CBM training: US Championships revisited

by ChessBase
6/3/2012 – "Please consider having Karsten annotate the game from the final round between Melekina-Ni," wrote Michael Bacon from Asheville, USA. "Melekina had a winning position, but let it slip in the ending, something I, and many others, have done all too often." Our ChessBase Magazin endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller was happly to comply and sent us four endgames from the tournament.

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Race of the passed pawn

The most important factor in such a race is, which passed pawn is most dangerous:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7 10.Nd3 f5 11.Bd2 Nf6 12.f3 f4 13.c5 g5 14.cxd6 cxd6 15.Nf2 Rf7 16.Qc2 Bf8 17.Nb5 Ng6 18.Rfc1 Ne8 19.Nxa7 Rc7 20.Ba5 Rxc2 21.Bxd8 Rxe2 22.Nxc8 Rxb2 23.a4 h6 24.a5 Kf7 25.Bb6 Be7 26.Kf1 Bf8 27.Rc3 Be7 28.Rac1 Kf8 29.Nd3 Rd2 30.Ra3 g4 31.Nxe7 Nxe7 32.fxg4 Nf6 33.Nf2 Rb2 34.Rac3 Ne8 35.h4 Kf7 36.g3 fxg3 37.Rxg3 Ng6 38.Rf3+ Kg8 39.Nd3 Nxh4 40.Rh3 Rb3 41.Ke2 Ng6 42.Rxh6 Kg7 43.g5 Ra3 44.Rc2 Ra4 45.Ke3 Ra3 46.Kd2 Ra4 47.Nf2 Ra3 48.Rh3 Ra4 49.Rhc3 Ne7 50.Kd3 Ra1 51.Ng4 Rd1+ 52.Ke2 Rh1 53.Rf3 Ng6 54.Kf2 Rh4 55.Kg3 Rh5 56.Rh2 Rxh2 57.Kxh2 Rc8 58.Nf6 Rc2+ 59.Kg1 Rc1+ 60.Kf2 Rc2+ 61.Ke1 Nxf6 62.Rxf6 Rc4 63.Rxd6 Rxe4+ 64.Kd2 Nf4 65.Rd7+ Kg6 Race of the passed pawn The most important factor in such a race is, which passed pawn is most dangerous: 66.Rxb7? Probably in high time trouble Melekhina rushs. After 66.d6! her d-pawn is by far the best on the board and will decide the day directly, e.g. Kxg5 67.Rxb7 Ra4 68.d7+- 66...Nxd5 Now Black's passed e-pawn is as dangerous as White's passed pawns as its march can be combined with threats against White's king. 67.Bd8 Rd4+ 68.Kc1 Going in front of the pawn with 68.Ke1 does not help as Black's organised forces drum up enough counterplay, e.g. Nc3 69.Rb8 e4 70.Rc8 Rd1+ 71.Kf2 Nd5 72.Ke2 Rd3= 68...e4 69.a6 e3 70.a7 Ra4 71.Kd1 Nc3+ 72.Kc2 e2 73.Re7 Rxa7 One way to deal with 73...Ne4 is 74.a8Q Rxa8 74...e1Q? 75.Qc6++- 75.Rxe4 Rxd8 76.Rxe2 Kxg5= 74.Re6+? The rook is the wrong piece to fight against Black's e-pawn. The king should do the job with 74.Kd2 Ra1 75.Rxe2 Nxe2 76.Kxe2= 74.Kxc3?? Rxe7 75.Bxe7 e1Q+-+ 74.Rxa7?? e1Q-+ 74...Kf7? Too passive. Black's e-pawn wins the race after the active 74...Kf5! 75.Re3 75.Re8 Ne4-+ 75.Rf6+ Ke5 76.Rf8 Ne4 77.Bf6+ Kd5 78.Rd8+ Kc6-+ 75...Nd5 76.Rxe2 Ra2+ 77.Kd3 77.Kd1 Nc3+-+ 77...Nf4+-+ 75.Re5 Rd7 The tricky 75...Nd5!? was also possible as 76.Rxe2? is met by 76.Kd2 draws. 76...Ra2+ 77.Kd3 77.Kd1 Nc3+-+ 77...Nf4+-+ 76.Ba5?! White plays for a win, but it was time to take the easy draw with 76.Kxc3 Rxd8 77.Rxe2 Kg6= 76...Rd5! A strong surprise. Now White has to be very careful. 77.g6+ 77.Bxc3? runs into Rxe5 78.Be1 Rd5 79.Bd2 Kg6 80.Kc3 Kf5 81.Kc2 Ke4-+ 77...Kxg6 78.Re8? This runs into a deadly double attack. White had two ways to draw: 78.Rxd5 leads to a drawn pawnless ending queen against rook and bishop: e1Q 79.Bxc3 Qe4+ 80.Rd3= and 78.Re7 holds as Rxa5 can now be met by 79.Kxc3= 78...Kf7 White's rook has no safe square on the e-file now. 79.Re3 79.Bxc3 Kxe8 80.Bd2 Kf7-+ 79...Rxa5 80.Rf3+ 80.Kxc3 runs into Ra3+ 81.Kd2 Rxe3 82.Kxe3 e1Q+-+ 80...Ke6 81.Kd2 81.Re3+ Re5-+ 81...Ra2+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Melekhina,A2242Ni,V22280–12012E99ch-USA w 20129

