A tricky endgame revisited: Caruana vs Duda, Altibox Norway Tournament 2020

by Karsten Müller
2/25/2021 – In round 2 of the Altibox Norway Tournament 2020 Fabiano Caruana won a fascinating and tricky endgame against Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Of course, endgame expert and aficionado Karsten Müller was intrigued but the result notwithstanding he was not sure whether the endgame was also theoretically won. But now, after lengthy analyses with Zoran Petronijevic, he came to a definite conclusion. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
In over 4 hours in front of the camera, Karsten Müller presents to you sensations from the world of endgames - partly reaching far beyond standard techniques and rules of thumb - and rounds off with some cases of with own examples.

Two minor pieces vs a rook

Usually, two minor pieces are better than a rook – a rule of thumb every beginner learns quickly. However, in practice things are usually more difficult. Sometimes a rook is better than the minor pieces and sometimes the two minor pieces are indeed theoretically better but cannot win because the position is too blocked.

This happened in the game between Caruana and Duda. White had the two minor pieces but it was not easy to see how he could enter Black's position. In the game Black made an error that allowed Caruana to demonstrate how White can win such positions, but after taking a very close look at the position Zoran Petronijevic came to the conclusion: "The position is even – White cannot penetrate". In practice, the two minor pieces won the game, but theoretically the rook could have saved a draw.

 
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49...Rd1? This allows White to make progress. After 49...Rc1 50.Bg6+ 50.f4 Re1= 50.Kg2 Rc3= the position is even. 50...Kd7 51.Nb8+ Kc8 52.Na6 Kd8 53.f4 Rc3 54.f5 exf5 55.Nb4 Rb3 56.Nc6+ Kd7 57.Bxf5+ Kd6 58.Nb8 Rxb5 59.Kg2 Ra5 60.Nd7 b5 61.Nxf6 b4 62.Nh7 