Speelman on chess

Jon Speelman
Sunday November 20, 2005
The Observer

Alexander Morozevich (Black) v Ni Hua (White to play)

Endings with 'opposite coloured bishops' have a justifiable reputation for often being drawn but the addition of a pair of rooks changes things for rook and bishop can be a significant attacking force. Morozevich was threatening to penetrate with the rook via g6 and Ni Hua therefore tried:

49 h5 Ke8!? 49...Bd5 would have prevented Ni Hua's excellent attempt two moves later but 50 Kd2 Ke8 51 Rg3 Rxh5 52 Rxg7 Rh2+ 53 Kc1 isn't absolutely clear.

50 Rg3 Rxh5 51 d5! A splendid resource. If instead 51 Rxg7 Rh3+ 52 Kd2 Rd3+ wins easily. Now, however, if 51...Bxd5 52 Rxg7 the White king can run to d4 after which Black is being attacked. It's hard to tell whether Morozevich had foreseen 51 d5 though I rather suspect not but in any case he pulled himself together and after just 10 minutes or so came up with a counter shot.

51...g5! 52 dxe6?! This makes it fairly easy for Black. If 52 fxg5 e5 53 Rg1 Bxd5 is rather messy but with the White king backpedalling it out to be winning. However when I looked at 52 Rxg5 Rxg5 53 fxg5 I was surprised to find that this isn't at all trivial. If 53...Bxd5 54 Kf4 Kf7 55 Ke5 Kg6 56 Bc1 I believe that the blockade holds. Instead Black should therefore play 53...e5 54 d6 Bc6 when it looks like he is winning but it's still very complicated - and you certainly wouldn't be absolutely sure over the board.

52...g4! Squashing White's counterplay. Ni Hua tried to attack anyway but was a tempo too slow.

53 Kd4 Rh3 54 Rg1 g3 55 Ke5 g2 56 Rd1 Rh1 57 Rd7 g1Q 58 Bd6 Or 58 Rc7 Qb6 58 Rc8+ Qd8.

58...Bc6 Now if 59 Rc7 Qe3+ 60 Kf6 Rh6+ so Ni Hua resigned.