Powerful passed pawns

by Karsten Müller
4/21/2020 – Pawn endgames might seem relatively simple – after all there are no pieces on the board – but they can be very tricky. And they require precise calculation.

Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen

Let endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller show and explain the finesses of the world champions. Although they had different styles each and every one of them played the endgame exceptionally well, so take the opportunity to enjoy and learn from some of the best endgames in the history of chess.

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Passed pawns are powerful - but why?

Usually it is good to have passed pawns in pawn endgames. The following example shows why.

 

Karsten Mueller in ChessBase Magazine

Chess Endgames 1 to 14

All endgame DVDs by Karsten Müller in one package! More than 70 hours of instruction! from "Basic knowledge for beginners" (volume 1) to "Practical Rook Endgames" (volume 8) to the ever-popular "Golden Guidelines of Endgame Play" (volume 14).

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.

Apart from his regular columns and video lectures in ChessBase Magazine there is a whole series of training DVDs by Karsten Mueller, which are bestsellers in the ChessBase Shop.

Karsten Mueller

Karsten Mueller regularly presents endgame lessons in the ChessBase Video Portal

Endgames of the World Champions Vol. 2 - from Steinitz to Spassky

Enjoy Capablanca's fine technique, Tal's magic, Lasker's fighting spirit, Petrosian's defensive skills, Smyslov's feeling for harmony, and Alekhine's and Spassky's flair for the attack.

Highlights of this issue

  • CBM 193

    The cunning 6.a3!?
    Alexander Seyb investigates a fresh way to tackle the Najdorf

  • IQP positions welcome!
    Robert Hungaski recommends 3.e3 e5! In the QGA

  • Middlegames without minor pieces
    Mihail Marin on successful strategies with queen and rooks

  • All for the trade of queens - 13.g4!? vs. the Maroczy
    David Navara dissects his endgame triumph over Dmitry Jakovenko in Jerusalem

  • “My favourite game of 2019”
    Together with Simon Williams, retrace the game Dubov-Svane - “Move by Move”!

  • Star analyses
    Annotated games by Giri, Firouzja, So, Duda, Navara, Van Foreest, Nielsen, Sarin, l’Ami and more

  • A fresh wind against the Caro-Kann Exchange Variation
    Roven Vogel recommends  ...♝f5 as an antidote

  • My first draw against the World Champion!
    Jan-Krzysztof Duda analyses an explosive encounter from Wijk

  • Dutch duel
    Anish Giri reviews his game vs. Jorden Van Foreest

  • Long-term compensation
    Real sacrifices are the ones not leading to victory directly. Interactive video with Oliver Reeh!

  • Quiet move decides king hunt
    Rainer Knaak presents another trap in the Philidor Defence (video)

Links

Karsten Müller, born 1970, has a world-wide reputation as one of the greatest endgame experts. He has, together with Frank Lamprecht, written a book on the subject: “Fundamental Chess Endgames” in addition to other contributions such as his column on the website ChessCafe as well as in ChessBase Magazine. Müller's ChessBase-DVDs about endgames in Fritztrainer-Format are bestsellers. The PhD in mathematics lives in Hamburg, where he has also been hunting down points for the HSK in the Bundesliga for many years.