Ra2+ 63.Kf3 b3 64.Nxg5 Ra1 65.Ke2 b2 66.Nh3 b1Q 67.Bxb1 Rxb1 68.Nf4 Rg1 69.Kf3 Rh1 70.g5 Rg1 71.Nh3 Ra1 72.Kg4 Re1 73.g6 Ke7 74.Nf4 Kf6 75.Nxd5+ Kxg6= 49...Ra1 leads to draw as well 50.Bg6+ Kd7 51.e4 dxe4 52.Bxe4 Ra3 53.d5 exd5 54.Bxd5 Kd6 55.Be4 Kc5 56.Nb8 Kxb5 57.Nd7 Kc4 58.Nxb6+ 58.Nxf6 b5 59.Nh7 b4 60.Nxg5 Kd4 61.Bf5 Ke5 62.Ne6 b3 63.f4+ Kf6 64.Kg2 Ra4 65.Nc5 Rxf4 66.Nxb3 Rxf5= 58...Kd4 59.Bf5 Ra2 60.Kg2 Ra1 61.Nc8 Ke5 62.Ne7 Kd6 63.Ng8 Ke5= 50.Nb4 Kd7 Most tenacious is 50...Rd2 although White can break Black's defence: 51.Kg3 Rb2 52.Nc2 Rb3 53.Ne1 Ke7 54.f4 gxf4+ 55.exf4 Rb4 56.Nf3 Rb2 57.Bf1 Kf7 58.Ne1 Rb4 59.Nc2 Rb2 60.Bd3 Rb3 61.Ne1 Rb4 62.Nf3 Rb2 63.f5 exf5 64.gxf5 Rb3 65.Bf1 Re3 66.Kf2 Re4 67.Bd3 Rg4 68.Ke3 Rg3 69.Kf4 Rh3 70.Be2 Ke7 71.Ne1 Rc3 72.Bd3 Rc1 73.Nc2 Rd1 74.Ke3 Kd6 75.Be2 Rb1 76.Kd2 Rb3 77.Bd3 Rb1 78.Ne3 Ra1 79.Be2 Ra4 80.Nc2 Ra8 81.Bh5 Ra7 82.Kd3 Rh7 83.Bd1 Rh2 84.Ne3 Rf2 85.Kc3 Rh2 86.Bb3 Rh3 87.Kd3 Rf3 88.Kd2 Rh3 89.Bd1 Rh2+ 90.Kc3 Rh7 91.Bb3 Rh3 92.Kd2 Rh2+ 93.Kd3 Rh3 94.Bd1 Kc7 95.Bg4 Rg3 96.Ke2 Kd6 97.Bf3 Rg1 98.Nxd5+- 50...Ra1 loses after 51.e4 dxe4 52.Bxe4 Ke7 53.Kg2 Kd6 54.Nc2 Rb1 55.Bc6 Rb2 56.Ne3 Rb4 57.d5 exd5 58.Nxd5 Rxg4+ 59.Kf1 f5 60.Nxb6 Kc5 61.Nc8 Rd4 62.Ne7 f4 63.f3 Rd6 64.Kg2 Rh6 65.Nd5 Kd6 66.Nb4 Kc5 67.Nd3+ Kb6 68.Kf1 Rg6 69.Ne5 Rh6 70.Ng4 Rg6 71.Kg2 Rg8 72.Ne5 Rh8 73.Kf2 Rh6 74.Ng4 Rh8 75.Ke2 Rd8 76.Kf1 Kc7 77.Nf6 Kb6 78.Kg1 Rd6 79.Nd7+ Kc7 80.Kf1 Rh6 81.Ne5 Rh8 82.Ke1 Rd8 83.Ke2 Rd6 84.Nd3 Rd4 85.Kd2 Rc4 86.Nf2 Kb6 87.Ng4 Rc5 88.Be8 Kc7 89.Kd3 Rc1 90.Nf6 Rg1 91.Kd4 Rc1 92.Bc6 Re1 93.Kc5 Rc1+ 94.Kd5 Re1 95.Kd4 Re2 96.Kc5 Rc2+ 97.Kd5 Re2 98.Ng4 Kb6 99.Ne5 Rd2+ 100.Ke6 Re2 101.Kf6 Rg2 102.Ng4 Rb2 103.Kxg5 Kc5 104.Kxf4+- 51.Kg2 The best move which leads to the winning position. Ra1 White should win as well after 51...Re1 52.f3 52.Kf3 Rd1 52...Ra1 53.Ke2 Kd6 54.f4 Rg1 55.Kf3 Rd1 56.Kf2 Rd2+ 57.Ke1 Rg2 58.fxg5 fxg5 59.Be2 Rg1+ 60.Kf2 Rh1 61.Nc6 Rb1 62.Ne5 Ke7 63.Nf3 Kf6 64.Bd3 Rb3 65.Ke2 Rb2+ 66.Ke1 Rb3 67.Ne5 Ke7 68.Kd1 Rb2 69.Bc2 Ra2 70.e4! With this move, White is breaking Black's blockade. Ra3 71.exd5 exd5 and we have reached the pawn structure that occurred in the game after move 69 - and this position is won for White. 53.e4 53.Ke2 Rh1 54.f4 gxf4 55.exf4
