Lucena Position - Examples From Praxis

Examples From Praxis

Rice versus Snape

Rice vs. Snape, 2000

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Black to move wins using the Lucena Position

In this 2000 game between Rice and Ian Snape, Black uses the above procedure:

81... Re7+

82. Kd2 Re5!

83. Rg8 Kf2

84. Rf8+ Kg3

85. Rg8+ Kf3

Here White deviates from the above:

86. Kd1 Re4

White resigns, but the alternative is:

86. Rf8+ Kg4

87. Rg8+ Rg5

and Black wins (Snape 2003:36).

Andersson versus Alesson

Andersson vs. Åkesson, 1999

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White to move wins

In this position from a 1999 game between Ulf Andersson and Ralf Åkesson, White exchanges pawns in order to get to the Lucena position.

79. e4! dxe4

80. Rxe4 Kd7

81. Kg6

and Black resigned. White will reach a Lucena position: 81...Rg1+ 82.Kf7 Rf1 83.f6 Rf2 84.Kg7 Rg2+ 85.Kf8 Rf2 86.f7 Rg2 (a Lucena position) 87.Rd4+ Kc7 (if 87...Ke6 then 88.Ke8 wins) 88.Ke7 Re2+ 89. Kf6 Rf2+ 90.Ke6 Re2+ 91.Kf5 Rf2+ 92.Rf4 and White wins (Kaufeld & Kern 2011:189).