Akiba Rubinstein’s Masterpiece

As Savielly Tartakover wrote:

“Rubinstein is a rook ending of a chess game that was started by Gog a

thousand years ago”.

Rubinstein Spielmann

Notes by Dvoretsky, Levenfisch, Smyslov, Kmoch and Kasparov

Spielmann - Rubinstein

[A positional disadvantage that occurs often is an abundance of "pawn

islands." White has four islands against Black's two; this means that

White has more vulnerable pawns that cannot protect each other.

Therefore his position is inferior. ]

40...Tb8–a8! [ The first stage of Black's plan is to attack White's pawns

so that the white rook will be chained to their protection.]

[Chasing after material gain with 40...Tb8–b3? would have been a grave

error, because after 41.Tc2–a2 Tb3–d3 42.a3–a4 Td3xd4 43.a4–a5 Td4–

c4 44.a5–a6 the white rook is actively placed behind a passed pawn

while the black rook must stand passively on a8. 44...Tc4–c8 45.a6–a7

Tc8–a8 46.Kh2–g3°]

41.Tc2–c3 [The position of the rook on the 3rd rank has its own virtues,

only Spielmann fails to exploit them in the further process. ]

[41.Tc2–a2 Ta8–a4 42.Kh2–g3 Kf8–e7 (42...Ta4xd4? 43.a3–a4÷) 43.Kg3–

f3 Ke7–e6 44.Kf3–e4 G. Levenfish and V. Smyslov also analyze 44...g6–

g5!? This continuation is more dangerous, but their line shows that White

maintains sufficient defensive resources: (44...d6–d5+ 45.Ke4–d3!?

(Spielmann thinks that the rook stands even worse on a2 and explains

this judgment with the line 45.Ke4–e3 Ke6–f5 However, the final position

of this line is far from clear. And secondly, instead of 6 Ke3 White can

play 6 Kd3!?.) 45...Ke6–f5 (45...Ke6–d6 46.Kd3–c3 Kd6–c6 47.Kc3–d3

Kc6–b5 48.Ta2–b2+) 46.Kd3–c3 Kf5–e4 47.Ta2–e2+÷ As we can see, the

rook behind the pawn has some hidden potency although it is currently

passive. It chains the black rook; for as soon as the black rook leaves a4

the white rook supports the advance of the a-pawn.) 45.Ta2–a1 f7–f6

46.Ta1–a2 f6–f5+ 47.Ke4–d3 Ke6–d5 48.Kd3–c3 Ta4–c4+ 49.Kc3–b3

Tc4xd4 50.a3–a4 Td4–d3+ (50...Kd5–c6 51.a4–a5 Kc6–b7 52.a5–a6+ Kb7–

a7 53.Ta2–a5 Td4–f4 54.Ta5–d5 Tf4xf2 55.Td5xd6 Tf2–f3+ 56.Kb3–c4

Tf3xh3 57.Td6–g6 g5–g4 58.Kc4–b5 Th3–b3+ 59.Kb5–a5=) 51.Kb3–b4

Td3xh3 52.a4–a5 Th3–h8 53.a5–a6 Kd5–e4 54.a6–a7 Th8–a8 55.Kb4–b5

Ke4–f3 56.Kb5–b6=]

41...Ta8–a4 42.Tc3–d3 Kf8–e7 [ The second stage: the king goes to the

center.]

43.Kh2–g3 [43.d4–d5 is met with 43...g6–g5! (43...Ke7–f6 44.Td3–f3+;

43...f7–f5 44.Td3–e3+ e6) 44.Kh2–g2 Ke7–f6 45.Td3–f3+ Kf6–g6 d4

46.Tf3–d3 f7–f6! f5; VariantDvoretsky 43.Kh2–g2!?; Variant Rybka 3.0

43.Td3–e3+; Variant Deep Fritz 10 43.h3–h4]

43...Ke7–e6

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44.Kg3–f3? [ In my opinion this is an obvious positional error that was

somehow left unnoticed by the annotators. Letting the black king pass to

d5, White condemns himself to a passive defense that, as we know,

forebodes gloom in rook-and-pawn endings.]

