A tough nut to crack: Arjun vs. Aronian

by Sagar Shah
2/1/2023 – Arjun Erigaisi reached an extremely difficult endgame against Levon Aronian in the third round of the Tata Steel Masters. Many players would have collapsed, but the 19-year-old is a tough nut to crack. He held his own and managed to draw the game. After the game, you could see Arjun and Levon analysing the game, but it was all just too complex to figure out without an engine. IM Sagar Shah spent a lot of time going to the depth of the position and now shares the findings with you. Do check out the analysis to unlock the secrets of a complex knight versus bishop endgame. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

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A complex knight versus bishop endgame

Arjun ErigaisiIn the third round of the Tata Steel Masters 2023, Arjun Erigaisi landed in a difficult endgame against Levon Aronian. It was so complex that even though both sides had only one minor piece and three pawns, Aronian could not find a win.

I was commentating live on this game and during my commentary I was unable to understand what was the clear path to victory. So I woke up the next day and spent four hours studying this position closely. I would like to present my learnings below. First I would like to explain the endgame, and then you can check the replayable board for all the analysis, or you can play the YouTube video, or you can go to ChessRanga and try your hand at solving the positions in an interactive format.

[Pictured: Arjun Erigaisi | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit]

 
Arjun vs. Aronian - Round 3

The engines claim that this position is winning for Black. But how?

This is one of those positions where there are so many possibilities for each side that it is extremely difficult to analyse move by move. The good news for Aronian (Black) was that he reached this position where he had ample time on the clock, and after six more moves he would get an additional 15 minutes.

While time was plenty in Wijk Aan Zee, energy is not! When you are in the fifth hour of play, you are often unable to calculate with the same accuracy as you could in the first couple of hours. But let us just imagine if you were to reach the above position in your game. How would you tackle the task of trying to play for a win?

What I did was that I spent around an hour analysing different variations. Once I did that, I realized that there were a few positions which were critical to understand. Once I understood what was happening in those positions, it became easier to avoid errors as Black and to find ways to win. Let’s have a look at three important positions.

Please note: In most of the lines, White gives up the g-pawn with g4 hxg4 because he doesn’t want Black to come with his bishop and win the g-pawn and have his h and g-pawns intact.

 
Important position #1

This position is a drawn position. Why? Because the knight and the pawn on e6 create a barrier for the black king to approach towards the e6-pawn. At the same time, White’s king handles the black a-pawn. This is the scenario that White is aiming for to draw the game.

 
Important position #2

If Black were to get this position, then he is winning. That’s because White is in a zugzwang. The king is coming to b6 and there is no way for White to stop it.

 
Important position #3

This one was a very nice zugzwang position that I discovered. Black’s last move could be Bg5-h4 or Bh4-g5 depending on where the bishop is. And now White is lost because the knight cannot let the a-pawn run. So he can go Na4, but then Kf5-f4 wins. If instead Kd6, then Kf5 once again wins, as the White king is too far away and cannot stop the a-pawn. The above position is also winning for Black.

Once you have understood these three positions, you will realize that it is not so difficult for Black to win. I would call this schematic thinking. You think what position you want to reach and then work out the moves to reach it. But I can tell you that along the way there are many tricks and the position is not as static as one would imagine! A lot of calculation is also involved. Just to give you an example:

 

Aronian blundered in this position by playing Kd8. This allowed Nd5 and the game was drawn. But imagine in the above position if Aronian had instead played Ke8, then he was still winning. That’s because after Nd5, Black still has Bf6+! And the key point here is that after Kd6 a4 e7 Bxe7 Nxe7 a3, there is no Nc6 check, which would have happened if the king were on d8, and would go back to b4 and stopping the a-pawn.

It’s variations like these which strongly suggest that the position is sharp and requires accurate calculation. But at the same time, if you don’t know where you want to reach, then it’s very difficult to calculate as there are too many branches. This is the reason why I would call this endgame an extremely difficult one.


