When a retreat is the best way to advance

by Karsten Müller
12/1/2020 – Pawn endings often require knowledge and precise calculation. And sometimes a (temporary) retreat is the best (and only) way to make progress.

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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1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 c6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.0-0 Nbd7 6.Na3 Nb6 7.Qc2 Be6 8.Ng5 Bg4 9.f3 Bh5 10.Nxc4 Qd4+ 11.Ne3 e6 12.Kh1 Nfd5 13.Nd1 Bg6 14.d3 h6 15.Nh3 Be7 16.a3 Rd8 17.Bd2 Qc5 18.Qb3 Bf6 19.e4 Nc7 20.a4 Qd6 21.Nhf2 Bd4 22.Ne3 0-0 23.Rac1 Na6 24.a5 Nd7 25.Nc4 Qc7 26.Qa3 Ndc5 27.Ng4 f6 28.b4 h5 29.Nxf6+ gxf6 30.bxc5 Bxc5 31.Qb3 Qd7 32.Bh6 Rf7 33.Rfd1 Bd4 34.Bh3 Nc5 35.Qa2 Re7 36.Bf4 Bf7 37.Qa3 Na6 38.Nd6 c5 39.Rb1 Qc6 40.Nxf7 Kxf7 41.Qb3 Rh8 42.Qc4 Kf8 43.Rdc1 Rhh7 44.Kg2 Rh8 45.Qxd4 cxd4 46.Rxc6 bxc6 47.Bd6 Kf7 48.Bxe7 Kxe7 49.Rb7+ Kd6 50.Rxa7 Nc5 51.a6 Rb8 52.Rf7 Rb2+ 53.Kf1 Nxa6 54.Rxf6 Nc5 55.f4 Rxh2 56.e5+ Ke7 57.Bg2 h4 58.gxh4 Rxh4 59.Ke2 Rh2 60.Rg6 Kf7 61.Rg3 Na6 62.Kf3 Nb4 63.Ke4 c5 64.Rg4 Nc2 65.Rg3 Ne1 66.Bf3 Nxf3 67.Kxf3 Rd2 68.Kg4 Rd1 69.f5 Re1 70.Kf4 Rf1+ 71.Rf3 Rxf3+ 72.Kxf3 exf5 73.Kg3 Kg7 74.Kf3 Kh6 75.Kg3 Kh5 76.Kf4 Kg6 Backwards is the way forward In pawn endings often calculation and knowledge must be combined:
White to move and draw
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Francisco,R2281Kolay,A22610–12019A11Charlotte CCCSA Holiday IM5

Endgame theory constitutes the foundation of chess. You realize this in striking clarity once you obtain a won endgame but in the end have to be content with a draw in the end because of a lack of necessary know-how. Such accidents can only be prevented by building up a solid endgame technique. This is Karsten Müller‘s fi rst DVD and the grandmaster from Hamburg and endgame expert, here lays the foundation for acquiring such a technique. The fi rst part of his training series can be started without any endgame knowledge, only a knowledge of the rules of chess is assumed.


Karsten Mueller 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.

ChessBaseMagazine #198

CBM 193
 

 

ChessBase Magazine Extra #197

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

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Karsten Müller is considered to be one of the greatest endgame experts in the world. His books on the endgame - among them "Fundamentals of Chess Endings", co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, that helped to improve Magnus Carlsen's endgame knowledge - and his endgame columns for the ChessCafe website and the ChessBase Magazine helped to establish and to confirm this reputation. Karsten's Fritztrainer DVDs on the endgame are bestsellers. The mathematician with a PhD lives in Hamburg, and for more than 25 years he has been scoring points for the Hamburger Schachklub (HSK) in the Bundesliga.

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