without a mistake by black? I bailed out because I was losing on time. SF gives white an edge in the final position, presumably because of my space advantage, passed b pawn, and potential pressure on the f file, but does white have realistic winning chances here? It looks to me like black can keep the b pawn bottled up and hold f6 against brute force (and prevent a queen incursion via f5).
once you played a4 the queenside got shut down. You could have opted for Nb5 immediately, keeping the possibility of b4 alive
I think it is a draw. Stockfish may well indicate an advantage and will be happy to play on till move 88 to draw. The logical plan is easily countered: 57 Be2 Kg7 58 Rf5 Rf8 59 Rbf1 Qe7 60 R1f2 Rf7 61 Bd1 Rf8 62 Qf1 Rf7 etc.
Thank you for the feedback.
There isn't any way to make progress in this position unless one side or the other pushes to hard to make progress in which case they will go from a drawn to a losing position.
The computer says it's about a 1.3 pawn advantage for white, but so what? Some very serious trench lines have been drawn here, and neither side can make progress.
The only logical point to attack for white is the f-pawn.
Lets imagine that white is allowed to build an alehekhines gun on the f file. That is R R Q lining up for a triple attack. Black can defend against this easily.
Alternatively getting the queen to the f5 outpost then planning some sort of invasion is also fruitless. Stepping into that black camp... well she is gonna cause herself more harm than the enemy stepping through that door all by herself.
It's a draw, none of the white plans work, and black has no plan but to counter the white plans.
The computer says it's about a 1.3 pawn advantage for white, but so what? Some very serious trench lines have been drawn here, and neither side can make progress.
The only logical point to attack for white is the f-pawn.
Lets imagine that white is allowed to build an alehekhines gun on the f file. That is R R Q lining up for a triple attack. Black can defend against this easily.
Alternatively getting the queen to the f5 outpost then planning some sort of invasion is also fruitless. Stepping into that black camp... well she is gonna cause herself more harm than the enemy stepping through that door all by herself.
It's a draw, none of the white plans work, and black has no plan but to counter the white plans.
the f pawn alone is not enough to win. If there was another target or front that could be opened up white would be winning. But since there is not there is nothing white can do to make progress.
Principle of two weaknesses applies here.
Principle of two weaknesses applies here.
@chessanalyst The passed b pawn could be considered a 2nd weakness, but it's not enough as it has no chance in hell to promote
exchange sac on b4 followed by r to c6 is an attempt, but if black defends right it probably will not work.
@impruuve Trying that exchange sac will only bring you to a position where you risk losing. The white bishop is a bad defensive bishop, and that exchange sac means that black has control of the only open file having the extra rook.
I think this plan, and other plans may have some merit if white were allowed to teleport the bishop to f5, but that bishop is just too defensive to help with an attack so it's practically out of play.
I think this plan, and other plans may have some merit if white were allowed to teleport the bishop to f5, but that bishop is just too defensive to help with an attack so it's practically out of play.
I agree with impruuve. That would be the line to check for a win.
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