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+--- Thread: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir (/thread-627.html)
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Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - WBuchanan - 16-07-2013
From the recent Scottish Championships
Andy informs me this was the 35th game between us. Somewhere around the fifteenth game we realized that neither of us had ever been more than plus one, so we compared it to a set in a tennis match. Finally the ‘first set’ was won 12.5-10.5 by Andy (after I missed a few ‘set points’), who then walked through the second set 6-3 which I think was 3-0 in wins. However my interest is just kept from being extinguished by being one up in the third set…
Before the last round, 12 players could (in theory) win the Scottish Championship title outright, including both of us - but this latter outcome would require all five Scots on 5 to lose to their (mostly GM) opponents, and the others on 4.5 all to draw. If I could beat Andy I reckoned my chances of being the unworthy winner were about 2000 to 1 - not worth biting my nails for, I thought.
To the game
Andy describes this game as an epic; this is probably not because of the length of our little series, but due to the possibilities that arose near the end of the game. Our opinions in the post mortem changed constantly, and in fact our final consensus was also wrong. However, Houdini doesn’t do much better.
[pos]6k1/p4p1p/1p1q2p1/2pr4/8/4P1P1/PPQ2P1P/2R3K1 w - - 0 25[/pos]
Black had a comfortable opening and is clearly a bit better here. I played 25 Qa4 in order to see a bit of daylight and Andy replied Rd2. There followed 26 Rc2 Rd1+ 27 Kg2.
[pos]6k1/p4p1p/1p4p1/2pq4/Q7/4P1P1/PPR2PKP/3r4 w - - 6 28[/pos]
Black is at the crossroads; he can gradually improve his position with moves like h5 or Kf8 in anticipation of a rook ending, and keeping a plus – especially with me being a bit short of time (there must have been something wrong with the clock). Or he can consider the more direct Qd5+ which forces White’s hand because f3 loses a pawn after Rd2+, or if instead Kh3?? Rg1 penetrates; so W has to play e4 after which Black could play Qd3 (but watch that check on e8). On the other hand, e4 forces Black’s hand in turn because if then Qd4 the rook ending isn’t dangerous enough yet and if Qe6 or Qe5 White has the trick Rxc5.
Andy perhaps rather hastily went for the committal 27 … Qd5+ 28 e4 Qd3 (now the only way to keep trying to win) 29 Qe8+ Kg7 30 Qe5+
Now f6 is met most simply by Qc7+.
30 … Kf8 31 Qb8+
[pos]1Q3k2/p4p1p/1p4p1/2p5/4P3/3q2P1/PPR2PKP/3r4 b - - 6 31[/pos]
31 … Ke7!
A cunning move, as if Qc7+ Kf6! Qf4+ Ke6 the checks run out: Qg4+ Kd6. White can bail out with Qe2 but Black has made progress in the rook ending – the King is now handily placed thanks to my checks, and he can start with c4 and Kc5, though the draw can probably still be held.
32 Qxa7+
Now – the crunch.
[pos]8/Q3kp1p/1p4p1/2p5/4P3/3q2P1/PPR2PKP/3r4 b - - 0 32[/pos]
Black’s last move was played quite quickly, as Black can still safely go back to f8 and g7 with an easy draw.
What do YOU play?
32 … Kf6!
Andy took a while over this. The (!) is for the calculated gamble - which turns out to be correct - and the guile. I didn’t believe Andy would go for this, and was quite happy that he was presenting me with his queenside. In fact, I was willing him. Come on, Andy! (as they say…) Firstly I didn’t believe there would be a forced mate; secondly I was threatening perpetual check, and lastly, I would have three long, lovely minutes to look for a flight square or other defence. Was I on a break point!?
33 Qxb6+ Kg7 34 Qxc5 Qf1+ 35 Kf3 Rd3+
[pos]8/5pkp/6p1/2Q5/4P3/3r1KP1/PPR2P1P/5q2 w - - 3 36[/pos]
What do YOU play?
