Matheo Boxum - Harm Wiersma 0-2 (7-12-2024)
≡ 1.32-28 18-23 2.33-29 23x32 3.37x28 20-25 4.41-37 17-21 5.37-32 15-20 6.39-33 19-24 7.44-39 21-26 8.50-44 26x37 9.32x41 16-21 10.41-37 14-19 11.38-32 10-14 12.43-38 5-10 13.49-43 21-26 14.36-31 12-18 15.46-41 8-12 16.31-27 3-8 17.41-36 11-16 18.37-31 26x37 19.42x31 7-11 20.47-42 11-17 21.27-22 18x27 22.31x11 6x17 23.42-37This position has appeared before in the game Bezvershenko - Krajenbrink 1997 during an international match between the Netherlands and Ukraine. That game resulted in a draw after
32.33-28
This seems logical. After ≡ 32.48-43 , for example, 2-7 33.33-29 (on ≡ 33.33-28 12-17 34.28x19 and 17-22 ) ≡ 7-11, and white is almost forced to play 34.27-22 18x27 35.29x7 1x12 36.32x21 16x27, after which black at least has the best play. On ≡ 32.33-29 2-7 33.39-33 (on ≡ 33.38-33 7-11 34.33-28, black gets almost winning play through 25-30 and continuous breakthrough threats on white's long side) and now again ≡ 7-11 34.27-22 18x27 35.29x7 1x12 36.32x21 16x27, etc., and I prefer the remaining position for black.
By the way, black can also take the exchange ≡ 25-30 34.34x25 23x34 35.40x29 18-22 36.27x18 12x34 37.39x30 35x24 with equal play.
The variation that troubled me during the game was, however, ≡ 12-17 33.28x19 17-22. Now 34.39-33 or ≡ 34.38-33 or ≡ 34.27-21 all provide good play for black. Only ≡ 34.19-14 22x33 35.14x5 seems good, and the consideration was 26-31! 36.39x28 18-23 37.28x19 9-14! 38.19x10 and 31-36.
As a winning plan, I didn't trust this, but upon analysis, it seems white can escape in a treacherous way. The only method for this is 39.32-28 36-41 40.28-23! If black now plays 41-47, then 41.23-19? loses to 2-8, but white can immediately play ≡ 41.48-42! If black captures 47x50, then white moves piece 23 to 14(!) with 42.23-19 35x44 43.19-14 and can subsequently free the trapped king and pieces with always 14-9 for a draw. If black captures ≡ 47x18, then 42.34-29 18x34 43.40x29 follows. After 2-8, white does not play 44.29-23? (which loses to 8-13), but ≡ 44.29-24, and due to the freeing threat 24-20, black must allow ≡ 25-30 45.24-19 30-34 46.19-14, and white can always 'move' piece 4 in the long run, the ultimate theme.
Now at move 38 black could also play ≡ 16-21 to lure white into 39.48-42, to then have good winning chances after 2-8. On 40.32-28 21-26, the exchange possibility 31-37 42x31 26x37 could play a decisive role. And after ≡ 40.34-29 25-30 41.29-23? a nasty gambit follows with 21-27 42.32x21 and 8-13! Therefore, ≡ 41.32-28 is better, but then black wins after 21-26, in my opinion. By the way, that is still quite a task, because after 42.28-23 8-13 looks winning. White can then only miraculously escape with 43.42-38 31-37 44.38-33 37-42 45.23-19 13x24 46.29x20, etc. Thus, black must directly play ≡ 31-37 43.42x31 26x37 44.23-19 37-42, and now after 45.29-24 42-47! and after ≡ 45.19-14 subtly 8-13. (After ≡ 42-47, white can still play 46.44-39!! 35x24 47.14-9 4x13, and 48.10-4 for a drawn endgame.) To then play after ≡ 46.29-23 30-34! 47.40x29 42-47. The characteristic white confinement with the king on 5 is then maintained.
Finally, at move 38, black could also have played ≡ 2-8. Then the advance of 39.48-42 is still very dangerous for white. The best move is again ≡ 39.32-28 31-37 40.28-23 37-41. Now 41.48-42? is lost due to 41-47! (because piece 2 is already on 8, the maneuver 42.42-38, etc., does not work). ≡ 41.23-19? also loses due to 41-47! 42.19-14 8-13! and white cannot progress further. However, the white draw plan is then ≡ 41.34-29! 25-30 (otherwise, white can still force this move by playing ≡ 40-34 followed by 29-24 with the threat 24-20). ≡ 42.23-19 1-7 (on ≡ 16-21 43.48-42 can already be played). Now white can draw by playing ≡ 43.48-42 or ≡ 43.29-24. But the following is quite remarkable. After ≡ 43.48-42 41-47 44.29-24 47x50 white can give an extra piece with 40 which is a draw. But I have been experimenting a bit. If white plays 45.24-20 35x44 46.20-14 then the threat is 14-9 4x24 48.10-4 to make a second king. At that moment I thought hey, I can give two pieces with ≡ 8-13 47.19x8 7-12 48.8x17 and make a king with 44-49. The position is a draw now. But if white plays 49.14-9? then black can simply take 50x6 50.9-3 6-22 with a winning endgame. Much nicer is the variant after ≡ 49.17-12 then black plays 49-21, and this is quite unique, it goes on with 50.12-7 21-3 51.7-2 3x25 52.2x35
Normaly you would say this position can never win for black. But in this case it is winning, despite that black has only three pieces. This is caused by the extra formation 4/5/10/15. It is similar to what has been what has been written in 1989 by dr. Tjeerd de Reus from Heemstede. As Rein Halbersma pointed out, in 1989 De Reus wrote a book about draw restrictions. In this book he explains the idea of Mertens, namely that if you remove square 5 from the board then the three against one endgame is winning. In this case black can make a third king and build a capture position. Nobody knows about this.
≡
9-14
33.28x19
14x23
34.38-33
1-7
35.48-43
10-14
36.33-29
14-19
37.39-33
12-17
38.33-28
17-22
39.28x17
25-30
40.34x25
23x34
41.40x29
18-23
42.29x18
7-12
43.17x8
2x42
44.32-27
42-47
45.44-39
47-42
46.39-34
42-33