PAWN RIOT VS The Forum Move 41

This is a continuation of Thread 117354.

PAWN RIOT's response to our 40. ... Ra5 is 41.a4.

Here is the position:



It is our move.

Here is the complete game up to now:

Is there any reason not to play Rxg5? As far as I can see the kingside pawn cant be defended so we should get queen side counterplay going asap

Originally posted by mathmo
Is there any reason not to play Rxg5? As far as I can see the kingside pawn cant be defended so we should get queen side counterplay going asap

I was looking at Rxg5. It certainly comes to mind.

After 41. ... Rxg5 42.Re7 looks tricky. This needs some good analysis, but I am too tired tonight. I will try to get at it tomorrow, but feel free to look yourself (selves) in the meantime.

41...Rxg5 42 Re7 a5 43 Rxf7+ Kg8 44 Ra7 Nf5

probably 42...a5 is not our best move here

41...Rxg5 42 Re7 Nf5 43 Rxf7+ Kg8 44 Rxa7 Nxd4+ cxd4

or 41...Rxg5 42 Re7 Nf5 43 Rxf7+ Kg8 44 Rxa7 h4 45 Nxf5 Rxf5

or 41...Rxg5 42 Re7 Nf5 43 Rxf7+ Kg8 44 Rxa7 h4 45 Nxf5 h3 46 Re7 h2 47 Re1 Rg1 and we win

Maybe 41...Nf5 is better, allowing our passed pawn to advance, getting our knight off the rim, attacking the e7-square and his knight, but of course simultaneously being attacked by his knight, but it is now protected by our rook. However maybe we shouldn't allow him to exchange knights as we don't want him to be able to move his c pawn - which he can't if it is required to protect his knight

I vote 41...Nf5 at this stage

41...Nf5 42 Nxf5 Rxf5 43 Ra8 a5 and we're looking very good

41...Nf5 42 Nxf5 Rxf5 43 Re7 a5 and we're looking very good

I like the looks of 41. ... Nf5 but White might break through on the Queenside after 42. Nc6!

on the trot i'd say ...Ng2. Our main idea to play for is promoting the h pawn so we better start quick.

From Ptobler's analysis, Nf5 and the following exchanges on f5 look good. I think its less sure against quieter responses. What if:

41. ... Nf5 42. f4 It will now take us more time to capture g5 and whites rook can cover h1 much quickly than ours

41. ... Nf5 42. Re4 To stop the h pawn advancing (42. ... h4 43. Nxf5 Rxf5 44. Rxh4+ Kg7 45. g4 poor)

(These are not forcing moves so there are a lot of playable lines against each: There are probably good responses which I am not seeing)

Ng2 looks interesting: 42. f4 or Re4 look poor & we have Rxg5 to play for the rook to escort our h pawn - nice. Re7 looks like whites mot forcing reply.

41. ... Ng2 42. Re7 h4 and PAWN RIOT struggles to stop our h pawn I think (particularly if he captures, if he does not we win the g5 pawn and we now have a serious promotion threat).

e.g.
43. Rxf7 Kg8 44. Re7 h3 and the rook is helpless to intervene so 45. Ne2 h2 46. Ng3 Rxg5 47. Nh1 Nh4 and I think we win.

44. Rd7 h3 45. Ne2 h2 46. Rd1 seems to hold for white (although it looks like we should have something)
but I cant find a good white response to 45 ... Ne3 ! ?

43. f4 looks like it might be whites best try but now i give up

Anyhow, thats my first attempt at any analysis for this thread.

I agree, I like Nf5, it should be our move.

41...Nf5 42. Nc6 Ra6 43.Nb4 (threatening Nxa6) Rb6 44.a5 Rb5 45.Ka4 Rc5 46. a6 - is this worrying? Quite probably - 46...Rxc3 and the f-pawn will fall to us too

or 41...Nf5 42. Nc6 Ra6 43.Nb4 (threatening Nxa6) Rb6 44.a5 Rb5 45.Ka4 Rc5 46.Na2 (he's getting defensive - usually a fatal sign for the defender) 46...h4 (or 46...Nd6 47 Ra8 [or 47 Re7] 47...Nb5)

and it's getting interesting with his a-pawn so close to queening but us cleaning up his other material...