36 Kf4
36 Kg4 was possible – but why give him two or three checks instead of none? Didn't seem logical.
This also didn’t seem the logical moment to have my think, better to reserve the time for when I can see his actual threat. Besides, at the moment I’ve got a draw with Qe5+ as f6?? gets mated: Qe7+ Kh6 Qf8+ Kg5 g4+ and mates.
36 … Qg2!
[pos]8/5pkp/6p1/2Q5/4PK2/3r2P1/PPR2PqP/8 w - - 5 37[/pos]
This threatens a quick mate with Qf3+. It also scuppers my perpetual with the queen (with the BK on h5, the black queen stops my g4+) so the first thing I did was look for another one. What about the rook? Qe5+ f6 Rc7+ Kh6 is menacing but Rxh7+ Kxh7 Qe7+ does the trick, as with the h-pawn gone Black can’t run to h5.
I can’t run with the King as f6+ mates; and Kg4 invites pawn checks. Not seeing anything obvious, I took the draw with Qe5+ etc.
Result: 1/2 - 1/2.
Did I have better? In the post-mortem we thought White had 37 Qe5+ f6 38 Qe7+ Kh6 39 Kg4! now that the BK blocks that dangerous h-pawn check. True Black now has a perpetual with Qf3+ Kh3 Qh5+ and Qf3+ etc, but the question arose whether Black had a clear win or with the tournament situation perhaps inviting risks (only two results short of the required miracle), the game might happily continue along the precipice. Black has a decent winning/losing try with the other pawn check 39 … f5+! 40 Kf4 (evidently best…) Qf3+ Ke6 Qxe4+ Kf6 Qd4+
[pos]8/4Q2p/5Kpk/5p2/3q4/3r2P1/PPR2P1P/8 w - - 2 43[/pos]
43 Kf7 (Keep running! Qe5 loses for White)
43 … Qd5+ (Now Qg7+ loses for Black as after Ke8 Qg8+ the queen interposes with check)
44 Kf6 (not Qe6? the quiet move Qd8 wins).
And now it’s Black who has to repeat moves!
The most interesting line is that ‘illogical’ Kg4 I declined earlier, back at move 36:
[pos]8/5pkp/6p1/2Q5/4P1K1/3r2P1/PPR2P1P/5q2 b - - 4 36[/pos]
36 Kg4 is however logical to Houdini, which after 3 minutes evaluates as pretty much a White win (+0.90) despite the checks. For example 36 .. h5+ (which also stops my perpetual check) 37 Kh4 the most obvious move is Qd1 but h3 stops the immediate threats and White is 3 pawns up. We got that far in the PM.
It seems I missed a good opportunity to beat an IM. But as usual in this ending, ‘seems’ isn’t enough – the players and kibitzers were wrong. The computer is wrong! There is no win! Though, I need the computer to prove it…running it over longer than the time it would have in a game.
After 36 Kg4 Black plays Qd1+ 37 Kh4 h6:
[pos]8/5pk1/6pp/2Q5/4P2K/3r2P1/PPR2P1P/3q4 w - - 0 38[/pos]
Despite the near-decisive negative computer evaluation, Black is able to plug away and the advantage dissipates as White keeps shedding pawns to stop mate threats. In one line B gets his pawn to h3, in another he gets the e4 pawn then W has to do Qf4 and B trades queens, doubling the f-pawns then with the R on the seventh, takes on b2 - with a probably drawn ending!
