CBM training: Krushing attack, Hou Yifan's Knightmare

by ChessBase
11/24/2012 – For this weekend edition our linguistically creative ChessBase Magazine columnist GM Karsten Müller has selected two games from the current Women's World Championship in Khanty Mansiysk, and a bonus game, Anand vs Caruana, where the reigning open world champion shows us how to handle rook and knight against rook and knight. Learn and enjoy.

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Krushing Attacks

In double rook endings mating attacks often play a major role:

[Event "FIDE WCh Women"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2012.11.16"] [Round "2.4"] [White "Cramling, Pia"] [Black "Krush, Irina"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D27"] [WhiteElo "2516"] [BlackElo "2470"] [Annotator "Müller,Karsten"] [PlyCount "144"] [EventDate "2012.11.11"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "RUS"] 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Nc3 cxd4 9. exd4 Nb4 10. Bb1 b6 11. Bg5 Bb7 12. Re1 Be7 13. Ne5 Nfd5 14. Qf3 O-O 15. Qh3 f5 16. Bd2 Bg5 17. Bxg5 Qxg5 18. Nf3 Qf6 19. Qg3 Rac8 20. Ne5 Qh6 21. Nxd5 Nxd5 22. Bd3 Rfd8 23. Nc4 Nf4 24. Nxb6 Rb8 25. d5 Nxd5 26. Nxd5 Bxd5 27. Bxa6 Rxb2 28. a4 Ra8 29. Bf1 Qd2 30. Red1 Qb4 31. Qe5 Qb8 32. Qxb8+ Rbxb8 33. a5 Kf7 34. a6 Ra7 35. Rd2 g5 36. h4 gxh4 37. Rd4 Kg6 38. Rxh4 Rb6 39. Rc1 Rc6 40. Ra1 Rc2 41. Rb4 Kf6 42. f3 h6 43. Rb6 Rc6 44. Rb8 Bc4 45. Bxc4 Rxc4 46. Rb6 Rc2 47. Re1 Re7 48. Ra1 Ra7 49. Re1 Re7 50. Kh2 Ra2 51. Kh3 Ra4 52. Rc1 Re8 53. Rcc6 Re7 54. Rc8 Kf7 55. Ra8 Kf6 56. Rf8+ Kg5 57. Rc8 Kf6 58. Rcc6 Re8 59. Rd6 Re7 60. Rd8 Kf7 61. Rh8 Kg7 62. Ra8 Kf6 63. Rab8 Ra2 64. Rc6 Ra4 65. Rf8+ Kg5 66. Rb6 Ra7 67. Rxe6 {Krushing Attacks In double rook endings mating attacks often play a major role:} R4xa6 $2 {This is the wrong rook.} ({After} 67... R7xa6 $1 {White can't win, e.g.} 68. f4+ Kxf4 69. g3+ Kg5 70. Re5 Rf6 71. Rg8+ Rg6 $11 (71... Kh5 $2 72. g4+ Rxg4 73. Rxg4 $18)) 68. Re5 $2 ({Both players missed the beautiful} 68. f4+ $3 Kxf4 69. g3+ Kg5 (69... Kf3 70. Rxf5#) 70. Rg8+ Kh5 71. Re5 {and Black has no defense, e.g.} Rg6 72. Rxf5+ Rg5 73. g4# { as given in Chess Today 4392.}) 68... Rf6 69. Rg8+ Rg6 70. Rb8 (70. f4+ Kxf4 71. Rxg6 Kxe5 72. Rxh6 $11) 70... Kf4 71. Rbb5 Rg5 72. Rec5 $2 {Now Irina Krush's attack crushes through.} ({After} 72. Kh4 Ra1 73. g3+ Kxf3 74. Rxf5+ Rxf5 75. Rxf5+ {it is drawn, e.g.} Ke4 76. Kg4 Rh1 77. Rh5 Rxh5 78. Kxh5 Kf3 79. Kxh6 Kxg3 $11) (72. Kh2 $6 {is also playable, but less precise due to} Ra2 73. Rb4+ Kxe5 74. f4+ Kf6 75. Rb6+ Kf7 76. fxg5 hxg5 77. Kg3 $11) 72... Rh5# 0-1

Hou Yifan's Knightmare

Women's World Champion Hou Yifan was surprisingly eliminated in the second round by Monika Socko:

[Event "FIDE WCh Women"] [Site "Khanty-Mansiysk RUS"] [Date "2012.11.16"] [Round "2.3"] [White "Hou Yifan"] [Black "Socko, Monika"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B30"] [WhiteElo "2606"] [BlackElo "2445"] [Annotator "Müller,Karsten"] [PlyCount "94"] [EventDate "2012.11.11"] [EventRounds "6"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [Source "Chess Today"] [SourceDate "2012.11.16"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. Nf3 Nge7 5. O-O a6 6. Bxc6 Nxc6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Qc7 9. Re1 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Qc5 11. Qd3 Qc7 12. Bg5 f6 13. Bh4 Bd6 14. Bg3 Bxg3 15. hxg3 O-O 16. Rad1 b5 17. a4 b4 18. Nd5 Qc5 19. Ne3 a5 20. Rd2 Rd8 21. Red1 Bb7 22. Qd4 Rac8 23. Qxc5 Rxc5 24. f3 Bc6 25. b3 Kf7 26. Rd4 Ke7 27. Rc4 Rxc4 28. Nxc4 {Hou Yifan's Knightmare Women's World Champion Hou Yifan was surprisingly eliminated in the 2nd round by Monika Socko:} d5 $5 {Socko sets a deep trap.} (28... Ra8 {is also playable.}) 29. Nxa5 Ba8 30. exd5 $2 {This allows Black to exchange rooks under favorable circumstances, after which the bishop will dominate the knight.} (30. Rd4 $1 {leads to a dynamically balanced endgame, e.g.} dxe4 ({With rooks White is even better after} 30... Rb8 $2 31. exd5 exd5 32. Kf2 Rb6 $6 33. c3 bxc3 34. Ke2) 31. Rxb4 (31. Rxd8 Kxd8 32. Kf2 exf3 33. gxf3 Bd5 34. Nc4 $11) 31... Rd1+ 32. Kf2 Rd2+ 33. Ke3 Rxc2 34. fxe4 Rc3+ 35. Kf2 Rc2+ $11) 30... Rxd5 $1 31. Rxd5 exd5 32. c3 {Desperation, but after} (32. Kf2 Kd6 33. Ke3 Kc5 34. Kd3 Kb6 $19 {Black's king is just in time.} ) 32... bxc3 33. b4 d4 34. Kf2 Bd5 {Corralling the poor steed.} 35. Ke2 c2 36. Kd2 d3 37. b5 $6 (37. g4 {make the mobilisation of Black's kingside more difficult. But Black should win nevertheless in the long run, e.g.} Kd6 38. f4 Bxg2 39. Nb3 Bd5 40. Nc5 Bc4 41. Ne4+ Kd5 42. Nf2 f5 43. gxf5 (43. g5 h5 $19) 43... h5 44. Nh3 Kd4 45. Nf2 h4 $19) 37... Kd6 38. b6 (38. g4 {runs into} Kc5 $19) 38... h5 $1 39. Kc1 g5 40. Kd2 h4 41. g4 (41. gxh4 {can be met by} gxh4 42. Kc1 Bxf3 43. Nc4+ Kc6 44. Ne3 Bxg2 45. Nxg2 h3 $19 {and the h-pawn will queen.}) 41... Kd7 42. Kc1 Bxf3 $3 {The typical beautiful strike to mobilise Black's pawns.} 43. Nb3 (43. gxf3 h3 44. b7 Kc7 45. Nc6 Kxb7 46. Nb4 h2 47. Nxd3 h1=Q+ $19) 43... Bxg2 44. a5 (44. Nc5+ Kc6 45. b7 Kc7 46. Nxd3 h3 $19) 44... Kc6 45. Nd4+ (45. b7 Kxb7 46. Nc5+ Ka7 47. Nxd3 h3 48. Nf2 h2 49. Kxc2 Ka6 50. Kd3 Kxa5 51. Kd4 Kb5 $19) 45... Kc5 46. Nb3+ Kb5 47. Kd2 h3 {A real knightmare for White's knight.} (47... h3 48. Kxd3 h2 49. Kxc2 h1=Q $19) 0-1

Anand's active defense

In endings with rook and knight against rook and knight a light initiative usually counts for a lot. So Anand uses the moment to keep Caruana's army under control:

[Event "5th Final Masters"] [Site "SaoPaulo BRA/Bilbao ESP"] [Date "2012.09.26"] [Round "3"] [White "Caruana, Fabiano"] [Black "Anand, Viswanathan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B52"] [WhiteElo "2773"] [BlackElo "2780"] [Annotator "Müller,Karsten"] [PlyCount "139"] [EventDate "2012.09.24"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "10"] [EventCategory "22"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Bd7 4. Bxd7+ Qxd7 5. c4 Nc6 6. Nc3 g6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bg7 9. Nde2 Nf6 10. f3 O-O 11. O-O a6 12. a4 e6 13. Bg5 h6 14. Bh4 Rfd8 15. Rb1 Qc7 16. Kh1 Rd7 17. Rc1 Re8 18. Nd5 exd5 19. cxd5 Qb6 20. Bf2 Qxb2 21. dxc6 bxc6 22. Rxc6 Rdd8 23. Rxa6 Qb4 24. Rb6 Qc4 25. Nd4 Ra8 26. Nb5 Red8 27. Rxd6 Rxd6 28. Nxd6 Qxa4 29. Qxa4 Rxa4 30. Rd1 Nh7 31. Ne8 Be5 32. Bg3 Bxg3 33. hxg3 Ng5 34. Rd8 h5 35. Nf6+ Kg7 36. e5 Ra1+ 37. Kh2 Ra2 38. Kg1 Ra1+ 39. Kf2 Ra2+ 40. Kf1 Ra1+ 41. Ke2 Ra2+ 42. Rd2 Ra5 43. Nd5 Ne6 44. Kf2 Rb5 45. f4 Rb3 46. Rd1 Rb2+ 47. Kg1 Ra2 48. Kh2 Ra4 49. Nf6 h4 50. Rf1 g5 51. f5 Nc5 52. Re1 { Anand's active defense In endings with rook and knight against rook and knight a light initiative usually counts for a lot. So Anand uses the moment to keep Caruana's army under control:} Nd3 $5 53. Re2 Ra5 54. gxh4 gxh4 55. Nd7 {The alternatives also do not win:} (55. e6 {is met by the exchange sacrifice} Kxf6 56. e7 Ra8 57. e8=Q Rxe8 58. Rxe8 Kxf5 {and Anand's active army can not be defeated, e.g.} 59. Rh8 Kg5 60. Rg8+ Kh5 61. Rf8 Kg6 62. Kh3 Nf4+ $11) (55. Ng4 $5 {is a dangerous try, but Black can defend:} Ra1 (55... Ra4 $2 {runs into } 56. e6 fxe6 57. fxe6 Ra8 58. e7 Re8 59. Ne3 Nb4 60. Rb2 Nc6 61. Nd5 Nxe7 62. Rb7 Kf8 63. Rxe7 Rxe7 64. Nxe7 Kxe7 65. Kh3 Kf6 66. Kxh4 Kg6 67. Kg4 $18) 56. Re3 Nf4 57. e6 fxe6 58. fxe6 Ra8 ({Even} 58... Nd5 {is playable:} 59. e7 Nxe3 60. e8=Q Nxg4+ 61. Kh3 Nf6 62. Qe7+ Kg6 63. Kxh4 Ra4+ $11) 59. e7 Re8 60. Re4 Nd5 61. Ne3 Nxe3 62. Rxe3 Kf6 63. Kh3 Kg5 64. Re2 Kf4 $11) 55... Nc5 56. Nxc5 { As rook endings have a very large drawish tendency it is an idea to keep the knight on the board with} (56. Nb6 $5 {but Black should be able to hold, e.g.} Nd3 57. Nc4 (57. e6 fxe6 58. fxe6 Re5 59. Rxe5 Nxe5 60. Nd5 Nd3 61. Kh3 Ne1 $11 ) 57... Ra1 58. Nd6 Nf4 59. Re4 (59. Rd2 Re1 60. Rd4 Rf1 61. Re4 Nd3 62. g3 hxg3+ 63. Kxg3 Rd1) 59... Nd3 60. Ne8+ Kf8 61. Nc7 Rf1 62. f6 Rf4 63. Rxf4 Nxf4 64. Nb5 Nd3 65. Kh3 Nxe5 66. Nd6 Nd7 67. Ne4 Nb6 68. Kxh4 Ke8 {and in both cases White's extra pawn can probably not be converted.}) 56... Rxc5 57. Re4 ( 57. Kh3 Rc4 $11) 57... Rc3 $1 58. e6 (58. Rxh4 {is parried by} Re3 59. Rg4+ Kf8 (59... Kh6 60. e6 Re5 {is playable as well.}) 60. f6 (60. Ra4 Rxe5 61. g4 Re3 $11) 60... Rxe5 61. Kg3 Ra5 $11) 58... fxe6 59. fxe6 Kf8 60. Rxh4 Re3 $1 {The rook belongs behind the passed pawn.} 61. Rh8+ Kg7 $1 (61... Ke7 $2 {loses due to} 62. Rh6 $18) 62. Re8 Kf6 63. g3 Re4 64. Kg2 Re3 65. Kh3 Re4 66. g4 Re1 67. Rf8+ Kg7 68. Re8 Kf6 69. e7 Kg7 70. Kh4 (70. Kh4 Rh1+ 71. Kg5 Re1 72. Kf5 Rf1+ 73. Ke6 Re1+ 74. Kd6 Rd1+ $11) 1/2-1/2

Karsten Müller in ChessBase Magazine

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