CBM training: Sasikiran's Surprise and Melkumyan's Miracle

by ChessBase
2/25/2012 – In this week's alliterative column our ChessBase Magazin expert Dr Karsten Müller explains four final instructive endgames from the recently ended Aeroflot Open. You will want to especially study the second example, which tells you everything you ever wanted to know about opposition but were afraid to ask. Take a break, learn and enjoy. It's free!
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Knight geometry

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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ngf3 g6 8.h4 Qb6 9.h5 Rg8 10.hxg6 hxg6 11.dxc5 Qc7 12.Nb3 Ncxe5 13.Bb5 a6 14.Ba4 Nc4 15.Qd4 Bg7 16.Bf4 Qd8 17.Qxg7 Rxg7 18.Rh8+ Ke7 19.Bd6+ Nxd6 20.cxd6+ Kxd6 21.Rxd8 b5 22.Bxb5 axb5 23.Nbd4 Rb8 24.Rh8 e5 25.Nc2 f6 26.Ne3 Bb7 27.Rxb8 Nxb8 28.a4 bxa4 29.Rxa4 Nd7 30.Rg4 Ke6 31.Nh4 g5 32.Nhf5 Rg8 33.Rb4 Bc6 34.g4 Ra8 35.Kd2 Ra1 36.Rb3 Ra2 37.Rb4 Nc5 38.f3 Kd7 39.Nc2 Ba4 40.Nce3 Bb3 41.Rxb3 Nxb3+ 42.Kc2 Nc5 43.Nxd5 Ke6 44.Nc7+ Kf7 45.Kb1 Ra7 46.Nb5 Rd7 47.b4 Nd3 48.Nbd6+ Ke6 49.Ne4 Rh7 50.Ka2 Ne1 51.b5 Nxf3 52.c4 Nd4 53.Nc5+ Kf7 54.Nxd4 exd4 55.b6 Rh8 56.Kb2 Ke7 57.Na6 Knight Geometry A rook is usually much stronger than a knight in a pure endgame: f5! After this breakthrough Black will always be quicker. 58.b7 58.gxf5 does not help: g4 59.b7 g3 60.b8Q Rxb8+ 61.Nxb8 g2 62.Nc6+ Ke8 63.Nxd4 g1Q-+ 58...fxg4 59.b8Q After 59.c5 g3 60.c6 g2 61.c7 g1Q 62.c8Q Black wins the fourth phase of the game easily by delivering checks until the king runs out of squares, e.g. Rh2+ 63.Kb3 63.Qc2 is met by Rxc2+ 64.Kxc2 Qg2+-+ 63...Qb1+ 64.Kc4 Rc2+ 65.Kd5 Qh1+ 66.Ke5 Re2+ 67.Kxd4 Qd1+ 68.Kc4 Qa4+ 69.Nb4 Rc2+ 70.Kd3 Qb3+ 71.Ke4 Qxb4+-+ 59...Rxb8+ 60.Nxb8 Kd6! The typical geometrical domination of the knight. It needs at least three moves to give check. 61.c5+ Kc7!? 61...Kxc5?! wins as well, but is bad technique: 62.Nd7+ Kb5 63.Ne5 g3 64.Nf3 g2 65.Kc2 Kc4 66.Kd2 g4 67.Ng1 d3-+ This time the pawns dominate the knight. 62.Na6+ Kc8 Again the typical pattern. 63.Nb4 g3 64.Nd3 g2 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gopal,G2566Vallejo Pons,F27050–12012C0611th Aeroflot Open A7.30

