35. a2-a4

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6...hscreeniev.jpg

Well, I just realise that I would need to re-learn all that, I really struggle to find out how to play this. It's incredible how much I have forgotten. whehn I play against my many 80s and 90s computers or PC software (mostly), things tend to form a decisive advanatge already in late midgame. I rarely reach so deep into end games, like here. and mostly, against PC software, I mess it up. :-?

Studying theory was a very annoying task in the past, it seems to me from a today's perspective. While simple sequences were done blindly, with an invisible board inside your head, complicated stuff needed to be set up on a board. for our amateur purposes, I would prefer to use the options of PC software today, which gives you much more convenience in handling the material wihtout needing to spend so much time setting up the board accpording to book diagrams.

So you may want to check here:

http://www.chessbase.com/shop/produc...bd=&user=&coin=

and here:

http://www.chessbase.com/shop/produc...bd=&user=&coin=

and here:

http://www.chessbase.com/shop/produc...bd=&user=&coin=

That's what I would do: going for studying software.

35. a2-a4 Re8-a8

36. Rb3-a3

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/306...chscreenie.jpg

36. Rb3-a3 Ra8-b8

37. a5

It seems to me that it is over. the position was a safe bet before, but from here on it can be calculated until promotion of the f-pawn, with or without trading both rooks and the a-pawn on a6, a7 or a8. Variations differ, the outcome is the same. If I have calculated correctly and did not oversee something - the hope dies last, they say. :D

You can block with your rook on a7 or a8, and with your king on a8 while your Rook dances circles around my king and the f-pawn and fishes for eternal checks that are not eternal at all, but it is just delay: the f-pawn will go to promotion. Just costs many moves. All others scenarios, depending on your next choice, seem to cut it even shorter.

37. a4-a5 Rb8xb2

Doubting Thomas, hm? :)

38. a5-a6

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/3...chscreenie.jpg


a.) if 38.../Rb2-b8 then 39. a6-a7
.....if then 39.../Rb8-a8 then 40. Kd4-e4

b.) if 38.../Rb2-b4+ then 39. Kd4-d3
.....if then 39.Rb4-b8 then 40. a6-a7
.....if then 40.../Rb8-a8 then 41. Kd3-e4

I applaud you valor fatty but I think the fight is lost. At least you held Sky off longer than I did:DL

Yes I can see now that defeat is inevitable. Black resigns.

http://shepherd-wireless.com/handshake.jpg

Good game Skybird, would be happy to play you anytime :salute:

Compliments, Fatty, well played. And thank you for saving us from needing to spend much time on technical moves from the books on most elemental, predetermined endgames. Nobody else in the past three years worried me so much, like you did. After the way you played the opening and before you sadly made that mistake with 17.../h6 and then again the weak 26.../f4, I really was alarmed, and not sure how it would end. The endgame we had by type was not an unproblematic one, and often such material constellations end in draws, if the pawns are on thew wrong lines. It really took some time before it became a decisive situation, I think.

Thanks for playing. If you ever want a revanche, I'm available whenever you want.

:salute:

P.S. I'm just curious. What (and how far did) you know about the opening variation? I found it difficult to find references to it - just one match, that's all I found: Miezis-Houdart, 2001. Houdart moved 12.../Ba6 instead of your Bb4+, a move that really spoiled the match for him and enabled White an easy win. Were you intentionally following that variation, or did you play the same moves until the 12th by coincidence only? If the first answer, again my compliments.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/672/image2fze.jpg

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5395/image1dsm.jpg

I didn't know anything about it going into the game; I only googled for the arrangement about 2-3 moves in. As you consult your reference books I assumed this was allowed. From there, there are a number of websites which look at the Keres variation, with some scattered kibitzing and commentary. Nothing that really was able to save my bacon, but some interesting suggestions for follow-on moves at any rate.

Yes, no problem, that is perfectly allowed. Doing so is heart and essence of correspondence chess.

My only book on English Opening is by Taimonov, and quite old now (1985, published in the GDR :) ), it did mention Keres variation of course, but you left the analysis given by Taimanov already with the 6th move, and English with early c6 I had only rarely back in my active chess times, I'm sure, if ever. I then searched match databases, and only found that one match I mentioned above.