. 
White to move can of course capture the f7-pawn.
But that not necessarily guarantees the win. Because in contrast to the previous lines, white's access roads to approach the b-pawn with his king are closed.

White needs an alternative strategy. 
If black maintains the blockade white needs to win the kingside pawns.
White can almost always exchange the g-pawn against his b-pawn with Rg7-Rxg6. Black is not in a position to retake on g6, because then the b-pawn promotes, so he has to take on b7 instead.

Therefore the outcome of the battle depends on the question if white can win the h-pawn as well, and keep both his own kingside pawns.  If he does, the win is assured.

So there is a good reason to study some critical positions well in advance to understand what is going on in the final variations.

support position 1   Draw
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1.Rf5+,
1........,  Ke4

(1..., Kg4?? 2.Rf4#)
2.Rf8  ,
Other attemps are also drawn:
a)2.Rf4+, Ke5!  3.Ra4    Kf5!=
White has not made any progress. Any attempt to move the g-pawn results in a theoretical drawn endgame.
b)2.Ra5 ,  kf3=
c)2.Rg5 ,  Kf3=
2.......,   Rd7
3.Rh8,   Rd5!=

White can make no further progress.
4.Kh3,   Kf3 5.Rg8+, Kh3 6.g4    ,  Rh3+ =!


support position 2 Draw
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*

Although the position is a draw. Black need to take some care.
Positions like this, where the weaker side's king is cut off on the 5th rank must defended with care 
(see for instance Nunn Secrets of Rook Endgames)

Actually this position occurred in the game
Zabiak-Mihalko, 1999 after black's 59th move.

1.g4!?,
1.Ra5, Rh8 2.Kh3,Kf3 3.Rf5+,Ke4 4.g4,hxg4
5.Kxg4 draw was the game continuation. Indeed after 5...Rxh4+ the draw is beyond any doubt.
1......., hxg4
1......., Kf4!= 2.gxh5,Rh6= is perhaps the easiest way to draw.
2.Kg3!,Rf7!
Blacks best defensive strategy is to put his rook behind the pawn.
To show how easily black actually can go wrong:
2....., Rh8? 3.h5!,Rf8 (3.....,Rh7 4.Kxg4+-)4.h6+- and white wins
3.Kxg4 , Rf1!=



support position 3. White wins
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*

To drive home the lesson how dangerous it is for Black to have his king cut off on the 5th rank shows position nr. 3.
This is actually won for white, even though
Black is only one tempo short of support position 2.

1.g4!
White cannot afford to lose time, because if black brings his king one file closer the position is again drawn.
1......, hxg4
2.h5!

2.Kg3=, Ra7 gives black just enough time to bring his rook behind the h-pawn:
a) 3.Kxg4, Ke4= (position 2)
b) 3.h5,Ra1! 4.h6, Rh1! 5.Rxg4+,Ke5=
c) 3.Rxg4,Ke5! 4.h5, Ra1!=
2......, Ke4
2....., Ra7 3.h6,Ke4 4.Kg3! Wins as in the main line.
3.Kg3,Rf7
4.h6!

4.Kxg4?=,Rf1! 5.h6,Rh1 6.Rg6,Rg1+ 7.Kh3,Rh1+
8.Kg2,Kf5 9.Rc6,Rh4 10.Kg3,Rh1=
4......., Rf1
5.Rxg4!
5.Kxg4?,Rh1 6.Rh5,Rg1+=
5........, Kf5
6.h7!

6.Kg2!, Ra1 7.h7 wins as well.
6........, Rg1+
7.Kh2,  Rxg4
8.h8Q+-




support position 4
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*

This position is an easy win for white
It shows that after exchanging the b-pawn for the g6-pawn,
it is not always necessary to take the h-pawn at once.
1.Ke3!,

And white has the additional option to win the h-pawn with his king.
---------------------------------------------------------
Positions with R+2p vs. R are generally won for the stronger side.
There are only a few exceptions. In general these are positions where 
a) Black has managed to block the pawns using both king and rook, or 
b) where white's pieces occupy extremely unfavourable positions.

support position 5 Draw
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1.Rxh5
1.Kg2, Rh7= (support position 2)
1........, Kf3
And White loses his g-pawn because of the mating threat Rb1++

support position 6 White wins
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1......, Rb2+
2.Ke1!

