[Event "K+R+5P vs K+R+5P"] [Site "Cleanchess.com"] [Date "1924.01.01"] [Round "0"] [White "Capablanca"] [Black "Tartakower"] [Result "1-0"] [EventType "game"] [EventCountry "USA"] [FEN "5k2/p1p4R/1pr5/3p1pP1/P2P1P2/2P2K2/8/8 w - - 0 1"] { At the end of this chapter, it is appropriate to underline one more time the extreme importance of active versus passive pieces in rook-and-pawn endgames. In all examples from practice, both those already discussed and those shown later in the book, we will always see, in both attack and defense, the strategic principle of the initiative. Only extensive experience analyzing a great many positions can develop a "gut feeling" for the essence of each position, enabling one to make the right choice as to when, where and how to play actively or passively. A good illustration to help all of this sink into the reader's memory, a prime example of the importance of pieces activity, is this classical example: } 1.Kg3 $1 { Sacrificing two pawns to activate the king. Also possible was 1.Rd7 Rxc3+ 2.Ke2 Ra3 3.Rxd5 Rxa4 4.Rxf5+ Kg7, when White is better, but the win is still uncertain. } ( 1.Rd7 Rxc3+ 2.Ke2 Ra3 3.Rxd5 Rxa4 4.Rxf5+ Kg7 ) 1...Rxc3+ 2.Kh4 Rf3 { A possible defense was 2...Rc1, but the variation pointed out by Fine convincingly demonstrates the exactness of Capablanca's calculation: 3.Kh5 (3.g6? Rh1+ 4.Kg5 Rxh7 5.gxh7 Kg7 6.Kxf5 c5=) 3...c5 (3...Rh1+ 4.Kg6 and wins) 4.Rd7! cxd4 (4...c4 5.Kg6 and wins) 5.Rxd5 Rd1 6.Kg6 d3 7.Kf6 Ke8 8.g6 and wins. } ( 2...Rc1 3.Kh5 ( 3.g6 $2 Rh1+ 4.Kg5 Rxh7 5.gxh7 Kg7 6.Kxf5 c5 $11 ) 3...c5 ( 3...Rh1+ 4.Kg6 $18 ) 4.Rd7 $1 cxd4 ( 4...c4 5.Kg6 $18 ) 5.Rxd5 Rd1 6.Kg6 d3 7.Kf6 Ke8 8.g6 $18 ) 3.g6 Rxf4+ 4.Kg5 Re4 { Or 4...Rxd4 5.Kf6 Ke8 6.Rxc7! (If 6.Rh8 Kd7 7.g7 Rg4 8.g8=Q Rxg8 9. Rxg8 Kd6 10.Kxf5 Kc5 and Black has counterplay) 6...Rxa4 7.g7 Rg4 8.Rxa7 and White wins. } ( 4...Rxd4 5.Kf6 Ke8 6.Rxc7 $1 ( 6.Rh8+ Kd7 7.g7 Rg4 8.g8=Q Rxg8 9.Rxg8 Kd6 10.Kxf5 Kc5 $132 ) 6...Rxa4 7.g7 Rg4 8.Rxa7 $18 ) 5.Kf6 Kg8 6.Rg7+ { White's pieces have started to work in full concert. } 6...Kh8 7.Rxc7 Re8 8.Kxf5 Re4 9.Kf6 Rf4+ 10.Ke5 Rg4 11.g7+ $1 Kg8 { Exchange on g7 is hopeless. } 12.Rxa7 Rg1 13.Kxd5 Rc1 14.Kd6 Rc2 15.d5 Rc1 16.Rc7 Ra1 17.Kc6 Rxa4 18.d6 {#r} 1-0