Archive for December 26th, 2009

Correct evaluation of pawn endings is an important pillar of good endgame
technique. So, e.g., in the following position Black had to come to a 
judgment as to whether, after the exchange of rooks with 47…Rxe2 48.Kxe2, the
ensuing pawn ending is a draw. Otherwise, he would be obliged to do without
the exchange and to defend the rook ending.
What do you think? Does the exchange of rooks lead to a drawn position?

The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a  larger version of the diagram.

When he previewed our puzzle page on Christmas Eve John Nunn solved the first
position in fifteen seconds (yes, he’s slowing down with age). But then he woke
up on Christmas day in a cold sweat, realizing that the problem was flawed.
The same conclusion was drawn by problem expert Noam Elkies. Today we give you
an explanation, a correction, and a new position to bait
your computer.

There were four decisive games in round five of the men’s section, with one sensation: the leader, Peter Svidler, lost to the youngest participant, 16-year-old Sanan Sjugirov of Kalmykia. That put Alexander Grischuk, who won his game, in the sole lead. In the women’s section IM Alisa Galliamova continues her rampage and is leading by a full point. Games and statistics.