Bobby Fischer’s Endgame Legacy
Continuing with the theme of Rook+NP versus Rook , today we will take a look at Bobby Fischer’s turbulent experiences in this ending.
Fischer: Learning the Hard Way
Curiously, Bobby Fischer probably has more games in this classification (Rook+NP vs Rook) than any other top grandmaster in modern history!
Fischer struggled at first to come to grips with the finesses in this ending. He learned a lot in the process: a bit of luck to draw against Gligorich (1959); painful losses to Reshevsky (1961) and to Geller (1962); lucky wins against Sherwin (1958), Bisguier (1958), Benko (1959) and Geller (1970).
All of these games enriched Bobby Fischer’s knowledge and understanding of this difficult and unforgiving ending, and are worth taking a closer look at. Below I will examine exerpts from these games mentioned above…
Example #1
Gligoric,S – Fischer,B Candidates Tournament 1959
This game is analyzed in Fischer’s 60 Memorable Games. Fischer was 16 years old at the time.
After an exciting opening and an equally tumultuous middlegame, Fischer survived to a slightly inferior Rook and Pawn ending.
Position after Fischer’s 48th move:
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/3k4/K7/1p6/8/rP6/8/1R6 w - - 0 49"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
49.Kb7!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Of course, the position is a draw, but Gligoric was an experienced endgame player and wanted to ‘torture’ his young opponent for a while longer. Worth mentioning is that Fischer was moving very fast and no doubt too confident that the game would soon end in a draw.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> Immediately drawing would be</strong> } 49.Kxb5 Kc7!{<strong style="color:black;">when Black’s King will be able to get infront of the pawn and achieve the well known Philidor Position..</strong> } )
Kd6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not the most precise</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">FISCHER: Crisper is </strong> } 49...b4! 50.Rd1+
( 50.Kb6 Kc8 ) Ke6 ( 50...Ke7 ) 51.Rd3 Ke5 52.Kb6 Ke4 53.Rh3
Kd4 54.Kb5 Ra8 55.Kxb4 Rb8+ 56.Ka5 Ra8+ 57.Kb6 Rb8+ 58.Kc6
( 58.Ka6? Kc5 ) Rb4 59.Rg3 Rb8 {<strong style="color:black;">FISCHER: with an impenetrable blockade. </strong> } )
50.Kb6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kd7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 51.b4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rh3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Simpler is to play </strong> } Kc8 {<strong style="color:black;">For example: </strong> } 52.Rh1 (52.Rc1+ Kb8 53.Rh1 Kc8) Rg3 53.Rh8+ Kd7 54.Kxb5 Kc7 {<strong style="color:black;">and the Philidor Position will soon arise </strong> } )
52.Rc1$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Cutting the King off, but this does not change much. Remember that with the Knight-Pawn often even two files is not enough to win!</strong>}
Rh8?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Fischer makes a losing move, fully justifying Gligoric’s decision to not immedately capture the Pawn on move 49. FISCHER: After the game Olafsson scolded me: ‘How can you play an ending like this so fast?’ (I’d only been taking a few seconds a move for the last dozen moves or so.) ‘Because there is no danger. It’s a dead draw.’ I replied. </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">FISCHER: Had I known then what I know now, I would have selected </strong> } 52...Rh5! {<strong style="color:black;">Spraggett: the only move, as the tablebases show. </strong> } 53.Rc5 Rxc5! 54.Kxc5 Kc7 55.Kxb5 Kb7 {<strong style="color:black;">FISCHER: holding the opposition, with a book draw. </strong> } )
53.Kxb5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Throwing away a golden opportunity!