This position is winning. 53...dxe4+ 54.Kxe4 Kd6 55.Ke3 Re1+ 56.Kd2 Rg1 57.f3 Rg2+ 58.Be2 Rh2 59.Nd3 Kd5 60.Ke3 Kd6 61.Nb2 Kc7 62.Nc4 Rh8 62...Rh1 63.Bd3 Rg1 64.Nd2 Kd6 65.Be4 Kc7 66.d5 exd5 67.Bxd5 Kd6 68.Be4 Rc1 69.Kd4 Rd1 70.Kc3 Kc5 71.Bc6 Kd6 72.Kd3 Rh1 73.Kd4 Rd1 74.Kc3 Rh1 75.Kb4 Rh3 76.Nc4+ Kc7 77.Be4 Rh1 78.Kc3 Rc1+ 79.Kd3 Rd1+ 80.Ke3 Rc1 81.Bd5 Re1+ 82.Kd4 Re2 83.Be4 Ra2 84.Bc6 Rc2 85.Kd3 Rc1 86.Ne3 Kd6 87.Nd5+- 63.Bd3 Rh1 64.Nd2 Kd7 65.Be4 Ra1 66.Bc6+ Kd6 67.Nc4+ Kc7 68.d5 exd5 69.Bxd5 Re1+ 70.Kd4 Rd1+ 71.Ke4 Rb1 72.Bc6 Rc1 73.Ne3 Kd6 74.Nd5 Rc4+ 75.Kd3 Ra4 76.Nxf6+- 52...Kd6 53.Kf2 Ra1 54.f4 e5 55.dxe5+ fxe5 56.fxe5+ Kxe5 57.Nc6+ Kd6 58.Nd4 Ke5
59.Bf5 59.Bc2 Ra2 60.Kf3 Ra1 61.Ke2 Rc1 62.Nf3+ Kf6 63.Bf5 Rc5 64.Nd4 Ke7 65.Kd3 Kd6 66.Kd2 Ke7 67.Bd3 Kd6 68.Nf3 Rc7 69.Bf5 Rg7 70.Kd3 Kc5 71.Nd4 Rg8 72.Ne6+ Kd6 73.Bh7 Ra8 74.Nxg5+- 59...Ra2+ 60.Bc2 Kf6 61.Ke1 Ke7 61...Ke5 62.Kd2 Ra3 62...Kd6 63.Nf3 Ra7 64.e4 dxe4 65.Nxg5 Rc7 66.Nxe4+ Ke5 67.Nf2 Kf4 68.Bf5 Rc4 69.Nd3+ Kg5 70.Ke3 Kf6 71.Nf2 Rb4 72.Bd7 Rb2 73.Kf3 Ra2 74.Kg3 Ra1 75.Ne4+ Ke5 76.Bc6 Rd1 77.Kh4 Rd8 78.g5 Kf5 79.Ng3+ Kf4 80.Nh5+ Kf5 81.Ng7+ Kg6 82.Ne6 Rd6 83.Be8+ Kf5 84.Ng7+ Ke4 85.g6+- 63.Nf3+ Kf6 64.Bf5 Ra5 65.Nd4 Ra3 66.Bh7 Ra1 67.Bg8 Ke5 68.Nf3+ Kd6 69.Nxg5 Ra5 70.Nf3 Rxb5 71.g5 Rb2+ 72.Kd3 Rb3+ 73.Ke2 Rb2+ 74.Kf1 Rb4 75.Nd4 Rb1+ 76.Kf2 Rb2+ 77.Kf3 Ke5 78.Bf7 Rb1 79.g6 Kf6 80.Ne6 Rf1+ 81.Ke2 Rg1 82.Nc7 b5 83.Nxd5++- 62.Kd2 Ra3 63.Nf3 Kf6 64.Ke2 Rc3 65.Nd4 Ke5 66.Bf5 Kf6 67.Kd2 Ra3 68.Nc6 Rb3 69.Bd3 Ra3 70.Bc2 Ke6 71.Bf5+ Kd6 72.Nd8 Ra2+ 73.Kc3 Ra3+ 73...Kc5 74.Ne6+ Kxb5 75.Nxg5+- 74.Kd4 Ra7 75.Kd3 Ra3+ 76.Ke2 Ke5 77.Ne6 Kf6 78.Nf8 Ke5 79.Nh7 d4 80.exd4+ Kxd4 81.Nxg5 Ke5 82.Nf3+ Kf4 83.Nd4+- 52.f4 The best move. Ra3?! Black's position is lost. After 52...gxf4 53.exf4
