Who says puzzles are useless?
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A few months ago, I tried to create an endgame study. The puzzle never worked out (I'm not exactly an amazing composer). Recently, I played this blitz game on FICS. I played terribly in the opening and the middlegame was very short, but I somehow got an active Rook and ended up in a Rook endgame with an advanced pawn. I promoted, my opponent sacked his Rook for it, and I had R vs. h-pawn. I had maybe twenty seconds at that point. Luckily, one of the variations of my puzzle contained essentially this exact position, and I knew how to win!
Aye, even if black had gone h3 or h2 on his 78th move you could have eventually zugzwanged (is that the correct terminology) him away from the pawn :)
I don't know if zugzwanged is a word, but yes, you are right. Kh3 Kf3 Kh2 Kf2 Kh3 Rg1 Kh2 Ra1 h3 Ra3 Kh1 Rxa3# and Kh2 Kf3 h3 Rg3 Kh1 Rxh3+ wins the pawn. By the way, by "this exact position" I meant after move 81.
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