And one more example of how even elite grandmasters underestimate the finesses in this ending. FISCHER: ‘Now it is Gligoric’s turn to let me out.’</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">FISCHER: ‘As Olafsson showed me, White can win with’ </strong> } 53.Rc7+! {<strong style="color:black;">FISCHER: ‘It’s hard to believe. I stayed up all night analyzing, finally convincing myself and, incidentally, learning a lot about Rook and Pawn endings in the process. The main point is that Black can not get his King infront of the Pawn’ </strong> } Kd8
( {<strong style="color:black;">No better would be </strong> } 53...Kd6 54.Rc6+ Kd7 ( 54...Kd5 55.Kxb5 )
55.Kxb5 Rb8+ 56.Rb6 Rh8 57.Ka6 ({<strong style="color:black;">Or </strong> } 57.Rb7+{<strong style="color:black;">which Fischer gives in his book </strong> } ) Ra8+ (57...Kc8 58.Ka7 Rh7+ 59.Ka8) 58.Kb7 Ra4 59.b5 Ra5 60.Kb8
Kd8 61.Rd6+ Ke7 62.Rd5 Ke6 63.Rh5 )
54.Rc5 Kd7 55.Kb7! Kd6 56.Rxb5 {<strong style="color:black;">and so on </strong> } )
Rb8+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 54.Ka4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ra8+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 55.Kb3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rc8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There are other moves (Rb8!?) but this is the simplest</strong>} 56.Rxc8 Kxc8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A well known drawn ending</strong>} 57.Kc4 Kb8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
{!} {draw agreed} 58.Kb5 ( 58.Kc5 Kc7 ) ( 58.Kd5 Kb7 ) Kb7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1/2-1/2
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Instructive! Especially when you consider the calibre of the players involved and that still they did not demonstrate the necessary finesse. These endings with the Knight Pawn are very difficult to play precisely…and precisely they have to be played!
Example #2
Fischer,B – Sherwin,J Portoroz Interzonal 1958
Position after 75 moves:
This game was important for Fischer’s qualification for the Candidates Tournament. It has been a tough game up to now, with Fischer having a small but clear advantage for most of the ending.
We now have the Rook+NP vs Rook ending, but a theoretically drawn position has arisen. Let’s see how Fischer goes about winning it (or more precisely , how Black manages to blow it!).
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/4k3/7R/4r1P1/7K/8/8 w - - 0 76"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There are only two files between the Black King and the Pawn. According to the endgame manuals, this is not enough to win by force.</strong>}
76.Rf5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">If White is to keep his chances alive, then he must prevent the Black King from getting in front of the Pawn</strong>} Ra4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black has no useful move, so he patiently waits</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> }76...Rd4$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> is the same thing</strong> })
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 76...Rc4$5 {<strong style="color:black;">is the same thing </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> }76...Rb4$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> is the same thing</strong> })
({<strong style="color:black;">A good way to lose is </strong> } 76...Re1? 77.Kh4!{<strong style="color:black;">Now the White King can decisively advance </strong> } Rg1 ({<strong style="color:black;">No better is </strong> } 77...Rh1+ 78.Kg5 Rh8 79.Rf6+
Ke5 80.Rh6 Rg8+ 81.Kh5 Kf4 82.Rf6+ Ke5 83.g5 ) 78.Rf2$18 )
77.Rf8$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Advancing the King now does not work:</strong> }77.Kh4$5 Ra8! 78.Rf1 ( 78.Kg5 Rg8+ 79.Kf4 Ra8 ) ( 78.Rf4 Ke5!
( 78...Rh8+? 79.Kg5! Rg8+ 80.Kh6 Ke5 81.Ra4$18 ) ) Rh8+ 79.Kg3
Rg8 ( 79...Kd6!? 80.g5 Ke7 81.Kg4 Rf8! ) 80.Rf4 Ke5 81.Rf5+
Ke6 82.Kf4 Ra8 {<strong style="color:black;">and White is not making any progress. It is a draw. </strong> } )
Ke7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The only move. White was threatening to win by advancing his King. Black’s move does not let this happen.</strong>} 78.Rf3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ke6?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Finally Black collapses! After so many moves, probably Sherwin was exhausted. Now Fischer pounces on this opportunity and does not look back!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">The draw could be achieved with some accurate play: </strong> } 78...Ra8!{<strong style="color:black;">The tablebases show that this is the ONLY move to draw! </strong> }
79.Kh4 ( 79.g5 Rf8 ) Rh8+! ( 79...Rf8? 80.Rxf8 Kxf8
81.Kh5 Kg7 82.Kg5$18 ) 80.Kg3 Rf8! {<strong style="color:black;"> And if the reader finds that this position is familiar, it is because it is! This is how Fischer made a draw in the previous game </strong> } )
79.Kh4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ra8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">If it were Black to move, he could draw as in the previous variation</strong>} 80.g5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">And that is that!
