Endgame Riddle Unzicker vs Botvinnik, Amsterdam 1954
Apart from valuable input by the readers I received extensive analyses from Zoran Petronijevic, Helmut Kahovec and Wolfram Schoen.
Here are the conclusions by Zoran Petronijevic:
- The adjourned position after 48.h4 is lost for Black.
- After 50…e5 the game move 51.Kg2? is a mistake that should lead to a draw. Better was 51.h5 and White should win.
- Black's 51st move 51…Kg8? is also a mistake. After 51…Ke8 Black should draw with best play.
- In the game White played 52.h5, and in his analyses Botvinnik claims that the alternative 52.f4 is bad. However, after 52.f4 White is winning.
- 53.h6? is a mistake that should lead to a draw. However, in this position, White has many winning moves. One of them is 53.Kh3.
- Instead of 53…Rb5? (the game move) better was 53…Ra1. Black should be able to hold with best play.
- After 61.Re8? the position is a draw. Better is 65.e5 and White should win.
Analysis by Zoran Petronijevic
Wolfram Schoen explains the critical moments of the endgame in "human terms":
Helmut Kahovec used Stockfish 14 to show the computer's point of view:
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