CBM training: Principle of one diagonal, the cut-off and the back door

by ChessBase
11/20/2011 – As you know by now every issue of ChessBase Magazine has a wonderful endgame section, with practical lessons taken from current tournament play. The trainer is GM Karsten Müller, who also gives us weekly sessions on the news page. You can study Dr Müller's analysis on our JavaScript boards or download the games for later review. Look, learn and enjoy.
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The Principle of One Diagonal

For a bishop it is always important to have all jobs on one and the same diagonal. Then it can not fall into zugzwang and not be diverted:

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1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 c6 6.e3 Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.Bd3 Nf6 9.Qc2 Qe7 10.Nf3 Be6 11.a3 Nbd7 12.h3 g6 13.0-0 0-0 14.b4 Rac8 15.Rfe1 Rfe8 16.Rab1 Nh5 17.Qd2 Qf6 18.e4 Nf4 19.e5 Nxh3+ 20.Kf1 Qf4 21.Qe3 f6 22.gxh3 Bxh3+ 23.Ke2 Qxe3+ 24.Kxe3 fxe5 25.Nxe5 Nxe5 26.dxe5 Rxe5+ 27.Kf4 Rh5 28.Be2 g5+ 29.Kg3 Rh4 30.Rbc1 Bf5 31.Rh1 d4 32.Nb1 d3 33.Bf3 Rf4 34.Rh5 h6 35.Rxh6 Rf8 36.Nd2 Kg7 37.Rd6 Bc8 38.Rxd3 g4 39.Bg2 Rxf2 40.Rf1 Rxf1 41.Nxf1 Kf6 42.Ne3 Rg8 43.Rd4 Ke5 44.Re4+ Kd6 45.Nc4+ Kc7 46.Re7+ Kb8 47.Ne5 Ka8 48.Be4 a6 49.a4 Rd8 50.Nc4 Kb8 51.Nb6 Ka7 52.a5 Kb8 53.Bg6 Rf8 54.Bf7 Rd8 55.Kf4 Rd4+ 56.Ke5 Rd8 57.Bh5 Rg8 58.Nxc8 g3 59.Bf3 Kxc8 60.Bg2 Kb8 61.Kf4 Rg6 62.Re3 Kc7 63.Rxg3 Rxg3 64.Kxg3 Kd6 65.Kf4 c5 66.Bxb7? White rushs. 66.b5!? wins: axb5 66...c4 67.b6 c3 68.Ke3 c2 69.Kd2 Kd7 70.Bxb7+- Removes the backbone of the fortress. But not 70.Kxc2?? Kc8= with a known fortress. After 66...Kc7 67.bxa6 bxa6 68.Bf1 the bishop controls everything along the diagonal f1-a6: Kb7 69.Ke5 Ka7 70.Kd5 Kb7 71.Kxc5 Ka7 72.Kc6 Kb8 73.Bxa6+- 67.Bxb7 67.Ke4 wins as well by the way. 67...c4 68.Ke3 After the quick advance 68.a6? Kc7 69.Ke3 c3 70.Kd3 b4 71.Bd5 Kb6 72.Bc4 Ka7 73.Kc2 Kb6 74.Kb3 Ka7 75.Bd3 Kb6 the bishop has jobs on two diagonals and White can not win, e.g. 76.Kxb4 c2 77.Bxc2 Kxa6= 68...c3 69.Kd3 b4 70.Ba6! 70.Kc2? runs into Kc5 71.Ba6 b3+ 72.Kxb3 c2 73.Kxc2 Kb4= 70...Kc7 70...Kc5 71.Bc4! c2 71...b3 72.Kxc3+- 72.Kxc2 Kxc4 73.a6+- 71.Kc2 Kb8 72.Bd3 Kb7 73.Kb3 Ka7 74.Kxb4+- 66.Ke3 wins as well: cxb4 67.Kd4 Kc7 67...b6 68.axb6 a5 69.Kc4 Kd7 70.Kb5 b3 71.Kxa5 b2 72.Be4+- 68.Kc5 b3 69.Be4 b2 70.Bf5 Kb8 71.Kb6 Ka8 72.Bh7 Kb8 73.Be4 Ka8 74.Bxb7+ Kb8 75.Be4+- But not 66.Ke4? Kc6 67.Kd3+ Kb5 68.bxc5 Kxc5 69.Bxb7 Kb5= 66...cxb4 67.Bxa6 Kc5 68.Ke3 b3 69.Bd3 b2 Now the bishop has two jobs on different diagonals and so White can not win: 70.Kd2 70.a6 Kb6 71.Kd2 b1Q 72.Bxb1 Kxa6= 70...b1Q 71.Bxb1 71.Bxb1 Kb5 72.Bd3+ Kxa5= ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kashlinskaya,A2385Mkrtchian,L2475½–½2011D3116th ECC w3.1