Solve this entire endgame on ChessRanga


IM Sagar Shah tries to explain the entire endgame in this 34-minute video


 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 0-0 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 d5 8.Bf4 dxc4 9.e3 a6 10.Bxc4 b5 11.Be2?! 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.0-0 Nbd7 13.Rfd1 Qb6 14.Bxh7+!± Nxh7 15.Rxd7 11...Nbd7 12.0-0 Bb7 13.Rfd1 Rc8 14.Rd2 Qb6 15.Rad1 Rfd8 16.Qb1 h6 17.Bg3 Be7 18.Ne5 Nc5 19.Bf3 Rxd2 20.Rxd2 Nce4 21.Nxe4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Nxe4 23.Rd1 Nxg3 24.hxg3 Qc7 25.Nd3 Qc2 26.Rc1 Qxb1 27.Rxb1 Rd8 28.Rd1 e5 29.f3 f5 30.Kf1 e4 31.fxe4 fxe4 32.Nf2 Rxd1+ 33.Nxd1 We join this game at this point where it seems like Black has an edge in this knight vs bishop endgame. But the e4 pawn is going fall. How is Aronian going to create play? Kf7 34.Nf2 Bf6! A nice move provoking the pawn on b2 to move. 34...Ke6 35.Nxe4 Kd5 36.Nd2 Bf6 37.b3 Bb2 38.Nb1= somehow White is able to keep things under control here. 35.b3 Be7 36.a4 bxa4 37.bxa4 Ke6 38.Nxe4 Kd5 39.Nd2 Kc5 40.Ke2 Kb4 41.Kd3 Kxa4 42.Kc4 Bg5 43.Nf1 Ka5 After a forced sequence of moves, we have reached this position. It feels like Black's position has improved massively. The knight is passive. Black has an outside a-passer. However, White still has good defensive resources up his sleeve. 44.e4 Kb6 45.Nh2 h5 Aronian tries to fix the g3 pawn weakness. But it is not such a big deal, because White can always sacrifice the pawn with g4 and double Black's pawns. 45...Be7!? 46.Nf3 a5 46.Nf3 Be7 47.e5 Kc6 48.Nd4+ Kd7 49.e6+ Kc7 49...Kd6 50.Nf5+ Kxe6 51.Nxg7+ Kf7 52.Nxh5 Kg6 53.Nf4+= 50.Kd5 a5 51.Nb5+?! 51.Nc6! a4 it seems White is in trouble here. 51...Bb4 52.g4 hxg4 53.e7 Kd7 54.Kc4! Be1 54...Bxe7 55.Nxa5= 55.Kb5= This was the cleanest way to hold. 52.Nxe7! a3 53.Nf5 a2‼ 54.Nxg7! 54.e7 Kd7-+ 54...a1Q 55.e7= This is a crazy defence. White is able to hold. Qa8+ 56.Ke6= 51...Kd8 Let's try to understand the position. The g3 pawn is going to be lost, most likely White will sacrifice it with g4 and Black will capture it hxg4. The main drawing idea for White is to place his knight on d5 and bring his king to the queenside to stop the a-pawn. If he can do that it is a drawn position. Notice that the knight on c6 won't be a full proof fortress, because the black king will go to f8 and then with g6, try to pop out via g7 and f6. But with knight on d5 it is not possible. Black must avoid it at all costs. 52.Nc3? A big error. 52.Nd4! a4 52...Bb4 53.Nc6+ Ke8 54.Kc4 Be1 55.g4 hxg4 56.Kb5= 53.Kc4 a3 54.Kb3 Bc5 55.Nf5 55.Nc6+ Ke8 56.Ka2 Bd6 57.g4 hxg4 58.Kb3 Kf8 59.Ka2 g6 60.Kb3 Kg7 61.Ka2 Kf6-+ 55...g6 56.Nh4= 52...Bb4! 52...Ke8 53.Kc4! Bb4 54.Nd5= White has got his perfect defensive formation. 