Chess Endgame: Furman-Kopaev

This is an interesting endgame from Levenfish & Symslov's manual on Rook Endings.
White plays to win with Rook and 2 pawns vs. Rook and pawn. Black offers a sacrifice which results in a Rook and doubled-rook-pawns vs. Rook scenario. See my video on Superior King in Front of Rook Pawn ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu5sW4W-FlM ) for similar positions.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• pullin
• chess
• rook
• endgame

[rickideemus]

Dang! I just took 4. Rg6 on faith. But how can you say the initial position is a win? I strongly suspect 1... h5 was a mistake. Black shouldn't be looking for improvements. "Progress" is only for the strong side.

[GreenCastleBlock]

1...h5 is pretty much the best try.

As it was shown in the video 1...Rb7 2.Kg3 and White has the winning plan Kg4-h5 etc. If Black doesn't play 1...Rb7 then White will play Rf7 taking control of the 7th rank himself.

[GreenCastleBlock]

Maybe Rf8 instead of Rg6? And on ...Rg7, sacrifice a pawn with Kg4-g5 and Re8+, is this what you had in mind Bill?

[anylen61]

Your comments regarding double h pawns versus a single h pawn are very instructive. Thanks for that. However, at 05:21 black should not play -Ke7? I am convinced that he rather should play -Kf5 which is a draw after a) Rg7 Kf6 and b) Ra6 Rb7. In "Rook endings" the position no. 152, which is the same as at 03:03, is stated as a win for white. If the play for white can not be improved, then this assumption, to me, must be wrong. Thus, the starting position is a draw.

[GreenCastleBlock]

The line in the book does not mention your ...Kf5 at all, only ...Ke7. So this is brand new territory. Thanks for your original post.

Might there be some winning chances for White after ..Kf5 Rg7 Kf6 Rg1 !? Or maybe just ...Kf5 Rg1 !? It seems like Black's K is going to be cut off at a distance of two files unless he plays ...Ke7-f8 as Kopaev did.

[satan130]

a couple of times you mentioned that the position was not mentioned in the book. might i ask what 'the book' is?

Also, great vid as per usual.

[GreenCastleBlock]

Thanks. Gregory Levenfish & Vassily Smyslov "Rook Endings"

[jessicafischerqueen]

Tarrasch said "All Rook Endgames are Drawn"-

But he didn't mean that literally.

Matt- I love the sound of your voice.

[Sorcerer88]

excellent analysis!

[SuperPeristilo]

Yes! interesting and instructive!

[60tat]

very nice,thank you

[billbrock1958]

After 4.Rf1?, Black was able to switch from frontal to rear defense. But 4.Rf3! makes a Lucena-like bridge across the rear defense possible. So: 4.Rf3! Rh7 5.Kg4! (Nunn Convention) 5...Rxh6 6.Kg5! Rh8 (frontal defense) 7.Re3+! Kd6 7.h5 Rg8+ 8.Kf6 Rf8 39.Kg7 Rf1 10.h6 Rg1+ 11.Kf6 Rf1 12.Kg5! Rg1+ 13.Kh4! breaks the rear defense. Black can switch back to the frontal with 13...Rg8 but 14.Kh5 is one of several winning moves. Amazingly tough. Google "shredder endgame tablebase" to check me.

[billbrock1958]

OK, here's why 4.Rf3! also wins and 4.Rf1? doesn't. (4.Rf3! is not as straightforward as 4.Rf8!, but still interesting.) Let's start with 4.Rf1? (Nunn Convention) 4...Rh7 5.Kg4 Rxh6 6.Kg5 Rh8! (frontal defense) 7.Re1+ Kd6! 7.h5 Rg8+! 8.Kf6 Rf8! 9.Kg7 Rf2! 10.h6 Rg2+! 11.Kh7 Kd7! (to control the 8th rank) and the Black king is one file too close....

[billbrock1958]

Yes, that plan wins. (I assume "...Rg7" is a typo for "...Rh7) So after 1...h5 2.hxg6 Rb7 3.Kg3 Ke5 we reach the critical position of 3:10 4.Rf8! (4.Rf3! also wins, but I have no idea why this is superior to say 4.Rf1) 4...Rh7 5.Kg4 Rxh6 6.Kg5! Ra6 and now either Matt's idea 7.Re8+! or the cute 7.Rf5+! win.

[billbrock1958]

I am using database (not brains, as you honorable people are). I would have guessed that this position is a dead draw. However, I think it's won! 1...h5!? (Black's only chance for improvement) 2.gxh6! is definitely +- Now 2...Rb7 3.Kg3 Ke5 is all best per the database. White throws away the win with 4.Rg6? and in fact has *two* winning moves!

[billbrock1958]

Your narrow conclusion is correct (...Kf5 draws) but your broad conclusion appears to be incorrect: I believe the initial position is won for White!