In this pawn structure the attacking side has practically no winning chances when the defender’s king is on the king side. 

D. 1 is the critical position when the Black king is not cut off. 

D. 1



White has an ideal set up but he can win only if he is to move. 

1.Ra8+ Kf7 2.g6+ Ke7 3.h6!+-. 

Note that the analogous position with an h-pawn is dead draw whoever is to move first (see the Thread g- and h-pawns versus g-pawn, D. 8 (upcoming).  

Black to play draws easily by 1…Rb5+ or even with a passiv defence by 1…Rb8 or 1…Kh7. 

D. 2



Aronian – Caruana
Wch Blitz 5th Moscow (17), 17.11.2010

54...Rh1 55.Kg4 Rg1+ 56.Kf5 Rh1 57.Re8

Aronian sets a basic trap and Caruana falls for it (but note that it was a blitz game). 

57…Rxh5?

57...Rf1+ is the easiest way to draw since the White king does not have a shelter.  
57...g6+ also draws. 

58.Ra8 g6+ 59.Kf6 Rh1 60.Ra7+ Kg8 61.Kxg6 Kf8 62.Ra8+ Ke7 63.Kg7 1–0

The defence is more difficult if the weaker side's king is cut off from the pawns.

D. 3



Flohr - Szabo (rev. flanks)
Budapest  1950
 
1...Rh5

“The black king is a long way from its pawn and by the combined efforts of his forces White overcomes his opponent's resistance” (Kopayev). 

2.h3 Kd5

2...Kd6 loses immediately to 3.Rf6+ and 4.Rg6 (Kopayev).  

D. 3.1



3.Re7

Kopayev gives move an exclamation mark. “The king is cut off along the d-file. Now White's task is to advance his pawns with the support of the king, and after the exchange of one of them to obtain a won ending with rook and pawn against rook” (Kopayev).  There is nothing wrong with this plan but White could have won in a more simple way - 3.Rf6 Rh6 4.Kf3 Ke5 5.Ra6 Kf5 6.g4+ Kg5 7.Kg3 Rh8 8.h4+ Kh6 9.g5+ Kg7 10.Ra7+ Kg8 11.Ra8+ Kg7 12.Rxh8 Kxh8 13.Kf4+-.  

3...Kd6 4.Re2 Ra5 5.Kg3

“White begins carrying out his plan” (Kopayev).  

5...Ra4 6.Re8 Kd7 7.Re5

“White has further reduced Black's defensive possibilities: his king cannot stand on the 6th rank due to Rb5, winning the pawn” (Kopayev). 

7...Rb4 8.Kf3 Ra4

D. 3.2



1) 9.g3

Speelman considers this as a decisive mistake throwing away the win. "This is a mistake since White needs g3 for his king and if he makes too many pawn moves White risks some some pawn endings being drawn. After 7.g3? I can see no win for White!". In fact White can win but 9.Re4 (2) or 9.g4 (3) the win is fairly straightforward. 

9...Rb4

D. 3.3



a) 10.Re4?

Balashov and Prandstetter give this move exclamation mark but in fact it is a mistake throwing away the win. 

D. 3.4



a1) 10...Rb3+?

After this move Black is lost. As justly pointed out by Speelman 10...Rb5! (a2) would have drawn.  

11.Kf4 Rb5 12.Re5 Rb4+

12...Rb6 13.h4 Ra6 14.g4 Rb6 15.Kg5 Rb4 16.h5 gxh5 17.Kxh5+- (Euwe). 

13.Kg5 Rb3 14.g4 Rb6 

14...Rxh3 15.Kxg6 Rh8 16.g5+- is hopeless

15.Kh6 Ra6 16.g5. Black resigned, since after h3-h4-h5 the ending is lost.  

Back to D. 3.4

a2) 10...Rb5! 11.Kf4

11.Rg4 Rf5+ (not 11...Rb6? 12.Kf4) 12.Rf4 (12.Ke4 Rf6=) 12...Rh5 (not 12...Ra5? 13.Rf6+-) 13.Rf6 Ke7 (or  13...Rxh3 14.Kg4 Rh8=) 14.Rxg6 Kf7=.  

11...Rf5+! 12.Kg4

12.Ke3 Rh5 13.h4 Ra5=. 

12...Ra5 13.h4 Rb5 14.Kf3 Rf5+ 15.Rf4 Ke6!! 16.Rxf5 Kxf5 17.g4+ Kf6= (Speelman). 

b) 10.h4

D. 3.5



b1) 10...Ra4 11.Re4 Ra5

D. 3.6



12.g4! 

Speelman considered only 12.Rg4? which is a result-changing mistake -12...Rf5+ 13.Rf4 Ke6!=. 

12…Kd6 13.Kf4 Rb5 14.Re8 Ra5 15.h5 gxg5 16.g5!+-. 

Back to D. 3.5

b2) 10…Kd6 11.Re4 Rb1 12.Kf4 Rb5 13.g4 Ra5 14.Re8 Rb5 15.h5 gxh5

15...Rb4+ 16.Kg5+-.

16.g5!+-. 

c) 10.g4 Rb3+ 11.Kf4 Rxh3 12.Kg5+-.

Back to D. 3.2

2) 9.Re4 Ra3+ 10.Kg4 Ra5 11.Kg3 Rb5   

11...Ra3+ 12.Kh4+-.

12.Rg4 Rb6 13.Kh4 Ke7 14.Kg5 Kf7 15.Kh6 1-0 L.A.Schneider-Romanishin, Buenos Aires Ol 1978 . 

Back to D. 3.2

3) 9.g4 Ra3+

9...Kd6 10.Re4 Ra5 11.h4! Kd5 12.Kf4+-. 

10.Kf4! Rxh3 11.Kg5

Or 11.Re4+-.

11...Rh8 12.Kf6 or 12.Kxg6+-.