The Cut-off

This technique is extremely important in rook endgames as without the king the forces miss a strong fighting unit:

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nf5 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 Nxe5 10.dxe5 d6 11.exd6 Bxd6 12.Nd2 c6 13.Ne4 Bc7 14.Qf3 Nh4 15.Qh5 Ng6 16.Bc4 Ne5 17.Bg5 Qd7 18.Bb3 Qf5 19.Ng3 Qg6 20.Qxg6 Nxg6 21.Rad1 h6 22.Be3 Re8 23.Bxa7 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Be6 25.Bd4 Bxb3 26.axb3 Nf4 27.Nf1 Ne6 28.Be3 Ra2 29.Re2 c5 30.g3 b5 31.Rc2 f5 32.f3 g5 33.Bf2 Kf7 34.Ne3 f4 35.Nd5 Bd6 36.Re2 h5 37.Kg2 Ra1 38.Re1 Ra2 39.Re2 Ra1 40.Rd2 Rb1 41.Nb6 Bc7 42.Nd7 c4 43.bxc4 bxc4 44.Bb6 Bxb6 45.Nxb6 Ng7 46.Nxc4 Nf5 47.Re2 Kf6 48.Re4 Ne3+ 49.Nxe3 Rxb2+ 50.Kh3 fxe3 51.Rxe3 Kf5 52.g4+ Kf4 53.Re7 hxg4+ 54.fxg4 Rd2 55.Rf7+ Ke4 56.c4 Rc2 57.Rf5 Rc3+ 58.Kg2 Rc2+? This "zwischenschach" gives White the option to break through with h2-h4. After 58...Rxc4 59.Rxg5 Kf4 60.Rg8 Rc3 Black draws due to the cut off, e.g. 61.h3 Rc2+ 62.Kf1 Kf3 63.Rf8+ Kg3 64.Rh8 Kf3 65.Ke1 Ke3 66.Kd1 Rd2+ 67.Kc1 Rh2 68.g5 Kf4 69.h4 Kf5 70.Rf8+ Kg6 71.Rf6+ Kg7 72.Rh6 Rg2 73.Kd1 Rh2 74.Ke1 Rg2 75.Kf1 Rh2 76.Kg1 Ra2 77.Rf6 Ra4 78.Rh6 Ra2!= 59.Rf2 Rc1 60.h3 60.h4!? is easier: gxh4 60...Rxc4 61.hxg5 Rc5 62.Kg3 Rxg5 63.Kh4 Rg8 64.g5 Ke5 65.Kh5+- As the pawn has crossed the middle of the board this cut off decides. 61.Kh3 Rh1+ 62.Rh2 Rc1 63.Kxh4 Rxc4 64.Rf2 Rc8 65.g5+- 60...Rc3 60...Rxc4 61.h4 gxh4 62.Kh3+- 61.Rf5?! The first setp in the wrong direction. 