january 27 2015

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "2015.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Jobava, Radjabov"] [Black "0035.44"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/3k1N2/n5p1/P2P2P1/5P2/5K2/1b6/8 w - - 0 51"] [PlyCount "18"] [ EventDate "2015.??.??"] [Source "Mark Crowther"] [SourceDate "2015.01.26"] 51. Ne5+ Bxe5 $1 (51... Ke7 $2 {(This mistake was greeted by the yelps of the usual bewildered fauna of the "chessbombists")} 52. Nxg6+ Kd6 53. Ne5 Bxe5 54. fxe5+ Kxd5 55. g6 Ke6 56. Kg4 Nc7 57. Kh5 $18 {Jobava-Radjabov}) 52. fxe5 { Who would like to go in there? A King confined to two rows, a Knight subject to the surveillance of a rook-pawn, a superb opponent's phalanx. All the White King has to do is to access b5 for an easy win. Yet there is a rescue, by applying successively two opposite methods: -- the establishment of a provisional fortress, -- as soon as it captures water, the reconversion to the all-out attack.} Nc5 $3 {In any case necessary, at worst after a "coup de Roi".} (52... Kc7 $1 53. Ke3 Nc5 $3 {idem}) (52... Nb4 $2 {(the activity would be premature)} 53. Ke4 $8 $18) 53. Ke2 $1 {The only way through: creeping through the first row.} (53. Ke3 Kc7 {: barrage d2-d3-d4}) 53... Kc7 54. Kd1 Na6 $3 {The defensive Knight reconverts to the offensive. This is the recommended method in such cases, see for example the fight Knights against 3 linked pawns (rook-pawn, knight-pawn and bishop-pawn).} ( 54... Kb7 $2 55. e6) ({Equally effective is the other attack} 54... Nb7 $1 55. a6 Nc5 $8 56. a7 Kb7 $8 57. Kc2 Kxa7 58. Kc3 Kb6 59. e6 $1 Nb7 60. Kd4 Nd6 61. Ke5 Kc7 $11 62. Kf6 Kd8 $1 (62... Nf5 $1 63. Kxg6 Ne7+ $8 64. Kf7 Kd6 $8 65. g6 Nxd5 $8 66. g7 Ne7 $8) 63. Kxg6 Ke7 64. Kh7 Nf5 65. g6 Kf6 (65... Ne3 66. d6+ Kxd6 $8 67. g7 Nd5 $8) 66. d6 Kxe6 $8) (54... -- {(note: with one less time for Black, this would be a losing position despite a 3rd attack)} 55. Kc2 $8 Nd7 $1 56. d6+ $8 Kc6 57. e6 $8 Nc5 58. e7 $8 Kd7 59. Kd1 $3 {(creeping back in the style of Bán János)} Ke8 60. Ke2 $8 Kd7 61. Kf3 $3 (61. Ke3 $2 Nb7 $8 62. a6 Nxd6 $8 63. a7 Nc4+ $8) 61... Na6 62. Ke4 $18) 55. Kd2 Nb4 $3 {It is necessary to attack the opposing pawns to weaken them and, at least, to obtain squares for the King.} 56. d6+ Kc6 $1 {It's done.} 57. Kc3 Na6 $8 58. Kc4 Nb8 59. Kd4 Na6 1/2-1/2