CBM training: Endgames from the Women's Team Championship

by ChessBase
12/29/2011 – This time our resident endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller, who provides lessons in his popular ChessBase Magazine section, has picked four instructive examples from the recently ended Women's World Team Championship. Study them and improve. At the same time don't forget to visit our Christmas Puzzle page, where there are now five installments to solve. Enjoy.
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Botvinnik Reloaded

The great world champion Mikhail Botvinnik reached this position in his analysis of the adjourned game versus Troianescu (1952) and published his results. Hoang followed his example:

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1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.b3 g6 4.Bb2 Bg7 5.c4 c6 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 Bg4 8.d3 Na6 9.Nbd2 Rc8 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 Nd7 12.Qd2 Bxb2 13.Qxb2 e6 14.Rac1 Qe7 15.d4 Nc7 16.b4 dxc4 17.Bxc4 Rfe8 18.Rfd1 Nd5 19.a3 N5b6 20.Bb3 Ra8 21.Ne1 e5 22.Nf3 e4 23.Bc4 Rac8 24.Bb3 Ra8 25.Nd2 a5 26.b5 cxb5 27.Bc2 b4 28.axb4 axb4 29.Nxe4 Nc4 30.Qb3 b5 31.d5 Ra3 32.Qb1 b3 33.Bd3 b2 34.Rc3 Ra1 35.Qc2 Na3 36.Qb3 Rxd1+ 37.Qxd1 b1Q 38.Bxb1 Nxb1 39.Qxb1 Qxe4 40.Qxb5 Rb8 41.Qxb8+ Nxb8 42.Rc8+ Kg7 43.Rxb8 Qxd5 44.g3 Qf3 45.Rd8 g5 46.Rd4 h6 47.h4 Kg6 48.hxg5 hxg5 49.Rd8 Qf6 50.Rd4 Kf5 51.Rb4 Qc3 52.Rd4 f6 53.Kg2 Qc6+ 54.Kg1 Ke5 55.Kh2 Qb6 56.Kg2 f5 Botvinnik Reloaded The great world champion Mikhail Botvinnik reached this position in his analysis of the adjourned game versus Troianescu (1952) and published his results. Hoang followed his example: 57.Kg1?! 57.Kf1!? prevents the direct exchange into a pawn endgame. But Black can win nevertheless: Qa6+ 57...Qxd4? 58.exd4+ Kxd4 59.Ke2 Ke4 60.f3+ Kd4 61.Kd2 f4 62.g4= Opposition! 58.Ke1 Qb5 59.f4+ Kf6 60.fxg5+ Kxg5 61.Rf4 Qd3 62.Kf2 Qd2+ 63.Kf3 Qe1 64.e4 fxe4+ 65.Rxe4 Qh1+ 66.Ke3 Qf1 67.Rf4 Qg2-+ Black can also penetrate after 57.Rd1 Qc6+ 58.Kg1 Qc4 59.Kg2 Qa4 60.Rd2 Qc6+ 61.Kh2 Ke4 62.Kg2 f4 63.exf4 gxf4 64.gxf4 Qg6+ 65.Kf1 Kf3-+ 57...Qxd4! The winning procedure as Botvinnik has proved. 58.exd4+ Kxd4 59.Kf1 59.Kg2 Kd3 60.Kf3 Kd2 61.g4 f4 62.Ke4 Ke2 63.f3 Kf2 64.Kf5 Kxf3 65.Kxg5 Kg3-+ 59...Kd3! The decisive invasion. 60.Ke1 60.Kg2 Ke2 61.Kg1 Kd2 61...f4? 62.gxf4 gxf4 63.Kg2= 62.Kh2 Kd1 63.Kh1 f4 64.gxf4 gxf4 65.Kh2 f3 66.Kh3 Ke1 67.Kg3 Ke2-+ 60.g4 f4-+ 60.f4 g4-+ 60...f4! 61.g4 61.gxf4 does not help as Black's king always penetrates to a key square: gxf4 62.Kf1 62.f3 Ke3 63.Kf1 Kxf3-+ 62...f3 63.Ke1 Kc2-+ 61.Kd1 fxg3 62.fxg3 g4 63.Ke1 Ke3 64.Kf1 Kf3 65.Kg1 Kxg3-+ 61...Kc2 62.Ke2 62.f3 Kd3-+ 62...Kc1 63.Kd3 Kd1 63...f3?? backfires completely: 64.Ke4 Kd2 65.Kxf3 Kd3 66.Kg2 Ke4 67.Kg3 Ke5 68.Kf3 Kd4 69.Ke2 Ke4 70.f3+ Kd4 71.Kd2+- 64.Ke4 Ke2 65.Kf5 65.f3 Kf2 66.Kf5 Kxf3 67.Kxg5 Kg3-+ 65...Kxf2 66.Kxg5 Kg3 67.Kh5 f3 67...f3 68.g5 f2 69.g6 f1Q 70.g7 Qf7+-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Khurtsidze,N2440Hoang,T22180–12011A12FIDE Women's World Teams3.16

