HELLO AGAIN. SINCE I LAST TALKED TO YOU, I'VE UNDERGONE SOME changes. I'm using Chess Base now, instead of typing my articles by hand. This means I can do more analysis faster, but the quality of format may be lower, until I become better versed in the intricacies of this new machine. I'm also going to get away from "The Crunch" terminology for awhile, and instead go with a subtitle, theme, or a feature on a particular player.

Today we will look at a hodgepodge of endgames, beginning with the conclusion of the analysis from the Sept.-Oct. `99 APCT News Bulletin issue. The complete game score can also be found there.

position after 38.b5

final position after 43.b6!

38...Rxh5?

Better is 38...f4! 39.Rxg5 hxg5

A) 40.Re5

A1) 40...Kf7 41.Rxg5 Kf6 42.Rc5 f3 43.Kd3 (43.Kd2 Re8 44.Rc1 Re2+ 45.Kd3 Ra2) 43...Re8 44.Rc1 Ra8 45.Rb1 Rxa3+ 46.Kc4 Kg5 47.b6 Ra8 48.b7 Rb8 49.Kc5 Kxh5 50.Kc6 Kg4 51.Kc7 Rxb7+ 52.Kxb7 f2 53.Kc6 Kf3 54.Kd5 Kg2 55.Ke4 f1Q=;

A2) 40...Rf8 41.Rxg5 f3 42.Rg1 Rf5 43.a4 Rxh5 44.b6ñ; B) 40.a4 40...f3 41.Rf2 g4 42.Kd3 (42.Kb3 Rf8 43.b6 g3æ) 42...Ra8 43.Ra2 g3 44.Ke3 f2 45.Ke2 Re8+æ]

39.a4 Rh4 40.a5 f4 41.Re8+! Rxe8 42.Rxe8+ Kf7 43.b6! Black Resigns.

Our second endgame was submitted by APCTer Richard Morris, of Holly, N.Y.

Morris - Duncan
correspondence game

"Black Refuses Draw"

37.Kh2 Rb3?! [37...Kf5 Should be good enough to hold, but the cleanest way to equalize is; 37...h4!

38.g4! hxg3+ (38...Rb2+ 39.Kg1 b5 40.Rh8 is less clear) 39.Kxg3] 38.h4 Kf5 39.g3 Kg4 40.Rg8+! Kf3 41.Rg5 b5 [41...Rb2+ 42.Kh3 Rb1 43.Rf5+ Ke4 (43...Ke3 44.Rxh5 b5 45.g4 b4 46.g5 b3 47.g6 b2 48.Rb5 Rh1+ 49.Kg4 b1Q 50.Rxb1 Rxb1 51.h5 and white prevails.) 44.Rxh5 Kf3 45.Rf5+ Ke4 46.Rf8+/-] 42.Kh3 Kf2 43.Rf5+ Ke3 44.Rxh5 Ke4?! 45.Rh8 Kf5 46.Rf8+ Kg6 47.Kg4 Rb4+ 48.Rf4 Rxf4+? 49.Kxf4 And white won the king and pawn ending.

Here, Richard quotes Bobby Fischer, "never make a move until you understand the position." This is sage advice indeed. It can be more readily applied at postal than OTB. Good show, Mr. Morris, and thanks for your contribution!

And speaking of Fischer--

Lombardy - Fischer
USA-ch New York 1960

Position after 29 ... Rc4

Fischer has outplayed his opponent. But, as he himself points out, the win is problematical. It hinges on white's being able to sacrifice a rook on e5 or c3 at the appropriate moment. White should play 30.Ra1 a6 31.Rg1 etc. Instead Lombardy plays,

30.Re1? And Fischer pounces. 30...Rxc3+!-+ 31.bxc3 Rxe5+ 32.Kd2 Rxe1 33.Kxe1 Kd5 34.Kd2 Kc4 35.h5 b6 36.Kc2 g5 37.h6 f4 38.g4 a5 39.bxa5 bxa5 40.Kb2 a4 41.Ka3 Kxc3 42.Kxa4 Kd4 43.Kb4 Ke3 White resigns. I present this example because it shows how to win a won game, albeit this time with a timely assist from the opponent.

Well, it's been fun. In the next issue, we'll usher in the new millennium, with a two-rook endgame played by none other than that endgame virtuoso supreme, Capablanca himself. Have a joyous holiday season!

Chip Chapin can be contacted at:

Post Office Box 61352
Honolulu, HI, 96839
E-mail: chapin@hawaii.edu