2.Kf1??, Kf3= (see previous example)
2........, Ke3
3.Kd1!

3.Kf1?, Kf3= (see previous example)
3........, Kd3
3...., Kf3 4.Rg5,Rg2, 5.h5
With the black king cut off on the lower half of the board, 
White does not need his king to promote the pawns.
4.Kc1, Rg2
5.Rg5+

And again Black can not prevent the pawn march h5-g4 Rg6 etc.


[/b][/b]
  
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #16 - 10/13/10 at 20:28:43
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Micawber, this is an excellent piece of analysis. It's going to take me quite a bit of time to go through everything, but I haven't found any flaws yet (after about an hour of working on it). 

It's clear you've spent quite a bit of energy on this position and even if there are any flaws, it's still brilliant.

Thanks for sharing this with us!
  
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #15 - 10/13/10 at 16:31:06
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diagram 6 repeated.
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Variation C
5...., Ra3      (Pinter)

var C.1 6.Kc2
var C.2 6.Rc3 (Pinter)
var C.3 6.b7!

Variation C.1
This variation shows the idea behind Ra3.
6.Kc2?, Ra8!
7.b7?   . 
7........., Rb8=

And Black has managed to reached the van Wijgerden/Averbakh drawing line given in part 1 background material after 5.Kc2,Re3
6.Rc7, Re8 7.b7,Rb8.

Variation C.2
5....,Ra3
6.Rc3?!

I think this gives the win away
6.......,  Ra2+
7.Rc2

7.Kc1?,Ra8 8.b7,Rb8 9.Rb3,
(9.Rc7 allows the Van Wijgerden/Averbakh defence again) 9...., Ke5 10.Kd2,Kd4 11.Rb1 
(in general white can force black with tempo moves like this)
11....., f6! 12.Rb6,g5! And the position is probably a draw.
Note that other 7th move alternatives allow Rb2.
7......, Ra8
8.b7 , Rb8
9.Rb2,


diagram 10
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9........, Ke5
10.Ke3,f6!
11.Rb5+, Kd6!
12.Kd4?!, Kc6! =

diagram 11.
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And Black threatens ...13....Rxb7 
14.Rxb7.Kxb7 15.Kd5,g5!=

Black exchanges on h4 and uses the time white needs to pick up the h-pawn to reach the key square f8 with his own king.
Other White 12th moves also fail to prevent Kc6/c7


Variation C.3

If I have not delved into 6.Rc3 as deep as I could, it is because White clearly has a superior alternative.
diagram 6 repeat
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5......., Ra3
6.b7!
This blocks Blacks access to the 8th rank.
6.....,   Rb3
6......,  Ra2+?? 7.Rc2 and the b-pawn promotes.
7.Kc2!, Rb6
8.Kd3 +-


And we have transposed into variation B.2.
White wins.


================================
Note that I have skipped over variation B4.
That reason is that variation B4 and D are closely related. From variation D White can force black back into variation B4. So if white wins in variation B4 he also wins in variation D.


  
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #14 - 10/13/10 at 15:44:51
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Thx Papageno, for the correction.

Youre absolutely right of course.
The key move is that with his king still on f6, Black has time for ...Kg7. Similar positions with the king on e7 are not fortresses.
  
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #13 - 10/13/10 at 11:08:22
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Nice findings so far, if it turns out true that you were improving over Dvoretzky's analysis at one point!

Please allow for one remark on your last posting
micawber wrote on 10/13/10 at 09:40:57:
Variation b2.
6......,  Rb1
6......,  Rb6? 7.Rc6+ wins at once.


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In this kind of position White does not win at once. This might easily turnout to be a fortress. I'm not sure if this is the case in exactly this position. But it looks difficult for White to make much progress after say 7... Kg7 denying the white Queen access to f8.

