Author: Jim Monaghan
Date: 19:15:32 09/07/01
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Hi Peter, Here is a difficult R+P endgame for programs illustrating the power of connected passers vs scattered ones. [D] 8/5k2/R5pp/3pP2P/p2r1PK1/8/8/8 b - - 0 Karpov - Deep Thought, 1990. Deep Thought played the greedy 1...gxh5+?? and Karpov quickly showed the power of connected passed pawns in this type of ending: 1... gxh5+ 2. Kf5! (Not 2. Kxh5? Rxf4) Kg7 3. Ra7+ Kf8 4. e6 Re4 5. Rd7 Rc4 6. Rxd5 h4 7. Rd3 Ke7 8. Rd7+ Kf8 9. Rh7 h5 10. Ke5 h3 11. f5 Kg8 12. Rxh5 a3 13. Rxh3 a2 14. Ra3 Rc5+ 15. Kf6 (1-0) Absolutely essential was 1...g5! to break up White's pawns at all costs, viz. 1... g5 2. Rxh6 Rxf4+ (Not 2...gxf4? 3. Kf5!) 3. Kxg5 Rf1 should hold. (Source: Practical Endgame Play, N. McDonald) I tried this on a few engines and they seem very confused. I suppose it would take a very long think on an engine's part to work it all out, if at all. Rather than solving it thematically (intuiatively?) as a human would. Knowledge vs Brute Force. It's possible that positions like this would show more of an engine's shortcomings as opposed to tactical tricks in most endgame studies. Cheers, Jim
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