CBM Blog: Knight dance and a mating attack out of the blue

by ChessBase
9/20/2011 – "The rook's pawn is the worst enemy of the knight," says our resident GM Karsten Müller. He goes on to show us how with queens on the board one side can often conduct a direct attack that culminates in mate. Dr. Müller's analyses, taken from recent games, are an excellent way to increase your understanding of the game and hone your endgame skills.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Knight Dance

The rook's pawn is the worst enemy of the knight. So the following race is very close:

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.N1e2 Nf6 7.Nf4 e5 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.dxe5 Qa5+ 10.c3 Qxe5+ 11.Qe2 Nbd7 12.Bf4 Qxe2+ 13.Bxe2 Nd5 14.Bg5 Be7 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.Bf3 Nf4 17.0-0-0 Ne5 18.Rhe1 f6 19.Nf1 Rad8 20.Rxd8 Kxd8 21.Kc2 Nxf3 22.gxf3 Rh3 23.Re3 Kd7 24.Kd2 Rh5 25.c4 Rc5 26.Re4 Ne6 27.b3 Ra5 28.a4 Rf5 29.Ke3 Nc5 30.Rg4 g5 31.b4 Nxa4 32.h4 c5 33.b5 Nb2 34.Ng3 Rf4 35.Rxf4 gxf4+ 36.Kxf4 Nxc4 37.Nh5 a5 38.bxa6 bxa6 39.Nxg7 a5 40.h5 a4 41.h6 a3 42.h7 Ne5 43.Kf5 Nf7 44.Ne6! 44.Kxf6? Nh8 45.Ne6 is refuted by Kd6! 46.Ng5 a2 47.Ne4+ Kc6-+ 44.Kg6? Nh8+-+ 44...Kd6!? After 44...a2 the knight is in time: 45.Nxc5+ Ke7 46.Nb3= 45.Nxc5 Kxc5 46.Kg6! The pawn f6 must remain on the board due to 46.Kxf6?? a2 47.Kxf7 a1Q 48.Kg8 Qa8+ 49.Kg7 Qb7+ 50.Kg8 Qd5+ 51.Kg7 Qg5+ 52.Kf7 Qh6 53.Kg8 Qg6+ 54.Kh8 Qf7 55.f4 Qf8# 46...Nh8+ 47.Kg7 a2 48.Kxh8 a1Q Without the pawn f6 Black would be winning, but as matters are White amazingly survives: 49.Kg8 Qa8+ 50.Kg7 Qb7+ 51.Kg6! Qc8 51...Qxf3 52.h8Q Qg4+ 53.Kf7 Qd7+ 53...f5? 54.Qe5++- even backfires completely. 54.Kg6= 52.Kg7 Qd7+ 53.Kg6! Black's queen must not reach the g-file with checks. 53.Kg8? Qd5+ 54.Kg7 Qg5+ 55.Kf7 Qh6 56.Kg8 Qg6+ 57.Kh8 Qf7 58.f4 Qf8# 53...Qe8+ 54.Kg7 54.Kg7 Kd4 55.h8Q Qxh8+ 56.Kxh8 Ke5 57.Kg7 Kf4 58.Kxf6 Kxf3 59.Kf5 Kxf2= ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kuczynski,R-Feuerstack,A-½–½2011B18Apolda1.2

Mating Attack out of the Blue

With queens on the board one side can often play for a direct attack:

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Nd2 bxc4 5.e4 c3 6.bxc3 g6 7.Ngf3 Bg7 8.Rb1 0-0 9.Bd3 d6 10.0-0 Nh5 11.c4 Nf4 12.Bc2 e5 13.g3 Nh3+ 14.Kg2 Bg4 15.Qe1 Nd7 16.Ng1 Nxg1 17.Rxg1 Nb6 18.a4 Rb8 19.a5 Na8 20.Rxb8 Qxb8 21.Nf1 Nc7 22.Ne3 Bd7 23.Bd2 Na6 24.Qa1 Bh6 25.Rb1 Qc7 26.Ba4 f5 27.Bxd7 Qxd7 28.exf5 Bxe3 29.Bxe3 Qxf5 30.Rb7 Rf7 31.Qb1 Qf3+ 32.Kg1 Nb4 33.Rxf7 Kxf7 34.Qb3 a6 35.h4 Qf5 36.Bg5 Qd3 37.Qa4 Qb1+ 38.Kg2 Qe4+ 39.Kg1 Qe1+ 40.Kg2 Qe4+ 41.Kh2 Qf5 42.Be3 Nc2 43.g4 Qxg4 44.Qxc2 Qxh4+ 45.Kg2 Qg4+ 46.Kf1 h5 47.Qb3 Qe4 48.Ke1 Kf6 49.Kd2 Kf5 50.Qb8 Qxc4 51.Qc8+! The right way. Both 51.Qf8+? Kg4= and 51.Qb1+? e4= lead to nothing. 51...Ke4 51...Kf6? 52.Qf8# 52.f3+! Rombaldoni's tactical point. 52.f3+! Kxf3 52...Kxd5 53.Qg8++- 53.Qh3+ Ke4 54.Qh1+ The queen uses the whole board. Kf5 55.Qf3+ Qf4 56.Bxf4 exf4 57.Qh3++- 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Rombaldoni,D2495Braga,F24471–02011A571st Alghero Open9.6

Since 1988 grandmaster Dr. Karsten Müller from Hamburg has been playing for the Hamburger Schachklub in the Bundesliga, and in 1996 and 1997 he finished third in the German Championship. As an internationally renowned endgame expert he is the author of the endgame column in the ChessBase Magazine and the author of the Endgame Corner column on ChessCafe.com.

You will find a whole series of his very popular endgame DVD in the ChessBase Shop here.

Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.