CBM training: Bodycheck, seventh heaven rooks and racing pawns

by ChessBase
2/19/2012 – If you are an ice hockey fan you know exactly what we are talking about. In chess the bodycheck is an important endgame technique which can easily make the difference between a win and a loss. Our ChessBase Magazin columnist Dr Karsten Müller explains this and other very useful strategic concepts in his latest installment of endgames from the Aeroflot Open.

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The Bodycheck

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,162,86954%2421---
1.d4944,72655%2434---
1.Nf3280,65156%2441---
1.c4181,58656%2442---
1.g319,66356%2427---
1.b314,17554%2427---
1.f45,87148%2376---
1.Nc33,76751%2384---
1.b41,73748%2378---
1.a31,19354%2403---
1.e31,06448%2408---
1.d394550%2378---
1.g465846%2359---
1.h444453%2373---
1.c342251%2422---
1.h327856%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.Nh38866%2510---
1.f38745%2429---
1.Na34063%2477---
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bg2 Nb6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.0-0 Nc6 8.e3 0-0 9.Nc3 Re8 10.Re1 a5 11.Qe2 Be6 12.Rb1 Bf5 13.Ra1 Be6 14.Nd2 Nb4 15.Rd1 c6 16.a3 N4d5 17.Nce4 Bf5 18.Nc5 e5 19.dxe5 Qe7 20.Nd3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Rad8 22.Qc2 Qxe5 23.Nb3 Nc7 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Nc5 Rb8 26.Nd3 Qb5 27.Bf1 Nd7 28.Bd2 Qf5 29.Rc1 Ne6 30.Be2 Nf6 31.Qa4 Ng5 32.Qxa5 Nd5 33.Qa4 h5 34.g4 Nf3+ 35.Kh1 hxg4 36.e4 b5 37.exf5 bxa4 38.Bxf3 gxf3 39.fxg6 Rb3 40.gxf7+ Kxf7 41.Nc5 Rxb2 42.Ne4 Rb3 43.Ng5+ Ke8 44.Re1+ Kd7 45.Ne6 Rb2 46.Ba5 Bf6 47.Nc5+ Kd6 48.Ne4+ Ke5 49.Bd2 Kd4 50.Nxf6 Rxd2 51.Ng4 Re2 52.Rd1+ Ke4 53.h4 Nc3 54.Rg1 Kf4 55.h5 Re8 56.Nh6 Ne4 57.Rg4+ Ke5 58.Nf7+ Kd5 59.Rf4 Nxf2+ 60.Kh2 Nd3 61.Rxf3 Ne5 62.Nxe5 Rxe5 63.h6 Re7 64.Rh3 Rh7 65.Kg3 Bodycheck This term, which was borrowed from ice hockey, describes a very important endgame technique: Ke5? Black loses an all important tempo as his king can not cross over to the kingside. After 65...Kd4 66.Kf4 66.Kf3 c5 67.Ke2 Ke4 68.Kd2 Kf5 69.Kd3 Kg5 70.Kc4 Rxh6 71.Rxh6 Kxh6 72.Kxc5 Kg6 73.Kb5 Kf6 74.Kxa4 Ke7 75.Kb5 Kd7 76.Kb6 Kc8= 66...c5 67.Kg5 c4 68.Kg6 Rh8 his counterplay is in time and the game is drawn, e.g. 69.h7 c3 70.Kg7 c2 71.Rh1 Ra8 72.Kf6 Kc3 73.h8Q Rxh8 74.Rxh8 c1Q 75.Rc8+ Kb2 76.Rxc1 Kxc1 77.Ke5 Kb2 78.Kd4 Kxa3 79.Kc3= 66.Kg4! Bodycheck! Kf6 67.Kh5 Bodycheck! Rd7 67...Rh8 68.Rf3+ Ke6 69.Rf4+- 68.Rf3+ Ke5 69.Kg6 Bodycheck! c5 69...Rd6+ 70.Kg7 Rd7+ 71.Rf7 Rd1 72.h7 Rg1+ 73.Kf8 Rh1 74.Kg8 c5 75.h8Q+ Rxh8+ 76.Kxh8 c4 77.Ra7+- 70.h7 Rxh7 70...Rd8 71.Rh3 Rh8 72.Kg7 Rxh7+ 73.Rxh7 c4 74.Kg6 c3 75.Rc7 wins as in the game. 71.Kxh7 c4 72.Rf8 c3 73.Rc8 73.Ra8 Kd4 74.Rxa4+ Kd3 75.Ra8+- wins as well. 73...Kd4 74.Kg6 Kd3 75.Kf5 c2 76.Ke5 Kd2 77.Kd4 c1Q 78.Rxc1 Kxc1 79.Kc3 Bodycheck! 79.Kc3 Kb1 80.Kb4 Kb2 81.Kxa4 Kc3 82.Kb5+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Fedoseev,V2525Bosiocic,M25801–02012D7611th Aeroflot Open A4.36

