Solution of the endgame riddle: Was Fischer's 22.Nxd7 winning?

by Karsten Müller
11/26/2020 – In 1971 Bobby Fischer played against Tigran Petrosian in the Candidates Final, and in the crucial 7th game of this match Fischer made one of the most famous and surprising moves of his career: 22.Nxd7+, exchanging a "good" knight against a "bad" bishop, and this stunning exchange led to a seemingly smooth win, which practically decided the match. Since then 22.Nxd7+ has been praised in countless books and articles as a stroke of genius. But new analyses of Karsten Müller, Charles Sullivan, Zoran Petronijevic, and the ChessBase readers indicate that this famous move might actually have been a mistake!
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Riddle solved: Fischer's 22.Nxd7(?) was a mistake

The 7th game of the Candidates Final 1971 between Bobby Fischer and Tigran Petrosian has been again and again hailed as a strategic masterpiece. After all, Fischer outplayed Petrosian, World Champion from 1963 to 1969 and one of the most resource defensive players of all time, with apparent ease.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.0-0 d5 8.c4 Nf6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.exd5 exd5 11.Nc3 Be7 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Re1 Qxa4 14.Nxa4 Be6 15.Be3 0-0 16.Bc5 Rfe8 17.Bxe7 Rxe7 18.b4 Kf8 19.Nc5 Bc8 20.f3 Rea7 21.Re5 Bd7 22.Nxd7+ Rxd7 23.Rc1 Rd6 24.Rc7 Nd7 25.Re2 g6 26.Kf2 h5 27.f4 h4 28.Kf3 f5 29.Ke3 d4+ 30.Kd2 Nb6 31.Ree7 Nd5 32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rb7 Nxf4 34.Bc4 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Fischer,R2760Petrosian,T-1–01971B42Candidates f Fischer-Petrosian +5-1=37

Tigran Petrosian

Tigran Petrosian is waiting for Fischer to start the game.

Fischer's surprising move 22.Nxd7(?), which trades the "good" knight on c5 for the passive and theoretically "bad" bishop on d7, has fascinated generations of players and analysts.

From a practical point of view it has merit as White's strategy is now very clear: he will use the white-squared bishop to put Black under pressure – and Fischer liked to play and excelled in bishop vs knight endgames. In a practical game and with the clock ticking it is very difficult to hold Black's position after 22.Nxd7+.

However, most engines prefer the move 22.a4!, which increases White's pressure, restricts the scope of Black's bishop on d7 and keeps more pieces on the board. Zoran Petronijevic (Serbia), Charles Sullivan (USA), and many ChessBase readers have analysed this position deeply, and their analyses indicate that White is winning after 22.a4! while 22.Nxd7+ is objectively a mistake.

Zoran Petronijevic has analysed the position in particular depth, and here are his conclusions:

Conclusions:

  • The initial position is winning for White.
  • Although the game move 22.Nxd7 was praised by various authors, our analyses indicate that 22.a4 was much better. Objectively, 22.Nxd7 is a mistake and only leads to a draw.
  • After 22.a4 White is winning.
  • 23...Rd6 by Black is a mistake and leads to a lost position. But after 23...d4, Black's best defense, the position is even as Charles Sullivan proves with a lot of relevant lines.
  • After reaching a winning position, Fischer did not always find the best. His move 27.f4 is a mistake which gives the win away. Better is 27.a4 after which White wins.
  • Petrosian returned the compliment with 27...h4? which is also a mistake. After the better 27...Nb6! Black has a draw (almost all annotators suggested this move, but only as a lesser evil, not as a saving move). Black also had 27...Rb8 which should lead to a draw. After 28.a3 responds with 23...Nb6!
  • Fischer's next move 28.Kf3 is a mistake which again spoils the win. Better is 28.Rec2 with a winning position for White.
  • Black's decisive mistake was 28...f5. With 28...d4 Petrosian could have drawn.
  • Some sources give 33...Nxb4 as Black's 33rd move but that is wrong. The game move was 33...Nxf4, which was proven by Charles Sullivan. The move order given in the ChessBase Mega is correct.
  • A lot of ChessBase readers helped to find the truth about this historically important and interesting position. Now we are, at least, closer to it.  
  • According to Fischer this was his best game of the whole match. But after our deep analyses (if they are correct, of course), we can see that his play was far away from ideal. But the game is still extremely instructive.

