4 Apr, 2008
White has three pawns for the exchange, but black Rook is threatening to win one of the kingside pawns, after which white position will become difficult. There is an exceptional possibility to secure a draw, try to find this idea.
V.Chekhover, 1947
White to play and draw
Edit on 8th April: There is a cunning idea to save the kingside pawns, but white has to depart with his Bishop! Nevertheless, pawns will be forming hermetic fortress and black has to concede to a draw - 1. Kd1! Rh2 2. Ke1 Rxg2 3. Kf1 Rh2 4. Kg1 Rh6 5. f3! Re6 6. Kf1 Kf7 7. Kf2, white King has enough squares and mobility to prevent Rook invasion.
Recommended reading:
Silman’s Complete Endgame Course - From Beginner To Master
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2 Apr, 2008
In Portisch/Sarkozi book “600 Endings” I found lots of studies by Seleznev, but his first name was not given. Internet search didn’t help either, perhaps it was pseudonym. He particularly liked to “play around” with checkmate motifs. Here are two of his compositions in Rook endings.
In this position there are no passers and white King is also quite far from the c-file and all the pawns. Playing to win in a Rook ending is unavailing, therefore white has to search for a way to transpose the game into good pawn ending. Note that despite of having doubled pawns, there is important tempi reserve for white later on.
The straightforward approach gives no fruitage, 1. Re2+ Kd5 2. Rxe5+ Kxe5 3. Kf3 Kf5! 4. c4 Ke5 and now threat of Ke5-d4 saves black after 5. c3 Kf5 which makes opposition, or 5. Ke3 Kf5 without progress because d4 is under black’s control.
Now Seleznev’s favorite motif comes to rescue. With the threat of mate, black King gets pushed one rank down, which is just enough for white to grab favorable opposition.
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