The Iniyan Challenge

by Frederic Friedel
4/9/2023 – Recently young grandmaster P. Iniyan visited our company and showed us a position from one of his games which should be won by White. But he needed to work very hard to do so. It was a remarkable rook ending from which there was a lot to learn. We challenged our readers to find a comprehensive solution, and received some excellent analyses. This we present you today, with Iniyan's own analysis. Don't miss the wonderfully instructive video at the end.
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This is the position Iniyan gave our readers to analyse.

 
The Iniyan Challenge
White to play and win

What are White's breakthrough possibilities, and what are Black's defensive/counterattacking chances? These are the questions Iniyan asked you to think about.

Iniyan (middle) showing his endgame position to super-talent Praggnanandhaa (right) and super-trainer RB Ramesh (left) in the ChessBase office. 

We now present the two best analyses we received. After that we will show you Iniyan's analysis, and a video of him explaining things to Pragg. The video has instructive commentary by Sagar Shah. Don't miss that!

The first prize-worths entry we received was from Zoran Petronijevic, an International Master with a rating of 2400+. By profession he is a teacher of philosophy and logic. Since 2003 he has worked as a chess coach online. A good time ago he made a DVD for ChessBase about Caro-Kann.

"Before I let an engine analyse a game, I analyse myself on the board to try to find the most important ideas," Zoran says. "We must know in which positions the engine can help us, and in which positions it is helpless (or almost helpless)."

 
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1.Rxf2+
1.Kb3 Kg6 2.Rxf2 transposes to the main line. 1...Kg6 2.Kb3! Rh8 2...Re8 3.Rd2 Re6 4.Kc2 Kh6 5.Kd3 Rg6 6.Rg2 Rg8 7.Ke4 Kg6 8.Kd5+- 3.Rh2 Rh7 3...Kf6 4.Kc2 Kg6 5.g5 Rf8 6.Rd2 Rd8 7.Kd3 Rh8 8.Rh2 Rc8 9.Rh1 Rc7 10.a4 Kh5 11.Rg1 Kg6 12.Rf1 Rh7 13.Rf6+ Kg7 14.Rxd6 Rxh4 15.Re6 Rh3+ 16.Kc2 Re3 17.Kd2 Re4 18.Kd3 Re1 19.c5 bxc5 20.Kc4 Re4+ 21.Kxc5 a5 22.c4+- 4.Rh1 Rh8 5.a3! Rh7 6.Kc2 Rc7 7.Kd3 Rf7 8.h5+! Kh6 9.Rg1! Re7 9...Rc7 10.c5‼ Rxc5 11.g5+ Kg7 12.c4 a6 13.a4 d5 14.cxd5 Rxd5+ 15.Ke4 Rd4+ 16.Kxe5 Rh4 17.Rb1 Rxh5 18.Kf5 Rh4 19.Rxb6 Rxa4 20.Rb7+ Kf8 21.Kg6+- 10.Ke4 Kg5 10...Rg7 11.c5+- 11.Rg3 Rh7 12.Kd5 Kf4 13.Rg1! e4 14.Kd4! e3 15.Kd3! Kf3 16.g5! Rxh5 17.Rf1+! Kg2 18.Rf5! Kh3 19.Kxe3 And now white wins easily. Kg4 20.Rd5 Rh3+ 21.Kd4! Kh5 22.Rxd6 Kxg5 23.Rc6 Rh4+ 24.Kd5 Kf4 25.c5 bxc5 26.Kxc5 Ke4 27.Kc4 Ke3+ 28.Kb5 Rh5+ 29.Rc5 Rh6 30.Kb4 Rh1 31.Rd5 Rb1+ 32.Kc4 Ke4 33.a4 Rh1 34.Rc5 Rh6 35.Kb4 Rh1 36.Kb5 Rh6 37.Rc6 Rh1 38.c4 Rb1+ 39.Ka6 Ra1 40.Kxa7 Rxa4+ 41.Kb6 Rb4+ 42.Kc5 Rb8 43.Rd6
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Iniyan Challenge--2023

 

The second comprehensive solution came from Kevin Cotreau.

Kevin bought his first computer, back in 1991 – specifically to run ChessBase. "I really enjoyed learning about computers", he says, "I guess you could say that ChessBase is the reason I have a career now, as it steered me into my chosen field: I have been primarily self-employed as a computer network consultant since (I am actually a lot better at computers than I ever was at chess)."

