CBM training: Endgames from Sochi

by ChessBase
4/18/2012 – The Russian Team Championship ended last Sunday. Our ChessBase Magazin expert Dr Karsten Müller was, as always, scanning the games for interesting and instructive endings and today shows us: the worst enemy of the knight; Black breakthroughs; the sidestep; and taking aim at passed pawns. Good for adding some Elo points to your account. It's free and complimentary.
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The worst enemy of the knight

A rook's pawn is very dangerous due to the restricted options of the knight near the edge:

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.Be3 0-0 9.f3 a6 10.Qd2 Nd7 11.0-0-0 Nc5 12.Kb1 Qc7 13.h4 Bd7 14.Bg5 f6 15.Bf4 Nxb3 16.cxb3 Rad8 17.Rc1 Qb8 18.Rhd1 Rf7 19.Bg3 Bf8 20.Qe2 Rc8 21.Rd2 b5 22.Qf2 Qb7 23.Nd1 Ne5 24.Rxc8 Bxc8 25.Rc2 Rc7 26.Ne3 Bd7 27.Qd2 Rxc2 28.Qxc2 Be7 29.Qd2 Bd8 30.h5 h6 31.Ne2 Bb6 32.Nf4 Kf7 33.Nc2 Bc7 34.Bf2 a5 35.Nd4 b4 36.Qe2 Bb6 37.Nc2 Bxf2 38.Qxf2 Qa6 39.Nd4 Qb6 40.Qd2 Qc5 41.Qd1 Nc6 42.Nxc6 Bxc6 43.Qc1 Qxc1+ 44.Kxc1 e5 45.Ne2 d5 46.Ng3 dxe4 47.fxe4 g6 48.hxg6+ Kxg6 49.Kd2 Kg5 50.Ke3 Kg4 51.Nf5 h5 52.Ne7 Bb7 53.Ng8 Kg3 54.Nxf6 h4 55.Nd7 Kxg2 56.Nxe5 h3 57.Nf3 The worst enemy of the knight A rook's pawn is very dangerous due to the restricted options of the knight near the edge: Kg3!? A strong retreat. The king now dominates White's forces on the kingside and the bishop on the rest of the board. Of course not 57...h2?? 58.Nxh2 Kxh2 59.e5 when only White can harbor hopes to win. In fact Black can just hold the draw, e.g. Bc8 60.Kd4 Kg3 61.Kd5 Kf4 62.e6 Kf5 63.e7 Bd7 64.Kc5 Ke6 65.Kb6 Kxe7 66.Kxa5 Kd6 67.Kxb4 Kc6= 58.Nd2 Ba6 59.e5 The e-pawn is too slow. But passive defense with 59.Nf3 is broken by Bf1 60.e5 60.Nd2 Bg2-+ 60...Bg2 61.e6 Bxf3 62.e7 Bc6-+ 59...h2 60.Ne4+ Kg2 61.Nf2 Bc8 and White will fall in deadly zugzwang sooner or later: 62.Ke2 Bg4+ 63.Ke3 63.Nxg4 h1Q-+ 63...Be6 64.Ke2 Bf5 65.Ke3 Bg4 66.Nh1 Kxh1 67.Kf2 Bh3 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lyaskovsky,V2258Kryakvin,D25660–12012B8819th TCh-RUS 20121

Black breakthroughs

Simplifications into pawn endings must always be considered very carefully:

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Nc6 5.c3 e6 6.Bb3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 b5 9.Nbd2 Bb7 10.Nf1 Rc8 11.Ng3 Qc7 12.Qe2 Ne5 13.d4 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 a5 15.dxc5 dxc5 16.Bf4 Qb6 17.Nh5 Nxh5 18.Qxh5 c4 19.Bc2 f6 20.Rad1 Qc6 21.Qg4 Rfd8 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ 24.Qxd1 e5 25.Be3 f5 26.f3 f4 27.Bf2 h5 28.Kf1 Kf7 29.Qd2 g5 30.h3 Ke8 31.Bg1 b4 32.Qd1 Ba6 33.Qd5 Qxd5 34.exd5 b3 35.Bb1 a4 36.a3 Kd7 37.Be4 Bb7 38.Ba7 Kc7 39.Ke2 Bc8 40.Kd2 g4 41.hxg4 hxg4 42.Kd1 g3 43.Ke2 Bd6 44.Bg1 Bd7 45.Ke1 Be8 46.Kd2 Bf7 47.Ba7 Kd7 48.Bb6 Ke7 49.Ba5 Kf6 50.Bb4 Bxb4 51.cxb4 Black's breakthroughs Simplifications into pawn endings must always be considered very carefully: Bg6? White can hold the resulting pawn races. But Black can win the bishop ending by transfering his king to d6, e.g. 51...Be8! 52.Kc3 Bb5 53.Bh7 Ke7 54.Bg6 After 54.Bf5 Kd6 55.Be6 the typical breakthrough e4 decides: 56.fxe4 f3 57.Bh3 f2-+ 54...Kd6 55.Be4 Ba6 56.Kd2 Bb7 57.Kc3 Bxd5 58.Bf5 Bxf3 59.gxf3 g2-+ 52.Bxg6! However, not 52.b5? Bxe4 53.fxe4 due to the double breakthrough f3 54.b6 c3+ 55.Kxc3 55.bxc3 b2 56.Kc2 b1Q+ 57.Kxb1 fxg2 58.b7 g1Q+-+ 55...fxg2 56.b7 g1Q 57.b8Q Qd4# 52...Kxg6 53.b5! Of course not 53.d6? as Black's breakthrough e5-e4 will decide the resulting race: Kf6 54.Kc3 54.b5 Ke6 55.b6 Kxd6 56.Kc3 Kc6 57.Kxc4 e4 58.fxe4 f3 59.gxf3 g2-+ 54...Ke6 55.Kxc4 e4 56.Kc5 Kd7 57.fxe4 f3 58.e5 fxg2 59.Kd5 g1Q-+ 53...e4 54.b6? White starts with the wrong pawn. After 54.d6! c3+ 54...Kf7 55.b6 exf3 55...e3+ 56.Ke2 c3 57.d7 cxb2 58.d8Q b1Q 59.Qc7+= 56.d7 fxg2 57.d8Q g1Q 58.Qd7+ Kf6 59.Qd6+ Kf5 60.Qd5+ Kg4 61.Qe6+= 54...exf3 55.d7 fxg2 56.d8Q g1Q 57.Qd6+ Kf5 58.Qd5+ Kg4 59.Qe6+= 55.Kxc3 exf3 56.d7 fxg2 57.d8Q g1Q his queen has more squares to check Black's king, e.g. 58.Qd6+ Kf5 59.Qd5+ Kg4 60.Qe6+ Kf3 61.Qd5+ Kf2 62.Qd2+ Kf1 63.Qd1+ Kg2 64.Qxg1+ Kxg1 65.b6 g2 66.b7 Kh1 67.b8Q g1Q 68.Qxf4= 54...exf3? Now Black's king can find no hiding place. The zwischenzug 54...c3+ wins, e.g. 55.Kxc3 exf3 56.gxf3 After 56.b7 fxg2 57.b8Q g1Q 58.Qe8+ the difference becomes clear as Black's king just runs to g2: Kg5 59.Qg8+ Kh4 60.Qh7+ Kg4 61.Qg6+ Kf3 62.Qh5+ Kg2 63.d6 Qc1+ 64.Kb4 Qd2+ 65.Kxa4 f3-+ 56...g2 57.b7 g1Q 58.b8Q and now Black can start checking and collecting pawns: Qc5+ 59.Kd3 Qxd5+ 60.Kc3 60.Ke2 Qc4+ 61.Kf2 Qc2+ 62.Kg1 Qc1+ 63.Kg2 Qxb2+ 64.Kh3 Qg7 65.Kg4 Qf6 66.Qg8+ Kh6 67.Qd5 b2-+ 60...Qc5+ 61.Kd3 61.Kd2 Qe3+ 62.Kd1 Qxf3+-+ 61...Qc2+ 62.Kd4 Qxb2+ 63.Ke4 Qe2+ 64.Kd4 64.Kxf4? Qh2+-+ 64...Qxf3-+ 55.b7 fxg2 55...f2?? 56.Ke2+- even loses. Now 55...c3+ can be met by 56.bxc3 fxg2 57.b8Q g1Q= and White can draw by giving the right series of checks as in the game. 56.b8Q g1Q Now White can draw by giving the right checks: 57.Qg8+ Kh5 58.Qf7+! However, not 58.Qh7+? Kg4 59.Qg6+ Kf3 60.Qh5+ Kg2 61.Qe2+ Qf2-+ 58...Kg5 59.Qe7+ Kg4 60.Qe6+ Kh5 Of course not 60...Kf3?? 61.Qe2# 61.Qf5+ Kh4 62.Qxf4+ Kh3 63.Qf5+ and as Black's king can not escape from the rain of checks a draw was agreed. 63.Qf5+ Kg2 64.Qe4+ Kh2 65.Qh4+= ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sitnikov,D2500Popov,I2605½–½2012B5019th TCh-RUS 20122

