CBM training: Endgames from Plovdiv

by ChessBase
3/24/2012 – The European Individual Championship is under way, with almost 350 participants, fifteen of whom are rated over 2700. It is clear there there are some interesting endgame battles, and our ChessBase Magazin expert Dr Karsten Müller has selected four intructive examples for you. Use them to hone your endgame skills and give yourself a weekend Elo boost.
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The Cage

The fight of rook against bishop can be very long and complicated:

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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c6 3.e4 d5 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.e5 Nfd7 6.d4 e6 7.f4 Qh4+ 8.g3 Qd8 9.Nf3 g6 10.Bd3 a6 11.h4 Nc6 12.h5 Rg8 13.hxg6 hxg6 14.Be3 b5 15.Rc1 Qb6 16.Kf2 Bb7 17.Ne2 Na5 18.b3 Nc6 19.Bb1 Ba3 20.Rc2 Be7 21.g4 0-0-0 22.Rh7 Rdf8 23.f5 gxf5 24.gxf5 exf5 25.Nf4 Kb8 26.Re2 Ndxe5 27.dxe5 d4 28.Nxd4 Nxe5 29.Bxf5 Qf6 30.Kf1 Rg5 31.Qc2 Rfg8 32.Reh2 Ng4 33.Bxg4 Rxg4 34.Qf5 Qxf5 35.Nxf5 Bg5 36.Nh6 Bxf4 37.Nxg4 Rxg4 38.Bxf4+ Rxf4+ 39.Rf2 Rxf2+ 40.Kxf2 Bd5 41.Ke3 Kc7 42.Kd4 Kc6 43.Rh2 Be6 44.Rc2+ Kb6 45.b4 a5 46.a3 axb4 47.axb4 Bc4 48.Rh2 Kc6 49.Rh6+ Be6 50.Rh5 Bc4 51.Ke5 Be6 52.Kf6 Bc4 53.Rg5 Kd6 54.Rc5 Kd7 55.Ke5 Bf1 56.Rd5+ Kc7 57.Kf6 Bc4 58.Rd2 Be6 59.Rd1 Bc4 60.Rd4 Be6 61.Ke5 Bc4 62.Rd6 Kb7 63.Rh6 Be6 64.Rh5 Kc6 65.Rg5 Bc4 66.Kd4 Kb6 67.Rh5 Kc6 68.Rh8 Kb7 69.Re8 The Cage The fight of rook against bishop can be very long and complicated: Be6? This retreat allows White to imprison Black's king in a large cage. The bodycheck 69...Kc6! leaves the king enough air to survive, e.g. 70.Ke5 70.Rc8+ Kd6= 70...Kc7 Black must fight against the cut off as just waiting loses, e.g. 70...Bf1? 71.Rd8 Kc7 72.Rd2 Bc4 73.Kf6 Be6 74.Ke7 Kc6 75.Rd4 Bc4 76.Rd6+ Kc7 77.Rf6 Bd5 78.Rh6 Be6 79.Rh5 Bc4 80.Rc5+ Kb6 81.Kd6 Kb7 82.Re5 Kb6 83.Re8 Kb7 84.Kc5 Kc7 85.Re7+ and White wins as in the game. 71.Re7+ Kc6 72.Ra7 Kb6 73.Re7 Kc6= However, 69...Kc7? is insufficient to escape from White's hunters: 70.Kc5 Kd7 71.Re1 f6 71...f5 72.Re3 Bf1 73.Rf3 Bc4 74.Rxf5+- 72.Re3 f5 73.Re5 Be6 74.Kd4 f4 75.Re4 f3 76.Rf4+- 70.Kc5! Bc4 71.Re7+ Kc8 72.Kd6 Kd8 73.Rb7 Kc8 74.Ra7 f5 74...Kb8 allows White to imprison the king in a very small cage in the dangerous corner with 75.Rc7!? f5 76.Kc6 Bd5+ 76...f4 77.Re7 f3 78.Re8+ Ka7 79.Kc7 f2 80.Re3 f1Q 81.Ra3# 77.Kb6 Be4 78.Rc5 Bb1 79.Rxb5 Kc8 80.Rd5 Be4 81.Rd6+- 75.Rc7+ Kb8 75...Kd8 76.Rc5 Bd3 77.Rd5+- 76.Rc5 Kb7 76...Bd3 is refuted by 77.Rd5 when Black must give one of his pawns, e.g. Be4 78.Rxb5+ Kc8 79.Re5 Kb7 80.Kc5 Kc7 81.Re7+ Kd8 82.Rh7 Kc8 83.b5 Kd8 84.Rf7 Kc8 84...Ke8 85.Rc7 f4 86.Kd6 f3 87.Re7++- 85.Kb6 Kd8 86.Ka7 Ke8 87.Rh7 Kf8 87...f4 88.Rh4+- 88.b6 Kg8 89.Rc7 Kf8 90.b7 Bxb7 91.Kxb7 f4 92.Rc4 f3 93.Rf4++- 77.Rxf5 Kb6 78.Rf8 Kb7 79.Re8 Bf1 80.Kc5 Bc4 81.Re7+ Kc8 After 81...Ka6?! Black is even caught in a mating net: 82.Kc6 Bf1 83.Re3 Ka7 84.Kc7+- 82.Kc6 Kd8 83.Rc7 Mamedov prepares to enter the pawn endgame. Playing for zugzwang with 83.Re1!? is the alternative way to win, which keeps Black's king in the cage. 83...Bf1 84.Kb6 84.Kb6 Bc4 85.Rc5 Kd7 86.Rxb5 Bxb5 87.Kxb5 Kc7 88.Ka6 Kb8 89.b5 Ka8 90.b6 Kb8 91.b7 Kc7 92.Ka7+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mamedov,R2624Manea,A23811–02012A1613th EICC1.72