Dvoretsky analyses such kind of fortresses in his endgame book in the game Dorfman-Beliavsky, Lvov 1978 (0-1, colours reversed).

Back to your analysis: It would be far easier to argue that 6... Rb6 7.Kd3 leads to just the very same position as 6... Rb1 7.Kc2 Rb6 8.Kd3 does.
  
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #12 - 10/13/10 at 09:40:57
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diagram 6 repeated
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5...Rb3 6 b7,Rb1

Variation b2.
6......,  Rb1
6......,  Rb6? 7.Rc6+ wins at once.
My error, as Papageno pointed out: 
Black erects a fortress after 7...Rxc6 8.b8Q,Kg7!
But 6...Rb6 7.Kd3, transposes to the this variation,
position after 8.Kd3.(also indicated by Papageno)
7.Kc2, Rb6
Already black has wasted a tempo 
Obviously the same would have happened after 
6...Rb4 when black plays Kc3 and 6...Rb5 7.Kd3.
8.Kd3, Ke5
8....Ke6 9.Rc6+ wins. Note that this was not possible if white had played 8.Kc3.
8....Kf5  9.Rxf7+,Kg4 10.Rg7,Kh3 11.Kc4,Rb1
and white is a tempo up over B.1.y.
9.Kc4,
diagram 7
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9......,Kd6
9.....f6 10.Rd7! (threatening Rd5+ followed by Rb5) 10...,Ke6 11.Kc5! (threatening Rd6+ - Rb6) wins
10.Rxf7,Rb1
The pawn endgame after 10...Kc6 11.Rxg6+,Kxb7 12.Rxb6 is obviously won.
And after 10...Kf6 11.Rc7,Rb1 12.Kc5 White approaches his b-pawn without any black counter play.
11.Rg7, Kc6
12.Rxg6+,Kxb7

diagram 8
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13.Rg5 +-
13....Rg1 (only move) 14.Kd5!. And white's king approaches the kingside pawns. Then black will loose the pawn on h5. After that the endgame R+2p vs R is a matter of technique.
==================================
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5...Rb3 6 b7,Rb1

variation B3

6......, g5

7.Kc2, Rb5
7......., Rb6 8.hxg,Kxg 9.Rxf7 wins easily
8.hxg, Kxg5
9.Rxf7,Kg4

9....,Kg6 10.Rc7,Kg5 11.Kc3,Kg4 12.Rc4+,Kxg3 13.Rb4,Rxb7 14.Rxb7,h4 15.Rg7+,Kf3 16.Rh7 (with the intermediate check white gains a tempo), Kg3 17.Kd3,h3 18.Ke2 wins in a way similar to the game continuation
10.Rg7+,Kf3
11.Kd3,Rb4

To deny white access to the 4th rank
11....Rb1 12.Kd4,Rb2 13.Kc5
And white reaches c6 with his king, while black has no counter play.
12.Kc3,Rb1
13.Kd4

diagram 9
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Socko-Zubarev, Polnica Zdroj, 2000
White's king approaches the b-pawn unhindered, forcing black to sacrifice on b2. White should only take a minimum of care that the resulting endgame R vs h-pawn is indeed won.
The game continuation was 
13...Rb5 14.Kc4,Rb1 15.Kd5, Rb6 16.Kc5,Rxb7
(16...Rb1 17.Kc6,Rc1+ 18.Kd7,Rd3+ 19.Kc8,Rc1+ 20.Rc7,Re3! 21.Rc5! {21.b8Q?,Re8+ 22.Kc7,Rxb8=},Re8+ 22.Kc7,Re7+ 23.Kb6,Re8 24.Rxh5+-)
17.Rxb7,Kxg3 18.Rg7+!,Kf3 19.Rh2 and black resigned.
« Last Edit: 10/13/10 at 15:49:25 by micawber »  
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Re: RookEndgame Hollis-Florian
Reply #11 - 10/12/10 at 16:31:52
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Thanks for posting this.  It's fascinating stuff and your 9.Rg7 is very creative.
  
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