61.c5! wins as Black's king is cut off: Rxc5 After 61...Kd4 62.Rf5 Rxc5 63.Rxc5 Kxc5 64.h4 gxh4 65.Kh3 White's king reaches a key square: Kd5 66.Kxh4 Ke6 67.Kg5 Kf7 68.Kh6+- 62.h4 gxh4 63.Kh3 Rc1 64.Kxh4 Rh1+ 65.Kg5 Rh8 66.Rf6 This horizontal cut off decides. Ke5 67.Rh6 Rg8+ 68.Kh5 Kf4 69.Rf6+ Ke5 70.g5+- 61...Rc2+ 62.Kf1? White had to turn back to 62.Rf2 Rc3 63.c5 Rxc5 64.h4 gxh4 65.Kh3+- 62...Rxc4 63.Rxg5 Kf3 63...Kf4? 64.Rg8 Kg3 65.Rh8 Rc2 66.g5 Kf3 67.Ke1 Re2+ 68.Kd1 Rg2 69.h4+- 64.Ke1 Kg3 65.Rh5 Rc2! This cut off draws as White's king can not join its forces. 66.g5 Kf4! 67.Kd1 67.g6?! Rg2 68.Rh6 Kf5 69.h4 Rxg6= 67...Rh2? Misses a deep point. 67...Rg2 draws, e.g. 68.h4 Kf5 69.Ke1 Kg6 70.Rh6+ Kg7 71.Kf1 Rh2 72.Kg1 Ra2 73.h5 Ra5 74.Rg6+ Kh7 75.Kg2 Ra2+= 68.h4! Kg4 69.Rh6? Puts White on the wrong foot- 69.Rh8 Kf5 70.Rh6 Reciprocal zugzwang with Black to move, e.g. Rg2 71.Ke1 Kf4 72.g6 Ke3 73.Kf1 Rf2+ 74.Kg1 Rf4 75.Kg2 Rg4+ 76.Kh3 Kf4 77.h5 Rg3+ 78.Kh2 Kf3 79.Rh7 Rg2+ 80.Kh1 Rg5 81.Rh6 Ke2 81...Kg3 82.g7 Rxg7 83.Rg6++- 82.Kh2 Kf3 83.Rh8 Rg2+ 84.Kh1 Rg5 85.Rh7 Kf4 86.Kh2 Rg4 87.Rf7+ Kg5 88.Kh3 Rg1 89.Rf1 Rxf1 90.g7 Kxh5 91.g8Q+- 69...Kf5 Now it is White to move in the reciprocal zugzwang position. 70.Kc1 Rg2 71.Kb1 Rh2! 71...Re2? allows White to improve his rook with 72.g6 Kf6 73.h5 Kg7 74.Rh7+ Kg8 75.Rf7 Rh2 76.Rf5 Kg7 77.Rg5 Kg8 78.Kc1+- 72.g6 Kf6 73.h5 Kg7 74.Rh7+ Kg8 75.Kc1 Rg2! 76.Kd1 76.Rf7 is met by Rg5= 76...Rh2 77.Ke1 Rg2 78.Kf1 Rh2 79.Kg1 Ra2 80.Kh1 Rb2 81.h6 Rb6 82.Rg7+ Kh8 83.Kg2 Now Black's desperado rook draws easily: Rb2+ 84.Kg3 Rb3+ 85.Kf4 Rb4+ 86.Ke5 Rb5+ 87.Kd6 Rb6+ 88.Kc7 Rb7+ 89.Kxb7 ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Teterev,V2519Petrosian,T2649½–½2011C6727th ECC3.8

