21 Mar 08
1 edit
Originally posted by zebanoI think I misplayed the middlegame from 13. g4?! on.
Game 4720743 draw with Schakur. This was really a boring game but I had a slight advantage at the end as his pawns were on the dark squares with our bishops. Unfortunately, that was offset by his superior king position.
Notice 14. c5? Bxd4 15. cxb6 axb6! and black wins a pawn.
Eventually this led to an endgame where I had to hope to scrape a draw.
In case of 29. ..Re4 (the best try in my opinion) 30. Rxe4 dxe4 31. Ke3 Bf8! (31. ..Ke6?? 32. d5+) I'd have a very difficult position.
Here's what would happen if I'd place my king on c3 and bishop on e3:
32. Kd2 Ke6 33. Kc3 fxg4! 34. hxg4 h5! -+ and black succesfully creates an unstoppable passed pawn.
Here's what happens when I exchange on f5:
32. gxf5 gxf5 33. Kd2 Ke6 34. Kc3 Kd5 35. Bc1 Be7 36. Be3 Bh4 37. Kb3 Be1 38. a5 h5 -+ white is in zugzwang (a common theme in endgames with bishops of the same color).
However, there is a saving motif. After 31. ..Bf8 white can secure a draw by plumbing the d5-square (after which he also incidentally has a dangerous pawn majority on the queenside):
32. d5! cxd5 33. gxf5! (else black will play ..fxg4 and ..h5 at some point) fxg5 34. Bd4 Ke6 35. b5 axb5 36. axb5 and black cannot make progress as his king cannot wander too far off in view of c6 or b6 followed by c6, and if the bishop moves white can play Be5 and Kd4 improving his position.
After rooks were exchanged on e1 the game was dead drawn. I do not think the suggested 31. ..Bf6 makes any difference after 32. g5 Bg7 33. Kf2 Ke6 34. Kf3 Kf5 35. a5. Just like in the game you can't break into white's position, nor can you put him in zugzwang.
21 Mar 08
Originally posted by schakuhrI'm not sure about that. How would you continue against, say, 36. ... Be7? I think black can transfer their bishop to the queenside and put white in zugzwang eventually; Be5 followed by Kd4 is hardly a threat, as theking can be easily removed from that square by black's bishop, and white's bishop should keep watching the c5 pawn.
However, there is a saving motif. After 31. ..Bf8 white can secure a draw by plumbing the d5-square (after which he also incidentally has a dangerous pawn majority on the queenside):
32. d5! cxd5 33. gxf5! (else black will play ..fxg4 and ..h5 at some point) fxg5 34. Bd4 Ke6 35. b5 axb5 36. axb5 and black cannot make progress as his king cannot wander too ...[text shortened]... or b6 followed by c6, and if the bishop moves white can play Be5 and Kd4 improving his position.
21 Mar 08
Originally posted by Heroic MetoolShuffle the king around on e2/e3.
I'm not sure about that. How would you continue against, say, 36. ... Be7? I think black can transfer their bishop to the queenside and put white in zugzwang eventually; Be5 followed by Kd4 is hardly a threat, as theking can be easily removed from that square by black's bishop, and white's bishop should keep watching the c5 pawn.
In case you threaten to play Bc1(+), shuffle the king around on d2/d1.
I do not think you can break through.
21 Mar 08
3 edits
I was just toying with this variation a while ago, though I'm sure there might be improvements somewhere:
36. ... Be7
37. Ke2 Kd7 (to stop some counterattack attempts)
38. Ke3 Bh4
39. Ke2 Bg3
40. Ke3 Be1 (40. Be5 d4)
41. Ke2 Bb4
42. Ke3 Ke6
43. Ke2 Ba5
44. Ke3 Bc7
45. Bc3 b6!?
46. c6 Bd6
47. Bd4 Bc5
48. Bc5 bc5
And black's three connected pawns win the game on their own, as opposed to white's two. Again, I'm aware I might have missed improvements for white; just an idea for a possible breakthrough against passive play.
(edit: 46. Bd4 looks like the best try. After bxc5 Bxc5, Black seems to have a clear advantage, but the fact that black's h-pawn promotes on a white square gives white good drawing chances.)