Closing the doors

Same colored bishop endings also have a drawish tendency. Sometimes even an extra pawn is not enough to win:

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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.e3 b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.Qc2 Bxf3 8.gxf3 Nbd7 9.f4 e6 10.c5 g6 11.Bd3 a5 12.Bb2 Nh5 13.Ne2 Qh4 14.Ng1 Qg4 15.Be2 Qf5 16.Bd3 Qg4 17.Be2 Qf5 18.Qxf5 exf5 19.Bxh5 gxh5 20.Ne2 h4 21.Rg1 Ke7 22.f3 Ke6 23.Nc1 Be7 24.Nd3 Rag8 25.Rxg8 Rxg8 26.Kf2 Bd8 27.Bc3 Rg6 28.Rg1 Kf6 29.Be1 Kg7 30.Kf1 Kh6 31.Rg2 Kh5 32.Re2 Bc7 33.Rg2 Bd8 34.Bf2 Kh6 35.Rg1 Kh5 36.Ke2 Kh6 37.Ne1 Kh5 38.Nd3 Kh6 39.Nb2 Kh5 40.Kf1 Kh6 41.Nd3 Kh5 42.Ke1 Kh6 43.Kd2 Kh5 44.h3 Kh6 45.Ne5 Nxe5 46.fxe5 Kg7 47.Kd3 Kf8 48.e4 fxe4+ 49.fxe4 Ke8 50.exd5 cxd5 51.Ke2 Kd7 52.Kf3 h5 53.Be3 Ke6 54.c6 Rxg1 55.Bxg1 f6 56.Bh2 a4 57.bxa4 bxa4 58.Bf4 fxe5 59.Bxe5 Bg5 60.Ke2 Be7 61.Ke3 Closing the doors Same colored bishop endings also have a drawish tendency. Sometimes even an extra pawn is not enough to win: Bg5+? This careless check allows White to invade on the queenside. After 61...Ba3‼ White has no inroad, e.g. 62.Kf4 62.c7 Bc1+ 63.Kd3 Kd7 64.Kc3 Ba3= 62...Bc1+ 63.Kf3 Bg5 64.Bf4 Be7 65.Ke3 Ba3 66.Kd3 Bb2= 62.Kd3 Be7 63.Kc3 Ba3 64.Bc7!? The bishop will open the road on the queenside. The immediate 64.c7? spoils it: Kd7 65.Kd3 Bf8 66.Ke3 Bh6+ 67.Bf4 Bf8 and White can not penetrate into Black's fortress, e.g. 68.Bg5 Bd6 69.Bxh4 Bxc7= 64.Kd3? is a step in the wrong direction as Black can block the roads on the kingside: Bb2! 65.Ke3 65.Kc2 Ba1= 65...Bc1+ 66.Kf3 Bd2 67.Bf4 Bc3 68.Ke3 Bb2 69.Bh2 Bc1+ 70.Kd3 Bb2= 64...Ke7 65.Ba5 Ke6 After 65...Kd6 White's point is revealed: 66.Bb4+ Bxb4+ 67.Kxb4 Kxc6 68.Kxa4+- and the outside passed a-pawn will decide the day. 66.Bb4 Bc1 67.Bc5 Bf4 68.Kb4 Kf5 69.Bb6 Ke4 70.Kc5 Good technique, but 70.c7 Bxc7 71.Bxc7 Kxd4 72.Kxa4 wins as well, e.g. Kc4 73.Be5 d4 74.Bxd4 Kxd4 75.Kb5 Ke3 76.a4 Kf3 77.a5 Kg3 78.a6 Kxh3 79.a7 Kh2 80.a8Q h3 81.Qf3+- 70...Kf3 71.Kxd5 Kg2 72.c7 Bxc7 73.Bxc7 73.Bxc7 Kxh3 74.Ke4 Kg2 75.d5 h3 76.Bf4 h2 77.Bxh2 Kxh2 78.d6 h4 79.d7 h3 80.d8Q Kg2 81.Kf4 h2 White's king is inside the winning zone. 82.Qd2+ Kg1 83.Kg3+- 1–0
  • 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
Shimanov,A2591Laznicka,V27021–02012D1513th EICC3

