Crunch This!

[Terry McCracken]

I can see that it would be great if the Knight can somehow get to f6 but I see a lot of counterplay by black in the meantime. I do not think black should put bishop on b5 much better is on a6 to allow for Rc8 drawing immediately since that would exchange rooks. Can you show the forced line winning with bishop on a6?

Bb5 is forced as is Be2....not sure what you're looking at?

[M ANSARI]

Ok starting from the position first posted

[d]r1bQ1bk1/1q3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/5RPK/8 w - - 0 49

Rb2 Qd7
Qxd7 Bxd7
Rb7

You now have this position

[d]r4bk1/1R1b1p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 b - - 0 3

Here black plays Bc8 allowing the possibility of Ba6 ... which would then allow Rc8 exchanging rooks. That is the position I have in mind. So what does white play after Bc8

[d]r1b2bk1/1R3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 w - - 0 4

[PauloSoare]

Ok starting from the position first posted

[d]r1bQ1bk1/1q3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/5RPK/8 w - - 0 49

Rb2 Qd7
Qxd7 Bxd7

You now have this position

[d]r4bk1/1R1b1p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 b - - 0 3

Here black plays Bc8 allowing the possibility of Ba6 ... which would then allow Rc8 exchanging rooks. That is the position I have in mind. So what does white play after Bc8

[d]r1b2bk1/1R3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 w - - 0 4

Yes! I am thinking in this position when I reply to Tano.
Hard for me to see a win for whites.

[Terry McCracken]

Ok starting from the position first posted

[d]r1bQ1bk1/1q3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/5RPK/8 w - - 0 49

Rb2 Qd7
Qxd7 Bxd7
Rb7

You now have this position

[d]r4bk1/1R1b1p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 b - - 0 3

Here black plays Bc8 allowing the possibility of Ba6 ... which would then allow Rc8 exchanging rooks. That is the position I have in mind. So what does white play after Bc8

[d]r1b2bk1/1R3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 w - - 0 4

I admit it, I'm stumped! I only analized from move 55 and White could win.

This will force the exchange of Rooks and that will be a draw.

Too bad I hadn't looked at this and got caught up with the final position from the game.

[Terry McCracken]

Ok starting from the position first posted

[d]r1bQ1bk1/1q3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/5RPK/8 w - - 0 49

Rb2 Qd7
Qxd7 Bxd7

You now have this position

[d]r4bk1/1R1b1p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 b - - 0 3

Here black plays Bc8 allowing the possibility of Ba6 ... which would then allow Rc8 exchanging rooks. That is the position I have in mind. So what does white play after Bc8

[d]r1b2bk1/1R3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 w - - 0 4

Yes! I am thinking in this position when I reply to Tano.
Hard for me to see a win for whites.

Yep...if Rooks come off it's a draw. Shit!

[tano-urayoan]

Ok starting from the position first posted

[d]r1bQ1bk1/1q3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/5RPK/8 w - - 0 49

Rb2 Qd7
Qxd7 Bxd7
Rb7

You now have this position

[d]r4bk1/1R1b1p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 b - - 0 3

Here black plays Bc8 allowing the possibility of Ba6 ... which would then allow Rc8 exchanging rooks. That is the position I have in mind. So what does white play after Bc8

[d]r1b2bk1/1R3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 w - - 0 4

I admit it, I'm stumped! I only analized from move 55 and White could win.

This will force the exchange of Rooks and that will be a draw.

Too bad I hadn't looked at this and got caught up with the final position from the game.

But this does not force exchange of rooks. After Bc8 Rc7 Ba6 with idea of Rc8 no? Ok I suggest after Ba6 Nc2 with idea of Ne3 -g4-f6.
Black will play Rc8 as it is planned. I recommend Ra7. If R takes in c3 then Nd4 and we have this position that I believe white is winning
[d] 5bk1/R4p1p/b3p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2r5/6PK/8 b - - 0 4

[Terry McCracken]

Ok starting from the position first posted

[d]r1bQ1bk1/1q3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/5RPK/8 w - - 0 49

Rb2 Qd7
Qxd7 Bxd7
Rb7

You now have this position

[d]r4bk1/1R1b1p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 b - - 0 3

Here black plays Bc8 allowing the possibility of Ba6 ... which would then allow Rc8 exchanging rooks. That is the position I have in mind. So what does white play after Bc8

[d]r1b2bk1/1R3p1p/4p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2P5/6PK/8 w - - 0 4

I admit it, I'm stumped! I only analized from move 55 and White could win.

This will force the exchange of Rooks and that will be a draw.

Too bad I hadn't looked at this and got caught up with the final position from the game.

But this does not force exchange of rooks. After Bc8 Rc7 Ba6 with idea of Rc8 no? Ok I suggest after Ba6 Nc2 with idea of Ne3 -g4-f6.
Black will play Rc8 as it is planned. I recommend Ra7. If R takes in c3 then Nd4 and we have this position that I believe white is winning
[d] 5bk1/R4p1p/b3p1pP/3pP1B1/3N1P2/2r5/6PK/8 b - - 0 4

True you can avoid the Rook exchange and this position is winning but Black isn't forced to take the c3 pawn either and if he plays Bd3 instead it looks like it will be very hard for White to find a win if it is at all possible.

[tano-urayoan]

Yes I found that after posting, seems white could not win this after Qd7.

[PauloSoare]

I had translated my sentence below to answer the post of Tano, but you were faster:

"Instead Rxc3, what about Bd3?
I think the bishop pair is strong, hard for white."

[M ANSARI]

Ofcourse black back rank is to weak to go pawn hunting, but if rooks are not exchanged then black gets even better chances to win than before and at least has an easy draw. Black is totally out of danger because bishop on a6 controls important squares that would allow the white Knight to be dangerous.

This all was seen by Rybka 3 Monte Carlo analysis. It is perfect for these type of positions because it generates thousands of very quick games trying different move orders and going back to where one side won and seeing if a different move would change results. After I put in Bc8 and let it sit on it for a while it became pretty clear that Bc8! draws. This is the feature in engines that will remove the last weakness engines have ... and that is the horizon effect.