Analysis of Fischer vs Petrosian, 22.Nxd7+

 
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Sources: 1. Kasparov, Moi velikie predsestveniki volume no 4, Moscow 2005.2. Golubev, Gutseit, 744 partii Bobi Fisera, Moscow 1993.3. Soltis, Boby Fischer rediscovered, 2003 4. Voronkov, Plisetsky, Russkie protiv Fisera, Moskow 2004.5. Bjelica, Fiser protiv Petrosjana i Spaskog? Sarajevo 1972.6. Guliev,Sarhan, Ideja v sakhmatnoj partii, Moscow 2012.7. Shakhmaty v SSSR (magazine) 1972/1. Annotator: Averbakh. 8. Marin, Learn from the legends, thirdth edition, Quality chess 2015.9. Lakdavala, C, Fischer move by move, Gloucester 2015.10. Suetin, A. Put k masterstvu, FIS Moscow 1980, page 110.11. Mueller,Karsten, Bobby Fischer, Russell enterprises inc. 2009. 22.Nxd7+ (?) Kasparov (1) gives a "!" to this move and explains: "A brilliant decision, masterfully transforming one type of advantage into another. It should be borne in mind that at that time such exchanges of a powerful knight for a passive bishop were most unusual." But is this move really so strong? The move is strikingly playable, and Fischer did win this important game. But is 22.Nd7+ a winning move? Is there a stronger one? Interesting is Kasparov's opinion: "...Fischer was in his element here: he always valued bishops higher than knights, and he especially liked play with his light-squared bishop. He very skilfully created positions where the superiority of bishop over knight could manifest itself (...), and in the realization of such a superiority he had no equal: here he operated like a chess automaton." Kasparov (1). "This shocked the grandmasters in the press room and Miguel Najdorf called it much weaker than 22.a4." As we will see, Najdorf was right! This is perhaps Fischer's most famous and instructive move and it is still cited today. Annotating a Short-Svidler game from the 2002 Russia-World match, the magazine 64 commented that even a superbly placed black knight on an open file will interfere with the major pieces and therefore should be exchanged for which "the classical example is the seventh game of the Fischer-Petrosian match." Source (3). Bjelica (source 5) claimed that Fischer played ideally and gave 10...exd5 as possible losing move. Guliev (6) gave 22.Nxd7+ a "!?" but in almost all other annotators gave the move either one or two exclamation marks. Only Averbakh (7) did not give this move an exclamation mark. I (ZP) did not want to give 22.Nxd7+ a question mark but according to our analyses the move only leads to a draw. According to the engines and our analyses the strongest move was 22.a4 the "obvious" move "Petrosian was hoping for" (Kasparov, (1)). But this move wins. Bc6 The strongest is Marin (8) suggests 22...Bc8 "even though White's advantage would be indisputable anyway." This move was also suggested by Zanoni in the comments on chessbase. com. Let us investigate this move a bit deeper: 23.Rae1 h5 White has the much better pieces and a dominant position. Black's weak pawns on a6 and d5 guarantee a win for White. 24.Kf2 Rb8 After 24...g6 Charles Sullivan gives following line: 25.a5 Rb8 26.Rb1 d4 27.Ke1 Nd7 28.Nxd7+ Rxd7 29.Kd2 Ra8 30.Rc1 Bb7 31.Rec5 Ke7 32.b5 axb5 33.Bxb5 Rxa5 34.Bxd7 Rxc5 35.Rxc5 Kxd7 36.Kd3 Ba6+ 37.Kxd4+- 25.Rb1 Rb6 25...g6 26.Ke3 Rc7 27.Kd4 Ra7 28.a5 Kg7 29.h4 Rba8 30.Rb2 Kf8 31.Re1 Rb8 32.Rc1 Kg7 33.Na4 Bd7 34.Nb6 Be6 35.Rc6 Rd8 36.Rbc2 Ne8 37.Nc8 Rb7 38.b5 axb5 39.a6 Rb8 40.Nb6 Bd7 41.a7 Bxc6 42.axb8B Rxb8 43.Rxc6 b4 44.Bc2 Rb7 45.Bb3 Nc7 46.Nxd5 Ne6+ 47.Ke4+- 25...Kg8 26.a5 Rba8 27.Ke3 g6 28.Kd4 Kf8 29.g3 Kg7 30.Rb3 Kf8 31.Rb2 Kg7 32.Kc3 Kf8 33.Kb3 Bb7 34.Rc2 Rb8 35.Ka3 Bc8 36.Rc1 Kg7 37.Ree1 Kf8 38.Na4 Bd7 39.Nb6 Rd8 40.Rc5 Bh3 41.Rc6 Ne8 42.Na4 Nc7 43.Nc5 Bg2 44.Nxa6 Nxa6 45.Bxa6 Bxf3 46.Bd3 d4 47.Rc2 Bg4 48.Rec1 Re8 49.Rd2 Bd7 50.Rc4 Re3 51.Rxd4 Rf3 52.Rf4 Re3 53.Re4 Rf3 54.Rd4 Bc6 55.Kb2 Kg7 56.a6 Ra8 57.Rd6 Ba4 58.Rb6 Rd8 59.a7 Ra8 60.Ra6 Bc6+- 26.Ke3 d4+ 27.Kxd4 h4 28.a5 28.Bc4 also wins. 28...Rd6+ 29.Kc3 Rc7 30.Bc4 h3 30...Rdc6 31.Rd1 Nd7 32.Nxd7+ Bxd7 33.Rc5 Rxc5 34.bxc5 Ke7 35.Rd5 Be6 36.Re5 Rb7 37.Re4 h3 38.gxh3 Rb1 39.Bxa6 Rb3+ 40.Kd4 Kd7 41.Be2 Kc6 42.a6 Ra3 43.h4 Ra4+ 44.Kc3 Ra1 45.Re5 Bd5 46.h5 Ra3+ 47.Kd4 Ra4+ 48.Ke3 Ra3+ 49.Kf4 Ra4+ 50.Kg3 Kxc5 51.Rg5 Ra2 52.Bd3 Kd4 53.Bb5 Ra1 54.Kf4 Ra3 55.Rxg7 Rxf3+ 56.Kg4 Rf2 57.h6 Rxh2 58.h7 Kc5 59.Be8 Kb6 60.a7 Kxa7 61.Bxf7+- 31.gxh3 Bxh3 32.Rbe1 g6 33.Kb3 Bc8 33...Ra7 34.R5e3 Bf5 35.Ra1 Rd4 36.Nxa6 Rxc4 37.Kxc4 Rxa6 38.b5 Ra8 39.a6 Rc8+ 40.Kb3 Nd5 41.Ree1 Rc3+ 42.Ka4 Rxf3 43.Ka5 Rb3 44.Re5 Nc7 45.b6 Nxa6 46.Rxf5+- 34.Ka3 Ra7 34...Rdc6 35.Bb3 Bh3 36.Rc1 Ra7 37.Ree1 Rcc7 38.Ba4 Kg7 39.Rcd1 Nd7 40.Bxd7 Bxd7 41.Re7 Bc8 42.Rxc7 Rxc7 43.Rd6 g5 44.Nxa6 Rc3+ 45.Ka4 Rxf3 46.b5 Rh3 47.Nb4 Rxh2 48.Rd8 Rh1 49.b6+- 35.Bb3 Bf5 36.Rd1 Rxd1 37.Bxd1 Bc8 37...Ne8 38.Be2 Nc7 39.Bc4 Bc8 40.Re4 Ne8 41.Rh4 Nd6 42.Bd3 Ke7 43.Ka4 Nb7 44.Nxa6 Bd7+ 45.Kb3 Ra8 46.Bc4+- 38.Bb3 Rc7 39.Bc4 Rc6 40.Kb3 Rd6 41.Re3 g5 41...Rc6 42.Rc3 Kg7 43.Nxa6 Bxa6 44.b5 Bxb5 45.Bxb5 Re6 46.a6 Re7 47.Rd3+- 42.Rd3 Rc6 43.Rd2 Ke7 44.Rg2 Ne8 45.Rxg5+- Lakdavala (9) suggests 22...g6 and gives the following line: 23.Kf2 23.a5 seems very strong and should win, e.g. Bc6 24.Rc1 Nd7 25.Nxd7+ Bxd7 26.Rxd5 Rb8 27.Rd4 Bb5 28.Bxb5 Rxb5 29.Kf2 White should bring his king to queenside. Rab7 30.Rcc4 Re5 31.Re4 Rd5 32.Rcd4 Rf5 33.g4 Rf6 34.Rd8+ Kg7 35.Ree8 Kh6 35...Re6 36.Rxe6 fxe6 37.Rd6 Rxb4 38.Rxe6 Ra4 39.Rxa6+- 36.Re5 g5 37.h4 Rg6 38.h5 Rc6 39.Rd4 Rf6 40.Rc5 Re6 41.Rcd5 Rf6 42.Re5 Rb8 43.Rc5 Rb7 44.Rdc4 Rb8 45.Rc8 Rxc8 46.Rxc8 Rf4 47.Rb8 Rc4 48.Ke3 Kg7 49.b5 axb5 50.Rxb5 Rc3+ 51.Ke4 h6 52.Rf5+- ZP 23...Bc6 24.Re2 24.Ree1 is also strong (ZP). 24...Bb7 25.Ke3 Stronger is 25.Rae1 ZP 25...d4+! 26.Kd2! 26.Kxd4 Rd8+ 27.Kc3 a5! is tricky; White can't play 28.b5? Bxf3! 29.gxf3 Rc7 as Black regains the piece and also his pawn, with an approximately even position 26...Nd5 27.Be4 Rd8 28.Rc1 Ba8 29.Bxd5 Bxd5 30.Kd3 . "White has excellent conversion chances here, since d4 remains weak and White basically owns an extra piece -- his king. I still think, though, Fischer's version is simpler and easier to convert than this one." Lakdavala (9). 23.Ree1 After which Black is objectively lost. It is hard (impossible in fact) to give concrete proof, but analyses show that White has great winning chances. Charles Sullivan (USA) helped to find them. 23.Rc1 Is Kasparov's suggestion Nd7 24.Nxd7+ Bxd7 "with possibilities of a defence." - Kasparov (1). The position is even: 25.Rxd5 Bxa4 26.Ra1 Bb3 Very interesting is 26...Bb5 27.Bxb5 axb5 28.Rxa7 Rxa7 29.h4 g6 30.Rxb5 Ra2 31.Kh2 Rb2 32.Rb7 Kg7 and according to theory this is a draw. 27.Rda5 Rd7 28.Bxa6 Rb8 29.Rb5 Ra8 30.Rh5 Rd4 31.b5 g6 32.Rc5 32.Rxh7 Kg8 33.Rh3 Ba4 34.Rc1 Rb8= 32...Rb8 33.Kf2 33.h3 Be6 34.Rcc1 Kg7 35.Kh2 Rd2 36.Rcb1 Rb6 37.Rb4 Rc2 38.Kg3 Kf6 39.Rab1 Ke7 40.Re1 h6 41.Re3 Kf6 42.Ra3 Bc4 43.Ra1 Ke7= 33...Rd2+ 34.Kg3 Rb2 Or 34...Be6 35.Rf1 h5 36.h4 Bf5 37.Rf2 Rd3 38.Rb2 Ra3 39.Rc6 Kg7 40.Rd6 Be6 41.Rc2 Bf5 42.Rc7 Rb3 43.Ra7 Rb4 44.Rc6 Kf8 White cannot improve his position. 35.Rac1 Kg7 36.Rc8 Rxc8 37.Rxc8 Bd1 38.Kf4 Be2 39.Ra8 h5 40.b6 Bxa6 41.Rxa6 Rxg2 42.Ke5 Rxh2 43.Kd6 Rb2 44.Kc7 h4= 23.Re2 should also win as Charles Sullivan has shown: after g6 23...d4 24.Rb2 Nd7 25.Rc2 Bd5 25...Ne5 26.Bf1 Be8 27.Rd1 Rd8 28.Rcd2 d3 29.f4 Nc6 30.b5 axb5 31.axb5 Rd5 32.Rc1 Ra5 33.Rxd3 Rxd3 34.Bxd3 Nb4 35.Bf1 Nd5 36.Rd1 Nxf4 37.b6 Bc6 38.b7 Bxb7 39.Nxb7+- 26.a5 Nxc5 27.Rxc5 Rd8 28.b5 axb5 29.Rxb5 g6 30.Kf2 Bb7 30...Kg7 31.a6 Ba8 32.Rb4 Rc7 33.a7 Kh6 34.h4 Rdd7 35.Rb8 Bxf3 36.gxf3 Rxa7 37.Rxa7 Rxa7 38.Rd8 Ra4 39.Kg3 f5 40.Rd7 Rb4 41.Bf1 Rb2 41...Rb2 42.Rxd4+- 31.Rb6 Bd5 32.a6 Rc8 33.Rb4 Rc5 34.Rxd4 Kg7 35.h4 h6 36.Raa4 h5 37.Ra1 Be6 38.Rb4 Rcc7 39.Be4 Bc8 40.Rb6 Re7 41.Ra4 Rec7 42.Ra5 Rd7 43.Ke3 Re7 44.Kd4 Rec7 45.Ra3 Rc1 46.Rb7 Rd1+ 47.Ke5 Bxb7 48.axb7 Rxa3 49.b8Q+- 24.Rc1 Nd7 25.a5 Nxc5 26.Rxc5 Be8 27.Rxd5 Rb8 28.Rb2 Rab7 29.Bxa6 Rxb4 30.Rxb4 Rxb4 31.Be2 Rb2 32.Kf2 Bc6 32...Ra2 33.Ke3 Ke7 34.Re5+ Kd8 35.Bc4 Ra1 36.a6 Bd7 37.Rc5 Ra4 38.Kd3 Ra3+ 39.Kd4 Ke7 40.Rc7 Kd6 41.Rb7 Ba4 42.a7+- 33.Rc5 Bd7 34.a6 Ra2 35.Ke3 Ra3+ 35...Ke7 36.Bc4 Ra4 37.Rc7 Ra3+ 38.Kd4 Kd6 39.Rb7 Ra4 40.a7 Be6 41.Rb6+ Ke7 42.Ra6 Rxc4+ 43.Kd3 Rc8 44.a8Q Rxa8 45.Rxa8+- 36.Kd4 Ke7 37.Bc4 Ra1 38.Rc7 Kd6 39.Rb7 Ra4 40.a7 Be6 41.Rb6+ Ke7 42.Ra6 Rxc4+ 43.Kd3 Rc8 44.a8Q Rxa8 45.Rxa8+- White's position is theoretically winning. 23...Bb7 24.a5 h5 25.h4 25.Na4 seems interesting. 25...Rb8 26.Rab1 Bc8 27.Re5 Rba8 28.Kf2! This move was suggested by Charles Sullivan. Re7 29.Ree1 Nd7 30.Kg3 30.Red1 is a move suggested by Charles Sullivan and wins as well. His line is: g6 31.Bf1 Nf6 32.Na4 Be6 33.Nb6 Raa7 34.Rdc1 Reb7 34...Re8 35.Rc6 Kg7 36.Rd6 Bf5 37.Rd1 Rb8 38.Rd4 Be6 39.Na4 Nd7 40.Rxa6 Rab7 41.b5 Rxb5 42.Bxb5 Rxb5 43.Ra8 Nb8 44.a6 Nc6 45.Rd1 Ra5 46.Rc1 Nd4 47.Nc5 Bf5 48.Rb8 Ra2+ 49.Ke3 Nc2+ 50.Kf4 Nd4 51.Re1 Ne6+ 52.Nxe6+ Bxe6 53.Ra8 d4 54.Rd1 Ra4 55.a7 d3+ 56.Ke3 Bd5 57.Rd8 Bc6 58.Rc8 Bxf3 59.gxf3 Rxa7 60.Rxd3+- 35.Rc6 Kg7 36.Rb2 Ne8 37.Bd3 Re7 38.Rb1 Nf6 39.Rb3 Reb7 40.Rb2 Re7 41.Rd6 Ne8 42.Rd8 Nf6 43.Rb8 d4 44.Rd8 Rec7 45.Rxd4 Rc1 46.Rb1 Rcc7 47.Re1 Kh7 48.Rd6 Rcb7 49.Re5 Kg7 50.Rg5 Re7 51.Rc5 Reb7 52.Rc2 Rb8 53.Rd2 Ne8 54.Rd4 Nf6 55.Be2 Rbb7 56.Rd6 Kh7 57.Rb2 Ne8 58.Rd4 Rb8 59.Na4 Bd7 60.Nc5 Bb5 61.Bxb5 Rxb5 62.Rd8 Nf6 63.Rd6 Kg7 64.Rxa6 Rxa6 65.Nxa6 Nd5 66.Ke2 Kf6 67.Kd3 Nxb4+ 68.Nxb4 Rxa5 69.Na2+- 30...Nf6 30...Re8 31.Kf4 Re7 32.Nxd7+ Rxd7 33.Rec1 Rd6 34.Rc7 Rf6+ 35.Kg5 Rd6 36.Kxh5 d4 36...Rb8 37.Kg5 d4 38.h5 Bd7 39.Rc5 Rd8 40.Kf4 Re8 41.Kg3 Re3 42.Rd1 Ree6 43.Kf2 Re8 44.Re1 Rb8 45.Rb1 Kg8 46.Ke2 Rb7 47.Kd2 g6 48.Be4 Rb8 49.hxg6 fxg6 50.Rd5 Rxd5 51.Bxd5+ Kf8 52.Bc4 Bb5 53.Bxb5 Rxb5 54.Kd3 Ke7 55.Kxd4+- 37.Kg5 Bd7 38.h5 Bb5 39.Bxb5 axb5 40.Kf4 d3 41.Rd1 Kg8 42.Re7 Rd4+ 43.Re4 Rd5 44.Rd2 f6 45.Re7 Ra6 46.g4 Rad6 47.Ke3 Kf8 48.Rc7 Re6+ 49.Kf2 Red6 50.Rc5+- 30...Nb8 Charles Sullivan: 31.Bc2 Nc6 32.Red1 Re5 32...Be6 33.Bd3 Bc8 34.Bf1 Rb8 35.Bxa6 Bf5 36.Rb2 Rxb4 37.Rxb4 Nxb4 38.Bb5 Ra7 39.a6 Ke7 40.Rd4 Nxa6 41.Nxa6 Kd6 42.Nb4 Be6 43.Rd2 Ra5 44.Bd3 Ra4 45.Rb2+- 33.Nd3 Re2 34.Ba4 Ne7 35.Nf4 Ra2 36.Bb3 Ra3 37.Bxd5 Ra7 38.Nxh5 Nf5+ 39.Kf2 Nxh4 40.Rbc1 Bd7 41.Be4 Ra4 42.Rd4 Ra2+ 43.Rc2 Rxc2+ 44.Bxc2 Rc7 45.Bd3 Nf5 46.Rc4 Ra7 Transposing is 46...Rb7 47.Be4 Ra7 48.Bxf5+- 47.Bxf5 Bxf5 48.Rc6 Bd3 49.Rb6 Ra8 50.Ke3 Bb5 51.Ng3 Re8+ 52.Kf4 Rd8 53.Nf5 Bf1 54.g4 f6 55.Ke3 Re8+ 56.Kd4 Rd8+ 57.Nd6 Kg8 58.Ke4 Rd7 59.Ke3 Re7+ 60.Ne4 Re8 61.Kf4 Re7 62.g5 fxg5+ 63.Nxg5 Re8 64.Ne6 Kf7 65.Nc5 Rh8 66.Nxa6+- 31.Kf4 Rea7 31...Rc7 32.Re5 g6 33.Rc1 Rc6 34.Ke3 Rd6 35.Kd4 Ra7 36.Rb1 Rd8 37.Rbe1 Rd6 38.R1e2 Rd8 39.Na4 Bd7 40.Nb6 Rb8 41.R5e3 Rab7 42.Ra2 Ra7 43.Rb2 Bc8 44.Re5 Ne8 45.Rc2 Nd6 46.Rxd5 Nf5+ 47.Kc3 Be6 48.Bxf5 Bxd5 49.Nd7+ Rxd7 50.Bxd7 Ke7 51.Ba4 Be6 52.Bc6 Kd6 53.Be4 Ke5 54.Bd3 Ra8 55.b5! axb5 56.Kb4 Kf4 57.Be4 Ra7 58.Kxb5 f5 59.Bc6 Bc8 60.Rd2 Kg3 61.Rd8 Bb7 62.Kb6 Ra6+ 63.Kxb7 Rxa5 64.Rd6 Kxh4 65.Rxg6 f4 66.Be4 Rc5 67.Kb6 Rc8 68.Rh6 Kg3 69.Rxh5 Kxg2 70.Rh4+- 32.Ke5 Rb8 33.Red1 Re7+ 34.Kd4 Ra7 35.Rdc1 Ke7 36.Na4 Kd6 36...Kd8 37.Rc5 Bd7 37...Rab7 38.Nb6 Rxb6 39.axb6 Rxb6 40.Ra5 Ke7 41.b5 axb5 42.Ra7+ Bd7 43.Rxb5 Rd6 44.Rbb7 Ke8 45.Ba6 g6 46.Ra8+ Ke7 47.Bb5 Ke6 48.Bxd7+ Nxd7 49.Re8+ Kf6 50.Ra7 Re6 51.Rxe6+ Kxe6 52.Ra6+ Ke7 53.Kxd5+- 38.Nb6 Be6 39.Re1 Rbb7 40.Re2 Bd7 41.Re5 Rb8 42.Rg5 g6 43.Re5 Be8 44.Re1 Bd7 45.Re2 Rbb7 46.Ke5 Ke7 47.Rc8! Be6 48.Rc6 Ne8 49.Nxd5+ Kf8 50.Rxa6 Rxa6 51.Bxa6 Rd7 52.Nb6 Rd1 53.Bb7 f6+ 54.Kf4+- 37.Nb6 Be6 38.Rc5 Nd7 39.Nc8+ Rxc8 40.Rxc8 Ne5 41.Rd8+ Ke7 42.Kxe5 Kxd8 43.Kd6 Bc8 44.b5 axb5 45.Rxb5 Rd7+ 46.Kc6 Rc7+ 47.Kb6 Rb7+ 48.Kc5 Re7 49.Kb4 Re5 50.Bc4 Re1 51.Rxd5+ Ke7 52.a6 Rb1+ 53.Kc5 Ra1 54.Kb6 Rb1+ 55.Rb5 Bxa6 56.Kxa6 Rg1 57.Rg5+- As we can see, 22.a4 wins. 22...Rxd7 23.Rc1