Once this Pawn gets to the 5th rank it is an easy win.</strong>}
Rh8+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 80...Ke7 81.Kh5! )
81.Kg4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ke7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 82.g6! ( 82.Rf5$5 )
({<strong style="color:black;">It is not too late to throw it all away: </strong> } 82.Rf6? Rf8!= ) Rf8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 83.Rf5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rh8 ( 83...Rxf5 84.Kxf5
Kf8 85.Kf6 Kg8 86.g7 ) 84.Kg5 Rh1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 85.Rf2 Rh3 86.g7 Rg3+ 87.Kh6
Rh3+ 88.Kg6 Rg3+ 89.Kh7 Rh3+ 90.Kg8{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1-0
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Hard work! Both players must have been tired, but a bit of luck was all Fischer needed to convert a draw into a win.
Example #3
Fischer,B – Bisguier,A US-ch 1958
Position after White’s 69th move (69.Kc6):
This must have been a heartbreaking loss for Arthur Bisguier. In the position below is Black even worse? The Black d-Pawn is no worse than White’s b-Pawn. Of course, the Black King is a bit offside, but I can not find any variation where this is important or contributes to Black’s loss. It is close enough to its own Pawn.
However, having gotten that out of the way, what happens is very instructive and attentive readers will no doubt pick up some valuable practical tips here.
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/2Kp4/5k2/8/3r4/1P2R3/8 b - - 0 69"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
69...d5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Logical and good. Black sets his pawn in motion. However, Black does not really need his d-pawn in this position to make a draw!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: Black can reach a theoretically drawn Rook and Pawn ending with:</strong> } 69...Rb3$5 70.Kxd6 Rb8{<strong style="color:black;">It is known that when the White Pawn is only on the 2nd rank then White can only win if he has 5 files (!) between his Pawn and the Black King. Here this is not the case. </strong> } 71.Kc5 Rc8+ 72.Kd4 Rb8 73.Kc3
Rc8+ 74.Kd2 Rb8 75.Kc2 Rc8+ 76.Kb1 Rb8 {<strong style="color:black;">A well known theoretical draw. To demonstrate this is outside of the scope of this article, and I recommend my readers to consult any reliable endgame manual for further reference. HOWEVER, all this is moot point because Black does not have to give up his Pawn! </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 69...Rd1= )
({<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> } 69...Kf4= )
( {<strong style="color:black;">D: </strong> } 69...Rd4= )
70.b4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The race is on, or is it?</strong>}
d4?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Incredibly, this logical move loses. It was better to do nothing. If it were white’s move (with the Pawn on d5), it is still a draw according to the tablebases. That Bisguier’s move loses is a testament to the incredible finesses that are hidden in endings with Knight-Pawns.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 70...Rb3$5 71.b5 d4 72.b6 Rxb6+ 73.Kxb6 Kf4! )
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 70...Rd4$5
71.b5 Rd1 72.b6 Rb1 73.b7 Rxb7 74.Kxb7 d4 75.Kc6 Kf4= )
({<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> } 70...Kf4$5= )
({<strong style="color:black;">D: </strong> } 70...Rd1$5= )
71.Kd5!! {[#] <strong style="color:red;">This spectacular finesse is the ONLY way to win! One of the ideas is to push the King farther away with Rf2+.</strong>}
Rd1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">As good as any at this point.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">If instead </strong> } 71...Rb3 72.Rf2+!{<strong style="color:black;">Only move, but guarantees the win. White follows up with Kc4
(hitting the Rook and defending his Pawn) and then Rd2 picking up the Black d-Pawn, reaching a theoretically winning position</strong> } )
72.Rf2+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Fischer finds once again the only move!</strong>} Kg4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
73.Kc4?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">But this spoils all of Fischer’s strong play up to now. Bisguier is now given a chance to get back into the game!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">The road to victory can only be found with</strong> } 73.b5! Rb1 74.Kc4 Rd1 75.Rb2! {<strong style="color:black;">and White is ready to advance his pawn, with decisive effect. </strong> } )
d3?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Missing his chance to save the game!</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;"> Black should move his King in to support his pawn. He should then draw </strong> } 73...Kg3!{<strong style="color:black;">The tablebases say that only this move draws. </strong> } 74.Rb2 ( 74.Rf7 d3 75.Rd7 d2 76.Kc3 Kf4
77.Rxd2 Rxd2 78.Kxd2 Ke5 ) Kf3 75.b5 Ke3 76.b6 Rc1+ 77.Kd5 d3
78.b7 d2 {<strong style="color:black;">and the draw is clear. </strong> } )
74.Kc3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The only winning move, but good enough. White is going to play Rd2, picking up the d-Pawn. From this point forward, Fischer does not give any chances. </strong>} Rb1 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 75.Rd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Kf4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 76.Rxd3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Finally this Pawn is gone. </strong>} Ke4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Even though Black is within 2 files of the White Pawn, here his Rook is in the wrong position. It should be in front of the Pawn, not behind it! If that were the case (Rb8) and he had his King on d5 it would be a theoretical draw.</strong>}
(76...Ke5 77.Kc4!)
