Test Yourself!

Test Your Rook Endgames!

Today, two rook endgames came to my attention.
I] The first is from one of my favourite chess blogger and author (of chess videos) (and science/maths writer), Dana MacKenzie: see here for the blogpost. He coaches a junior girl and this is from a game she played very recently:


Black to move. How would you play as Black? But firstly how would you evaluate the position? Who is better? Now what is Black's strategy?

II] The second is hot off the press, from the Thessaloniki Grand Prix Round 5 game between Rustam Kasimdzhanov vs Leiner Dominguez Perez. White has just played 28 Re1-d1. What did White missed, what is Black's 28th move worth an "!"?



III ]
White has played e3-e4. What was White expecting? However, Black played a brilliant move here, a zwischenzug, placing White is a zugzwang. What is Black's move?



For II and III, see Chessvibes (here) for the complete game and annotations).

Test Yourself Against the Grandmasters!
A]
Black has just played 58...Ra2-c2?! (described by Black himself afterwards as a horrible move). What did Black miss? clue: it is White's 61st move: "This totally changes the whole evaluation. White is playing for a win.".



B]
White played 64 h4-h5 and now what would you play as Black to maintain the draw? What would be a blunder which Black indeed did play in the game?



C]
White has a chance to win after 65...h5-h4. What should White play?



This is the game Etienne Bacrot vs Alexander Morozevich from Round 5 of the Thessaloniki Grand Prix. See Chessvibes and Chessbase for complete game and annotations.

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