I recently played a game that was enjoyable, and which suggested that I had been paying attention to my chess books over the years.
The following position arose (not out of a Jerome Gambit, although that does not matter, here) after Black's 37th move.
What I could remember from Reuben Fine's Basic Chess Endgames (1941) is that it is good to have a Rook against a Knight in the ending, because the Rook can be exchanged for the Knight...
Not sure I got that right.
Anyhow.
38.Qc3 Qxc3 39.bxc3
The doubled c-pawns will prove handy.
39...Kg6 40.Rh1 Kg5 41.Kf3 b6 42.Rb1 Nf7 43.axb6 cxb6 44.Rxb6 Ne5+
49.Rxe5+ Kxe5 50.Kxf3 Kd5
I am not sure, but my opponent might have been testing me here: I have been known to not pay close enough attention to important things.
51.Ke3 Kc4 52.Kd2 Kc5 53.Kd3 Kd5 54.c4+ Kc5 55.Kc3
Readers who anticipated this position likely know how the game will end.
55...Kc6 56.Kd4 Kd6 57.c5+ Kc6 58.Kc4
And so it goes.
58...Kc7 59.Kd5 Kd7 60.c6+ Kc7 61.Kc5
61...Kc8 62.Kd6 Kd8 63.c7+ Kc8
Here, with 64.Kc6, I would have rewarded my opponent's hopes with stalemate!
64.c3 Black resigned
Now, Black's King will have to release the blockade of the forward c-pawn with 64...Kb7, when my King can advance with 65.Kd7, preparing for the pawn's promotion on the next move.
