In the thread “Revisiting Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual, 5th Edition” (https://www.chesspub.com/cgi-bin/chess/YaBB.pl?num=1750097322), under no. 4, Diagram 9-204 (p. 234), I demonstrated that the 5th edition’s recommendation to try 3...g5!? (p. 234) is actually losing.

D. 1




After 3...g5? 4. hxg5+ Kxg5 5. Rb8 Kf6 6. Kd1 Ke7 White wins with 7.Kd2 or 7.Rb7+. 

In yesterday’s game between Sevian and Predke, the following position arose after 42...Kf6.

D. 2



This position is well known in endgame theory from the Hollis–Florian correspondence game (1972). Hollis played (43.)f3 and the position has been the subject of detailed analysis on many occasions, including in this forum. The only difference between the two positions is the placement of the f-pawn. In both cases the position is objectively drawn, regardless of who moves first.

Sevian played 43.Rb8 instead of 43.f3. Black had several drawing options; the simplest seems to be 43…Kf5 44.f3 Ke5 45.Kd1 Kd5 46.Kc1 Rb5 47.Kc2 Kc6. However, Predke, in analogy with the textbook’s recommendation, played 43…g5?, which is losing. 

After 44.hxg5+ Kxg5 45.f3 Kf6 46.Kd1 Ke7 we have the same position as in the analysis of D. 1. 

D. 3



The game went on 47.Kc1! Rb5

D. 4



White must be very careful here, since the direct 47.Kc2 misses the win. The black king heads for the b-pawn, trades it for the f7-pawn, and then targets the g3-pawn: 47.Kc2? Kd7! 48.Rb7+ Kc6 49.Rxf7 Kxb6! 50.Kd3 Rg5!=.

White has two winning options - 48.Kd2 or 48.Rb7+. In case of 48.Kd2 Kd7 49.Rb7+ 49…Kc6 is pointless, since after 50.Rxf7! Kxb6 51.Ke3 the king can defend the g3-pawn.

Sevian chose 48.Rb7+ which forces the black king away from the passed pawn. 

48․․․Ke6 49.Kc2 Rb4 50.Kc3 Rb1 51.Kc4 Rc1+ 52.Kd3 Rb1 53.Kc4 Rc1+ 54.Kd3 Rb1

D. 5



In this position, White wins easily, since he can bring his king both toward the passed pawn and to the queenside, where Black’s pawns are weak and isolated.

55.Rb8 Kd6 56.Kc4 Rc1+ 57.Kd4 Rd1+ 58.Ke4 Rb1 59.Kf5 Rb3 60.f4 Rxg3 61.Rh8 Rb3 62.Kf6 Rxb6 63.Rxh5 or 57.Kb5 Rb1+ 58.Ka6 Rb3 59.Rd8+ Kc6 60.Rc8+ Kd6 61.b7 Ra3+ 62.Kb6 Rb3+ 63.Ka7 Ra3+ 64.Kb8 Rxf3 65.Rh8 Rxg3 66.Rxh5+–.

Sevian played 55.Kc3, but a few moves later he shifted his king to the kingside and won without difficulty. The weakened, isolated pawns on Black’s kingside - created by the premature advance and exchange with 43…g5 - cannot be defended without diverting attention from the b-passed pawn.

55...Kf6 56.Rb8 Ke6 57.Kc4 Kd6 58.Rh8 f6 59.Rf8 Ke7 60.Rb8 Kd6 61.Kd3 f5 62.Ke3 Rb4  63.Rh8 f4+ 64.gxf4 Ke6 65.Rb8 Rb3+ 66.Kf2 Kd7 67.f5 h4 68.f6 Rb2+ 69.Kg1 Rb1+ 70.Kh2. 1-0.