I have 2 questions about an endgame I just played against NoirDesir in the current 2+2 CC Championships.

Game: http://www.chess.com/echess/game.html?id=48723444
PGN:
[White "hamstergang"]
[Black "Noir_Desir"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.d3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Qxf6 8.Ne2 d6 9.O-O g5 10.d4 Ne7 11.Rb1 h5 12.f3 h4 13.Qd2 Ng6 14.Bb5+ Kf8 15.dxe5 dxe5 16.Bd7 b6 17.Qd5 Rb8 18.Bxc8 Rxc8 19.Qb7 Kg7 20.Rfd1 h3 21.Ng3 Nh4 22.Qxc8 Rxc8 23.Nh5+ Kg6 24.Nxf6 Kxf6 25.gxh3 Nxf3+ 26.Kf2 Nh4 27.Rd3 Ng6 28.Rg1 Nf4 29.Rf3 Rd8 30.Ke1 Rd6 31.Rg4 Rc6 32.h4 gxh4 33.Rxh4 Rc4 34.Rhxf4+ exf4 35.Rxf4+ Ke5 36.Rxf7 Rxc3 37.Kd2 Rh3 38.Rxc7 Rxh2+ 39.Kc3 Kxe4 40.Rxa7 Kd5 41.Rc7 Kd6 42.Rc8 Rh5 43.Kb4 Rg5 44.c4 Rh5 45.a3 1/2-1/2

Endgame position A:



After 25...Kxf6. White to move, up the exchange, but with not so great queenside pawns, and with an issue on the kingside. I see options as 26. gxh3, 26. g3, or 26. g4, with 26...Nxf3+ being the response to all of those. I went with the first, thinking I could open things up on the queenside and come in with my rooks to win, but that didn't work out. The other 2 options lock up the kingside a bit, which may not be bad, but then what to do to win?

Endgame position B:



After 40...Kd5, we reached the above, white to move again. Is it just a dead draw? Is there any plan for white that you would try that could give you a chance?

Nice thread

I think endgame B is just a fortress. I put my K on d6 and the rook on the 5th rank (h5/g5) and then you can't keep my K cut off and make progress at the same time. If you let my K go to c6, we could lift my b-pawn off the board and it would probably still be a draw.

Position A i have to think some more to formulate my thoughts. One thing is clear though: If you manage to exchange my rook without making too many concessions, i'm toast. So you should try to double on the d-file asap. Maybe even 1. Rd3 is an option.

I'll use this thread for some thoughts about the game in general. The whole game for me was a reminder not to do something just because the database tells you so. I had a hard time wrapping my head about the justification for the K-side advance but everybody seemed to be doing it. At the end i went with "i'll have to stop f4".

Then i didn't understand why some GM played Ke7 after the check on b5 (not sure if it was exactly the same position, at least very similar) but i learned it very quickly.

With respect to the opening, 4. ...Na5 is probably easier to play and better.

B is a draw even without Black's pawn.

yes but after 1. Rc7 Kd6! 2. Rc8 Kd7! 3. Rc4 Rh8! 4. a4 Ra8! Black has to find 4 only moves in a row (and is still far away from having teh draw in the bag after this) so white has at least good practical chances for a win (the use of tablebases are not allowed on chess.com). If my K gets to the b-file i think i'm a big favorite to hold the endgame with access to a good endgame book like "fundamental chess endings".

I think we should turn our attention to endgame A. Dorilla's suggestion looks very dangerous to me.

Damn. Just wrote a medium sized message but my internet cut out and i had to restart my computer and forgot to save the message. Oh well.

Basically in the first game 1. g4 wins with Rd3 ideas. If black plays Ke7 for Rd8 then just take the rook and play Rf1 and you're winning in all lines. The knight on h4 is crap.

In the second game just play Kb6 and keep your rook on the 4th rank and white can't make progress so it's a draw. Edit: first play Rh4 then get your king to b6

As in, comparing my line to Dorilla's line in the first game, instead of Kf2, just play Kh1. Kf2 complicates things unnecessarily. Edit: just spotted that Nxf2 Kg3 traps the knight. So maybe Kf2 is OK but it doesn't allow for quick Rf1 ideas so maybe Kh1 is better anyway