A full description of Kevin's chess endeavours can be found here. And here is his analysis of the Iniyan endgame:

 
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This is a win per the computer. Stockfish 15.1 has this as +3.76, and it is unlikely there is any kind of fortress. I think I did a good job highlighting the main lines, but more importantly, the INCREDIBLY subtle differences between the wins and drawing lines. 1.Kb3 It is important to protect c4 so as no to allow the Rc8 to become active, but it is important to do it from b3 so the white rook can swing over to d2 as necessary, and threaten d6 with check. Rh8 1...a5? 2.Rf5 And the plan of h5 and Rf6 or if Kg7, then g5, and black is lost once the rook can get to f6, attacking d6 from the side, or if the king goes to g5, then Rg6, and the pawns advance. Black always has to be on the lookout for this, and trying to defend that, and the d-pawn, and Ka4-b5, is impossible. Shereshevsky and Dvoretsky talk about two weaknesses, and black has at least three. 2.Rd2 This is better per the computer, but Rf5 seems more direct for a human. 2...Rc7 3.h5+ Kg7 3...Kh6 4.Rf6+ Kg5 5.Rg6+ Kf4 6.h6 e4 7.Rg7 Rc8 8.h7 Rh8 9.g5 e3 10.g6+- 4.g5+- And h6 and Rf6 next. 2.Rh2 Rh7 The only move to keep the Rh2 from becoming immediately murderously active. 2...Rf8 3.Rd2! Now, we see why Kb3, and not the more natural Kd3. Rf4 3...Rf6 4.g5 Re6 5.Kc2 Kh5 6.Rh2 e4 7.Kd2 e3+ 8.Kd3 Re5 9.Ke2 Re6 10.Rg2 Kg6 11.Rg3+- 4.Rxd6+ Kf7 5.Rd7+ Kg6 There is just no move that does not allow white to keep both kingside pawns. 5...Ke6 6.Rg7+- 5...Kf6 6.g5+ Kg6 7.Rd6+ Kh5 8.Rh6++- 6.h5+ Kf6 7.Rd6+ Kf7 8.g5+- 2...Kg7 3.g5 Kg6 4.Kc2 Rf8 5.Rd2 Kh5 6.Rxd6 Kxh4 7.g6 Kg5 8.g7 Rg8 9.Rd7 a5 10.Kd3 Kf6 11.Ke4+- 3.Rh1 The rook needs to be on h1 so black does not gain a tempo later. 3.Kc2 Rc7 4.Kd3?? 4.Kb3! And white can try again. 4...Rf7!= 5.h5+ Kg5 6.Ke4 Kxg4 In this variation, either the Ph5 falls too fast, or there are no mating threats that help advance the white king. 7.h6 Rf4+! 8.Kd5 Rf8 9.h7 Rh8 10.Ke6 Kg3 And this is the difference between the main line, and this incredible drawing line. 11.Rh1 e4 12.Kf6 e3 13.Kg7 Rxh7+ 14.Rxh7 e2 15.Rh1 Kf2 16.Kf6 e1Q 17.Rxe1 Kxe1 18.Ke6 Kd2 19.Kxd6 Kxc3 20.c5 bxc5 21.Kxc5 Kd3 22.a4 a5 23.Kb5 Kd4 24.Kxa5 Kc5= 3...Rh8 4.a3‼ So, we need both the rook on h1, and the pawn on a3 for incredible reasons that will become clear later. 4.Kc2 Rc8 5.Kd3?? Rf8 6.h5+ Kh6!= 7.Rg1 Kg5 8.Ke4 Rc8 9.Kd5 Rc5+ 10.Kxd6 e4! 11.Rh1 Kxg4 12.h6 Rc8 13.h7 Rh8 14.Ke6 14.c5 bxc5 15.Kxc5 e3 16.Kd4 e2 17.Ke3 Rxh7 18.Re1= 14.Kc6 e3 15.Kb7 e2 16.Rg1+ 16.Kxa7?? Rxh7+-+ 14...Kf3 15.Kf6 e3 16.Kg7 Rxh7+ 17.Rxh7 e2 18.Rh1 Kf2 19.Kf6 e1Q 20.Rxe1 Kxe1 21.Ke6 Kd2 22.c5 bxc5 23.c4 Kc3 24.Kd5 Kb4‼ And THIS incredible minor detail is the difference! 25.a3+ Kxa3 26.Kxc5 Kb3 27.Kb5 a6+= 4...Rh7 5.Kc2 Rc7 6.Kd3 Rf7 7.h5+ Kg5 7...Kh6 8.Rg1 Kg5 9.Ke4+- Rc7 10.Kd5 Rc5+ 11.Kxd6 e4 12.Rh1!+- Kxg4 13.h6 Rc8 14.h7 Rh8 15.Ke6 e3 16.Kf6 Kf3 17.Kg7 Rxh7+ 18.Rxh7 e2 19.Rh1 Kf2 20.Kf6 e1Q 21.Rxe1 Kxe1 22.Ke6 Kd2 23.c5 bxc5 24.c4 Kc3 25.Kd5 Kb3 26.Kxc5 Kxa3 27.Kb5+- 8.Ke4! Kxg4 8...Rf4+ 9.Kd5 Kxg4 10.h6 Rf8 11.h7 Rh8 12.Ke6 e4 13.Kf6 e3 14.Kg7 Rxh7+ 15.Rxh7 e2 16.Rh1 Kf3 17.Kf6+- 9.h6 Rh7 9...Rf4+ 10.Kd5 Rf8 11.h7 Rh8 12.Ke6 Is the variation above. 10.Rg1+ Kh5 11.Kf5 Rf7+ 12.Ke6 Rh7 13.Kf6! Rxh6+ 14.Kf5+- I doubt any human would find some of these subtleties over the board, but I have always talked about how chess is a game between humans, and when you are under such pressure, it is unlikely that black would be able to survive in practice even if white did not find the perfect line. 1–0
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Iniyan,P-Thomas,A-1–02023Endgame

