CBM training: More endgames from Plovdiv

by ChessBase
3/31/2012 – 350 participants, a number rated over 2700 – that is a guarantee for interesting endgames cropping up in every round. Our ChessBase Magazin expert Dr Karsten Müller continues to scour the games of the European Individual Championship for interesting and instructive endings, and brings you four examples to peruse over the weekend. Learn and enjoy.
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Stamma's Mate

A lone knight can not force mate of course. But if the opponent still has a far advanced rook's pawn then matters can be different:

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1.e41,168,43054%2421---
1.d4948,59355%2434---
1.Nf3282,13556%2441---
1.c4182,40456%2442---
1.g319,72456%2427---
1.b314,32154%2427---
1.f45,91348%2377---
1.Nc33,81451%2384---
1.b41,75948%2379---
1.a31,22154%2405---
1.e31,07349%2409---
1.d395450%2378---
1.g466646%2361---
1.h444953%2374---
1.c343551%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411259%2465---
1.f39346%2435---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d6 5.d3 0-0 6.Rb1 e5 7.b4 a5 8.a3 h6 9.Nf3 axb4 10.axb4 Be6 11.0-0 Nc6 12.Nd2 Rb8 13.Nd5 Ne7 14.Qb3 Kh7 15.Bb2 Nfxd5 16.cxd5 Bd7 17.Rfc1 f5 18.Ra1 g5 19.Qc2 Rc8 20.Nc4 b6 21.Nd2 Bb5 22.Ra3 Rf7 23.Ra7 c6 24.dxc6 d5 25.Qb3 Qe8 26.Rb7 Rxc6 27.Rxc6 Bxc6 28.Rxb6 Qd8 29.Ra6 Bb7 30.Ra1 Qb6 31.Qa4 e4 32.Bxg7 Kxg7 33.Nb3 Qf6 34.b5 Ng6 35.Qd4 Ne5 36.f4 exf3 37.exf3 f4 38.Re1 Re7 39.Kh1 Kg8 40.gxf4 gxf4 41.Bh3 h5 42.Re2 Qh4 43.Rxe5 Rxe5 44.Qxe5 Qxh3 45.Nd2 Qd7 46.Qg5+ Kf7 47.Qxf4+ Kg6 48.b6 Qb5 49.Qd4 Qa5 50.Nf1 Qe1 51.Kg1 Qd1 52.Qe3 Ba6 53.Qe6+ Kg7 54.Qe5+ Kg6 55.Qg3+ Kf7 56.Qc7+ Kg6 57.Qc6+ Kg7 58.Qc3+ Kh7 59.b7 Bxd3 60.Qxd3+ Qxd3 61.b8Q Qxf3 62.Qg3 Qe4 63.Qe3 Qg4+ 64.Kf2 Kg6 65.Qd3+ Qf5+ 66.Ke3 Qxd3+ 67.Kxd3 Kf5 Stamma's Mate A lone knight can not force mate of course. But if the opponent still has a far advanced rook's pawn then matters can be different: 68.Ne3+ The alternative approach 68.Kd4 wins as well, e.g. Kg4 68...Ke6 69.Ne3 h4 70.h3+- 69.Kxd5 Kh3 70.Ke4 Kg2 71.Kf4 Kxf1 72.h4 Ke2 73.Kg5 Kf3 74.Kxh5 Kf4 75.Kg6+- However, not 68.Ng3+? Kg4 69.Ke3 Kh3 70.Nf1 Kg2 71.Ke2 d4= 68...Kf4 69.Nxd5+ Kf3 70.Ne3! h4 71.Kd4 h3 71...Kf4 72.Nf1 Kf3 73.Ke5 Kg2 74.Kf4 Kxf1 75.Kg4 Kg2 76.h3+- 72.Kd3 Kf2 73.Ke4 Ke2 Allows White to win the h-pawn. But taking White's h-pawn leads to Stamma's famous mate: 73...Kg1 74.Kf3 And now Black can choose the version: Kh1 74...Kxh2 75.Kf2 Kh1 76.Nf1 h2 77.Ng3# 75.Kf2 75.Kg3 wins as well of course. 75...Kxh2 76.Ng4+ Kh1 77.Kf1 h2 78.Nf2# 74.Ng4 74.Ng4 Kf1 75.Kf3+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Donchenko,A2309Onischuk,V25161–02012A2613th EICC4.107

