Achilles heel

by Karsten Müller
3/23/2021 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies and the diagram position is no exception to this rule. But White must still defend extremely carefully. How exactly?
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.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.b3 Bg7 4.Bb2 0-0 5.g3 b6 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.0-0 e6 8.Nc3 c5 9.d3 d5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Qd2 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bxc3 13.Qxc3 Nd7 14.Rfd1 Rc8 15.Rac1 Qf6 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.Bxb7 Rcd8 18.f4 Qe7 19.Qxe5 Qxb7 20.d4 Rd5 21.Qe4 Qd7 22.e3 Rd8 23.Rc4 b5 24.Rc2 cxd4 25.Rxd4 Rxd4 26.Qxd4 Qxd4 27.exd4 Rxd4 28.Kf2 a5 29.Ke3 Rd5 30.a3 Kg7 31.Rc7 Rd1 32.Rb7 Ra1 33.Rxb5 Rxa3 34.Ke4 h6 35.g4 a4 36.bxa4 Rxa4+ 37.Kf3 Ra3+ 38.Kg2 Rd3 39.h4 Rd5 40.Rb7 g5 41.hxg5 hxg5 42.fxg5 Rxg5 43.Kf3 Ra5 44.Rb8 Kf6 45.Rb7 Ra3+ 46.Kf2 Kg6 47.Re7 Kf6 48.Rb7 e5 49.Rc7 Kg6 50.Kg2 f6 51.Rc8 Kg5 Rook endings have drawish tendencies and the diagram position is no exception to this rule. But White must defend extremely carefully:
White to move and draw
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Arkell,K2381Ghasi,A24850–12021A30Caplin Hastings Online 20219.6

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.

ChessBase Magazine #200

 

ChessBase Magazine Extra #199

 

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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