23...Rd6? This move loses. 23...g6 24.Rc6 Kasparov (1), thinks that Black is lost. He is right: Kg7 25.a3 a5 26.b5 d4 27.Kf2 Rb8 28.Bc4 d3 29.Ke1 d2+ 30.Kd1 h5 31.a4 Rbd8 32.b6 Rb8 33.Re2 Rdb7 34.Rc7 Kh6 35.Rxd2 Rxc7 36.bxc7 Rc8 37.Bxf7 Rxc7 38.Bb3 h4 39.Rd4 h3 40.Rh4+ Kg7 41.Rxh3 g5 42.Rg3 Kh6 43.Kd2 Rb7 44.Bc4 Rb2+ 45.Kd3 Rb4 46.Bb5 Rf4 47.Rh3+ Kg7 48.Kd2 Rb4 49.Rg3 Kh6 50.Kc3 Nd5+ 51.Kd3 Nf4+ 52.Kc2 Nd5 53.Rh3+ Kg7 54.Rh5 Kg6 55.g4 Nc7 56.h4 gxh4 57.Bd3+ Kf6 58.g5+ Ke7 59.Rh7+ Kd6 60.g6+- The best move is 23...d4! after which Black should equalise. White's best try is 24.Rcc5 suggested by Charles Sullivan. 24.Kf2 Nd5! This move, which was found by Charles Sullivan, leads to an even position. 24...Rad8 is a mistake, which loses: 25.Rec5 Nd5 26.a3 Rd6 27.Rc6 Nc3 27...Rxc6? 28.Rxc6 Nf4 29.Bxa6 d3 30.Rc1 d2 30...Re8 31.Re1 Ra8 32.b5 Ne6 33.Re5+- 31.Rd1 Ra8 32.b5 Nd3+ 33.Ke2 Nc5 34.Kxd2 34.a4 Nxa6 35.bxa6 Rxa6 36.Ra1 Ke7 37.Kxd2+- White is winning. 34...Nxa6 35.bxa6 Rxa6 36.Ra1+- 28.Rxd6 Rxd6 29.Ke1 Ke7 30.Kd2 Rb6 31.Re1+ Kd7 31...Kd6 32.Re8 Nb5 33.a4 Nc7 34.Rd8+ Ke5 35.Rd7 Nd5 36.b5 axb5 37.axb5 Ke6 38.Rd8 Nc7 39.Rxd4 g6 40.Rb4 Kd6 41.Rd4+ Ke6 42.Bc4+ Ke7 43.Re4+ Kd7 44.Rf4 f6 45.Rd4+ Ke7 46.Bd3 Ke6 47.g3 f5 48.Rb4 Ke5 49.Bc4 Kd6 50.Bf1 Nd5 51.Rb2 f4 52.Kd3 Ne3 53.Be2 Kd5 54.gxf4 Ng2 55.f5 gxf5 56.Bf1 Nf4+ 57.Ke3 Ne6 58.f4 Nc7 59.Bd3 Kc5 60.Rc2+ Kd6 61.Rc1 Nd5+ 62.Kf3 Ne7 63.Re1 Rb8 64.Re5 Ng6 65.Re3 Rg8 66.Re6+ Kxe6 67.Bc4+ Kd6 68.Bxg8 Ne7 69.Bxh7 Kc5 70.h4 Kxb5 71.h5 Kc6 72.Bg6 Ng8 73.Bxf5+- 32.Re5 Nb5 33.Bxb5+ axb5 34.Rd5+ Kc7 35.Rc5+ Kd6 36.Kd3 Ra6 37.Kxd4 Rxa3 38.h4 Ra2 39.g4 Rd2+ 40.Ke4 Rb2 41.Rxb5 h5 42.Rb7 hxg4 43.fxg4 g6 44.g5 Re2+ 45.Kd4 Ke6 46.Rb8 Rh2 47.Re8+ Kd6 48.Re4 Rf2 49.Kc4 Rf5 50.b5 Kc7 51.Rd4 Kc8 52.b6 52.Kb4 Kc7 53.Rc4+ Kb7 54.Rc6 Re5 55.Kc4 Re4+ 56.Kc5 Rxh4 57.Rf6 Rh7 58.b6 Rg7 59.Rc6 Kb8 60.Rc7 Rh7 61.Kc6 Rh2 62.Rxf7 Rc2+ 63.Kd5 Rg2 64.Rd7 Ka8 65.Rg7 Rg1 66.Rg8+ Kb7 67.Rxg6 Ka6 68.Rg8 Kxb6 69.Ke6 Kc7 70.Kf7 Rh1 71.g6 Rf1+ 72.Kg7 Kd7+- 52...Kb7 53.Rd5 Rf1 54.Kc5 Rf3 55.Rd7+ Kc8 56.Rc7+ Kb8 57.Kd6 f6 58.Rf7 f5 59.Rg7 Rb3 60.Kc6 Rc3+ 61.Kd5 f4 62.Rxg6 Rb3 63.Rf6 Kb7 64.Rxf4+- 25.a3 25.Be4 Rad8 26.Bxd5 Rxd5 27.Rxd5 Rxd5 28.a4 Ke7 29.Rc7+ Kf8 30.Ke1 d3 31.a5 d2+ 32.Kd1 g6= (Petronijevic) The position is even. 33.g3 Rd4 34.Rb7 Kg7 35.Rb6 h5 36.h4 Kf8 37.Rxa6 Rxb4 38.Ra8+ Ke7 39.Kxd2 Rb3 40.Ke2 Ra3 41.a6 Kf6 42.Kf2 Kg7 43.g4 Ra4= 25...Rd6 26.Rc5 26.Rxd5 Rxd5 27.Be4 Rad8 28.Bxd5 Rxd5 29.a4 Ke7 30.Ke1 30.Rc7+ Kf8 31.a5 d3 32.Ke1 d2+ 33.Kd1 Transposing to the main line 30...d3 31.Rc7+ Ke8 32.a5 d2+ 33.Kd1 Rb5 34.Rc4 Rd5 35.h3 Rd6 36.Rc7 g6 37.Ra7 Kf8 38.Rb7 Rd4 39.Rb6 Ke7 40.h4 Kd7 41.g3 Ke7 42.Rxa6 Rxb4 43.Kxd2 Rb3 44.Ke2 Ra3 45.Kf2 h5 This position is a theoretical draw. 26.g3 Is a suggestion by "Malfa" and was given in the comment section on chessbase.com. Nc3 27.Ra5 Rc8 28.Re1 After Rcd8 White cannot take the pawn on a6, and Back should survive. A possible line is 29.Rc1 29.h4 is another attempt which leads to nothing when Black defends properly. g6 30.Ree5 Rf6 31.f4 Rfd6 32.h5 f6 33.Rec5 Re6 34.Rc7 Nd1+ 35.Kf1 Re3 36.hxg6 hxg6 37.Bxg6 Rxg3 38.Rf7+ Kg8 39.Rxf6 d3 40.Raxa6 d2 41.Rfd6 Rxd6 42.Rxd6 Rxa3 43.Ke2 Nc3+ 44.Kxd2 Rb3 45.Rd4 Na2 46.Rd7 Rxb4 47.f5 Rf4= 29.Ree5 Was a suggestion by "Morphine44" in the comment section on chessbase.com. f6 30.Re1 Rb6 30...Rc6 transposes to the analyses after 29.Rc1 where 32.. .Rc6 leads to a draw. 31.h4 h6 32.h5 Rbd6 Interesting is 32...Rc6 33.Rc5 Rd5 34.Re6 Rxc5 35.bxc5 Rc8 36.Bg6 Stronger is 36.c6 with a win for White: Nb5 37.a4 Nc7 38.Rd6 Ne8 39.Rxd4 Rxc6 40.Rd7 f5 41.Bxf5 Nf6 42.Ra7 Rc5 43.Bd3 Rd5 44.Ke3 Re5+ 45.Kd4 Rxh5 46.Rxa6+- 36...Rd8 37.Ke1 37.c6 wins: Nb5 38.Re2 d3 39.Rd2 Ke7 40.a4 Na7 41.c7 Rd7 42.Bxd3 a5 43.Ke3 Rxc7 44.Rb2 Nc6 45.Rb5 Ra7 46.f4 Nd8 47.Ke4 Nc6 48.Rb6 Nb4 49.Bb5 Rc7 50.Kf5 Kf7 51.Rb8 Rc5+ 52.Ke4 g5 53.hxg6+ Kxg6 54.Rg8+ Kf7 55.Ra8 Ke7 56.Ra7+ Kd6 57.g4 Rc2 58.Rxa5 Rg2 59.Ra8 Rxg4 60.Rd8+ Ke6 61.Rd4 f5+ 62.Kf3 Nc2 63.Bd7+ Kf6 64.Rd6+ Ke7 65.Bxf5 Rg1 66.Rd7+ Ke8 67.Rh7 Nb4 68.Bd7+ Kf8 69.Rxh6+- 37...d3 38.Rd6 Rxd6 39.cxd6 Nb5 40.Bxd3 Nxa3 41.Bxa6 Nc2+ 42.Kf2 Ke8 43.Bc8 Kd8 44.Be6 Nd4 The position is even: 45.Bh3 Nb5 46.d7 Nd6 47.Ke3 f5 48.Kf4 Kxd7 49.Bxf5+ Ke7 50.Ke5 Nf7+ 51.Kd5 Kf6 52.g4 Ng5 53.f4 Nf7 54.Be6 Nd8 55.Bd7 Ke7 56.Bf5 Kf6 White cannot improve his position. 29...Rc8 30.Re1 Rcd8 31.Ree5 f6 32.Re1 Rc6 White can still not take on a6 and should try something else. 33.g4 h6 34.h4 Nb5 35.Rd1 Nc7 36.Bf5 36.a4 with the idea to create a passed pawn on the queenside. Rb8 37.b5 axb5 38.axb5 Rcb6 39.Rb1 Nd5 40.h5 Nc3 41.Rb4 R6b7 42.Ra1 Ke7 43.Re1+ Kf8 44.Rb3 Rb6 45.Rc1 R6b7 46.Ra1 Ke7 47.Ra5 Kd6 It is hard to find an active idea for White. 48.Rb4 Ke6 49.Kg3 Ke7 50.Kh4 Rd7 51.Ra1 Rdb7 52.Re1+ Kf8 53.Kh3 Rd8 and it hard to see how White can win. 54.Kg3 Na2 55.Rb3 Nc3 56.Kf2 Re8 57.Ra1 Reb8 58.Ke1 Ke7 59.Ra5 Rb6 60.Rb4 R6b7 61.Kd2 Ke6 62.Bc4+ Kd6 63.Bf1 Ke6 64.Bd3 Rb6 65.Ra7 Nxb5 66.Rxg7 Ke5 67.Re7+ Kf4 68.Rf7 Kxf3 69.g5 hxg5 70.h6 Nc3 71.Rxb6 Rxb6 72.h7 Rb2+ 73.Bc2 Ne4+ 74.Kd3 Rb8 75.Rg7 Rh8 76.Kxd4 f5= 36...Rc3 37.a4 Ke7 38.h5 Rc4 39.b5 axb5 40.axb5 Rb8 41.Bd3 Rc3 42.Ra7 Kd6 43.Be4 Nxb5 44.Rxg7 Kc5 45.Kg2 Re3 46.Rd2 Nc3 47.Rc7+ Kd6 48.Rc6+ Ke5 49.Bf5 Re8 50.Kf2 Re2+ 51.Rxe2+ Nxe2 52.Bd7 Re7 53.Kxe2 Rxd7 54.Rc5+ Ke6 55.Kd3 Kf7 56.Rf5 Kg7 57.Rf4 Re7 58.Kxd4 with a draw. 26.Ke1 Nf4 27.Be4 f6 28.Bxa8 fxe5 29.Rc2 Nd5 30.Rc6 Ke7 31.Kd2 Nb6 32.Rxd6 Kxd6 a sample line is 33.Be4 Nc4+ 34.Kd3 Nb2+ 35.Kc2 Nc4 36.Bxh7 Ne3+ 37.Kb3 Nxg2 38.Bd3 Ne1 39.Be2 g5 40.Kc4 Ng2 41.a4 Nf4 42.Bf1 Kc6 43.Kb3 Kb6 44.a5+ Kb7 45.Bc4 Ng2 46.Bd5+ Kb8 47.Be4 Nf4 48.Kc4 Ng2 49.Kd5 Ne1! 50.Kxe5 d3 51.Bd5 d2 52.Bb3 Nxf3+ 53.Ke4! g4 54.Ke3 Nxh2 55.Kxd2= Sullivan 26...Nf4 27.Be4 Rad8 28.Rf5 28.g3 f6! 29.Rf5 d3! 30.Rxf4 d2 31.Bc2 d1Q 32.Bxd1 Rxd1 33.Re4 Rh1 34.Rh4 34.Rh5 Kf7 35.Rc4 Rd3 36.Rxh7 Kg6 37.Rhh4 Ra1 38.Kg2 Rd2+ 39.Kh3 Raa2 40.Kg4 Rxa3= 34...Kg8 35.Rc3 h6 36.Rh5 Kh7 37.f4 Kg6 38.g4 Rdd1 39.Ke3 Rhe1+ 40.Kf3 Rd2 41.Rb3 Kh7 42.Ra5 Rxh2 43.Rxa6 Rh3+ 44.Kf2 Rhh1 45.f5 Rhf1+ 46.Kg3 h5 47.gxh5 Rxf5 48.Rc6 Kh6 49.b5 Rg1+ 50.Kh2 Rgg5= Sullivan 28.Rc2 g6 29.g3 d3 30.Rd2 Ne6 31.g4 Nf4 32.Rc5 Kg7 33.h4 h6 34.Ke3 Ng2+ 35.Rxg2 d2 36.Bc2 d1Q 37.Bxd1 Re6+ 38.Kf4 Rxd1 39.Rc3 a5 40.Rb2 Rd4+ 41.Kg3 axb4 42.axb4 Rb6 43.b5 Rd5 44.Rcb3= Sullivan 28...Ne6 29.Rcd5 g6 30.Rxd6 30.Rfe5 Rxd5 31.Rxd5 Rc8 32.Rd6 Rc3 33.Rxa6 Ke7 And we have reached the same position as in our main line after the 33rd move. 30...Rxd6 31.Rd5 31.Re5 f5 32.Bb1 d3 33.Ke1 Nf4 34.g3 d2+ 35.Kd1 Nd5 36.Kxd2 Nxb4+ 37.Kc3 Nd5+ 38.Kc2 Rc6+ 39.Kd2 Rd6 40.Bd3 h5 41.Kc2 Rc6+ 42.Kd1 Rd6= Sullivan 31...Rc6 32.Ra5 Rc3 33.Rxa6 Ke7 Black's pieces are active and support the pawn on d4 which allows him to keep equality. 34.Ra7+ Kd6 35.Rxf7 Rxa3 36.Rxh7 Ng5 37.Rh8 Nxe4+ 38.fxe4 Rb3 39.g3 Ke5! 40.Re8+ Kf6 41.Ke2 Rxb4 42.Kd3 Rb2 43.Kxd4 Rxh2= 24.Ra5 Is a proposal by Jonas Lampert but with proper play Black should draw: Nd5 25.b5 Nf4 26.Bf1 d3 27.Rxa6!? 27.Kf2?! d2! 28.Rd1 Nd3+ 29.Bxd3 Rxd3 30.Rxa6 30.Ke2 Rd5 31.Rxa6 Re8+ 32.Kf2 Rxb5 33.Rxd2 This position is even: Reb8 34.a4 Rb2 35.Rad6 R8b4 36.a5 Rxd2+ 37.Rxd2 Ra4 38.Rd8+ Ke7 39.Rd5 Ra2+ 40.Kg3 g6= ZP 30...Rxa6 31.bxa6 Ra3 32.Rxd2 Ke7 the resulting rook endgame should be a draw - Jonas Lampert. 27...Rxa6 27...Rb8!? Could be the most straightforward way for Black. 28.a4 d2 29.Rd1 Rd4 30.Rc6 Nd5 31.Rc2 Ne3 32.Rcxd2 Rxa4 33.Rb1 Nxf1 34.Kxf1 Rb6± "I would guess that Black is objectively holding." Jonas Lampert. He is right: 35.Rc2 Rd4 36.Rc5 Rd2 37.h4 h6 38.h5 g6 39.Kg1 gxh5 40.Kh2 h4 41.Kh3 Rd4 42.Rh5 Kg7 43.Rb2 Kg6 44.Rxh4 Rd5 45.Rg4+ Kf6 46.Rgb4 h5 47.Kg3 Kf5 48.Kh4 Kf6 49.R4b3 Kg6 50.Kg3 And White cannot improve his position. Kf5 28.bxa6 Ra7 29.Rc6 29.Rc4?! Rxa6 30.Rxf4 Rd6 31.Kf2 d2 32.Be2 d1Q 33.Bxd1 Rxd1= 29...Rd7 30.g3 Ke7!? seems most precise to me 31.Rc1! Ne6 32.f4 g6 33.Bg2 Ra7 34.Bb7 d2 35.Rd1 Nc5 36.Bd5 Rxa6 37.Rxd2 Rd6 38.Rd1 f5 "Practically White has extremely good chances, however I would guess that objectively Black is holding", Jonas Lampert. The analysis shows that Black is holding: 39.Bb3 Rb6 40.Bc4 h5 41.a3 Kf6 42.Rc1 h4 43.Bd5 Rb5 44.Bc6 Ra5 45.Rc4 hxg3 46.hxg3 g5 47.a4 gxf4 48.gxf4 Ke7 49.Kf2 Kd6 50.Bb5 Ra7 51.Rd4+ Ke7 52.Kf3 Ra5 53.Rc4 Kd6 54.Kf2 Kd5 55.Ke3 Ra7 56.Rd4+ Ke6 57.Rd2 Kf6 58.Ra2 Re7+ 59.Kf3 Nb3 60.Kf2 Re4 61.Kg3 Re3+ 62.Kg2 Nd4 63.Bf1 Rf3 64.a5 Rxf4 65.a6 Rg4+ 66.Kf2 Nc6 67.a7 Nxa7 68.Rxa7= 24...Rdd8! This move was suggested by "Brian8871" in the comment section on chessbase.com. 24...Rad8 loses after the very subtle: 25.a3 Nd5 26.g3 Nc3 26...Rd6 does not help: 27.Kf2 g6 28.Ra5 Nc7 29.Rec5 R8d7 30.Ke2 Re6+ 31.Re5 Red6 32.Kd2 Rc6 33.f4 h6 34.Rec5 Rcd6 35.Rc1 Ke7 36.Rac5 Ne6 37.Rc8 Rb6 38.R1c6 Rd6 39.Rxd6 Rxd6 40.Bc4 h5 40...d3 41.Bxd3 Kd7 42.Rh8 h5 43.Kc3 Nd8 44.a4 Rc6+ 45.Bc4 Ke7 46.a5 Nb7 47.Kb3 Nd8 48.b5 axb5 49.Bxb5 Rc8 50.a6 Kd6 51.Bd3 Rb8+ 52.Kc3 Kc7 53.Bc4 Rc8 54.Bd5 Kb6+ 55.Kd3 Kxa6 56.Bxf7+- 41.Rb8 Kd7 42.Ra8 Nc7 43.Rf8 f5 44.Rf7+ Kc6 45.Rg7 Ne8 46.Re7 Nc7 47.Kd3 Kb6 48.h4 Kc6 49.Bb3 Kb6 50.a4 Kb7 51.a5 Kc8 52.Rg7 Nb5 53.Bc4 Kb8 54.Re7 Nc7 55.Rh7 Kb7 56.Rg7 Kc6 57.Bb3 Kb7 58.Ba2 Kc8 59.Bf7 Rd7 60.Rg8+ Kb7 61.Bxg6+- 27.Kf2 Nb5 28.Rc6 Ra7 29.Re1 Rb8 30.Ra1 Ke7 31.h4 Kd7 32.Rc4 Rc7 33.Rac1 Rxc4 34.Rxc4 Nxa3 35.Rxd4+ Ke7 36.Re4+ Kd6 37.Rf4 Ke7 38.Bxa6 Nc2 39.Bc4 Rxb4 40.Rxf7+ Ke8 41.Rf4 h6 42.Ke2 Ke7 43.Re4+ Kf6 After 43...Kf8 it is very hard to break Black's defence. 44.Kd3 Na3 45.Bd5 Rxe4 46.fxe4 Nb5 47.e5 Ke7 48.Bc4 Nc7 49.Ke4 Na8 Here Charles Sullivan found an amusing way to win: 50.h5 Nc7 51.Bd5 Nb5 52.Kf5 Nc3 53.Bf3 Nb5 54.Kg6 Kf8 55.Bd5 Nd4 56.g4 Ne2 57.Kf5 Nd4+ 58.Ke4 Nc2 59.Kd3 Na3 60.Bc4 Ke7 61.Kc3 Nb1+ 62.Kd4 Nd2 63.Ba2 Nf3+ 64.Ke4 Nh4 65.Bd5 Ng2 66.Bc6 Kf8 67.Bb5 Ke7 67...g5 68.hxg6 Nh4 69.Kf4 Nxg6+ 70.Kf5+- 68.Bd3 Ke6 69.Bb1 Ne1 70.Ke3 Kxe5 71.Kf2 Kf4 72.Kxe1 Kxg4 73.Bg6+- 44.h5 Na3 45.Bd3 Rb7 46.Ke3 Kf7 47.Rf4+ Ke7 48.Rg4 Kf6 49.Kd4 Rc7 50.Rg6+ Kf7 51.Rb6 Nc2+ 52.Ke5 Re7+ 53.Kf4 Rc7 54.Be4 Rc5 55.Bg6+ Kf8 56.Rb8+ Ke7 57.Rb7+ Kf8 58.Ke4 Rc4+ 59.Kd3 Rc8 60.f4 Na3 61.Rf7+ Kg8 62.Rd7 Kf8 63.Bf7 Rc1 64.Bd5 Rd1+ 65.Ke4 Re1+ 66.Kf5 Re7 67.Rd6 Easier is 67.Rd8+ Re8 68.Rxe8+ Kxe8 69.Kg6 Nc2 69...Kf8 70.f5 Nc2 71.f6 gxf6 72.Kxh6+- 70.Kxg7 Ne3 71.Bc6+ Ke7 72.Be4 Ng4 73.Bf3 Nf6 74.g4 Nd7 75.Kxh6 ZP 67...Nc2 68.Kg6 Re3 69.g4 Ra3 70.Bc6 Rg3 71.g5 Rc3 71...Ke7 72.Rd7+ Ke6 73.Rxg7+- 72.f5 Nb4 73.Rd8+ Ke7 74.Re8+ Kd6 75.Kxg7 Nxc6 75...Rxc6 76.Re6++- 76.f6+- Charles, Sullivan 25.Ra5 25.Re1 Leads to even play after: Rd6 26.Kf2 26.Ra5 is not enough either: Nd5 27.b5 Nb4 28.Rd1 Nxd3 29.Rxd3 Ke8 30.Kf1 Ra7 31.Kf2 Kd7 32.Ke2 Kc8 33.Kd2 Kb8 34.Rb3 Rh6 35.bxa6+ Kc7 36.Rb7+ Rxb7 37.a7 Rxa7 38.Rxa7+ Kb6 39.Rxf7 Kc5 40.Rxg7 Ra6 41.Rxh7 Rxa2+ 42.Kd3 Rxg2 43.Rh5+ Kd6 44.Kxd4 Ke6= 26...Rad8 27.Rec1 Nd5 28.a3 Nf4 29.Bf1 d3 30.Rc8 Rxc8 31.Rxc8+ Ke7 32.Rc1 g5 33.Rd1 Rc6 34.g3 Rc2+ 35.Ke3 Nd5+ 36.Kxd3 Rxh2 37.Kd4 Nc7 38.Kc5 Rh6 39.a4 Ne6+ 40.Kb6 Nd8+ 41.Ka7 Nc6+ 42.Kxa6 Nxb4+ 43.Kb5 Na6 44.Rc1 Rf6 45.g4 Kd8 46.Be2 Nc7+ 47.Kb4 Kc8 48.a5 Rf4+ 49.Rc4 Kb8 50.Rxf4 Nd5+ 51.Kc5 Nxf4 52.Bc4 Ka7 53.Kd6 h5 54.gxh5 Nxh5 55.Bxf7 Nf4= 25.Rc6 also leads to even play Nd5 26.Bc4 Nxb4 27.Rc7 Rac8 28.Rxf7+ Kg8 29.Bb3 Kh8 30.Ree7 Nc6 31.Rc7 Rxc7 32.Rxc7 Nb4 33.Rb7 a5 34.a3 Nd3 35.Bc4 Ne5 36.Be2 d3 37.Rb5 Re8 38.Bf1 d2 39.Rd5 Nc4 40.Kf2 Nxa3 41.Rxd2 Ra8 42.Ra2 Nb1 43.Bd3 Nc3 44.Ra3 Nd1+ 45.Kg3 g6 46.Be2 Rd8 47.Rxa5 Ne3 48.Ra3 Nc2 49.Rc3 Rd2 50.Ba6 Kg7= 25...Rac8 26.Kf2 Rc1 27.Bxa6 Rb1 28.a3 g5 28...h5 Is Charles Sullivan's idea, which leads to even play. 29.Re1 29.Bc4 Rc1 30.Bd3 Rd1 31.Be2 Rd2 32.Ke1 Rb2 33.Ra7 Kg8 34.Bd3 Rxg2 35.b5 g6 36.b6 Nd7 37.b7 Nxe5 38.Ra8 Nxd3+ 39.Kf1 Rf2+ 40.Kg1 Rf8 41.Rxf8+ Kxf8 42.b8Q+ Kg7 43.Qa7 Rxf3 44.Qxd4+ Kh7 45.Qe4 Ne5 46.Qxe5 Rxa3 47.Qf6 Ra7= 29...Rb3 30.Re2 h4 31.Bb7 g6 32.Rd2 Rd6 32...Kg7 leads to draw as well. 33.Bc6 Rd6 34.b5 h3 35.gxh3 Nd7 36.Bxd7 Rxd7 37.a4 Rd5 38.Ra7 Rf5 39.Rd7 Ra3 40.R7xd4 Rfxf3+ 41.Kg2 Rfb3 42.Rf2 f5 43.Rdf4 Ra1 44.Rc4 Kh6 45.h4 Raa3 46.Re2 Ra1 47.Rf4 Raa3 48.Rc2 Ra1 49.Rcf2 Kh5 50.Rd2 Kh6 51.Rdd4 Raa3 52.Rf1 Ra2+ 53.Rf2 Raa3 54.Rfd2 Kh5 55.Rc4 Kh6 56.Kf2 Ra1 57.Rdc2 Raa3 58.Ke2 Kh5 59.Rd4 Kh6 60.Rf4 Ra1 61.Rfc4 Rh3 62.Kd2 Kh5 63.Rd4 Rb1 64.Rc8 Rxh2+ 65.Ke3 Rh3+ 66.Kf4 Rxh4+ 67.Ke5 Rxd4 68.Kxd4 f4 69.Rh8+ Kg4 70.Kc5 f3 71.Rf8 Rh1 72.a5 Rh5+ 73.Kb4 Rf5 74.Rd8 f2 75.Rd1 Rf4+ 76.Kb3 Rf3+ 77.Kc4 Rf4+ 78.Kd3 f1Q+ 79.Rxf1 Rxf1 80.b6 Rb1 81.Kc4 Kf5 82.Kd5 g5 83.Kc6 g4 84.a6 g3 85.a7= 33.b5 Nd7 34.Ra6 Rxa6 35.bxa6 Rxa3 36.Rxd4 Nc5 37.Rd6 Ke7 38.Rb6 Nd7 39.Rc6 Ne5 40.Rc7+ Kd6 41.Rc8 Nd3+ 42.Ke3 Nc5+ 43.Kd2 Ne6 44.Rc6+ Kd7 45.g3 hxg3 46.hxg3 Nc7 47.Kc1 Ra2 48.Rf6 Ke7 49.Rb6 Ra5 50.Rc6 Kd7 51.Kd2 Ra1 52.Rf6 Ke7 53.Rb6 Kd7 54.Kd3 Ke7 55.Rc6 Kd7 56.Kd4 Ra5 57.Rb6 Ke7 58.g4 Kd7 59.Ke3 Ra3+ 60.Kd4 Ra1 61.Ke5 Ke7 White cannot improve his position. 