Pawn endgames often involve bold sacrifices – but sometimes there are quieter ways to win
O'Connell-Baburin, Bray 2008. Black to play.
We've seen in the last two columns that superior king position does not always guarantee the advantage – contrary to standard pawn endgame lore – but here there is no disputing Black's dominance. The only question is, how to break through?
RB Pawn endgames frequently have the potential for dramatic sacrifices. You can have five pawns and give up four of them so one might queen and win the game. I don't see that here, however. So I'm going to go the other route: undramatic, quiet moves in an attempt to create zugzwang, force the white king back and invade. So 1…e5, when I would expect White to reply with 2 g3. I then follow up with 2…g6. Now White has a problem, and I can't see that he has anything other than 3 Kb2 (if 3 f4 then 3…e4 and if 3 e4 then 3…fxe4 and White has the same problem).
Now I will advance my b-pawn and exchange on b4, when I'm pretty sure I should be able to force the white king back and be able to get in behind his kingside pawns. Needless to say the precise calculation of all this is beyond me and there is a certain amount of trusting to luck, but I think I'm on the right path.
DK Ronan has sketched out the winning plan, but the detail is critical.
I like 1...e5: fixing White's pawns will bring on a zugzwang. Neither side should move their g-pawn – it's important to keep reserve pawn moves on the kingside – so 2 Kb2 is the most tenacious defence. Then 2...e4 3 f4, and now comes the crucial move 3...b6! 4 Ka2 b5 5 Kb2 b4 6 axb4 Kxb4. If the b-pawn had been played two squares forward from its starting position, it would have been Black's move here – with a draw. As it is, White's king is forced to give ground, for example 7 g3 g6 8 Kc2 Kc4 9 Kd2 Kb3 10 Ke2 Kc3 11 Kf2 Kd3, and the e-pawn must fall.
No comments:
Post a Comment