CBM training: Magnus mighty minor pieces + rook endings

by ChessBase
1/21/2012 – Once again our endgame expert, GM Karsten Müller of ChessBase Magazine fame, presents interesting endgames from the running Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee. Two instructive examples caught his eye, and he has added two similar endgame motifs that occurred earlier this year. Quite a lot to learn and grasp, but hey, it will help you with your tournament results. Learn and enjoy.
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Magnus Mighty Minor Pieces

Two minor pieces are usualy stronger than a rook but careful manovering is often called for:

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1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 c6 6.Qc2 Nf6 7.h3 g6 8.e3 Bf5 9.Qd2 h5 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Nbd7 12.Nge2 a5 13.0-0 0-0 14.f3 b5 15.e4 dxe4 16.fxe4 Nc5 17.Qf3 Ne6 18.Be3 b4 19.Nb1 Nh7 20.Nd2 Rc8 21.Rad1 Bh4 22.g3 Bf6 23.Nc4 Bg7 24.b3 Qe7 25.Qg2 Nc7 26.Nxa5 Rfe8 27.e5 Nd5 28.Bd2 Red8 29.Nf4 Qa7 30.Nxc6 Rxc6 31.Nxd5 Rc2 32.Kh1 Bf8 33.e6 Qa8 34.exf7+ Kh8 35.Nf4 Qxg2+ 36.Kxg2 Rxd4 37.Rf2 Rd6 38.Bc1 Rxf2+ 39.Kxf2 Rxd1 40.Bb2+ Nf6 41.Bxf6+ Kh7 42.Ne6 Bd6 43.Be5 Be7 44.f8Q Bxf8 45.Nxf8+ Kh6 46.Ne6 g5 47.h4 gxh4 48.gxh4 Kg6 49.Nd4 Rd3 50.Nc6 Rd2+ 51.Ke3 Rxa2 52.Bd6 Ra1 53.Kd4 Magnus Mighty Minor Pieces Two minor pieces are usualy stronger than a rook but careful manovering is often called for: Rg1 53...Rh1!? is slightly more tenacious, but does not save the game as the minor pieces will outmanover the rook sooner or later, e.g. 54.Be7 Rh3 55.Ne5+ Kf5 56.Nd3 Rg3 57.Kc4 Rg4+ 58.Kb5 Rg3 59.Nc5 Rg4 60.Bd8 Rd4 61.Bg5 Rg4 62.Be7 Rg7 63.Bd8 63.Bg5? allows the blow Rxg5! when Black is just in time: 64.hxg5 h4 65.Ne4 h3 66.Nf2 h2 67.Kxb4 Kxg5 68.Kc3 Kf4 69.Kd2 Kf3 70.Ke1 Ke3= 63...Rg8 63...Rg4 64.Nb7 Ke6 65.Na5 Rg8 66.Nc6 Rg7 67.Bg5 Rb7+ 68.Ka6 Rc7 69.Kb6 Rc8 70.Kb5 Kd6 71.Ne7 Rb8+ 72.Kc4 Ke6 73.Nd5 Rc8+ 74.Kd4 Rb8 75.Nf4+ Kf5 76.Kc4 Kg4 77.Nd5+- 64.Nb7 Ke6 65.Kc5! Keeping control is more important than the pawn as the greedy 65.Kxb4? spoils it: Kd7 66.Kb5 Kc8 67.Ka6 Rg7 68.Nc5 Rg6+ 69.Bb6 Rg4= 65...Kd7 66.Bg5 Ke6 67.Nd6 Ke5 68.Nc4+ Ke4 69.Kxb4+- 54.Kc5! Magnus navigates his king skilfully. 54.Kc4?? Rg4+= 54...Kf5 54...Rg4? 55.Ne5++- 54...Rh1 55.Be7+- 55.Nxb4 Rc1+ 56.Kd4 Re1 57.Nc6 Re4+ 58.Kd5! Bodycheck! Rxh4 59.b4 Rh1 60.b5 Rb1 60...h4 61.b6 Rb1 62.Nb4 h3 63.Kc5 Rd1 64.b7 Rxd6 65.b8Q h2 66.Qh8+- 61.Nd4+! The knight plays on both wings. 61.Nb4? allows Black to defend, e.g. Rd1+ 62.Kc6 62.Kc5 Rc1+ 63.Kd4 Rd1+ 64.Nd3 Ke6 65.Bg3 Kd7= 62...Ke6 63.Bc5 h4 64.b6 h3 65.b7 h2 66.b8Q h1Q+= 61...Kg4 61...Kf6 62.Kc6 Rc1+ 63.Bc5 h4 64.b6 h3 65.Nf3 Kf5 66.b7 Rb1 67.Bb6+- 62.Kc6 Rc1+ 63.Kd7 Rb1 64.Kc7 h4 65.b6 Kh3 65...h3 66.b7 Rc1+ 67.Kd7 Rb1 68.b8Q Rxb8 69.Bxb8+- 66.b7 Kg2 66...Rc1+ does not help as the minor pieces can always create barriers: 67.Nc6 Rb1 68.b8Q Rxb8 69.Kxb8 Kg2 70.Ne5 Kg3 70...h3 71.Ng4+- 71.Ng6+ Kg4 72.Kc7 h3 73.Bh2 Kf3 74.Nf4+- 67.Nf5 h3 68.Nh4+ 68.Nh4+ Kg1 69.b8Q Rxb8 70.Kxb8 h2 71.Nf3+ Kg2 72.Nxh2+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Carlsen,M2835Aronian,L28051–02012D3174th Tata Steel GMA3

