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!
May 11, 2009
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#2
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.
