Passed pawns

This week, further fascinating positions from the world championship qualifier Candidates tournament recently concluded in London. Although there were the regulation number of draws, for such an elite event, the general tenor was one of superb fighting chess, with little quarter asked or given. The theme of many of the games from the second cycle was the advance of massed passed pawns. I start with a position which heralded the comeback of last year’s title challenger Boris Gelfand.

Gelfand-Aronian; London Candidates 2013

White can now seize a key pawn. 27 Bxf5 Bc4 This was the resource upon which Aronian had been relying. 28 e6 Black had overlooked the strength of the advance. The threat of e7 now proves exceedingly dangerous. 28 … Qd6 29 Rfe1 Re8 30 e7 Bf7 31 Rc5 g6 32 Bg4 h5 A blunder – the last chance was 32 … Rd3! 33 f5 Another hammer blow introducing the possibility of Qh6+. 33 … Kg7 34 fxg6 Bxg6 35 Bxh5 Rd3 36 Qe5+ Good enough to retain the advantage, whereas 36 Qg5! b5 37 Rce5 Rd5 38 Rxd5 cxd5 39 Bxg6 would have been terminal. 36 … Qxe5 37 Rcxe5 Bxh5 38 Rxh5 Rxa3 39 Rf5 Rd3 40 Re4 In the endgame of rooks and pawns White’s passed pawns finally suffice to force victory. 40 … Rd7 41 Rg4+ Kh6 42 Rf6+ Kh7 43 Rf7+ Kh6 44 Rgg7 Rd1+ 45 Kh2 Rf1 46 Rh7+ Kg6 47 Rhg7+ Kh6 48 Rh7+ Kg6 49 Rfg7+ Kf6 50 h4 Ke6 51 Rg4 Kf5 52 Kg3 Re1 53 Rf4+ Ke6 54 h5 Rxe7 55 Rxe7+ Kxe7 56 Kh4 b6 57 h6 Rh1+ 58 Kg5 Ke6 59 Kg6 Ke5 60 Rf5+ Black resigns 61 Rh5 is next and the h-pawn promotes.