Efstratios Grivas:
The Weak Passed c-pawn
Concept is: is it really a strong passed one or a
A passed pawn can be proven either weak target?
a very important asset or a weak 22.Rc4?!
target; everything depends on its A superficial move which allows
ability to move forward. A passed Black to exchange queens, reducing
pawn that finds no obstacles on its White's attacking ideas. It was more
movement to its queening square accurate to go for 22.Rc1! (22...Rd3?
proves strength, while if it is blocked 23.Rc4 Qd2 24.Rc5!). Another idea
shows weakness. that deserved attention was 22.Rb1!?.
We will examine endings where a 22...Qd2 23.Rc1
 passed c-pawn and all rooks are If 23.Qe4, then 23...Rcd8,
present on the board; a very rare threatening ...Qe2 and ...Rd1.
strategical theme that netherless also 23...Qc2 24.R1c2
occurs in top-level.
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+r+-+k+0
Gelfand B. : Grischuk A.
9zp-+-+p+p0
Sochi 2004
9-+-+-zp-+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+-zpr+-+-0
9-+r+-+k+0
9-+R+-+-+0
9zp-+-+p+p0
9+-+-zP-zP-0
9-+-+-zp-+0
9P+R+-zP-zP0
9wq-zpr+-+-0
9+-+-+-mK-0
9-+p+-+-+0
xiiiiiiiiy
9+-tR-zP-zP-0
So, a four-rook ending has appeared
9P+Q+-zP-zP0
on the board and it is important to
9tR-+-+-mK-0
clarify some things.
xiiiiiiiiy
1. If Black succeeds to exchange one
So, White has got what he had pair of rooks and his a- & c-pawns
wished for - all Black's pawns are for White's a-pawn, then a draw
weak and isolated and furthermore would be the outcome.
the back king is lucking protection. 2. With all rooks on the board the 4:3
Of course Black has at his disposal a pawn ratio on the kingside will offer
passed c-pawn, but the main question White excellent winning chances, as
he will able to combine attack on the
FIDE  TRG SURVEYS  EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS 1
weak opponent pawns and mating Ra1 39.Kf4 Rf1 40.f3 Ra1 41.Kf5 a2
threats. 42.f4+-.
3. If White manages to win the c- & 27.Kf3 Kf8 28.Ke2
f6-pawns in return for his a-pawn, he
XIIIIIIIIY
would win.
9-+-+-mk-+0
4. In general, exchanging one pair of
9zp-+-+p+-0
rooks favours the weaker side.
9r+-+-zp-zp0
5. If White manages to activate his
second rook, all Black's pawns will
9+-zpr+-+-0
become targets.
9P+R+-+-+0
24...Rc6
9+-+-zP-zP-0
A good move, preventing White
9-+R+KzP-zP0
from occupying the b-file. If
24...Kg7 25.Rb2 Rc6 26.Rb7ą.
9+-+-+-+-0
25.Kg2?!
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A weak move, as weak would be
28...Ra5?
25.Rb2?! Rb6. White had to go for
This allows the white rook on c2 to
25.Ra4! Rc7 and only then 26.Kg2 f5
get in on the action. This is the main
27.Kf3ą , when he would at least be
problem in such positions - it may be
able to exchange rooks on the d-file
possible to defend them during home
(Ke2, Rd2) under favourable
analysis, but on the board it is
circumstances.
difficult to understand what threats
25...Ra6!
are real and what are illusory.
Now Black's rook got good activity.
28...Ke7? loses a pawn to 29.Rc5
26.a4
Rc5 30.Rc5 Ra4 31.Rh5 and White is
After 26.Kf3 Ra3 it is not clear how
winning: 31...Ra1 (31...Kf8 32.Rh6
White will make progress.
Kg7 33.Rh5 Ra1 34.h4 a5 35.Kf3 a4
26...h6?!
