Endgames from the Sinquefield Cup

by ChessBase
9/29/2013 – Three out of four examples in today's endgame session by our ChessBase Magazine expert GM Karsten Müller feature American GM Hikaru Nakamura. In one the "H-bomb" lost to Aronian, in two he defeated the Armenian and fellow American Gata Kamsky. But in every case his endgame technique – as that of Magnus Carlsen in the final example – is worth emulating. Learn and enjoy.

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Aronian's Arrow

Usually an extra piece wins in the endgame.

[Event "Sinquefield Cup 2013"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2013.09.13"] [Round "4"] [White "Aronian, L."] [Black "Nakamura, Hi"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E71"] [WhiteElo "2813"] [BlackElo "2772"] [PlyCount "121"] [EventDate "2013.09.09"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. h3 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 a6 8. Bd3 b5 9. Nf3 Nbd7 10. O-O h6 11. Be3 bxc4 12. Bxc4 a5 13. a4 Nb6 14. Bd3 Ne8 15. Re1 Nc7 16. Rc1 Na6 17. b3 Nb4 18. Bb1 Bb7 19. Ne2 Rc8 20. h4 c4 21. h5 cxb3 22. Qxb3 g5 23. Ng3 N6xd5 24. exd5 Bxd5 25. Rxc8 Bxb3 26. Rxd8 Rxd8 27. Nf5 Bf8 28. Bb6 Rb8 29. Bc7 Rc8 30. Bxa5 Nc6 31. Bc3 Bxa4 32. Ba2 Rc7 33. Nh2 Ne5 34. Bxe5 dxe5 35. Ng4 e6 36. Ng3 Kg7 37. Nxe5 Ba3 38. Ne4 Rc2 39. Bb1 Rc1 40. Rxc1 Bxc1 41. Nd6 f5 42. Ndc4 Bf4 43. Nd3 Be8 44. Nxf4 gxf4 45. g3 fxg3 {Aronian's Arrow Usually an extra piece wins in the endgame:} 46. f4 $1 {The valueable f-pawn must be preserved.} ({The recapture} 46. fxg3 $2 Bxh5 {reduces White's winning potential too much, e.g.} 47. Ne5 Kf6 48. Nd7+ Ke7 49. Nc5 Kf6 50. Ba2 e5 51. Nd7+ Kg5 52. Nxe5 f4 $11) 46... Bxh5 (46... Bc6 47. Ne5 Bd5 48. Bd3 Kf6 49. Be2 Ke7 50. Bf3 $18 {[%cal Gg1g3]}) 47. Kg2 Kf6 48. Kxg3 Be8 49. Kh4 Bb5 50. Ne5 $1 {The knight must be preserved to keep control.} Be8 51. Bc2 Ke7 52. Bd1 Kf6 53. Bf3 Ba4 54. Bc6 Bd1 (54... Bxc6 55. Nxc6 Kg6 56. Ne5+ Kf6 57. Kh5 Kg7 58. Nd7 Kh7 59. Nf8+ $18 {[%cal Gf8e6,Gf8h7]}) 55. Bd7 Be2 56. Ba4 Ke7 57. Bb3 Kd6 58. Kg3 Bh5 59. Kf2 Bg4 (59... Be8 {is broken by} 60. Ke3 Bb5 61. Kd4 Be2 (61... Ke7 62. Ng6+ Kf6 (62... Kd6 63. Nf8 h5 64. Nxe6 h4 65. Ng5 $18) 63. Nf8 Be8 64. Nxe6 Bf7 65. Nc5 Bxb3 66. Nxb3 h5 67. Nd2 h4 68. Nf3 h3 69. Kd5 $18) 62. Nc4+ ( {However, not} 62. Nf7+ $6 Ke7 63. Nxh6 $4 Kf6 $11 {as the knight can not escape alive.}) 62... Bxc4 63. Bxc4 h5 64. Be2 h4 65. Bf1 Kd7 66. Ke5 Ke7 67. Bc4 h3 68. Bxe6 h2 69. Bd5 $18) 60. Ke3 (60. Nxg4 {wins as well, e.g.} fxg4 61. Kg3 h5 62. Bc2 Kd5 63. Bg6 e5 64. f5 e4 65. Bxh5 Ke5 66. Kxg4 e3 67. Kg5 $18) 60... h5 61. Nf7+ (61. Nf7+ Ke7 62. Ng5 h4 63. Nxe6 h3 64. Kf2 h2 65. Kg2 $18) 1-0

Not all rook endings are drawn

Nakamura finds a way to take the sting out of Kamsky's attack by trading down into a won rook ending

