Knight endgame

Frolyanov, D.(2587) vs. Tomashevsky, E.(2708)
ch-RUS Higher League - Irkutsk RUS - 2010.08.26

[Event "ch-RUS Higher League"] [Site "Irkutsk RUS"] [Date "2010.08.26"] [Round "1"] [White "Frolyanov, D."] [Black "Tomashevsky, E."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C95"] [WhiteElo "2587"] [BlackElo "2708"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "8/5pk1/3p2p1/1p1Pp2p/4P3/2n2P1P/P2N2PK/8 w - - 0 51"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2010.08.20"] {This endgame is better for black because their knight is more active, but probably not winning} 51. a3 h4 52. g3 f5 53. Kg2 (53. gxh4 $2 f4 54. h5 (54. Kg2 Kh6 {is similar to the game}) 54... gxh5 (54... g5 55. h4 $1 Kh6 56. hxg5+ Kxg5 57. Kg2 Kxh5 58. Kh3 Nd1 59. Nb1 Kg5 60. Nd2 Ne3 61. Nb1 Nc4 62. Kg2 Kh4 63. Kh2 $13) 55. Kg2 Kf8 56. Kf1 Ke7 57. Nb3 Kd7 58. Na5 Nb1 59. Nc6 Nxa3 60. Ke2 Kc7 61. Kd3 Kb6 62. Kc3 Kc5 63. Kb3 Nc4 64. Kc3 h4 65. Nb4 Nb2 66. Nc6 Nd1+ 67. Kc2 Nf2 68. Ne7 Nxh3 69. Ng6 Ng1 70. Nxh4 Ne2 $19) 53... hxg3 54. Kxg3 Kh6 55. Kf2 f4 56. Kg2 Kg5 57. Kh2 Kh5 58. Kg2 Nd1 59. Kh2 Ne3 60. Nb1 Nc2 { the white knight is paralyzed, it's not funny for white} 61. Kg1 Kh6 62. Kf2 Kg5 63. Kg1 Kf6 {but black has to create threats on both sides of the board to win, which is not an easy task here} 64. Kf2 (64. h4 Kg7 (64... Ke7) 65. Kf1 Nd4 66. Nd2 Kh6 67. Kg2 Kh5 68. Kh3 Nc2 69. Nb1 Ne1 70. Nc3 Nxf3 71. Nxb5 Nxh4 72. Nxd6 g5 73. Nf5 $1 g4+ 74. Kh2 g3+ 75. Nxg3+ fxg3+ 76. Kxg3 Ng6 77. a4 Kg5 78. a5 Ne7 79. a6 Nc8 80. Kf3 Kf6 81. Kg4 Na7 82. Kh4 Ke7 83. Kg5 Kd6 84. Kf5 Nb5 85. Kf6 $11) 64... Ke7 65. Kg2 Ke8 66. Kh2 Kf7 67. Kg1 Kf8 68. Kf2 Ke7 69. Kg2 Ne3+ 70. Kf2 Nc4 71. Kg2 (71. Ke2 Kd7 72. Kd3 Kc7 73. a4 Nb2+ 74. Kc3 Nxa4+ 75. Kb4 Nc5 (75... Kb6 76. Na3 $11) 76. Kxb5 Nb3 77. Kc4 Nd4 78. Nd2 $11) 71... g5 72. h4 $4 {White can't play this ! Cat and mouse play by black worked. White were on defense and lost their calm, wanting to draw by force. This can often happen when defending a long time slightly worse endgames.} (72. Kf2 Kd7 73. Kf1 Ne3+ 74. Ke2 Nc2 75. Kd3 Nd4 76. Nd2 Kc7 77. Kc3 Kb6 78. Kb4 Ne2 79. Nb1 Nc1 (79... Ng1) 80. a4 bxa4 81. Nd2 Ne2 82. Nc4+ Kc7 83. Nd2 Ng1 84. Kxa4 Nxh3 85. Kb4 Nf2 86. Kc3 g4 87. fxg4 Nxg4 88. Nf3 Nf2 89. Nd2 Kd7 90. Kc4 Kc8 91. Kb5 Kb7 92. Ka5 Nd3 93. Kb5 Kc7 94. Ka5 Kd7 95. Kb5 Nc5 96. Kb6 Na4+ 97. Kb5 Nb2 98. Kb6 Nd1 99. Kb5 $13 {I'm not sure black can win that}) 72... gxh4 73. Kh3 Kd7 74. Kxh4 Kc7 $19 75. Kg5 Kb6 76. Kf6 Kc5 77. Ke7 Kd4 78. Kd7 Ke3 79. Kc6 Kxf3 80. Kxb5 Nb2 81. Kc6 Ke3 82. Kxd6 f3 83. Ke7 Nc4 84. Nc3 Kd2 85. d6 Nxd6 0-1