The Fischer endgame

The endgame rook and bishop against rook and knight, where the side with the bishop holds the advantage, is also called Fischer endgame, as the famous American World Champion won so many instructive games with this material balance:

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a4 e5 7.Nf3 Be7 8.Bc4 0-0 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bb3 Nc6 11.Bg5 Na5 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Bd5 Rc8 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Re1 Bg5 16.Nf1 Qb6 17.Rb1 Nc4 18.Qe2 Bh6 19.h4 Qb4 20.g3 Rc7 21.Kg2 Nb6 22.Bb3 Bxb3 23.cxb3 Qxb3 24.a5 Na4 25.Nh2 g6 26.Ng4 Bg7 27.Nd5 Rc2 28.Qe3 Nc5 29.h5 Qxe3 30.Ngxe3 Rd2 31.Nc4 Rd4 32.Nxd6 Rd8 33.b4 Nd3 34.Nxb7 Nxe1+ 35.Rxe1 Ra8 36.f3 Bf8 37.Rc1 Bxb4 38.Rc7 gxh5 39.Kh3 Kg7 40.Kh4 Ra7 41.Kxh5 The Fischer endgame The endgame rook and bishop against rook and knight, where the side with the bishop holds the advantage, is also called Fischer endgame, as the famous American World Champion won so many instructive games with this material balance: Rxd5! Nakamura simplifies into a won Fischer endgame as his a-pawn will decide the day. 42.exd5 Bxa5 43.Re7 43.d6 is refuted by Bxc7 44.dxc7 Ra8 45.Nd6 45.Kg5 Kf8 45...Rc8?? runs into 46.Nd6 46.Nd6 a5-+ 45...a5 46.c8Q Rxc8 47.Nxc8 a4 48.Nd6 a3 49.Nf5+ Kf6 50.Ne3 a2 51.Nc2 Ke6 52.Kg4 f5+ 53.Kh3 Kd6-+ 43...Bb6 44.d6 a5 45.Kg5?! Now Black's a-pawn just marches down the board. But the alternatives also do not safe Black in the long run, e.g. 45.Nd8 Kf8 46.Rxa7 46.Nc6 Rxe7 47.dxe7+ Ke8-+ 46...Bxa7 47.Nc6 Bb6 48.Nxe5 48.d7 a4 49.d8Q+ Bxd8 50.Nxd8 a3-+ The knight is too slow to catch the passed a-pawn. 48...a4 49.Nc4 Bc5 50.d7 Ke7-+ 45.d7 Kf6 46.Re8 Rxb7 47.d8Q+ Bxd8 48.Rxd8 Ra7-+ The rook belongs behind the passed pawn! 45...a4 46.Kf5 a3 47.Nd8 a2 48.Ne6+ Kh6! 49.Ng5 a1Q 50.Nxf7+ Kg7 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Kamsky,G2741Nakamura,H27750–12012B90ch-USA 201210

The spare tempo

In pawn endings every tempo counts:

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1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 a6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.Qc2 e6 8.b3 Bxf3 9.Nxf3 Qa5+ 10.Ke2 Bd6 11.Bb2 0-0 12.Rhd1 Rae8 13.Bc3 Bb4 14.Bb2 Ba3 15.Bc3 Bb4 16.Bb2 dxc4 17.bxc4 Qh5 18.h3 g6 19.Qa4 Be7 20.g4 Nb6 21.Qb3 Qa5 22.a4 Nbd7 23.Bc3 Qc7 24.a5 c5 25.Rab1 cxd4 26.exd4 Rb8 27.Kf1 Rfd8 28.Qb2 Qc6 29.Qe2 Bf8 30.g5 Nh5 31.Qe4 Qc7 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.dxe5 b5 34.axb6 Rxb6 35.Be2 Rxb1 36.Rxb1 Ng7 37.Rb7 Qc8 38.Ba5 Rd4 39.Qf3 Nf5 40.Ra7 Rd7 41.Qa8 Qxa8 42.Rxa8 Kg7 43.Bb6 Nd4 44.c5 Be7 45.Rc8 Bxg5 46.c6 Nxc6 47.Rxc6 Bf4 48.Bc7 a5 49.Bd6 g5 50.Ra6 f6 51.Rxa5 fxe5 52.Bxe5+ Bxe5 53.Rxe5 Kf6 54.Ra5 Rd6 55.Ra6 Rd4 56.Kg2 Re4 57.Bg4 h6 58.Ra7 Kg6 59.Bd1 Rc4 60.Ra6 Kf6 61.Rxe6+ Kxe6 62.Bb3 Kd5 63.Kf3 Kc5 64.Bxc4 Kxc4 65.Kg4 Kd4 66.Kh5 Ke5 The spare tempo In pawn endings every tempo counts: 67.f3? White wastes her valuable pawn move. Only after 67.Kxh6 Kf6 can she play 67...Kf4 68.Kg6 g4 69.h4 Kf3 70.Kg5 Kxf2 71.Kxg4+- 67...Kf5 68.Kg7 g4 69.h4+- 68.f3 and win by encirclement, the typical method to exploit the opposition in this case: Kf5 69.Kg7 Kf4 70.Kf6 Kxf3 71.Kxg5+- 67...Kf5! Now Black takes the opposition and draws as White has no spare tempo. Of course not 67...Kf6? 68.Kxh6+- 67...Kf4? is also wrong due to 68.Kxh6 Kxf3 69.Kxg5+- 68.Kxh6 Kf6 68...Kf6 69.Kh7 Kf7! 70.Kh8 Kf8= But not 70...Kg6? 71.Kg8 Kf6 72.Kf8 Kg6 73.Ke7 Kg7 74.Ke6 Kg6 75.Ke5 and White wins as Black can not keep the opposition, e.g. Kg7 76.Kf5 Kh6 77.Kf6 Kh5 78.Kg7 Kh4 79.Kg6 Kxh3 80.Kxg5+- ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ni,V2228Foisor,S2364½–½2012D11ch-USA w 20128