The staircase

Geometrical manovers often make a strong impression:

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1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.Nc3 Bb7 4.Qd3 f5 5.Nf3 Bb4 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 Nf6 8.g3 d6 9.Bg2 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.b4 Qe8 12.a4 a5 13.b5 Qh5 14.Qc2 Rae8 15.Ba3 f4 16.h3 Be4 17.Qd1 Qg6 18.Kh2 Qh6 19.Bc1 g5 20.Ra3 e5 21.Kg1 Re7 22.e3 Bxf3 23.Bxf3 fxg3 24.Bg2 gxf2+ 25.Rxf2 Qh4 26.Raa2 Rg7 27.Rf5 g4 28.hxg4 Rxg4 29.Raf2 Ne4 30.Rxf8+ Nxf8 31.Rc2 Ng6 32.c5 Kg7 33.cxb6 cxb6 34.dxe5 dxe5 35.Qf1 Ng5 36.Rc7+ Kh6 37.e4 Nf4 38.Bxf4 exf4 39.Rc6+ Kh5 40.Rc3 Nh3+ 41.Kh1 Ng5+ 42.Kg1 Rxg2+ 43.Kxg2 f3+ 44.Rxf3 Qxe4 45.Qd3 Qxf3+ 46.Qxf3+ Nxf3 47.Kxf3 Kg5 48.Ke4 h5 49.Kd5 h4 50.Kc6 h3 51.Kxb6 h2 52.Ka7 h1Q 53.b6 The staircase Geometrical manovers often make a strong impression: Kf5 I guess that Khismatullin played this move, which enters the winning zone for the pawn on b7 to demonstrate the following staircase of his queen. 53...Qg1 wins quicker: 54.Ka6 54.Ka8 Qf1 55.Ka7 Qf2 56.Ka8 Qf6 57.Ka7 Qd4 58.Ka8 Qxa4-+ 54...Qc5 55.b7 Qc7 56.Ka7 56.b8Q Qxb8 is no stalemate due to 57.Kxa5-+ 56...Kf5 and Black wins as in the game. 54.b7 The winning zone for Black's king is f8-f2-e2-e1 and all squares left of the line. Black's king is just inside. Qg1+ Now the manover starts. 55.Ka8 Qg2 56.Ka7 Qf2+ The queen creeps closer and closer in slow motion. 57.Ka8 Qf3 58.Ka7 Qe3+ 59.Ka8 Qe4 60.Ka7 Qd4+ 61.Ka8 Qd5 62.Ka7 Qc5+ 63.Ka8 Qc6 64.Ka7 Qc7 Finally she has arrived. 65.Ka8 Ke5 66.b8Q Qxb8+ 67.Kxb8 Kd5 68.Kc7 68.Kb7 Kc5 69.Ka6 Kb4-+ 68...Kc5 Bodycheck! 68...Kc5 69.Kd7 Kb4 70.Kc6 Kxa4 71.Kc5 Kb3-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Fedoseev,V2548Khismatullin,D26560–12012A4013th EICC4.42

