Lesson 9: Consolidation

The protection of the own territory is called consolidation. I distinguish passive consolidation, if the aim is only defensive, and active consolidation, if an attack is prepared. Black has a distant passed pawn in a rook endgame. He threatens to defeat the opponent by zugzwang. White has to try to preserve his territory. He threatens to play h5, followed by exchange and a decrease of the pressure.

[ Better chances are offered by Rc5 !(Flohr ) 41. e5 !The new move h6 !brings active consolidation. Black improves his position, while White cannot do anything.

[ Kd5 ?! 42. Re3 ?

[Correct is 42. h5 ! Rc6 43. hxg6 hxg6 44. Re3 Ke6 45. Rc3 Rc8 46. Kg5 Kxe5 47. Kxg6 = ]

c3 43. e6 c2 ?

[An improvement is g5+ ! 44. hxg5

[ 44. Kxg5 Kd4+ ]

c2 45. e7 c1=Q 46. e8=Q Rc4+ ! 47. Kf3 Qf1+ 48. Kg3 Qg1+ (the original intention of Bodaan ) ]

44. e7 g5+ ! 45. Kxg5 Kd4+ 46. Kf4 Rc8 (Bodaan ) 47. Re1 Re8 48. Rc1 Kd3 49. Kg5 =(Navara ) ]

[ The old main line of Euwe is Rc8 42. h5 Kd5 43. hxg6 hxg6 44. Kg5 Rc6 45. Re3 Re6 46. Kf4 Kd4 47. Re1 c3 48. Rd1+ Kc4 49. Ke4 c2 50. Rc1 Kc3 51. Kd5 Re8

[I added in 1993 Rb6 ! 52. e6 Rb1 53. Rxc2+ Kxc2 54. Ke5 Rf1 55. g5 Rf5+ 56. Kd6 Rf1 57. Ke5 ! Kd3 58. e7 Kc4 59. e8=Q ! Re1+ 60. Kf6 Rxe8 61. Kxg6 Kd5 62. Kf7 = ]

52. e6 Kb2 53. Rh1 c1=Q 54. Rxc1 Kxc1 55. Ke5 Kd2 56. Kf6 Ke3 57. Kxg6 ! Rxe6+ 58. Kf5 != ]

42. Ke4 !

[ 42. h5 ? g5+ 43. Ke4 Rc7 ! 44. Kd4 Rf7 !-+ ]

[ 42. g5 ? h5 43. Ke4 Rxe5+ 44. Kd4 Kf5 45. Rf3+ Kg4 46. Rf6 ! Re7 47. Rxg6 Rc7 48. Rf6 c3 49. Rf1 c2 50. Rc1 Kxh4 51. g6 Kg5 ! 52. g7 Rxg7 53. Rxc2 Kf4 Black wins theoretically. ]

Rc7 !

[ Rxe5+ 43. Kd4 = ]

43. g5 hxg5

[ h5 44. Kd4 Kf5 45. Rxc4 = ]

44. hxg5 Rh7 !

[ the manoeuvres Rc8 45. Kd4 Kf5 46. Rf3+ ! Kxg5 47. e6 c3 48. Rxc3 Rxc3 49. Kxc3 Kf6 50. Kd4 Kxe6 51. Ke4 draw ]

45. Rf3 ! Rh4+ 46. Ke3 ! Kxe5 47. Rf6 Rh3+ 48. Kd2 Black has won a pawn but not the game. ]

41. g5 h5 42. Ke3 Ke5 White desires: 'They will not pass!', but he seems to lose by zugzwang. 43. Rc2 ! c3 44. Kd3 An impressive passive consolidation has started. Rd8+

[The first point is Rc7 45. Rxc3 ! Rxc3+ 46. Kxc3 White draws when he rushes with his king to f6. ]

45. Ke3 Rd4 46. Rxc3 Rxe4+ 47. Kf3 Rxh4 48. Rc6 Rf4+ 49. Ke3 Re4+ 50. Kf3 Kf5 51. Rf6+ Kxg5 52. Rxg6+ ! The second point secures the draw. 1/2-1/2