 
There were several contributions and comments mailed to us. We have decided that Zoran Petronijevic (Serbia) and Kevin Cotreau (USA) will receive as prize a signed DVD by Karsten Müller. Zoran's analysis is short, correct and to the point; and Kevin's explains it well in human terms mainly why a3 is needed in order to win. A really subtle point. The other contributions and comments were also mostly right, but in my opinion not good enough to merit a prize. I should mention that Charles Sullivan (USA) and Wolfram Schön (Germany) had checked Iniyan's analysis in advance to make sure that the riddle has a solution, and so they could not win prizes.

And now for Iniyan's analysis of this very instructive endgame:

 
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34.Rxf2+ Kg6
The starting point of the Rook endgame. White's main ideas in this position is 1. To get black's Q-side pawns in quick order, and cut off black's King on the K-side to get a winning R + P Vs R ending, 2. Push the K-side pawns far up the board without giving either of them and try to force a pawn promotion. 3. Defend every pawn, and try to bring the King up the board on either b3-b4-b5-c6/a6 or d3-e4-d5xd6. Black's ideas are hitting the c4 pawn with Rc8, hitting the h4 pawn with Rh8, entering on the f-file with Rf8, and a sudden counterplay with e4-e3 which can be complimented by Kf6-e5. 35.Rd2? 35.h5+? Kg5= 35.g5? Kh5 35...Rxc4!? ALT 36.Rf6+ Kg7 37.h5 Rg4 38.h6+ Kh7 39.Rf7+ Kg8 40.Rg7+ Kh8= Is surprisingly still a draw! 36.Rf6 36.Rg2 Kxh4 37.g6 Kh5 38.Kd3 Rg8= 36...Kxh4= 35.Rf5? Rxc4 36.h5+ Kg7 37.g5 Ra4 38.Kb3 Rf4! Simplifies into a drawn... Queen endgame. 39.Rxf4 exf4 40.Kc4 d5+ 41.Kd3 b5 42.Ke2 a5 43.Kf3 a4! 44.Kxf4 d4 45.h6+ 45.cxd4 b4 46.d5 b3 47.axb3 axb3 48.d6 b2 49.d7 b1Q 50.d8Q Qf1+= There is no avoiding perpetual. 45...Kg6 46.cxd4 b4 47.d5 b3 48.axb3 axb3 49.d6 b2 50.d7 b1Q 51.d8Q Qf1+= 35.Kd3? Rh8! 36.Rh2 Rf8! Ke4 runs into Rf4. 37.h5+ 37.g5 Rf4 38.h5+ Kxg5 39.h6 Rf8= 37.c5 dxc5= 37...bxc5= 37...Kh6 38.Rg2 Kg5 39.Ke4 Rc8 40.Kd5 Rc5+ 41.Kxd6 e4! 42.Rg3 42.Rh2 Kxg4 43.h6 Rc8 44.h7 Rh8 45.Ke6 45.c5 Kg3 46.Rh6 bxc5 47.Kxc5 e3= 45...e3 46.Kf6 Kg3= 42...Rxc4 43.Kd5 b5= The most promising idea is to keep the d-file open for the Rook and try to penetrate on the Q-side with the King. 35.Kb3! Rh8! 36.Rh2 Rh7! Brilliant. Black says that the position is a Zugzwang. Black's just going to play Rh8 and Rh7 in this piece configuration. If white moves his King or Rook, black's gonna react accordingly. 36...Rf8 37.Rd2 Rf6 38.g5 Re6 Black's Rook is horribly placed at the moment to stop white's King march up the center. 39.Kc2 Kh5 40.Rh2 Re8 41.Kd3+- 36...e4
