85th, 87th and 89th moves.
As AOOP09 says: the positions after those moves are exactly the same. Note that it's about the position, not the moves (which might be different).
If it is any consolation, though the position looks overwhelming (two whole pawns extra with almost nothing else on the board!), the exact ending is actually not that easy to win.
Because the defending king is quite stuck in the corner there are many chances to play something like Kc7? Rxb6! with a stalemate, or Kd8 Re8! with stalemate or eternal check.
After playing around with the computer a bit the 'easiest' way to win against a good defender after you played a7 seems to be:
1. Put your rook on the 6th rank (definitely not the 7th as there stalemates are always a threat)
2. Walk the king to the g file
3. Bring your rook to f8 or f7 forcing the rook trade
So yeah, of course defenders make mistakes as well but to be honest not many players below 2200 would have come up with that in a few minutes.
Because the defending king is quite stuck in the corner there are many chances to play something like Kc7? Rxb6! with a stalemate, or Kd8 Re8! with stalemate or eternal check.
After playing around with the computer a bit the 'easiest' way to win against a good defender after you played a7 seems to be:
1. Put your rook on the 6th rank (definitely not the 7th as there stalemates are always a threat)
2. Walk the king to the g file
3. Bring your rook to f8 or f7 forcing the rook trade
So yeah, of course defenders make mistakes as well but to be honest not many players below 2200 would have come up with that in a few minutes.
Thank you all for the information and advice.
@Testrider Very interesting. I still can't make it work though. 90.Rd6 Rb2 91.Ke8 (threat Rd8+) Re2+ 92.Kf7 Rf2+ 93.Kg7 Rg2+ 94.Rg6 Rf2. What now? How can White escape the checks if the White rook moves off the g file? Bringing the king back down the board just allows the black rook to go to the back rank.
I have the Smyslov/Levenfish book which covers Rook + connected a and b pawns versus rook, but none of the positions in the book have the pawns so far advanced.
I have the Smyslov/Levenfish book which covers Rook + connected a and b pawns versus rook, but none of the positions in the book have the pawns so far advanced.
@Brian-E said in #6:
> @Testrider Very interesting. I still can't make it work though. 90.Rd6 Rb2 91.Ke8 (threat Rd8+) Re2+ 92.Kf7 Rf2+ 93.Kg7 Rg2+ 94.Rg6 Rf2. What now? How can White escape the checks if the White rook moves off the g file? Bringing the king back down the board just allows the black rook to go to the back rank.
>
> I have the Smyslov/Levenfish book which covers Rook + connected a and b pawns versus rook, but none of the positions in the book have the pawns so far advanced.
So what was I meant to do before ?
> @Testrider Very interesting. I still can't make it work though. 90.Rd6 Rb2 91.Ke8 (threat Rd8+) Re2+ 92.Kf7 Rf2+ 93.Kg7 Rg2+ 94.Rg6 Rf2. What now? How can White escape the checks if the White rook moves off the g file? Bringing the king back down the board just allows the black rook to go to the back rank.
>
> I have the Smyslov/Levenfish book which covers Rook + connected a and b pawns versus rook, but none of the positions in the book have the pawns so far advanced.
So what was I meant to do before ?
@Aaradhyaa15 said in #7:
> So what was I meant to do before ?
I haven't looked at the rest of your game, only the final position. And for that you should have avoided 89.Rd7+? which allowed your opponent to repeat position for the third time. But whether you could actually have won against correct defence is the question.
> So what was I meant to do before ?
I haven't looked at the rest of your game, only the final position. And for that you should have avoided 89.Rd7+? which allowed your opponent to repeat position for the third time. But whether you could actually have won against correct defence is the question.
It is instructive to have the "book" open on the analysis screen, which gives the data from the endgame tablebases.
For example, only 86. Rd6!! wins, everything else is a draw.
This is a tricky endgame. I feel that b6 was not ideal (taking away the chance to get forward with your king), and a7 might make things even more difficult.
For example, only 86. Rd6!! wins, everything else is a draw.
This is a tricky endgame. I feel that b6 was not ideal (taking away the chance to get forward with your king), and a7 might make things even more difficult.
Well, even more instructive to try to do it yourself first.
The tools we have available these days are a little too easy. :-)
The tools we have available these days are a little too easy. :-)