[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kopaiev, N."]
[Black "0400.02"]
[Result "0-1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2R5/8/1k6/p1p5/2r5/8/1K6/8 w - - 0 51"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "1956.??.??"]
{We follow the Marshall-Rubinstein 1911 game, the historic "first" of this
endgame, in which Black missed a win later demonstrated by N. Kopayev.}
51. Kb3 Rb4+ 52. Kc3 Kb5 53. Rb8+ Ka4 54. Rc8 Rb3+ 55. Kc2 {
Or on c4, but on ...Rb1 we will return to c3.} Rb5 56. Rh8 {More confortable
Kc3!} Kb4 57. Rh1 $2 (57. Kb2 $1 {(the simplest: note that this move
also works with a4 & c4 pawns, read the following line)}) (57. Rh4+
$1 {(or Rg8!)} c4 58. Rh8 $1 a4 59. Kb2 $3 {[#]: a scheme to remember}) 57... a4 $8
(57... c4 $2 58. Rb1+ $1 (58. Rh8 $1) 58... Kc5 59. Ra1 $8 $11) 58. Kb2 {It's
our exercice 252.} (58. Rh8 {(too late, but the rebuttal is hardly
easy)} a3 $8 59. Kb1 Ka4+ $8 60. Ka2 Rb2+ $8 61. Ka1 {(it is now necessary to be
very precise)} Rd2 $3 {[#](only move, aiming for key-square d3)} (61... c4 $2 62.
Ra8+ $8 Kb4 63. Ra4+ $3) 62. Rc8 Kb3 $3 63. Rb8+ Kc3 $8 64. Rh8 (64. Ra8 c4 $8
65. Rxa3+ Kc2 $8 {(bR could not be in f2 or further because of
enfilade)} 66. Rh3 c3 $8 67. Ka2 Kc1+ $8 68. Kb3 c2 $8 69. Rh1+ {(Kc3 ...
Kb1!!)} Rd1 {(bR would not be on e2 : there would be ...Kd2 Kb2!!=)} 70. Rh2
Rd3+ $8 71. Ka2 Rc3 $19) 64... c4 $8 65. Kb1 {(we have transposed into
Maizelis 1939, with inverted wings and colours)} Kd4 $3 {[#](retreating in order to better
jump)} (65... Kd3 $2 66. Rh3+ $8) 66. Rd8+ (66. Rh4+ Kc5 $8 67. Rh8 c3 $8)
66... Ke3 $8 67. Re8+ Kd3 $8 68. Rd8+ Ke2 $8 69. Re8+ Kd1 $8 70. Rc8 Rd4 $8 71.
Ka2 Kc2 $8 72. Rh8 (72. Kxa3 Rd3+ $8 73. Ka2 c3 $8 74. Rh8 Kc1 $8) 72... Rd3 $3
{[#](the key square)} 73. Rh1 (73. Rh2+ Kc1 $8) 73... Rd1 $8 74. Rh3 Rd8 $3 (74... c3
$2 75. Kxa3 $8 $11) 75. Rh2+ (75. Kxa3 Rd3+ $8) 75... Kc1 $8 76. Rh1+ (76. Kxa3
Rd3+ $8 77. Ka2 {(Kb4 ...c3! Kb3 ...c2+!)} Rd2+ $1 78. Ka1 $1 c3 $3) 76... Rd1
$8 77. Rh3 Rd2+ $3 78. Ka1 Rd3 $1 79. Rh1+ Rd1 $8 80. Rh3 c3 $3 {[#]} 81. Rxc3+ Kd2+
$8) 58... Ka5+ $3 {[#]Kopaiev's find.} ({Game followed this way :
} 58... a3+ $2 59. Ka2 $8 Ka4 60. Rc1 $8 Ra5 61. Rb1 $1 (61. Rc3 $1 Kb4 62.
Rb3+ Kc4 63. Rh3 $11) (61. Rc4+ $1 Kb5 62. Rc3 $1 $11) 61... c4 62. Rb8 $1 (62.
Rc1 $1 Rc5 63. Rc3 $8) 62... Rc5 (62... Ra7 63. Rh8 $1 Kb4 64. Rb8+ $1 Kc3 65.
Rh8 $1 Rd7 66. Rg8 $1 $11) (62... c3 63. Rb3 $8 Rc5 64. Rxa3+ $8 Kb4 65. Rb3+
$8 {idem}) (62... Rh5 63. Ra8+ $8 Kb4 64. Rb8+ $8 Kc3 65. Rg8 $1 $11) 63. Ra8+
$8 Kb4 64. Rxa3 $1 (64. Rb8+ $1 Kc3 65. Rh8) 64... c3 65. Rb3+ $8 Kc4 66. Rb8
$1 {(0,5-0,5 Marshall-Rubinstein)} Kd3 67. Kb1 $8 $11) (58... Rb8 $2 59. Rh4+
$1 (59. Rh7 $1) 59... c4 60. Rh7 $8 a3+ 61. Ka2 $8 Rc8 62. Rb7+ $8 Ka5 63. Kxa3
$1 {(so 60 Rh6? would not)} c3 64. Rb1 $8 $11) (58... c4 $2 59. Rh8 $1 {
(an instructive formation, already encountered on move 57, where White, to play,
must maintain status quo, and not play Ka8?)} (59. Rh7 $1) (59.
