Best of 2015: Best Endgame

by ChessBase
1/4/2016 – The year 2015 is over now, so we thought it's time to let you vote for the highlights of the past year. Today we want you to vote for the best endgame of the year 2015. The following article features a selection of six endgames picked by GM Karsten Müller. Which, do you think, is the best endgame of 2015?
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Which is the best endgame of the year 2015?
So vs Vachier-Lagrave, FIDE World Cup 201549
23%
Anand vs Carlsen, London 201541
19%
Jonny vs Komodo, ICGA WCCC 201540
19%
Karjakin vs Svidler, FIDE World Cup 201530
14%
Suba vs Laiz Ibanez, La Roda 201530
14%
Wojtaszek vs Ding, Wijk aan Zee 201517
8%

To vote you need to login with your ChessBase Account. The final result of the vote will be revealed soon but now it's your turn to vote for the "Best endgame of the Year 2015" - which fittingly is the last of our polls. The endgames in the list were selected by GM Karsten Müller and you might miss your favorite. But all of the following six endgames are remarkable and impressive and certainly belong to the best endgames played in 2015.

 
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1.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
34.Re3? Na5! 35.Re1 Nc4 36.Kf3 Kd7 37.Kg2 a5 37...c6!? 38.Kf2? 38.Rh1! Nxe5 39.Rh7 Kc6 40.Bxe5 Rxe5 41.Rxf7 Re4 42.Kg3 Rxa4 43.Rg7 Rc4 44.Rxg5 Rxc3+ 45.Kf4 Rxc2 46.Rg8 a4 47.g5 Rc4+ 48.Kg3 Rc1 49.Kf4= 38...c6 39.Kg2 b5! 40.Rb1 Rh8? 40...Nxe5! 41.axb5 41.Bxe5 Rxe5 42.axb5 Re2+ 43.Kf3 Rxc2-+ 41...Nxg4 42.b6 42.Kf3 Ne5+ 43.Bxe5 43.Kg2 Nc4 44.b6 Ne3+ 45.Kh2 Nxf5 46.b7 Nxg3 47.b8Q Rxb8 48.Rxb8 Ne4-+ 43...Rxe5 44.Kg4 f6 45.b6 Kc8-+ 42...Ne3+ 43.Kf3 43.Kf2 Nxf5 44.b7 Nxg3 45.b8Q Ne4+ 46.Ke3 Rxb8 47.Rxb8 Nxc3-+ 43...g4+ 44.Kf4 f6 45.Bf2 Kc8 46.b7+ Kb8 47.Kg3 a4-+ 40...bxa4? 41.e6+ fxe6 42.Rb7+ Kd8 43.f6 a3 44.Rb8+ Kd7 45.Rb7+= 41.Bf2! Nxe5 42.axb5 Nxg4 42...Nc4 43.b6 Rb8 44.Bc5= 43.bxc6+ Kxc6 44.Bd4 Re8 45.Kg3 Ne5 45...Ne3 46.Rb6+ Kc7 47.Rf6= 46.Rb6+ Kc7 47.Rf6 Kd7 47...a4 48.Bxe5+ Rxe5 49.Rxf7+ Kb6 50.Kg4= 48.Bxe5 Rxe5 49.Kg4 Ke7 50.Kxg5 Re1 51.Ra6 f6+ 52.Kg4 52.Kg6 Rg1+ 53.Kh6 Rg5 54.Rxa5 Kd6 55.c4 dxc4 56.c3= 52...Rg1+ 53.Kf4 Rf1+ 54.Kg4 Rg1+ 55.Kf4 Rf1+ 56.Kg4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Anand,V2803Carlsen,M2850½–½2015C677th London Classic 20153

 

 
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78...Bd7? 78...f4‼ 79.Bxf4 Bg4 80.d5+ 80.Ka7 Be6 81.Ka6 Bc4 82.Ka5 Be6 83.Kb4 Bd5 84.Ka3 Be6 85.Kb2 Bc4 86.Kc1 Kd5 87.Kd2 Ke4 80...Kxd5 81.Kc7 Ke6 82.Kc6 Be2 78...Kd7? 79.Kb7 79.Bf4 Be6 80.d5+ Bxd5 80...Kxd5 81.Kc7 Kc5 82.Kd8 Bb3 83.Ke7 Kc4 84.Kf6 Kxc3 85.Kxg6 b4 86.Kxh5 Bf7+ 87.Kg5 b3 88.Bc1 81.Kc8 Bb3 82.Kd8 Bc4 83.Ke7 Bb3 84.e6 Bc4 85.Kf6 Bb3 86.Bc1 Bc4 87.Ba3 Bb3 88.e7 Kd7 89.Kxg6 Bd1 90.Kf7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Karjakin,S2762Svidler,P27271–02015A56FIDE World Cup7.5