No - not really - that last line is surely winning for him - we have to do something with the rook there abandoning our a-pawn and try to race our passer home instead

41...Nf5 42. Nc6 Ra6 43.Nb4 Rd6 (43...Ra5 is a repetition of the position of course - we need to consider if we want to do this or if we think we can win) 44. a5 h4 45. Ra8 h3 46. Rxa7 and we win - so 45. Ra8 is a losing move

41...Nf5 42. Nc6 Ra6 43.Nb4 Rd6 44. a5 h4 45. Re2 (also consider 45.Re1 but it runs into problems with our knight) 45...Rd1 46. Rh2 Rg1
47. Rh3 Rg3 and we are surely looking excellently placed for a win

This last line looks to say to me that after 41...Nf5 , 42. Nc6 does not hold great fears, that I have identified anyway - and not being a particularly good player I have quite probably missed some things that we should fear...

41...Ng2 42.Re2 Nf4 43.Re4 Nh3 44. Kb4 Rd5 45. f4

interesting

possible continuations...

45...Nf2 46. Re7 a5+ 47.Kc4 and we are looking pretty sick and sorry

Sorry, unless someone can come up with improvements, I don't think 41...Ng2 is the way to go

Originally posted by ptobler
41...Ng2 42.Re2 Nf4 43.Re4 Nh3 44. Kb4 Rd5 45. f4

interesting

possible continuations...

45...Nf2 46. Re7 a5+ 47.Kc4 and we are looking pretty sick and sorry

Sorry, unless someone can come up with improvements, I don't think 41...Ng2 is the way to go

...a5+? is that even possible. 42. .. Kg7 and the best he has is 43.Ne6+ and a draw. I think you're focus is off... think h pawn! must promote! i'll post my analysis in about two three hours.

Originally posted by mathmo
From Ptobler's analysis, Nf5 and the following exchanges on f5 look good. I think its less sure against quieter responses. What if:

41. ... Nf5 42. f4 It will now take us more time to capture g5 and whites rook can cover h1 much quickly than ours

41. ... Nf5 42. Re4 To stop the h pawn advancing (42. ... h4 43. Nxf5 Rxf5 44. Rxh4+ Kg7 45. g4 poor)
...[text shortened]... s best try but now i give up

Anyhow, thats my first attempt at any analysis for this thread.

41...Nf5 42. f4 looks like a sterner reply 42...Nd6 43 Re1 (also consider 43 Re7 and 43. Rd8, e.g.) 43...Kg7

start of something we really need to consider

Originally posted by tomtom232
...a5+? is that even possible. 42. .. Kg7 and the best he has is 43.Ne6+ and a draw. I think you're focus is off... think h pawn! must promote! i'll post my analysis in about two three hours.

Hi tomtom - that is 41...Ng2 42. Re2 not 42.Re7 (as per the earlier analysis)!! Surely 42. Re2 is a sterner reply than 42. Re7 - his rook is attacking our knight and is in the right region of the board to stop the advance of our h-pawn

Originally posted by ptobler
Hi tomtom - that is 41...Ng2 42. Re2 not 42.Re7 (as per the earlier analysis)!! Surely 42. Re2 is a sterner reply than 42. Re7 - his rook is attacking our knight and is in the right region of the board to stop the advance of our h-pawn

i think 42.Re2 gives away a move to 42. .. Rxg5 in any scenario. if he sits his rook on e2 and tries to push his c or a pawn we play ...a5+ whenever he moves his king to b4 to help the the pawns forward. so he'd be lost if he tries to stop our pawn. counter play is his only option.