36.Ra5 a3 37.g4! (37.Kf4? Ra2 38.f3
A better idea was to put the pawn on
Ra1 39.h5 a2 40.g4 Kh7 41.e4
f5, by continuing with 26...Kg7
Kg7=) 37...Rh1 (37...a2 38.h5+-)
27.Kf3 Kg6 28.Ke2 (28.Rg4 Rg5)
38.h5 Ra1 39.Ra6+-) 32.Rh6 a5
28...f5 29.Rd2 Rad6 (29...Re5
33.h4 a4 34.Rh8 a3 35.Ra8+-. But
30.Rd8ą; 29...Rd2 30.Kd2ą) 30.Rd5
the best defence was 28...Rh5,
Rd5 31.Rc2 Kf6 32.Rb2, when
keeping the king and the other rook
White remains on the driver's seat,
in their best positions: 29.h4 Rd5
but there is a long way to go ... The
30.R2c3! (30.Rb2? Rb6 31.Rb5 Rb5
immediate 26...f5? is losing: 27.Rc5
32.ab5 Kg7 33.Kf3 Rd6 34.Rc5
Rc5 28.Rc5 Ra4 29.Rf5 a5 30.Kf3
Rb6=) 30...Kg7 31.Rd3 Rd3
Ra1 31.h4 a4 32.Ra5 a3 33.h5 h6
32.Kd3ą.
34.g4 Kg7 35.e4 Ra2 36.Ke3 Ra1
37.Ra6 Ra2 (37...a2 38.Kf4) 38.e5
FIDE  TRG SURVEYS  EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS 2
29.Rb2! Rd6 30.Rb8 Ke7 31.Rh4 back pieces - he even stated that this
Now Black is unable to protect all was the game that taught him how to
his weaknesses. Also possible was handle such cases and handed him
31.Rc8 Rda6 32.Rc7 Ke6 33.R7c5 the win in the previous game!
Rc5 34.Rc5 Ra4 35.Rh5.
31...Rb6 Karpov A. : Gelfand B.
Or 31...Rc6 32.Re4 Re6 33.Rb7! Linares 1991
Kd6 (33...Kf8 34.Rh4 Rc6 35.Rh6
XIIIIIIIIY
Kg7 36.Rh4 c4 37.Rb4 c3 38.Rhc4)
9-+-+-+k+0
34.Rf4+-.
9zp-+-trp+-0
32.Rc8 Kd7 33.Rh8 Rb4
9-trp+-+p+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+p+-+p0
9-+-+-+-tR0
9-+-tR-+-+0
9zp-+k+p+-0
9+-zP-zP-zPP0
9-+-+-zp-zp0
9P+-tR-zPK+0
9tr-zp-+-+-0
9+-+-+-+-0
9Ptr-+-+-tR0
xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+-zP-zP-0
It looks like Black is having a good
9-+-+KzP-zP0
position - he even occupies the only
9+-+-+-+-0
open file of the board, but the reality
xiiiiiiiiy
is that it is White who can put-up the
34.R4h6 real pressure.
Black's weak pawns started to fall - 26.c4! dc4 27.Rc4 Kg7 28.Rdc2
the end is near. Rc7 29.g4!
34...Rb6 White gains more space on the
Also hopeless was 34...Raa4 35.Rf6 kingside. If 29.Rc5 then 29...Ra6
Rb2 36.Kf3 Raa2 37.Kg2 Ke7 with the idea ...Ra4, is interesting.
38.Rf4+-. 29...hg4 30.hg4 Kf6
35.R6h7 Ra4 36.Rf7 Kc6 Giving-up the c-pawn in return for
36...Ke6 37.Rhf8+-. some activity with 30...c5 31.Rc5
37.Rf6 Kb5 38.Rb6 ab6 39.h4 Ra2 (31.Kg3 Ra6 32.a4 Kf6) 31...Rc5
40.Kf3 c4 41.h5 Ra7 42.Rc8 Rf7 32.Rc5 Ra6 33.Rc2 Ra4 34.Kg3ą, do
43.Ke2 Kb4 44.g4 Rh7 45.f4 1:0. not solve Black's problems.
31.Kg3 Ke6
A very similar case, although a bit
improved as Black s king was not
weak, appeared in the next example.
