What was the best endgame of 2019?
For each poll, our editorial team has provided a list of nominees. Even with a panel involved, these are of course a bit subjective. And since we have limited ourselves to five endgames, undoubtedly some readers may miss their favoured choice. Our shortlist is one of many possible, we know!
The nominees
ChessBase's endgame expert GM Karsten Mueller has selected and annotated five of the best endgames of the year. Make your selection below.
(The order of the games is arbitrary. After reviewing the nominees, you can vote at the end of the article.)
1) L. Aronian - W. So, Altibox Norway Chess, Stavanger 2019
Mating attacks are usually associated with the middlegame, but you can also checkmate in the endgame and these are often aesthetically appealing, especially when such attacks occur with little material.
Endings with rook and minor piece against rook and minor piece occur very frequently, even more often than rook endings, yet there's not much literature on them. This endgame DVD fills this gap. The four different material constellations rook and knight vs rook and knight, rooks and opposite coloured (and same coloured ) bishops and rook and bishop vs rook and knight are dealt with. In view of the different material constellations Karsten Mueller explains many guidelines like e.g. "With knights even a small initiative weighs heavily".
Levon Aronian | Photo: Lennart Ootes
2) M. Carlsen vs V. Anand, Zagreb 2019
Attacking is generally more fun for most chess players than a laborious defence. But the better the defence, the better the results. Vishy Anand is considered a very good, tough and persistent defender. In the following endgame against Magnus Carlsen, he demonstrated these qualities to save a difficult one.
When we are starting out in chess we are told that knights and bishops both have a value of three points, but it is quite clear that in some positions a bishop is clearly superior to a knight - and vice versa. After watching this 8th Power Play DVD you’ll have a better idea of how to play positions with knights and bishops – what to look for, what to avoid, and how to place your pawns.
Vishy Anand | Photo: Amruta Mokal
3) M. Carlsen - W. So, Sinquefield Cup, Saint Louis, 2019
What matters more, structure or dynamics? In the following game, Carlsen accepts the fracturing of his pawn structure in order to activate his pieces — a strategy that Carlsen begins in the middlegame and crowns in the endgame.
Although the distribution of material with a rook and two minor pieces against a rook and two minor pieces is a very common one in practical play, there is very little literature on the subject apart from that dealing with questions relating to the bishop pair.
Magnus Carlsen | Photo: Lennart Ootes
4) A. Goryachkina - V. Gunina, Women's Candidates Tournament, Kazan 2019
Tactics and technique are important in chess, especially in the endgame. In the following example, Aleksandra Goryachkina shows both good technique and a sharp eye for tactical motifs.
Based on his own playing experience, Grandmaster Daniel King reveals what is essential knowledge, saving you time in your studies. In the first section of the DVD he takes you through typical motifs and themes. In the second section he tests your knowledge with typical scenarios from actual games.
Video: 4 hours.
Aleksandra Goryachkina | Photo: Karol Bartnik
5) R. Ponomariov - N. Huschenbeth, Bundesliga 2019
Swap the right pieces, keep the best ones and place them on the best squares — that's important in the middlegame, but also in the endgame. Ruslan Ponomariov shows how this can look in practice in the following game against Niclas Huschenbeth.
The 7th volume of this endgame series deals with many different aspects of endgame play: the art of pawn play, weaknesses, converting an advantage, stalemate, fortresses, the art of defence and typical mistakes. Learn how to convert an extra piece or an exchange or how to exploit space advantage and better mobility. The themes the art or defence, fortress and stalemate are also intertwined. If your position has a solid fundament then you may surprisingly reach a fortress which might even be based on a stalemate.
Ruslan Ponomariov | Photo: Dagobert Kohlmeyer
Poll
What's your choice for "best endgame of 2019"?
endspiel-des-jahres-2019
Voting ends on 12/31/2019, at 22:00 UTC
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