CBM Blog: Knight storms the fortress + Do not rush

by ChessBase
6/24/2011 – In the game Nakamura-Nisipeanu from the 5th Kings' Tournament White had a solid extra pawn, but it seemed that Black's castle could not be taken. Nakamura opened the gate first on the kingside to finally use the back door on the queenside. In Hector-Tikkanen White messes up a rook and pawn ending by being too impatient. GM Karsten Müller explains.
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The knight storms the fortress

White has a solid extra pawn, but at first sight it seems that Black's castle can not be taken as there are no inroads. Nakamura opens the gate first on the kingside to finally use the back door on the queenside:

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.d5 Nb6 13.Nbd2 g6 14.b4 Nb7 15.Nf1 a5 16.Bh6 Re8 17.a3 Bd7 18.Ng3 Qc7 19.Bd3 axb4 20.axb4 Rxa1 21.Qxa1 Ra8 22.Qb1 c4 23.Bc2 f6 24.Be3 Nd8 25.Nd2 Nf7 26.f4 exf4 27.Bxf4 Ne5 28.Be3 Ra3 29.Ne2 Na4 30.Bd4 Bf8 31.Rf1 Qd8 32.Qc1 Ra2 33.Nf3 Bg7 34.Nxe5 fxe5 35.Be3 Nb6 36.Kh2 Be8 37.Ng1 h6 38.Bb1 Ra1 39.Qb2 Ra8 40.Bc2 Nd7 41.Ra1 Rxa1 42.Qxa1 Nf6 43.Qa6 Bf8 44.Nf3 Bd7 45.Nd2 Nh5 46.Nf3 Nf6 47.Kg1 Qc8 48.Qa1 Qb8 49.Kf1 Nh5 50.g4 Nf4 51.Bxf4 exf4 52.e5 dxe5 53.Qa6 Qd6 54.Qxd6 Bxd6 55.Bxg6 Kg7 56.Be4 h5 57.Nh2 Kh6 58.Kg2 hxg4 59.hxg4 Kg5 60.Kh3 f3 61.Kg3 f2 62.Nf3+ Kh6 63.g5+ Kh5 64.Kxf2 Be8 65.Ke3 Bf7 The knight storms the fortress White has a solid extra pawn, but at first sight it seems that Black's castle can not be taken as there are no inroads. Nakamura opens the gate first on the kingside to finally use the back door on the queenside: 66.g6! Bxg6 66...Bg8 does not help: 67.Nh2 Be7 68.Kf3 Bh4 69.Ng4 Be7 69...Be1 70.Nf6++- 70.Ne3 Bf6 71.Nc2+- 67.Bxg6+ Kxg6 68.Ke4 Kf6 69.Nd2! White's knight is just in time on the queenside. Bf8 70.Nb1 Bh6 71.Na3 Bc1 72.Nxb5 Bd2 73.Nd6 Bxc3 74.b5 Ke7 75.Nxc4 White has full control and will win the e-pawn first and the game later. Be1 75...Kf6 76.b6 Bd4 77.b7 Ba7 78.Nxe5+- 76.Kxe5 Bg3+ 76...Bc3+ 77.Ke4 Be1 78.b6 Kd7 79.Kd4 Bf2+ 80.Kc3 80.Ke5? spoils it due to Bc5= 80...Kc8 81.Kb4 Kb7 82.Kb5+- 77.Kd4 Bf2+ 78.Kc3 78.Kc3 Kd7 79.Kb4 Be1+ 80.Ka4 Kc7 81.b6+ Kb7 82.Kb5+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2774Nisipeanu,L26591–02011C965th Kings Tournament2

Do not rush

Hector is better as his passed pawns are connected, which is usually good in a rook endgame. But how to proceed?

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.f4 a6 7.Nxc6 Qxc6 8.Bd3 b5 9.e5 Bb7 10.Be4 Qc7 11.Qf3 Bc6 12.a4 b4 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.Qxc6 dxc6 15.Ne4 Nh6 16.Be3 0-0-0 17.Ke2 Nf5 18.Bb6 Rd5 19.c4 bxc3 20.bxc3 Be7 21.Rab1 h5 22.c4 Rd7 23.Bc5 Rhd8 24.Bxe7 Rxe7 25.c5 Rd4 26.Nd6+ Nxd6 27.cxd6 Ra7 28.g3 f6 29.Ke3 Rxa4 30.Rb6 Ra5 31.Ke4 Ra4+ 32.Kf3 fxe5 33.fxe5 Rf7+ 34.Kg2 Ra2+ 35.Kh3 Rff2 36.Rxc6+ Kd8 37.Kh4 Rf5 38.Rc7 Rxe5 39.Rxg7 Ra4+ 40.Kh3 Rd4 41.Rc1 Rxd6 42.Rcc7 Red5 43.Rh7 Rd7 44.Rcxd7+ Rxd7 45.Rxh5 Rd5 46.Rh7 a5 47.Ra7 Kc8 48.g4 Kb8 49.Ra6 e5 50.g5 Kb7 51.Rf6 a4 52.g6 Rd8 53.Kg4 e4
Do not rush Hector is better as his passed pawns are connected, which is usually good in a rook endgame. But how to proceed? 54.g7? Hector rushs. He should try to win the e-pawn first: 54.Rf1! e3 55.Re1 (Baburin in Chess Today 3867) Re8 56.h4 a3 57.h5 a2 58.g7 e2 59.h6+- 54.Re6! a3 55.Rxe4 a2 56.Re1 (Baburin) Of course not 56.Ra4?? due to Rd4+ 56...Rd4+ 57.Kg5 Rd5+ 58.Kh6 Rd2 59.h4+- 54...Rg8 55.Rf7+ Kb6 56.Kg5 a3 57.Kg6 a2 58.Rf1 e3 59.Kf7 59.h4 does not win either: e2 60.Rh1 Kc5 61.h5 but now Black has to change his defensive concept: Ra8 61...Kc4? 62.h6 Kc3 63.h7+- 62.h6?! 62.Ra1 is safer: Re8 63.Re1= 62...a1Q 63.Rxa1 Rxa1 64.g8Q Rg1+ 64...e1Q 65.Qc8+= 65.Kf7 Rxg8 66.Kxg8 e1Q 67.h7= and Black's king is just outside the winning zone. Qf1 59...e2 60.Rh1 Rxg7+ 61.Kxg7 Kc5 62.h4 Kc4 63.h5 Kc3 64.h6 Kd2 65.h7 e1Q 66.Rxe1 66.h8Q?? a1Q+-+ 66.Rxe1 Kxe1 67.h8Q and the king is in the queen's way a1Q+= 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
Hector,J2588Tikkanen,H2541½–½2011B4719th Sigeman & Co2
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