37.Kc2!+- We switchback with the King to get to e3 and black's position falls apart. 37.a3! Moving the pawn to a3 before trying any and all of the plans above. 37.Kb4?! Re7! 37...e4? 38.Kb3‼+- A pendulum switch. White's King is in time to come back. 38.Rd2 38.Kb5 e4 39.Kc6 e3 40.Re2 Re4 41.Kd5 Rxg4= 38...Re6 39.Re2 39.Kb3 e4 40.Kc2 e3 41.Re2 Re4= 39...e4= 37.Rh1 Rh8 38.a3 is possible, transposing into 37.a3 variation. 38.Kc2 Rc8 39.Kd3 39.Kb3 Is repetition after Rh8 39...Rf8= 38.Kb4 Rf8!= 37.Rh3 Putting the Rook on h3 to control the e3 square before advancing the King. Rh8 38.Kb4 Rf8 39.Rd3 39.Kb5 e4 40.Kc6 Rf3= 39...Rf4 40.Rxd6+ Kf7= 37.a4? Moving pawn to a4 before trying any and all plans above. Rh8 38.Kc2 38.a5 Is pointless. bxa5= 38...Rc8 39.Kd3 Rf8 Same variations as the direct Kd3 idea. There is no difference made by pawn on a4. 37...Rh8
Now we have to figure out where the Rook is best placed before taking action with our King. 38.Rh1‼ The Rook is best placed on h1 for a very deep reason. Rh7 Black has to wait. 39.Kc2! Rc7 We know black's forced to play Rook to the c-file when white plays Kc2. 40.Kd3 Rf7 Now the difference is that the White King is on d3 and Rook on h1. 41.h5+ Kh6 42.Rg1! Kg5 42...Rc7
43.c5‼ To pull black's Rook away from the control of the g7 square. 43.g5+? Kxh5 44.g6 Rg7= 43.Rf1? Kg5= 43...Rxc5 43...dxc5 44.Ke4+- 43...bxc5 44.Ke4 Kg5 45.Kd5 Rd7 46.c4 Rd8 47.Ke6+- 44.g5+ Kg7 44...Kxh5 45.g6+- 45.c4 Rc8 45...Ra5 46.h6+ Kg6 47.Rh1 Kh7 48.g6++- 46.Rh1 Rf8 47.Ke4 Rf4+ 48.Kd5 Rd4+ 49.Ke6+- White's King has penetrated the position succesfully. The combined Kind + Rook + Pawns will overwhelm the black defence. 43.Ke4 Rc7 This was black's defence against the direct white King advance without a3, so lets try it here. 43...Re7!
The best defence. Black's waiting for white to do something. 44.Rg3‼ The Rook is perfectly placed on g3 right now, so that it controls the e3 square. 44.Kd5? e4= 44...Rc7 44...Kh4 45.Rg2 Kg5 46.Kd5 Re8 47.a4! Waiting move. It's amazing how useful these pawn moves are in endgame. As a general rule, unless for concrete reasons, it is better to move the pawn one square instead of 2 in complex endgings, cause we can use the extra tempo later to force a Zugzwang. In this case, black has no waiting move and is forced to misplace his pieces. 47.Rg1? e4= 47.Rg3 Kh4 48.Rg2 Kg5 Back to the same position. 47...e4 48.Kd4 e3 49.Kd3+- 45.Kd5 Rc5+ 46.Kxd6 e4 47.Re3! Rxc4 47...Kf4 48.Re1 Rxc4 The difference with white's Rg3-e3-e1 rather than the direct way is that, black's King is on f4 instead of g5. This allows white's h-pawn to run. 49.Kd5 b5 50.a4 Rxa4 51.h6+- 48.Kd5 b5
49.a4‼ Deflecting the black Rook. Rxa4 50.Rxe4 Ra3 51.Re3! Timing is important. Kxg4 51...b4 52.Re5+ Kxg4 53.cxb4+- 52.h6 Ra6 53.Re6 Ra1 54.Kc5 Rc1 55.Re3 Rh1 56.Kxb5 Rxh6 57.c4+- This is a theoratical win with the King cut off on the other side. 44.Kd5 Rc5+ 45.Kxd6 e4 46.Rh1 Kxg4 47.h6 Rc8 48.h7 Rh8 49.Ke5 e3 50.Kf6 This is where the Rook on h1 is helpful. There is no Kg3 gaining a tempo. e2 51.Kg7 Rxh7+ 52.Kxh7 Kf3 53.Kg6 Kf2 54.Kf5 e1Q 55.Rxe1 Kxe1 56.Ke5 Kd2 57.c5! bxc5 58.c4 Kc3 59.Kd5+-