Rh6 $2 a3+ $8 60. Ka2 Rc5 $3 61. Rb6+ Ka5 $8) 59... c3+ (59... a3+ 60. Ka2 $8 {
(neutralizes the "a" pawn)} Rg5 61. Rb8+ $8) 60. Kc2 $8 {(neutralizes the "c" pawn)
} a3 61. Rh4+ $8) 59. Kc3 (59. Ka3 Rb3+ $8 60. Ka2 Kb4 $1 (60... c4 $2 61. Rh8
$1) 61. Rh8 Rd3 $1 {(or on g3)} (61... c4 $2 62. Rb8+ $8 Kc3 63. Rh8 $1 {
below 59 Ka2, 60...Rb3?}) 62. Kb2 (62. Rb8+ Kc3 $8 63. Ka3 c4 $1 64. Kxa4
Kc2 $1) 62... Rd2+ $3 (62... a3+ $6 63. Kc2 Rc3+ $3 64. Kb1 Rc4 $3 {is studied
elsewhere, see for example Kryvo-Renet on 3 October 2017}) 63. Kc1 Rg2 $1
64. Rb8+ Kc3 $8 65. Kb1 c4 $1 $19) (59. Ka2 c4 $8 60. Rh8 (60. Rh3 Kb4 $1 61.
Kb2 Rg5 $1 {: wR is not on h8 !}) 60... c3 $3 {[#](but not ...Kb4? because
of Kb2!!=)} ({nor} 60... Rb3 $2 61. Ra8+ $1 (61. Rg8 $1) 61... Kb4 {(the
key-position if one prefers ...Kh7! to ...Kf7! in Gligoric-Smyslov)} 62. Rb8+
$8 {[#]} (62. Rc8 $2 Rh3 $1 {but not ...c3? because of Ka1!! countering the threat ...
Rb2-d2}) 62... Kc3 63. Rh8 $1 Rb2+ (63... Rb7 64. Ka3 $1 Rd7 65. Rh4 $1 {(or
in h2 but not in h3: see below 67 Rh3+?)} Rd3 66. Kxa4 $1 Rd8 67. Rh3+
$8) (63... Kd3 64. Rh3+ $1 Kd4 65. Rh4+ $8 Kc5 66. Rh8 $1 Rd3 67. Kb2 $3 $11)
64. Ka3 $8 Rd2 65. Rh3+ $1 (65. Rh7 $1 Rd1 {(on ...Kc2 one can -- and must --
capture the pawn)} 66. Rh3+ $8) 65... Rd3 (65... Kc2 66. Kxa4 $1 Kb2 67. Kb4 $8)
66. Rh2 $1 {(or on h1)} Rd8 {(the last perilous moment)} 67. Rg2 $1 {[#](or
on h4!)} ({but not} 67. Rh3+ $2 Kc2 $8 68. Kb4 {(Rh2+ ...Rd2! or Kxa4 ...c3!
Ka3 ...Ra8+! then ...Kb2!)} a3 $3 {[#](0-1 Anastasian-Asrian 2000 with reverse
wings)} 69. Rxa3 {(Kxc4 ...Rc8+!! and not...a2? Rc3+!! ; of course Kxa3 ...
Rd3+!!)} Kb2 $3 {[#]} 70. Rh3 c3 $8 $19) 67... Rd1 68. Rg3+ $8 Kc2 (68... Rd3 69. Rg1
$1) 69. Kxa4 $1 c3 70. Ka3 $8 {(this would be lost with bR on d8, see
above)} Ra1+ 71. Kb4 Kb2 72. Rxc3 $8 $11 {: no check on b8}) 61. Ka3 (
61. Rg8 Rh5 $1 62. Ka3 Kb5 $1 63. Rc8 Rc5 $8) (61. Rh3 Rc5 $1 {(or ...Rb3! ZZ
-- M. Fila, 1949 -- Rg3 ...c2!! Rg5+...Kb4! to e3 : wR is too close !)}
62. Kb1 a3 $1) 61... Rc5 $3 {[#]} 62. Rh1 (62. Rh2 Kb5 $1 {idem and not ...c2? Rxc2!})
62... Kb5 $1 63. Rg1 Re5 $1 (63... c2 $2 64. Rc1 $8) 64. Rh1 Kc4 $1 65. Rg1 (
65. Kxa4 c2 $1) 65... Re2 $1 66. Rg8 c2 $1 67. Kb2 (67. Rc8+ Kd3 $8 68. Kb2 a3+
$8) 67... a3+ $8 68. Kc1 Re1+ $1 69. Kxc2 a2 $8 $19 {NK}) 59... a3 $8 (59... --
{White to move, would make up for his 57th move by} 60. Rh8 $1 $11) (59...