The bodycheck

Especially in endings rook against pawn this is an important technique. Avoiding a bodycheck might also be on the agenda of course:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.cxb5 a6 5.b6 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.e4 g6 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 Rb8 11.Rb1 Nxb6 12.h3 Na8 13.Bf4 Nh5 14.Bh2 Bh6 15.Re1 Nf4 16.Bf1 Nc7 17.Kh1 e5 18.dxe6 fxe6 19.Ne2 Nxe2 20.Bxe2 e5 21.Bc4+ Be6 22.Bxe6+ Nxe6 23.Qd5 Qe7 24.Red1 Rb6 25.Nd2 Bxd2 26.Rxd2 Qf7 27.Rc1 Nd4 28.Qxf7+ Kxf7 29.f4 exf4 30.Bxf4 Ke6 31.Be3 Rb4 32.Rcd1 Nb5 33.e5 Kxe5 34.Bh6 Rf7 35.Be3 Re4 36.Bg1 Nd4 37.b4 Kd5 38.bxc5 dxc5 39.Rd3 g5 40.Ra3 Rf6 41.Kh2 h5 42.Ra5 Rb6 43.Rc1 Rc6 44.Rd1 Kc4 45.Ra3 g4 46.Ra4+ Kb5 47.Ra3 Ne2 48.Bf2 Rf6 49.Be1 Nd4 50.hxg4 hxg4 51.Ra5+ Kb6 52.Rb1+ Nb5 53.a4 Rxe1 54.Rxa6+ Kxa6 55.axb5+ Kb6 56.Rxe1 Rf4 57.Kg3 Rd4 58.Kf2 Rd2+ 59.Kg3 Rd4 60.Kf2 Rd2+ 61.Kg3 Kxb5 62.Rb1+ Kc4 63.Rc1+ Kd4 64.Rg1 c4 65.Kxg4 c3 66.Kf3 c2 67.Rc1 The bodycheck Especially in endings rook against pawn this is an important technique. Avoiding a bodycheck might also be on the agenda of course: Kd3? Now Black can not use his rook to fight against the g-pawn directly. 67...Kc3! was called for: 68.g4 Rd4! This deadly cut off was given by Golubev in Chess Today 4156. As White can not advance his g-pawn his king must take the long way around it, when Black is just quick enough: 69.Kg3 69.g5 Kd2 70.Ra1 c1Q 71.Rxc1 Kxc1 and Black wins due to the cut off no matter, where his king is, e.g. 72.Kg3 Kd2 73.g6 Rd6 74.g7 Rg6+-+ 69...Kd2 70.Ra1 c1Q 71.Rxc1 Kxc1 72.Kh4 Kd2 73.Kg5 Ke3 74.Kf5 Rf4+ 75.Kg5 Kf3-+ 68.g4 Rd1 69.Rxc2 Kxc2 70.Ke4! This Bodycheck is the only move: 70.Kf4? is refuted by Kd3 71.g5 Kd4 72.Kf5 Kd5 73.Kf6 Kd6 74.g6 Rf1+ 75.Kg7 75.Kg5 Ke7 76.g7 Kf7-+ 75...Ke7 76.Kg8 Rg1 77.g7 Kf6 78.Kh8 Kf7-+ Moreover, 70.g5?? runs into the cut off Rd4 71.g6 Rd6 72.g7 Rg6-+ 70...Rg1 71.Kf5 Kd3 72.g5 Kd4 73.g6 Kd5 74.Kf6 Kd6 74...Rf1+ is met by the bodycheck 75.Ke7= However, not 75.Kg7? Ke6 76.Kh7 Rh1+ 77.Kg8 Kf6 78.g7 Rg1 79.Kh8 Kf7-+ 75.g7 Kd7 76.Kf7 Rxg7+ 77.Kxg7 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Melkumyan,H2628Andreikin,D2689½–½2012A5713th EICC6

Deceptive Simplicity

Pawn ending may look simple, but they are certainly not. Often long variations must be calculated precisely:

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1.Nf3 g6 2.e4 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Bg5 0-0 6.Qd2 Nc6 7.0-0-0 a6 8.Bh6 Bg4 9.Bxg7 Kxg7 10.Qe3 Qb8 11.e5 Nd7 12.exd6 exd6 13.h3 Re8 14.Qf4 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Qd8 16.Bc4 Qf6 17.Qxf6+ Nxf6 18.Nd5 Na5 19.Nxf6 Kxf6 20.Bd3 Nc6 21.c3 Ne7 22.Rhe1 Nf5 23.Rxe8 Rxe8 24.Bxf5 Kxf5 25.Kd2 Kf4 26.Re1 Rxe1 27.Kxe1 h5 28.Ke2 h4 29.f3 Kg3 30.Kf1 b5 31.b4 g5 32.Kg1 Kf4 33.Kf2 f5 34.Ke2 g4 35.fxg4 fxg4 36.hxg4 Kxg4 37.Kf2 Kf4 38.Ke2 Ke4 39.Kd2 Kf4 40.Ke2 Ke4 41.Kd2 Kd5 42.Kd3 c6 43.a3 c5 Deceptive Simplicity Pawn ending may look simple, but they are certainly not. Often long variations must be calculated precisely: 44.Ke3? Now Black will win the resulting races. 44.dxc5 dxc5 45.Ke3 After 45.bxc5? Kxc5 Black's king invades via the queenside: 46.Kd2 Kc4 47.Kc2 a5 48.Kb2 Kd3 49.Kb3 Kd2 50.c4 50.Kb2 a4-+ 50.a4 bxa4+ 51.Kxa4 Kxc3 52.Kxa5 Kd2-+ 50...bxc4+ 51.Kxc4 Ke2 52.Kb5 Kf2 53.Kxa5 Kxg2-+ 45...cxb4 46.cxb4 Kc4 Black can also not invade via the kingside, e.g. 46...Ke5 47.Kf3 Kf5 48.Ke3 Kg4 49.Kf2 Kf4 50.Kg1 Ke3 51.Kh2 Kf2 52.Kh3 Kg1 53.g4 hxg3 54.Kxg3 Kf1 55.Kf3 Ke1 56.Ke3 Kd1 57.Kd3 Kc1 58.Kc3 Kb1 59.Kb3 Ka1 60.a4= 47.Kf4 Kb3 48.Kg4 Kxa3 49.Kxh4 Kxb4 50.g4 and White will draw the resulting queen endings: Kc5 50...a5 51.g5 a4 52.g6 a3 53.g7 a2 54.g8Q a1Q 55.Qf8+ Kb3 56.Qf7+ Ka3 57.Qa7+ Kb2 58.Qd4+= 51.g5 Kd6 52.Kh5 Ke7 53.Kh6 White's king is fortunately just outside the check. b4 54.g6 b3 55.g7 b2 56.g8Q b1Q 57.Qg7+= 44...cxd4+ 45.cxd4 Kc4 46.Ke4 Kc3! Neccessary precision. The direct race 46...Kb3? is only drawn: 47.Kd5 Kxa3 48.Kxd6 Kxb4 49.d5 Kc3 50.Ke5 b4 51.d6 b3 52.d7 b2 53.d8Q b1Q= 47.d5 47.Kd5 does not help due to Kd3 48.Kxd6 Kxd4 49.Kc6 Ke3 and Black wins the race: 50.Kb7 Kf2 51.Kxa6 Kxg2 52.Kxb5 h3 53.Ka6 h2 54.b5 h1Q 55.b6 Kg3 56.b7 Qc6+ 57.Ka7 Qc7-+ 47...Kc4 48.Kf4 Kxd5 49.Kg4 Ke4! 50.Kxh4 d5! 50...d5 White has the outside passed pawn, but Black is just too quick in the race: 51.g4 51.Kg3 Ke3-+ Bodycheck! 51...d4 52.Kg3 Ke3 53.g5 d3 54.g6 d2 55.g7 d1Q 56.g8Q Qg1+-+ 0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
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  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Safronov,K2017Heberla,B25250–12012B0813th EICC1.161

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.

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