This leaves White with a Pawn on c4 who is weak on account of his advanced position. Black can attack him with the King and White's King is consequently compelled to stay on the Queen's wing guarding the Pawn, while Black is at leisure to secure a passed Pawn on the King's wing. These maneuvers are, of course, possible only with the Rooks off the board. That is why Black tries to force their exchange and why White should endeavor to prevent it.
(25) … Rxc1+ (26) Rxc1 R-c8 (27) Rxc8+
In view of the hopeless Pawn ending it would have been best to give up a Pawn by (27) R-d1, P-b6; (28) Kt-c4, Bxc4; (29) Pxc4, Rxc4; (30) R-d2 in order to keep a Rook on the board, thus obtaining a drawing chance.
(27) … Kxc8 (28) K-f2 K-c7 (29) K-e3 K-b6 (30) Kt-c4+ Bxc4 (31) Pxc4 K-c5 (32) K-d3 P-e5
Black's strategy in this ending is clearly indicated. He will play P-f5 and advance the e-Pawn as soon as White plays K-c3. Instead of the latter move White could play P-a3 which would also keep Black's King from b4; but he would soon run out of spare moves with his Pawns necessitating a King's move. For instance, (32) P-a3, P-f5; (33) P-g4, P-g6; (34) P-h3, P-h6; (35) P-h4, P- h5; (36) P-g5, P-b6!; (37) K-c3, P-e4; (38) P-f4, P-e3; (39) K- d3, P-e2; (40) Kxe2, Kxc4; (41) K-e3, P-b5.
+———————————————————-+
8 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
7 | | #P | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|———————————————————-|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
5 | | | #K | | #P | | | |
|———————————————————-|
4 | | | ^P | | | | | |
|———————————————————-|
3 | | | | ^K | | ^P | | |
|———————————————————-|
2 | ^P | | | | | | ^P | ^P |
|———————————————————-|
1 | | | | | | | | |
+———————————————————-+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 74.
Black needs now only six moves to queen the Pawn b5 while White in the meantime cannot do more than capture the g- and h-Pawns, and Black's Queen can naturally stop the White passed Pawns without difficulty. The game proceeded as follows:
(33) P-g4 P-f6 (34) P-h4 P-g6 (35) K-e4 K-d6
Black could just as well have captured the Pawn c4 and permitted (36) P-g5, Pxg5; (37) Pxg5.