53...Ra4 or 53...Ra3 There is not a big difference between 53...Ra3 and 53...Ra4. In both cases White wins. 54.Be2 Re3 54...Ke8 55.g5 f5 56.Kf2 Kf8 57.Nc6 Ra2 58.Ne5 Ke7 59.Ke1 Ra1+ 60.Bd1 Rb1 61.Kd2 Rb2+ 62.Kc1 Rh2 63.Bf3 Ke8 64.Kd1 Ke7 65.Ke1 Ke8 66.Kf1 Ke7 67.Bg2 Rh7 68.Kg1 Kf8 69.Bf3 Ra7 If Black tries 69...Ke7 White wins after 70.Kg2 Ke8 71.Kg3 Ke7 72.g6 Rh8 73.Bh5‼+- Karsten Mueller 70.Bh5 Rh7 71.Bg6 Ra7 72.Kg2 Ra2+ 73.Kh3 Ra3+ 74.Kh4 Re3 75.Bh5 Re1 76.Kg3 Re3+ 77.Kf2 Rb3 78.Bf7 Rb2+ 79.Kg3 Ke7 80.g6 Rb1 81.Kh4 Kf6 82.Nd7+ Kg7 83.Nxb6 Rxb5 84.Na4 Kf6 85.Nc5 Rb1 86.Nxe6 Rc1 87.Kg3 Rc2 88.Kf3 Rc3+ 89.Ke2 Rc2+ 90.Ke3 Rc3+ 91.Kd2 Rc4 92.Kd3 Rc1 93.Nc5 Rf1 94.Ke3 Ra1 95.Nd7+ Kg7 96.Nb6 Kh6 97.Nxd5+- 55.Bd3 Ke8 56.f5 Kf7 57.Kf2 Rh3 58.Be2 Rb3 59.Na6 Rc3 60.Bf3 Rc4 61.Ke3 Rc3+ 62.Ke2 Rc2+ 63.Kd3 Rc4 64.fxe6+ Kxe6 65.Bd1 Kd6 66.Bb3 Rc1 67.Nb4 Rb1 68.Kc2 Rg1 69.Nxd5 Rxg4 70.Ne3 Rg5 71.Bc4 Rh5 72.Bd3 Rh2+ 72...Rg5 73.Kc3 Rh5 74.Bf5 Rg5 75.Kd3 Rh5 76.Kc4 Rh4 77.Bg6 Rh3 78.Nd5 Rf3 79.Be4 Rf1 80.Nxb6 f5 81.Bd3+- 73.Kc3 Rh3 74.Kd2 Rh5 75.Bf5 Rh4 76.Kc3 Rh5 77.Kc4 Rh4 78.Bg6 Rf4 78...Rh8 79.Be4 Rh5 80.Nf5+ Kc7 81.Ng7 Rh8 82.Bc6 Kd6 83.Nf5+ Ke6 84.Ne3 Kf7 85.Kd5 Kg6 86.Bd7 Kg5 87.Kc6 Kf4 88.Nf5 Rh1 89.Kxb6+- 79.Kd3 Rf3 80.Be4 Rh3 81.Bg2 Rh5 81...Rg3 82.Ke2 Rg6 83.Bc6 Rg5 84.Nc4+ Ke6 85.Nxb6+- 82.Bc6 Rh3 83.Ke2 Rh2+ 84.Kf3 Rh3+ 85.Kf4 Ke6 86.Nc4 Rd3 87.Ke4 Rd1 88.d5+ Ke7 89.Nxb6+- 54.Nc6 Ra2+ 55.Kf1 Rh2 56.Ke1 Rh3 57.Be2 Rh1+ 58.Kf2 Rh2+ 59.Ke3 Rh3+ 60.Bf3 Rh2 61.g5 f5 62.Be2 Ke8 63.Na7 Rh3+ 64.Bf3 Rh7 65.Nc8 Kf8 66.Nxb6 Rb7 67.Nc4 Rxb5 68.Ne5 Rb3+ 69.Kd2 Rb2+ 70.Kc3 Rh2 71.Bd1 Rh1 71...Ke7 72.Ba4 Rf2 73.Bb5 Rh2 74.Kb4 Rh3 75.Kc5 Rc3+ 76.Kb6 Rb3 77.g6 Kf6 78.Kc5 Ke7 79.Bd7 Rb1 80.Kc6 Rc1+ 81.Kb6 Kf6 82.Nf3 Rf1 83.Ng5 Kxg6 84.Nxe6 Rc1 85.Bc6 Kf6 86.Bxd5 Ke7 87.Kb5 Kd6 88.Bb3 Rc3 89.Kb4 Re3 90.d5 Re1 91.Kb5 Rf1 92.Ng5 Rb1 92...Rxf4 93.Nf7+ 93.Kb4 Kc7 94.Nf7 Kd7 95.d6+- 72.Be2 Kg7 