Karsten Müller

Karsten Müller is considered to be one of the greatest endgame experts in the world. His books on the endgame - among them "Fundamentals of Chess Endings", co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, that helped to improve Magnus Carlsen's endgame knowledge - and his endgame columns for the ChessCafe website and the ChessBase Magazine helped to establish and to confirm this reputation. Karsten's Fritztrainer DVDs on the endgame are bestsellers. The mathematician with a PhD lives in Hamburg, and for more than 25 years he has been scoring points for the Hamburger Schachklub (HSK) in the Bundesliga.

Recent news

Racing rook's pawns

2/24/2026 – Racing rook's pawns: Should Black run or should he try to stop White's pawn majority?: Black to move and win.
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Miracle move

2/17/2026 – Miracle move: Usually rook endings have a large drawish tendency. But pawn races are different. But here Black is saved by a miracle as queen and g-pawn vs queen is often drawn: Black to move and draw.
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Endgame Magic #324: Highlights from Tata Steel with Sipke Ernst Part 2

2/10/2026 – Sipke and Karsten show one endgame highlight from the Tata Steel rapid tournament. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

Check promotion

2/10/2026 – Check promotion: Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a large drawish tendency. But the race of passed pawns is of a different nature: White to move and win.
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Endgame Magic #323: Highlights from Tata Steel with Sipke Ernst Part 1

2/5/2026 – Sipke and Karsten show one endgame highlight from the Tata Steel rapid tournament. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

White's knight's knightmare

2/3/2026 – White's knight's knightmare: The fight bishop against knight can be deep: Black to move and win.
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The knight hunt

1/27/2026 – The knight hunt: In a pure endgame a rook usually is much stronger than a knight: Black to move and win.
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Endgame Magic #322: Highlights from 2025 Part 2

1/23/2026 – Karsten shows 5 endgame highlights from the last year. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

Pawn waves and walls

1/20/2026 – Pawn waves and walls: King activity is often crucially important in an endgame: Black to move and draw.
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Endgame Magic #321: Highlights from 2025 Part 1

1/17/2026 – Karsten shows 5 endgame highlights from the last year. | You can watch the Endgame Magic Show on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account.

King safety first

1/13/2026 – King safety first: Passed pawns are often powerful in an endgame, but sometimes there are other priorities: White to move and win.
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Black knight`s knightmare

1/6/2026 – Black knight's knightmare: Sometimes a small tactic decides: White to move and win.
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White knight magic

12/30/2025 – White knight magic: Usually a rook is much stronger than a knight in a pure endgame. But there are exceptions: White to move and win.
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The best endgames of 2025!

12/26/2025 – This article presents a curated selection of the most instructive endgames of the year, chosen by renowned endgame specialist Karsten Müller. Drawing on examples from elite tournaments and beyond, the collection highlights the enduring relevance of endgame technique in modern chess, with contributions from players such as Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.

Caruana's King

12/23/2025 – Caruana's king: In queen endings the question is often, if the attacking king can hide: White to move and win.
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Crushing checks

12/16/2025 – Crushing checks: Often the rook belongs behind the passed pawn, but sometimes other methods have priority: The deep: White to move and win.

Out of the clear blue sky

12/9/2025 – Out of the clear blue sky: Mating attacks do happen in endgames: Black to move and win.

Black knight magic

12/2/2025 – Black knight magic: Far advanced passed pawns often allow surprising tactics: Black to move and draw.
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