Now we see the brilliant point of white's play. The pawn on a3 prevents black from playing Kb4! Hat's off if someone figures this out! 35...Rxc4 36.Rxd6+ Kf7 37.Rd7+ Ke6! 38.Rg7 Kf6! 39.Kb3 39.Rg8 Kf7 40.Rg5 Kf6= White's Rook is locked. 39...Rf4 40.Rxa7 Rxg4 41.Rh7 41.Rb7 Rxh4 42.Rxb6+ Kf5 43.a4 e4= Black's counterplay is fast. 41...e4 42.Kc4 Kg6 42...e3+ Most forcing. 43.Kd3 Re4 44.Ke2 Rc4= The Q-side pawns are eliminated. 43.Rh8 Kg7 44.Rh5 Kg6 45.Rh8 Kg7 46.Rb8 Rxh4 47.Rxb6 Kf7 48.Kd5 e3?? 48...Rh3= 48...Rh2= 49.Re6 The King is cut off now, and the e3 pawn will fall soon. With the King cut off on the wrong side, a single pawn up is enough to win. Rh3 50.Re5 e2 51.Kd4 Rh2 52.c4 Kf6 53.Re3 Kf5 54.Kd3 e1Q 55.Rxe1 Rxa2 56.c5 Ra6 57.Kd4 Re6 58.Rf1+ Kg6 59.Kd5 To conclude, this is a a very brilliant position with lots of ideas to attack and defend for both sides. The straightforward way played in the game wasn't the best way to play, but it worked in the end due to mistakes by black. There is just one way to win this ending as far as I can see, and that requires several precise moves for white against all of black's options. The analysis of this fascinating ending was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for me, and I hope some of the brilliancies from this position brought a smile to your face. 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Iniyan,P2514Thomas,A21841–02023E60Le Touquet Open 20235

 
Special treat

In the ChessBase office Iniyan explained the intricacies of the endgame to his friend and colleague Praggnanandhaa. It is interesting to watch the latter: he often has his eyes closed, not because he is falling asleep, but because players of his calibre do most of their chess thinking in their minds. They don't really need a chessboard.

In this video Sagar Shah explains some of the most salient points

We hope you have enjoyed this instructive report. Actually we should ask you to remit 15% of the rating points you gain after reading the above to Iniyan's FIDE account, but then we don't really know how that can be done. In any case: thanks a million, Iniyan, for this wonderful lesson in rook endgames.

Editor-in-Chief emeritus of the ChessBase News page. Studied Philosophy and Linguistics at the University of Hamburg and Oxford, graduating with a thesis on speech act theory and moral language. He started a university career but switched to science journalism, producing documentaries for German TV. In 1986 he co-founded ChessBase.

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