1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 Nbd7 7. Bb2 b6 8. cxd5 exd5 9. e3 Bb7 10. Nc3 Rc8 11. Rc1 c5 12. d4 Re8 13. dxc5 Nxc5 14. b4 Nce4 15. Qb3 Nxc3 16. Bxc3 Ne4 17. Bb2 Bf6 18. Bh3 Rc4 19. Rcd1 Bxb2 20. Qxb2 Qe7 21. a3 Nc3 22. Rd3 Qe4 23. Rxc3 Rxc3 24. Qxc3 d4 25. exd4 Qxf3 26. Qxf3 Bxf3 27. Bg2 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 f6 29. Rc1 Re7 30. Kf3 Kf7 31. Rc3 f5 32. h4 Rd7 33. Kf4 Rxd4+ 34. Kxf5 Rd7 35. Ke5 h6 36. h5 Ke7 37. Rc6 Kf7 38. Rd6 Rc7 39. Kd5 Ke7 40. Re6+ Kf7 41. Kd6 Rc2 42. Re7+ Kf6 43. Rxa7 Rxf2 44. Ra6 Rf3 45. Rxb6 Rxa3 46. Kc5+?

White had a narrow path to a win: 46. Rc6! Rxg3 47. b5 Kg5 48. Rc5+ Kh4 49. b6 g6 50. Kc6! (50. b7?=) (50. Kc7?=) 50... gxh5 51. b7 Rg8 52. Rc1! (only move!) and it's a tablebase win (Syzygy).

Here (after 46. Rc6 Rxg3 47. b5 Kg5 48. Rc5+ Kh4 49. b6 g6), White also wins after 50. Rb5! gxh5 51. Rb1! (only move). Black's problem here and in the variation above stems from the awkward positions of king and rook (51... Rg8? 52. Rh1+ followed by Rg1+).

On the other hand, the plausible 46. b5 does not seem sufficient. After 46... Kg5 47. Rc6 Kxh5 48. b6 Kg4 49. Rc4+ Kxg3 it's a tablebase draw (Syzygy again); in particular, Black holds after 50. b7 Rb3 51. Rc3+!? Rxc3 52. b8=Q Rf3!= (only move).

46... Kg5 47. Rg6+ Kxh5 48. Rxg7 Rc3+ 49. Kb6 Rc6+

White cannot avoid stalemate or perpetual pursuit.

50. Kb5 Rc5+ 51. Ka4 Ra5+ 52. Kb3 Ra3+ 53. Kc4 Rc3+ 54. Kd5 Rc5+ 55. Ke6 Re5+ 56. Kf7 Re7+ 57. Kf6 Re6+ 58. Kf5 Re5+ 59. Kf4 Re4+ 60. Kf3 Re3+ 61. Kg2 Re2+ 62. Kf1 Rf2+

1/2-1/2

Reference(s): Dublin International Open 2024, IRLchess, April 2, 2024.

Event information: Tournament report.

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