CBM training: Good knight bad bishop, Kazhgaleyev's knight hunt...

by ChessBase
1/11/2013 – ... and Breaking the blockade. These are the subjects for today's endgame lesson, delivered by our expert, ChessBase Magazine columnist GM Karsten Müller. He has picked the three games from a variety of tournaments and uses these topical examples of practical endgames to add to the playing strength of our readers. Learn and enjoy!

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

Good knight bad bishop

With blocked pawns a knight often wins against a bad bishop, but the following position should be drawn due to the very reduced winning potential:

[Event "XLII Rilton Cup"] [Site "Stockholm SWE"] [Date "2013.01.02"] [Round "6.2"] [White "Blomqvist, Erik"] [Black "Socko, Bartosz"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E91"] [WhiteElo "2448"] [BlackElo "2631"] [PlyCount "214"] [EventDate "2012.12.27"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "SWE"] [Source "Chess Today"] [SourceDate "2013.01.03"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. d4 O-O 6. Be2 Bg4 7. Be3 Nfd7 8. Rc1 c5 9. d5 Na6 10. O-O Nc7 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 a6 13. a4 Qb8 14. Be2 e6 15. Qd2 exd5 16. exd5 f5 17. Rfe1 Rf7 18. g3 Qf8 19. Kg2 Re8 20. Bd3 Nf6 21. Re2 Nh5 22. Rce1 f4 23. Bxf4 Bxc3 24. bxc3 Rxe2 25. Bxe2 Nxf4+ 26. gxf4 Rxf4 27. Bd3 Rf7 28. Qe3 a5 29. Re2 Qd8 30. Kg3 Qf6 31. Qd2 Qf3+ 32. Kh2 Kg7 33. Be4 Qf6 34. Bd3 Na8 35. Qb2 Qf4+ 36. Kg1 Qf3 37. Re3 Qd1+ 38. Kg2 Qxa4 39. Be2 Nc7 40. Qb6 Qd7 41. Qxa5 Qf5 42. f3 b5 43. Qa2 bxc4 44. Bxc4 Qg5+ 45. Kf2 Qf4 46. Bf1 Qh4+ 47. Ke2 Qg3 48. Qd2 Qf4 49. Qd3 Qh2+ 50. Ke1 Qb2 51. Be2 Qb3 52. c4 Qxd3 53. Bxd3 Kf6 54. Kf2 Re7 55. Rxe7 Kxe7 56. f4 Kf6 57. Kf3 Na8 58. h4 Nb6 59. Kg4 Nc8 60. f5 Nb6 61. fxg6 hxg6 62. Kf4 Nd7 63. Bf1 Ne5 64. Be2 Nf7 65. Bd3 g5+ 66. hxg5+ Nxg5 67. Bf1 Nf7 68. Bd3 Ne5 69. Be2 Ng6+ 70. Ke4 Kg5 71. Bd1 Ne5 72. Be2 Nd7 73. Bd3 Nf6+ 74. Kf3 Ng4 75. Be2 Nf6 76. Bd3 Nh5 77. Bc2 Ng7 78. Kg3 Ne8 79. Kf3 Nc7 80. Ke4 Na8 81. Bd1 Nb6 82. Be2 Na4 83. Bf1 Nc3+ 84. Kd3 Na2 85. Ke4 Nc1 86. Bh3 Nb3 87. Bd7 Nd2+ 88. Kd3 Nf3 89. Ke4 Ne5 90. Bb5 Ng4 91. Ba6 Nf6+ 92. Kd3 Kf4 93. Bb5 Ng4 94. Ba6 Ne5+ 95. Kc3 Ke3 96. Bb5 Nf3 97. Ba4 Nd2 98. Bc2 Nf1 99. Bb3 Ng3 {Good knight bad bishop With blocked pawns a knight often wins against a bad bishop, but the following position should be drawn due to the very reduced winning potential:} 100. Ba2 $2 (100. Ba4 $1 Ne4+ 101. Kc2 $1 {is the only rescue as now White's counterattack is always just in time.} ({However, not} 101. Kb3 $2 Kd4 102. Bc6 Nd2+ 103. Ka4 Nxc4 104. Kb5 Ne3 $19) 101... Kd4 102. Bb5 Ng3 103. Kb3 Ne4 104. Kc2 Ng3 105. Kb3 Nf1 (105... Kd3 106. Ka4 Ne4 107. Ka5 Nd2 108. Kb6 Nxc4+ 109. Kc6 Kd4 110. Bxc4 Kxc4 111. Kxd6 $11) 106. Kc2 Ne3+ 107. Kb3 Kd3 108. Ba6 Kd4 109. Bb5 $11) 100... Ne2+ 101. Kc2 {Now it is over anyway as White can't start counterplay with} (101. Kb3 {due to } Nc1+ 102. Kb2 Nxa2 103. Kxa2 Kd3 104. Kb3 Kd4 $19) 101... Kd4 102. Bb3 (102. Kb2 Nf4 103. Kb3 (103. Bb1 Kxc4 104. Be4 Nxd5 $19) 103... Nd3 104. Ka4 Nc1 105. Kb5 Nxa2 106. Kc6 Kxc4 107. Kxd6 Nb4 $19) 102... Nf4 103. Kb2 Nd3+ 104. Ka3 Nc1 105. Bd1 Kxc4 106. Bf3 Nd3 107. Ka4 Nb4 0-1