[He could get excellent chances for a draw by playing 44.Td3–e3+! Ke6–

d7 (44...Ke6–d5 45.Te3–e7 Ta4xa3+ 46.Kg3–g2) and now either 45.Te3–

d3 (or 45.Te3–f3!? f7–f6 46.d4–d5 Ta4–d4 47.Tf3–b3 Td4xd5 48.Tb3–b7+

Kd7–e6 49.Tb7xg7 g6–g5 50.Tg7–a7) 45...Kd7–c6 46.Td3–c3+ Kc6–d5

47.Tc3–c7 Ta4xa3+ 48.Kg3–g2 Kd5–e6 49.d4–d5+ Ke6–f6 50.Tc7–d7 Ta3–

a6 51.h3–h4]

44...Ke6–d5 45.Kf3–e2?! [ Another inaccuracy.]

[A good idea was to restrain Black's pawns on the kingside by means of

¹45.h3–h4! It's worth mentioning that here, as well as later on, White is

not afraid of 45...Ta4xd4 because he has a distant passed pawn in the

pawn endgame after 46.Kf3–e3]

45...g6–g5! [ The third stage of the plan: it is important to improve the

pawn structure on the kingside.]

[45...Ta4xd4? 46.Ke2–e3]

46.Td3–b3

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46...f7–f6! [46...Ta4xd4? can be met either with 47.Tb3–b5+ (or 47.Tb3–

d3!?=) ; In case of 46...Kd5xd4?! 47.Tb3–b7 White has considerably

reduced the number of pawns. (47.Tb3–g3!? Ta4–a5 48.a3–a4 Dvoretsky)

Although G. Kasparov claims the ending after 47...f7–f6! (47...Ta4xa3?

48.Tb7xf7 Ta3xh3 49.Tf7xg7³) 48.Tb7xg7 Ta4xa3 49.h3–h4! g5xh4

50.Tg7–g4+ Kd4–c3 51.Tg4xh4 Ta3–a2+ to be won for Black, it is not

clear whether his judgment is correct. In addition, Black should take 8

Rg3!? Ra5 9 a4 into account. 52.Ke2–e3 d6–d5 53.Th4–h3 d5–d4+

54.Ke3–e4+ Kc3–c4–+ Rubinstein's move is safer.]

47.Ke2–e3

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[47.Tb3–b7 can be met now with 47...Ta4xa3 48.Tb7xg7 Ta3xh3

(48...Kd5xd4µ brings us to the above-mentioned line.) 49.Tg7–g6

(49.Tg7–f7 Kd5–e6! 50.Tf7–f8 f6–f5 51.Tf8–e8+ Ke6–d5 52.Te8–f8 Kd5–e4

g4, f3–+) 49...Kd5–e6 50.Tg6–g8 Th3–h4 51.Ke2–e3 Ke6–d5 This

position, as Kasparov has proven, is winning, and here I agree with him.

One who fights for a win should avoid pawn exchanges; in this line, an

extra pawn pair remains on the board compared with the 7...Kxd4 line.

52.Tg8–g6 (52.Tg8–f8 Th4–e4+ 53.Ke3–f3 Te4–e6 54.Kf3–g4 Kd5xd4

55.Kg4–f5 Te6–e2–+) 52...Th4–e4+ 53.Ke3–f3 Te4–e6 (53...g5–g4+ 54.Kf3–

g3 f6–f5 55.Tg6–f6 Te4xd4 56.Tf6xf5+ Kd5–c4µ e4; 53...Te4–f4+

54.Kf3–e3 Kd5–c4 55.f2–f3 Kc4–c3 56.Tg6–h6 d6–d5 57.Th6–g6 Tf4xd4

58.Tg6xf6 Td4–d3+ 59.Ke3–f2 Td3–d2+ 60.Kf2–e3 d5–d4+ 61.Ke3–e4 Td2–

e2+ 62.Ke4–f5 Te2–g2 63.Kf5–e4 d4–d3 64.Tf6–c6+ Kc3–d2 65.Tc6–d6

Tg2–e2+ 66.Ke4–f5 Te2–e3–+) 54.Kf3–g4 Kd5xd4 55.Kg4–f5 Te6–e2!