Via the kingside to the queenside

Sometimes the king must march a long way:

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nge7 5.0-0 g6 6.c3 Bg7 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 b5 9.Bc2 d5 10.e5 0-0 11.Nbd2 f6 12.Re1 fxe5 13.dxe5 Qe8 14.h3 Qf7 15.Qe2 h6 16.b3 Nb4 17.Bb1 c5 18.Ba3 Nec6 19.Bb2 d4 20.Ne4 Nxe5 21.Nxe5 Bxe5 22.Nxc5 Bg7 23.Be4 Ra7 24.a3 Nd5 25.Rad1 Nf4 26.Qd2 Rd8 27.Qa5 Rf8 28.Qd2 Rd8 29.Qa5 Qf6 30.Nd3 Ne6 31.Bxg6 Qxg6 32.Rxe6 Bxe6 33.Qxd8+ Kh7 34.Qb6 Rf7 35.Nc5 Qc2 36.Rf1 Bxh3 37.gxh3 Rf6 38.Qc7 Rg6+ 39.Kh2 Qe2 40.Nd7 Qxf1 41.Nf8+ Kg8 42.Nxg6 Qxf2+ 43.Kh1 Qe1+ 44.Kh2 Qe2+ 45.Kg3 Qd3+ 46.Kh2 Qe2+ 47.Kg3 Qe3+ 48.Kg2 Qe4+ 49.Kh2 Qxg6 50.Bxd4 Bf8 51.Qg3 Bd6 52.Be5 Qxg3+ 53.Bxg3 Bxa3 54.Kg2 Kf7 55.Kf3 Ke6 56.Ke4 a5 57.Be1 a4 58.bxa4 bxa4 59.Bc3 h5 60.Bg7 Kf7 61.Bc3 Kg6 62.Bd2 Bb2 63.Bb4 Via the kingside to the queenside Sometimes the king must march a long way: Kg5! The greedy 63...a3?? 64.Bxa3 Bxa3 65.Kf3 is of course drawn. Black must win with his valueable a-pawn. 64.Kf3 64.Be7+ is met by Bf6 65.Ba3 followed by the usual road to the queenside via the kingside: Kh4 66.Kf5 Bd8 66...Kxh3?? spoils it as White is just in time to stop both pawns: 67.Kxf6 Kg4 68.Ke5 h4 69.Kd4 h3 70.Bd6= 67.Kg6 Kxh3 68.Kxh5 Kg3 69.Kg6 Kf4 70.Kf7 Ke5 71.Ke8 Bg5 72.Kf7 Kd5 73.Kg6 Bd2 74.Kf5 Kc4 75.Ke4 Kb3 76.Bf8 Bb4 77.Bg7 a3 78.Kd3 a2 79.Bf6 Ba3 80.Bg7 Bb2-+ 64...Kf5 65.Kg3 After 65.Ke3 Bc1+ White's king has to make a decision and Black's will invade on the other wing, e.g. 66.Kf3 66.Kd3 Kf4 67.Bd6+ Kf3-+ 66...Bh6 67.Ba3 Ke5-+ 65...Bf6 66.Kf3 Bg5! The bishop seizes the important diagonal to cut off White's king. 67.Ba3 Ke5 Now the king can start his epic march to the queenside for real. 68.Bb4 68.Ke2 Kd4 69.Kd1 Kc3-+ 68...Kd4 69.Bf8 Kd3 70.Bd6 Bd2 71.Ba3 Kc4 72.Ke2 Bb4 73.Bc1 Kc3 74.Kd1 Kb3 74...Kb3 75.Be3 75.Ke2 Kc2 76.Bg5 a3 77.Bf6 Bc3-+ 75...a3 76.Ke2 76.Kc1 Bc3-+ 76...a2 77.Bd4 Bc3-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Firat,B2405Delchev,A26220–12012C6013th EICC2.95

