The last post gave Kononova – Naughton as the most interesting game of the Ennis Open 2024.
52. ?
From the diagrammed position, 52. c6 wins easily. Instead the mysterious 52. Rc1? wasted a crucial tempo. The game then became very complex.
After 52… f3 53. Rxe5+ dxe5 54. c6, Black erred with 54… Kf4?. Instead 54… Kg4! was much stronger: the king threatens to head to h3. White would then have to play accurately to draw; both 55. Bc4! and 55. Be2! reach worse but objectively drawn endings.
After the move played, White’s 55. Kg1 was again an error. Instead 55. Ba6! leads to an objectively winning ending after a long, more-or-less forced sequence.
After 55… Kg3, White erred for the final time with 56. c7?, which allowed a mate in four. After 56… Rh2 57. Bh3 e2 58. Rf1 exf1=Q+, White resigned.
Instead 56. Rc3! was essential. Then 56… e2 57. Bxe2 Rxe2 58. Kf1 Ra2 59. Re3 Ra1+ 60. Re1 Rxe1+ 61. Kxe1 Kg2 reaches a Q + 2P versus Q ending that is winning for Black.
[Click to replay the full game (with notes).]