 

 
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148.Na8‼ 148.Bf6?! Bd7 149.Nxa6 Kb7 150.Bd8 Be8 151.Bb6 Bd7 152.Nc7 Be7 153.b5 cxb5 154.Nxb5 Bc6 155.Nc3 Bf8 155...Be8 156.Ne2 Bc6 157.Nc1 Be8 158.Nd3 Bc6 159.Ne5 Be8 160.c6+ Bxc6 161.Nxg6 Bd6 162.Bc5 Be8 163.Nh8 Bc7+ 164.Kb4 Bd8 165.Bf8 Kb6 166.g6 Bf6 167.g7 Bxg7 168.Bxg7 Kc6 169.Kc3 Bh5 170.Kd2+- 156.Bd8 Bd7 157.Ne2 Ka7 158.Ng1 Kb7 159.Nf3 Be8 160.Bf6 Bd7 161.Kb4 Ka6 162.Be5 Be7 163.Bc7 Kb7 164.Bd6 Bd8 165.Ne5 Be8 166.c6+ Kc8?! 166...Bxc6 167.Nxg6 Be8 168.Nf8 Bf7 169.Kb5 Be8+ 170.Kc5 Bb6+ 171.Kb4 Kc6 172.Bc5 Bd8 173.Nxe6+- 167.c7 Bxc7 168.Bxc7 Kxc7 169.Kc5+- (Vincent Keymer) 148...Kxa8 148...Bd7 149.Nb6 Be8 150.Be5 Kb7 151.Bd6 Bg7 152.Be7 Bf7 153.Bf6 Bf8 154.Nd7+- 148...Be7 149.Bf6 Kxa8 150.Kb6 Bf8 151.Kxc6+- 149.Kb6 Bb7 149...Bd7 150.Kc7 Be8 151.Be5 Bf7 152.Bd6 Bg7 153.Kxc6 Be8+ 154.Kb6 Bb5 155.c6 Bh8 156.c7 Bd7 157.Kxa6 Bg7 158.Kb6 Bc8 159.b5 Bb7 160.Bb4 Bh8 161.Bf8 Bc8 162.Kc6+- 149...Kb8 150.Be5+ Ka8 151.Kc7+- 149...e5 150.Bxe5+- 150.Kc7 Ka7 151.Bf6 a5 152.bxa5 Ba8 152...Ba6 153.Kxc6 Be2 154.Kd7 Ka6 155.Bd8 Bb5+ 156.Kxe6 Be8 157.Kf6 Kb5 158.Be7+- 152...Ka6 153.Kb8 Kxa5 154.Kxb7 Kb5 155.Kc7+- 153.Kd7 Bb7 154.Kxe6 Ba6 155.Kf7 Bc4 155...Be2 156.Kxg6+- 156.Kxf8?! Ka6 157.Kf7 Bh5 158.Bd8 Kb5 159.Ke6 Be2 160.Kf6 Bh5 161.Bb6 Ka6 162.e4‼ fxe4 163.f5 gxf5 164.Bc7 e3 165.g6 e2 166.Bg3+- 156.Kxg6 Ka6 157.Kf7 Bxc5 158.g6 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Jonny-Komodo-1–02015D10ICGA WCCC 20155.3

 

 
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60...Ne8‼ 60...gxf5? 61.g6 fxe4 61...Nxe4 62.g7 Nf6 63.Kf4 Kd5 64.Kxf5 Ng8 65.Kg6= 62.Kf4 Ne8 63.Kxe4= 61.fxg6 61.Kf3 Kd3 62.Kf4 Kd4 63.e5 Ng7 64.fxg6 Kd5-+ 61.f6 Nc7 62.Kf4 Kd4 63.f7 Ne6+ 64.Kf3 Kd3-+ 61...Ng7 62.e5 62.Kf3 Kd3 63.Kf4 Kd4 64.Kf3 Ke5 65.Ke3 Ne6 66.Kf3 Nd4+ 67.Ke3 Nc6 68.g7 Ne7 69.Kf3 Ke6 70.Kf4 Ng6+ 71.Kg3 Kf7-+ 62...Kd5 63.Kf4 Kd4! 63...Ke6?! 64.Ke4 Nf5? 65.g7 Nxg7 66.g6 Nf5 67.Kf4 Ng7 68.Ke4= 64.e6 Kd5 65.e7 Ke6! 66.Ke4 Kxe7 67.Ke5 Ke8 68.Kd5 Kd7 68...Kd7 69.Ke5 Ke7 70.Kd5 70.Kf4 Kd6 71.Ke4 Ke6 72.Kf4 Kd5 73.Kf3 Ke5 74.Ke3 Kf5 75.Kf3 Kxg6 76.Kg3 Nf5+ 77.Kh3 Kf7-+ 70...Nf5 71.Ke5 Nxh4 72.g7 Kf7 73.Kf4 Ng6+ 74.Kg3 Kxg7-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
So,W2773Vachier Lagrave,M27440–12015A33FIDE World Cup 20154.2