The Andersson endgame

I suggest to call endgames rook and knight against rook and bishop, where the knight has the advantage, Andersson endgame, as the Swedish grandmaster handles the knight like no other:

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1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 d6 5.0-0 g6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 Bg7 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.e4 Qa5 11.Bd2 Rb8 12.b3 Ng4 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Bc3 Be5 15.Bxe5 Nxe5 16.Ne3 c5 17.f4 Nc6 18.e5 dxe5 19.Qd5 exf4 20.Rxf4 e6 21.Qxc5 Qe7 22.Qxe7+ Kxe7 23.Ng4 g5 24.Rf2 f5 25.Bxc6 Bxc6 26.Ne5 Be4 27.Re1 Rhc8 28.Rd2 Rb7 29.Ng4 a5 30.Nf2 Bf3 31.Rd3 g4 32.Re5 a4 33.Rde3 Rc6 34.Nd3 axb3 35.axb3 Rxb3 36.Rxe6+ Rxe6 37.Rxe6+ Kf7 38.Rd6 Be4 39.Ne5+ Ke7 40.Rh6 Ra3 41.Kf2 Ra5 42.Rxh7+ Kf6 43.Nd7+ Kg6 44.Re7 Ra2+ 45.Ke3 Bh1 46.Re6+ Kf7 47.Rh6 Kg7 48.Rh4 Rc2 49.Kf4 Rxc4+ 50.Kxf5 Bb7 51.Ne5 Bc8+ 52.Kg5 Rc5 53.Kf4 Ra5 54.Rh5 Ra4+ 55.Kg5 Ra5 56.Kh4 Be6 57.Rg5+ Kh7 The Andersson endgame In this case White has an extra pawn and Black's bishop must passivly protect the weak pawn g4. Furthermore, White's strategical initiative on the dark squares can not be stopped in the long run: 58.Ng6! The knight shows his power. The greedy 58.Nxg4? runs into the pin Ra4 and White can not win, e.g. 59.h3 Rc4 60.Rh5+ Kg8 61.Kg5 Bxg4 62.hxg4 Kg7= 58...Ra8!? Both 58...Rxg5 59.Kxg5 Kg7 60.Ne5 Bc8 61.Nxg4+- and 58...Ra2 59.Nf8+ Kh8 59...Kh6? 60.Rg6# 60.Nxe6 Rxh2+ 61.Kxg4+- are weaker. 