CBM training from Wijk: Karjakin's cars, a deadly 'zwischenschach'

by ChessBase
1/17/2013 – The latter is a German expression for in-between-check, also used by chess players in English. In the first round game Harikrishna vs Giri at the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee game following rook ending the motif plays a major role. Our ChessBase Magazine columnist GM Karsten Müller, uses this and a round 3 game between Sergey Karjakin and Wang Hao for today's endgame lesson.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Karjakin's Cars

In rook endings activity counts for a lot:

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d4 Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Re8 9.Ne2 Nbd7 10.Ng3 Nf8 11.c4 d5 12.c5 Bg4 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Ne6 15.Be3 g6 16.Rae1 c6 17.b4 Nd7 18.Qd1 a6 19.Ne2 Bg5 20.Kh1 Bxe3 21.fxe3 f5 22.Ng1 Qh4 23.Nf3 Qh6 24.Re2 Ng5 25.Qe1 Nf6 26.Nxg5 Qxg5 27.g4 Ne4 28.Bxe4 fxe4 29.Qg3 Rf8 30.Ref2 Qe7 31.Kg2 Rxf2+ 32.Rxf2 Kg7 33.g5 a5 34.bxa5 Rxa5 35.h4 Ra8 Karjakin's Cars In rook endings activity counts for a lot: 36.Qd6! Very strong. Over the board it is now next to impossible to defend. Even in analysis I can not offer a completely convincing defense. Qxd6 36...Qe8? 37.Qc7+ Kg8 38.Qxb7+- 36...Re8? 37.Rf6 Qd8 38.Kg3± 37.cxd6 Rf8?! 37...h5!? might be more precise, e.g. 38.Kg3 Rf8 39.d7 Rd8 40.Kf4 Rxd7 41.Ke5 b6 42.Rc2 c5 43.dxc5 bxc5 44.Rxc5 Ra7 45.Kxd5 Rxa2 46.Rc7+ Kf8 47.Rc4 Ra5+ 48.Kxe4 Ke7 and Black should be able to defend. 38.Rf4! Karjakin can only allow the rook exchange, when the pawn structure is changed as well. Ra8? Now White's d-pawn will decide the day sooner or later. After 38...Rxf4?? 39.exf4 Karjakin's cars will drive to the 8th rank, e.g. Kf7 40.f5 gxf5 41.h5 e3 42.g6+ hxg6 43.hxg6+ Kxg6 44.d7+- 38...b5! was called for, but it is not clear, if Black can defend, e.g. 39.a3! 