Deadly Zwischenschach

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,162,86954%2421---
1.d4944,72655%2434---
1.Nf3280,65156%2441---
1.c4181,58656%2442---
1.g319,66356%2427---
1.b314,17554%2427---
1.f45,87148%2376---
1.Nc33,76751%2384---
1.b41,73748%2378---
1.a31,19354%2403---
1.e31,06448%2408---
1.d394550%2378---
1.g465846%2359---
1.h444453%2373---
1.c342251%2422---
1.h327856%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.Nh38866%2510---
1.f38745%2429---
1.Na34063%2477---
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Qxd2 d5 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Na3 e5 10.dxe5 Nxe5 11.Qxd8 Nxf3+ 12.Bxf3 Rxd8 13.Nxc4 Be6 14.Rac1 c6 15.Na5 Rd2 16.Nxb7 Rxb2 17.Rxc6 Rb8 18.Nc5 Bh3 19.Rc1 Rxa2 20.Nd3 h5 21.Nf4 Bg4 22.Kg2 Bxf3+ 23.Kxf3 Ng4 24.Kg2 g6 25.h3 Ne5 26.Rc7 g5 27.R1c5 gxf4 28.Rxe5 fxg3 29.Kxg3 Rbb2 30.Rxh5 Rxe2 31.Rf5 a5 32.Rfxf7 Re6 33.Rg7+ Kh8 34.Rh7+ Kg8 35.Rcg7+ Kf8 36.Ra7 Kg8 37.Rhg7+ Kh8 38.Rgf7 Rg6+ 39.Kh4 Kg8 40.Kh5 Ra6 41.Rg7+ Kf8 42.Raf7+ Ke8 43.Rb7 Kf8 44.Rbf7+ Ke8 Seventh Heaven Two rooks on the seventh are a very powerful force, but they usually need at least one helping hand to win: 45.Rh7!? Good technique! But 45.f4 also wins directly as Rg2 can be met by 46.Rh7 Rg3 47.h4 a4 48.f5+- 45...Rb2 46.f4 a4 46...Rbb6 47.Rc7 Kd8 48.Rcg7 Re6 49.f5 Re8 50.Rd7+ Kc8 51.Ra7 Rxa7 52.Rxa7 Re5 53.Kg6 Kb8 54.Rh7 a4 55.f6 a3 56.f7+- 47.f5 Rb3 48.h4 a3?! 48...Rb5 does not help in the long run: 49.Kg5 a3 50.Rfg7 Kf8 51.Rc7 Kg8 52.Rhd7 Rb8 53.Rg7+ Kh8 53...Kf8 54.Rh7+- 54.Rh7+ Kg8 55.Rcg7+ Kf8 56.f6+- 49.f6 The pawn finally lends his hand and the attack crashes through. 49.f6 Ra5+ 50.Kh6 Re3 50...Rb8 51.Re7+ Kf8 51...Kd8 52.Rh8# 52.Rh8# 51.Rb7+- 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.
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  • 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.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Tomashevsky,E2740Nisipeanu,L26471–02012E1111th Aeroflot Open A4.5

Alekseev's Army of Ants

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Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.Qe1 0-0 8.d3 Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 e6 12.Bb3 a5 13.a4 Bd7 14.Bd2 Kh8 15.Rf2 Qb6 16.Re2 Qc7 17.Qh4 f5 18.Rae1 fxe4 19.Rxe4 d5 20.Rxe6 Bxe6 21.Rxe6 Rae8 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Qg5 b6 24.Kf1 Qd7 25.Qxd5 Qg4 26.Qf3 Qxf3+ 27.gxf3 Bh6 28.Kf2 Bf8 29.Bd5 Bd6 30.c3 Rf8 31.cxd4 Bxf4 32.Bc3 Bxh2 33.Be6 h5 34.d5+ Kh7 35.b4 b5 36.bxa5 bxa4 37.Bb4 Rb8 38.Ba3 Ray Robson's Racing Pawns When both sides have dangerous passed pawns exact calculation is required: Rb3? The rook can not take on a3 anyway, so 38...Bc7 was better to bring the bishop back immediately: 39.d6 39.a6 Ra8 40.d6 Bxd6 41.Bxd6 Rxa6-+ 39...Bxa5 40.d7 Kg7-+ 39.a6 Rb5! The rook retreats to deal with the passed a-pawn. The greedy 39...Rxa3? 40.a7 allows the a-pawn to queen and 39...Bb8? runs into 40.d6 Rxa3 41.Ke2‼+- 40.d6 40.d4!? Ra5 41.Bc8 Bb8 42.Bb7 Kg7 43.Bb4 Rb5 44.Ba3 Ra5= was the alternative. 40...Ra5? Now White's passed pawns will decide the day. 40...Bxd6! was forced when an ending arises which is difficult to asses: 41.Bxd6 Ra5 42.Ba3 Rxa6 43.Bc4 Rb6 and the rook can most probably hold the position. 41.d7 Bc7 42.Bc4 Bb6+ 43.Kf1 h4 44.Bb4 44.Bb4 Rg5 44...a3 45.Bxa5 Bxa5 46.a7+- 45.a7 Rg1+ 46.Ke2 Rg2+ 47.Kd1 Rg1+ 48.Kc2 Rg2+ 49.Kc3+- 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
Robson,R-Le Quang,L-1–02012B2311th Aeroflot Open A6.19

Karsten Müller in ChessBase Magazine

Do you like these lessons? There are plenty more by internationally renowned endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller in ChessBase Magazine, where you will also find openings articles and surveys, tactics, and of course annotations by the world's top grandmasters.

Click to go to the ChessBase Magazine page

Apart from his regular columns and video lectures in ChessBase Magazine there is a whole series of training DVDs by Karsten Müller, which are bestsellers in the ChessBase Shop.

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

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