77.Rd8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now it is just a question of advancing the King and the Pawn</strong>}
( 77.Rd7$18 ) ( 77.Rd6$18 ) ( 77.Rd2$18 )
Rc1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
78.Kb3 Ke5 79.Ka4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ke6 80.Rd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rc7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 81.b5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rd7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Everything is losing.</strong>} 82.Rxd7 Kxd7 83.Ka5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The King and Pawn ending is won.</strong>}
Kc7 84.Ka6 Kb8 85.Kb6 Kc8 86.Ka7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1-0
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Example #4
Reshevsky,S – Fischer,B Match 1961
Position after White’s 53rd move (53.Rh6)
While not strictly speaking the Rook+NP vs Rook ending, it is close enough. And this loss by Fischer was no doubt very painful. White will win because his b-Pawn is more advanced. Let’s see what happened…
[Source ""]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/5k2/7R/1P4p1/2K5/6rP/8/8 b - - 0 53"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
53...Kg7$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black is lost with perfect play. Fischer decides to win the White h-Pawn, even though it is worthless.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;"> After</strong> } 53...Ke7 54.Kc5 Kd7 55.Kb6 Kc8 56.Rh8+ Kd7 57.Kb7 {<strong style="color:black;"> White wins easily. The b-Pawn is unstoppable.</strong> } )
54.Rc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not the only Rook move to win.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 54.Ra6$18 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 54.Rd6$18 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">C: A really instructive mistake would be </strong> } 54.Re6? Rxh3 55.b6 Kf7!{<strong style="color:black;"> Surprisingly, Black can escape with a minor miracle!</strong> }
56.Re8$5 {<strong style="color:black;">Tricky, but it does not work </strong> }
({<strong style="color:black;">After the natural </strong> } 56.Re2 Kf6 57.b7 Rh8 58.Kc5 Kf5= )
Kxe8!{<strong style="color:black;"> Black will escape to a theoretically drawn Queen vs Rook ending!</strong> }
! 57.b7 Kf7 58.b8=Q Rh4+ 59.Kd5 Rf4 60.Qh8 Kg6{<strong style="color:black;">when White can not make progress. </strong> } )
Rxh3 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
55.b6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Material is even, but the race is lost for Black. Had his King been farther advanced, then he could have escaped. As it is, the White Rooks does not let the King advance, and he is too far from White’s Pawn to do any good. </strong>} Rh1 56.Kb5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rb1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 57.Ka6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ra1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Fischer should resign, but was no doubt quite angry with himself.</strong>} 58.Kb7 g4 59.Kc8 Ra6 60.Kc7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Black Pawn is lost, while White will simply advance his Pawn and win the Rook.</strong>} 1-0
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Example #5
Fischer,B – Benko,P US-ch 30.12.1959
Position after White’s 47th move (47.Kb4)
This game ultimately decided 1st place in the 1959 US Championship held in NYC. The game was adjourned after the first time control (move 40) and the experts felt confidently that the logical result was a draw on resumption of play.
If that were to be, then Reshevsky would still have chances for the fight for 1st place.
However, the game is complicated and Benko had a serious problem in those days : his handling of the clock. He often found himself with just seconds left to make time control.
Here is a photo of Fischer playing his adjournment against Benko. The photo was published in the February edition of Chess Review 1960.