This endgame is better for black because their knight is more active, but probably not winning 51. a3 h4 52. g3 f5 53. Rg2 ( 53. gxh4? f4 54. h5 ( 54. Rg2 Rh6 is similar to the game ) 54... gxh5 ( 54... g5 55. h4! Rh6 56. hxg5+ Rxg5 57. Rg2 Rxh5 58. Rh3 Cd1 59. Cb1 Rg5 60. Cd2 Ce3 61. Cb1 Cc4 62. Rg2 Rh4 63. Rh2 ) 55. Rg2 Rf8 56. Rf1 Re7 57. Cb3 Rd7 58. Ca5 Cb1 59. Cc6 Cxa3 60. Re2 Rc7 61. Rd3 Rb6 62. Rc3 Rc5 63. Rb3 Cc4 64. Rc3 h4 65. Cb4 Cb2 66. Cc6 Cd1+ 67. Rc2 Cf2 68. Ce7 Cxh3 69. Cg6 Cg1 70. Cxh4 Ce2 -+ ) 53...  hxg3 54. Rxg3 Rh6 55. Rf2 f4 56. Rg2 Rg5 57. Rh2 Rh5 58. Rg2 Cd1 59. Rh2 Ce3 60. Cb1 Cc2 the white knight is paralyzed, it's not funny for white 61. Rg1 Rh6 62. Rf2 Rg5 63. Rg1 Rf6 but black has to create threats on both sides of the board to win, which is not an easy task here 64. Rf2 ( 64. h4 Rg7 ( 64... Re7 ) 65. Rf1 Cd4 66. Cd2 Rh6 67. Rg2 Rh5 68. Rh3 Cc2 69. Cb1 Ce1 70. Cc3 Cxf3 71. Cxb5 Cxh4 72. Cxd6 g5 73. Cf5! g4+ 74. Rh2 g3+ 75. Cxg3+ fxg3+ 76. Rxg3 Cg6 77. a4 Rg5 78. a5 Ce7 79. a6 Cc8 80. Rf3 Rf6 81. Rg4 Ca7 82. Rh4 Re7 83. Rg5 Rd6 84. Rf5 Cb5 85. Rf6 = ) 64...  Re7 65. Rg2 Re8 66. Rh2 Rf7 67. Rg1 Rf8 68. Rf2 Re7 69. Rg2 Ce3+ 70. Rf2 Cc4 71. Rg2 ( 71. Re2 Rd7 72. Rd3 Rc7 73. a4 Cb2+ 74. Rc3 Cxa4+ 75. Rb4 Cc5 ( 75... Rb6 76. Ca3 = ) 76. Rxb5 Cb3 77. Rc4 Cd4 78. Cd2 = ) 71...  g5 72. h4?? White can't play this ! Cat and mouse play by black worked. White were on defense and lost their calm, wanting to draw by force. This can often happen when defending a long time slightly worse endgames. ( 72. Rf2 Rd7 73. Rf1 Ce3+ 74. Re2 Cc2 75. Rd3 Cd4 76. Cd2 Rc7 77. Rc3 Rb6 78. Rb4 Ce2 79. Cb1 Cc1 ( 79... Cg1 ) 80. a4 bxa4 81. Cd2 Ce2 82. Cc4+ Rc7 83. Cd2 Cg1 84. Rxa4 Cxh3 85. Rb4 Cf2 86. Rc3 g4 87. fxg4 Cxg4 88. Cf3 Cf2 89. Cd2 Rd7 90. Rc4 Rc8 91. Rb5 Rb7 92. Ra5 Cd3 93. Rb5 Rc7 94. Ra5 Rd7 95. Rb5 Cc5 96. Rb6 Ca4+ 97. Rb5 Cb2 98. Rb6 Cd1 99. Rb5 I'm not sure black can win that ) 72...  gxh4 73. Rh3 Rd7 74. Rxh4 Rc7 -+ 75. Rg5 Rb6 76. Rf6 Rc5 77. Re7 Rd4 78. Rd7 Re3 79. Rc6 Rxf3 80. Rxb5 Cb2 81. Rc6 Re3 82. Rxd6 f3 83. Re7 Cc4 84. Cc3 Rd2 85. d6 Cxd6 0-1