Kazhgaleyev's knight hunt

A knight is sometimes quite slow and can be hunted by king and pawns:

[Event "Al Ain Classic 2012"] [Site "Al-Ain UAE"] [Date "2012.12.27"] [Round "6.8"] [White "Kazhgaleyev, M."] [Black "Moosavian, S."] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A85"] [WhiteElo "2596"] [BlackElo "2377"] [PlyCount "129"] [EventDate "2012.12.22"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "UAE"] [Source "Mark Crowther"] [SourceDate "2012.12.31"] 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Qc2 d5 5. Bf4 c6 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 Ne4 8. f3 Nxc3 9. bxc3 O-O 10. Ne2 c5 11. O-O Nc6 12. Rad1 Na5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 14. cxd5 e5 15. Bxe5 Bxe3+ 16. Kh1 Qxd5 17. Bf4 Bxf4 18. Nxf4 Qf7 19. Qa4 b6 20. Bb5 Be6 21. Nxe6 Qxe6 22. Bd7 Qf7 23. c4 Kh8 24. Rd5 Rad8 25. Rfd1 Nxc4 26. Rxf5 Qxf5 27. Bxf5 Nb2 28. Rxd8 Rxd8 29. Qc2 Rd1+ 30. Qxd1 Nxd1 31. Kg1 b5 32. Be6 a5 33. Kf1 Ne3+ 34. Kf2 Nc2 35. Bd7 b4 36. Ba4 Na3 37. Ke3 Nb1 38. Kd4 Nc3 39. Bb3 a4 40. Bc4 {Kazhgaleyev's knight hunt A knight is sometimes quite slow and can be hunted by king and pawns:} Nd1 $1 {By far the best defense.} (40... Nxa2 $2 {leads directly to a lost pawn ending:} 41. Bxa2 b3 42. Bxb3 axb3 43. Kc3 Kg8 44. Kxb3 Kf7 45. Kc4 Ke6 46. Kd4 Kd6 47. f4 Ke6 48. g4 Kd6 49. f5 $18) ({and} 40... Nb1 $6 41. Kc5 b3 42. axb3 axb3 43. Bxb3 {brings Black on the verge of an abyss as his knight is so far away, but I have not found a winning knight hunt against} Nc3 $1 {All alternatives lose, e.g.} (43... Nd2 $2 44. Bc4 $18) ( 43... g6 $2 44. Kb4 $18)) 41. Kc5 (41. g3 $5 {is also interesting, but Black should be able to defend after} {However, not} Nc3 $2 (41... g5 42. Kc5 b3 43. axb3 axb3 44. Bxb3 Ne3 45. Bc4 Kg7 46. Bd3 h6 47. Kd4 Ng2 $3 {An original way to escape from the knight hunt.} (47... Nd1 $2 {runs into} 48. Bc2 Nf2 49. Ke3 Nh3 50. Bf5 $18) 48. Bf1 Ne1 49. Be2 Nc2+ 50. Ke5 Nb4 51. Bb5 Nc2) ({and also after} 41... g6 42. Kc5 b3 43. axb3 axb3 44. Bxb3 Ne3 45. Bc4 Kg7 46. Kd4 Nf5+ 47. Ke5 h5) 42. a3 $18) 41... b3 42. Bxb3 $5 {The bishop sacrifice is a good winning try as} (42. axb3 axb3 43. Bxb3 Ne3 44. g4 g5 45. Kd4 Ng2 46. Ke5 Kg7 $11 {is completely drawn.