29.Re1 Rb3 30.Re2 g4 31.Rd2 h5 32.Bc4 Rc3 33.Bd3 h4 34.fxg4 Nxg4+ 35.Kf3 Ne3 36.Ke4 Kg7 37.h3 Kh6 38.Ra7 Kg6 39.Kf4+ Kf6 40.Ra6+ Ke7 41.Ke4 f5+ 42.Kf4 Rd6 43.Rxd6 Kxd6 44.a4 Nxg2+ 45.Kxf5 Ne3+ 46.Ke4 Nd5 47.b5 Ra3 48.Bc4 Nb6 Or 48...Nc3+ 49.Kxd4 Nxa4 50.Ra2 Rxa2 51.Bxa2 Nc5= Black should hold. 49.Rxd4+ Kc5 50.Bd3 Nxa4 51.Rd5+ Kb4 52.Kf4 Nc3 53.Rd4+ Kc5 54.Ke5 Na4 55.Rd5+ 55.Rd6 Rb3 56.Rc6+ Kb4 57.Bc2 Re3+ 58.Kd4 Rxh3 59.b6 Nxb6 60.Rxb6+ Ka5= 55...Kb4 56.Kf4 Nc3 57.Rf5 Ka5 58.Kg5 Ra4 59.Rf4 Rxf4 60.Kxf4 Nd1!= These lines show that 22. Nxd7 was not winning. 24.Rc7 Nd7 24...Ne8 does not help: 25.Rc5 Rad8 26.Kf2 g6 27.g3 R6d7 28.a3 Rd6 29.Re1 g5 30.Re5! I prefer this move to the immediate 30.Rec1 after which Black gets counterplay with Rh6 30...h6 31.Re1! Rb6 31...Rf6 32.Re2 Rb6 33.Rec2 d4 34.Rc6 Rd6 35.Rxb6 Rxb6 36.Ke2 Nd6 37.Be4 Rb8 38.Kd3 a5 39.Rb2 axb4 40.axb4 Nb5 41.Bc6 Ke7 42.Bxb5 Rxb5 43.Kxd4 h5 44.Kc4 Rf5 45.Rb3 Kd6 46.Rd3+ Kc6 47.f4 h4 48.fxg5 Rxg5 49.gxh4 Rf5 50.Rd4 Rf2 51.b5+ Kc7 52.h5 Rxh2 53.Rd5!+- 32.Rec1 d4 33.Rc6 Rd6 34.Rxb6 Rxb6 35.Be4 Nd6 35...Rf6 36.Rc8 Ke7 37.Rc4 Rb6 38.Rxd4 Nd6 39.a4 Rb8 40.Bd3 Rb6 41.a5 Rc6 42.f4 f6 43.Kf3 h5 44.fxg5 fxg5 45.h4 gxh4 46.Rxh4 Nf7 47.Ke3 Rh6 48.Be2 Rg6 49.Rxh5 Nd8 50.Rh7+ Kd6 51.Bf3 Rxg3 52.Ra7 Ke5 53.Rxa6+- 36.Ke2 Rb8 36...Ke7 37.Rc6 Rxc6 38.Bxc6 Nc4 39.Bb7 Nxa3 40.Kd3 Kd6 41.Bxa6 Kd5 42.Bb7+ Ke5 43.Bc6 f6 44.Be8 Kd6 45.Ba4 Kd5 46.f4 Nb1 47.Bc2 Na3 48.Bb3+ Kd6 49.Kxd4 gxf4 50.gxf4 Nb5+ 51.Ke4 f5+ 52.Kd3 Nc7 53.Bf7 Na8 54.Kc4 Nc7 55.b5 Na8 56.Kd4 Nb6 57.Bb3 Na8 58.Bc2 Nc7 59.b6 Ne6+ 60.Ke3 Ng7 61.Bb3 Nh5 62.Bd5 Kd7 63.Bf3 Nf6 64.b7 Kc7 65.Kd4 Nd7 66.Bd5 Kd6 67.h4 Nb8 68.Bg2 Na6 69.Bf1 Nb8 70.Bb5 Kc7 71.Ke5 Kb6 72.Bc4 h5 73.Kxf5 Kxb7 74.Kg5+- 37.Kd3 a5 38.Rb1 axb4 39.axb4 Nb5 40.Bc6 Na7 41.Ba4 Ke7 42.b5 Nc8 43.Kxd4 Kd6 44.Rd1 Rb6 45.Rc1 Ne7 46.Kc4 Ng6 47.Kb4 Ne5 48.Rc3 Rb8 49.Bb3 Rb6 50.f4 gxf4 51.gxf4 Ng6 52.Ka5 Rb8 53.Bxf7 Nxf4 54.Rc6+ Ke5 55.b6 Nd3 56.Kb5 Kf4 57.Rxh6+- 25.Re2 g6 "Black's position is uncommonly depressing" Kasparov (1). In case of 25...Nb6 White can play 26.Ree7 Kasparov (1). Let's continue: Rf6 27.Kf2 h5 28.a3 g6 29.h3 a5 29...Nc4 30.Bxc4 dxc4 31.Red7 c3 32.Rxc3 Rb8 33.Rc4 33.Rc5 also wins: Re8 34.Rc4 Rb8 35.Rd5 Re6 36.g4 hxg4 37.hxg4 Rb7 38.Rc8+ Kg7 39.Rdd8 Kf6 40.Rc5 Kg7 41.Ra8 Rd7 42.g5 f6 43.Ra5 Rdd6 44.Ra7+ Kf8 45.gxf6 Rxf6 46.Rc5 Rf7 47.Rxf7+ Kxf7 48.Ke3 Re6+ 49.Kf4 Rd6 50.Kg4 Rd4+ 51.f4 Rd7 52.a4 Kg7 52...Rb7 53.Rc4 53.Kg5 Kf7 54.a5 Rb7 55.Rc4 Rb5+ 56.Kg4 Kg7 57.Kf3 Rb7 58.Ke4 Kf7 59.Kd4 Ke6 60.Rc6+ Kd7 61.Rxg6 Rxb4+ 62.Ke3+- 33...a5 33...Kg7 loses as well 34.a4 Re8 35.a5 Re5 36.Rdc7 Rb5 37.g4 hxg4 38.hxg4 Rb8 39.Kg3 Rd6 40.Rf4 Rf8 41.Rb7 Rd1 42.Rc4 Rg1+ 43.Kf4 Rd1 44.Rcc7 Rd3 45.Kg3 Rd4 46.Re7 Rd6 47.Rb6 Rfd8 48.Rxd6 Rxd6 49.Rb7 g5 50.Rb6 Rd4 51.Kf2 Rc4 52.Ke3 f6 53.b5 axb5 54.Rxb5 Rf4 55.Rf5+- 34.bxa5 Kg7 35.Ra4 Ra6 36.Ke3 Rb3+ 37.Kd4 Rb2 38.Kc5 Rxg2 39.Kb5 Rf6 40.a6 Rg5+ 41.Kc4 Rgf5 42.Re7 Rc6+ 43.Kd4 Rc8 44.a7 Kf6 45.Re4 Ra8 46.Ra6+ Kg7 47.Ke3 Rb5 48.Re7 Rb1 49.Rc7 h4 50.Kf4 Re1 51.Ra5 Rb1 52.Rd7 Kf6 53.Ra6+ Kg7 54.Ra4 Kf6 55.Rb4 g5+ 56.Ke3 Re1+ 57.Kf2 Ree8 58.Rbb7 Rf8 59.Rb6+ Ke5 60.Rdb7 Rfc8 61.Rxf7 Kd4 62.Rd7+ Kc4 63.Rbb7 Kc5 64.Rbc7++- 30.b5 d4 31.Ke1 Rd8 32.Ra7 32.Rb7 is very strong as well. 32...Rd5 33.Rec7 Rg5 34.Kf2 Re5 35.Rxa5 Re3 36.Bc2 Nd5 37.Rc4 Rfe6 37...d3 38.Bd1 Rfe6 39.Ra8+ Kg7 40.Rd8 R3e5 41.f4 Rf6 42.Bf3 Nxf4 43.b6 Rb5 44.Ke3 Rbxb6 45.Rxf4 Rxf4 46.Kxf4 Rb3 47.Rd7 Rxa3 48.Ke3 d2+ 49.Kxd2 Ra2+ 50.Ke3 Ra3++- 38.Be4 Nc3 39.Rxd4 Re2+ 40.Kg3 Rb2 41.Bd3 Kg7 42.Rb4 Rxb4 43.axb4 Rd6 44.Bf1 Rd4 45.Ra3 Nb1 46.Ra6 Rxb4 47.Rc6 Nd2 48.Be2 Nb1 49.h4 Nd2 50.Rc7 Kf6 51.Rc2 Nb1 52.Rc4 Rb2 53.Bd3 Kg7 54.Rc6 Rb4 55.b6 55.Kf2 Wins as well - the king is going to support his pawn. Nd2 56.Rc7 Nb3 57.Bc4 Kh6 58.Ke3 Na5 59.Bd3 Kg7 60.Kd2 Rb3 61.Kc2 Kf6 62.Bc4 Rb4 63.Kc3 Rb1 64.Rxf7+ Ke5 65.Bd3 Rb3+ 66.Kc2 Ra3 67.Rd7 Kf4 68.Rg7 Ke3 69.Rxg6+- 55...Nd2 56.Ba6 56.Rc2 Nb1 57.Rc1 Nd2 58.Rd1 Nxf3 59.gxf3 Rxb6 White is winning. 60.Be4 Rb5 61.Rd7 Kf8 62.f4 Rb3+ 63.Kf2 Rb4 64.Ke3 Rb6 65.Bd3 Ke8 66.Rc7 Re6+ 67.Kf3 Rb6 68.Ra7 Kf8 69.Bc4 Rf6 70.Rd7 Ke8 70...Rf5 71.Ke3 Kg7 72.Bd3 Ra5 73.Rc7 Kf8 74.f5 gxf5 75.Kf4 Ra2 76.Bc2 Ra1 77.Kg5 Rg1+ 78.Kf6 Rg6+ 79.Kxf5 Kg7 80.Bd1 Ra6 81.Bxh5+- 71.Bb5 Kf8 72.Bd3 Kg7 73.f5 gxf5 74.Kf4 Kg6 75.Rd5 Kg7 76.Bxf5 Ra6 77.Kg5 Ra1 78.Kxh5 Rg1+- 56...Nb3 57.b7 Na5 58.Rc7 Kf6 59.Kf2 Rb3 60.Ke2 Ke6 61.Kd2 Rb6 62.Ke3 Rb4 63.Kd3 Rb6 64.Kd2 f5 65.Ke3 Rb3+ 66.Kf4 Kf6 67.Rd7 Rb4+ 68.Ke3 Ke5 69.Re7+ Kd6 70.Rg7 Ke5 71.Rxg6 Nxb7 72.Rg5 Rb3+ 73.Kf2 Rb2+ 74.Kg3 Nd6 75.Rxh5+- 25...a5 26.bxa5 Kasparov (1). 25...Re8 is no better: 26.Rxe8+ Kxe8 27.Ra7 Nb8 28.a4 Kasparov is right: White is winning. A possible line is: 28.b5 axb5 29.Bxb5+ is a line suggested by Stean. Source Kasparov (1). 28...d4 29.Kf1 Kd8 30.Rxf7 Nc6 31.Rb7 h5 32.Ke2 h4 33.Bxa6 Rg6 34.Kf2 h3 35.g3 Ne7 36.Bb5 Rd6 37.Ke2 Nd5 38.Rxg7 Nxb4 39.Kd2 d3 40.Rg8+ Ke7 41.Rg4 Nc2 42.Re4+ Kf6 43.Bxd3+- 26.Kf2 h5
26...Re8 27.Rxe8+ Kxe8 28.Ra7 Rb6 29.a3 Nb8 30.Ke3+- "is hopeless for Black", Burgess (Source: Kasparov (1)) Botvinnik suggested "creating counterplay" by 26...Rb8 27.a3 a5 27...Rbb6 28.Ra7 However, this isn't the best. Black can survive: In fact Kasparov's move is a mistake which allows Black to equalise. Stronger is 28.Ke1 after which White should win. Let's see a possible line: Rbc6 29.Rxc6 Rxc6 30.Rc2 Re6+ 31.Kd2 Ne5 32.Rc5 d4 33.Ra5 Nxd3 34.Kxd3 Ke8 35.Kxd4 Kd7 36.g4! Kc7 37.h4 Kb6 38.Re5 Rf6 39.Ke3 h6 40.Ke4 Kc6 41.f4 Kd7 42.Rd5+ Ke7 43.a4 Rc6 44.Rc5 Rb6 45.b5 axb5 46.axb5 Kd7 47.Kd4 Rf6 48.f5 Rb6 49.Rd5+ Kc7 50.Kc5+- 28...Rbc6 29.Bc2 Rc3 30.Ba4 Nb6 31.Be8 Re6 32.Bxf7 Rxe2+ 33.Kxe2 Rxa3 34.Rb7 g5 35.Be6 Nc4 36.Bxd5 Ne3 37.Be4 Nxg2 38.Bxh7 Ra2+ 39.Kd3 Ne1+ 40.Ke4 Re2+ 41.Kf5 Nxf3 42.Kf6 Nxh2 43.Bf5 Nf1 44.Rh7 Rh2 45.Rf7+ Ke8 46.Re7+ Kf8 47.Re6 Ng3 48.Rxa6 Re2 49.Bd3 Rf2+ 50.Ke6 g4= 27...Ra8 is another attempt but Black is still lost: 28.h4 a5 29.b5 Rd8 30.Ke3 Re6+ 31.Kd4 Rf6 32.Bc2 Rf4+ 33.Kxd5 Nb6+ 34.Kc5 Na8 35.Rc6 Rxh4 36.b6 Rh5+ 37.Kc4 Rb8 38.b7 Rxb7 39.Rc8+ Kg7 40.Rxa8+- Sullivan 28.b5 28.bxa5 (Burges, source 1). Rb3 29.Rd2 Rxa3 Similar lines arise after 29...Ne5 30.Be2 Rxa3 31.a6 d4 32.f4 Rc6 33.Rb7 Rf6 34.Rxd4 h5 35.Ke1 Nc6 36.Re4 Ra1+ 37.Kf2! 37.Kd2 is a mistake which leads to draw: Rd6+ 38.Kc2 f5! leads to draw: 38...Nd4+? is a mistake which loses: 39.Kb2 Nxe2 40.Kxa1 Rxa6+ 41.Kb2 Ra2+ 42.Kxa2 Nc3+ 43.Kb2 Nxe4 44.Kc2 Nf2 45.h3 Ne4 46.Ra7 Ng3 47.Kd3 Kg8+- This position is theoretically winning. 38...Nd8? loses as well 39.Rb8 Kg7 40.Kb2 Ra5 41.Re5 Ra4 42.Bb5 Ra5 43.Bc4 Ra4 44.Rd5 Rxd5 45.Bxd5 Rxa6 46.Rxd8 Rf6 47.g3 g5 48.fxg5 Rf2+ 49.Kc3 Rxh2 50.Be4 Re2 51.Kd3 Re1 52.Rb8 Rg1 53.Ke3 Rxg3+ 54.Kf4 Rg4+ 55.Kf5 Rg1 56.Rb1 Rg4 57.Rh1 Rg3 58.Rxh5+- 39.Re3 Nd4+ 40.Kb2 Nxe2 41.Kxa1 Rxa6+ 42.Kb1 Nxf4 43.Rc3 Re6 44.Rcc7 Nd5 45.Rf7+ Ke8 46.Rg7 Ne7 46...Kf8 also leads to a draw. 47.Kc2 Re2+ 48.Kd1 Re6= we have a fortress. 37...Ra2 38.Kg3 Kg7 39.h3 39.h4? is a mistake which leads to a draw: Nd8 40.Rbb4 Rxe2 41.Rxe2 Rxa6
This position is a draw. 39...Ra1 40.Bb5 Nd8 41.Rbe7 Ra3+ 42.Kh2 Ra5 43.a7 43.R4e5 also wins: Raxa6 43...Ra1 44.Rd7 Nc6 45.Red5 Nb8 46.R7d6 Rxf4 47.Rb6 Nxa6 48.Bxa6 Rf6 49.Rxf6 Kxf6 50.Bd3+- 44.Bxa6 Nc6 45.Bd3 Nxe7 46.Rxe7 Rxf4+- This position is lost. 43...Nc6 44.Ra4 Rxa4 45.Bxa4 Nxa7 46.Rxa7 Rxf4 47.Kg3+- White is winning. 30.a6 Ne5 31.Be2 "the counterplay comes to an end." Kasparov (1). Let's continue: d4 32.f4 Nd7 32...Rc6 Doesn't help. 33.Rb7 Rf6 34.Rxd4 h5 35.h3 Nc6 36.Re4 Ra2 37.Kg3 Kg7 38.Bb5 Nd8 39.Rbe7 Ra3+ 40.Kh2 Ra5 41.a7 Nc6 42.Ra4 Rxa7 43.Rexa7 Nxa7 44.Rxa7 Rxf4 The position is winning - see explanation at the end of this line. 33.a7 Nb6 34.Bf3 Kg7 35.Rb7 Nc8 36.Rc2 Nxa7 37.Rcc7 Rf6 38.Rxa7 Rxa7 39.Rxa7 Rxf4 40.Kg3 Rf5 41.Rd7 Kf6 42.h3 d3 43.Bd5 Kg7 44.Be4 Rf1 45.Rxd3 Rf6 46.Bf3 Kf8 47.Rd8+ Kg7 48.Rd7 h6 49.Bd5 Rf5 50.Bc4 Rg5+ 51.Kf3 Rf5+ 52.Ke3 h5
This position is winning as the model game Jedynak-Rosko, 2011, has shown. White pushes his pawn to g5, then goes to e4 with his king to sacrifice a piece on f7 which leads to a winning pawn endgame. 28...a4 Botvinnik, source: Kasparov (1). 28...Rd8 also loses as Sullivan has shown: 29.Ke3 Re6+ 30.Kd2 Ke7 30...Rf6 31.Ra7 Nc5 32.Ree7 Rb8 33.Bf1 Kg7 34.Rec7 Ne6 35.Rcb7 Rc8 36.Rd7 Nd4 37.Rac7 Rxc7 38.Rxc7 Rb6 39.a4 Rb8 40.Kc3 Ne6 41.Ra7 d4+ 42.Kb2 Nc5 43.Rxa5 d3 44.Kc3 d2 45.Be2 Rc8 46.Ra7 Nxa4+ 47.Kxd2 Nb6 48.g3 g5 49.Rb7 Nd5 50.Bd3 Nf6 51.Ra7 Nd5 52.Rd7 Nf6 53.Rd4 Rb8 54.Kc3 Ne8 55.Kb4 h5 56.Rd5 g4 57.Rxh5 gxf3 58.Rf5 Nd6 59.Rxf3+- 30...Rd6 31.Ra7 Nc5 32.Ree7 Nd7 33.Re3 Nc5 34.Bc2 d4 35.Re1 a4 36.Bxa4 Rb6 37.Rb1 Rdb8 38.Ra5 Nxa4 39.Rxa4 Rxb5 40.Rab4 Rxb4 41.Rxb4 Ra8 42.a4 Ra5 43.Kd3 Ke7 44.Rxd4 Rc5 45.Rc4 Ra5 46.Kc3 Kd6 47.Kb4 Ra7 48.a5 Rb7+ 49.Ka3 Rb1 50.g3 Or 50.Ra4 Ra1+ 50...Kc7 51.a6 51.Kb3 Rb1+ 52.Kc3 Rc1+ 53.Kd4 Rc7 54.a6 Ra7 55.Ra1+- ZP 50...Rf1 51.f4 Ra1+ 52.Kb4 Kd5 53.Rc7 Ke6 54.Rc3 Kd5 55.Ra3 Rb1+ 56.Rb3 Re1 57.Kb5 Re8 58.a6 Ra8 59.Ka5 h6 60.Rb7 Ke6 61.a7+- 31.Ra7 Kd6 32.Rxa5 Nc5 33.Ra7 Rf6 34.Ree7 Rb8 35.a4 Rf4 36.Rec7 Rxa4 37.Rc6+ Ke5 38.b6 Rxb6 39.f4+ Kd4 40.Rxb6 Ne4+ 41.Bxe4 Rxa7 42.Bb1+- 28...Kg7 29.Ke3 a4 Transposes to the main line. 29.Ke3 Kg7 30.Rec2 30.Kd2 seems strong as well. ZP 30...Ne5 31.Rb2 Rdb6 32.Rc5 Re6 33.Kd2 Rbe8 34.b6 Nd7 35.Rcb5 Rb8 36.b7 Re7 37.Rxd5 Nf6 38.Rdb5 Rd7 39.R2b4 39.R5b4 h6 40.Rxa4 Rbxb7 41.Rxb7 Rxb7 42.Rd4 Rb2+ 43.Bc2 Rb5 44.a4 Rg5 45.g3 Rh5 46.Rh4 Rd5+ 47.Kc3 Re5 48.Rc4 Re3+ 49.Kb4 Rxf3 50.a5 Re3 51.a6 Re6 52.Kb5 Re5+ 53.Rc5 Re8 54.Bd3 Re7 55.Rc8 Re5+ 56.Ka4 Re7 57.Ka5 Ng4 58.Kb6 Re3 59.Bc4 Ra3 60.Rc7 Ne5 61.Bd5 Kf6 62.a7 Ra1 63.Kc5 h5 64.a8Q Rxa8 65.Bxa8+- 39...Kf8 40.Rxa4 Rdxb7 41.Rxb7 Rxb7 42.Rd4 Ke7 43.a4 Rb2+ 44.Bc2 Nd7 45.Kc3 Rb8 46.a5 h5 47.Ra4 Rc8+ 48.Kd2 Ra8 49.Ra3 h4 50.Ke3 Kf6 51.a6 Ra7 52.Bd3 Ne5 53.h3 Nd7 54.Ra5 Kg7 55.Kf4 f6 56.Bb5 Nb6 57.Ra3 Nd5+ 58.Kg4 g5 59.Kf5 Nf4 60.Bc4 Rc7 61.Bf1 Rc5+ 62.Ke4 f5+ 63.Ke3 Re5+ 64.Kd4 Kf6 65.a7 Rd5+ 66.Kc4 Rd8 67.a8Q Rxa8 68.Rxa8+- 26...h6 does not help as Charles Sullivan has shown: 27.a4 Rb8 28.b5 a5 29.Ra7 Nc5 30.Bc2 Rbd8 31.Rxa5 d4 32.Bd1 d3 33.Re5 Ne6 34.Ra6 Rd4 35.Re4 R4d5 36.Rc6 d2 37.Rec4 Kg7 38.h4 Re5 39.Re4 Red5 40.b6 Rb8 41.Rb4 Nc5 42.Rb1 Nd3+ 43.Kg3 g5 44.Rc7 gxh4+ 45.Kxh4 Nf4 46.Kg3 Ne6 47.Rc3 Nd8 48.Kf2 Nb7 49.Rc7 Rd4 50.Ke3 Rdd8 51.Rb5 Kg8 52.Kf2 Rd6 53.a5 Nxa5 54.b7 Nc6 55.Rb6 Kg7 56.Rcxc6 Rxc6 57.Rxc6 Rxb7 58.Rd6+- Sullivan 27.f4?
