Position after 56…Ke3
GM-elect Hou (2557) – GM Kosteniuk (2510) [C88]
Women’s World Championship – Nalchik, 14.09.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxe5 Nd4 12.Nd2 Re8 13.c3 Nxb3 14.Nxb3 c5 15.Qh5 g6 16.Qf3 f6 17.Nxg6 hxg6 18.c4 Qd7 19.cxd5 Bxd5 20.Qg3 g5 21.Be3 Rac8 22.Qg4 Qxg4 23.hxg4 Bd6 24.Rec1 Kf7 25.Nd2 Be5 26.Rc2 Be6 27.Ne4 c4 28.dxc4 Rxc4 29.Rxc4 bxc4 30.Rd1 Rb8 31.b3 cxb3 32.axb3 Rxb3 33.Bd4 Bxg4 34.f3 Bxd4+ 35.Rxd4 Be6 36.Rd6 a5 37.Nc5 Rb1+ 38.Kf2 Bf5 39.Ra6 Rb5 40.Ne4 Bxe4 41.fxe4 Rb2+ 42.Kf3 Ra2 43.Kg3 a4 44.Kf3 a3 45.Kg3 Ra1 46.Kh2 a2 47.Kg3 Ke7 48.Kh2 Kd7 49.Kg3 Kc7 50.Kh2 Kb7 51.Ra3 Kb6 52.Ra8 Kb5 53.Rb8+ Kc4 54.Ra8 Kd4 55.Ra4+ Kd3 56.Kg3 Ke3 57.Kh2 Kf4 58.e5+ Kxe5 59.g4 Kd5 60.Kg2 Kc5 61.Ra8 Kb4 62.Ra6 Kc4 63.Ra3 Kd4 64.Ra6 Ke5 65.Ra4 Ke6 66.Ra8 Ke5 67.Ra4 Re1 68.Rxa2 Kf4 69.Rf2+ Kxg4 70.Rxf6 Re2+ 71.Kg1 Kg3 72.Rf1 Game drawn ½–½
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I think the win was missed.
White King goes to 3rd rank: Black Rook checks and Queens Pawn.
White King stays on 2nd rank. Black King to d3, Black Rook moves to say c1 (Rxa2) and c2, and after RxR, KxR, Black wins.
So:
white king NEVER goes to 3rd rank &
if black king to d3, white rook just checks him out of there. DRAW!
Unfortunately, the black king cannot stay on the d3 square (Ra3 check).
Hou played very well for the ending. But it is hard for her to win tomorrow.
Hou is very young and for sure she will be the future Queen someday.
Hou wins tomorrow. It’s like soccer. The one who missed all the opportunities gets a goal against in the end.
Susan, you mentioned a horrendous serie of moves by Hou in the rook ending, but is it possible she read it very well and it always remained draw?
After all, the so called winning line for black with King towards f4 was played exactly like you mentioned.
I am glad we have one more game to watch. Whoever win will be history. Just bring on the exciting game!
I think 46 … Kc3 would have won.
47. Rc6+ Kd3 48. Rd6+ Ke3 49. Ra6 Re1 50. Ra3+ Kf4 51. Rxa2 Kxg4 and black’s pawns are unstoppable
(47. Ra7 Rc1 48. Rxa2 Rc2+ forces rook trade and black wins)
Hou showed her inexperinece in this match. Hopefully she can pull of a win tomorrow.
1 more draw or win 7 Kosteniuk wins.
but Hou showed great talent,
time for her to win
No, I cannot – but I will be very interested in your solution.