CBM training: Caruana's King – Endgames from Italy

by ChessBase
5/6/2012 – Distant opposition; via the queenside to the kingside; the blockade; Caruana's king – these are the themes that crop up in the positions that our endgame specialist Dr Karsten Müller – of ChessBase Magazin fame – has extracted from the recent Italian Team Championships. His analysis and annotations will give your practical tournament rating a boost. Don't miss it.
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Distant opposition

Opposition is one of the major techniques in pawn endings:

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1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
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1.b41,75648%2380---
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1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Bf5 6.e3 Qb6 7.Qc1 Nf6 8.Nf3 Nbd7 9.Be2 h6 10.h3 Be7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Nd7 14.Bg3 Rfe8 15.Qd2 a5 16.Na4 Qb4 17.Qd1 Bf8 18.a3 Qe7 19.Rc1 Qf6 20.Bg4 b5 21.Nc3 a4 22.Bxf5 Qxf5 23.Ne2 Rac8 24.Qc2 Qxc2 25.Rxc2 Nb6 26.Nc1 Nc4 27.Nd3 f6 28.Rfc1 Kf7 29.Kf1 Re7 30.Re1 Rce8 31.Rce2 Rb7 32.Ra1 Ke6 33.Bh2 Kd7 34.g4 Kc8 35.Kg2 Rf7 36.Rc1 Kb7 37.Bg3 Kb6 38.Rd1 Ra7 39.Kf3 Rb7 40.Rc2 Ka5 41.Ra1 Rbe7 42.Re2 Kb6 43.Rc1 Re4 44.Rd1 g5 45.Rc2 Kb7 46.Re2 Kc8 47.Rde1 Kd7 48.Kg2 R4e6 49.Bh2 Na5 50.Rc2 Nb3 51.Rd1 Ra8 52.Nc1 Na1 53.Re2 Ree8 54.Bg3 Ra7 55.h4 Rb7 56.hxg5 hxg5 57.Rh1 Re7 58.f3 Nb3 59.Nxb3 axb3 60.Be1 Rf7 61.Bc3 b4 62.axb4 Bxb4 63.Rc1 Bd6 64.Be1 Rf8 65.Bg3 Rb4 66.Bxd6 Kxd6 67.Rh1 Rc4 68.Kg3 Ra8 69.Rd2 Ra2 70.Rhh2 Rc1 71.Rd3 Rg1+ 72.Kf2 Rb1 73.Rxb3 Raxb2+ 74.Rxb2 Rxb2+ 75.Kg3 Rxh2 76.Kxh2 c5 77.dxc5+ Kxc5 78.Kg3 Kc4 79.f4 Kc3 Distant opposition Opposition is one of the major techniques in pawn endings: 80.fxg5? This loses as Black has the distant opposition. White must keep the spare tempo f4-f5 with 80.Kf2 Kd2 81.Kf3 and Black can not win, e.g. Ke1 81...Kd3 82.Kf2 Ke4 83.fxg5 fxg5 84.Ke2 d4 85.exd4 Kxd4 86.Kf3 Kd3 87.Kf2 Ke4 88.Kg3 Ke3 89.Kg2 Kf4 90.Kf2 Kxg4 91.Kg2= and White defends the key squares by opposition. 81...gxf4 82.exf4 d4 83.g5 fxg5 84.fxg5 d3 85.g6 Kc2 86.g7 d2 87.g8Q d1Q+= 82.f5! Kf1 83.e4 dxe4+ 83...d4? 84.e5 d3 85.Ke3+- 84.Kxe4 Kf2 85.Kd5 Kf3 86.Ke6 Kxg4 87.Kxf6 Kh4 88.Ke5 g4 89.f6 g3 90.f7 g2 91.f8Q g1Q 92.Qh6+ Kg3 93.Qg5+ Kf2= 80...fxg5 81.Kg2 Kc2 Black's king seizes the distant opposition on the mainline, which goes through the middle of the three adjacant key squares e1-e3. After 81...Kd2? 82.Kf2 Kc3 White has a choice between the distant opposition 82...Kd1?? even loses due to 83.e4+- 83.Kg3= and the tactical trick 83.e4= 82.Kg1 Kd3! The typical way to exploit the distant opposition. 83.Kf2 Kd2 84.Kf3 Ke1 The decisive final encirclement. Black's king has reached a key square. 85.e4 85.Kg3 Ke2-+ 85...d4 85...d4 86.e5 d3 87.e6 d2 88.e7 d1Q+-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mariano,E2156Bruno,F24350–12012D35TCh-ITA 20123