}) 42... axb3 43. axb3 Kg8 44. b4 Kf7 45. b5 Ke7 46. Kc6 Nb2 47. b6 Nc4 $1 {The right way to stop the b-pawn.} (47... Nd3 $2 {is refuted by} 48. f4 Nb4+ 49. Kb5 Nd5 50. b7 Nc7+ 51. Ka5 $18 {Knight check shadow.}) 48. b7 Na5+ 49. Kc7 Nxb7 50. Kxb7 Kd6 $2 {As Black's counterattack is too slow the king should fight against White's with} (50... Kd7 $1 51. Kb6 Kd6 52. Kb5 Kd5 $11) 51. Kc8 $1 {The decisive encirclement.} h5 (51... Ke7 { does not help, e.g.} 52. Kc7 h5 53. Kc6 Ke6 54. g3 h4 55. Kc5 Ke5 56. Kc4 hxg3 57. hxg3 Ke6 58. Kd4 Kd6 59. f4 Ke6 60. g4 Kd6 61. f5 Ke7 62. Ke5 Kf7 63. g5 Ke7 64. g6 Kf8 65. Ke6 Ke8 66. Kd6 Kf8 67. Kd7 Kg8 68. Ke7 Kh8 69. f6 gxf6 70. Kf7 $18) ({The counterattack} 51... Ke5 {runs into} 52. Kd7 Kf4 53. Ke6 Ke3 ( 53... g5 54. Kf6 h5 55. g3+ Kxf3 56. Kxg5 $18) 54. Kf7 g5 55. Kg7 Kf2 56. Kxh7 Kxg2 57. Kg6 Kxf3 58. Kxg5 Ke4 59. h4 $18) 52. Kd8 g5 53. Ke8 Ke6 54. Kf8 Kf6 55. g3 $2 {The fight for the opposition can only be won by} (55. g4 $1 h4 ( 55... hxg4 56. fxg4 Ke5 57. Kf7 Kf4 58. h3 Kg3 59. Kg6 Kh4 60. Kh6 Kxh3 61. Kxg5 $18) 56. h3 Ke5 57. Kf7 Kf4 58. Kf6 Kg3 59. Kxg5 Kxh3 60. Kf4 Kg2 61. g5 h3 62. g6 h2 63. g7 h1=Q 64. g8=Q+ Kf1 65. Qc4+ Kf2 66. Qc2+ Kf1 67. Qb1+ Kg2 68. Qxh1+ Kxh1 69. Kg3 $18) 55... h4 56. Kg8 Kg6 57. Kh8 Kh6 58. Kg8 Kg6 59. Kf8 Kf6 60. Ke8 h3 {Now Black's counterattack is quick enough.} ({The alternative defense by opposition with} 60... Ke6 {draws as well, e.g.} 61. Kf8 Kf6 62. Kg8 Kg6 63. Kh8 Kh6 64. g4 h3 65. Kg8 Kg6 $11) 61. Kf8 Ke5 $1 62. Kg7 Kd4 63. g4 (63. Kf6 Ke3 64. Kxg5 Kxf3 65. g4 {transposes to the game.}) 63... Ke3 64. Kf6 Kxf3 65. Kxg5 (65. Kxg5 Kg2 66. Kf4 Kxh2 67. g5 Kg2 68. g6 h2 69. g7 h1=Q 70. g8=Q+ Kf1 $1 (70... Kf2 $2 71. Qa2+ Kf1 72. Qb1+ Kg2 73. Qc2+ Kh3 74. Qd3+ Kg2 75. Qe2+ Kg1 (75... Kh3 76. Qg4+ Kh2 77. Qg3#) 76. Kg3 $18) 71. Qc4+ Kg1 72. Qc1+ Kh2 $1 $11) 1/2-1/2

Breaking the blockade

Same colored bishop endings have a large drawish tendency, but White's advantage in the following position must be too large. But how to deliver the blow?