This time Gelfand was handling the
FIDE  TRG SURVEYS  EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS 3
44...Rc8 45.Rb4 Rc7 46.a5!
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Planning a6, with the threat (among
9-+-+-+-+0
others) Rb7.
9zp-tr-+p+-0
46...Kd7 47.Rb3!
9-trp+k+p+0
Puts Black into zugzwang.
47...Ke7
9+-+-+-+-0
47...Kc8 48.Kd6+- and 47...c5
9-+R+-+P+0
48.Kd5+- were not worthy options ...
9+-+-zP-mK-0
48.a6! Kd7
9P+R+-zP-+0
Again 48...c5 fails to 49.Kd5 c4
50.Rb7 Kd7 51.Rc7 Kc7 52.Kc4 Kb6
9+-+-+-+-0
53.f5 Ka6 54.e5! Kb6 (54...gf5 55.e6
xiiiiiiiiy
fe6 56.g6+-) 55.e6 fe6 56.fg6+-.
32.a4!
49.Kf6 Kc8
Threatening 33.a5.
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32...Kd7
9-+k+-+-+0
After 32...Kd6 White retains his
advantage: 33.Rd4 Ke6 34.Rc5! Rd7
9zp-tr-+p+-0
35.Re5!ą.
9P+p+-mKp+0
33.g5!
9+-+-+-zP-0
Fixing another target - the f7-pawn
9-+-+PzP-+0
and securing the e5-square for the
king (see the game continuation).
9+R+-+-+-0
33...Ra6 34.Rd4 Ke8
9-+-+-+-+0
In case of 34...Ke6 White continues
9+-+-+-+-0
35.Rc5 Rd7 36.Rdc4 (36.a5?! Rd5!)
xiiiiiiiiy
36...Kd6 37.Kf4ą.
35.Rc5 Rb6 36.Kf4 Rd7?! 50.Rh3
Helping White's task. 36...Rb2 37.f3 50.f5+- was winning as well.
Kf8ą was a more 'fighting' 50...Rd7 51.f5 gf5 52.ef5 c5 53.Rc3
continuation. Rc7 54.g6 fg6 55.fg6 Kd7 56.g7
37.Rd7! Kd7 38.Ke5! Rc8 57.Rg3
Full domination! 57.Rg3 And Black resigned, as after
38...Ke7 39.f4 Rb4 40.Ra5 Rb7 57...Rg8 58.Kf7 Rc8 59.g8Q Rg8
41.e4 Rc7 60.Rg8 is curtains. Did you ever
After 41...Rd7 White can win with notice that Black's c-pawn was a
42.Rc5 Rd6 43.f5 gf5 44.ef5 f6 passed one? 1:0.
45.gf6 Rf6 46.Ra5+-.
42.Rc5! Rc8 43.Rc3 Re8 44.Rc4
Finally a case which I find very
44.Rc6? falls into a cheap trap:
instructive and impressed me a lot in
44...Kd7 45.Kd5 Re4!=.
my younger years, when I started to
FIDE  TRG SURVEYS  EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS 4
understand that chess is something majority and expose his king. After
more than pure calculation & this alternative play might continue
31.Rg3 a5 32.Re7 Rd3 33.Rgg7 Rf4
Andersson U. : Rivas Pastor M. 34.Rh7 Kg8 35.Reg7 Kf8 36.Qe7
Hastings 1981 Qe7 37.Re7 Ra3.
31.Qc5 bc5 32.Re7
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White's advantage lies in the simple
9-+-+-tr-mk0
fact that his rooks are more active
9zp-+-+-zp-0
and that he can activate efficiently
9-zppwq-+-zp0
his kingside pawn-majority. At the
same time Black's passed c-pawn is
9+-+-+-+-0
going nowhere.