56.Kf5xf6 Te2xf2+ 57.Kf6–e6 Tf2–e2+ 58.Ke6xd6 Te2–e5–+ Kasparov]

47...Kd5–c4 48.Tb3–d3 [48.Tb3–b7 Ta4xa3+ 49.Ke3–e4 d6–d5+ 50.Ke4–

f5 Ta3xh3 51.Tb7xg7 Th3–f3+–+ is hopeless.]

48...d6–d5 [ Black has improved his pawn structure and optimally placed

his king. Now it is time for the rook. It has completed its mission on a4

and may find a new application for its talents.]

49.Ke3–d2 Ta4–a8 50.Kd2–c2 [50.Kd2–e2? Ta8–b8 (50...Ta8–e8+)

51.Ke2–d2 Tb8–b2+ 52.Kd2–e3 Tb2xf2 Dvoretsky (Or 52...Tb2–a2‡

Spielmann) ]

50...Ta8–a7! 51.Kc2–d2 Ta7–e7! []

52.Td3–c3+! [ The last chance to display activity.]

[A continued passive policy would have led to an inglorious demise:

52.Kd2–c2 Te7–e2+ 53.Td3–d2 Te2xd2+ 54.Kc2xd2 Kc4–b3!–+

Spielmann; Or 52.Td3–e3 Te7xe3! (52...Te7–b7! 53.Te3–d3 Tb7–b2+

54.Kd2–e3 Tb2–b3–+ Spielmann (54...Tb2–a2–+) ) 53.f2xe3 (53.Kd2xe3

Kc4–b3) 53...f6–f5! 54.Kd2–c2 (54.Kd2–e2 Kc4–b3 55.Ke2–f3 Kb3xa3

56.Kf3–g3 Ka3–b4 57.h3–h4) 54...g7–g6‡–+ 55.Kc2–d2 (55.Kc2–b2 g5–g4)

55...Kc4–b3–+ Dvoretsky]

52...Kc4xd4 53.a3–a4! Te7–a7 54.Tc3–a3 Ta7–a5! [The pawn must be

stopped as soon as possible. Black intends to approach it with his king:

either simply for winning it or for blocking it and releasing the rook from

its passive position.]

55.Ta3–a1 Kd4–c4

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56.Kd2–e3?! [56.Ta1–c1+! Kc4–b4 57.Tc1–b1+! Kb4xa4 58.Kd2–d3

deserved attention: (58.Tb1–b7? Ta5–b5! is not so good.) Levenfish and

Smyslov analyzed 58...Ta5–c5! (The position of the black king on the

edge could give some practical chances. For example, after 58...Ta5–b5?

59.Tb1–a1+ Ka4–b4 60.Kd3–d4± it was Black who had to fight for a draw.)

59.Kd3–d4 (59.Tb1–b7? Tc5–c4 60.Tb7xg7 Ka4–b5–+) 59...Tc5–c2

60.Tb1–b7 (60.Kd4xd5 Tc2xf2 61.Kd5–e6 Tf2–h2 62.Ke6–f7 Th2xh3–+)

60...Tc2xf2 61.Tb7xg7 in their opinion, White maintains chances for a

draw. Kasparov extended this line with 61...Tf2–d2+! 62.Kd4–c5 Ka4–b3

63.Tg7–g6 (63.Tg7–d7 Td2–d3 (63...Kb3–c3 64.Td7xd5 Td2–f2 65.Kc5–d6;

63...Td2–c2+ 64.Kc5–d4) 64.Td7xd5 Td3xh3 65.Td5–f5 Kb3–c3! (65...Th3–

h6 66.Kc5–d4) 66.Tf5xf6 g5–g4–+ Dvoretsky) 63...Kb3–c3 64.Tg6xf6 d5–

d4 and evaluated the final position as winning. I think he is incorrect

here: White saves himself by 65.Tf6–a6! Kc3–d3

a) 65...Td2–d3 66.Ta6–a4=;

b) 65...d4–d3 66.Ta6–a3+ Kc3–b2 67.Kc5–b4 Td2–d1 68.Ta3–b3+ (68.Ta3–

c3!=) 68...Kb2–c2 69.Kb4–c4 d3–d2 70.Tb3–c3+ Kc2–b2 71.Tc3–b3+ Kb2–

a2 72.Kc4–c3=;

c) 65...Td2–d1 66.Ta6–a3+ Kc3–b2 67.Kc5–b4 Td1–e1 (67...d4–d3 68.Ta3–

c3=) 68.Ta3–d3 Te1–e3 69.Td3xd4 Te3xh3 70.Td4–d2+ Kb2–c1 71.Td2–

g2=;