39.d7? Rd8 40.Rf6 Rxd7 41.Rxc6 Ra7 42.Kg3 Rf7= 39...Rf7 40.Kg3 Rf8 41.Kh3‼ White triangulates. Rf7 42.Kg4 Rf8 43.d7 Rd8 44.Rf6 Rxd7 45.Rxc6 Rf7 and at first I thought that this should be a clear draw, but I am not so sure anymore, e.g. 46.Rc5 Rf3 47.Rxb5 Rxe3 48.a4 Ra3 49.a5 Kf7 50.Rxd5 Ke6 51.Re5+ Kd7 51...Kd6 52.Kf4 e3 53.Rxe3 Rxa5 54.Re8 52.h5 e3 53.h6 e2 54.Rxe2 Rxa5 55.Kf4 and in both cases I can't say if Black can hold or not. 39.Kg3 Rxa2 39...h6 40.Rf6 hxg5 41.hxg5 Rf8 42.d7 Rd8 43.Rd6 Kf7 44.Kg4 Ke7 45.Rxg6 Kxd7 46.Rg7+ Ke6 47.Rxb7 Ra8 48.Rb6 Ra3 49.Rxc6+ Kf7 50.Kf4+- Returning with 39...Rf8!? is not easy to beat, e. g. 40.a4 b6 40...Rf7 41.a5 Rf8 42.Kg4 Rf7 43.h5 gxh5+ 44.Kxh5 Rxf4 45.exf4 e3 46.d7 e2 47.d8Q e1Q 48.Qc7+ Kf8 49.Qb8+ Kf7 50.Qxb7+ Kg8 51.Qc8+ Kg7 52.Qd7+ Kg8 53.g6+- 40...b5?! 41.Rxf8 Kxf8 42.a5+- 41.Kh3‼ This wins the zugzwang duel. Rf7 41...Rd8 42.Rf6 c5 43.dxc5 bxc5 44.Kg3 d4 44...c4 45.Kf2 Ra8 46.d7 Rd8 47.Rd6 Kf7 48.Rxd5+- 45.exd4 cxd4 46.a5 Rd7 47.Re6 Kf8 48.Kf2 Ra7 49.Re5+- 41...Ra8 42.Rf6 c5 43.dxc5 bxc5 44.d7 c4 45.Rd6 Rd8 46.Kg3 c3 47.Rxd5 c2 48.Rc5 Rxd7 49.Rxc2+- 41...Rxf4 42.exf4 e3 43.Kg2 Kf7 44.f5 gxf5 45.h5+- 42.Kg4 Ra7 42...Rxf4+ 43.exf4 Kf7 44.f5 gxf5+ 45.Kf4 Ke6 46.h5 Kxd6 47.g6 hxg6 48.h6+- 43.Rf6 Rf7 43...Rxa4 44.d7 Ra8 45.Rxc6 Rd8 46.Rd6+- 44.d7 Rxd7 45.Rxc6 Rf7 46.Rxb6 Rf3 47.Rb7+ Kg8 48.a5 Rxe3 49.a6 Ra3 50.a7+- 40.Rf6 Ra8 The computer suggestion 40...Ra7 41.Kf4 Ra8 is met by 42.h5! However, not 42.Re6? Rf8+ 43.Ke5?? Rf5# 42...Rf8 42...gxh5 43.Ke5 Re8+ 44.Kf5 44.Re6?? Kf7-+ 44...h4 45.d7 Rd8 46.Ke6 h3 47.Rh6+- 43.hxg6 hxg6 44.d7 Rd8 45.Rd6 Kf7 46.Ke5 b5 47.Rxc6 Rxd7 48.Rf6+ Ke7 48...Kg7 49.Rb6+- 49.Rxg6+- 41.Re6 Rd8 The active approach 41...b5 is refuted by 42.Re7+ Kf8 43.Rxh7 Kg8 44.Rc7 Rd8 45.Rxc6 Kf7 46.Kf4 Ke6 47.d7+ Kxd7 48.Rxg6 Kc7 49.h5 b4 50.h6 b3 51.h7 Rh8 52.Rh6 b2 53.Rh1 and White wins as Rxh7 runs into 54.Rxh7++- 42.Re7+ A fantastic achievement by Sergey Karjakin! The resignation is quite early but White is indeed winning, e.g. 42.Re7+ Kf8 42...Kg8 43.d7 Kf8 44.Rxh7 Kg8 44...b5 45.Rh8+ Ke7 46.Rxd8 Kxd8 47.h5 gxh5 48.g6+- 45.Re7 Kf8 46.Re6 Rxd7 47.Rxg6+- and White's connected passed pawns will decide the day. 43.Rxh7 Rxd6 44.Rxb7 Re6 44...c5 45.dxc5 Rc6 46.Rb5 Kf7 47.Kf4 Ke6 48.Rb6+- 45.Rc7 Kg8 46.Kg4 Rd6 47.h5 gxh5+ 48.Kxh5 Re6 49.g6+- 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
Karjakin,S2780Wang Hao27521–02013C4275th Tata Steel GpA3.4