The fork

Precise calculation can be trained well in certain endgames. So it is your job to analyse the consequences of 42.d6:

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1.Nf3 f5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 Be7 5.c4 d5 6.Nc3 c6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qc2 Ne4 9.g4 Na6 10.a3 Qa5 11.Ke2 Nxc3+ 12.bxc3 Nc7 13.gxf5 exf5 14.Rhg1 dxc4 15.Bxc4+ Be6 16.Bxe6+ Nxe6 17.Be5 Qd5 18.Qa2 b5 19.a4 Qxa2+ 20.Rxa2 a6 21.axb5 axb5 22.Rga1 Rxa2+ 23.Rxa2 Rc8 24.Ra6 Kf7 25.Ne1 g5 26.Ra7 Ke8 27.f3 Nf8 28.Nd3 Nd7 29.e4 fxe4 30.fxe4 c5 31.Bg3 cxd4 32.cxd4 Rc2+ 33.Kd1 Rc4 34.Bf2 Rc3 35.Kd2 b4 36.d5 Nf6 37.Bd4 Ra3 38.Rxa3 bxa3 39.Nf2 Kf7 40.Kc2 h5 41.Kb3 g4 The fork Precise calculation can be trained well in certain endgames. So it is your job to analyse the consequences of 42.d6: 42.d6!? The most forcing way to draw. 42.Ka2 with the point Bf8 43.d6 Ke6 44.e5 Nd7 45.Nd3 Kf5 46.Bc3 h4 47.Be1 Nxe5 48.Bxh4 Nxd3 49.Be7= should also hold the position, but not 42.Bxf6? Kxf6 43.Nd3 Bd6-+ 42...Bxd6 43.e5 Bc7 44.exf6 Bxh2 45.Kxa3 45.Nxg4 is the alternative approach: hxg4 46.Kxa3 Bf4 46...g3 47.Be5= 47.Kb3 Bg5 48.Kc2 Bxf6 49.Bf2= 49.Bxf6? Kxf6 50.Kd3 Kg5 51.Ke3 Kh4 52.Kf2 Kh3 53.Kg1 Kg3-+ 45...Bg1 46.Kb3 g3 46...Bxf2 47.Bxf2 Kxf6 48.Kc3 Kg5 49.Kd3 h4 50.Ke2 g3 51.Bxg3 hxg3 52.Kf3 Kh4 53.Kg2 Kg4 54.Kg1= 47.Ne4 Or 47.Nh1 Bxd4 48.Nxg3 h4 49.Ne4= 47...Bxd4 48.Nxg3 h4 49.Ne4 The easiest, but 49.Nf1 Kxf6 50.Kc4 Ke5 51.Kd3 Bb6 52.Ke2 Kf4 53.Nd2 h3 54.Nf3 Kg3 55.Nd2 draws as well. 49...Bxf6 50.Kc4 h3 51.Nf2 h2 52.Kd3 52.Nh1? Ke6 53.Kd3 Kf5 54.Ke2 Kg4 55.Kf1 Kf3 56.Nf2 Be7 57.Nh1 Bh4-+ Domination! 52...Bh4 53.Nh1 Kg6 54.Ke4 54.Ke4 Kh5 55.Kf3 Bd8 56.Kg2 Bc7 57.Ng3+ Bxg3 58.Kh1= ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nguyen,T2300Iordanidou,Z2169½–½2011A84FIDE Women's World Teams2.12