59.Nf4! Bc8 59...Bd7 60.Nh5 Kh6 61.Nf6+- 60.Rc5!? White prepares to attack Black's king and aims at the bishop to keep Black passive. Kg7 60...Kh6 61.Rc6+ Kg7 62.Nd5 Bf5 63.Kg5 Be4 64.Rc7+ Kf8 65.Ne3+- 61.Kg5 Kf7 62.Nd5 Be6 62...Bd7?! can be directly refuted by the amazing computer line 63.Rc7 Rg8+ 64.Kf4 Ke6 65.Rxd7 Rf8+ 66.Nf6 Rxf6+ 67.Kg5 Rf8 67...Rf2 68.Rh7+- 68.Rh7 Rg8+ 69.Kf4 Kf6 70.Rh4+- 63.Rc7+ Kf8 64.Nf4 Bc8 65.Ng6+ Ke8 65...Kg8?! runs into the mating attack 66.Kh6 Bd7 67.Rxd7 Ra7 68.Ne7++- 66.Ne5 Kd8 67.Rc2 Ra5 68.Re2 Rd5 Going to the kingside with 68...Ke7!? 69.Kh4 Ra4 69...Kf8 70.Rf2+ Kg7 70...Kg8 71.Nc6 Rc5 72.Ne7+ Kg7 73.Nxc8 Rxc8 74.Kxg4+- 71.Rf7+ Kh6 72.Nxg4++- 70.Nxg4+ Kf7 71.Rf2+ Kg7 probably offers more resistance, but White should win after 72.Rf4 Ra2 73.h3 Ra6 74.Rc4 Be6 75.Rc7+ Kf8 76.Ne5+- Protecting the pawn with 68...Ra4 does not help in the long run as White can often exchange rooks or minor pieces, e.g. 69.Re1 Be6 69...Ra2 70.Nxg4 Bxg4 71.Kxg4 Rxh2 72.Kf5 Rf2+ 73.Kg6 Rf8 74.g4 Rg8+ 75.Kf5 Rf8+ 76.Kg5 Rg8+ 77.Kf4 Rf8+ 78.Kg3 Rg8 79.Re4 Kd7 80.Kf4 Rf8+ 81.Kg5 Rg8+ 82.Kf6+- 70.Kf6 Ra6 70...Bc8 71.Rd1+ Kc7 71...Ke8 72.Nf7 Ra6+ 73.Rd6+- 72.Rc1+ Kd8 73.Rc4 Ra2 74.Nxg4 Bxg4 75.Rxg4 Rxh2 76.Re4+- 71.Nc6+ Rxc6 72.Rxe6 Rc2 73.Kg5 Rxh2 74.Kxg4 Kd7 75.Rf6 Ke7 76.Kg5 Rh8 77.g4 Rg8+ 78.Rg6 Ra8 79.Kh6 Kf7 80.Rg7+ Kf8 81.g5 Ra1 82.Rb7 Rh1+ 83.Kg6 Rg1 84.Rb8+ Ke7 85.Rg8+- 69.Kh4 Rc5 70.Nxg4 Rc4 Black should indeed lose in the long run, but the resignation is quite early, e.g. 70...Rc4 71.h3 Bd7 72.Rf2 Ke7 73.Rf4 Rc8 74.Nh6 Rc3 74...Rh8 can be met by 75.Kg5! as Bxh3 runs into 76.Rh4! Be6 77.Nf5++- 75.g4 Ra3 76.Rf7+ Ke6 77.g5 Ra4+ 78.Kg3 Ra3+ 79.Rf3 Rxf3+ 80.Kxf3 Ke5 81.h4 Ba4 82.Kg3 Be8 83.Kg4 Bd7+ 84.Kh5 Be8+ 85.g6 Kf6 86.Ng8+ Kg7 87.Ne7 Kf6 88.Nd5+ Kg7 89.Nf4 Kf6 90.Kh6 Ba4 91.Nd5++- 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
Azaladze,S2419Iordachescu,V26441–02012A3113th EICC2.88

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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