I saw this week’s puzzle in the pawn themes chapter of Johan Hellsten’s Mastering Endgame Strategy. This book follows on from Hellsten’s previous two works: Mastering Chess Strategy and Mastering Chess Openings.

Hellsten’s new work keeps the high standard and contains a plethora of exercises to test the student’s learning.

I turned straight away to the chapter on rook themes since chess-players know that rook endgames are both common in practice and difficult to play well.

I was impressed by the clear explanations and I’m convinced a careful study of this chapter alone would significantly increase the playing strength of every non endgame specialist.

Reading this chapter before the game might have even helped the talented Surrey junior Yang-Fan Zhou convert the big advantage he held against Oxfordshire’s own junior star Marcus Harvey in the so called Terafinal of the Delancey UK Schools Chess Challenge on August 19. As it was – and shown below – Marcus managed to hang on for a draw and went on to claim the top honours and a £2000 first prize.

White: Yang-Fan Zhou

Black: Marcus Harvey

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 Called ‘shocking’ by Dembo and Palliser in their new book on the Scotch, this move voluntarily enters an endgame with – at first sight – little chance of a White advantage. However, it’s actually not so easy for Black and it’s currently White’s main try in the 5...Qf6 variation.

6...Qxf3 7.gxf3 bxc6 8.Be3 Bxe3! Better than 8...Bb6?! 9.c4!

9.fxe3 Rb8 10.b3 Ne7 11.Nc3 d6 12.Rg1 0–0 13.f4 f5! 14.Bc4+ Kh8 15.e5 dxe5 16.0–0–0!? exf4?! A little bit risky as there’s a nasty trap in the position. 16...Ng6 was safer.

17.exf4 Nd5 Now 17...Ng6? is met by 18.Rxg6! hxg6 19.Rd3 winning straight away, so Marcus is forced to jettison a pawn to stay active.

18.Nxd5 cxd5 19.Rxd5?! A strange decision since it’s clear White dominates after 19.Bxd5.

19...Be6 20.Rc5 Bxc4 21.Rxc4 Rf7 Now Marcus is struggling – but goes on to show excellent technique and admirable tenacity to hold the draw. 22.Re1 h6 23.Re6 Kh7 24.Ra6 Rb7 25.Rca4?! Rushing too much when 25.h4 would hold up Black’s counterplay.

25...g5!? 26.Rxa7 Rxa7 27.Rxa7 g4!? 28.a4 h5 29.Ra8 h4 30.Re8 Kh6!? 31.a5 g3 32.hxg3 hxg3 33.a6 Now was the time for White to activate the king and after 33.Kd2 g2 34.Re1 Rd7+ 35.Kc3 he’s clearly doing very well.

33...c5 34.Kd2 Rg7?! 35.a7? Missing the clever 35.Ke2! g2 36.Rh8+ Kg6 37.Kf2 when White must win.

35...Rxa7 36.Rg8 Rd7+! 37.Ke3 Rd4 38.c4 Not the best – but even after the superior 38.Rxg3 Re4+ 39.Kf3 c4 40.Rg5 cxb3 41.cxb3 Rb4 42.Rxf5 Rxb3+ Black can hold on for a draw.

38...Re4+ 39.Kf3 Rd4 40.Rxg3 Rd3+ 41.Kg2 Rd2+ 42.Kh3 Rf2 43.Rd3 Rxf4 44.Rd5 Kg5 45.Kg2 Rd4 46.Rxc5 Rd2+ 47.Kf1 Rb2 48.Rd5 ½–½