Via the queenside to the kingside

Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a very large drawish tendency:

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1.g3 Nf6 2.Bg2 d5 3.c4 c6 4.Nf3 g6 5.0-0 Bg7 6.d4 0-0 7.Ne5 e6 8.Nc3 Nfd7 9.Nxd7 Nxd7 10.e4 dxc4 11.a4 a5 12.Be3 Rb8 13.e5 Qc7 14.Ne4 b5 15.Rc1 Ba6 16.b3 cxb3 17.Qe2 Rb6 18.Rfd1 bxa4 19.Qb2 Rfb8 20.Ra1 Rb4 21.Rdc1 Rc4 22.Nd6 Rxc1+ 23.Rxc1 Bb5 24.Nxb5 Rxb5 25.Bxc6 a3 26.Qxa3 b2 27.Bxb5 bxc1Q+ 28.Qxc1 Qxc1+ 29.Bxc1 Nb6 30.Kf1 Nd5 31.Bd2 Nb4 32.Ke2 f6 33.f4 Kf7 34.Kd1 Bf8 35.Kc1 Be7 36.Kb2 h5 37.Kb3 fxe5 38.dxe5 Bc5 39.Bc4 Bg1 40.h3 Bf2 41.g4 hxg4 42.hxg4 Ke7 43.Ka4 Bb6 44.Kb5 Bc7 45.Bc3 Nc2 46.Kc6 Bd8 47.Bd3 Nb4+ 48.Bxb4+ axb4 49.Bxg6 b3 50.f5 exf5 51.gxf5 b2 52.Kd5 Kf8 53.f6 Ba5 54.Bb1 Bc3 55.Ke6 Bd4 56.Kf5 Bc3 57.e6 Bb4 58.Bc2 Via the queenside to the kingside Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a very large drawish tendency: Ba3? However, in this case great care is required due to White's dangerous passed pawns. Now White's king can cross over to the queenside to come back to the kingside later. 58...Ke8 to meet 59.Ke5 with 59.Bb1 Kf8= 59.Kg6 Kf8 60.Kh7 Be7 61.fxe7+ Kxe7 62.Bf5 b1Q 63.Bxb1 Kxe6= 59...Bc3+= was called for. 58...Kg8 draws as well as 59.e7 can be met by Bxe7 60.fxe7 Kf7= 59.Ke5 Now Black has no bishop check on the long diagonal. Bb4 60.Kd5 Bc3?! Allows White to queen directly. 60...Ke8 is more tenacious, but after 61.Bb1 Black is in zugzwang and has to allow the invasion of White's king: Kd8 61...Bc3 62.Bg6++- 61...Ba3 62.Bg6+ Kd8 63.Ke5+- After 61...Kf8 White's king will invade on the queenside: 62.Bg6 Ba3 63.Kc6 Bb4 64.Kd7+- 62.Ke5 Ke8 63.Bg6+ Kd8 Now White's king will invade on the kingside: 64.Kf4 Bd2+ 65.Kg4 Bb4 66.Kh5 Bf8 67.Kg5 Zugzwang Bb4 68.Kh6+- 61.e7+ Kf7 61...Ke8?! 62.Ke6 Bxf6 63.Bg6# 62.Bg6+ Kxg6 63.e8Q+ Kxf6 64.Qf8+ Kg6 65.Qf1 Bg7 66.Ke6 Kg5 67.Qf5+ 67.Qf5+ Kh4 67...Kh6 68.Kf7+- 68.Qh7+ Kg3 69.Qxg7+ Kf4 70.Qxb2+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Napoli,N2327Mariano,E21561–02012D78TCh-ITA 20126

The blockade

Knights are concrete and tactical pieces, so knight endings can be very tricky:

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1.e41,166,62354%2421---
1.d4947,29855%2434---
1.Nf3281,60256%2441---
1.c4182,10256%2442---
1.g319,70256%2427---
1.b314,26554%2427---
1.f45,89748%2377---
1.Nc33,80151%2384---
1.b41,75648%2380---
1.a31,20654%2404---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466446%2360---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c343351%2426---
1.h328056%2418---
1.a411060%2466---
1.f39246%2436---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qc2 Nbd7 6.Na3 Bxa3 7.bxa3 0-0 8.0-0 Rb8 9.Rb1 c5 10.Qxc4 b6 11.d3 Bb7 12.a4 Bd5 13.Qc2 c4 14.Ba3 Re8 15.Rbc1 cxd3 16.Qxd3 Bxa2 17.e4 Nc5 18.Qxd8 Rbxd8 19.Bxc5 bxc5 20.Rxc5 Nxe4 21.Rc7 Bd5 22.Rxa7 Ra8 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Ra1 Nc5 25.Nd4 Bxg2 26.Kxg2 Rxa4 27.Rc1 Nd7 28.Rc8+ Nf8 29.Nc6 f6 30.Rc7 Ra8 31.Ne7+ Kh8 32.h4 h5 33.Nc6 e5 34.Nb4 Ne6 35.Re7 Nd4 36.Nd5 Ra2 37.Re8+ Kh7 38.Re7 Kh6 39.Re8 Kg6 40.Rb8 Nf5 41.Rb7 Nd6 42.Ne7+ Kf7 43.Rc7 Ke6 44.Nc8 Ne4 45.Re7+ Kf5 46.Rxg7 Nxf2 47.Nd6+ Ke6 48.Nb5 Ng4+ 49.Kg1 Ne3 50.Nc7+ Kf5 51.Ne8 Ra6 52.Rf7 Ng4 53.Kg2 Ke4 54.Rb7 Ne3+ 55.Kh3 Ra1 56.Rb2 Ng4 57.Kg2 Ne3+ 58.Kh3 Rh1+ 59.Rh2 Rf1 60.Ra2 Rh1+ 61.Rh2 Rxh2+ 62.Kxh2 Ng4+ 63.Kg2 Kd3 64.Ng7 e4 65.Nxh5 Kd2 66.Nf4 e3 67.Kf1 f5 68.h5 Kd1 The blockade Knights are concrete and tactical pieces, so knight endings can be very tricky: 69.Kg2? Now Black can break White's blockade, while keeping his own in order. After 69.Ne2! White's castle can not be stormed, e.g. Nh2+ 70.Kg2 Kxe2 71.h6! The saving resource. However, not 71.Kxh2? Kf3 72.h6 e2 73.h7 e1Q 74.h8Q Qxg3+ 75.Kh1 Qg2# 71...Kd2 72.h7 e2 73.h8Q e1Q 74.Qd4+ Ke2 75.Qe5+ Kd1 76.Qxe1+ Kxe1 77.Kxh2= 69...e2 70.Nxe2 Kxe2 71.Kh3 Ne5! Black's knight must regroup immediately as 71...Kf3? is met by 72.Kh4 Ke4 73.Kg5 Ke5 74.h6 Nf6 75.Kg6 Ke6 76.h7 Nxh7 77.Kxh7 Kf6 78.Kh6= But 71...Nh6 wins as well due to 72.Kh4 Nf7 73.h6 Nxh6 74.Kg5 Kf3 75.Kxh6 Kxg3 76.Kg5 f4-+ 72.h6 72.Kg2 Nf7 73.Kh3 Kf3 74.Kh4 Ke4 75.g4 75.Kh3 Ke5 76.Kh4 Kf6 77.g4 f4 78.g5+ Nxg5 79.Kg4 f3 80.Kg3 Kg7-+ 75...f4 76.g5 f3 77.g6 f2 78.g7 f1Q 79.g8Q Qh1+ 80.Kg4 Qg2+-+ 72.g4 can be met by f4-+ or 72...Nxg4-+ but not 72...fxg4+?? 73.Kg3= 72...Nf7 73.h7 73.Kh4 Nxh6 74.Kg5 Kf3 75.Kxh6 Kxg3 76.Kg5 f4-+ 73...Ng5+ 74.Kh4 Nxh7 75.Kh5 75.g4 f4-+ 75...Kf3 76.Kg6 Kg4! Black keeps his very valuable last pawn and so it is over. 76...Kg4! 77.Kxh7 Kxg3-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Schacher,G2340De Filomeno,S22800–12012A13TCh-ITA 20125