Rb3+ $6 {(waste of time)} 60. Kc4 Rb4+ $8 61. Kc3 a3 $8 62. Rh8 Rb6 $8) 60.
Rh8 (60. Rg1 Ka4 $1) 60... Ka4 $8 (60... Rb6 $6 61. Ra8+ Ra6 $8 62. Rb8 Ka4 $8
63. Kc2 Ra5 $8 64. Rh8 Rb5 $8 {: text}) 61. Rh4+ (61. Ra8+ Ra5 62. Rh8 (62.
Rb8 a2 $8 63. Kb2 Rb5+ $8 64. Rxb5 Kxb5 65. Kxa2 Kc4 $8 {NK}) 62... Kb5 $8 {NK}
63. Rb8+ Kc6 $8 64. Rb1 a2 $8 65. Ra1 Kb5 $19) 61... Rb4 $8 62. Rh8 (62. Rh2
Kb5 $1 {NK} 63. Rh8 Ra4 $8) 62... Rb3+ $8 63. Kc2 (63. Kc4 Rb5 $8 64. Rh2 (64.
Ra8+ Ra5 65. Rh8 a2 $8 66. Rh1 Rb5 $1 67. Ra1 Rb2) 64... Rb4+ $8 65. Kxc5 (65.
Kc3 Kb5 $8) 65... Rb2 $1 (65... Rg4 $1 66. Rf2 Rg1 $1 67. Rf4+ Kb3 $8 {to b1}
) 66. Rh4+ Ka5 $8 67. Rh8 Rc2+ $8 68. Kd4 a2 $8 {NK} 69. Ra8+ Kb4 $8 70. Kd3
Rh2 $1 71. Rb8+ Ka3 $8 72. Ra8+ Kb2 $8 73. Rb8+ Kc1 $8 74. Ra8 Kb1 $19) 63...
Rb5 $3 {[#]As after the 60th Black move, but with the White King on c2 instead of
c3: this triangulation gave the bK the b4 square. In addition, the bR will be able to
give check on c4.} 64. Ra8+ {More resistant is Rh4+, but NK does not develop
the work that was done by its predecessor Maizelis.} (64. Rh4+
Rb4 $8 65. Rh8 Rc4+ $3 {[#]} 66. Kb1 Kb3 $8 {NK} 67. Rh2 (67. Rb8+ Rb4 $8 68. Ra8 c4)
67... Re4 $1 (67... Rc3 $1 68. Rb2+ Ka4 $8 69. Rh2 Rb3+ $1 70. Ka1 c4 $1) 68.
Rh3+ Kb4 69. Rh8 Re1+ $1 70. Ka2 Re2+ $8 71. Kb1 c4 $1 {(the relegation of the
defensive King on its first row is decisive when the pawns have reached their
5th)} 72. Rb8+ Kc3 $8 73. Rh8 Rd2 $3 74. Rg8 Kd4 $3 {and continue as
studied in 58 Rh8}) 64... Kb4 $8 (64... Ra5 $6 65. Rh8 Rb5 $8 (65... Kb4 $2
66. Kb1 $8)) 65. Rh8 (65. Kb1 c4 $8 66. Ka2 c3 $8 67. Rxa3 c2 $1) 65... c4 $8
66. Rg8 Ra5 $3 {[#]"Tarraschian" support for the pawn !} 67. Rb8+ (67. Kb1 c3 $1 68.
Ka2 (68. Rh8 a2+ 69. Ka1 Rc5 $1) 68... Rc5 $3 {[#]} 69. Rb8+ (69. Rg4+ Rc4 70. Rg8 c2
$1) 69... Kc4 $8 70. Rh8 c2 $19) 67... Kc5 $8 68. Rc8+ (68. Kb1 Rb5+ $1) 68...
Kb5 $8 69. Rb8+ (69. Kb1 Kb4 $8 {[#]} 70. Ka2 (70. Rb8+ Rb5 $8 71. Ra8 Kb3 $8) 70...
c3 $8 71. Rh8 (71. Rb8+ Rb5) 71... Rc5 $8 {already seen on 67th}) 69... Kc6 $1 70.
Rb1 (70. Kb1 Rb5+ $8) (70. Rc8+ Kd7 $1) 70... a2 71. Ra1 Kc5 72. Kb2 Kb4 {NK &
IM.} 73. Kc2 c3 {Long and subtle manoeuvre of the Rook and the Black King.} 0-1
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