(147) Lucena Position #5



1.Rh1
As in the prior example, White aims to plant the rook at b8, so that the king can escape from the corner.

1...Ke7 2.Rh8 Kd6
The idea of this move is to deny White the c5 square in some variations. [ More natural, but losing even faster, is 2...Kd7 3.Rb8 Ra2 4.Kb7 Rb2+ White's next two moves duplicate the winning technique we saw in part one of this article. 5.Ka6 Ra2+ 6.Kb6 Rb2+ 7.Kc5 White will zig-zag down the board towards the rook, until Black runs out of checks.]

3.Rb8 Ra2 4.Kb7 Rb2+ 5.Kc8
Since c5 is out of the question (see note after Black's 2nd move) White makes use of what is available - the c8 square. Black can't plug all of the holes!

5...Rc2+ 6.Kd8 Rh2
Black ran out of checks, but now he threatens checkmate.

7.Rb6+ Kc5 8.Rc6+
[ A mistake would be 8.Ra6 Rh8+ 9.Kd7 Rh7+ 10.Ke8 ( 10.Ke6?? Rh6+ ) 10...Rh8+ 11.Kf7 Ra8 and White makes no progress.]

8...Kb5
Of course Black cannot capture the rook, as White then queens with check. [ Another try is 8...Kd5 9.Ra6 Rh8+ 10.Kc7 Rh7+ 11.Kb6 Rh6+ 12.Kb5 and Black has run out of checks. White wins.]

9.Rc8 Rh8+ 10.Kc7 Rh7+ 11.Kb8
White wins. *