CBM training: Polerio's Eckenspiel, Dominance, Excelsior

by ChessBase
11/13/2011 – "Many thanks for the continual presentations of endgames," writes Gene Bate of Kansas City, USA. "I cannot find words to tell you how much I appreciate those news items!" To which we say: keep searching, Gene! But seriously, so many people are writing in the same vein that we know we are doing something right with Karsten Müller's ChessBase Magazine column. Here are this weekend's lessons.
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Polerio's Eckenspiel

The Swede Nils Grandelius won the European Junior Championship under 18 and the following nice endgame, where Polerio's old mating attack from 1792 unfortunately did not occur on the board:

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1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Nc2 d6 7.Bg2 Be6 8.Ne3 Qd7 9.Nd5 Rc8 10.0-0 Bh3 11.Nbc3 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Ne5 13.b3 Nf6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Nd5 Bg7 16.Bg5 Nc6 17.Rc1 h6 18.Be3 0-0 19.Qd2 Kh7 20.Rfd1 Rfd8 21.Qd3 e6 22.Nf4 Qe7 23.Qe4 Kg8 24.Bd2 a6 25.Bc3 d5 26.cxd5 exd5 27.Qxe7 Nxe7 28.Ba5 Rxc1 29.Rxc1 Rd7 30.Bb6 Nc6 31.Nd3 Re7 32.Kf1 h5 33.Rc5 Rd7 34.Nf4 Ne7 35.Rc2 Be5 36.Nd3 Bd6 37.Ke1 f6 38.Bc5 Bxc5 39.Rxc5 b6 40.Rc2 a5 41.Nf4 Kf7 42.h4 Ra7 43.Rd2 Rc7 44.Kd1 Rc5 45.Rd4 Ke8 46.Kd2 Kf7 47.a3 g5 48.b4 axb4 49.axb4 Rb5 50.Nd3 Nf5 51.e3 Nxd4 52.exd4 Kg6 53.Kc3 Kf5 54.f3 g4 55.Kb3 gxf3 56.Nf2 Kg6 57.Ka4 Rxb4+ 58.Kxb4 f5 59.Kb5 f4 60.gxf4 Kf5 61.Kxb6 Kxf4 62.Kc5 Kg3 63.Nd3 Kxh4 64.Kxd5 Kg3 65.Ke4! Only like this as 65.Ke5? is met by h4 66.d5 f2 67.Nxf2 Kxf2 68.d6 h3 69.d7 h2 70.d8Q h1Q= 65...h4?! After 65...f2!? 66.Nxf2 Kxf2 67.Kf4! Bodycheck! Kg2 67...h4 68.Kg4+- 68.d5 But not 68.Kg5? Kg3‼ 68...Kf3? 69.d5+- 69.Kxh5 69.d5 h4 70.d6 h3 71.d7 h2 72.d8Q h1Q= 69...Kf4 70.d5 Ke5= 68...h4 69.d6 h3 70.d7 h2 71.d8Q h1Q a typical mating final follows that is sometimes called "Polerios Eckenspiel" in German: 72.Qd2+ Kf1 72...Kh3 73.Qe3+ Kg2 73...Kh4 74.Qg3+ Kh5 75.Qg5# 74.Qe2+ Kg1 75.Kg3+- 73.Qd1+ Kg2 74.Qe2+ Kg1 74...Kh3 75.Qg4+ Kh2 76.Qg3# 75.Kg3+- 66.Ke3! 66.Ke3! h3 67.d5 h2 68.Nf2+- 66.d5? f2 67.Nxf2 Kxf2 68.d6 h3 69.d7 h2 70.d8Q h1Q+= 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Grandelius,N2536Raznikov,D24331–02011A30European Youth Championship B187.1

