GM Analysis in KL Open 2008 !

While waiting for the official closing ceremony of the KL Open 2008 start, a bunch of GM's and IMs analysed an endgame position which i think must arise from some of their game. Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto was defending the black side in a difficult and tricky endgame position. In the end, he managed to defend a rook + two pawns ( a & h pawn) against rook . The others GM's and title players lead by FM Sebastian Simanjuntak and GM Dao Tien Hai were amused how white can't win the position in the end.

My fellow friend - The GM killer - "Mr. Fritz" indicate that the "Megaranto's position" is a win for white. Although according to endings theory books, some position is drawn. Unfortunately, the video didn't cover the whole analysed . But lets have a look.

King + Rook + 2 pawns ( a & h) vs King + rook
KL Open, 24.12.2008

Analysed by Hairulov and Fritz 11

FM Sebastian Simanjuntak suggest 1.Nxg4 Fritz 11 show the correct move 1..Bc1! which free white rook from defending the bishop and at the same time black pawn at h6 will drop, however i'm more interested to analysed the resulting rook + 2 pawn ( a and h ) vs rook endgame which arise after 1...Rxb2+ 2.Rxb2 Rxg4 3.Rb6 Rg2? With hindsight, this move looks like a mistake . Black can have strong drawing chances with 3...Rg3 4.Ka2 Rg2+ 5.Kb3 (5.Rb2?! Rg5 6.Rh2 Kd6) 5...Rg3+ 6.Ka4 Rg4+ Just checking white's king untill 7.Rb4 the rook have to left the 6th rank and black h6 pawn will not be captured. (If 7.Ka5 Rg5+ 8.Rb5 White rook have to left 6th rank anyway so the h6 pawn is still safe. 8...Rg4; 7.Ka5 Rg5+ 8.Rb5 Rg4 transpose.) 7...Rg5 8.Rb5 Rg4+ 9.Ka5 Rh4 4.Rxh6 Now black is winning, however GM Megaranto who defending the black side during the analysis manage to draw it against others( GM Dao Tien Hai + FM Sebastian Simanjuntak..etc !) . 4...Rh2 5.a4 Kd7 6.a5 Kc7 7.a6 Kb8 8.Kc1 Ka7 9.Kd1 Kb8 10.Ke1 Ka7 11.Kf1 Kb8 12.Kg1 Rh4 13.Kg2 Ka7 14.Kg3 Rh1 15.Kg4 Rg1+ ½–½

Unfortunately here i can't remember how the analysed goes on but after a couple of moves ( and take back !) by both side, Megaranto managed to show that it's a drawn endgame. Anybody can prove that it's a win for white?