CBM training: Knight dance, light initiative, hiding place

by ChessBase
1/12/2012 – Did you watch his Endgame Magic Show? If you missed it you can still profit from the instructions provided by endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller in his popular ChessBase Magazine section. Today he provides two instructive endings from the Hastings Congress that ended last week – and a ladies' encounter in the Romanian league. Learn and enjoy.
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The knight dance

In endings with a knight often tactics, bodychecks and domination play a major role:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.c4 Bb7 4.Nc3 e6 5.a3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Qc2 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Be7 9.e4 Nd7 10.c4 c5 11.d5 Bf6 12.Bb2 Bxb2 13.Qxb2 Qf6 14.Qxf6 gxf6 15.Bd3 Rg8 16.0-0 f5 17.Rfe1 0-0-0 18.dxe6 fxe6 19.Re3 Nf6 20.exf5 Ng4 21.Rae1 Nxe3 22.Rxe3 exf5 23.Bxf5+ Kb8 24.h4 h6 25.g4 h5 26.Ng5 hxg4 27.Kh2 Rd4 28.Kg3 Bc8 29.Bxc8 Kxc8 30.Nf7 Rd1 31.h5 Rf8 32.Re7 Rd7 33.Rxd7 Kxd7 34.Ne5+ Ke6 35.Nxg4 Rd8 36.Kf4 Rd4+ 37.Kg5 Rxc4 38.f4 Rc1 39.f5+ Kf7 40.Ne5+ Kg8 41.f6 Kh7 42.Kf5 c4 43.f7 Rf1+ 44.Ke6 c3 45.Ke7 Kg7 46.h6+ Kxh6 47.f8Q+ Rxf8 48.Kxf8 Kg5 The knight dance In endings with a knight often tactics, bodychecks and domination play a major role: 49.Ke7? Now Black's king will surprisingly be quicker. The knight must dominate Black with 49.Nd3! Kf6 With this bodycheck Black shows that he can play for domination as well, but the knight persists with 50.Nb4! Ke6 51.a4 and now White's king is always in time on the queenside, e.g. a5 51...Kd6 52.Na2 c2 53.Kf7 Kc5 54.Ke6 Kc4 55.Nc1 Kb4 56.Kd5 Kxa4 57.Kc4 b5+ 58.Kc3= 52.Na2 c2 53.Ke8 Kd5 54.Kd7 Kc4 55.Kc6 Kb3 56.Nc1+ Kxa4 57.Kxb6 Kb4 58.Nd3+ Kc3 59.Nc1 a4 60.Kb5 a3 61.Ka4 Kb2 62.Nd3+ Ka2 63.Kb4= 49...Kf4! The king must come first as 49...c2? runs into 50.Nd3 Kf5 51.Kd6 and White is in time: Ke4 52.Nc1 Kd4 52...Ke3 53.Kc6 Kd2 54.Na2 c1Q+ 55.Nxc1 Kxc1 56.a4 Kb2 57.a5 bxa5 58.Kb5= 53.Kc6 Kc3 54.a4 Kb4 55.Kd5 55.Kb7? Kxa4 56.Kxa7 b5-+ 55...Kxa4 56.Kc4 b5+ 57.Kc3= 50.Nd3+ 50.Kd6 c2 51.Kd5 Ke3 Domination! 52.Nc4+ Ke2-+ 50...Ke3 50...Ke3 51.Ne1 Kd2 Even 51...Ke2 52.Nc2 Kd2 wins: 53.Nd4 c2 54.Kd6 c1Q 55.Nb3+ Kc2 56.Nxc1 Kxc1 57.a4 Kb2 58.Kc6 58.a5 bxa5 59.Kc5 a4 60.Kb4 a3-+ 58...Kb3 59.Kb5 a5 60.Kxb6 Kxa4 61.Kc5 Kb3-+ 52.Nf3+ Kd1 53.Nd4 c2 54.Nxc2 Kxc2 55.Kd6 Kb3-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Arkell,K2418Edouard,R26210–12011E12Hastings Masters 2011-122

A light initiative weighs heavily

In endgames with rook and knight against rook and knight the defender often faces unpleasant problems:

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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Ngf6 11.Bd2 e6 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.Kb1 c5 14.d5 Nxd5 15.Nf5 0-0 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7 17.g4 c4 18.Qxc4 Rac8 19.Qd3 Nc5 20.Qd4 Qf6 21.Qxf6 Nxf6 22.Ne5 Rfd8 23.Be3 Rd5 24.f4 b5 25.Rd4 Rxd4 26.Bxd4 Nd5 27.g5 hxg5 28.fxg5 f6 29.gxf6 gxf6 30.Ng6 Kh7 31.Bxc5 Rxc5 32.Nf8+ Kh6 33.Nxe6 Rc4 34.b3 Re4 35.Nd8 Re7 36.Nc6 Rh7 37.Nd4 b4 38.Kb2 Nf4 39.a3 bxa3+ 40.Kxa3 Nxh5 41.Ne6 f5 A light initiative weighs heavily In endgames with rook and knight against rook and knight the defender often faces unpleasant problems: 42.c4! Passed pawns must be pushed! The direct liquidation 42.Nf4? Kg5 43.Nxh5 Rxh5 44.Rxh5+ Kxh5 45.c4 spoils it: f4 45...Kg6 draws as well. 46.c5 f3 47.c6 f2 48.c7 f1Q 49.c8Q Qa1+= 42...Rh8 Unfortunately the only way to escape the bind. 42...Kg6?? runs into 43.Nf8++- 43.c5 Rc8 44.Nf4 Kg5! The best way to continue the fight as rook and knight do not cooperate well in the resulting endgame so White still has a lot of technical work to do. 45.Nxh5 Rxc5 46.Ng3 Kg4 46...Re5 is met by the amazing 47.Rg1 Kh4 48.Nh1‼ Re2 49.Rf1 Re5 50.Nf2 Kg3 51.Nd3 Re3 52.Nf4 and White should win in the long run. 47.Ne2 f4 48.Kb4 The direct 48.Nxf4? violates the endgame principle do not rush and spoils it due to Kxf4 49.Rh7 Ra5+ But not 49...a5? 50.Ka4 Ke4 51.Ra7+- 50.Kb4 Ra1= 48...Re5?! An inaccuracy as White now gains time with checks. But Black should be lost anyway in the long run, e.g. 48...Rc7 49.Nd4 Kg3 50.Rf1 Rf7 51.Rf3+ Kg4 52.Kc4 Rc7+ 53.Kd3 Rf7 54.Rf1 Kg3 55.Ke4 Re7+ 56.Kd5 Rf7 57.Rf3+ Kg4 58.Kc6 Rf6+ 59.Kc5 Rf5+ 60.Kc4 Rf8 61.b4 White is making slow but steady progress. Rc8+ 62.Kb5 Rb8+ 63.Ka5 Rb7 64.b5 Rd7 65.Rd3 Rf7 65...f3 66.Nxf3 Rxd3 67.Ne5++- 66.Ka6 Re7 67.Rc3 Re4 68.Rc4 Re7 69.Nc6 Rh7 70.Ne5+ Kg3 71.Rc3+ Kh4 72.Ng6+ Kg5 73.Nxf4 Kxf4 74.Rc8 Ke5 75.Ra8 Kd6 76.Rxa7+- 49.Rg1+! Kf3 50.Nd4+ Kf2 50...Ke3 51.Kc4+- 51.Ra1! Re7 51...Rd5 52.Kc4 Rd7 53.b4 f3 54.Ra3 Rf7 55.Nxf3 Rxf3 56.Rxa7+- 52.Ra2+! An important zwischenschach. Kg3?! A tactical blunder, but Black is lost in any case, e.g. 52...Kf1 53.Kc4 Rf7 54.b4 f3 55.Nxf3 Rxf3 56.Rxa7+- 53.Nf5+ 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.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sengupta,D2562Haydon,D22961–02012B19Hastings Masters 2011-129.6

The hiding place

In a rook ending the attacking king often has problems to find shelter from the rook checks. Creating an umbrella is one technique, often the attacking rook can help and sometimes hiding places are available:

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1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Ngf6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.0-0-0 e6 14.Ne4 0-0-0 15.g3 Nc5 16.Nxc5 Bxc5 17.Rh4 Bd6 18.Qe2 Rhe8 19.c4 Qe7 20.Ba5 Bc7 21.Bc3 Rd7 22.a3 Nh7 23.Bb4 Qd8 24.Rhh1 f6 25.Qe4 Ng5 26.Nxg5 fxg5 27.Qg6 a5 28.Bc3 Rde7 29.d5 exd5 30.cxd5 cxd5 31.Qf5+ Qd7 32.Rxd5 Qxf5 33.Rxf5 b6 34.Rd1 Be5 35.Bxe5 Rxe5 36.Rxe5 Rxe5 37.Rd6 Kc7 38.Rg6 Re7 39.Kd2 Kb7 40.a4 Rf7 41.Ke3 Ka6 42.f4 gxf4+ 43.gxf4 Rf5 44.Rxg7 Rxh5 45.Ke4 Rh2 46.f5 Rxb2 47.f6 Rf2 48.Ke5 Re2+ 49.Kd6 Rf2 50.f7 b5 The hiding place In a rook ending the attacking king often has problems to find shelter from the rook checks. Creating an umbrella is one technique, often the attacking rook can help and sometimes hiding places are available: 51.Ke7? After 51.Ke5! White's king will finally hide on b8: Re2+ 51...bxa4 52.Rg6+ Kb5 53.Rf6 Rxf6 54.Kxf6 a3 55.f8Q a2 56.Qa3+- 52.Kd5 Rd2+ 52...Rf2 53.Rg6+ Kb7 54.Ke6 Rxf7 55.Kxf7 bxa4 56.Ke6+- transposes to the game. 53.Kc6 Rc2+ 54.Kd7 Rd2+ 55.Kc8 Rc2+ 56.Kb8 The king has arrived and Black is defenseless. In a way the pawn b5 acts as umbrella shielding White's king from the rain of checks. Rf2 57.Rg6+ Rf6 58.Rxf6# 51.axb5+? Kxb5 52.Ke7 a4= 51...Re2+? Loses an all important tempo. Public enemy number one had to be eliminated at once: 51...Rxf7+! 52.Rxf7 bxa4 53.Kd6 Kb5 54.Kd5 a3! 54...Kb4? 55.Kd4 Kb3 56.Kd3 a3 57.Rb7++- 55.Kd4 a2 56.Rf1 Kb4 57.Kd3 Kb3 58.Rh1 Kb2 59.Rh2+ Kb3 60.Rh1= After 51...bxa4? 52.Rg6+ Kb5 53.Rf6 Re2+ White's king will hide on the queenside in the shadow of Black's king: 54.Kd7 Rd2+ 55.Kc7 Rc2+ 56.Kb7+- 52.Kd8 Rf2 53.Rg6+! The decisive zwischenschach. Kb7 54.Ke7 Rxf7+ 54...bxa4 55.Rf6 Re2+ 56.Kd6 Rd2+ 57.Kc5 Rd8 58.f8Q Rxf8 59.Rxf8 a3 60.Rf3 a2 61.Ra3+- After 54...Re2+ the rook can be used as shield: 55.Re6+- 55.Kxf7 bxa4 56.Ke6 Kc6 57.Ke5+ Kc5 58.Ke4 Kc4 58...a3 59.Kd3 a2 60.Rg1 Kb4 61.Kc2 Ka3 62.Rh1 h5 63.Rh3+ Kb4 64.Kb2+- 59.Rc6+ Kb3 60.Kd3 Bodycheck a3 60...Kb2 61.Rb6+ Kc1 62.Rxh6 a3 63.Rh2 Kb1 64.Kc3 a2?! 65.Rh1# 61.Rb6+! Ka2 61...Ka4 62.Kc2 h5 63.Rh6 a2 64.Kb2+- 62.Kc2 a4 63.Rxh6 63.Rxh6 Ka1 64.Rh3 Ka2 64...a2 65.Rh1# 65.Rg3 Ka1 66.Rxa3# 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
Bulmaga,I2304Foisor,C24161–02011B19ROU-Superliga Wom5.3

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.

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