66.Kc5–d5 Kd3–e3 67.Ta6–e6+ Ke3–f4 68.Te6–f6+ Kf4–g3 69.Tf6–g6= It

seems that, in spite of previous errors, Spielmann's position remained

tenable. (Dvoretsky)]

56...d5–d4+ 57.Ke3–d2

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57...Ta5–f5! [ Black's precise 15th move tells: the rook may leave the

blockade position.]

58.Kd2–e1 [If 58.a4–a5 then 58...Tf5xf2+ 59.Kd2–e1 Tf2–b2! (Rather than

59...Tf2–h2? 60.Ta1–a4+ Kc4–b5 61.a5–a6!) 60.a5–a6 Tb2–b8 61.a6–a7

Tb8–a8 62.Ke1–d2 Kc4–c5 63.Kd2–d3 Kc5–b6 64.Kd3xd4 (64.Ta1–b1+!

Kb6xa7 65.Kd3xd4 Ta8–b8 66.Tb1–a1+ Ka7–b6 67.Kd4–d5 Tb8–e8

68.Ta1–a3 is more stubborn, and Black's win is still not a simple matter.

(K. Müller)) 64...Ta8xa7–+ Spielmann]

58...Kc4–b4! [ A typical reassignment of pieces: the king will block the

past pawn while the rook will attack White's weak pawns.]

59.Ke1–e2 Kb4–a5!

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60.Ta1–a3 [After 60.Ta1–b1 Ka5xa4 61.Tb1–b7 Kasparov suggests

61...d4–d3+ (61...g7–g6!–+ is much stronger. (Dvoretsky)) 62.Ke2xd3

Tf5xf2 63.Tb7xg7 Tf2–f3+ 64.Kd3–e4 (64.Kd3–c4! Ka4–a3 (64...Tf3–f4+

65.Kc4–d5 Ka4–b3 66.Kd5–e6=) 65.Tg7–g6 Ka3–b2 66.Kc4–d5 Kb2–c3

67.Kd5–e6=) 64...Tf3xh3–+ This line is erroneous: White holds by means

of 64 Kc4!]

60...Tf5–f4 61.Ta3–a2 [61.Ke2–f1 Tf4–h4 62.Kf1–g2 Ka5–b4! 63.Ta3–a1

d4–d3 64.a4–a5 d3–d2 65.a5–a6 Th4–h8 66.a6–a7 (66.Kg2–f1 Kb4–c3)

66...Th8–a8 67.Kg2–f3 Ta8xa7–+ Spielmann]

61...Tf4–h4 62.Ke2–d3 [62.Ta2–a3 Ka5–b4]

62...Th4xh3+ 63.Kd3xd4 Th3–h4+ 64.Kd4–d3 [64.Kd4–e3 Th4xa4

65.Ta2–d2 Ka5–b6! and if …66.Td2–d7 then 66...Ta4–a7]

64...Th4xa4 65.Ta2–e2 [ e7]

65...Ta4–f4! [65...Ka5–b6? is wrong 66.Te2–e6+! e7]

66.Kd3–e3 Ka5–b6 67.Te2–c2 [

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c8–g8]

67...Kb6–b7! [ Accurate to the last! Black prevents the maneuver Rc8–g8

and prepares to cross the c-file with his king after Ra4–a6–c6.]

68.Tc2–c1 Tf4–a4 69.Tc1–h1 Kb7–c6 70.Th1–h7 Ta4–a7 71.Ke3–e4 Kc6–

d6 72.Ke4–f5 g7–g6+! 73.Kf5xg6 Ta7xh7 74.Kg6xh7 Kd6–e5 75.Kh7–

g6 g5–g4

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