Opposition

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1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 3.d4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Qxd2 d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bg2 0-0 8.d5 cxd5 9.Nxd5 Nc6 10.Nf3 Nxd5 11.cxd5 Ne7 12.0-0 Bf5 13.Rfc1 Qb6 14.Rc3 Rac8 15.Rb3 Qc7 16.Ne1 b6 17.e4 Bd7 18.Nd3 f5 19.Nxe5 dxe5 20.d6 Qd8 21.dxe7 Qxe7 22.exf5 Bxf5 23.Rc3 Rxc3 24.Qxc3 Rc8 25.Qb3+ Kh8 26.Re1 h6 27.h4 Bg6 28.Qd5 Bf7 29.Rxe5 Bxd5 30.Rxe7 Rc1+ 31.Kh2 Bxg2 32.Kxg2 Rc2 33.Rxa7 Rxb2 34.g4 b5 35.Kg3 b4 36.g5 hxg5 37.hxg5 g6 38.f4 b3 39.axb3 Rxb3+ 40.Kg4 Kg8 41.Ra2 Kf7 42.Rf2 Ke6 43.Rf3 Rxf3 44.Kxf3 Opposition This is the most imporant technique in pawn endings. Both kings are in oppostion, if all corners of the rectangle round the kings are of the same color. The side not to move has the opposition: Kf7!? But not 44...Kf5?? 45.Ke3 Ke6 45...Kg4 46.Ke4 Kh5 46...Kg3 47.f5+- 47.Ke5 Kg4 48.Kf6 Kxf4 49.Kxg6+- 46.Ke4 Kf7 46...Kd6 47.f5 Ke7!? 47...gxf5+ 48.Kxf5 Ke7 49.Kg6 Kf8 50.Kh7+- 48.f6+ Ke6 49.f7 White just sacrifices the pride of his position to gain the opposition Kxf7 50.Kd5 Diagonal opposition Ke7 51.Ke5 Opposition Kf7 52.Kd6 The king has reached a key square. Kf8 53.Ke6 Kg7 54.Ke7 Kg8 55.Kf6 Kh7 56.Kf7 Kh8 57.Kxg6 Kg8 58.Kh6! The king has to move to the edge due to the stalemate motifs. 58.Kf6?! Kh7 59.Kf7 Kh8 60.Kg6 Kg8 61.Kh6!+- 58...Kh8 59.g6 Kg8 60.g7 Kf7 61.Kh7+- 47.Kd5 Diagonal opposition (all 4 corners are light squares) Ke7 48.Ke5 Opposition (here the rectangle has only 2 corners) Kf7 49.Kd6 The king has reached a key square. Kf8 50.Ke6 Kg7 51.Ke7 Kg8 52.Kf6 Kh7 53.Kf7 Kh8 54.Kxg6+- 45.Kg2 Kg8 46.Kf2 Kf8 47.Ke2 Ke8 48.Kd2 Kd8 49.Kc3 Ke7 Virtual Opposition 49...Kc7? runs into the breakthrough 50.f5 gxf5 51.g6+- 50.Kc4 Ke6 Diagonal opposition 51.Kd3 Kd7 Distant opposition 52.Kd2 Kd6 53.Ke2 Ke6 54.Kf2 Kd6 55.Kg2 Ke6 56.Kg3 Ke7 57.Kg2 Ke6 58.Kf2 Kd6 59.Kf3 Kd7 But not 59...Kd5? 60.Ke3! as Black can not go to e5 Kd6 61.Kd4 Ke6 62.Ke4 Kd6 63.f5+- 60.Ke4 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Socko,B2636Ni Hua2641½–½2012A2011th Aeroflot Open A9.18