73.Bb5 Kf8 74.Kb4 Ke7 75.Bc6 Ra1 75...Rh3 76.Kc5 Rh2 77.Kb6 Rd2 78.Ba4 Kd6 79.Be8 Rb2+ 80.Ka5 Ke7 81.Bf7 Rg2 82.g6 Rg1 83.Kb4 Rg2 84.Kc5 Rg3 85.Kc6 Rc3+ 86.Kb6 Rb3+ 87.Kc7 Rg3 88.Nc6+ Kf6 89.Nd8 Ke7 90.Nxe6+- 76.Kc5 Rb1 77.Bd7 Rc1+ 78.Kb5 Rc3 79.Kb6 Rc2 80.Bc6 Rd2 81.Kc5 Rd1 82.Bb5 Rc1+ 83.Kb6 Rb1 84.Kc6 Rb3 85.Be2 Rc3+ 86.Kb6 Rc2 87.Bh5 Rh2 87...Rc1 88.Bf7 Rb1+ 89.Kc5 Rc1+ 90.Kb4 Rc2 91.Kb3 Rd2 92.Kc3 Rf2 93.g6+- 88.Bf7 Rf2 89.Kb5 Rf1 90.Kb4 Rc1 91.Kb3 Rf1 91...Rd1 92.Kc2 Rf1 93.Kd2 Rf2+ 93...Rh1 94.g6 Rh2+ 95.Ke3 Rh3+ 96.Kf2 Kf6 97.Nd7+ Ke7 98.Nc5 Rc3 99.Ke2 Rc2+ 100.Ke3 Rc3+ 101.Kd2 Rc4 102.Nxe6+- 94.Ke3 Rb2 95.g6 Rb3+ 96.Kd2 Rb2+ 97.Kd3 Kf6 98.Nd7+ Ke7 99.Nc5 Kf6 100.Kc3 Rb1 101.Nxe6+- 92.Kc2 Rf2+ 93.Kd3 Rf1 94.Ke2 Rh1 95.g6 Rh2+ 96.Kd3 Rh3+ 97.Kd2 Rh2+ 98.Kc3 Rh3+ 99.Kb2 Rh2+ 100.Kb3 Rg2 101.Kc3 Kd6 102.Nd3 102.Kd3 Ke7 103.Ke3 Kf6 104.Nd7+ Ke7 105.Nc5 Rc2 106.Nxe6+- 102...Rg3 103.Kb4 Rg1 104.Nc5 Rb1+ 105.Ka4 Ra1+ 106.Kb3 Rb1+ 107.Kc2 Rg1 108.Nxe6+- 53.fxg5 fxg5
53...Rb3 54.gxf6 Rxb4 55.g5 55.Bg6 Rb2+ 56.Kg3 Re2 57.g5 Rxe3+ 58.Kf2 Rh3 59.Bf7+- Karsten,Mueller 55...Ke8 56.Kf3 Rb3 57.Bg6+ Kf8 58.Kf4 Kg8 59.Bh5 Rb1 60.Bg4 Kf7 61.Ke5 Kg6 62.Bxe6 Rh1 63.Kd6 Ra1 64.Bxd5+- 54.Nc6 Kd6 54...Rxd3?! 55.Ne5++- In case of 54...Rb3 55.Ne5+ Ke7 56.Kf3 Rb2 57.e4! Ra2 58.Ke3 Rg2 59.exd5 exd5 White wins as in Karsten Mueller analyze below. Another win is: 60.Bf5 Rb2 61.Kd3 Rb3+ 62.Kc2 Rh3 63.Nc6+ Kd6 64.Nd8 Rh2+ 65.Kd3 Rh3+ 66.Kd2 Rb3 66...Ke7 67.Ne6 Rb3 68.Nxg5 transposes to the main line 67.Nf7+ Ke7 68.Nxg5 Rxb5 69.Ne6 Rb2+ 70.Ke3 b5 71.Nf4 b4 72.Nxd5+ Kd6 73.Nb6 Rh2 74.Kd3 Rh3+ 75.Ke4 Kc6 76.Nc4 Rh1 77.g5 Re1+ 78.Kf4 Kb5 79.Nb2 Re7 80.d5 Kc5 81.Be6 Kd6 82.Nc4+ Kc5 83.Nd2 Kd4 84.g6 Kc3 85.Ne4+ Kc2 86.Nc5+- 54...Ra2+ 55.Kf3 Rd2 56.Ne5+ Ke7 57.e4 and White wins - see analyzes below. 