Nastassja played a beautiful game agaist her stronger opponent, reaching this
endgame with three extra pawn. However, White has to be careful as Black's
passed b-pawn is more advance than any of the white pawns.55.Rh1??...Believe it or not, Black can now hold!55.g5!, with the game likely continuingb256.Rh1!(only now!)Kxc4(56...Kc2would be too slow for Black, i.e.,57.Kg4b1=Q58.Rxb1Kxb159.g6Kc260.f4Kd361.f5Kxc462.f6and the rook can't stop the connected white pawns)57.Rb1This is an important move, depriving Black of counterplay. If White
wins the b-pawn, victory with the connected, passed f- and g-pawns is simple.
AfterRb7(57...Kc358.f4Kc259.Rxb2+Kxb260.g6White's pawns
are again much faster. One continuation isKc361.f5Rxd562.Kg4Rd163.f6Kd464.f7Rf1(64...Rg1+65.Kh5Rf166.g7)65.g7Rxf766.g8=Qand White wins.)58.d6!Kd559.d7Rxd760.Rxb2White wins.55....Kc2??Now White has four pawns to be stopped, and Black's king is too far away
to help.55...Kxc4!by nabbing
the d-pawn and keeping the b-pawn for counterplay:56.g5Kxd557.Kg4Rb758.f4(58.g6Ke659.Kg5b260.f4??(60.Rb1Rb5+61.Kh6Kf662.g7Kf763.f4Rb3)b1=Q61.Rxb1Rxb162.f5+Ke5)b259.g6b1=Q60.Rxb1Rxb1and with the black king close to the pawns, White has to play61.Kf5(61.f5??would lose afterRg1+62.Kf4Rf1+63.Kg5Ke564.g7Rg1+65.Kh6Kf6)Rg162.Kf6Ke463.g7Kxf4with a draw.56.f4b257.g5Rh758.Rf1Ra759.f5Ra3+60.Kg4Rd361.f6Rd4+62.Kh5Rd163.Rxd1Kxd164.f7b1=Q65.f8=QQh7+66.Kg4Kd267.Qf5Qh168.Qf4+Kc269.d6Qg2+70.Kf5Kc371.Kf6Qh372.g61-0 White wins.1-0