The outnumbered rook

An active rook is strong in open positions and can sometimes fight with two minor pieces on even terms in a simplified endgame (the play of B+N vs R is quite similar to the Carlsen-Aronian game):

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 Nbd7 7.0-0 g6 8.a3 Bg7 9.Ba2 0-0 10.Be3 Ne5 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Nd5 Bg7 14.c3 Nc6 15.Nc2 e6 16.Nde3 b5 17.Qd2 Bb7 18.Rad1 Qb6 19.Kh1 Ne7 20.Qxd6 Qxd6 21.Rxd6 Bxe4 22.f3 Nc8 23.Rd2 Bb7 24.Rfd1 Nb6 25.Bb3 h5 26.Rd6 Nc8 27.Rd8 Bf6 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Kg1 Ke7 30.a4 bxa4 31.Bxa4 Nb6 32.Bb3 a5 33.Nc4 Nxc4 34.Bxc4 Bc6 35.Nd4 Be8 36.b3 Rc8 37.Ne2 a4 38.Rc1 Kd6 39.Kf2 Rxc4 40.bxc4 Kc5 41.Rb1 Kxc4 42.Rb4+ Kc5 43.Rb7 Be5 44.f4 Bd6 45.Ke3 a3 46.Rb4 a2 47.Nc1 a1N 48.Nd3+ Kd5 49.Rd4+ Kc6 50.Ra4 Nb3 51.Ra8 Kd7 52.Ne5+ Ke7 53.Ra7+ Kf8 54.Ra8 Nc5 55.g3 g5 56.Nc4 gxf4+ 57.gxf4 Bc7 58.Rc8 Na6 59.Ra8 Nb8 60.Ra7 Bd8 61.Ra8 Nc6 62.Nd6 Ke7 63.Nxe8 Kxe8 64.f5 Ke7 65.Ke4 Kd6 66.Ra1 Bf6 67.Rd1+ Ke7 68.Rd3 Ne5 69.Rh3 h4 70.fxe6 Kxe6 71.Re3 Bg5 72.Re2 h3 73.Kd4 Bf4 74.Ke4 Bg5 75.Kd4 f6 76.c4 Kf5 77.c5 Bf4 78.Kd5 Kg4 79.Ke6 Nf3 80.Kxf6 Nxh2 The outnumbered rook An active rook is strong in open positions and can sometimes fight with two minor pieces on even terms in a simplified endgame: 81.Re4! The only way to draw. After 81.c6? the two pieces always manage to coordinate: Kf3 82.Rd2 82.Re1 Ng4+ 83.Ke7 Ne3 84.Kd7 Nd5 85.Rf1+ Kg3 86.Rd1 h2 87.Rb1 Kg2 88.Rb2+ Kh3 89.Rb3+ Bg3 90.Rb1 Kg2 91.Rb2+ Bf2 92.Rb1 Bg1 93.Rb2+ Kf3 94.c7 Nxc7 95.Rxh2 Bxh2-+ 82...Nf1 83.Rd7 h2 84.Rh7 Ne3 85.Ke6 Kg2 86.Kd7 Nd5 87.Rg7+ Bg3-+ 81...Kf3 82.Kf5? Now White's rook is outnumbered and outgunned. The direct sacrifice 82.Rxf4+! leads to a drawn pawn race: Kxf4 83.c6 Ng4+ 84.Ke6 Domination! h2 85.c7 h1Q 86.c8Q Qe4+ 87.Kd6= 82...Bg3! 83.Re7 83.c6 is met by Nf1! 84.Rh4 84.Rc4 Ne3+-+ 84...Ne3+ 84...Bxh4 wins as well, e.g. 85.c7 h2 86.c8Q Ng3+ 86...h1Q?? 87.Qb7+ Ke2 88.Qxh1 Ng3+ 89.Kg4 Nxh1 90.Kxh4= 87.Ke5 h1Q-+ 85.Ke6 h2 86.Rh3 Kg2 87.Rxg3+ Kxg3 88.c7 h1Q 89.c8Q Qh3+-+ 83...Ng4 84.Rh7 h2 85.c6 Ne3+ 86.Ke6 Kg2 87.Kd7 87.c7 is met by Bxc7 88.Rxc7 h1Q-+ 87...Nd5! The knight establishes a blockade and makes the numerical superiority of Black's army felt. Of course not 87...h1Q?? 88.Rxh1 Kxh1 89.c7 Nd5 90.c8Q Nb6+ 91.Kd8 Nxc8 92.Kxc8= 88.Ke6 Nc7+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sagit,R2368Gajewski,G26160–12011B90XLI Rilton Cup 2011-122