[Event "Sinquefield Cup 2013"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2013.09.10"] [Round "2"] [White "Nakamura, Hi"] [Black "Kamsky, G."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B43"] [WhiteElo "2772"] [BlackElo "2741"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "2013.09.09"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 b5 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. O-O Nc6 8. Nxc6 Bxc6 9. Re1 Qb8 10. a4 b4 11. Nd5 Bd6 12. Qh5 Ne7 13. Nxe7 Bxe7 14. b3 a5 15. Bb2 Bf6 16. Bxf6 gxf6 17. e5 Rg8 18. g3 Rg5 19. Qh6 Rxe5 20. Qxf6 Rh5 21. Be4 Qd8 22. Qf3 Rc5 23. Qe3 Qe7 24. Bxh7 f5 25. Bg6+ Kd8 26. Rac1 Kc7 27. Bh5 e5 28. f4 Qd6 29. Rf1 exf4 30. Qxf4 Be4 31. Qf2 Rc3 32. Be2 Kb7 33. Rcd1 Qe6 34. Bc4 d5 35. Qc5 Rd8 36. Qxa5 Rxc2 {Not all rook endings are drawn Nakamura finds a way to take the sting out of Kamsky's attack by trading down into a won rook ending:} 37. Rf2 $3 {The right way to stop the attack.} (37. Qxb4+ $2 Qb6+ 38. Qxb6+ Kxb6 39. Rf2 dxc4 40. Rxd8 {wins the exchange but not the game:} Rc1+ 41. Rf1 Rxf1+ 42. Kxf1 cxb3 43. Ke2 (43. Rb8+ Bb7 $11) 43... b2 44. Rd1 Bc2 (44... b1=Q $2 45. Rxb1+ Bxb1 46. h4 $18) 45. Rg1 Kc5 46. h4 Kd4 47. h5 Ke5 48. a5 b1=Q 49. Rxb1 Bxb1 50. h6 Kf6 $11) ({Of course not} 37. Qxd8 $4 Rg2+ 38. Kh1 Rxg3+ 39. Rf3 Bxf3#) 37... Rxf2 38. Qxd8 Rg2+ (38... Rb2 39. Bxd5+ Bxd5 40. Qxd5+ Qxd5 41. Rxd5 Rxb3 42. Rxf5 Kc6 43. Rb5 $18) 39. Kf1 {Black has now many ways to simplify into rook endings, but all of them are lost as White manages to get two extra pawns.} Rb2 (39... Rxh2 40. Bxd5+ Bxd5 41. Qxd5+ Qxd5 42. Rxd5 Rb2 43. Rb5+ Ka6 44. Rxb4 $18) ({After} 39... dxc4 {there results no rook endgame, but now White's queen will win, e.g.} 40. Rd7+ Qxd7 41. Qxd7+ Kb6 42. Qb5+ $18) (39... Bd3+ $5 {is met by} 40. Bxd3 Rxh2 41. Be4 $3 {White goes into a rook endgame anyway.} Qxe4 42. Qxd5+ Qxd5 43. Rxd5 Kc6 44. Rb5 $18) 40. Bxd5+ Bxd5 41. Qxd5+ Qxd5 42. Rxd5 (42. Rxd5 Rxb3 (42... Rxh2 43. Rxf5 Rb2 44. Rb5+ $18) 43. Rxf5 Kc6 44. Rb5 $18) 1-0

Aronian's Knightmare

With knights concrete tactics often play a vital role.

[Event "Sinquefield Cup 2013"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2013.09.09"] [Round "1"] [White "Nakamura, Hi"] [Black "Aronian, L."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C88"] [WhiteElo "2772"] [BlackElo "2813"] [PlyCount "81"] [EventDate "2013.09.09"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. a4 b4 9. d4 d6 10. dxe5 Nxe5 11. Nbd2 Nfd7 12. Nd4 c5 13. Nf5 Nf6 14. Ne3 Bb7 15. f3 Ng6 16. Ndc4 d5 17. exd5 Nxd5 18. Nf5 Qc7 19. Nxe7+ Ngxe7 20. Bg5 Nf5 21. c3 bxc3 22. bxc3 h6 23. Qd3 g6 24. Bd2 Rad8 25. Qe2 Nf4 26. Bxf4 Qxf4 27. Rad1 Bd5 28. Nd2 Bxb3 29. Nxb3 Qxa4 30. Nxc5 {Aronian's Knightmare With knights concrete tactics often play a vital role:} Qb5 $2 {An oversight.} ({After} 30... Qc6 {the position is completely equal.}) 31. Qxb5 axb5 (31... Rxd1 32. Qe2 $18) 32. Nd7 $1 {Nakamura's knight is Aronian's knightmare.} Rxd7 (32... Rfe8 $2 33. Rxe8+ Rxe8 34. Nf6+ Kf8 35. Nxe8 Kxe8 36. Rd5 $18) 33. Rxd7 Ra8 $6 (33... Rc8 {is more tenacious, but there is no doubt that White will win in the long run after} 34. Rd3 $18) 34. Kf2 Ra6 (34... Ra2+ 35. Re2 $18) 35. g4 Nh4 (35... Nd6 36. Re5 $18) 36. f4 Rc6 37. Re8+ Kg7 38. Ree7 Rf6 (38... Rxc3 39. Rxf7+ Kg8 40. Rg7+ Kh8 (40... Kf8 41. Rdf7+ Ke8 42. Rh7 Rc2+ 43. Kg3 g5 44. Ra7 Rg2+ 45. Kh3 $18 {[%cal Gh7h8,Ga7a8]}) 41. Rge7 Rc8 42. Rh7+ Kg8 43. Rxh6 $18) 39. Kg3 g5 40. f5 h5 41. Re6 (41. Re6 hxg4 42. Rxf6 Kxf6 43. Kxg4 Nxf5 44. Rxf7+ Kxf7 45. Kxf5 $18) 1-0

Magnificent Magnus

Magnus Carlsen's endgame technique is really amazing.

