CBM training: Endgames from Gibraltar

by ChessBase
2/4/2012 – Another installment, this time of "Rock solid" endings, picked out and analysed by our resident endgame expert GM Karsten Müller from the games that were played at the 2012 Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival. His popular ChessBase Magazin section will carry plenty more. Here for now are three current and topical examples. Learn and enjoy.
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The King must lead

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 a6 10.e4 c5 11.d5 Qc7 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Bc2 c4 14.Ne2 g6 15.Nf4 Nc5 16.b4 cxb3 17.Bxb3 Nfxe4 18.Nxe6 Nxe6 19.Bxe6 Bg7 20.Ba3 Rd8 21.Qb3 Bxa1 22.Rxa1 Rf8 23.Bxf8 Kxf8 24.Qe3 Qc3 25.Qf4+ Qf6 26.Qxf6+ Nxf6 27.Ne1 Rd2 28.Rc1 Bd5 29.Bxd5 Nxd5 30.Rc2 Rd1 31.Kf1 Ra1 32.Ke2 Nb4 33.Rc8+ Kg7 34.Rc7+ Kf6 35.Rxh7 Rxa2+ 36.Ke3 Nd5+ 37.Kd4 Rd2+ 38.Nd3 Nf4 39.Ke3 Rxd3+ 40.Kxf4 a5 41.Rb7 Rd4+ 42.Ke3 Rb4 43.Rb6+ Ke5 44.f4+ Kd5 45.Rxg6 a4 46.Ra6 Rb3+ 47.Kd2 Rb2+ 48.Ke3 Rxg2 49.f5 Rxh2 50.f6 Rh1 51.f7 Rf1 52.Ra7 Kc5 53.Ke2 Rf6 54.Kd3 Kb4 55.Kd4 a3 56.Ke5 Rf1 57.Ke6 Kb3 58.Ra5 The King must lead The following technique is typical for the race of rook against two passed pawns: Rxf7! Public enemy number one must be eliminated immediately as 58...b4? 59.Rf5 Rxf5 60.Kxf5 a2 61.f8Q a1Q is theoretically drawn. Note that White's king is near the drawing zone in the north east corner. But here White can give perpetual check directly. 59.Kxf7 59.Rxb5+ is met by Ka4 60.Rb8 60.Kxf7 Kxb5-+ 60...Ra7-+ 59...b4! Black's forces must stay united. 59...a2? 60.Rxb5+ Ka4 61.Rb8 Ka3= 61...a1Q?? 62.Ra8++- 60.Ke6 Ka2! The king must lead. 60...a2? rushs: 61.Kd5 Kb2 62.Kc4 b3 63.Ra8 and White has reached a book draw, e.g. Kc2 64.Kb4 Kb2 65.Kc4 a1Q 66.Rxa1 Kxa1 67.Kxb3= 61.Rh5 61.Kd5 b3 62.Kc4 b2 63.Rb5 b1Q 64.Rxb1 Kxb1 65.Kb3 a2-+ 61...b3 62.Kd5 b2 63.Rh2 Ka1 63...Ka1 64.Rh1+ b1Q 65.Rxb1+ Kxb1 66.Kc4 a2-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Parligras,M2650Gopal,G25660–12012D48Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 20124.9