 

 
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61.Bd5 The breakthrough Usually the rook is much stronger than the bishop in a technical endgame: a5‼ This preparartion of the breakthrough ...b6-b5 is the only way to win. 61...a6? is met by 62.Kf4 for example b5 63.axb5 axb5 64.Ke5 Rb6 65.cxb5 Rxb5 66.Kd6 Rb2 67.g4 Rh2 68.Kxc5 Rxh3= 62.Bb7?! Now the resulting black passed pawn is too quick. 62.Be4! was more tenacious, but does not defend in the long run, e.g. Rd4 The direct 62...b5? allows the defence 63.cxb5 Rd4 64.b6 Rxa4 65.b7 Rb4 66.Bc6 a4 67.Bxa4 Rxb7 68.f4 c4 69.Kf3 Rb4 70.Bc2 Rb2 71.Be4 c3 72.Ke3 Rd2 73.h4= 63.Bd5 Kg6 Now White is in zugzwang. 64.h4 64.Kf2 b5-+ 64.Be4+ Kf6 65.Bd5 Ke5 66.h4 Kf6 67.h5 Kg5-+ 64...Kf6 65.h5 Kg5 66.Kf2 66.Kh3 b5 67.axb5 a4 68.b6 Rh4+ 69.Kg3 Rxh5 70.b7 Rh8 71.Be6 Rb8 72.Bc8 a3-+ 66.Bc6 Rxc4 67.Kf2 Kxh5 68.g3 Kg5 69.Ke3 Kf5 70.Kd3 Rb4 71.Bd7+ Ke5 72.Kc3 c4-+ 66...b5 Finally the breakthrough can come. 67.axb5 a4 68.b6 a3 69.b7 Rd2+ 70.Ke3 Rb2-+ 62...b5! The decisive breakthrough. 63.cxb5 63.axb5 a4-+ 63...c4 64.Be4 c3 65.Kf4 Rd2 65...Rd2 66.Ke5 c2 67.Bxc2 Rxc2 68.Kd6 68.b6 Rb2-+ 68...Rc4 69.b6 Rxa4 70.b7 Rb4-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Wojtaszek,R2744Ding Liren27320–12015E9477th Tata Steel GpA11

 

 
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43.Kb6 f4! 43...g4? 44.fxg4 fxg4 45.Kxa6 Ke4 46.Kb5 Kxe3 47.a6 d4 48.a7 d3 49.a8Q d2 50.Qa4+- 43...Kd6? 44.f4 gxf4 45.gxf4 Kd7 46.Kc5 Ke6 47.Kc6+- 43...d4? 44.exd4+ Kxd4 45.Kxa6 Ke3 46.Kb5 Kxf3 47.a6 Kxg3 48.a7 f4 49.a8Q f3 50.Qe4 f2 51.Qh1+- 44.gxf4+ 44.exf4+ gxf4 45.g4?! d4-+ 44...gxf4 45.exf4+ 45.Kxa6?! fxe3 46.Kb7 e2 47.a6 e1Q-+ 45...Kd6‼ 45...Kd6‼ 46.Kxa6 46.f5 d4 47.f6 d3 48.f7 Ke7-+ 46...d4 47.Kb7 d3 48.a6 d2 49.a7 d1Q 50.a8Q Qb3+ 51.Kc8 51.Ka6 Qa4+ 52.Kb7 Qb5+ 53.Ka7 Kc7-+ 51...Qc4+ 52.Kb7 52.Kd8 Qg8# 52...Qb5+ 53.Ka7 53.Kc8 Qd7+ 54.Kb8 Qc7# 53...Kc7-+ 45...Kxf4? 46.Kxa6 d4 47.Kb7 d3 48.a6 d2 49.a7 d1Q 50.a8Q= 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Suba,M2319Laiz Ibanez,H20980–12015A2842nd La Roda Open 20152.20

 

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