The Back Door

Storming a knight's fortress is often far from easy:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 0-0 9.Bd3 b6 10.Ne2 Ba6 11.Bb1 Re8 12.0-0 Nc6 13.Re1 Rc8 14.Nf4 Rc7 15.Ra2 Qc8 16.g4 Bc4 17.Rg2 cxd4 18.cxd4 Ne7 19.g5 Nd7 20.e4 Ng6 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.Bf4 Rc6 23.Qd2 Nf8 24.Qf2 Bb3 25.Qh4 Ne6 26.Be3 Rc3 27.Qf2 Qd7 28.e5 Qa4 29.f4 Rxe3 30.Qxe3 Nxd4 31.Rg3 Bc2 32.Qc1 Bxb1 33.Qxb1 Nf5 34.Rf3 Nh4 35.Rf2 Qxa3 36.Qc1 Qb4 37.Qb1 Qc5 38.Qd3 Nf5 39.Qc2 Qb4 40.Qd2 Qb5 41.Rc1 Qd7 42.Qc3 Ne7 43.e6 fxe6 44.Qc7 Qa4 45.Qd6 Qe4 46.Qe5 Nf5 47.Qxe4 dxe4 48.Rfc2 Kf7 49.Rc7+ Re7 50.Rxe7+ Kxe7 51.Rc7+ Kd6 52.Rxa7 b5 53.Ra6+ Kd5 54.Rb6 Nd4 55.Kf2 Kc5 56.Rb7 Nf5 57.Ke2 b4 58.Kd2 Kc4 59.Rc7+ Kd4 60.Rd7+ Kc4 61.Rc7+ Kb3 62.Rc6 Nd4 63.Rc7 Nf5 64.Rc6 e3+ 65.Kd3 Ka2 66.Rxe6 b3 67.Kc3 b2 68.Ra6+ Kb1 69.Rb6 Kc1 70.Rxb2 Kd1 71.Kd3 Ke1 72.Re2+ Kf1 73.h3 Kg1 74.h4 Kf1 75.Rxe3 Kf2 76.Re6 Kf3 77.Rxg6? This violates the principle "do not rush". White had to use the backdoor on the queenside to invade with the king: 77.Re4! Kg4 77...Ng3 78.Ra4 Kg4 79.Ke3 Nf5+ 80.Ke4 Nxh4 81.Ke5+- 77...Nxh4 78.Kd4 Kg4 78...Ng2 79.Ke5 Kg4 80.Ra4 Kh5 81.Ra7 Kg4 82.Rf7 Kg3 83.Rxg7 Nxf4 84.Kf6 Nh5+ 85.Kxg6 Nxg7 86.Kxg7+- 79.Ke5 Nf5 80.Rb4 Ng3 81.Rb6 Kh5 82.Rb7 Nf5 83.Ke6 Kg4 84.Rb4 Ne3 85.Rd4 Ng2 86.Ra4 Uses the sharp endgame weapon zugzwang, which is often effective against a knight. The direct 86.f5+ wins as well. 86...Ne3 86...Nxf4+ 87.Ke5+- 87.Kf7 Nd5 88.Kxg7 Nxf4 89.Rxf4+ Kxf4 90.Kxg6+- 78.Ra4 Kf3 79.Kc4! Kxf4 79...Nxh4 80.Kd5 Ng2 81.Ke5 Kg4 82.Ra7 Nxf4 83.Ra4+- 79...Ke4 80.Kc5+ Kf3 81.Kd5+- 80.Kd5+ Kg3 81.Ke6 Nxh4 82.Kf7 Nf3 83.Ra3 Kg4 84.Rxf3 Kxf3 85.Kxg7 Kg4 86.Kxg6+- 77...Nxh4 78.Rxg7 Kxf4 79.Kc4 79.g6 Kf5 80.Kd4 Nxg6= 79...Kf5 80.Kd5 Ng6 81.Kd6 Kxg5 82.Ke6 Kh5 83.Kf6 Nh4! 83...Nf4? 84.Kf5 Kh6 85.Rg3 Nd5 86.Rd3 Ne7+ 87.Kf6+- 84.Rg8 Nf3 85.Rg3 Nh4! The knight must of course stay near its boss. After 85...Nd2? 86.Rd3 it is dominated: Nf1 87.Rf3 Nd2 88.Rf4+- 85...Nd4? 86.Re3 Nc2 87.Re2 Nb4 88.Re5+ Kh6 89.Rc5 Nd3 90.Rc2 Kh7 91.Rd2 Nc5 92.Kf7 Kh6 93.Rd6++- 86.Rg5+ Kh6 87.Ra5 Ng6 88.Ra7 Nh4 89.Rg7 Kh5 90.Rg5+ Kh6 91.Rg1 Kh5 92.Rg8 Nf3 93.Kf5 Nh4+ 94.Ke5 Ng6+ 95.Kf6 Nh4 96.Rg5+ ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
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  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Danielian,E2517Dzagnidze,N2525½–½2011E4916th ECC w4.1

Karsten Müller in ChessBase Magazine

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