g15713: Source: 'http://soapstonesstudio.blogspot.co... Romanovsky drawing zone with colors reversed:
'http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zNB31RnW0... <“Black to play draws if White’s king is on any of the“> dotted <”squares in the above diagram. Otherwise White wins.”> The above diagram <”is so important for all ♖+a♙ v ♖ endings that we refer to the winning positions as ‘Romanovsky wins’ and the above drawing zone area as the ‘Romanovsky drawing zone’.”> From John Nunn's classic book on Rook endgames Secrets of Rook Endings,
pages 33 & 34, diagram 47
White to move after 52...Kxg4
 click for larger view<"Here Black's king is well within Romanovsky's drawing zone, so we know the position should be a draw. We follow the game continuation which serves to demonstrate that even relatively strong players can mishandle endings :"> 1 Rg6+?
<"White can hold the position most simply by 1 ♖a4+ ♔f5 2 ♖b4 ♖a2+ 3 ♔g3 ♖b2 4 ♖a4"> 4...a2 5 ♔f3 <"The move played presents Black with two free tempi, which is just enough to turn the position into a win."> 1...Kf4!
<"Certainly not 1...♔f5? when 2 ♖g3 is a Vancura draw. Now 2 ♖g3 is prevented because of 2...♖g1+."> 2 Ra6
<"There is nothing better. 2 ♖f6+ ♔e4! and 2 ♖c6 ♖a2+! are wins"> 2...Ke4
3 Ra4+ Ke3?
<"Returning the favor. The simplest win is by 3...♔d5 4 ♖f4 (4 ♖h4 ♔c5 5 ♖h3 ♔b4 wins) ♖a2+ 5 ♔g3 ♖b2, but 3...♔d3 4 ♖f4 ♖a2+ also wins"> 4 Rg4?
<"The final error." "White can draw by 4 ♖h4!"> 4...Ra2+!
5 Kh3
<"Or 5 ♔g1 ♔f3! 6♖a4 (6 ♖c4 ♖e2) ♔g3 7♔f1 ♖a1+ 8 ♔e2 a2 and Black wins."> 5...Rf2 6 Ra4 a2 7 Ra3+ Kd4 8 Kg3 Rb2 9 Kf4 Rf2+ 0-1 <"A strange way to end, but after 10 ♔g3 ♖b2 11 ♔f4 Black wins by 11...♔c4 12 ♔e4 (12 ♔e3 ♔b4 followed by ...♖b3+ and ...♖a3 ">however Nunn overlooks that 12...♖b3+ wins immediately) <"♔b4 13 ♖a8 ♔c3 penetrating to b1."> |