The sidestep

When fighting against far advanced passed pawns great care is often required:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Bf4 Ba6 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Rfd1 Nh5 12.Ne5 Nxf4 13.gxf4 Nxe5 14.fxe5 Rc8 15.Qa4 Bxc4 16.Nxc4 b5 17.Qxa7 bxc4 18.b3 cxb3 19.axb3 Rc7 20.Qa5 Qb8 21.Rdc1 Rfc8 22.e4 dxe4 23.Bxe4 Qxb3 24.Rxc6 Rxc6 25.Bxc6 Qb2 26.d5 Qxe5 27.dxe6 Qxe6 28.Bg2 Bd6 29.Qd5 Qh6 30.h3 Bf8 31.Rd1 Qf6 32.Be4 g6 33.Rd3 Rc5 34.Qd4 Qf4 35.Qe3 Qf6 36.Bd5 Rc7 37.Qd2 Kg7 38.Rf3 Qe5 39.Rb3 Rd7 40.Rd3 Bc5 41.Kg2 Rd6 42.Bf3 Rxd3 43.Qxd3 Qg5+ 44.Kf1 Qh4 45.Qc2 Qxh3+ 46.Bg2 Qa3 47.Bd5 Qa1+ 48.Kg2 Qd4 49.Qa2 Qf4 50.Bf3 Qd4 51.Qe2 h5 52.Bc6 f5 53.Qf3 h4 54.Bb5 Kf6 55.Be8 Qxf2+ 56.Qxf2 Bxf2 57.Kxf2 g5 58.Kf3 Ke5 59.Bh5 h3 60.Kg3 g4 61.Be8 Kd5 62.Bg6 Ke4 63.Be8 Ke3 The sidestep When fighting against far advanced passed pawns great care is often required: 64.Bd7! Taking aim at the pawns is the only way to draw as 64.Bc6? runs into h2 65.Kg2 h1Q+ 66.Kxh1 Kf2 67.Kh2 f4 68.Bd5 g3+ 69.Kh1 f3 70.Bxf3 Kxf3 71.Kg1 g2 72.Kh2 Kf2-+ 64...h2 64...f4+ 65.Kxg4 h2 65...f3 66.Kxh3= 66.Bc6= After 64...Ke4 65.Bc8 Black can not make progress as Ke5 66.Bd7 Kf6 is met by 67.Kf4 h2 68.Bc6= 65.Kg2! White's point: His king sidesteps the check and a draw was agreed as his bishop will always be back in time. 65.Kg2! h1Q+ 65...g3 66.Bxf5 h1Q+ 67.Kxh1 Kf2 68.Bh3= 66.Kxh1 Kf2 67.Bxf5 g3 68.Be4= However, not 65.Kxh2? due to Kf2 66.Bxf5 g3+-+ and the pawn will queen. ½–½
  • 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
Tovmasian,V2420Iljin,A2536½–½2012E0619th TCh-RUS 20122

