GM Kaufman v.Novag Constellation 3.6 QR Odds (Moves 41-55)

[Terry McCracken]

Thanks a lot! It's appreciated.

Best Regards,

[Steve B]

By an incredible coincidence today the ending of queen vs. rook and two pawns (not connected, but seemingly safe) arose in the top level game between Svidler and Howell. Svidler played it amazingly well, creating multiple zugwangs, and won the game.

Amazing coincidence it is

here is the game...
Svidler,Peter (2734) - Howell,David (2616) [A16]
NH Chess Tournament Amsterdam, NED (10), 22.08.2010


1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Qa4+ Bd7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 a6 7.e4 b5 8.Qe2 Bc8 9.d4 Bg7 10.g3 c5 11.dxc5 0-0 12.Bg2 Be6 13.e5 Nfd7 14.0-0 Nxc5 15.Rd1 Nbd7 16.Nd4 Bc4 17.Qe3 Nxe5 18.Nc6 Nxc6 19.Rxd8 Raxd8 20.Qxc5 Bxc3 21.Bxc6 Rd1+ 22.Kg2 Bf6 23.Bb7 Bf1+ 24.Kf3 Rfd8 25.Be4 Re1 26.Qc2 Bg7 27.g4 h5 28.gxh5 f5 29.Bb7 gxh5 30.Qc7 Be2+ 31.Kg3 Rg1+ 32.Bg2 Rd3+ 33.Be3 Rxa1 34.Qc8+ Kf7 35.Qxf5+ Bf6 36.h4 Rxe3+ 37.fxe3 Bg4 38.Qh7+ Bg7 39.Be4 Kf8 40.Bg6 Rxa2 41.Bxh5 Bxh5 42.Qxh5 Rxb2 43.Qf5+ Bf6 44.e4 Rc2 45.h5 Rc3+ 46.Kg2 Rc2+ 47.Kf3 Rc3+ 48.Ke2 b4 49.h6 Rc2+ 50.Ke3 Rh2 51.Qg6 b3 52.h7 Bg7 53.e5 Rh6 54.Qf5+ Ke8 55.Kd2 e6 56.Qe4 Kf7 57.Kc3 Rh5 58.Kxb3 Rxe5 59.Qh4 Rd5 60.h8Q Bxh8 61.Qxh8 a5 62.Kc4 Rf5 63.Kd4 Rd5+ 64.Ke4 Rf5 65.Qh7+ Ke8 66.Qg7 Rd5 67.Qf6 Kd7 68.Qf7+ Kd6 69.Qe8 Re5+ 70.Kf4 Rf5+ 71.Kg4 Ke5 72.Qd8 a4 73.Qa5+ Kf6 74.Qxa4 Ke7 75.Qa7+ Kd6 76.Qb8+ Kd7 77.Qb7+ Kd6 78.Qc8 Ke7 79.Qc7+ Ke8 80.Qd6 Kf7 81.Qd7+ Kf6 82.Qe8 Rg5+ 83.Kh4 Rf5 84.Qf8+ Kg6 85.Qe7 Re5 86.Kg4 Re4+ 87.Kf3 Re1 88.Qh4 Re5 89.Qe7 Re1 90.Kf4 Rf1+ 91.Ke5 Re1+ 92.Kd6 Rd1+ 93.Kc6 Re1 94.Qh4 Re5 95.Kd6 Rh5 96.Qe4+ Kg7 97.Kxe6 Rh6+ 98.Ke7 Rg6 99.Qd4+ Kg8 100.Qe5 Rg1 101.Qd5+ Kh7 102.Qd3+ Kg8 103.Kf6 Rg7 104.Qd5+ Kh7 105.Qh1+ Kg8 106.Qh5 Ra7 107.Qd5+ 1-0


here is the position at move 61 with Black to move ..which pertains to the Q v R+2P issue..

[d] 7Q/5k2/p3p3/3r4/8/1K6/8/8 b - - 0 61

the Namilov site shows this as a win in 55 moves(with black to move)
Twilight Zone Regards
Steve

[Steve B]

I play 54Qd8+. It's desirable to prevent defenses based on ...Re5 and/or ...Ne6. Regarding the tablebase win in the queen vs. rook and two pawns, it's quite surprising, but believable due to zugzwang. If the defending king were close to the pawns it should be a fortress draw. I was not aware that any ending of queen vs. rook and two connected passed pawns could be won when nothing was lose and there were no threats, but I learned something new today.

Connie plays the virtually Forced..
54..Kg6

[d] 3Q4/p1p5/1p4k1/2r2pn1/8/3B4/P4K2/8 w - - 0 55


There and Back Again Regards
Steve

[Terry McCracken]

I play 54Qd8+. It's desirable to prevent defenses based on ...Re5 and/or ...Ne6. Regarding the tablebase win in the queen vs. rook and two pawns, it's quite surprising, but believable due to zugzwang. If the defending king were close to the pawns it should be a fortress draw. I was not aware that any ending of queen vs. rook and two connected passed pawns could be won when nothing was lose and there were no threats, but I learned something new today.

Connie plays the virtually Forced..
54..Kg6

[d] 3Q4/p1p5/1p4k1/2r2pn1/8/3B4/P4K2/8 w - - 0 55


There and Back Again Regards
Steve

I anticipated correctly...Now the the subtle move 55. Qe7! and the Zugzwang is well in motion.

