In this third part of our series on the Fortress endgame technique, we continue with the pawn fortress. Let’s start with an entertaining position. This is an example from 1937 that pertains to Hasek. Let’s look at the following diagram:
White to play
Black’s idea is simple: entering onto the h-file in order to capture the pawn on g2. White’s situation looks hopeless, given that the activity of their rook and their king is hardly exemplary. Nevertheless, looking a bit deeper at the position suggests the possibility of stalemate. A natural move like 1.Re6? fails because of 1…Rh8 2.Rxe5 Kg6, and the position is untenable.
The solution is simply marvelous. 1.Kb1! Kg7
2.Rh6!! The key move. Black will have to lose two turns; one to capture the rook and another in pulling the king out of the file. This will help White. 2…Kxh6
3.Kc1 Kg5
4.Kd1 Rh8
5.Ke2! The king arrives just in time 5…Rh2 and 5…Rh1 cannot be done because the king was in stalemate.
6.Kf1 Rh1 If 6…Rxg2 7.Kxg2 Kh4 8.Kg1 Kh3 9.Kh1 g2 10.Kg1 draw.
7.Ke2 Black cannot improve. White achieved an impressive fortress!
I learned a lot about Chess Endgames by using “An Endgame Expert by Igor Smirnov” and I recommend it if you want to learn more about the topic.
Now, we can enjoy an example from a lively game. An interesting pawn endgame emerged in the Kozlov-Nevmerzhitsky game in the Soviet Union in 1964.
White to play
1.a4!! is the only alternative. Other routes would have lost with Kc7 2.b4 d3! 3.Kb2 cxb4 4.axb4 a4! 5.Kc3 a3 and a win. 1…Kc7
2.b4!! 1.h4 Kc7 2.g5 hxg5 3.hxg5 Kd6 4.f6 gxf6 5.g6 Ke7 would give a decisive advantage and if 1.a3?, due to the first move, the capture with the bishop pawn is obligatory; in the other case, the a pawn becomes a mortal threat. Black cannot defend against the opponent’s pawns. 2…cxb4
3.c5! White closes the first door 3…Kd7
4.h4 Ke7
5.g5 The pawn fortress stops the black king and their pawns on the queenside without creating any danger. Now the second. 5…hxg5
6.hxg5. Here, capturing the pawn seals the tie. The knowledge of this lesson on the fortress saved White in a delicate situation.
TAKE A LOOK AT THESE VIDEOS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ENDGAME:
–“Fighting in the Endgame – FIDE Master Alisa Melekhina”
–“Essential Endgame Knowledge – IM Danny Kopec”.