Saracen
560,940
If the order of chapters were just swapped around, this would be easier to understand. The "Safe Square Loss" chapter demonstrates the skewer threat. Once you've learned that line, you can see that the White king needs to go to g2 in order to avoid the skewer.
2 months ago
cramNick
369,600
I agree, because 7... Rc1 8. Rh8 would illustrate the point of moving the king to the short side: to give enough space for the rook to give side checks (and then 8... Rd1 to cover the side checks would be the trickiest try)
4 months ago
JBartholomew
632,770
Yes, you definitely want to keep the king in front of the pawn to minimize any chance of a Lucena. That said, was your game lost after your opponent got Rf6 in? Seems like that should still be a draw, albeit a bit harder to hold.
8 months ago
ALZ245
670,750
Thank you John! This is a Master class. You're a natural! However, I would suggest you include in this book all those variations you have explained so well in the videos that go with this book.
PsyMar
250,420
I agree with the first comment, it needs to show how this transitions to the safe square draw. 2) is fairly obvious to me, it's because black can then use his rook to check the white king either away from the rook, or in front of the rook, and either way trade rooks. I don't know what you mean by 3), unless you mean the black king on b7 or something, in which case Ra4 probably works.
9 months ago
PsyMar
250,420
If the king stays on g3, Black can play Rg1+ and follow Kf2/Kh2 with ...a2 Kxg1 a1=Q+ and Black has a theoretically winning queen versus rook endgame.
9 months ago
EOGuel
404,780
Also, note that after 1. Rg7+, Kh8 does not help because White can go forward with 2. Rh3+, Kg8, and we have the same position where White wins with 3. f7+. I wondered about that for a little bit but was able to quickly work it out! :-D
1 year ago
able9847886
28,140
Just a suggestion: In the example the try with Kd3 after Rh1+ is shown twice. Perhaps it would be a good idea to show Rh1+ plus Kd3 and Rh1+ plus Rc1 both once, because in the second try the white rook shouldn't stay behind the pawn.
1 year ago