The King will come

Single rook endgames have a large drawish tendency, but over the board with the clock ticking it is of course much more difficult than at home with an engine and the tablebases:

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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 e6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1 a6 10.Bg5 Nbd7 11.Qd2 0-0 12.Bf4 Ne8 13.Rac1 Rc8 14.b3 Qc7 15.Qe3 Ndf6 16.h3 Nh5 17.Bg5 Bxg5 18.Nxg5 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Nhf6 20.Nge4 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 h6 22.Rc3 f5 23.Nd2 Rf6 24.Nf3 Qb7 25.b4 g5 26.Kh2 a5 27.bxa5 bxa5 28.c5 dxc5 29.Rxc5 Rxc5 30.Qxc5 Qc7 31.Rc1 Rf7 32.Qe3 Qd6 33.Rc8 Rf8 34.Qe5 Qxe5 35.Nxe5 Nd6 36.Rc6 Rd8 37.Kg2 Nf7 38.Rxe6 Rd2 39.Kf3 Rxa2 40.Nxf7 Kxf7 41.Rxh6 Rb2 42.Ra6 The King will come Single rook endgames have a large drawish tendency, but over the board with the clock ticking it is of course much more difficult than at home with an engine and the tablebases: Rb5? Now Black can not stop the invasion of White's king in the long run. 42...Ra2! was forced, when surprisingly Black might be able to defend, e.g. 43.h4 Ra3+ 44.e3 gxh4 45.gxh4 Ra4 46.Kg3 46.h5 Rh4 47.Rxa5 Rxh5 48.Kf4 Kf6 49.Ra6+ Kg7! The right retreat as 49...Kf7? runs into 50.Ke5+- 50.Rb6 50.Ke5 Rh2 51.f4 Rh3 52.Ra3 Kg6= 50...Rh2 51.f3 Rh3 52.Re6 Kf7 53.Re5 Kg6 54.Rxf5 Rxf3+ 55.Kxf3 Kxf5= 46...Rg4+ 47.Kh3 Ra4 48.h5 Kg7 49.Rg6+ Kf7 50.Rg5 Kf6 51.Rg8 Kf7 52.Ra8 Kg7 53.f4 Re4 54.Kh4 Rxe3 55.Kg5 Rg3+ 56.Kxf5 Rb3 57.Rxa5 Rb1= and it is a draw as the defending rook is well placed in the south-west corner. 43.e3 Kg7 43...Rb4 44.Rxa5 g4+ 45.hxg4 fxg4+ 46.Kg2 Kf6 47.Ra8 Kg7 48.Rd8 Kf7 49.Rd4+- 44.h4! L'Ami opens the gates. gxh4 44...Rb4 45.hxg5 a4 46.Kg2 Re4 47.f4 Rxe3 48.Rxa4 Kg6 49.Ra6+ Kg7 49...Kh5? 50.Rh6+ Kg4 51.Rh4# 50.Rf6+- 45.gxh4 Rc5 45...Rb4 46.Rxa5 Kg6 46...Rxh4 47.Rxf5+- 47.Ra6+ Kg7 47...Kh5 48.Rf6 Rb5 49.Kf4+- 48.h5 Rh4 49.h6+ Kf7 49...Rxh6 50.Rxh6 Kxh6 51.Kf4 Kg6 52.Ke5 Kg5 53.f3 Kg6 54.f4+- 50.Rb6+- Puts Black in fatal zugzwang. 46.Kf4 Rc4+ 46...Rc2 does not help, e.g. 47.f3 Rc5 48.Kg5 Re5 49.Ra7+ Kg8 50.Kf4 Rc5 51.h5 Kf8 52.h6 Kg8 53.Rg7+ Kh8 54.Re7!? Now White's king can come. Rb5 54...a4 55.Ra7 Kg8 56.Rxa4 Kh7 57.Kg5 Re5 58.Ra7+ Kh8 59.Kf4+- 55.Kg5 Rb6 56.Ra7 Rb5 57.Kg6 Rb6+ 58.Kxf5 Rxh6 59.f4+- 47.Kxf5 Rxh4 48.Ra7+ This strong zwischenschach is typical technique. Black can not stop the advance of White's connected passed pawns, while his own a-pawn is not dangerous at all. Kf8 48...Kh6 49.f4 Rh5+ 50.Kf6 Rb5 51.e4 Rb4 52.Kf5+- 49.f4 Rh5+ 50.Kf6 Rh6+ 51.Ke5! 51.Ke5! Rh3 51...Rh5+ 52.f5+- 52.e4 Ra3 53.f5 Ra4 54.Kf6 Rxe4 55.Ra8+ Re8 56.Rxe8+ Kxe8 57.Kg7 a4 58.f6 a3 59.f7+ Kd7 60.f8Q a2 61.Qf7++- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
L'Ami,E2596Vocaturo,D25451–02012A3074th Tata Steel GMB3