[Event "Sinquefield Cup 2013"] [Site "Saint Louis USA"] [Date "2013.09.13"] [Round "4"] [White "Kamsky, G."] [Black "Carlsen, M."] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C69"] [WhiteElo "2741"] [BlackElo "2862"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventDate "2013.09.09"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6 6. d4 Bg4 7. dxe5 Qxd1 8. Rxd1 fxe5 9. Rd3 Bd6 10. Nbd2 Nf6 11. Nc4 O-O 12. Nfxe5 Be2 13. Re3 Bxc4 14. Nxc4 Ng4 15. Re2 Bxh2+ 16. Kf1 Rae8 17. Nd2 Rd8 18. f3 Bg3 19. Kg1 Ne5 20. b3 Ng6 21. Nf1 Be5 22. c3 Bxc3 23. Bb2 Nf4 24. Rc2 Ba5 25. Ng3 g6 26. Rf1 Rd3 27. Kh2 Bb4 28. Ne2 Ne6 29. Nc1 Rd7 30. g3 Rfd8 31. Kg2 Kf7 32. f4 h5 33. Kh3 a5 34. Kg2 Nc5 35. Kf3 Nd3 36. Re2 Be7 37. Nxd3 Rxd3+ 38. Kg2 Bc5 39. Rc1 Rd2 40. Rc2 Rxe2+ 41. Rxe2 Rd3 42. Rc2 Bd6 43. Bc1 Be7 44. Kf2 a4 45. Rd2 {Magnificent Magnus Magnus Carlsen's endgame technique is really amazing:} Rxd2+ {This is a very difficult choice even for Magnus. He hopes to open inroads in the resulting bishop endgame.} ({The alternative} 45... Bc5+ $5 46. Kg2 (46. Ke2 $2 Re3+ 47. Kd1 axb3 48. axb3 Rxe4 49. Rd7+ Re7 $19) 46... Rc3 47. Bb2 Re3 48. Bd4 Bxd4 49. Rxd4 axb3 50. axb3 Ke7 {leads to a rook endgame, where Black also has good practical winning chances.}) 46. Bxd2 axb3 47. axb3 c5 48. g4 $2 {Kamsky opens the kingside for Black after which Black should be winning. He should wait with a move like} (48. Ke2 {but it is not clear, if this defends in the long run as Black still can try to play on both wings with ...g5 and ...b5.}) 48... b5 $1 {Magnus gets passed pawns on both wings now.} 49. gxh5 (49. Kg3 h4+ 50. Kh3 b4 51. g5 c4 52. bxc4 b3 53. Bc3 Bb4 54. Bb2 Bd2 $19) (49. f5 hxg4 50. Kg3 gxf5 51. exf5 c4 52. bxc4 b4 53. Kxg4 b3 54. Bc1 Bf6 $19) 49... gxh5 50. Bc3 (50. Kg3 {also does not defend in the long run, e.g.} b4 51. Bc1 (51. Be3 c4 52. bxc4 b3 53. Bc1 Bb4 54. Bb2 c5 55. f5 Be1+ 56. Kf4 Bf2 57. Kg5 Bd4 $19) 51... c4 52. bxc4 Bc5 53. Kh4 (53. Bb2 Be3 $19) 53... Bd4 54. Kxh5 b3 55. Kg5 Bf6+ 56. Kf5 b2 57. Bxb2 Bxb2 {and sooner or later White's pawn will fall due to zugzwang, e.g.} 58. Kg4 Ke6 59. Kf3 Kd6 60. e5+ (60. Kg4 Kc5 61. e5 Kxc4 62. e6 Ba3 63. f5 Kd5 64. Kg5 Ke5 65. Kg6 Bf8 66. Kf7 Kxf5 67. Kxf8 Kxe6 $19) 60... Ke6 61. Ke4 c6 62. f5+ Ke7 63. Kf4 Kf7 64. Ke4 Bc3 65. Kf4 Kg7 66. Ke4 Kh6 67. Kf4 Bb2 68. Ke4 Kg5 69. f6 Kg6 70. Kf4 Bc3 71. Ke4 Kg5 72. f7 Bb4 73. e6 Kf6 74. Kd4 Kxe6 75. c5 Kxf7 $19) 50... b4 $1 {This prepares the breakthrough c4 and gives Black's bishop the square c3.} 51. Bb2 Bh4+ 52. Ke2 Bg3 53. f5 (53. Be5 c6 54. Kf3 Be1 55. Ke2 Bc3 56. Bc7 c4 57. bxc4 h4 58. Kd3 Be1 $19) 53... h4 54. e5 (54. Kf3 c4 55. bxc4 Be1 56. Kg4 Bc3 57. Bc1 b3 58. Kxh4 b2 59. Bxb2 Bxb2 60. Kg5 c5 $19) 54... h3 55. e6+ Ke7 56. