A study-like endgame

I suck at endgames. I really do. It's the weakest part of my game.

But just recently I played a pretty good Rook ending, with a number of study-like variations... including a (forced) Bishop under-promotion line, another line where I sacrificed my last piece (my Rook) for a Pawn-mate, and a line where I promoted to an en-prise Queen in order to decoy the enemy King to a forking square.

The game is here: http://www.chess.com/echess/game?id=63331190

I didn't play the opening or middle-game particularly well, but I'm quite happy with the ending.

It's the line in the notes with 63. ... Rf1+ 64. Rxf1 Kg3 that I was really happy about.

I found that line in my sleep! The game was played with three days per move time controls, and I woke up one day with that sacrifice in my head!

Beautiful endgame. I was wondering if white should have used his rook primarily on the king side to stop the black pawns?

Perhaps so, but if White were to play defensively, it would be difficult to both defend his own weak Pawns and still prevent my Pawns from advancing. I felt at the time that the counter-attack against my c6-Pawn was his best practical chance. It wasn't good enough... but I suspect that the ending is won for Black anyway.

When each side has a rook and a minor, the rule of thumb usually is, trade the rooks to win, trade the minors to draw.

Very beautiful endgame though, Bluemu. I hope I will have more time to look at it later.

Yes, it looks like a win to me too after the exchange of the bishops. I am asking to learn and thought that the defending rook should be behind the pawns. Hence, I would expect him to play Rd2 Re6 Rd7 or Rd8 and harassing you from those ranks.

You just "harass" the king up the board and into a better position to support the pawns / create mate threats.

Connected passers supported by king and rook are not stoppable in a king and rook endgame.  White had to try to use his passed pawn, (although it looks to me black is always winning this).

Then maybe you have to reconsider, Rf3+!! seems would ruin your plan.

Just let him capture the h-pawn, and u queen the g-pawn.

@ francoh. The point its that white will never take the h pawn.. It will just move repeatedly Kg1-Kh2 and there's nothing that black can do to promote any pawn or push the king out of there.

@ Ghillan: yes, reallly.

65. Rf3+ Kxf3 66. Kh2 Kf2 is not stalemate. It forces 67. Kxh3.

I had already analyzed this possibility going into the position.

White's best stalemate try is 63. ... Kh2 (given in red in the notes to the game), which is defeated by the under-promotion to a Bishop.

69. ...Ke1 and 70. ... Kf1 look good to me. No stalemate as the White King has g3.

Yeah, I think the end-game was always a win... there were just a few different options for getting there.

You are right! For some reason i was expeting that 4.Kc7 but a stalemate, but its not since can obviously take the 'h' pawn.

Tnx for the explanation.

Here to help - your idea was ingenious but I don't think there's any hope for a king versus two connected passed pawns.

is promoting to knight a win?

Rf3!! don´t ruin your plan. 66...Kf2 is easy win for black. fx 67. Kxh3 g1Q

Yes, since it's with check and the pawn is not on h2 yet. Any piece which can hit the corner wins (except with knight and pawn on 7. rank because of stalemate).