This is a mistake. It is interesting that none of the annotators mentioned that. Better is 27.a4 Rb8 28.b5 a5 29.Ra7 d4 29...Nc5 30.Bc2 Rbd8 31.Rxa5 d4 32.Bd1 d3 33.Re5 Nd7 34.Re4 34.Re3 wins as well: Rc8 35.Ke1 Rd5 35...d2+ 36.Ke2 Nc5 37.g3 Ne6 38.Rd3 Nd4+ 39.Kxd2 Rcd8 40.Kc1 Nxb5 41.Rxd6 Nxd6 42.Rc5 White is winning. A possible line is: Nb7 43.Rc7 Nd6 44.Bb3 Ra8 45.Kb2 Ke8 46.Kc3 Kd8 47.Rc5 Nb7 48.Rd5+ Ke7 49.Kb4 Nd8 50.Bc4 Rb8+ 51.Rb5 Rc8 52.a5 Nc6+ 53.Kc3 Kd6 54.a6 h4 55.gxh4 Re8 56.Kd2 Ra8 57.Rd5+ Ke7 58.Ke3 Nb4 59.Ra5 Ra7 60.Ra4 Nc6 61.Bb5 Nb8 62.Kf4 Kf6 63.h5 gxh5 64.h4 Kg6 65.Bd3+ Kg7 66.Ra5 Nc6 67.Rb5 Nd8 68.Rxh5 Rd7 69.Be4 Ne6+ 70.Kg3 Ra7 71.Bd3 Nc7 72.Ra5 Kf6 73.Kg4 Ne6 74.h5 Kg7 75.Rd5 Re7 76.Bf5+- 36.Kd2 Ne5 37.Bb3 Rc2+ 38.Bxc2 Nc4+ 39.Ke1 dxc2 40.Ra8+ Kg7 41.Rc3 Rd1+ 42.Kf2 c1Q 43.Rxc1 Rxc1 44.Rc8 Rc2+ 45.Ke1 Kf6 46.b6 Rb2 47.Rxc4 Rxb6 48.Kd2+- 34...Rc8 35.Ra6 Rxa6 36.bxa6 Ra8 37.Rd4 Nc5 37...Ke7 38.Rxd3 Rxa6 39.Be2 Ra7 40.Re3+ Kf6 41.Bb5 Nb6 42.Ra3 Ra5 43.Ke3 Ke5 44.f4+ Kd6 44...Kf5 45.Kd4 f6 46.Kc5 Nc8 47.Rd3 Kxf4 48.Rd8 Ne7 49.Re8 Nf5 50.Re6 Ne3 51.Rxf6+ Kg5 52.Rf3 Ng4 53.h3 Ne5 54.Re3 Kf6 55.Kd4 Nf7 56.Kd5 Ra7 57.Re8 Nh6 58.Re6+ Kf7 59.Be8+ Kf8 60.Kc5 Nf5 61.Kb6 Ra8 62.Bc6 Rb8+ 63.Bb7 Kf7 64.Re2 Rd8 65.a5 Rd1 66.a6 Rb1+ 67.Kc7 Nd4 68.Ra2 Nb5+ 69.Kc6 Kf6 70.Ra5 Nd4+ 71.Kc7 Rc1+ 72.Kd7 Rb1 73.Bd5 Re1 74.Kc7 Re7+ 75.Kb6 Nf5 76.Rc5 Nd6 77.Bb7 h4 78.Rc6 Ke5 79.Rxd6 Kxd6 80.a7+- 45.Kf3 Ke6 46.h3 Nc8 47.Re3+ Kf6 48.Rc3 Ne7 49.Rd3 Ke6 50.Bd7+ Kf6 51.Rd6+ Kg7 52.Bb5 Ra8 53.Rd7 Kf8 54.Ke4 Rc8 55.g3 Rc5 56.Kd4 Rc1 57.Ke5 Rg1 58.Kd6 Ng8 59.Bc4 Rd1+ 60.Bd5 Nh6 61.Kc5 Ke8 62.Rb7 Rc1+ 63.Kb6 Rb1+ 64.Ka6 Rd1 65.Bb3 Rd3 66.a5 Kf8 67.Rb4 Rc3 68.Kb5 Nf5 69.a6 Nd6+ 70.Ka4 Rc1 71.Rb8+ Ke7 72.Ka5 Ra1+ 73.Ba4 Nc4+ 74.Kb4 Nb2 75.Bb5 Ke6 76.Rd8 Kf6 77.Rd7 Nd1 78.Bc4 Kg7 79.Rxf7+ Kh8 80.h4+- 38.Rc4 Nxa6 39.Ke3 Rd8 40.g3 g5 40...Rb8 41.Kxd3 Ke7 42.Kc3 Rb1 43.Bb3 Ra1 44.Kb2 Rh1 45.Rc2 g5 46.Re2+ Kf6 47.Bc4 Nc5 48.a5 h4 49.Rd2 h3 50.Kc3 Ra1 51.Ra2 Rh1 52.Kd4 Nd7 53.a6 Nb8 54.g4 Nxa6 55.Rxa6++- 41.Rd4 Rb8 42.Rxd3 Rb1 43.Rd2 Ke7 44.Be2 Nc7 45.Ra2 Nd5+ 46.Kd4 Nb4 47.Rd2 Rc1 48.Bb5 Kd6 49.f4 gxf4 50.Ke4+ Ke6 51.Kxf4 Nd5+ 52.Kg5 Rc5 53.Re2+ Kd6 54.Rf2 Ne3+ 55.Kh4 Nf5+ 56.Kxh5 Nxg3+ 57.Kg4 Ne4 58.Rxf7+- 30.Rd2 Nc5 31.Bc4 Nb7 32.Ke2 Rd7 33.Kd1 h4 33...Rc8 34.Bd3 Nc5 35.Rxa5 Rb8 36.Kc2 Re7 37.Be4 f5 38.Bd5 d3+ 39.Kc3 Rc8 40.Bc6 Re3 41.Ra7 Rd8 42.h4 42.b6 Re6 43.Bb5 Rxb6 44.Rc7 Na6 45.Rh7 Kg8 46.Rd7 Rxd7 47.Bxd7 Nc7 48.Kxd3 Kg7 49.Kc4 Rb1 50.Kc5 Na6+ 51.Kd6 Rc1 52.Rb2 Rd1+ 53.Kc6 Rc1+ 54.Kb6 Nc5 55.Bc6+- 42...Re5 43.b6 Re6 44.Bb5 Rxb6 45.Rc7 Ne6 46.Rh7 Kg8 47.Rd7 Rxd7 48.Bxd7 Nc7 49.Kxd3 Rb1 50.Kd4 Kf7 51.Kc5 Na6+ 52.Kd6 Rc1 53.Bb5 Nc5 54.Bc6 Kf6 55.a5 g5 56.Rd5 Na6 57.Bd7 gxh4 58.Rxf5+ Kg6 59.Rb5 Kf6 60.Bh3 Rc7 61.Rxh5 Rc2 62.Rxh4+- 34.Bd3 Ke7 35.Re2+ Kd8 36.Re4 Nc5 37.Rxd7+ Kxd7 38.Rxd4+ Ke7 39.Bc2 Rh8 40.Ke2 Rh5 41.Ke3 Rh8 42.Be4 Nd7 43.Rc4 f5 44.Bc2 h3 45.g3 Re8 46.Rc6 Kf8+ 47.Kf2 Rd8 48.Rc7 Nb6 49.Ke2 Rd4 50.Rc6 Nxa4 51.b6 Ke7 52.b7 Rb4 53.Bxa4 Rxb7 54.Bc2+- 27...h4? And now Petrosian makes a mistake. Kasparov thinks that 27...Rb8 28.a3 Rbb6 "would perhaps have been more tenacious". Kasparov (1). Black's last move is a mistake which loses. Better is 28...Nb6! after which Black has great chances to survive. A possible line is 29.Rd2 Rf6 30.g3 Nc4 31.Bxc4 dxc4 32.Rxc4 a5 33.Rb2 axb4 34.axb4 Rd6 35.b5 Rb7 36.Rc5 Kg7 37.Ke3 Re7+ 38.Kf3 Rb7 the position is even. 29.g3 White has a clear advantage and should win: d4 30.Rc8+ Kg7 31.Re7 Kf6 32.Ree8 Kg7 33.Rg8+ Kh7 33...Kh6 34.Rc7 Rbc6 35.Rgc8 Rxc7 36.Rxc7 Nf6 37.Rxf7 Ng4+ 38.Kg2 Ne3+ 39.Kg1 Rc6 40.Rd7 Rc3 41.Rxd4 Rxa3 42.Rd6 Kg7 43.Bxg6 h4 44.Kf2 Nc4 45.Re6 Ra2+ 46.Kf3 Rxh2 47.Bd3 Nd2+ 48.Kg4 hxg3 49.Kxg3 Rh8 50.Bxa6+- 34.Rgd8 Kg7 35.Ke2 Nf6 36.Rxd6 Rxd6 37.h4 Re6+ 37...Ng4 38.a4 Rb6 39.b5 axb5 40.axb5 Rb7 41.Rd8 Ra7 42.Rxd4 Ra2+ 43.Kd1 Nf2+ 44.Kc1 Nh1 45.Rd6 Ra1+ 46.Kd2 Ra7 47.b6 Re7 48.Kc3 Nxg3 49.Kb4 Nh1 50.Kb5 Nf2 51.Kc6 Re8 52.b7 Rb8 53.Bc4+- 38.Kd2 Ng4 39.a4 Nf2 40.Rc4 Nh1 41.Rxd4 Nxg3 42.a5 Kf6 42...Kf8 43.Rd8+ Ke7 44.Ra8 Ne4+ 45.Kc2 Rc6+ 46.Kb2 Rf6 47.Rxa6 Rxf4 48.Rb6 Rf2+ 49.Kb3 Rf3 50.Kc4 Nf2 51.Bc2 g5 52.hxg5 h4 53.Kb5 h3 54.Rh6 Rc3 55.Bf5 Rg3 56.Kb6 Rxg5 57.Bxh3 Rg3 58.Bf5+- 43.Rd7 Ne4+ 44.Kc2 Rc6+ 45.Kb2 Nf2 46.Be2 Ne4 47.Ra7 Kf5 48.Bxa6 Nd6 49.b5 Rc5 50.b6 Kxf4 51.Be2 g5 52.Rxf7+ Ke5 53.Rg7 gxh4 54.Rg5+ Kd4 55.Rg6 Nb7 56.a6 Rc8 57.a7 Nc5 58.Ka3 Ra8 59.Kb4 h3 60.Rh6 Rc8 61.Rxh5+- The best defense is 27...Nb6! after which Black can equalise. This move was suggested by many annotators (sources 1, 3, 7, 9) but all of them thought that this way only a more stubborn defense for Black, and no one thought that Black could draw with this move. A possible line is: 28.Rec2 28.Ree7 Rf6 Polugaevsky. Source (1). Marin (8) explains: "this would not have changed the fundamental nature of the position. " Black can equalise 29.g3 Nc4 Very interesting is 29...Rd8 Kasparov (1) 30.Bxa6 30.Re5 is Lakdavala's suggestion, "with nagging pressure for White, yet no clear win in sight." (9). In fact after Nc4 there's no win: 30...Rc8 is Lakdavala's suggestion, which is a mistake in fact: 31.Rxc8+ Nxc8 32.a4 "White's passed a-pawn means that Black will be hard pressed to hold the game, although this may be his best shot at saving the game." (9). After easy 32.Rxd5 White wins ZP. 31.Re2 h4 32.a4 Kg7 33.Kg2 a5 34.bxa5 Nxa5 35.Rd2 Nb3 36.Rb2 Na5 37.Ra2 Rb6 38.Bb5 Nc4 39.Rc5 Ra8 40.Bxc4 dxc4 41.Rxc4 hxg3 42.hxg3 Ra5 43.Re4 Rba6= 30...Na8! Kasparov 30.Re2 Rb6 31.Bxc4 dxc4 32.Rb2 Rd6 32...Rd8 also leads to an even position: 33.Rxc4 Rd5 34.a4 Kg7 35.b5 axb5 36.Rcb4 Rd1 37.axb5 Rd5 33.Rxc4 Rad8 34.Rcc2 Rd4 35.a3 R8d6 36.Re2 Rd3 37.a4 R3d4 38.a5 R6d5 39.Kf3 Rb5 40.Re4 Rd3+ 41.Re3 Rd4 42.Reb3 Kg7 43.Ke3 Rd8 44.Kf2 Rd4 45.Kf3 Rd8 The position is even, White cannot improve his position. 28...Nc4! 29.Bxc4 dxc4 30.R7xc4 Rd1! and Black's counterplay is good enough to draw. 30...Kg7 leads to draw as well. 31.a4 Rad8 32.Rb2 h4 33.Ke3 f5 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5 h3 36.g3 Re6+ 37.Kf2 Rd1 38.Rcc2 Rb6 39.Re2 Kh6 40.Re3 Rd5 41.Re5 Rd1 42.Ke2 Rd7 43.Rb3 Rd4= 31.Rb2 Rad8 32.a4 R8d6 33.Ke2 33.Kf3 Rf1+ 34.Kg3 Kg7 35.h4 Rd3+ 36.Kh2 Rd6 37.b5 axb5 38.axb5 Rb6 39.Rb3 Rf2 40.Kg3 Rf1 41.Rc7 Rd1 42.Rc5 Rf1 43.f5 gxf5 44.Rf3 f4+ 45.Kxf4 Rb1 46.Rxh5 R6xb5 47.Rg3+ Kf6 48.Rxb5 Rxb5= 33...R1d5 34.Re4 h4 35.b5 axb5 36.axb5 Rb6 37.Re5 Rd4 38.Ke3 Rd1 39.g4 hxg3 40.hxg3 f5 41.Ke2 Rd4 42.Rb3 Kf7 43.Ke3 Rd1 44.Kf2 Rd4 45.Ke2 Kf6 46.Rb1 Rb7 47.Ke3 Rbd7 48.b6 Rd3+ 49.Kf2 Rb7 50.Rb2 Rd6 51.Reb5 Rd3 52.R5b3 Rd1 53.Ke2 Rd6 54.Rb5 Re6+ 55.Kf3 Rc6 White cannot improve his position. 28.Kf3? 28.Rec2 is a stronger move which wins the game: Re8 28...Rb8 29.Rc8+ Kg7 30.Rxb8 Nxb8 31.b5 axb5 32.Bxb5 d4 33.a4 Nd7 34.Ke2 Rd5 35.Kd3 Nc5+ 36.Kc4 Rh5 37.Kxd4 Ne6+ 38.Ke3 Kf6 39.Ra2 Rc5 40.Bd3 Ra5 41.Bc4 Kf5 42.Bb5 Kf6 43.Ke4 Ke7 44.Ke5 Nc5 45.Kd4 Ne6+ 46.Kc4 Nxf4 47.Rd2 h3 48.g3 Ne6 49.Rd7+ Kf8 50.Kb4 Ra8 51.a5 Rc8 52.a6 Nc5 53.Rd2 Nxa6+ 54.Bxa6 Rc1 55.Bc4 f5 56.Kc5 Kg7 57.Rf2 Kf6 58.Kd4 Rd1+ 59.Ke3 Re1+ 60.Be2 Ra1 61.Bf1 Ra3+ 62.Kd4 Ra4+ 63.Kd5 Ra5+ 64.Kd6 Re5 65.Re2 Ra5 66.Bxh3+- 29.R2c6 Rf6 30.g3 Rxc6 31.Rxc6 Rb8 32.a3 a5 33.b5 hxg3+ 34.hxg3 d4 35.Rc4 Ke7 36.Rxd4 Nb6 36...f5 37.Be2 Nb6 38.Bf3 Rc8 39.Bc6 Rg8 40.Rd3 Rh8 41.Rd1 Rf8 42.Rd3 Rc8 43.Rc3 Rd8 44.Ke2 Rb8 45.Ke3 Na4 46.Rc4 Nb6 47.Rc5 Rc8 48.Re5+ Kf7 49.Ke2 Rd8 50.Rc5 Na4 51.Rc4 Nb6 52.Rc3 Rb8 53.Ke3 Ke6 54.Rc5 Rc8 55.Kd2 Kd6 56.Rc2 Rb8 57.Kd3 Ke7 58.Bf3 Na4 59.Re2+ Kf8 60.Bc6 Rc8 61.Re3 Rb8 62.Kc4 Rd8 63.Kb3 Nb6 64.Kc3 Rd1 65.Re8+ Kf7 66.Rb8 Na4+ 67.Kb3 Nc5+ 68.Kc4 Ne4 69.Ra8 Nd6+ 70.Kc5 Nxb5 71.Bxb5 Rg1 72.Rxa5+- 37.Be4 Rg8 37...g5 38.fxg5 Rg8 39.Bf5 Rxg5 40.g4 Rg8 41.Rd3 Rb8 42.Ke3 Rb7 43.Be4 Rb8 44.Rc3 Nd7 45.Bc6 Nb6 46.Bf3 Nd7 47.a4 Nb6 48.Rc7+ Kd6 49.Rc6+ Ke5 50.Bd1 Nd5+ 51.Kf3 Rh8 52.Kg3 Ne3 53.Bb3 Rg8 54.Bxf7 Rxg4+ 55.Kf3 Rf4+ 56.Kxe3 Rxf7 57.Ra6+- 38.g4 g5 39.fxg5 Rxg5 40.Bf5 Rg8 41.Rd3 Rb8 42.Kf3 Kf6 43.Kf4 Ke7 44.Ke3 Na4 45.Rd7+ Kf8 46.Rd4 Nb6 47.Rd3 Na4 48.Rb3 Nc5 49.Rb1 Na4 50.Kd4 Rd8+ 51.Kc4 Rb8 52.Rb3 Ke7 53.g5 Kd6 54.Kd4 Nc5 55.Rb2 Na4 56.Rb1 Rb7 57.Be4 Rb8 58.Bf3 Ke6 59.Re1+ Kd6 60.Re5 Rh8 61.Rf5 Rh4+ 62.Ke3 Rh7 63.Rf6+ Kc5 64.Kf4 Rh4+ 65.Kg3 Rh8 66.Be2 Rc8 67.Rxf7 Nc3 68.Rf5+ Kb6 69.Bf1 Ne4+ 70.Kf4 Nd6 71.Rf6 Kc5 72.g6 Rg8 73.Bd3 Rh8 74.Re6 Rh4+ 75.Kg5 Rh3 76.Be2 Rh8 77.g7+- 28...f5? "This further exposes the seventh rank and deprives Black of his last counter-chances." (Polugayevsky). Kasparov (1) evaluates this position "?!". In fact this move is a decisive mistake and loses the game. Black's best move is 28...d4! and now White has practical chances to win though the position is still a draw. 29.g4 29.Bc4 g5 30.g3 Rd8 31.a3 d3 32.Rd2 f5 33.gxh4 g4+ 34.Ke3 Re8+ 35.Kf2 Re4 36.Bxd3 Nf6 37.Rc5 Kg7 38.Rxf5 Red4 39.Ke3 Ne4 40.Rg5+ Kf8 41.Bxe4 Rxd2 42.Rxg4 Ra2 43.f5 Rxa3+ 44.Kf4 Rb3 45.h5 Rxb4 46.Kg5 Kg7 47.Rf4 Rf6 48.h6+ Rxh6 49.f6+ Rxf6 50.Rxf6 Rxe4= 29...hxg3 30.hxg3 Nb6 31.Ree7 Rf6 32.Re4 32.Ke4 Rd8 33.a3 33.Bxa6 Na8 34.Ra7 Rxa6= 33...Kg7 34.Kf3 Rdd6 35.Re5 Rd8 36.Ke2 Rh8 37.Kf3 37.Be4 Na4 38.Kd3 Nc3 39.Bf3 Rh3 40.Rg5 Nb5 41.Rc6 Rxc6 42.Bxc6 Nxa3 43.Kxd4 f6 44.Ra5 Rxg3 45.Rxa6 Nc2+ 46.Kc4 Nxb4 47.Ra7+ Kh6 48.Kxb4 Rg4 49.Kc3 Rxf4= 37...Rh2 38.Ra7 Rd2 39.Bxa6 d3 40.Re3 Nd5 41.Rxd3 Rxa6 42.Rxd2 Rxa7 43.Rxd5 Rxa3+ 44.Kg4 Rb3 45.Rd4 Kh6 46.Kh4 Kg7 47.Rc4 Rb2 48.Kg5 Rb3 49.Kg4 Kh6 50.Kh4 Kg7 51.Rd4 Rb1 52.g4 Rb3= 32...Rd8 33.a3 Na4 34.Ree7 Nb2 35.Ke2 Kg7 36.Kd2 g5 37.Re4 Rh8 38.Rxd4 gxf4 39.gxf4 Nxd3 40.Rxd3 Rh4 41.Rg3+ Kf8 42.Rc8+ Ke7 43.Re3+ Kd7 44.Ra8 Rhxf4 45.Ra7+ Kd8 46.Kc2 Rd4 47.Rc3 Rdd6 48.Kb3 Rc6= 29.Ke3 Kasparov's suggestion 29.a4 in MGP (Source 1) wins as well: Rb8 30.b5 axb5 31.Bxb5 Nf6 32.Ree7 Ne8 33.Rf7+ Kg8 34.Rb7 Rdd8 35.Rfd7 Rdc8 36.Ke3 Rxb7 37.Rxb7 Nd6 38.Rd7 Ne4 39.a5 Rc5 40.a6 Rxb5 41.a7 Ra5 42.Rd8+ Kg7 43.a8R Rxa8 44.Rxa8 Nc5 45.Rd8 Ne4 46.Rd7+ Kh6 47.Rxd5+- 29...d4+ 29...Nf6 30.Kd4 Ne4 31.Rec2 was hopeless according Polugayevsky (Source 1). According to Kasparov (1) it was more interesting to play 29...Ke7!? In fact, Black is lost: 30.Rec2 d4+ 31.Kd2 Rb6 32.R2c6 Rxc6 33.Rxc6 Rb8 34.a3 h3 35.gxh3 Rh8 36.Rxg6 Rxh3 37.Rg7+ Ke6 38.Bc4+ Kd6 39.Rg6+ Kc7 40.Rxa6 Nb6 41.Be6 Re3 42.Bxf5 Nc4+ 43.Kd1 Nd6 44.Ra5 Rf3 45.Ke2 Rxf4 46.Bd3 Rh4 47.Ra7+ Kc6 48.Rh7 Rg4 49.Kf3 Rg1 50.Kf4 Ra1 51.Ra7 Re1 52.Rg7 Ra1 53.Rg3 Kd5 54.Rg5+ Ke6 55.Rg6+ Ke7 56.Ke5 Rxa3 57.Re6+ Kf8 58.Rxd6 Rxd3 59.Rxd4+- In case of 29...h3 White wins after 30.gxh3 Ke7 31.Kf2+ Kf6 32.a4 Rb8 33.b5 a5 34.Rec2 Nf8 35.R2c6 Rxc6 36.Rxc6+ Ne6 37.h4 Ke7 38.Ke3 Rf8 39.b6 d4+ 40.Kd2 Rb8 41.h5 gxh5 42.Bxf5 Nd8 43.Rg6 Nf7 44.Re6+ Kd7 45.Re5+ Kd6 46.Rb5 Ke7 47.Kd3 Nd6 48.Rxa5 Rxb6 49.Re5+ Kd8 50.a5 Rb4 51.Bg6 h4 52.f5 Rb2 53.Kxd4 Rg2 54.a6 Ra2 55.f6 Rxa6 56.Kd5 Ra2 57.Kxd6 Ra6+ 58.Kc5 Rxf6 59.Be4 Kd7 60.Rh5 Rf2 61.Rxh4+- 30.Kd2 "Now Bc4, Kd3 and Re6 is threatened". Kasparov (1) Nb6 If 30...Kf7 31.a4 leads to a winning position According Kasparov (1) 31.Bc4+ Kf6 32.a3 wins. In fact, Black can survive: Rf8 33.Ra7 33.Re1 g5 34.fxg5+ Kxg5 35.Bd3 Nf6 36.Rg7+ Kh6 37.Rge7 Kg5 38.h3 Rc6 39.R7e6 Rc3 40.Rxa6 Nd5 41.Re5 Nf4 42.Be4 Nxh3 43.Raa5 Kf4 44.Bc2 Nf2 45.Rxf5+ Rxf5 46.Rxf5+ Kg3 47.Rd5 Rxa3 48.Rxd4 Ra6 49.Bb3 Ng4 50.Bd5 Rd6 51.Rd3+ Kf4 52.Kc3 Ne3 53.Bb7 Nd1+ 54.Kd2 Rxd3+ 55.Kxd3 Ke5= 33...Nb6 34.Bxa6 Nd5 35.Rf2 Ne3 36.Rf3 Rb8 37.Bd3 Ke6 38.Rh3 Rc8 39.a4 Rdc6 40.Rg7 Rc3 41.Rxg6+ Kd5 42.Rg7 Nc4+ 43.Ke1 Re8+ 44.Kd1 Nb2+ 45.Kd2 Nxd3 46.Rxd3 Rxd3+ 47.Kxd3 Re3+ 48.Kd2 Ra3 49.a5 Kc4 50.Rc7+ Kxb4 51.a6 Rxa6 52.Kd3 Re6 53.g3 hxg3 54.hxg3 Rd6 55.Rc4+ Kb5 56.Rxd4 Rg6 57.Rc4 Rd6+ 58.Kc3 Rd1= 31...Kf6 32.a5 Rb8 33.b5 axb5 34.a6 Rbb6 35.a7 Ra6 36.Re8 Ra2+ 37.Kc1 Rda6 38.Rxd7 Ra1+ 39.Kb2 R6a2+ 40.Kb3 Rxa7 41.Rxa7 Rxa7 42.Bxb5+- Cannot help also 30...a5 31.b5 31.bxa5 Rxa5 32.Rc8+ Kg7 33.Bc4 Kf6 34.Rce8! Nc5 35.Rf8+ Kg7 36.Rf7+ Kh6 37.Ree7 White is winning, Burgess (Source: Kasparov (1)), 31...Re8 31...Nf6 32.Ree7 32.Bc4 Ne4+ 33.Kd3 Rb8 34.g4 White is winning - Kasparov (1). 32...Rb8 33.Rg7 Ne4+ 34.Kc2 Nf6 35.Rxg6 Ne8 36.Rxd6 Nxd6 37.a4 Ke8 38.Rc5 Ke7 39.Bxf5 Rf8 40.Rc7+ Ke8 41.Bg6+ Kd8 42.Rc6 Kd7 43.g3+- 32.Rxe8+ Kxe8 33.Ra7 Nc5 34.Rxa5 Kd7 35.Ra7+ Kd8 36.Rh7 Ne4+ 37.Kc2 Nc5 38.Rxh4+- 31.Ree7 Nd5 32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rb7 Nxf4 Kasparov (1), wrongly gave 33...Nxb4 as the move played in the game. A lot of other sources also give this as the text-move, e.g. sources (2) and (4). But the Megabase and a lot of other sources give the proper move order. In case of 33...Rb6 34.Rxb6 Nxb6 34...Kxf7 35.Bc4 35.Rg7+- Kasparov (1). 33...Rb8 loses as well after 34.Ra7 Nxf4 34...Nf6 35.a3 Rbb6 36.Bc2+- Kasparov 34...Ra8 35.Rxa8+ Kxf7 36.Bc4+- 35.Bc4 35.Rh7 Ne6 36.Bc4+- Burgess Source Kasparov (1). 34.Bc4 In Fischer's opinion this was his best game in the whole match (source 7). 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Fischer,R-Petrosian,T-1–01971B42Buenos Aires (candidates match)7