[Event "19th Zadar Open A"] [Site "Zadar CRO"] [Date "2012.12.19"] [Round "6.7"] [White "Martinovic, Sa"] [Black "Lalic, B."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D80"] [WhiteElo "2530"] [BlackElo "2484"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2012.12.16"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "CRO"] [Source "Mark Crowther"] [SourceDate "2012.12.24"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Bg5 Ne4 5. h4 Nxg5 6. hxg5 e6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. e3 a6 9. Qb3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 c5 11. dxc5 Nd7 12. Qa3 Qe7 13. Ne4 O-O 14. O-O-O b6 15. c6 Qxa3 16. bxa3 Nc5 17. Nfd2 Ra7 18. Nxc5 bxc5 19. Ne4 Rc7 20. Rd6 h5 21. f4 Re8 22. Rhd1 Kf8 23. Nf6 Bxf6 24. gxf6 e5 25. fxe5 Rxe5 26. Rd8+ Re8 27. R1d6 h4 28. Kb2 g5 29. Kb3 g4 30. Bd5 Be6 31. Kc4 h3 32. gxh3 gxh3 33. Kxc5 h2 34. Bh1 Rc8 35. Rxe8+ Kxe8 36. Kb6 Rd8 37. Rxd8+ Kxd8 38. Kb7 Bc8+ 39. Kb8 a5 40. a4 Ba6 41. e4 Bc8 42. e5 Ba6 43. Bg2 Ke8 44. c7 Kd7 45. Bd5 Bc8 {Breaking the blockade Same colored bishop endings have a large drawish tendency, but White's advantage in the following position must be too large. But how to deliver the blow?} 46. e6+ {This breaks Black's fortress, but White had to calculate very far ahead.} ({The alternative is} 46. Bg2 Ba6 47. Bf1 {and Black has no defense as the stopping diagonal a6-c8 is too short:} h1=Q (47... Bc8 48. Bh3+ Kc6 (48... Ke8 49. Bxc8 h1=Q 50. Bd7+ Kxd7 51. c8=Q#) 49. Bxc8 h1=Q 50. Bb7+ $18) (47... Bb7 48. Bh3+ Ke8 49. Bg2 $18) 48. Bxa6 Qb1+ 49. Bb5+ Ke6 50. c8=Q+ Kxe5 51. Qc3+ $18) 46... fxe6 47. Bg2 (47. f7 Ke7 48. Bg2 { transposes.} ({However, not} 48. Kxc8 $4 exd5 $11)) 47... Ba6 48. f7 Ke7 49. f8=Q+ Kxf8 50. c8=Q+ Bxc8 51. Kxc8 Ke7 52. Kc7 Kf6 53. Kb6 Ke5 {Now White wins the race, queens first and then exchanges queens.} ({After} 53... e5 54. Kxa5 Kf5 {White's king must return to the kingside with} 55. Kb4 (55. Kb6 $4 e4 56. a5 e3 57. a6 e2 58. a7 e1=Q 59. a8=Q Qf2+ {is only drawn.}) 55... e4 56. Kc3 Kf4 57. Kd2 $18) 54. Kxa5 Kd4 55. Kb5 e5 56. a5 e4 57. a6 e3 58. a7 e2 59. a8=Q e1=Q 60. Qd5+ Ke3 (60... Kc3 {is met by} 61. Qb3+ Kd4 62. Qb4+ Qxb4+ 63. Kxb4 $18) 61. Qe5+ (61. Qe5+ Kf2 62. Qxe1+ Kxe1 63. a4 Kf2 64. Bc6 $18) 1-0

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