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1.Ke2 The White King moves up to help. Notice that the White King now controls 3 squares on the 3rd rank: d3, e3, and f3. 1...Kc4 The best defense: the Black King stays away from the White King and chases after the White Rook. Although checkmate is inevitable, Black rightly decides to make White work for it. [ 1...Ke4 This move would be a mistake, since it only makes White's job easier: Black voluntarily steps in line with the King, allowing 2.Ra4+ and since the White King controls the d3, e3, and f3 squares, the Black King has no choice but to move back a rank, closer to his doom.] 2.Kd2 The White King continues to move closer in order to help support the White Rook. 2...Kb4 Attacking the White Rook. 3.Rh3 Shifting to the safer side. 3...Ka4 4.Kc2 Kb4 5.Rg3 This move looks strange: Isn't White just wasting a move? Well, yes! And that's a good thing in this position! If White were to play 5. Kb2 instead (trying to get opposite of the Black King so that the White Rook can move up a rank with check), Black could step out of line from the White King by playing ... Kc4, and White has gotten nowhere. [ 5.Kb2 Kc4 6.Kc2 Kb4 7.Kb2 Kc4 8.Kc2 Kd4 9.Rh4+ Ke3 etc.] 5...Ka4 6.Kb2 Now the Black King has no good move. He could play ... Kb5, but that only makes White's job easier, since Black is voluntarily moving towards the edge of the board, where he will eventually be mated anyway. 6...Kb4 [ 6...Kb5 7.Rg4 ] 7.Rg4+ Notice how the White King controls the important a3, b3, and c3 squares of the 3rd rank, thus allowing the White Rook to move up a rank with check, driving the Black King back closer to the edge of the board. 7...Kc5 8.Kb3 [ 8.Kc3 is bad for the same reasons as before: if White takes up the position opposite of the Black King, the Black King can simply move out of line on his next move. White has to make Black be the one who moves into opposition.] 8...Kd5 9.Kc3 Ke5 10.Kd3 Kf5 11.Ra4 Kg5 12.Ke3 Kh5 13.Kf3 Kg5 14.Rb4 Again, "losing a move," since Kg3 would be bad. [ 14.Kg3 Kf5 15.Kf3 Kg5 etc.] 14...Kh5 15.Kg3 Kg5 16.Rb5+ Kf6 17.Kg4 Kg6 Black is probably getting tired, since he moves into opposition freely, thus making White's job easier. 18.Rb6+ Kf7 19.Kg5 Ke8 Again, only making White's job easier by moving back a rank for no good reason. 20.Rb7 Kd8 21.Kf6 Kc8 22.Rh7 Kd8 23.Ke6 Kc8 24.Kd6 Kb8 25.Kc6 Ka8 26.Kb6 Kb8 27.Rh8# |