Saving rook checks

In rook endings the defending rook usually should be activated (the rook endgame is similar in several lines to the previous one, L'Ami-Vocaturo):

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1.g3 c5 2.Bg2 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.0-0 Qc7 6.Nc3 a6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1 0-0 10.Bg5 Nc6 11.Qf4 Ne5 12.Rac1 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.b3 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Rb8 16.Rc2 b5 17.Ne4 Be7 18.Qd3 Rd8 19.cxb5 Qa5 20.bxa6 d5 21.Qc3 Bb4 22.Qd4 Bxa6 23.Nc5 e5 24.Qe3 Rbc8 25.Nxa6 Rxc2 26.Nxb4 Qxb4 27.Bxd5 Kh8 28.Qxe5 Rxa2 29.Kg2 Qb6 30.Rd3 Ra5 31.Qe4 Ra7 32.Rf3 Kg8 33.h4 Qc5 34.Rf5 Qd6 35.h5 Re7 36.Qf3 Rdd7 37.Bc4 Qc7 38.Qa8+ Rd8 39.Qf3 Rdd7 40.e3 Rd2 41.e4 Rdd7 42.Bd5 Qd6 43.Qc3 Rc7 44.Qd4 Kh7 45.e5 Qc5 46.Qe4 Kh8 47.e6 f6 48.Rf3 Qd6 49.b4 Qb6 50.Ra3 Rc8 51.Qf5 Qb5 52.Ra5 Qe8 53.Be4 Qg8 54.Ra6 Rce8 55.b5 Rb8 56.Rd6 g6 57.hxg6 Kg7 58.b6 Qf8 59.Qd5 Qe8 60.Qb3 Qc8 61.Bc6 Kxg6 62.Qf3 f5 63.b7 Rbxb7 64.Bxb7 Qxb7 65.Qxb7 Rxb7 66.e7+ Kf7 67.Rxh6 Rb8 68.Rh7+ Kf6 69.Kf3 Saving rook checks In rook endings the defending rook usually should be activated: Re8? Too passiv. After 69...Rb3+ 70.Ke2 70.Kg2 Rb8 71.Kh3 Kg6 72.Rh4 Re8 73.Ra4 Rxe7 74.Ra6+ Kh5= 70...Rb8 White's king is not quick enough: 71.Kd3 71.Ke3 Kg6 72.Rh4 Re8 73.Kf4 73.Rd4 Rxe7+ 74.Kf4 Re6= 73...Rxe7 74.f3 Ra7= 71...Re8 72.Rh6+ 72.Kd4 Kg6= 72...Kxe7 73.Ke3 Ra8 74.Kf4 Ra2 75.f3 75.Kxf5 Rxf2+ 76.Kg6 Rg2= 75...Ra5 76.Kg5 Ra3= 70.Rh6+! The sting of the scorpion. Kxe7 70...Ke5 71.Rh1 Kf6 72.Re1 Rxe7 73.Rxe7 Kxe7 74.Kf4 Kf6 75.f3 Kg6 76.Ke5 Kg5 77.f4+ Kg4 78.Kf6 Kxg3 79.Kxf5+- 70...Kg5 71.Re6+- 71.Kf4 Ra8 71...Rf8 72.Ke5 f4 72...Rf7 73.Re6+ Kf8 74.Rf6+- 73.Re6+ Kd7 74.gxf4 Rxf4 75.Kxf4 Kxe6+- 72.Rh5! The greedy 72.Kxf5? runs into the amazing defense Rf8+ 73.Kg6 Rf6+! Again rook checks save Black. 74.Kg7 Rf7+ 75.Kg8 Rf8+ 76.Kg7 Rf7+ 77.Kg6 Rf6+ 78.Kg5 Rxf2 Only now! 79.g4 Kf7 80.Rh7+ Kg8 81.Kg6 Ra2 82.Rg7+ Kh8 82...Kf8? 83.g5 Ra6+ 84.Kh7+- 83.Rf7 Ra8= Against a knight's pawn passiv defense is sufficient. 72...Kf6 73.Rxf5+ Kg6 74.Kg4 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Romanov,E2627Plat,V24251–02011A3048th Groningen Open A8.4

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.

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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.

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