Answers.Body: <p>Let's say that Naka doesn't push g5 and instead waits (with for instance Rb7). Then it is white who can play g5+, taking advantage of the pin on the 6th rank. If black plays Kg6, then Kg4 and h5+ is unstoppable. It is clear that white is making progress. If black instead plays Kh5, then gxf6 hxf6, Rxf6 and black has lost a pawn and his king is completely stuck in a box. Rf5+ might be a possibility (taking on e5), black still cannot move the a pawn (due to an immediate Ra6 getting behind it), and again white has clearly made progress.</p>
  
  <p>I believe Naka was sure that these lines were easy wins for white. Better to make the committal, but potentially holdable, g5 move, and try and hold the position with a static pawn structure, than sit and wait only to lose in a few moves.</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-30T17:21:35.727Z
Answers.Text: 62...Kh7 63.g5 fg5 64.hg5 Re7 is another option.  Sure White continues to squeeze but these lines appear to be unclear still while g5 is a clear loss I believe.  Did Naka just not know this ending?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ywapom
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-08-30T19:52:17.567Z
Answers.Text: g5 not a "clear" loss if you believe you can stop white from penetrating. If so, this ending could be transformed into a philidor position. Unfortunately, you cannot stop an eventual king penetration...
Answers.UserDisplayName: NoseKnowsAll
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Answers.CreationDate: 2018-09-09T04:46:29.607Z
Answers.Text: This is definitely the why of nakamuras decision
Answers.UserDisplayName: Hockeyfan19
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Answers.UserDisplayName: NoseKnowsAll
Body: <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ElOTe.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ElOTe.png" alt="62...g5?"></a></p>
  
  <p>I (a 2300 player) would never consider 62...g5 in this position giving White a protected passed pawn.  Nakamura either thought it was a drawing method, or the toughest defense, but Carlsen showed there is a clear winning plan for White. 62...g5 strikes me as a clear mistake but are other moves easier for White to win against?</p>
  
  <p>I am trying to understand this decision by a 2800 player, thanks.</p>
  
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Comments.CreationDate: 2018-08-30T17:23:57.223Z
Comments.Text: Actually, this is a very good question. I wondered it myself and the chessbase reporter said: "A shocker! We will never really understand why Nakamura decided to commit hara-kiri here." (https://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-cup-2018-round-9)
Comments.UserDisplayName: Daniel Alfredo Sottile
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Comments.CreationDate: 2019-09-28T23:46:59.170Z
Comments.Text: One motive would be resolving the kingside tension. Though as you said, White gets a connected passed pawn, so I don't know whether ...g5 is good.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Inertial Ignorance
Tags: <endgame>
Title: What was Nakamura thinking with 62...g5 against Carlsen in Senquefield Cup 2018 rd. 9?
ThreadText: # What was Nakamura thinking with 62...g5 against Carlsen in Senquefield Cup 2018 rd. 9?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-08-30)
  
  [![62...g5?](https://i.sstatic.net/ElOTe.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/ElOTe.png)
  
  I (a 2300 player) would never consider 62...g5 in this position giving White a protected passed pawn. Nakamura either thought it was a drawing method, or the toughest defense, but Carlsen showed there is a clear winning plan for White. 62...g5 strikes me as a clear mistake but are other moves easier for White to win against?
  
  I am trying to understand this decision by a 2800 player, thanks.
  
  **Tags:** endgame
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Actually, this is a very good question. I wondered it myself and the chessbase reporter said: "A shocker! We will never really understand why Nakamura decided to commit hara-kiri here." (https://en.chessbase.com/post/sinquefield-cup-2018-round-9)  
  > **username_2**: One motive would be resolving the kingside tension. Though as you said, White gets a connected passed pawn, so I don't know whether ...g5 is good.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2018-08-30. Score: 1
  
  Let's say that Naka doesn't push g5 and instead waits (with for instance Rb7). Then it is white who can play g5+, taking advantage of the pin on the 6th rank. If black plays Kg6, then Kg4 and h5+ is unstoppable. It is clear that white is making progress. If black instead plays Kh5, then gxf6 hxf6, Rxf6 and black has lost a pawn and his king is completely stuck in a box. Rf5+ might be a possibility (taking on e5), black still cannot move the a pawn (due to an immediate Ra6 getting behind it), and again white has clearly made progress.
  
  I believe Naka was sure that these lines were easy wins for white. Better to make the committal, but potentially holdable, g5 move, and try and hold the position with a static pawn structure, than sit and wait only to lose in a few moves.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: 62...Kh7 63.g5 fg5 64.hg5 Re7 is another option.  Sure White continues to squeeze but these lines appear to be unclear still while g5 is a clear loss I believe.  Did Naka just not know this ending?  
  > **username_3**: g5 not a "clear" loss if you believe you can stop white from penetrating. If so, this ending could be transformed into a philidor position. Unfortunately, you cannot stop an eventual king penetration...  
  > **username_4**: This is definitely the why of nakamuras decision  
  
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