Caruana's king

With mobile passed pawns on both wings a bishop is often superior to a knight:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.g3 c5 5.d5 b5 6.cxb5 a6 7.bxa6 d6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.e4 Nxa6 10.Be2 Bh3 11.Ng5 Qc8 12.Nxh3 Qxh3 13.Bf1 Qc8 14.Be2 Qh3 15.Bf1 Qd7 16.h4 Rfb8 17.a3 Qc7 18.Bc4 Nd7 19.f4 Qa5 20.Qc2 Nb6 21.Bxa6 Qxa6 22.h5 Na4 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Nd1 Qa5+ 25.Kf2 c4 26.Qxc4 Qc5+ 27.Ne3 Nxb2 28.Qxc5 Nd3+ 29.Kf3 Nxc5 30.Ra2 Ra4 31.e5 dxe5 32.fxe5 Bxe5 33.Rh4 Rb3 34.Rxa4 Nxa4 35.Rc2 Nb6 36.Ke4 Bxg3 37.Rb2 f5+ 38.Kf3 Rxb2 39.Bxb2 Bc7 40.Bd4 Kf7 41.Bxb6 Bxb6 42.Nc4 Bc7 43.a4 Ke8 44.a5 Kd7 45.a6 Kc8 46.Ne3 Be5 47.Nc4 Bd6 48.Ne3 Bc5 49.Nc4 g5 50.Ne5 g4+ 51.Kg2 Kc7 52.Nf7 f4 53.Ne5 f3+ 54.Kf1 Caruana's King With mobile passed pawns on both wings a bishop is often superior to a knight: Kd6! The king starts his long march into the heart of White's camp. However, not 54...Kb6? 55.Nd7+ Kxa6 56.Nxc5+ Kb5 57.Nd7 Kc4 58.Ne5+ Kxd5 59.Nxg4= 55.Nxg4 Kxd5 56.Nh6 e5 57.Nf5 e4 58.Ne7+ Kc4 Of course not 58...Bxe7?? 59.a7+- 59.Nc6 Kc3 60.Ke1 Kd3 61.Ne5+ After 61.a7 Bxa7 62.Nxa7 e3 Black's pawns will decide the day: 63.Nc6 f2+ 64.Kf1 e2+ 65.Kxf2 Kd2 66.Ne5 e1Q+-+ 61...Kc2 Caruana's king steps to the queenside first, but will invade on the kingside: 62.Nc6 62.Kf1 Bb6 63.Ke1 Kc3 64.Kf1 Kd4 65.Nc6+ Ke3 66.a7 Bxa7 67.Nxa7 Kd2 68.Nb5 e3 69.Nd4 e2+ 70.Kf2 e1Q+-+ 62...e3! 63.a7 Bxa7 64.Ne5 64.Nxa7 f2+ 65.Ke2 f1Q+ 66.Kxf1 Kd1 67.Nb5 e2+ 68.Kg2 e1Q-+ 64...f2+ 65.Ke2 Kc3 Now the king starts his final march. 66.Ng4 Bb6 67.Nh2 Kd4 68.Nf1 Ke4 69.Ng3+ Kf4 70.Nh5+ Kg4 71.Nf6+ Kh3 72.Nd5 Kh2 73.Nf4 73.Nxb6 Kg2 74.Nd5 f1Q+-+ 73...Bc7 74.Nd5 74.Kxe3 f1Q-+ 74...Kg1 75.Nxe3 Bf4 76.Nf1 Kg2 Finally the king has arrived to put White in fatal zugzwang and so he resigned. 0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
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  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Brunello,S2587Caruana,F27670–12012E60TCh-ITA 20123

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.

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