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Karsten Müller is considered to be one of the greatest endgame experts in the world. His books on the endgame - among them "Fundamentals of Chess Endings", co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, that helped to improve Magnus Carlsen's endgame knowledge - and his endgame columns for the ChessCafe website and the ChessBase Magazine helped to establish and to confirm this reputation. Karsten's Fritztrainer DVDs on the endgame are bestsellers. The mathematician with a PhD lives in Hamburg, and for more than 25 years he has been scoring points for the Hamburger Schachklub (HSK) in the Bundesliga.

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Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/5/2020 10:43
malfa: Yes indeed interesting idea! The computer gives White only a very slight advantage at the end of your line after 33.Bxh7 and can probably defend, but over the board it would certainly not be easy...
malfa malfa 12/5/2020 10:27
@KM: well, 26.Rh5 may well be the best move computerwise, but over the board I would be shy of playing it, since it clearly displaces the rook, and I would prefer 26.Re6 though, as I wrote, after losing control of the 5th rank White generally speaking has less grip on the position and after 26...Nc3, when the a6 pawn still remains untouchable, Black sooner or later will play a6-a5 generating active play on the very side where he was supposed to be weaker. However in this case the position preserves more complexity for White to keep some advantage than after those sterile rook endgames we usually reach. One example line I found with the help of my comp is 27.Rc2!? (in order to later go on the 'b' file) a5 28.b5 Rb8 29.Ra6 Nxb5 30.Rb2 Rdb7 31.Rxa5 Nc3 32.Rxb7 Rxb7 33.Bxh7. Maybe nothing to write home about, and furthermore Black presumably has quieter alternatives, but at least White still has a game, doesn't he?
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/4/2020 07:51
malfa: Intersting idea! Again Black's position is not comfortable, but probably defendable. The computer wants to continue after 24.a3 Nd5 25.g3 with 25...f6, e.g. 26.Rh5 g6. How to continue then?
malfa malfa 12/4/2020 06:23
My latest try: dispense with an immediate Kf2, play at once 24.a3 Nd5 25.g3. Then Black has many reasonable defences against White's usual threats 26.Bxa6 and 26.Rc6, but again 25...a5!? might be the most challenging of all. This looks quite a theme, i.e. whenever Black has time to interfere with the knight along the 5th rank, a quick a6-a5 may well solve his problems on the queenside...
malfa malfa 12/3/2020 04:56
Accurate Soviet reports would be typically lacking whenever one of their player lost... so we'll never know many interesting things about this game, I'm afraid.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/3/2020 04:36
malfa: OK good. So basically we agree. Good question, why Petrosian did not play the ...d4 push. Over the board it was probably not easy to calculate that Black's activity always comes just in time before White can regroup...
malfa malfa 12/3/2020 03:44
Well, after 27...Nd5 the upcoming ...Ne3 looks nasty to me, so instead of 28.Kd2 I would rather play 28.g3 in order to counter 28...Ne3 with 29.Bd3. As a human, for Black I liked more 27...Rad8 in order to regroup and to let the other rook free to hassle White's kingside, until I fed 27...Nd5 to the comp and found that after all there is no hurry moving the rook from a8, since the silicon monster points to the unexpected 28...a5! (according to Petrosian's supposed plan, after all...) as a very efficient retort to my 28.g3, sigh! So if White has to play your 28.Kd2 (28,Bd3 Nf4 just repeats) then my initial enthusiasm for 27.Bf1 rather boils down, unless some double rook endgame offers anything to White after he allows the minor pieces to be exchanged on f1 :-(
Apparently there is no way to achieve my ideal setup (a3, g3, Kd2) without stepping into some tactical resource by Black, since meanwhile he always gets enough time to become dynamic. Maybe no wonder, as soon as his knight starts to play in the center, so I am more and more puzzled why Petrosian did not readily push d4: after all, apart from its tactical justification on 24.Bxa6, it looks positionally quite logical (claim a stake on the dark squares, readily make a juicy square available to the knight, push passed pawn)! Maybe was he betrayed by his sometimes overcautious style (a couple of excellent diagonals dangerously open to the white bishop, Re5 free to roam along the fifth rank)?
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/3/2020 10:27
malfa: Interesting idea! I suggest to defend with 27.Bf1!? Nd5 28.Kd2 Ne3. How to do continue with White?
malfa malfa 12/2/2020 10:02
Still not fully reconciled with the outcome ;-)
While going back to my original attempts to simply strenghten the position, I again turned my attention to the line 24.Kf2 Nd5 25.a3 Rd6 26.Ke1 Nf4 and now, instead of the 27.Be4 analyzed in depth by Sullivan, what about 27.Bf1? It defends g2, keeps a6 under threat, prepares Kd2... Here the white king seems really about to enter the fray, when the passed black pawn will go under his strict surveillance, doesn't it?
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/2/2020 04:44
malfa: I agree. Objectivly computer defense should hold the draw, but over the board against human opposition Bobby (and of course also e.g. Magnus Carlsen) would have good chances to win against human opposition...
malfa malfa 12/2/2020 04:02
@KM: Thanks, actually this is quite insipid, so from a practical point of view I would try 26.Rc5!? with much more complicated play, though by no means clearly favourable to White after both 26...Nd7 and especially 26...Re8!?
My verdict, as nearly always throughout the lines given in this article, is that then the resulting play is equal, but never a simple draw.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/1/2020 02:16
malfa: OK good. After 32.Ke3 the computer suggests 32...d2 33.Ke2 Rh6 34.Rg8 Rxh2 35.Rxg7 Ne5 and White is only symbolically better.
malfa malfa 12/1/2020 11:50
Sorry again: after 29.Rf2 Rd6 I meant first 30.Rc8+ Rxc8 31.Rxc8+ Ke7 and only now 32.Ke3.
malfa malfa 12/1/2020 11:42
@KM,
I too think that White's advantage is very tiny and is given by his free a-pawn being the hardest one to stop for a knight, so generally speaking I would change at least one pair of rooks, hopefully both, according to the intuition that then Black's king and knight alone would be unable to stop the a-pawn while at the same time keeping their d-pawn defended. If instead at least one pair of rooks is left, then Black should not have trouble setting up some blockade on the dark squares. Accordingly, I like 27.Rec5 as my computer suggests, when an immediate exchange of the a8 rook should be unavoidable, since 28.Rc7 is a big threat (but certainly not the immediate 27.Rc7?? Rxb3 and it is Black who wins!), e.g. 27...Rd4 (27...d2? 28.Rd1 Rd8 29.Rc7 Rd7 30.Rxd7 Nxd7 31.Rxd2) 28.Rc7 Nd7 29.Kf2 Rd6 (so that 30.Ke3 does not come with tempo) 30.Ke3 and now I am not sure if 30...d2 is playable, or maybe Black has better.

