notyetagm: http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/:
<(4) Let's take a look at a couple of games. First, the good, an elegant bit of technique from the end of Kamsky-Tkachiev (round 6).  click for larger viewTo make further progress, White will put his king on c6 and then look for a way to penetrate with his rook, to drive Black's king to the back rank. Kamsky therefore plays the obvious 49.Kb5,  click for larger viewand now rather than wait around for the inevitable Black plays 49...f6,  click for larger viewhoping to swap off the kingside pawns. There may be several ways for White to win, but the one he chose struck me as especially nice: 50.Kc4!.  click for larger view<This switchback takes advantage of the changed situation; Black's rook is trapped and as he's powerless against 51.Rd5, trading the rooks, Tkachiev resigned.> This ability to respond to changing circumstances by stopping on a dime to undo a move that was part of a previous plan is one I've regularly noticed with top players, and it's worth cultivating in one's own play.> Very alert play by Kamsky, using the <SELF-BLOCKING> 49 ... f7-f6 to <TRAP> the Black f5-rook, forcing a trade that results in a trivial win in a king and pawn ending. |