Taking aim at passed pawns

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

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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 e6 8.Nf3 exd5 9.exd5 Re8 10.0-0 Bg4 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3 a6 13.Qd2 Nbd7 14.Rae1 Rxe1 15.Rxe1 Qf8 16.Bf4 Re8 17.Rb1 Qe7 18.a3 Ne5 19.Be2 Ned7 20.Bd3 Ne5 21.Bf1 Nh5 22.Bg5 f6 23.Be3 f5 24.Bg5 Qf8 25.Be2 h6 26.Bh4 Nf6 27.Bg3 Ned7 28.Re1 Ne4 29.Nxe4 Rxe4 30.f3 Re8 31.Bd1 Rxe1+ 32.Qxe1 Ne5 33.Qe2 f4 34.Bf2 Qf6 35.Bc2 b6 36.Qe4 Kf7 37.Be1 Qf5 38.Qe2 Qf6 39.Bc3 g5 40.Qe4 Ke7 41.Qh7 b5 42.cxb5 axb5 43.Qe4 Kf8 44.Bd3 c4 45.Bc2 Qf7 46.Bb4 Qe7 47.a4 bxa4 48.Qf5+ Nf7 49.Qc8+ Qe8 50.Qxe8+ Kxe8 51.Bxa4+ Ke7 52.Ba3 Ne5 53.Bb5 Nd3 54.b3 Bb2 55.Bxc4 Bxa3 56.Bxd3 Kf6 57.Be4 Ke5 58.Kh2 Bc5 59.h4 Kd4 60.Kh3 Bb6 61.Kg4 Bd8 62.Kf5 gxh4 63.Kxf4 Bg5+ 64.Kf5 Bd2 65.Ke6 Bb4 66.Bf5 Ke3 67.Kd7 Kf4 68.Be6 Ke5 69.Kc6 Kd4 70.f4 Ke4 71.f5 Ke5 72.Kb5 Bc3 73.Kc4 Taking aim at passed pawns Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a very large drawish tendency: Ba5? This is too passive. Black must prepare to take aim at the advancing white b-pawn to stop the invasion of White's king: 73...Be1 74.b4 Bd2 75.Kb5 Be1 76.Ka4 Bf2 77.Ka5 77.b5 Bb6= 77...Be1 78.Kb5 Bd2 79.Ka4 Be3 80.b5 Bb6= 74.b4 Bd8 75.f6!? Very beautiful, but not neccessary as 75.Kb5 wins as well: Kf4 76.Kc6 Kg3 76...Bf6 77.b5 Kg3 78.Kxd6 Kxg2 79.Kc6 h3 80.d6 h2 81.Bd5+ Kg1 82.b6+- 77.f6 Kxg2 78.f7 Be7 79.b5 h3 80.Bxh3+ Kxh3 81.b6+- 75...Bxf6 75...Kxf6 76.Kb5 Ke7 77.Kc6 Ke8 78.b5 Ba5 79.b6 Kd8 80.Bh3 and Black will fall into zugzwang sooner or later, e.g. However, not 80.b7?? Bc7= 80...h5 81.Bf5 h3 82.Bxh3 h4 83.Bg4 h3 84.Bxh3+- 76.Kb5 Bg5 77.Kc6 Be3 78.b5 Black resigned as the b-pawn will cost his bishop. 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
Mozharov,M2474Khoroshilov,N21891–02012E7519th TCh-RUS 20121

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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