tag: Karsten Mueller - Page 16

Room to move

4/20/2021 – In the fight bishop against knight the bishop is often superior, when it can operate on both wings. In the diagram position White is better. But can she win?

Which pawn to take, which way to go?

4/13/2021 – The diagram position is very sharp as both sides have dangerous passed pawns. It's White to move but should White take the pawn on g5 or should White play Rg3+ to win the pawn on h3?

Trapped?

4/6/2021 – The duel knight against bishop is often deep and full of surprises. In the diagram position Black's knight on d1 seems to be in danger to get caught. But can White profit from its precarious position?

An old rivalry: Bishop vs Knight

3/30/2021 – Who is better - bishop or knight? This is an old question and the answer usually is: "It depends". At any rate, the duel knight against bishop is often intriguing and full of surprise. In the diagram position the knight seems to give White good chances to win the game, but in fact Black's bishop can secure the draw. How?

Achilles heel

3/23/2021 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies and the diagram position is no exception to this rule. But White must still defend extremely carefully. How exactly?

Powerful pawns

3/16/2021 – Far advanced passed pawns can be powerful. In the diagram position Black's passed pawns are powerful enough to cope with the white bishop and a potentially strong white pawn on the a-file. Black is to move and he can draw the game - do you see how?

Zugzwang - an unpleasant obligation

3/9/2021 – In endgames with opposite coloured bishops creating a fortress often saves the defender. But in the diagram position Black's fortress is not strong enough and zugzwang forces him to self-destruct. White to move and win.

The king escape

3/2/2021 – Rook endings contain many theoretically important positions and methods. The following position is one example. White to move and win.

The arms of the octopus

2/23/2021 – Usually a rook is far superior to a knight in a pure endgame. But there are exceptions. In the diagram position White's rook is helpless against the black knight and the black pawns. Black to move and win.

Influencer

2/16/2021 – Endgames with knight against bishop can be very deep. In the diagram position Black can win, if he uses the power and the influence of his bishop and the sharp endgame weapon zugzwang in the right way.

The king is a strong piece

2/9/2021 – Opposite coloured bishop endings have drawish tendencies but in the diagram position it is difficult to see how Black can stop White's connected passed pawns. However, Wesley So showed why the king is a strong piece and saved the game for Black.

Fighting knights

2/2/2021 – Knight endings are often tricky and both sides have to calculate precisely. In the diagram position Black has to make a difficult decision: should he try to advance and to queen the f-pawn or should he catch White's a-pawn and convert the kingside pawns later? What would you do?

No rule without exception

1/26/2021 – Is a knight on the rim always dim? Well, in chess there are no rules without exceptions, and though knights on the rim often make a poor impression there are still countless examples in which they prove to be powerful. The diagram position is one such example: Black to play and draw.

King against pawns

1/19/2021 – Pawn endings require precise calculation. Here, Black's king is stronger than White's outside passed pawn. Black to play and win.

Racing rook pawns

1/12/2021 – Usually, in a race of passed pawns it is better to have a bishop than a knight. After all, bishops are long ranging pieces while knights can easily become short of breath. But there are exceptions, this position for example. White to play and win.

Opening up

1/5/2021 – Endings with opposite coloured bishops have drawish tendencies. And often positional factors are more important than material, particularly so when building a fortress is the order of the day: White to play and draw!

Stop the pawns!

12/29/2020 – Passed pawns can be dangerous, sometimes even extremely dangerous. In the diagram position Black really needs a good idea to stop the white pawns. What would you do? Black to play and draw!

The right time

12/22/2020 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies and being one or even two pawns up does not guarantee a win. However, having a theoretically drawn position on the board does not guarantee a draw in practice. Precision is required. What should Black play in the diagram position?

Desperado

12/15/2020 – Stalemate draws the game, no matter whether one side has a huge material plus or not. Some chess players think that the stalemate rule is unjust and should be changed, but sometimes it leads to interesting tactical possibilities. How did Black save a draw in the diagram position?

Slow and steady...

12/8/2020 – Of course, it is usually good to promote a passed pawn as fast as possible. But chess is simply not that simple, and sometimes haste indeed makes waste. The diagram position is an example. Why is it a mistake to queen the pawn immediately? And what is a better move?

When a retreat is the best way to advance

12/1/2020 – Pawn endings often require knowledge and precise calculation. And sometimes a (temporary) retreat is the best (and only) way to make progress.

When a retreat is the best way to advance

11/24/2020 – Some endings are simple: you have a passed pawn that wants to push ahead and therefore your king also pushes ahead to support the pawn or enter the enemy's camp. But things are rarely that easy. In the diagram position White's pawn wants to push ahead and White's king can also push ahead to support his own pawn or to attack the black pawns on the queenside. But is that really the way to save the draw?

King's slalom

11/17/2020 – Connected passed pawns can be very dangerous - in the middlegame but of course also in the endgame. However, as dangerous as connected passed pawns may be, sometimes they need a little help from their king. Do you see how the white king can effectively support his pawns in the diagram position?

Rook endings: Often drawn but hardly ever simple

11/10/2020 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies and often being one or even two pawns up is not enough to win. However, rook endings are also complicated enough to offer both sides a lot of opportunities to go wrong and good chances to win or draw if the opponent does not find the best moves.
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