how to play chess endgames book

78 How TO PLAY CHESS ENDGAMES
This exchange is fine, since it wins the important
e6-pawn. But 26 Ag3!? would have
kept the active rook on the board and this was
possibly even stronger: 26 ... Af6 27 lbd2 lbb4
28 ~xa7 b5 29 Ab3 Axb3 30 lbxb3 ±.
26 ... l;!xc8 27 Axe6+ @f8 28 .bc8 lbb4 29
lbcl @f7 30 Ag3 ars 31 Ab7?
This loses valuable time, since White cannot
directly capture the a7-pawn anyway. 31 i.b8
@e7 32 g4 was more accurate.
31...@e6 32 i.b8 @d7! 33 i.f3
33 i.xa7? @c7 +.
33 .• ..i.bS 34 i.dl a5 35 a4 Ac4 36 g4!
White would like to create a basis for play on
the kingside.
36 ... b5 37 gxf5 gxf5 38 Ae5 lbc6 39 Ah8
Aa3 40 axb5 (D)
49 Ae5+ @g6 50 @f4 Ae6 51 Aa4! Af8
(D)
Why not now continue with the exchanging
manoeuvre 52 i.e8+ Af7 53 Axf7+ @xf7 54
@xf5?
52e4
52 i.e8+? would be a serious mistake; after
52 ... Af7 53 Axf7+ @xf7 54 @xf5 a4 tfie a-
pawn guarantees Black vigorous counterplay.
52 ... Ah6+ 53 @g3 fxe4 54 fxe4 Ad2 55 d5
Ael+ 56 @f3 Ah3 57 Ae8+ 'it>h6 58 Af6 1-0
B) Critical Moments in the
Endgame
Black faces a very difficult decision: should
he capture on c I or on b5?
40 ... i.xcl?!
After 40 ... Axb5 41 lt:\b3 @e6 Black keeps
better control of the play on the light squares;
for example, 42 lbc5+ Axc5 43 dxc5 a4 44
i.b2 lbe5.
41 bxc6+ <t>xc6 42 Aa4+ @d5?
A mistake, as White benefits from the presence
of the light-squared bishop. Black should
have immediately broken the blockade of the a-
pawn with 42 ... Ab5; for example, 43 Ac2 a4 44
Axf5 i.c4 and Black still has drawing chances.
43 Ac2 @e6 44 @g2 Aa3 45 i.eS i.f8 46
Ac7 Ads+ 47 f3 i.b4 48 @g3 q;,f6
48 ... i.d6+ 49 Axd6 @xd6 50 @f4 Ae6 51
e4+-.
We start with a classic example in which Capablanca
was successful because he did not just
take the exchanging problem into consideration,
he even based his strategy on it. His opponent
was, however, intent upon exchanging as many
pieces as quickly as possible, thinking that this
was the easiest way to force a draw. At this
point we should like to warn readers against
such a course of action. Any such measures
normally involve maki_ng concessions and the
opponent gradually accumulates small advantages.
The diagram position on the following page
looks easy - dead drawn, wouldn't you say?
But be careful. Black has some tiny advantages
which he can build on. His rooks are actively
placed on both the half-open files and
his pawn-structure is both more compact and