The arms of the octopus

by Karsten Müller
2/23/2021 – Usually a rook is far superior to a knight in a pure endgame. But there are exceptions. In the diagram position White's rook is helpless against the black knight and the black pawns. Black to move and win.
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.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.exd6 cxd6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Rc1 Bg4 10.Be2 d5 11.b3 Nc6 12.c5 Nc8 13.0-0 e6 14.Qd2 N8e7 15.Nh4 Nc8 16.Bg5 Bf6 17.f4 Bxe2 18.Nxe2 a5 19.Rc3 a4 20.Rh3 axb3 21.axb3 Ra3 22.Nf3 Rxb3 23.Qe1 h5 24.Ng3 Bxg5 25.fxg5 Qa5 26.Nxh5 gxh5 27.Qh4 Rxf3 28.Rhxf3 Qd2 29.Rf4 Qe2 30.g6 f5 31.g4 Kg7 32.gxf5 exf5 33.Rxf5 Rxf5 34.Rxf5 Qd1+ 35.Kg2 Qc2+ 36.Qf2 Qe4+ 37.Qf3 Qxf3+ 38.Rxf3 N8e7 39.Rb3 Nd8 40.Rb6 Nec6 41.Kg3 Kxg6 42.Kf4 Kf6 43.Ke3 Kf5 44.Rb2 Kg4 45.Rg2+ Kh4 46.Rg7 Nxd4 47.Rd7 N8c6 48.Rxd5 Ne6 49.Ke4 Kg4 50.h3+ Kh4 51.Rf5 Ng5+ 52.Ke3 Nxh3 53.Kd3 Kg4 54.Rf8 Ng5 55.Kc4 h4 56.Kb5 h3 57.Kb6 h2 58.Rf1 Nd8 59.Rd1 Kg3 60.Kc7 Nge6+ 61.Kc8 Kf3 62.Rd3+ Kg2 63.Rd2+ Kg3 64.Rd3+ Kg4 65.Rd1 Nxc5 66.Kxd8 b5 67.Kc7 b4 68.Kc6 The arms of the octopus Usually a rook is far superior to a knight in a pure endgame. But exceptions do exist:
Black to move and win
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gu Xiaobing2263Zhai Mo23660–12020B04ch-CHN Women 20209

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 #199


 

ChessBase Magazine Extra #198

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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