how to build a fortress!

(1) Nakamura,Hikaru (2710) - Van Wely,Loek (2655) [B81]
3rd NH Chess Tournament Amsterdam NED (2), 21.08.2009

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 e6 7.g4 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Bd2 b5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.0-0 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Qd5+ 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.Nxf3 Nc6 16.Rfe1 b4 17.Bd2 Be7 18.Re4 0-0 19.c3 a5 20.Rc4 bxc3 21.Bxc3 Nb4 22.Ne5 Nd5 23.Nc6 Bf6 24.Bxf6 gxf6 25.a4 Rfc8 26.Rc5 Ra6 27.Rxd5 Rcxc6 28.Rb5 Rab6 29.Kf3 Kg7 30.Ke3 e5 31.Ra3 Rxb5 32.axb5 Rc4 33.Rxa5 Rb4 34.Kd3 Rxb2 35.Kc3 Rxf2 36.b6

Just getting a queen is not the be all and end all... At first sight the position looks totally won for White, but the wily Dutch grandmaster Loek van Wely is not for giving up just yet:
36...Rf1 37.Rb5 [37.Kb2 also wins. However, after 37...e4 White should play 38.Ra8! Because after (38.b7? e3 39.b8Q e2 40.Re5 e1Q 41.Rxe1 Rxe1 it is not at all clear whether the queen can win, whereas the rook ending is an easy one to win.) 38...e3 39.Re8 e2 40.Rxe2 Rd1 41.b7 Rd8 42.Kc3 Rb8 43.Rb2+- ]
37...Rc1+

 

38.Kb4? Nakamura cannot resist the temptation to get a queen and presumably assumes that the queen will somehow win. But that is not the case. He should continue with [38.Kd3! Rc8 (38...Rd1+ 39.Kc4 Rc1+ 40.Kd5 Rd1+ 41.Ke4 Rd4+ 42.Ke3 Rd8 43.b7 Rb8 44.Ke4+- is a transposition of moves.) 39.b7 Rb8 40.Ke4 remaining in a rook ending, e.g. 40...Kg6 41.Kd5 Kg5 (41...f5 42.gxf5+ Kxf5 43.Kc6+- and White wins thanks to his h-pawn, which deprives Black of squares and serves as a potential reserve winner.) 42.Kc6 Kh4 43.Rb3+- (Baburin in Chess Today 3210)]
38...e4 39.b7 e3 40.b8Q e2

 

can White stop the e pawn from Queening?

41.Rg5+ fxg5 42.Qe5+ Kf8 43.Qxe2 Rc6 44.Qe5 h6 45.Kb5 Re6 46.Qh8+ Ke7

 

47.Kc5 Ra6 48.Qc3 Re6 49.Kd5 Kf8 50.Qh8+ Ke7 51.Kd4 Rc6 52.Ke4 Ra6 53.Qc3 Re6+ 54.Kf5 Kf8 55.Qh8+ Ke7 56.Qg7 Ke8 57.h4 gxh4 58.Kf4 Ke7 59.Kf3 Rg6 60.Qh8 h3 61.Qb8 h2 62.Qb4+ Ke8 63.Kg2 h1Q+ 64.Kxh1 Re6 65.Kg2 Rg6 66.Kh3 Re6 67.Kg3 Rg6 68.Kh4 Re6 69.Kh5 Rg6 70.Qe4+ Re6 71.Qa8+ Ke7 72.Qg8 Rc6 73.g5 hxg5 74.Qxg5+ Kf8!

[Of course, not 74...Rf6? 75.Kg4 Ke6 76.Qc5 Rg6+ 77.Kf4 Rf6+ 78.Ke4 Rg6 79.Qc7 and White wins because the king cannot get back inside its fortress.]

75.Qd8+ Kg7 76.Qd4+ Kg8 77.Qg4+ Rg6

78.Qxg6+ fxg6+ 79.Kxg6 1/2-1/2

 

source: chess base