Nakamura's King

It is often difficult to evaluate, if many passed pawns can be stopped or not:

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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7 6.Nb3 a5 7.a4 Be7 8.Bb5 Na7 9.Bd3 b6 10.Bd2 c5 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.Nxc5 bxc5 13.b3 0-0 14.Qe2 Nc6 15.Bb5 Qb6 16.0-0 Ba6 17.c4 Bb7 18.Rad1 Nb4 19.Ng5 h6 20.Nh3 d4 21.Nf4 Kh7 22.Rfe1 Rg8 23.Nd3 Raf8 24.Nxb4 axb4 25.Qd3+ g6 26.Bf4 Kg7 27.Qh3 g5 28.Bg3 Kh7 29.Qg4 Rg6 30.h3 Kg7 31.Qh5 Rg8 32.Rd3 Qa7 33.f3 Bd8 34.Kf2 Kf8 35.Ke2 Bc7 36.Kd1 Qa8 37.Kc1 f5 38.Bh2 Ke7 39.Rd2 f4 40.Bg1 Qf8 41.Bxd4 cxd4 42.Rxd4 Bc8 43.c5 Qg7 44.Rd6 Bxd6 45.cxd6+ Kd8 46.Bd3 Bb7 47.Qxg6 Qxg6 48.Bxg6 Rxg6 49.Rd1 Bd5 50.Rd4 Kd7 51.Rxb4 Rg8 52.Kd2 Rf8 53.a5 h5 54.Rb6 Ra8 55.b4 g4 56.hxg4 hxg4 57.fxg4 Bxg2 58.a6 Bd5 59.Rb5 f3 60.Ke3 Rf8 61.Kf2 Rh8 Nakamura's King It is often difficult to evaluate, if many passed pawns can be stopped or not: 62.Rxd5? This is too optimistic as Black's rook will stop the queenside pawns and the king will collect them sooner or later. After 62.Rc5 White's passed pawns are as dangerous as Black's, e.g. Rh2+ 63.Kg1 Rg2+ 64.Kf1 Be4 65.Rc7+ Kd8 66.Rc3 Rd2 67.b5 and Black has not more than a draw after Rd1+ as 67...Bd3+?? runs into 68.Rxd3 Rxd3 69.a7 when the wave of pawns will roll down the board, e.g. Ra3 70.b6 Kc8 71.d7+ Kxd7 72.b7+- 62...exd5 63.b5 63.Kxf3 Ke6 64.d7 Kxe5 65.a7 Kd6 66.g5 Kxd7 67.g6 Kc6 68.Kf4 Kb7 69.Ke5 Rg8-+ 63...Rb8! 63...d4? 64.Kxf3 d3 65.Ke3= 64.g5 After 64.a7 Ra8 65.b6 Kc6 Black's king just collects one pawn after the other, e.g. 66.e6 Kxb6 67.d7 Kc7 68.Kxf3 Kd6-+ 64...Rxb5! 64...d4? spoils it due to 65.g6 d3 66.Kxf3 Re8 67.a7 d2 68.Ke2 Rxe5+ 69.Kxd2 Re8 70.b6 Kc6 71.Kd3 Kxb6= 65.g6 Rb8 66.a7 Ra8 67.g7 Ke6 Nakamura's king comes to collect the pawns. 68.Kxf3 Kxe5 69.d7 Kd6 70.Kf4 Kxd7 71.Ke5 Kc6 71...Kc6 72.Kf6 d4 73.Kf7 Rxa7+-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Stripunsky,A2562Nakamura,H27750–12012C04ch-USA 20128

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.

Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

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