55.Ne5 Ke7 If Black plays 55...Ra8 White wins after 56.Kf3 Ra7 57.e4 with lines that are similar to the game. 56.Kf3 Ra2 56...Ra4 57.e4 Ra2 58.Ke3+- 57.e4! After weakening Black's d-pawn, the win is relatively easy. Ra1 58.Ke3 Re1+ 59.Be2 Rg1 In case of 59...dxe4 White wins after 60.Nc4+- 60.Kf2 60.Bf3 is a bit faster: Rb1 60...dxe4 61.Be2 Rb1 62.Kxe4+- 61.exd5 Rxb5 62.dxe6 Kxe6 63.Be2 Ra5 64.Ke4 Ra1 65.Nf3 Ra5 66.Bd3 Kd6 67.Ne5 b5 68.Be2 Kc7 69.Kd5 Kb6 70.Bd3 Ra1 71.Bf5 b4 72.Kc4 Rd1 73.Bd3 Kc7 74.Kxb4+- 60...Ra1 61.Nf3 Kf6 62.Ke3 Ra8 63.Bd3 Rg8 64.Bb1 64.Ne5 was stronger. 64...Ke7 65.Ne5 Ra8 66.Bd3 Rc8 67.Nc6+ Kd6 68.Ne5 Rf8 69.exd5 69.Be2 69...exd5 70.Bf5 Re8 71.Kd3 Re7 72.Bg6 Faster is 72.Nf3 Rg7 73.Ke3 Rg8 74.Kd2 Ke7 75.Kc2 Rg7 76.Ne5 Kd6 77.Kd2 Rc7 78.Nf3 Rg7 79.Ng1 Rg8 80.Nh3 Ke7 80...Rg7 81.Bd3 Ke6 82.Be2 Kd6 83.Nf2 Rh7 84.Nd1 Rh3 85.Ne3 Rh2 86.Kd3 Rf2 87.Nd1 Rf4 88.Nc3 Rf8 89.Bd1 Ke6 90.Ke3 Rc8 91.Na4 Ra8 92.Nxb6+- 81.Ke3 Rg7 82.Bc2 Kd6 83.Bd3 Ke7 84.Nf2 Rf7 85.Nd1 Rf4 86.Bf5 Rf1 87.Nc3 Kd6 88.Na4 Rh1 88...Kc7 89.Bd3 Rf8 90.Be2 Re8+ 91.Kf2 Ra8 92.Nc3 Kd6 93.Bf3 Ra3 94.Nxd5 Rd3 95.Ne3+- 89.Nxb6 Rh2 90.Nc8+ Kc7 91.Ne7+- 72...Ra7 73.Ke3 Ke6 74.Bf5+ Kd6 75.Kd2 White plans to go to b4 with his king to protect the pawn on b5. After that, he will win Black's pawn on g5 or b6. Faster was 75.Nf3 Rg7 76.Kd2 Rg8 and White can use winnig method showed by Karsten Mueller in 81... Kd6 line. 75...Ra2+ 76.Kc3 Ra3+ 77.Kb4 Ra7 Karsten Mueller: Preventing Nf7. In case of 77...Re3 White has 78.Nf7+ Ke7 79.Nxg5+- 78.Bc2 White also wins after 78.Kc3 Rc7+ 79.Kb2 Ke7 80.Nc6+ Kd6 81.Kb3 Rg7 82.Ne5 Ra7 83.Nf3 Rg7 84.Kc3 Ke7 85.Ne5 Kd6 86.Kb2 Ra7 87.Nf3 Ra4 87...Rg7 88.Kc2 Ke7 89.Kd3 Kd6 90.Ke2 Ke7 91.Ne5 Kd6 92.Kd2 Ra7 93.Nf3 Rg7 94.Ng1 Ke7 95.Nh3 Rg8 95...Kf6 96.Nf2 Ra7 97.Nd1 Ra4 98.Kd3 Rb4 99.Nc3 Kf7 100.Bd7 Rb3 101.Bc6 Ke7 102.Bxd5+- 96.Ke2 Kd6 97.Ke3 Ke7 98.Kd2 Rg7 99.Nf2 Rf7 100.Ke3 Rf8 101.Nd1 Kd6 102.Bd3 Rf7 103.Be2 Re7+ 104.Kd2 Rf7 105.Nc3 Ke6 106.Bd1 Rf8 107.Ke3 Rc8 108.Na4 Ra8 109.Nxb6 Ra3+ 110.Kd2 Rg3 111.Na4+- 88.Bd3 Ke7 89.Kb3 Ra8 90.Bf5 Ra5 91.Nxg5 Rxb5+ 92.Kc3 Ra5 93.Kb4 Ra2 94.Kb5 Kd6 95.Kxb6 