Lichess game from 2017 03 22 - Pawn Race in the rook endgame

Online game played on my phone; for analysis - see https://lichess.org/eODwgzVonWbL

Improve your Rook And Knight Endgames

My Rook and Knight Endgames - Strategy and Tactics (now also available in paperback format) book looks at endings with rook + knight Vs. rook + knight. This material balance occurs quite frequently in tournaments, and some classical ideas and endgames have become well-known. Nonetheless, there is some lack of discussion of this topic in chess literature. The book covers both the strategic themes, and gives the reader a chance to practice their tactical skills. Mikhail Botvinnik was well known for his great technique in this type of endings; the book includes several relatively unknown examples from his career to illustrate the typical ideas, but also games by other famous players such as Korchnoi, Morozevich and Anand are featured.
Here are some examples of positions that the reader would get a better understanding of by working through this book.
Scroll Down to see solutions

Petrosian, Tigran - Bannik, Anatoly, 1958

White's turn

---

Haba, P. - Dautov, R., 1995

Black's turn

---

Sutovsky, Emil - Bacrot, Etienne, 2003.11.09

White's turn

---

Raaste, Eero J - Tseitlin, Mikhail S, 1980

Black's turn

Solutions

Petrosian, Tigran - Bannik, Anatoly, Ch URS, 1958

18. Bc5

A lot has been written about this move in different books. In this famous position Black suffers from weak light squares and lack of space. Petrosian found a brilliant way to consolidate his positional advantage... I mainly see the explanation in the common strategic idea of trading off bad bishop which protects good pawns. Now the pawn chain 'e5-f6-g5' becomes much more vulnerable. Also the white knight's domination over his black colleague becomes more apparent, as now the white knight can access an important 'c5' square.

18. ... Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Bxc5 20. Nxc5 Re8 21. Ne4 Re6 22. g4 a5 23. Rd3 Nd7 24. Kc2 b6 25. Rf3 Kd8 26. a3 c5 27. Kc3 Ke7 28. Rd3 Rc6 29. Rd5 Nf8 30. Ng3 Ne6 31. Nf5+ Ke8 32. e3 Nc7 33. Rd1 Ne6 34. Kd3 Rc7 35. Ke4

Another aspect of the exchange of bishops is that now the advance of the white king is more dangerous for Black than before.

35. ... Rc6 36. Nd6+ Ke7 37. Nf5+ Ke8 38. Nd6+ Ke7 39. Nf5+ Ke8 40. a4 Nd8 41. Nh6 Ne6 42. Ng8 Nf8 43. Rd2 Kf7 44. Nh6+ Ke8 45. Nf5 Ne6 46. Rd6 Rxd6 47. Nxd6+ Kd7 48. Nb5 Ng7 49. h6 Ne8 50. Kd5 f5 51. Kxe5 fxg4 52. Nc3 Ke7 53. Ne4 Kf7 54. Kf5 g3 55. fxg3 g4 56. Ng5+ Kg8 57. Ke6 Nc7+ 58. Kd7 Na6 59. e4 Nb4 60. e5 Nd3 61. e6 1-0

---

Haba, P. - Dautov, R., Deutschland, 1995

30. ... Nxh4+! 31. Kf1

( 31. gxh4 Rxf4 -+ )

31. ... Nf3 -+ 32. Rd8 Nd4 33. Rh8 Rf5 34. Rxh5 Nxb3 35. Rxf5 exf5 36. Ke2 Na5 37. Kd3 b3 0-1

---

Sutovsky, Emil - Bacrot, Etienne, EU-ch Internet fin, 2003.11.09

26. Nxa6! Ra8

( 26. ... bxa6 27. Rd6+ Kg5 28. Rxc6 +- )

27. Nc5 Ne5 28. Rxb7 +- Rd8 29. Kc2 Nc4 30. b3 Rd2+ 31. Kc1 Rxf2 32. bxc4 Rxg2 33. Nd3 Rg3 34. Kd2 Rxh3 35. c5 Rh2+ 36. Ke3 Ke6 37. Nf4+ Ke5 38. c6 Kd6 39. c7 Kd7 40. Nd5 Rh4 41. Nb6+ 1-0

---

Raaste, Eero J - Tseitlin, Mikhail S, Makarczyk Memorial, 1980

32. ... Rxa2! 33. Nd6

( 33. Kxa2 Nc3+ 34. Kb3 Nxd5 also gave Black good winning chances. )

33. ... Rd2! 34. Ne8+ Kc6! 35. Rxd2 Nxd2+ 36. Kc3 Ne4+ 37. Kd4

37. ... Kd7!

Black either wins the second pawn, or transposes into a winning pawn endgame. White chose the latter option, but resigned a couple of moves later.

38. Kxe4

( 38. Ng7 Nxg3 -+ )

38. ... Kxe8 39. Kd5 Ke7 40. b5 Kd7 0-1