The decisive mistake.

Passive defense, with the

rook on the eighth rank, is a safe approach
against a knight’s pawn, but not against a
bishop or center pawn.

54.Kg6 Re1

Or 54...Kg8 55.f6 Rb8 56.Rg7+ Kf8 57.Rh7 Kg8

58.f7+.

55.Ra8+ Black resigned.

4. Burn – Spielmann

San Sebastian 1911

When the king is on the long side, positioning the
rook behind a bishop’s pawn (or knight’s pawn)
does not save Black in view of 67.Rg8+ Ke7
68.Rc8! followed by 69.Kb7. Black is unable to
prevent the pawn promoting as it is not possible
to effectuate flank checks – the short side is too
short. The pawn reaches the seventh rank and
what is known as “Lucena’s Position” arises,
which, with the king on the long side, is usually
won without difficulty several ways.

It is important to note that with a center pawn, a

draw may be achieved even with the king on the
long side. Let’s take a look at the previous
position, but with everything moved one file to
the right.
Knowledge of the second method of defense with
Philidor’s Position suggests a simple route to a
draw: 62...Rc4! 63. K×c6 Kb8.

As we realized in the analysis of the previous

example, 62...Rb4+ 63. K×c6 Kb8 also does not
lose. The king goes to the short side and the rook
occupies either the h- or g-file. And in general,
upon almost any other normal move, the position
would remain drawn – except for the move
played in the game.

62...Re7⁇

Now White could have won with 63.Rg8+! Kd7

64.Kb7 Re1 65.Rg7+ Kd8 66. K×c6 Rc1.
Here 67.Rh8+ Kf7 68.Rd8 does not reach its
objective in view of 68...Ra1!. Although the rook
and pawn are separated by two ranks, the rook’s
position on d8 is rather clumsy. After 69.Kc7
(69.Rc8 Rd1! 70.Kc6 Ke7!) 69...Ra7+ 70.Kb6 Ke7
the draw is obvious.

Let’s return to the game.

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