Dominance

When fighting against a knight in an endgame zugzwang and dominance are important weapons:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qd3 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nf3 Qc7 10.0-0 b5 11.Be3 Bxe3 12.Qxe3 Bb7 13.Rc1 Qd6 14.Nbd2 0-0 15.Qd4 Qxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 Rfc8 18.N2b3 Kf8 19.Nc6 Nb6 20.Nba5 Nc4 21.Nxc4 Rxc6 22.Ne5 Rcc8 23.a4 bxa4 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Rxa4 Rc2 26.Rxa6 Rxe2 27.Ra8+ Ke7 28.Ra7+ Kf8 29.Nxf7 Rxb2 30.Ng5 Rb6 31.Rf7+ Kg8 32.Re7 Kf8 33.Rxe6 Rxe6 34.Nxe6+ Kf7 35.Nd4 g5 36.Kf3 Kg6 37.h3 Nd7 38.Ke3 Kf6 39.f4 gxf4+ 40.gxf4 Nc5 41.Ne2 Nd7 42.Ng3 Ke6 43.Kd4 Kf6 44.h4 Nf8 45.f5 Nd7 46.Kd5 h6 47.Kd4 Ne5 48.Ke4 Nc6 49.Kf4 Nd4 50.Ne4+ Kf7 51.Nf2 Kg7 52.Ng4 Ne2+ 53.Ke5 h5 54.Nf2 Ng1 55.Kf4! With a deadly double threat: 56.Kg5 and 56.Ne4 followed by 57.Ke3 to dominate Black's knight. The direct moves forward spoil it: 55.Ke6? Nf3 56.Ke7 56.f6+ Kf8 57.Ne4 Nxh4 58.Ng5 Ng6 59.f7 Kg7 60.Kd7 Kf8= 56...Nxh4 57.f6+ Kg6 After 57...Kg8?? 58.f7+ Kh7 59.Ke8 59.f8Q? Ng6+= 59...Ng6 60.Nh3 h4 the typical deflection 61.Nf4+- wins. 58.f7 Nf5+ 59.Ke6 Ng7+ 60.Ke7 Nf5+= 55.f6+? Kf7 56.Ne4 Nf3+ 57.Kf5 Nxh4+ 58.Kg5 Nf3+ 59.Kxh5 Nd2= 55...Kh6 55...Kf6 56.Ne4+ Kf7 57.Ke3 Nh3 58.Ng5+ Nxg5 59.hxg5 h4 60.Kf3+- 56.Ke3 Kg7 57.Ne4 Kh6 57...Nh3 58.Ng5 Dominance! Ng1 59.Kf2 Kf6 60.Kxg1 Kxf5 61.Kg2 Kg4 62.Nf3 Kf4 63.Nh2+- 58.Nf6 Nh3 59.Nd5 59.Nd5 Kg7 60.Nf4 Dominance! Nxf4 60...Ng1 61.Kf2 Kf6 62.Kxg1 Kxf5 63.Ng2 Kg4 64.Kf2 64.Kf1? Kg3 65.Kg1 Kf3 66.Kh2 Kg4 is only drawn as White is in zugzwang. 64...Kh3 65.Kf3 Kh2 66.Nf4+- 61.Kxf4 Kf6 62.Ke4 Kf7 63.Ke5 Ke7 64.f6+ Kf7 65.Kf5 Kf8 66.Kg6 Kg8 67.Kxh5+- 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.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Markus,R2635Palac,M25911–02011E032nd Zlatni Rat Open7.2

Almost an Excelsior

If a pawn marches straight from its starting position to promotion this is called Excelsior, which Epishin almost manages:

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1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Qc2 e6 5.Nd2 Nbd7 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.Bd3 c5 8.0-0 0-0 9.cxd5 exd5 10.b3 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.Bb2 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 Bg4 14.h3 Be6 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.Qxf5 Qc8 17.Qd3 Qe6 18.Rac1 Rac8 19.Rfd1 a6 20.Nf3 g6 21.Qd4 h5 22.Ne5 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Rc8 24.Rxc8+ Qxc8 25.g4 Qc5 26.Qxc5 Bxc5 27.Nd3 Nd7 28.gxh5 g5 29.h4 gxh4 30.Kg2 Kh7 31.Kh3 Be7 32.Nf4 Kh6 33.Kg4 f5+ 34.Kxf5 Bd6 35.Nh3 Kxh5 36.Ke6 Bh2 37.Kxd7 Kg4 38.f4! 38.Nf4?? backfires completely: Bxf4 39.exf4 Kf5-+ 38...Kxh3 39.f5 Bg1 39...Kg4?! 40.f6 h3 41.f7 Bf4 42.f8Q would be an excelsior. 40.Bd4! Dominates the bishop. 40.f6? violates the endgame principle do not rush: Bxe3 41.f7 Bh6 42.Bc1 Bg7 43.Bb2 Bh6= 40...Kg2 40...Kg4?! 41.f6 h3 42.f7 h2 43.f8Q h1Q 44.Qf4+ Kh5 45.Qf5+ Kh6 46.Qf6+ Kh5 47.Qh8++- 41.f6 h3 42.f7 h2 43.f8Q h1Q 44.Qf5! The queen dominates Black's forces. Qh6 45.Qxd5+ The computer gives the amazing line 45.Qg4+ Kf1 46.Qf3+ Bf2 47.e4 Qc6+ 48.Kd8 Qd6+ 49.Kc8 Qc6+ 50.Kb8 Qd6+ 51.Ka7 Qg3 52.Qxf2+ Qxf2 53.Bxf2 Kxf2 54.exd5+- 45...Kf1 46.Qxb7 46.Kc7!? wins as well: Qh7+ 46...Bxe3? 47.Qf3++- 46...b5 47.Qf3+ Bf2 48.e4+- 47.Kb6 Bf2 48.Qxb7+- 46...Ke2 46...Qh7+ 47.Kc8 Qf5+ 48.Kb8 a5 49.Ka7 Ke2 50.Ka6 Kd2 51.Qb5+- 46...Bxe3? 47.Qf3++- 47.Qg2+ Bf2 48.e4 48.e4 Black does not have perpetual check, e.g. Qh7+ 49.Kc6 Qh6+ 49...Kd3 50.Bxf2 Qh6+ 51.Kb7 Qh7+ 52.Kxa6 Qh6+ 53.Bb6+- 50.Kb7 Qh7+ 51.Kxa6 Qh6+ 52.Kb5 Qh5+ 53.Kb4+- 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
Epishin,V2544Mladenov,P23711–02011D109th Amantea Open3

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