I’ll just give two sample computer lines arising from this line (with genuine apologies to the Barefoot Bronstein in Edinburgh):
1) 38 f4 Kh7 39. Kh3 h5 40. Qf2 Qg4+ 41. Kg2 h4 42. Qe2 h3+ 43. Kf1 Qd7 and White has to play 44 f5 Kg7 45 Rc1 Rd2 46 Qc4 Rxh2
[pos]8/3q1pk1/6p1/5P2/2Q1P3/6Pp/PP5r/2R2K2 w - - 0 47[/pos]
2) 38 Rc1 Qe2 39 Kh3 Qxe4 40 Qc4 Qf3 41 a4 Kh7 42 Re1 Rd2 43Qf4 Qxf4 44 gxf4 Rxb2
[pos]8/5p1k/6pp/8/P4P2/7K/1r3P1P/4R3 w - - 0 45[/pos]
This heavy piece endgame would have been fun to play in time trouble, especially if the championship had happened to depend on the outcome! So here is my suggestion for championship tie breaks - all the players involved play preset, computer-generated ‘precipice’ positions, with five minutes on the clock...
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - hamish olson - 16-07-2013
very interesting stuff walter - keeping me interested while I'm at work for sure! Anyone else posting games like this from scottish would be appreciated - nice to talk about chess on a chess forum for once! Could post one of my own games but I suspect the quality would be somewhat lacking unfortunately! Wasn't quite obvious to me that rook ending after Rb2 was drawn once the white rook got behind the a-pawn but I'm trying to compare it from memory with that alekhine-capablanca game with alekhine not having the mangled pawns and I think he needed to make progress on the kingside which I can't really see white doing...
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - WBuchanan - 16-07-2013
hamish olson Wrote:Wasn't quite obvious to me that rook ending after Rb2 was drawn once the white rook got behind the a-pawn but I'm trying to compare it from memory with that alekhine-capablanca game with alekhine not having the mangled pawns and I think he needed to make progress on the kingside which I can't really see white doing...
Hi Hamish Yes that was my thinking but you might still be right - I'm not 100% sure because after tying up the Black pieces by threatening to queen the a-pawn, Alekhine got in amongst the K-side pawns with his King. This could conceivably work even with mangled pawns, but it took a long time (it was the title clincher and Capablanca put up a real fight) and I think the winning margin was small. The other reason I felt it had to be drawn was a similar ending where Botvinnik was defending against Borisenko and he managed to draw. Although it's supposed to be win with the rook behind it's passed pawn, he found a way to creat counterplay. Commenting on the ending Smyslov and Levenfish only said Borisenko had 'good winning chances'. Ive never got round to checking out what the difference is but I feel the mangled pawns should swing it. Not realy an excuse for presenting my opinion as fact as I'm not a journalist
Feel free to post any interesting games or situations, interest trumps quality at least that's my excuse ..
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - Andrew McHarg - 16-07-2013
I couldn't be bothered looking through all those variations, so I put it into Fritz just to ;P at Geoff.
On a serious note though, it is indeed refreshing to see Chess on the menu for once rather than the same old nonsense. Well done Walter, and what an interesting game. 8)
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - andyburnett - 17-07-2013
Andrew McHarg Wrote:I couldn't be bothered looking through all those variations, so I put it into Fritz just to ;P at Geoff.
On a serious note though, it is indeed refreshing to see Chess on the menu for once rather than the same old nonsense. Well done Walter, and what an interesting game. 8)
We should make it a noticeboard rule that posters must show/analyse/discuss a chess position before being allowed to write about anything else =)
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - andyburnett - 17-07-2013
The last position you gave Walter, the R&P position, looks like a dead draw to me?!
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - WBuchanan - 17-07-2013
Thanks for kind comment, Andrew M.
Hi Andy B. Lol the noticeboard rule. Were you suggesting applying it retrospectively!? =)
That final rook ending position in my post I think is probably a draw, but I’m not so sure that it’s a dead draw. If White starts with Ra1 I don’t think Black can afford the time to grab the f-pawn as the a-pawn reaches a7 tying up Black’s rook. So just to play a few obvious looking moves, I assume we’re looking at a position like this:
[pos]8/5p1k/r5pp/P7/5P2/7K/5P1P/R7 w - - 1 47[/pos]
Hamish and I were in agreement that White’s ‘mangled’ pawns should be too much of a handicap. They don’t stay mangled for long however as white can play f5. After Kg4 Black hasn’t time to fix them with f5 as he has to follow the WK’s movements over to the queenside. White can even start with f5.
