JOIN USRook's invasion virtually seals win
However sometimes players resort to this in desperation when they are in a bad position and at such times, it does not help.
In the game which follows, Black misses a few moves to equalise and in desperation infiltrates the eighth rank with both his rooks but to no avail and it is White who emerges victorious.
White: Igor Zakharevich (2485) – Black: Anton Loginov (2355)
St Petersburg, 2000
Queen’s Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7
5.Nc3 Ne4 6.Bxe7 Nxc3
Playing a new move here and one which does not look good! The better continuation which is often played is 6...Qxe7 7.cxd5 Nxc3 8.bxc3 exd5
7.Bxd8 Nxd1 The Queens are exchanged very early
8.Bxc7 If 8.Rxd1 Kxd8 9.e3 Ke7
8...Nxb2 9.c5 Deciding not to exchange pawns and open up . if 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Rb1
9...Na6 If 9...Nc4 10.Rb1
10.Bg3 Na4 Difficult to understand why he shifts to the side of the board rather than the centre with 10...Nc4 11.e4 dxe4
11.Kd2 The King decides to forego castling and come out to keep the knight in check. If 11.e3 Nc3 12.Bxa6 bxa6 13.a3
11...f6 Once again does not look like the right choice! If 11...Nb4 12.e3
12.Rb1 e5 Once again making a mistake in advancing the pawn! If 12...0–0 13.e3 works well for White
13.e3 If 13.dxe5 N6xc5
13...0–0 14.Bb5 N6xc5
Hardly has any choice, since he is anyway losing the piece
15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Rbc1
Better was 16.Rhc1 Bf5 17.Rb2 Ne4+ 18.Ke1 16...Ne4+ 17.Ke2 Bg4 18.h3 Bh5 19.Bh2 If 19.Rhd1 Nxg3+
19...Rfc8 20.Bd7 If 20.g4 Bg6 21.Bd7 Nc3+ 22.Kf1 Rc5 23.Nd2
20...Nc3+ 21.Ke1 Rc4 Black could have tried out 21...Rc5 g4 Bg6 23.Be6+ Bf7 24.Bxf7+
22.Be6+ Bf7 23.Bxf7+ Kxf7 24.Bxe5
A neat combination!
24...Nxa2 If 24. ..fxe5 25.Nxe5+ forking the King and the rook
25.Rb1 If 25.Ra1 Nb4 26.Kd1 fxe5 27.Nxe5+ Ke6 28.Nxc4 dxc4
25...b5 If 25...Rac8 26.Rxb7+ Kg8 27.Bb2 Rc1+ 28.Bxc1 Rxc1+ 29.Kd2 Rxh1 30.Rxa7 Rf1
26.Bb2 a5 The position is now more or less equal
27.Nd4 a4 28.Kd2
If 28.Nxb5 Rb4 29.Kd2 Rxb5 30.Bxf6 Rxb1 31.Rxb1 Kxf6 32.Rb2 Nb4 33.Rxb4 a3 28...b4 If 28...a3 29.Ba1b4 30.Rb3 Rac8 29.Ra1 b3 30.Rxa2
Sacrificing the rook for the knight
30. .. bxa2 31.Ra1 Rb8 32.Rxa2 h5
If 32...a3 33.Bxa3 Ra8 34.Ra1
33.Ne2 Rb3 He should have had a serious look at 33...g5
34.Bd4 Rb1 Infiltrating the eighth rank but it is not of much use now. If 34...g5 35.Nc3 Rbb4 36.Nd1
35.Nc3 A quick finish is 35.Nf4 Rf1 36.Ke2 Rb1 37.Nxh5
35...Rg1 Lured by the pawn. He misses a good move in 35...Rbb4 36.Nd1 Rc8 37.Nb2 Ra8 38.Nd3 Rb5
36.g3 h4 37.gxh4 Rh1 38.Nxd5
Diagram 1
38. ..Rcc1 Both the rooks have invaded the eighth rank but the game is as good as lost
39.Rxa4 Rcg1 40.Ra7+ Kg8 41.Nf4 Rf1 42.Ke2 Re1+ 43.Kf3 g5 44.hxg5 and Black resigned
Diagram 2
Black to play and win 1... Rxh2 2.Kxh2 Qh6+ 3.Kg1 Qh1 checkmate.