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "R7/5k2/6pr/8/1K6/1P6/P7/8 b - - 0 47"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
47...g5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This kind of endgame (White having a+b against Black’s g ) occurs quite often in praxis. It is a race, but the g-Pawn is very fast as it does not need to be supported. One can recall the 18th game of the 1978 World Championship between Karpov and Korchnoi, which ended in a draw.</strong>} 48.Ra7+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">An exploratory check</strong>} Kf6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 49.a4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Fruitless would be the Queen exchange after </strong> }49.Ra6+ Kg7 50.Rxh6 Kxh6 51.a4 g4 {<strong style="color:black;">Black will Queen first and give perpetual check, as the readers can easily verify for themselves. </strong> } )
g4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 50.Rd7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Fischer must be ready to bring his Rook back to stop the Black Pawn from Queening. This costs time and slows down his Queenside Pawn advance.</strong>} g3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 51.Rd6+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A clever practical move. Benko was a slow thinker, and no doubt used up much of his time on what is essentially a repetition of position.</strong>}
Kf7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Flashy. Of course Fischer will not take the Rook.</strong>} 52.Rd7+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kf6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 53.Rd1! {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Mission accomplished.</strong>} g2 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 54.Rg1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rg6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">So far all very logical and according to both players’ plans</strong>} 55.a5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">All White needs is one tempo and he will win. The threat is either Kb5 or a6.</strong>} Ke7!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 56.a6!?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Forcing Benko to make a critical decision on his last move of the time control (move 56) when he has just seconds left on the clock! Fischer had planned this ”crisis” when he had cleverly repeated the position earlier.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Fischer had no better winning attempt. After </strong> } 56.Kb5 Kd7 57.b4 Kc7 58.Ka4 Rg4{<strong style="color:black;">White can make no progess. </strong> } ( {<strong style="color:black;">or </strong> }58...Kb7 ) )
Rb6+?{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A blunder that costs the game. Severe time trouble. The last move of the time control.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Why Benko did not just take the Pawn and enter into a theoretically drawn ending is a mystery. He knew it was a draw: </strong> }56...Rxa6! 57.Rxg2 Ra8 ( {<strong style="color:black;"> or</strong> }57...Kd7 ) ( {<strong style="color:black;">or </strong> }57...Rb6+ 58.Kc4 Kd7 )
58.Rd2 Rb8+{<strong style="color:black;">forcing the White King back </strong> } 59.Kc3 Rc8+ 60.Kb2 Rb8 61.Rd4 Ke6 62.b4 Ke5 63.Kc3
Rc8+ 64.Rc4 Rb8{<strong style="color:black;">and a book draw. Benko no doubt knew this (he was one of the world’s top endgame theoreticians) but he lost his head when short of time. Now Fischer reaches a winning position and the game is soon over. </strong> } )
57.Ka5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rxb3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 58.Rxg2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White’s a-pawn can not be stopped. </strong>} Ra3+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Had this Rook been on the White’s first rank, then it would be a draw. </strong>}
59.Kb6 Rb3+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There is nothing else</strong>} 60.Kc5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">It was still possible to throw away the win: </strong> } 60.Ka7? Kd7 61.Rc2 Rb1= ) Ra3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 61.a7!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Clever, and the key to the position. Of course this Pawn can not be captured.</strong>}
( 61.Rg6? Kd7 )
Ke6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} ( 61...Kd7 62.Rg8 ) 62.Rg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ra1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 62...Rc3+ 63.Kb5 Ra3 64.Rg6+ Kd7 65.Ra6 )
63.Kc6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ra2 64.Kb7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black could now resign, but was probably annoyed with himself and so plays on giving a few useless checks.</strong>}
Rb2+ 65.Kc8 Ra2 66.Kb8 Rb2+ 67.Rb7 Rh2 68.a8=Q Rh8+ 69.Ka7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1-0
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Relentless Fischer!
Example #6
Geller,E – Fischer,B Interzonal 1970
Position after Fischer’s 65th move (65…Rf1)
Another ‘dead draw’! But not quite. If there is anything we should have learned by now, it is that if we can wear down our opponent enough (physically) then sooner or later he will get tired, distracted or simply make a mistake. And at that moment, opportunities arise.