53.Na4 Ke7 54.Nb6 Black has to push his a-pawn. But it is not so easy. The main point is to get White into a zugzwang. A very good idea is to get the bishop to h4 and then keep the black king flexible. If White is very careful on the queenside then we can go with the king via f6 to f5 and f4 (after g4 hxg4 has happened). Other plan is to put the black king on c7 and the bishop on e7 and get White in Zugzwang. Kf6? 54...Be1! 55.g4 hxg4 56.Nc8+ Ke8 56...Kf6? 57.Kd6= Bb4+ 58.Kd7 a4 59.Nd6 56...Kd8 57.e7+ Ke8 58.Ke6 Bb4-+ 57.Nb6 57.Nd6+ Kf8!-+ 57.e7 Bb4-+ 57...Bh4 58.Kc4 White is looking for the Nd5 and king stopping the a-pawn defense. 58.Na4 Ke7! 58...Be7 59.Nb6 Kd8 60.Na4 60.Kc6 Trying to stop Kc7. Now the play is similar to the king going to e7 directly. Bh4 61.Na4 61.Nc4 Be1 61...a4 62.Kb5= 62.Nb2 62.Nb6 Ke7 63.Kd5 Bb4 64.Na4 Kf6 65.Nb6 Be7 66.Nc8 66.Na4 Kf5 67.Nb6 Bg5 68.Nc8 Kf6 69.Nb6 Bh4 zugzwang. 66...a4-+ 62...Ke7 63.Kd5 Bb4 64.Na4 Kf6 65.Nb6 Be7 66.Nd7+ Kf5 67.Nb6 Bg5 67...Kf4 68.Nc8= 68.Nc8 Kf6 69.Nb6 Bh4 zugzwang. 70.Na4 70.Kd6 Kf5 71.Kd5 71.e7 Bxe7+ 72.Kxe7 Ke4! 73.Kf7 Ke3 74.Kg6 Kf2-+ 71...Kf4 70...Kf5 71.Nb6 Kf4 72.Nc8 Kg3 73.e7 Bxe7 74.Nxe7 Kxg2-+ 61.Kd6 Bg3+ 62.Kd5 Bf2 63.Na4 Ke7 61...Ke7 62.Kd5 Kf6 63.Nb6 Bg5! Zugzwang. 64.Na4 64.Kd6 With the king coming to d6, now the a5 pawn cannot be stopped by the king. Kf5 65.e7 Bxe7+ 66.Kxe7 Ke4 67.Kf8 g3 68.Kxg7 Ke3 69.Kf6 Kf2-+ 64...Kf5 65.Nb6 Kf4-+ 60...Kc7 wins for Black as white is in zugzwang. 61.Nc3 Kb6-+ 59.Nb6 59.Ke5 Bf6+ 60.Kd5 Kd8 61.Nb6 61.Kd6 Be7+ 62.Kc6 Bb4 63.Kd5 Kc7 64.Nb2 Bf8 65.Na4 Be7! Zugzwang. 61...Kc7 62.Na4 Be7!-+ 59...Kf6 60.Nd7+ 60.Nc8 a4 60...Kf5 61.Nb6 Kf4-+ 58...Ke7! 58...Be7? 59.Nd5= 59.Kd5 Kf6! 59...Kd8 also wins. 60.Kc4 60.Kc6 60...Kc7 61.Nd5+ Kd6-+ 60.Nc8 60.Na4 Kf5 61.Nb6 61.g3 Be7 62.Nb6 Kf6 63.Nc8 Bb4-+ 61...Kf4-+ 62.Nc8 Kg3 63.e7 Bxe7 64.Nxe7 Kxg2-+ 60.Kd6 Kf5 61.e7 Bxe7+ 62.Kxe7 Kf4 63.Kf7 Kg3 64.Kxg7 Kxg2-+ 60...a4-+ 60...Kf5 61.e7 55.g4? 55.Nd7+! Kg5 55...Kf5? The king is misplaced on f5 because when e7 happens later and you take Bxe7 then Nxe7 comes with a check. 56.g4+!? 56.Ne5! This also draws. 56...hxg4 56...Kxg4 57.Nc5 57.Ne5 Comes with a big threat of Nc6. 57.Nb8! with Nc6 coming up also does the trick. 57...a4 58.Nc6 Bf8 59.e7 Bxe7 60.Nxe7+ It's a check now! Kf4 61.Kc4 Kg3 62.Nf5+ Kxg2 63.Nxg7= 56.Nc5 Kg6! 57.Nd3 Bf8 57...Bd2 58.Kd6 Bg5 59.Kd7 a4 60.e7 Bxe7 61.Kxe7 a3 62.Nc1= This transposes into 57...Bf8 line with extra move for White. 57...Kf6 58.Nxb4 axb4 59.Kd6= 58.Kc6! By not having given up the pawn on g4, this turns into a draw. a4 58...Kf6 59.Kd7 This is a fortress! a4 60.Nc1 a3 61.Na2= White keeps oscillating between c1 and a2. There is no progress! 59.Kd7 a3 60.Nc1 Kg5 61.e7 Bxe7 62.Kxe7 Kg4 63.Kf7 Kxg3 64.Kg6! 