Sasikiran's Surprise

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 Qe7 7.Qe2 Nd5 8.c4 Nb6 9.Nc3 Bb7 10.Bd2 0-0-0 11.0-0-0 Kb8 12.h4 Re8 13.Rh3 Ba6 14.Qg4 Bc8 15.Rg3 Qc5 16.Ne4 Qxe5 17.Ng5 f5 18.Qf3 Rg8 19.Bc3 Qc5 20.b4 Qe7 21.Qxf5 g6 22.Qf4 Bh6 23.Re3 Qf8 24.Qxf8 Rexf8 25.f3 Rf4 26.Rd4 Rxh4 27.Rxh4 Bxg5 28.Rhe4 Bxe3+ 29.Rxe3 Ba6 30.Re7 Bxc4 31.Bxc4 Nxc4 32.Rxd7 h5 33.Re7 Nb6 34.Bd2 Kc8 35.a3 Nd5 36.Rf7 Re8 37.Rg7 Re6 38.Kc2 Kb7 39.g4 hxg4 40.fxg4 Kb6 41.Kb3 a6 42.Rg8 c5 43.g5 Kc6 44.Bc1 Nb6 45.bxc5 Kxc5 46.Bb2 Nd5 47.Bh8 Rb6+ 48.Kc2 Re6 49.Kb3 c6 50.Bb2 Nf4 51.Bc1 Nd5 52.Bb2 a5 53.Bh8 Sasikiran's Surprise In endings with rook and minor piece against rook and minor piece mating attacks can appear out of the blue: a4+! 54.Kxa4? Now the king can not escape anymore. 54.Kc2 Kc4 55.Ra8 Re2+ 56.Kd1 Kd3 57.Rxa4 c5 58.Ra8 Rg2 59.Kc1 and White still has practical drawing chances due to the reduced material. 54...Re3! 55.Rb8 Rh3! The direct 55...Nb6+?? runs into 56.Rxb6 Kxb6? 57.Bd4++- 56.Bb2 Nb6+ 57.Ka5 Rb3! Sasikiran's rook closes the net. It really has done an amazing attacking job! 57...Rb3 58.Rxb6 58.Be5? Rxa3# 58...Rxb6 59.Bd4+ Kxd4 60.Kxb6 c5 61.a4 c4 62.a5 c3 63.a6 c2 64.a7 c1Q 65.a8Q Qc5+! Black's point as White can not avoid the exchange of queens: 66.Ka6 66.Kb7 Qd5+ 67.Kb8 Qxa8+ 68.Kxa8 Ke5-+ 66...Qa3+ (Chess Today 4117) 67.Kb7 Qxa8+ 68.Kxa8 Ke5-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Sjugirov,S2622Sasikiran,K27000–12012C4511th Aeroflot Open A9.12

