White to move. This is an actual LIVE game between GM Balogh and GM Korchnoi. How do you evaluate this position? Is it a draw or win for Black or White?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Endgame evaluation
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White wins!
I suspect a draw with best play on both sides. White is down a pawn. I do not see a way for anyone to make progress. Whites king is somewhat exposed and his rook is tied up defending a pawn.
It was a round eigth draw.
White wins and I will explain myself:
White should immediately seize the 8th rank with the rook.
Then advance his pawn to promote and in the same time face Black’s rook nagging checks with King’s movement toward the black rook, stopping his possible checks at the end.
Black’s king is too slow to reach white’s advancing rook pawn. Black can sac a pawn to create a passer but all this is too slow , too costly.
This is an interesting position. Although Black’s one pawn up he is lost.
I think this is a basic draw. Even if there were no q-side pawns white cannot make any progress. The Black king will stay on the g7-h7 squares.
If the white king tries to approach the white pawn the rook will check
I’m with anonymous. I think without blacks queen side pawns this is a draw, and I don’t immediately see how they change things for white.
Black has extra magic available in he can use h7,g8 (as normal), and in front of the extra f pawn as ways to avoid the normal queening checks.
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Both GM’S Korchnoi and Balogh, 2610 and 2568 agreed to a draw!
In the V.Gyorgy Marx Memorial.
Pretty easy draw. Black can’t use his extra pawn.
ab said:
“White wins and I will explain myself:
White should immediately seize the 8th rank with the rook. Then advance his pawn to promote”
Unfortunately, despite your promise, you failed to explain HOW White is to promote. He can’t.
and in the same time face Black’s rook nagging checks with King’s movement toward the black rook, stopping his possible checks at the end.
Black’s king is too slow to reach white’s advancing rook pawn. Black can sac a pawn to create a passer but all this is too slow , too costly.
“This is an interesting position. Although Black’s one pawn up he is lost.”
I think you need to use a lifeline on this.