Deadly Zwischenschach

This German expression for in-between-check is sometimes also used in English. In the following rook ending the motif zwischenschach plays a major role:

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Position not in LiveBook
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.g3 b6 8.Bg2 Bb7 9.0-0 Bd6 10.Qe2 0-0 11.Rd1 h6 12.c4 Qe7 13.Ne5 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 Bxe5 15.Qxe5 Rfd8 16.Qe2 Rd7 17.Be3 Rad8 18.Qf3 Ne8 19.b3 Nd6 20.d5 Nf5 21.Re1 Qf6 22.dxe6 fxe6 23.Bf4 Nh4+ 24.gxh4 Rf8 25.Rad1 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Qxf4 27.Qxf4 Rxf4 28.Kg3 Rf5 29.Rd8+ Kh7 30.Rd7 Rc5 31.Re7 Kg6 32.Rxe6+ Kf7 33.Re4 a5 34.Kg4 Kf6 35.f4 c6 36.h5 b5 37.a4 bxa4 38.bxa4 Rf5 39.Rd4 Rc5 40.h3 Ke6 41.Re4+ Kf6 42.h4 Rf5 43.Re8 Rc5 44.Ra8 Ke6 45.Ra6 Kf6 46.Ra7 g6 47.hxg6 Kxg6 48.Ra8 Deadly Zwischenschach This German expression for in-between-check is sometimes also used in English. In the following rook ending the motif zwischenschach plays a major role: Kf6? 48...h5+! 49.Kf3 Kf7 defends as White can not activate his king easily, e.g. 50.Ke3 Ke7 51.Kd4 Rf5 52.Ke4 Rc5 53.Ke3 Kf7= 49.Rf8+ A strong zwischenschach. Ke6 50.Re8+ Kf6 51.Re5! This destroys Black's main defensive link. Rxc4 51...Rxe5? 52.fxe5+ Kxe5 53.Kh5 Kd4 54.Kxh6 Kxc4 55.Kg6 c5 56.h5 Kb3 57.h6 c4 58.h7 c3 59.h8Q c2 60.Qa1+- 52.Rf5+! Another strong zwischenschach to force Giri's king to an inferior square. Ke6 53.Rxa5 Kf6 The alternativs also do not save Black, e.g. 53...c5 54.Ra6+ Kd5 54...Kd7 55.h5+- 54...Kf7 55.Kf5 Rd4 56.a5 c4 57.Ra7+ Kf8 57...Kg8 58.Rc7 Rd5+ 59.Kg6 Rd6+ 60.Kh5+- 58.Rc7 Rd5+ 59.Kg6 Rd6+ 59...Rxa5 60.f5+- 60.Kh7 Ra6 61.h5 Rxa5 62.Kxh6 Ra6+ 63.Kg5+- 55.h5 Re4 55...Rc1 56.Rxh6 Rg1+ 57.Kf5 c4 58.Rh8 c3 59.h6 c2 60.h7 c1Q 61.Rd8++- 56.Rxh6 Rxa4 57.Rh8 Ke6 58.h6 Kf6 59.Rg8! Ra7 60.Rc8 Kg6 61.Rc6+ Kh7 62.Kh5 Rf7 63.Kg5+- as Black's rook is too passive. 53...Kd6 54.Rh5 Rxa4 55.Rxh6+ Ke7 56.Kg5 Kf7 57.Rxc6+- as Black is just too late to set up a drawing formation against f- and h-pawn. 53...h5+ 54.Kg5+- 54.Ra8! c5 54...Ke7 55.a5 Kd6 56.a6 Kc5 57.h5 Ra4 58.a7 Kb6 59.Rh8 Rxa7 60.Rxh6+- 54...Rd4 55.a5 Rd7 56.a6 Rg7+ 57.Kf3 Kf5 58.Rf8+ Ke6 59.Rh8+- 55.a5 Ra4 55...Rd4 runs into 56.a6 Rd7 57.Rc8 Rg7+ 58.Kf3 Ra7 59.Rc6+ Kf5 60.Rxc5+ Kg6 61.Ra5+- 55...h5+ 56.Kxh5 Rxf4 57.Rf8+ Ke5 58.Rxf4 Kxf4 59.a6+- 56.a6 c4 57.a7 Kg7 58.Kf3! The king moves into the square of the passed pawn to stop it himself. White will then win by pushing his f-pawn to f6. c3 59.Ke3 59.Ke3 c2 60.Kd2 Ra2 61.f5 h5 62.f6+ Kxf6 63.Rf8+ Ke7 64.a8Q+- 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
Harikrishna,P2698Giri,A27201–02013C1075th Tata Steel GpA1.3

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.

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.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.