After that the pawns are still split though and that bit more counterattackable. I’ve seen Houdini lose it a couple of times for Black - playing too quickly probably, but still worth White playing on. This kind of position occurs as the Kings go head to head:
[pos]8/8/r3k1pp/P7/R3KP2/8/7P/8 b - - 6 53[/pos]
From lazily watching the boo-hiss computer, it seems White might still win by getting in h5 and getting down to a good 2 v 1. On the other hand, that weak f pawn allows the late counterattack to take place much quicker than could happen if W had say, another pawn on g3. The computer’s endless manouvers are of only limited help so it’s quite hard to get chapter and verse - I’ve been more interested in seeing how Botvinnik managed to draw when his opponent had healthy pawns! Though in that game the passed pawn was a bit further back which helps, and his opponent made a couple of errors.
Cheers
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - Clement Sreeves - 17-07-2013
I'm starting to sound like Geoff, but wouldn't it be more fun to analyse without the computer here?
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - WBuchanan - 18-07-2013
Hi Clement. More interesting without the computers? Yes, might take a long time to get the right answer to the question, though. The human evaluation of the variation was a white win, and it was a computer suggestion we were analyzing! So no brownie points from Geoff anyway...
Just for the record, this is the famous game Alekhine-Capablanca 1927 I alluded to where White eventually won
[pos]8/5p1k/5rpp/8/P2R3P/6P1/5PK1/8 b - - 0 1[/pos]
Queens have just come off on d4 and the game continued 50 ... Kg7 51. a5 Ra6 52. Rd5 Rf6 53. Rd4 Ra6 54. Ra4. [Moves here <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1012518">http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1012518</a><!-- m -->]
Interestingly Capablanca chose not to play 50 ... Ra6 which would have prevented Alekhine from placing his rook behind the pawn. It would also have kept the passed pawn a square further back. Then Alekhine doesn't put his rook behind the pawn, but on the fifth rank, only getting behind the pawn when Capa invites him again. I'm not sure if this was standard knowledge, but 'rook behind the passed pawn' is supposed to be Tarrasch's rule. Tarrasch must have been furious! (Maybe Capablanca was against rules, as they stifle creativity :-) ). I don't know if this was right decision or not - most commentaries start after the moves Kg7 a5.
Quite interesting that textbooks use this example to illustrate 'the rules', without mentioning that both world champions flouted them!
[Interesting photo here <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.chessgames.com/history/1007329-large.jpg">http://www.chessgames.com/history/1007329-large.jpg</a><!-- m -->]
And this is Botvinnik-Borisenko where Botvinnik had the pawn minus but drew despite the rook being in the wrong place - in front of the pawn
[pos]8/r7/5ppk/p6p/R7/6P1/5P1P/6K1 b - - 1 1[/pos]
1. ... Kg5? 2. f3 Kf5 3. g4+ hxg4 4. fxg4+ Ke5 5. h4 and Botvinnik obtained a passed pawn and soon drew.
Final moves here <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tablajedrez.blogspot.co.uk/">http://tablajedrez.blogspot.co.uk/</a><!-- m -->
Question: after g4+, might Black not still have won with Kg5 instead of Ke5?
[pos]8/r7/5pp1/p5k1/R5P1/8/7P/6K1 w - - 1 1[/pos]
The book says ... - but it's more interesting without the books
Re: Last round game W Buchanan v A Muir - Clement Sreeves - 18-07-2013
So Black's idea seems to be something like 4...Kg5 5.Kg2 Kh4 6.h3 Ra7 7.Kh2 Rb7
Now I will look for a defence!