9-zP-+RzP-+0
32...Rd4
9+-+-wQR+P0
Black is obliged to counterattack, as
9P+-+-+PmK0
the obvious 32...a5?! 33.Rg3 Rg8
34.Ra7 loses material and 32...a6
9+-+r+-+-0
33.Rg3 Rg8 (33...Rf4?! 34.Reg7+-)
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34.Rg6 Rd4 35.f5ą is not advisable
The isolated e-pawn which appeared
either.
at the 18th move was no real burden
33.Rg3 Rg8 34.f5
to Black; it could not conveniently be
Of course White must preserve his
brought under fire and was actually
active majority: 34.Ra7? Rf4 35.Rc7
depriving the white pieces of certain
Ra4 36.a3 c4 37.Rc3 Rga8=.
useful squares in the centre. White
34...Rf4 35.Rf7 a5
therefore exchanged it off within a
35...Ra4 36.a3! c4 37.Rc7 Ra5
few moves and now plans Re7 plus
38.Rf3 Rf8 39.g4ą.
Rg3. However this will require some
36.Rg6
preparation, and if Black remains
XIIIIIIIIY
reasonably active he has nothing to
9-+-+-+rmk0
fear at this stage.
29...c5
9+-+-+Rzp-0
29...Qd2! looked as a bit more
9-+-+-+Rzp0
accurate, keeping an even game.
9zp-zp-+P+-0
30.bc5 Qc5?!
9-+-+-tr-+0
30...bc5 was perfectly sound, as the
exchange of the queens is a mistake
9+-+-+-+P0
which leaves White with a strong
9P+-+-+PmK0
endgame initiative. It was essential
9+-+-+-+-0
for Black to preserve the queens on
xiiiiiiiiy
the board, as then it would be not
easy for White to activate kingside 36...c4?!
FIDE  TRG SURVEYS  EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS 5
Black missed his best defence: regardless if we are in the endgame
36...Ra4! 37.Rc6 (37.f6 Ra2 38.Rfg7 or the middlegame.
Rg7 39.fg7 (39.Rg7 Rf2) 39...Kg8 Only the entire situation on the board
40.Rh6 Kg7=) 37...Ra2 38.Rc5 a4 can really reveal the truth, but in
39.Rcc7 a3 40.Ra7. general blocked passed pawns should
37.Rc6! Rf2 be avoided - they can only be targets.
37...a4 38.a3 Rd4 39.Rfc7ą or
37...Ra8 38.Rcc7 Rg8 39.Rc5 Ra8
40.a3 a4 41.Rcc7 Rg8 42.Kg1ą.
38.a4 Rf4 39.Kg3 Rd4 40.Ra7
This now wins material by force.
40...Rb8
There is no defence anymore:
40...Rd5 41.Kf4 Rf8 (41...Rd4
42.Ke5 Rd2 43.g4 Re8 44.Kf4 Rd4
45.Kg3 Re3 46.Kh4 Rdd3 47.Kh5
Rh3 48.Kg6 Rd8 49.Rg7+-) 42.g4
Rd4 43.Ke5 Rd3 44.Rc4 Rh3
45.Ra5ą.
41.Ra5 Rd3 42.Kh2 c3 43.Rc7 Rf8
44.Rb5 h5 45.a5 Rf6 46.Rbc5 Ra6
47.f6 Rf6
Or 47...gf6 48.Rh5 Kg8 49.Rb5 Ra8
50.a6 c2 51.a7! c1Q 52.Rb8 Rd8
53.Rd8 Rd8 54.Rc1+-.
48.Rh5 Kg8 49.Rhc5 Ra6 50.Rg5
Kf8
Black is plain lost: 50...g6 51.Rb5
Ra8 52.a6 c2 53.a7 c1Q 54.Rb8 Rd8
55.Rd8 Rd8 56.Rc1.
51.Rgg7 Ra5 52.Rh7 Kg8 53.Rcg7
Kf8 54.Rb7 Kg8 55.Rhc7 Rf5
56.Rb3
The last black pawn falls ...
56...Rf2 1:0.
Conclusion
It is difficult to indentify the passed
pawn s real potential; is it strong or
weak? The activity of both armies
must be taken into account,
FIDE  TRG SURVEYS  EFSTRATIOS GRIVAS 6