The Connie will have to make a concession here. To avoid tossing a pawn I think after 55.Qe7! the Connie will play 55..a5!? If so the King can now move closer with 56. Ke3! with the ability to switch direction to the square f4.

Noose Tightening Regards,

P.S. The Connie for it's day and limited search has done better than I expected in the overall sense.

[lkaufman]

Connie plays the virtually Forced..
54..Kg6

[d] 3Q4/p1p5/1p4k1/2r2pn1/8/3B4/P4K2/8 w - - 0 55


There and Back Again Regards
Steve

I play 55Qe7, severely restricting Black's options. Tomorrow I go to Boca Raton Florida for the US Senior Championship, but I should be able to continue the game without much interruption.

[Steve B]

I play 55Qe7, severely restricting Black's options. Tomorrow I go to Boca Raton Florida for the US Senior Championship, but I should be able to continue the game without much interruption.

Connie wanted to play 55..Ra5 here which even i can see loses yet another pawn by force in a few more moves

Connie has no chance to draw let alone win this game so i will 55..RESIGN for Connie

Well Played
Thanks for the game and the day to day comments
Good Luck At The US Senior Championship Regards!
Steve

FINAL POSITION

[D] 8/p1p1Q3/1p4k1/2r2pn1/8/3B4/P4K2/8 b - - 0 55

FINAL PGN
REMOVE WHITE QR
[Event "CCC Forum Challenge "]
[Date "7.03-8.23.2010"]
[White "GM Kaufman"]
[Black "Novag Constellation 3.6"]
[Time Control "3 Min Per Move "]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O dxc3 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qf5 10.Nxc3 Nge7 11.Ba3 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 b6 13.h3 Bb7 14.Rc1 O-O 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Bb2 Qg6 17.Bd3 Qh6 18.Bc1 Qh5 19.Re1 d5 20.Kh2 d4 21.Qa3 Bc8 22.Re4 Bf5 23.g4 Bxg4 24.Rxg4 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 26.Bf4 Qc5 27.Qb3 g6 28.Bc4 Nd5 29.Bg5 Rd7 30.h4 Re8 31.h5 Qd6+ 32.Kg2 Qc6 33.Kh2 Re5 34.hxg6 Qxg6 35.Qg3 Rf5 36.Bh4 Rxf2+ 37.Kg1 Rf5 38.Bd3 Nf4 39.Rxg6+ hxg6 40.Qe1 Rfd5 41.Bf6 Ne6 42.Bc4 R5d6 43.Be5 Ng5 44.Qg3 Rc6 45.Qg2 Re7 46.Qxc6 Rxe5 47.Qxg6+ Kf8 48.Qf6 Rc5 49.Qd8+ Kg7 50.Qxd4+ f6 51.Qd7+ Kg6 52.Bd3+ f5 53.Kf2 Kf6 54.Qd8+ Kg6 55.Qe7 1-0

[mephisto]

A little premature Steve. It would have been nice to see a few more moves before you resigned. Maybe you should change your mind as this little experiment has been a really entertaining thread.
Well done to Terry & Larry
MyChess Regards
Bryan

[Matthias Gemuh]

Yes, we'll played Terry

Indeed, though it is Larry who was supposed to play against Connie.

What a pity !

[lkaufman]

Connie wanted to play 55..Ra5 here which even i can see loses yet another pawn by force in a few more moves

Connie has no chance to draw let alone win this game so i will 55..RESIGN for Connie

Well Played
Thanks for the game and the day to day comments
Good Luck At The US Senior Championship Regards!
Steve

FINAL POSITION

Thank you. I enjoyed the game and learned a couple things. Connie played most of the game at Expert level, except for the awful recapture with the queen on g6. But I suppose most "A" players also play most of their games at Expert level except for occasional "D" player errors!

[D] 8/p1p1Q3/1p4k1/2r2pn1/8/3B4/P4K2/8 b - - 0 55

FINAL PGN
REMOVE WHITE QR
[Event "CCC Forum Challenge "]
[Date "7.03-8.23.2010"]
[White "GM Kaufman"]
[Black "Novag Constellation 3.6"]
[Time Control "3 Min Per Move "]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e5 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O dxc3 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qf5 10.Nxc3 Nge7 11.Ba3 Bxc3 12.Qxc3 b6 13.h3 Bb7 14.Rc1 O-O 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Bb2 Qg6 17.Bd3 Qh6 18.Bc1 Qh5 19.Re1 d5 20.Kh2 d4 21.Qa3 Bc8 22.Re4 Bf5 23.g4 Bxg4 24.Rxg4 Nxe5 25.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 26.Bf4 Qc5 27.Qb3 g6 28.Bc4 Nd5 29.Bg5 Rd7 30.h4 Re8 31.h5 Qd6+ 32.Kg2 Qc6 33.Kh2 Re5 34.hxg6 Qxg6 35.Qg3 Rf5 36.Bh4 Rxf2+ 37.Kg1 Rf5 38.Bd3 Nf4 39.Rxg6+ hxg6 40.Qe1 Rfd5 41.Bf6 Ne6 42.Bc4 R5d6 43.Be5 Ng5 44.Qg3 Rc6 45.Qg2 Re7 46.Qxc6 Rxe5 47.Qxg6+ Kf8 48.Qf6 Rc5 49.Qd8+ Kg7 50.Qxd4+ f6 51.Qd7+ Kg6 52.Bd3+ f5 53.Kf2 Kf6 54.Qd8+ Kg6 55.Qe7 1-0

[Graham Banks]

Well played Larry.