I also like to point out that there are funny lines following 26.Rc5!? instead of 26.Bb3: then both 26...Re8 and 26...Nd7 27.Rc7 Ne5 seem to offer Black enough tactical resources, especially a very nasty knight sacrifice on g4 if White is not careful when he brings up his king to f2. For the sake of conciseness, I leave further analysis to the students, as many professors usually say ;-)
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/1/2020 10:41
malfa: Many thanks! Interesting suggestion. The computer does not see big problems for Black, but I got the point. How do you want to continue after 24.Bxa6 d3 25.Bc4 Rd4 26.Bb3 Rxb4 ? Deeper analysis might indeed be good.
malfa malfa 12/1/2020 10:20
Sorry, I gave an incorrect move number: the line I meant is 24.Bxa6 (after 23.Rc1 d4!) 24...d3 25.Bc4 (anything better?) 25...Rd4.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 12/1/2020 09:53
malfa: Can you give the full line? 22.Nxd7+(?) Rxd7 and how to continue now?
malfa malfa 11/30/2020 10:04
One extremely late afterthought: I do not remember having discussed 23.Bxa6 in the original article, did we? Of course after 23...d3 24.Bc4 Rd4 Black gets plenty of play in exchange for the pawn and he can even regain it quickly, but has this development been explored in depth?
malfa malfa 11/30/2020 08:18
@zoranp,