The King is coming

An extra exchange usually is a large advantage in the endgame:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Ne5 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Na3 Bxa3 10.bxa3 Ba6 11.Qd2 Rb8 12.Qa5 Rb6 13.a4 Qe7 14.Qc3 Rd8 15.Ba3 Qd7 16.Bc5 Nd5 17.Qa5 Bc8 18.Bxb6 cxb6 19.Qd2 b5 20.Qa5 a6 21.axb5 cxb5 22.a4 Bb7 23.Rfb1 Bc6 24.e4 Nc7 25.axb5 Bxb5 26.Rd1 Rc8 27.d5 e5 28.Qc3 Qd6 29.Bh3 Rd8 30.Rf1 Re8 31.Rfc1 Na8 32.Qa3 Qxa3 33.Rxa3 Nb6 34.d6 Rd8 35.Rd1 Na4 36.f4 Nb2 37.Rd5 exf4 38.e5 Nd3 39.e6 fxe6 40.Bxe6+ Kh8 41.Rd4 g5 42.gxf4 Nxf4 43.Bxc4 Bxc4 44.Rxc4 Rxd6 45.Rc7 Rf6 46.Re3 Ng6 47.Re8+ Nf8 48.Ra8 Kg8 The King is coming An extra exhange usually is a large advantage in the endgame: 49.Kg2!? Ju starts the invasion of her king. Rf7 50.Raa7 Rxc7 51.Rxc7 In this open position White's rook is much superior to the knight and as Black can not construct a fortress on the kingside she is lost: Ne6 51...Ng6 52.Kg3 Ne5 53.Rc5 Nf7 54.Kg4 Kg7 55.Kf5 Nh6+ 55...Nd6+ 56.Ke6 Ne4 57.Rc2 g4 58.Ke5 Ng5 59.Kf5+- 56.Kxg5 Nf7+ 57.Kf4+- 52.Ra7 Ng7 52...Nd4 is similar to the game, e.g. 53.Kg3 h5 54.Rd7 Nf5+ 54...Ne6 55.Re7 Nf8 56.Re5 Nh7 57.Kf3 Kf7 58.Ke4 Kg6 59.Re6+ Kf7 60.Rxa6 h4 61.Kf5+- 55.Kf3 Ng7 56.Ke4 h4 57.Kf3 Ne8 58.Rd8 Kf7 59.Kg4 Ke7 60.Rd1 Kf6 61.Rd5+- 53.Kf3 h5?! After 53...h6!? 54.Rxa6 Kh7 55.Kg4 White's king will also invade, but it is more difficult to storm the barricades, e.g. Ne8 56.Kf5 Ng7+ 57.Kf6 Nh5+ 58.Kf7 Nf4 59.Ra7 Nh5 60.Re7 Nf4 61.Kf6+ Kg8 62.Rd7 Kh8 and now 63.h4 exploits that the knight can not reach his boss safely: gxh4 64.Rd4 Ne2 64...Ng2?! runs into 65.Kg6+- 65.Rg4 h5 66.Rxh4 Ng3 67.Kf7 Kh7 68.Rh3 Kh6 69.Rxg3 h4 70.Rg8 Kh5 71.Kf6 h3 72.Kf5 Kh4 73.Kf4+- 54.Ke4!? The a-pawn is not running away. So the king just marches on. g4 54...h4 55.Rxa6 Kf7 56.Ke5 g4 57.Rf6+ Ke7 58.Rg6 Kf7 59.Rxg4+- 55.Kf4 Ne6+ 56.Kf5 Nd4+ 56...Ng7+ 57.Kg6 Ne8 58.Kxh5 Nf6+ 59.Kg6 Ne8 60.Rxa6+- 57.Kg6 Kf8 58.Kxh5 Nf3 59.Kxg4 Nxh2+ 60.Kf4 Nf1 61.Rd7 Full domination! 61.Rd7 Ke8 62.Rd1 Nh2 63.Rh1+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ju,W2543Kosintseva,T25261–02011E05FIDE Women's World Teams5.14

The Eye of the Dragon

Rook and Bishop form a formidable combination on an open board even without pawns. The defender often has to be very careful:

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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 Ng8 3.Nb1 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be2 d5 8.exd5 exd5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.0-0 Be7 11.d4 0-0 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.dxc5 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Bxc5 15.Bf4 Bg4 16.h3 Rfe8 17.Kf1 Be6 18.Ng5 Bd4 19.Nxe6 Rxe6 20.Rd2 Rae8 21.Rad1 Bf6 22.Be3 a6 23.Bg4 Re4 24.Bd7 Ra8 25.b3 h6 26.Rc1 Ne7 27.a4 Bg5 28.Bxg5 hxg5 29.Rc5 Rb4 30.Rd3 Ng6 31.Rd2 Ne7 32.Rd3 Ng6 33.g3 f6 34.Be6+ Kh7 35.Rd7 Ne5 36.Rdc7 Rd8 37.Rd7 Ra8 38.Rdc7 Rd8 39.Rd5 Rxd5 40.Bxd5 b6 41.Ke2 Rd4 42.Bg2 Rb4 43.Bd5 Rd4 44.Kf1 Rb4 45.Ke2 Rd4 46.Bg2 Rb4 47.Bd5 Rd4 48.Bb7 a5 49.Rc3 Nd7 50.Ke3 Rb4 51.Be4+ Kg8 52.Bd5+ Kh7 53.Bc4 Ne5 54.Be2 Nd7 55.Bd3+ Kg8 56.f4 gxf4+ 57.gxf4 Nc5 58.Bc4+ Kh7 59.Kd4 Kg6 60.Kd5 Kh5 61.Re3 Kh4 62.Kd4 g5 63.fxg5 fxg5 64.Kc3 g4 65.hxg4 Kxg4 66.Re5 Nxa4+ 67.bxa4 Rxa4 68.Re6 Rb4 69.Bd3 Kf4 70.Bc2 Rb5 71.Rf6+ Kg5 72.Rf2 Rb4 73.Bd3 Rf4 74.Rb2 Rb4 75.Re2 Kf6 76.Bc4 Kf5 77.Rh2 Kg5 78.Rf2 Kg6 79.Bd5 Kg7 80.Kd3 Kg6 81.Ke3 Kg5 82.Be4 Rb3+ 83.Kd4 Rb4+ 84.Ke5 Rb5+ 85.Bd5 Kg4 86.Rg2+ Kh3 87.Rg5 Kh4 88.Rg8 Kh5 89.Ke4 Kh6 90.Rg1 Kh5 91.Be6 Kh6 92.Bf5 Kh5 93.Kf4 Rb4+ 94.Be4 Kh6 95.Kf5 Rb5+ 96.Kf6 Kh5 97.Bf5 Kh4 98.Rg4+ The Eye of the Dragon Rook and Bishop form a formidable combination on an open board even without pawns. The defender often has to be very careful: Kh5? The king has to run southwards: 98...Kh3‼ 99.Kg5 99.Rb4+ is parried by Rxf5+ 100.Kxf5 axb4 101.Ke4= 99...Rc5! The king still looks into the eye of the dragon! After 99...Kh2? 100.Kf4 Black's king can not escape: a4 101.Be4 a3 101...Rb2 102.Rh4+ Kg1 103.Rh1+ Kf2 104.Rh2++- 102.Rh4+ Kg1 103.Ke3 White's king closes the mating net himself. Rb3+ 104.Ke2 Rb2+ 105.Ke1 Rg2 105...Rh2 106.Rg4++- 106.Bxg2 Kxg2 107.Ra4+- 100.Ra4+ Kg3 101.Ra3+ Kf2 102.Kf4 Rc4+ 103.Be4 Ke2 104.Ra2+ Kd1 105.Ke3 Kc1 106.Kd3 Kb1 107.Re2 b5= 99.Rd4! Black would also be lost without her pawns here as White has a version of Philidor's winning position. Rc5 99...Rb4 runs into 100.Bg6+ Kh6 101.Rd7 Rf4+ 102.Bf5+- 100.Bg6+ Kh6 101.Rh4+ 101.Rh4+ Rh5 102.Rxh5# 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
Hoang,T2218Kaplan,E18491–02011A34FIDE Women's World Teams6.16

Karsten Müller in ChessBase Magazine

Do you like these lessons? There are plenty more by the 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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