Rf2 96.Ne6 Rb2+ 97.Ka5 Ke7 98.Nc5 Rd2 99.Nd3+- 78.Nf3 Rc7 79.Kb3 Rg7 80.Kc2 Kc7 81.Kd2 Kd6 82.Bc2 and White wins by using Karsten Mueller's idea of regrouping pieces - the knight will go to d3, the bishop to b3 (see analyzes in the line after 81...Kd6) 78...Ke6 79.Nc6 Ra2 79...Ra8 loses as well 80.Bf5+ Kd6 81.Ne5 Ra7 82.Nf3 Rg7 83.Kc3 Rg8 84.Kd2 Rg7 85.Bc2 regrouping pieces as in Karsten Mueller analyze in 81...Kd6 line. 80.Kb3 Ra1 Preferable was 80...Ra8 to prevent Nd8 (see next note). But Black is lost in any case. 81.Bf5+ Kd6 82.Ne5 Ra7 83.Kc3 Re7 84.Kd3 Rg7 85.Nf3 Rg8 86.Ke3 Re8+ 87.Kd2 Rg8 88.Bc2 and White wins as in Karsten Mueller points out in the note 81...Kd6 (move 87.Bc2). 81.Kc3 Easier was 81.Bf5+ Kd6 82.Nd8 Ke7 82...Ra7 83.Ne6+- 83.Ne6 Ra5 84.Kb4 Ra7 85.Nxg5+- 81...Rc1?! Karsten,Mueller 81...Kd6 was more tenacious, but Black is still lost because White can regroup and gain one of the black pawns, e.g. 82.Bf5 Ra8 83.Ne5 Ra3+ 84.Kc2 Ra7 85.Nf3 Rg7 86.Kd2 Rg8
87.Bc2 Rg7 88.Bd1 Ke7 89.Kd3 Kd6 90.Nd2 Ra7 91.Nb1 Rh7 92.Nc3 Rh3+ 93.Kd2 Rg3 94.Be2 Rh3 95.Nd1 Ke6 96.Ne3 Rh2 97.Kd3 Rh3 98.Bf1 Rf3 99.Bg2+- 82.Ne5 Rg1 Karsten,Mueller: After 82...Ke7 83.Nf3 Kf6 84.Kd2 Rf1 85.Ke2 Ra1 86.Bb3 the position opens, e.g. Rb1 87.Bxd5 Rxb5 88.Be4 Ra5 89.Kd3 Ra4 90.Bf5 Ra1 91.Kc4+- and the king finds a way to attack. 83.Bf5+ Ke7 Karsten,Mueller 83...Kd6 84.Nf7+ Ke7 85.Nxg5+- 84.Nd7 Rc1+ 85.Kb3 Rc4 Karsten,Mueller: After 85...Rb1+ 86.Bxb1 Kxd7 87.Bh7 Ke6 88.Bg8+ Kd6 89.Kc3+- Black is in "zugzwang" and loses. 85...Kd6 also loses: 86.Nxb6 Rf1 87.Kb4 Rc1 88.Nc8+ Kc7 89.Ne7 Kd6 90.b6+- 86.Nxb6 Rxd4 87.Kc3 Rd1 88.Nc8+ Kd8 89.b6 d4+ 90.Kc2 Re1 91.Nd6 Re3 92.Nf7+ Ke7 93.b7 d3+ 94.Kd1 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2828Duda,J27571–02020D108th Altibox Norway Chess 20202

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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.

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