Melkumyan's Miracle

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1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 c5 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Nbxd2 cxd4 9.Nxc4 Nc6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Rc1 Re8 12.b4 a6 13.Nfe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qd6 15.f4 Rd8 16.Qd3 h5 17.Rfd1 Ng4 18.Nxg4 hxg4 19.Rc4 e5 20.fxe5 Qb6 21.Rxd4 Be6 22.Kf2 g6 23.Qe3 Rxd4 24.Qxd4 Qb5 25.Qc5 Kg7 26.Qxb5 axb5 27.Bxb7 Rxa3 28.Bd5 g5 29.Bxe6 fxe6 30.Rd4 Kg6 31.Rxg4 Kf5 32.h3 Ra1 33.Kf3 Rf1+ 34.Kg2 Rb1 35.Kf2 Rb3 36.e3 Rb1 37.Kf3 Rf1+ 38.Kg2 Rb1 39.e4+ Kg6 40.h4 Rxb4 41.Rxg5+ Kh7 42.Rg4 Rb2+ 43.Kf3 Rb3+ 44.Kf2 Ra3 45.Rf4 Kg7 46.Rf6 Ra6 47.Ke3 b4 48.Kd4 Rb6 49.Kc5 Rb8 50.Rf2 Kh6 51.Rb2 b3 52.g4 Kg6 53.Kd6 Kf7 54.h5 Rd8+ 55.Kc5 Rd3 56.g5 Rc3+ Melkumyan's Miracle According to Dr Tarrasch's famous dictum rook endings are always drawn, but the following one just must be an exception: 57.Kd4? Amazingly this is the wrong direction. 57.Kb4 wins, but matters are very complicated: Rh3 57...Re3 58.g6+ Kg7 59.Rxb3 Rxe4+ 60.Ka5 Rxe5+ 61.Rb5 Re1 62.Rb7++- 58.h6 Rg3 59.Kc5 59.h7 Rh3 60.Rxb3 Rxh7 61.Kc5 Kg6 61...Rh5 62.Rg3 Kg6 63.Kd6 Rh8 64.Kxe6+- 62.Kd6 Kxg5 63.Kxe6 Ra7 64.Rf3+- wins as well. 59...Rxg5 59...Rc3+ 60.Kd4 Rg3 61.Rh2 Kg8 62.Kc5 Rxg5 63.Kd6 Rg6 64.h7+ Kh8 65.Rh3 b2 66.Rb3 Rg2 67.Rb7 Rc2 68.Kxe6 Rd2 69.Kf6 Rf2+ 70.Kg6 Rg2+ 71.Kf5 Rf2+ 72.Kg4 Rf7 73.Rxb2 Kxh7 74.e6+- 60.h7 Kg7 61.Kd6 Rg6 62.Rxb3 Kxh7 63.Rf3 Kg7 64.Ke7 Rg4 65.Rh3 Rxe4 66.Rg3+ and the cut off decides, e.g. Kh7 67.Kxe6 Ra4 68.Kf7 Ra7+ 69.Kf6 Ra6+ 70.e6+- 57...Rh3! 58.Rf2+ Kg8! Now there is no win anymore: 59.h6 Rg3 60.Rb2 Rxg5 61.Rxb3 Rh5 62.Rb8+ 62.Rg3+ Kf7 63.Rg7+ Kf8 64.Rg6 Kf7 65.Rf6+ Ke7= 62...Kh7 62...Kf7? runs into the typical 63.h7 Rxh7 64.Rb7+ Kg6 65.Rxh7 Kxh7 66.Kc5+- 63.Re8 Rxh6 Of course not 63...Kxh6?? 64.Rh8+ Kg6 65.Rxh5 Kxh5 66.Kc5 Kg6 67.Kd6 Kf7 68.Kd7+- 64.Kc5 Kg7 65.Kd6 Rh4 66.Kxe6 Rxe4 67.Kd7 Rd4+ 68.Ke7 Ra4!? The rook has sufficient checking distance. 69.Rd8 Ra5 70.e6 Ra7+ 71.Rd7 Ra8 72.Rc7 After 72.Rd6 Kg6!= is the only defense. 72...Kg6!? Melkumyan knows how to defend this position. 72...Rb8? is wrong as the cheking distance is not long enough anymore: 73.Ra7 Kg6 74.Ra1 Rb7+ 75.Kd6 Rb6+ 76.Kd7 Rb7+ 77.Kc6 This manover shows why the checking distance is too short now. Rb8 77...Re7 78.Kd6+- 77...Rb2 78.Re1!+- 78.Kc7 Rb2 79.Re1 Rc2+ 80.Kd7 Rd2+ 81.Ke8 Ra2 82.e7 Rd2 83.Kf8+- 73.Rb7 Kg7 74.Rd7 Kg6 75.Rb7 Kg7 76.Kd6+ Kf6 77.Kd7 Kg7 After 77...Ra1? 78.e7 White will reach Lucena's famous winning position: Rd1+ 79.Ke8 Kg7 80.Rb2 But not 80.Rd7?! Ra1 81.Kd8? as Black will reach a back rank defense: Ra8+ 82.Kc7 Kf7= 80...Rd3 81.Rg2+ Kh7 82.Rg4 The rook builds a bridge: Rd1 83.Kf7 Rf1+ 84.Ke6 Re1+ 85.Kf6 Rf1+ 86.Ke5 Re1+ 87.Re4+- 78.Ke7 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Tomashevsky,E2740Melkumyan,H2620½–½2012E0411th Aeroflot Open A8.3

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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