PUBLICATION NOTE:
This article was published originally on The Chess Improver blog on 2016-10-04
I have reposted it here for reference.
"Most commentaries in chess magazines and books are superficial and sometimes just awful. Once a certain experienced master explained to me how he worked. You put two fingers to the page with text on it and see that there are only moves under them - in other words, it is time to make a comment."
Mark Dvoretsky
According to Wikipedia Mark Dvoretsky (December 9, 1947 – September 26, 2016) "... was widely regarded as the strongest IM in the world... he opted not to remain an active player and instead followed his urge to become a chess trainer...". We all know what that decision meant to the chess World and the list of top grandmasters who were his students is overwhelming. His passing away a few days ago leaves behind an unquestionable legacy in chess training. Could not miss the opportunity to remember him with my modest article about a long endgame I played online about 1 year ago.
The following game was part of an online match between Canada and Serbia in WL2015 division B, played on 221 boards, one white and one black game on each board, plus 3 days per move reflection time. My minimatch ended in a tie, while the overall match was won by Serbia 223.5 to 218.5. In my opinion the moment when things became interesting in my game of choice is after move 33. Rf3 ...
[Event "WL2015 R2: Team Canada vs Srbija Tim - Board 18"][Site "Chess.com"][Date "2015.02.15"][White "Sladjan_Dimitrijevic"][Black "EugenD"][TimeControl "1 in 3 days"][SetUp "1"][FEN "4r3/4r2k/2p2qb1/2Pp1pp1/3P4/4PR1P/3Q2B1/5RK1 b - - 1 33"][Result "0-1"] 33...f4 {It is tempting to say black's pawns are misplaced on the same color with the Bishops; however in this case the c6-d5 pawn chain blocks Bg2 (remember that pawn chains shut down Bishops). The real problem is the backwards e3-pawn. White must exchange it, allowing a simple pseudo exchange sacrifice. This will bring black material advantage. How do you see it? Well, first you concentrate on the weakness and find a way to use your strengths such as the Rook battery} 34.exf4 Re2 35.Qb4 {now the d4-pawn is backwards and white must use the Queen to protect it for as long as possible} 35...Rxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Be4 {White pieces are tied up in defence} 37.Qd2 gxf4 {the opening of the g-file leads to Kg2} 38.Kh2 Bxf3 39.Rxf3 Re4 {now the d4-pawn is doomed} 40.Qd3 Qxd4 41.Qxd4 Rxd4 {this is a won endgame; however care is still required} 42.h4 Kg6 43.Kh3 Kh5 {can't let the h-pawn advance and lure the black King away from the action} 44.Ra3 Rc4 45.Rf3 {the Rook can't leave the 3rd rank, neither let black take the c5-pawn for free} 45...Re4 46.Rf2 Re3+ 47.Kg2 Kg4 {did not want to just exchange the f4-pawn for the h4-pawn} 48.Kf1 Rh3 {Inexact! That's what happens when you feel there's an easy win in front of you} (48...f3 {This is a simple win!})
This is where the article should have ended. It does not because I chose the other move; until next time you get the chance to verify if the alternate winning move actually leads to a quick and simple win, as well as to ponder the ramifications of my decision. Hope the above annotations Dvoretsky was talking about will help you.
This article was published originally on The Chess Improver blog on 2016-10-04
I have reposted it here for reference.
"Most commentaries in chess magazines and books are superficial and sometimes just awful. Once a certain experienced master explained to me how he worked. You put two fingers to the page with text on it and see that there are only moves under them - in other words, it is time to make a comment."
Mark Dvoretsky
According to Wikipedia Mark Dvoretsky (December 9, 1947 – September 26, 2016) "... was widely regarded as the strongest IM in the world... he opted not to remain an active player and instead followed his urge to become a chess trainer...". We all know what that decision meant to the chess World and the list of top grandmasters who were his students is overwhelming. His passing away a few days ago leaves behind an unquestionable legacy in chess training. Could not miss the opportunity to remember him with my modest article about a long endgame I played online about 1 year ago.
The following game was part of an online match between Canada and Serbia in WL2015 division B, played on 221 boards, one white and one black game on each board, plus 3 days per move reflection time. My minimatch ended in a tie, while the overall match was won by Serbia 223.5 to 218.5. In my opinion the moment when things became interesting in my game of choice is after move 33. Rf3 ...
[Event "WL2015 R2: Team Canada vs Srbija Tim - Board 18"][Site "Chess.com"][Date "2015.02.15"][White "Sladjan_Dimitrijevic"][Black "EugenD"][TimeControl "1 in 3 days"][SetUp "1"][FEN "4r3/4r2k/2p2qb1/2Pp1pp1/3P4/4PR1P/3Q2B1/5RK1 b - - 1 33"][Result "0-1"] 33...f4 {It is tempting to say black's pawns are misplaced on the same color with the Bishops; however in this case the c6-d5 pawn chain blocks Bg2 (remember that pawn chains shut down Bishops). The real problem is the backwards e3-pawn. White must exchange it, allowing a simple pseudo exchange sacrifice. This will bring black material advantage. How do you see it? Well, first you concentrate on the weakness and find a way to use your strengths such as the Rook battery} 34.exf4 Re2 35.Qb4 {now the d4-pawn is backwards and white must use the Queen to protect it for as long as possible} 35...Rxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Be4 {White pieces are tied up in defence} 37.Qd2 gxf4 {the opening of the g-file leads to Kg2} 38.Kh2 Bxf3 39.Rxf3 Re4 {now the d4-pawn is doomed} 40.Qd3 Qxd4 41.Qxd4 Rxd4 {this is a won endgame; however care is still required} 42.h4 Kg6 43.Kh3 Kh5 {can't let the h-pawn advance and lure the black King away from the action} 44.Ra3 Rc4 45.Rf3 {the Rook can't leave the 3rd rank, neither let black take the c5-pawn for free} 45...Re4 46.Rf2 Re3+ 47.Kg2 Kg4 {did not want to just exchange the f4-pawn for the h4-pawn} 48.Kf1 Rh3 {Inexact! That's what happens when you feel there's an easy win in front of you} (48...f3 {This is a simple win!})
This is where the article should have ended. It does not because I chose the other move; until next time you get the chance to verify if the alternate winning move actually leads to a quick and simple win, as well as to ponder the ramifications of my decision. Hope the above annotations Dvoretsky was talking about will help you.