64.Kxg7? Kxg2 65.Kg6 h4-+ 64...h4 65.Kg5 Kxg2 66.Kxh4= Kf2 67.Kg5 Ke3 68.Kg6 Kd2 69.Na2 Kc2 70.Nb4+ Kb3 71.Nd3 Kc2 72.Nb4+= 55...hxg4 56.Nd7+ Ke7 This wins, but there was a faster way. 56...Kg5! 57.Nc5 This is the move that Aronian did not like. 57.Ne5 a4 58.Nc6 Bf8 59.e7 Bxe7 60.Nxe7 a3-+ 57...Kg6! Zugzwang. White has to play a move. That's a problem. 58.Nd3 Bf8 59.Ne5+ 59.Kc6 This now doesn't work because of a4 60.Kd7 a3 61.Nc1 Kg5 62.e7 Bxe7 63.Kxe7 Kf4 64.Kf7 Kg3 65.Kxg7 Kxg2-+ 59...Kg5 59...Kf5? 60.Nc6! a4 61.e7 Bxe7 62.Nxe7+ Check! Because the king is on f5. Kf4 63.Kc4= 60.Nd7 60.Nc6 a4-+ 61.Kc4 a3 62.Kb3 Kf6!-+ 62...Kf4? 63.e7!= 60...Be7 61.Nb6 Kf6 61...Kf4 62.Nc8= Bf8 63.e7 Bxe7 64.Nxe7 Kg3 65.Nf5+ Kxg2 66.Nxg7 62.Na4 Kf5 63.Nb6 Bg5 63...Kf4? 64.Nc8!= 64.Nc8 Kf6 65.Nb6 Bh4! Zugzwang. 66.Kd6 King is best placed on d5 and on d6 it creates an issue. 66.Nc8 a4 66.Na4 Kf5 67.Nb6 Kf4 68.Nc8 Kg3 69.e7 Bxe7 70.Nxe7 Kxg2-+ 66...Kf5 67.Nc8 67.e7 Bxe7+ 68.Kxe7 Kf4-+ 69.Kf7 Kg3 67.g3 Bxg3+ 67...a4-+ 56...Kf5? 57.Ne5 a4 58.Nc6 Bf8 59.e7 Bxe7 60.Nxe7+ The check makes all the difference, so Kf5 is not correct. Kf6 60...Kf4 61.Kc4 Kg3 62.Nf5+= 61.Nc6= 57.Nb6 Be1 58.Ke5 Bg3+ 59.Kd5 Bh4 60.Ke5 Kd8? 60...Ke8 61.Nd5 61.Na4 Kd8 62.Kf5 Bf6 63.Kxg4 g6-+ 61.Kd5 Kd8 62.Kc4 Ke7 63.Kd5 Kf6! 61...Bf6+! Not allowing the white king to catch the a-pawn. 62.Kd6 62.Ke4 a4! 63.Kd3 a3 64.Kc2 a2 65.Nxf6+ gxf6 66.Kb2 Ke7 62...a4-+ 63.e7 Bxe7+ 64.Nxe7 a3 There is no Nc6+ and Nb4. 60...Bf6+ 61.Kd5 61.Kf5? g6+ 62.Kxg4 Bd4 63.Na4 Kxe6-+ 61...Kd8 61...Bc3 62.Nc8+ Kd8 63.Nb6 Bb4 62.Kc6 62.Na4 Kc7 63.Kc5 Be7+ 64.Kd5 Bf8 Zugzwang. 65.g3 Bd6-+ 62...Bg5 63.Kd6 Be7+ 64.Kc6 Bh4 64...Bb4? 65.Nd5!= with Kb5 coming up! Be1 66.Kb5 65.Kd6 Bg3+ 66.Kd5 Be1 67.Ke5 Bc3+ 68.Kf5 68.Kd5 Bb4 69.Na4 69.Kc6 Ke7 70.Kd5 Kf6 71.Nc8 71.Na4 71...a4 69...Kc7 68...Bf6 69.Kxg4 Kc7 70.Na4 g6-+ 61.Nd5! White has got the dream setup. a4 61...Bf6+ 62.Kd6 62.Nxf6 gxf6+ 63.Kxf6 Ke8 64.Ke5 Ke7 62...a4 63.e7+ Bxe7+ 64.Nxe7 a3 65.Nc6+ Ke8 66.Nb4= 61...a4 62.Kd4 a3 63.Kc3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Erigaisi,A2722Aronian,L2735½–½2023E3985th Tata Steel Masters3.5
 

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Sagar is an International Master from India with two GM norms. He loves to cover chess tournaments, as that helps him understand and improve at the game he loves so much. He is the co-founder and CEO of ChessBase India, the biggest chess news portal in the country. His YouTube channel has over a million subscribers, and to date close to a billion views. ChessBase India is the sole distributor of ChessBase products in India and seven adjoining countries, where the software is available at a 60% discount. compared to International prices.

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