The story of this game is that Fischer won a Pawn early in the game and then got into a double Rook ending that gave good chances to win. Either Geller defended very well or Fischer let slip his chances and in the position below most grandmasters would have agreed to a draw.
But let us watch what happend!
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/8/5p1k/5Kp1/3R4/5P2/5r2 w - - 0 66"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
66.Rd2$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Good enough, but not very precise. Probably Geller was getting bored.</strong>}
(
{<strong style="color:black;">The simplest way to make a draw is </strong> } 66.Kg3 Kg5 67.f3!
{<strong style="color:black;"> when Black has absolutely no chances to win.</strong> } ) Kh4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Fischer’s only chance</strong>} 67.Kxf5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} g3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 68.f4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kh3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">It is tempting to play </strong> } 68...Rf2 69.Rd8 g2 {<strong style="color:black;">But White draws easily enough after </strong> }70.Rg8! ( 70.Rh8+? Kg3 71.Rg8+ Kf3! )
Kh3 71.Ke4 ( 71.Ke5$5 Rf1 72.f5! ) Rf1 72.Rh8+ Kg3 73.Rg8+ Kh2 74.Rh8+
Kg1 75.f5{<strong style="color:black;">etc </strong> } )
69.Rd3$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Good enough, but again not the most precise. Probably Geller was tiring.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 69.Ke5? g2 70.Rxg2 Kxg2 71.f5 Kg3
72.f6 Kg4 73.Ke6 Kg5 74.f7 Kg6$19 )
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 69.Kg5? g2 70.Rxg2 Kxg2
71.f5 Kf3! 72.f6 Ke4 73.Kg6 Ke5 74.f7 Ke6$19 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">The most straight forward draw is with </strong> } 69.Rd8! {<strong style="color:black;">activating the Rook </strong> } g2
70.Rh8+! Kg3 71.Rg8+ Kf3 72.Ke6!{<strong style="color:black;">The only move! </strong> } g1=Q 73.Rxg1 Rxg1
74.f5 Kg4 75.f6 Rf1 76.f7 Kg5 77.Ke7 Kg6 78.f8=Q= )
Kh4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 70.Rd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A practical decision. Geller repeats the position two times. Will Fischer take a draw now?</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Again Geller can play actively like in the last variation: </strong> } 70.Rd8 g2 71.Rh8+! Kg3 72.Rg8+ Kf3 73.Ke6! )
Ra1$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Fischer tries something else.
As long as Geller does not try to ‘force’ the draw, Fischer has a free hand and probes Geller’s defences.</strong>}71.Ke5?{[#] <strong style="color:red;"> Incredible! The decisive mistake, all based on a miscalculation because of fatigue. Let’s take a quick look at some other moves: </strong>}
( 71.Ke6? Kg4 72.f5 Ra6+$19 )
( 71.Re2? Ra5+ 72.Ke4
Kg4!$19 )
( 71.Kg6! Ra6+ 72.Kf5 Ra5+ 73.Ke4! Kg4 74.Rd8 )
( 71.Rd8$5 Ra5+ ( 71...g2 72.Rh8+ Kg3 73.Rg8+ Kf3 74.Rxg2 Kxg2
75.Kg6!{<strong style="color:black;">The only move. </strong> } ( 75.Ke6? Kg3 76.f5 Re1+! 77.Kd7 Rf1
78.Ke6 Kg4 79.f6 Kg5 80.f7 Kg6$19 ) ) 72.Ke4{<strong style="color:black;"> Only move again!</strong> }
( 72.Kg6 g2 ) ( 72.Ke6 Kg4 ) g2 73.Rg8= )
( 71.Rb2= )
( 71.Rg2= )
( 71.Rc2$5 Ra5+ 72.Ke4 Kg4 73.Rc8! Ra4+ 74.Ke3= )
Kg4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The move that Geller overlooked. Now Fischer is winning.</strong>}
( 71...Kh3$6 72.f5! ) 72.f5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There is no good move.</strong>}
( 72.Rd8 Re1+!$19 )
( 72.Re2 Ra5+
73.Ke4 Ra4+ 74.Ke3 Rxf4$19 ) Ra5+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White resigns. He loses his Pawn and then Black will promote his g-Pawn.</strong>} 0-1
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