Two Rooks are stronger than the Queen

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1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Be4 11.Qc1 Bb7 12.a3 h6 13.Rd1 Qc8 14.b4 Nbd7 15.Nc3 Ne4 16.Qc2 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 Bd6 18.Rac1 Nb6 19.Ne1 Nc4 20.Rb1 Rd8 21.e4 e5 22.Be3 Re8 23.Nc2 Nxe3 24.Qxe3 exd4 25.Nxd4 Qg4 26.h3 Qg6 27.Nf5 Qe6 28.Nxd6 cxd6 29.Qf4 Rad8 30.Re1 Qa2 31.Ra1 Qb2 32.Qc1 Qf6 33.Qc7 Bxe4 34.Bxe4 Rxe4 35.Qxd8+ Qxd8 36.Rxe4 Qc8 37.h4 Qc3 38.Rd1 Qxa3 39.Rxd6 Kh7 40.Rdd4 Qc1+ 41.Kg2 Qc6 42.Kh2 h5 43.Re5 g6 44.Rf4 Qd7 45.Re3 Kg7 46.Ref3 Qd5 Two Rooks are stronger than the Queen But this depends of course a lot on the position. The queen needs targets and the rooks stability: 47.Rf6! Sasikiran blocks the f-pawn and forces Black to act quickly. Qa2? This way Black can not start real counterplay. The retreat 47...Kg8? is met by 48.Kg2 Qe4 49.Rxf7 Qxb4 50.R3f4 and Black should also be lost despite her passed queenside pawns, e.g. Qc5 51.R7f6 a5 51...Kg7 52.Rxa6 b4 53.Rff6 Qd5+ 54.Kh2 Qd3 55.Rfb6 Kh6 56.Ra2 Qc3 57.Rb7 Qd4 58.Rc2+- 52.Rxg6+ Kh7 53.Rg5 Qc6+ 54.Kh2 a4 55.Rf7+ Kh8 56.Rxh5+ Kg8 57.Rf4 a3 58.Rg4+ Kf7 59.Rf5+ Ke7 60.Rg7+ Ke8 61.Rh5 Kf8 62.Ra7 Qf6 63.Kg1 b4 64.Rb5+- The only way to fight on was the direct 47...a5! 48.bxa5 b4 when White has the choice between a queen endgame with an extra pawn or two rooks against queen: 49.R3f4 49.Rxf7+ Qxf7 50.Rxf7+ Kxf7 51.a6 b3 52.a7 b2 53.a8Q b1Q with a queen endgame which should be tenable. 49...b3 50.Rb6 Qxa5 51.Rxb3 Qd5 52.Rb6 f5 and White can fight on but Black has practical drawing chances. 48.Kg2! Preparation for the simplification. Sasikiran wins an all important tempo for the pawn endgame. 48.Rxf7+? violates the endgame principle do not rush: Qxf7 49.Rxf7+ Kxf7 50.Kg2 50.f3 Ke6 51.Kg2 Kd5 52.Kf2 Kc4 53.g4 Kxb4 54.f4= 50...Ke6 51.Kf3 Kd5 52.Ke3 Kc4 53.f4 Kxb4 54.g4 Kc5 55.f5 Kd5 56.fxg6 Ke6 57.gxh5 Kf6= 48...Kg8 Now it is too late for 48...a5 due to 49.bxa5 Qxa5 49...b4 50.a6 b3 51.Rxf7+ Kh6 52.Rb7 Qxa6 53.Rff7+- 50.Rxf7+ and White's attack is too quick, e.g. Kh6 50...Kg8? 51.Rf8+ Kg7 52.R3f7+ Kh6 53.Rh8# 51.Rb7 Qa6 52.Rff7 Qc6+ 53.Kh2 g5 54.Rh7+ Kg6 55.Rbg7+ Kf5 56.Rxg5++- 49.Rxf7! Qxf7 The pawn endgame is lost, but 49...Qd5 50.R7f6+- also offers no real hope. 50.Rxf7 Kxf7 51.Kf3! The king comes first to stop Black's queenside counterplay based on the breakthrough ...a6-a5. Afterwards White's kingside majority will decide the day. Ke6 After 51...a5 52.bxa5 b4 53.Ke4+- White's king is in the square and Black's king is not. 52.Ke4 Kd6 53.f3 Kc6 54.g4! This advance wins the resulting races. Kc7 The breakthrough 54...g5 backfires due to 55.gxh5 gxh4 56.h6 h3 57.h7 h2 58.h8Q+- After 54...Kb6 55.gxh5 gxh5 56.f4 a5 57.bxa5+ Kxa5 58.f5 b4 59.f6 b3 White must deal with the b-pawn: 60.Kd3! 60.f7? b2 61.f8Q b1Q+= 60...Ka4 61.f7 b2 62.Kc2 Ka3 63.f8Q++- 55.gxh5 gxh5 56.f4 Kd6 57.f5 Kd7 58.Ke5 Ke7 59.f6+ Hou Yifan resigned due to 59.f6+ Kf7 60.Kf5 a5 61.bxa5 b4 62.Ke4!+- and White's king stops the b-pawn. 62.a6? b3 63.a7 b2 64.a8Q b1Q+= 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.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sasikiran,K2700Hou,Y26051–02012E05Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 20125.5

Adams Attack

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MoveNResultEloPlayers
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.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.d3 fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.0-0 Bc5 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.Nxe5 0-0 9.Nd3 Nxe4 10.Nxc5 Nxc5 11.Be3 Ne6 12.Nd2 d5 13.c3 c5 14.Nb3 Qd6 15.f4 c4 16.Nd4 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Bf5 18.Qd2 a5 19.b3 cxb3 20.axb3 Be4 21.Qe3 Qg6 22.Rf2 h6 23.Qg3 Qxg3 24.hxg3 Rab8 25.Rxa5 Rxb3 26.g4 Rbb8 27.Kh2 Rf7 28.Kg3 Kh7 29.Ra6 Rb3 30.Ra5 Rb8 31.Rc5 Rb1 32.Rc6 Rc1 33.Rc5 Rd7 34.f5 Rc2 35.Rxc2 Bxc2 36.Kf4 Be4 37.g3 Rf7 38.Rc6 Bd3 39.Re6 Bc2 40.Re5 Rd7 Adams Attack Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a very large drawish tendency. But with rooks the guideline from the middlegame that opposite colored bishops favor the attacker gains in importance and the practical winning chances usually increase a lot: 41.g5! White opens inroads. His attack cannot be stopped in the long run. hxg5+ Other moves lead to direct desaster: 41...g6?? 42.Re8+- 41...c5?? 42.g6+ Kg8 43.Re8# 42.Kxg5 Kg8 43.Re8+ Kf7! 43...Kh7? runs into 44.f6 gxf6+ 45.Bxf6+- 44.Rh8 Ba4? 44...Re7! was the last chance to fight but for a lost cause: 45.Rd8 Re8 45...Ba4 46.Rc8 Bd7 47.Rxc7 Be8 48.Rc8± 46.Rxd5 Ba4 47.Ra5 Bb3 48.Ra7 Rc8 48...Re7? 49.Bxg7 Kxg7? 50.f6++- 49.Be5± and White should prevail in the long run. 45.Bc5! Adams closes the mating net and so Brunello resigned. 45.Bc5! g6 46.fxg6+ Ke6 46...Kg7 47.Bd4# 47.Re8+ Re7 48.Rxe7# 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.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Adams,M2724Brunello,S25811–02012C63Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 20125.1

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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