many thanks for your info. What I would particularly be interested in is the distribution of thinking time along the game, and specifically the one consumed for the most critical moments, but I am afraid that neither player had the habit of recording such data, so I doubt they will ever be available, unless some commentator closely followed the game live. The final gap of time between the two players may be a sign of many a thing, like how Bobby systematically avoided delving into complications or how Petrosian was in trouble handling his defensive problems, but in absence of further data is not particularly significant in itself.
zoranp zoranp 11/30/2020 02:49
Malfa, i cannot answer on your first question, because i do not know. Second question about time is much easier: in the book "Fiser protiv Petrosjana i Spaskog", Saraevo 1972 (book is on Serbian language), on a page 31 we can read that on 34th move Fischer had 50 mins , while Petrosian had 20 mins. So, we can conclude that Petrosian wasn't in time trouble during the game.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/28/2020 06:09
malfa: Good questions. I can not answer them. More sources are needed here. Can the readers help?
malfa malfa 11/28/2020 05:32
@KM: I do agree that 22.a4 is definitely stronger than 22.Nxd7, and you know from the discussion in your previous article my opinion about the players not evaluating accurately the tactical outcome of 22...a5, which presumably was what Petrosian had planned to reply to 22.a4 in view of all his previous play starting with 20...Rea7 (BTW this I rate as already dubious, 20...Nd7 looking to me the natural way to counter that dominating Nc5). I am not sure that the analysis after Black's presumably best defence, i.e. 22...Bc8, is totally convincing, since Black's play looks rather poor, but indeed this may well be because hopelessly poor is his position with two extra pieces on the board, since with respect to the developments of 22.Nxd7 he clearly lacks manoeuvring space. Apart from this, I have a couple of further questions: 1. Do you know on what grounds did Kasparov comment that 22.a4 was the move Petrosian was hoping for? Was this statement based on some historical witness? 2. Do we have any information on the time handling by both players?
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/28/2020 05:00
Nordlandia: I will add it to the list of possible candidates for endgame riddles.
Nordlandia Nordlandia 11/28/2020 03:26
Yes. 22. Nxd7 seem to be weaker but still nevetheless strong enough to keep strong initiative. By the way, i would appreciate if a similar article could be written about a particular endgame. Not exactly as well known players but interesting enough in my opinion. Goldin vs Korzubov, Dushanbe 1980. FEN:


Maybe top GMs in combination with computer aid can give some definite conclusion about the outcome. Currently the consensus is that it is believed to end in a draw.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/28/2020 01:04
malfa: You have a point. As the claim that Fischer's 22.Nxd7+(?) is a mistake is new and matters are very deep I have mailed more analysts. Several have promised to try to find a win. So stay tuned! But one point already seems to be very clear: 22.a4! is better. Even if 22.Nxd7+(?) also wins, it would be much, much deeper. But I think that White can not win at all after 22.Nxd7+(?) against computer defense and I can not refute Zoran's analysis...
malfa malfa 11/28/2020 11:38
Still not entirely convinced by such a drastic verdict: after all, no analysis has yet demonstrated an automatic draw, so to me it would be fair to conclude that 22.Nxd7 only offers Black excellent chances to equalize, doesn't it?
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/28/2020 11:29
Zoran Petronijevic has just pointed out:
"Sarhan Guliev was sure that it is a matter of taste what move to choice. Marin is a bit different: he was sure that 22.a4 Bc6 loses..., but as a better he gave 22...Bc8 with explanation "even though White's advantage would be indisputable anyway." Strictly talking, he didn't tell that White for sure wins."
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/28/2020 09:48
Zoran Petronijevic points out that
Sarhan Guliev in "Ideja v sahmatnoj partii", Moscow 2012, page 15
and Mihail Marin in "Learn from the Legends", 3rd edition Quality Chess 2015,
already give that 22.a4 wins. So the really new point is that Fischer's 22.Nxd7+(?) only draws.
malfa malfa 11/27/2020 02:17
@Davidx1

For what it is worth, Fischer also wrote that 1.e4 is best by test, among other maximalist nonsense. And maximalism often cost him precious points. Regarding your 2500 rating, I suppose you mean at playing darts or something like that, but I do not know if they have a rating system there.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/27/2020 02:16
GM Alex Fishbein had already noted in ACM 12:
"However, in this case I am not sure this is the right plan. I found (with a lot of help, of course!)
an interesting tactical idea: 22.a4!? Bc6 Black is threatening 22...Nd7, trading the knight and
easing the tension, and Fischer didn't see a good way to play. But there is one: 23.Re2! Nd7
(23...d4 is also unlikely to save Black: 24.Rb2 Nd7 25.Rc2 Ne5 26.Bf1 and he will lose one or
both of his weak pawns) 24.Nxa6!! Rxa6 25.Bxa6 Rxa6 26.Rc1! and the back-rank mate threat
will cost Black a piece."
malfa malfa 11/27/2020 12:12
@Davidx1,

I know the game you quoted very well, like many other Fischer's games: his "60 memorable games" is the 3rd chess book I have read in my life, just shortly after th2 "Match of the Century", which prompted me to play and study the game for many years until today and, I hope, many tomorrows, so I suppose I am rather accustomed to analyze and evaluate chess positions without resorting to a computer. That said, you continue to make statements proving that you are far from being the most accountable person to suggest anybody what to study: every decent player knows that your supposingly absolute strategic superiority of bishop over knight in reality is just one positional element among many others, so for example the relative value of the two pieces in the endgame depends at least on pawn structure and on the activity of the kings. If you talk of these as "tactical and occasional aspects" you only prove your rather poor understanding of chess. At least recollect that, just to give a well-known example, there are opening systems, like the Nimzoindian defence and the French Winawer, which aim specifically at obtaining a better pawn structure, as a long-term, *strategic* advantage, at the cost of conceding the bishop pair.
malfa malfa 11/27/2020 10:11
@Davidx1,

that "the value of the Bishop over the Knight has been clarified and definitively affirmed", as every absolute generalization, is totally false, since there are way many positions where exactly the opposite is true. But even if always true it were, the discovery of such a truism would not be Fischer's merit at all: chess literature abounds of examples showing that Fischer's predecessors perfectly knew how to exploit the superiority of B over N in certain positions, as well as the reverse, as I said.
Karsten Müller Karsten Müller 11/26/2020 06:09
ICCF Grandmaster: Many thanks! Really a Python- or maybe even Petrosian-like white win.
Mr Toad Mr Toad 11/26/2020 05:56
@Davidx1 - Yes, you got it absolutely right. It's instructive and fun to second guess the old masters - but the truth is elsewhere. At the time of the match, the conditions include too many variables to claim that heavy analysis will clarify the situation that the two players faced. You want to allow computers and logic to dominate when they know nothing of the heights to which humanity is capable of reaching? Computers, at the present time, are mere tools in the service of humanity's grander vision.
ICCF Grandmaster ICCF Grandmaster 11/26/2020 05:49
My own analysis in depth confirm that White is winning after 22.a4. Yet, I like to add two points.
1) Ironically, White wins here in the style of a Python - a method that was actually typical of Petrosian and is set out in his book "Python Strategy" (Quality Chess 2015).
It is instructive and not too difficult to explicate the computer analysis in terms of human play.
Black is permanently tied to the weakness of the a6-pawn and deprived of any counterplay. This is the purpose of the a-pawn's advance to a5 and the king's march to d4. Two key moments that define the pattern. An important tactical motif is the threat Nc5-a4-b6, which limits Black‘s space and possibilities even more. Attempts by Black to relieve himself by exchanging pieces backfires.
It is only a matter of time when an overload occurs at one of the critical points a6 and d5 and White‘s rooks will penetrate into Black‘s position.
In this regard, the winning line given below (>2)seems to me slightly more conclusive than the one already presented in the above article.
2) 22... Bc6
23.Ree1 Bb7
24.a5! Bc8
25.Re5 h5
26.h4 Rb8
27.Rb1 Rba8
28.Kf2 Re7
The same position as in the article. But here I prefer 29.Re3 instead of 29.Ree1. We will see, there is no need for White to play Kg3 etc. The king will go directly to d4.
29.Re3! g6
If 29...Nd7, so 30.Rc1, and 30...Nxc5 31.Rxc5 doesn‘t improve Black‘s position, on the contrary.
30.Rbe1 Rc7
31.Re5 Rca7
Black‘s rooks shuffle around like in prison, just waiting for the sentence.
32.Ke3! Rb8
33.Rb1 Rba8
34.Kd4! Rb8
35.Rb2 Kg7
What else?!
36.Kc3 Rc7
37.Rc2 d4+
Stockfish NNUE gives this as best with 5.60 for White in dephts 52 dspite the material balance. - Despair...
38.Kb3 Rc6
39.Rc4 Rd6
40.Re7 Bd7
41.Nxd7!
Now is the time ...
41...Nxd7
42.Rc7 Rd8
43.b5! axb5
44.Bxb5 Rb8
45.Ka4 Nf8
46.Rxf7+ White is clearly winning.
Note: Strong engines are like pythons, if they have time enough to go into depth.
JoshuaVGreen JoshuaVGreen 11/26/2020 05:32
Had anyone else played 22. Nxd7+ and failed to win -- or if these lines were noticed at the time -- the annotator would have certainly written something like "Of course it was a mistake to trade the good Knight for the bad Bishop" and either a win would have been demonstrated after 22. a4 or that would have been the end of the analysis. Will this game be annotated that way going forward?
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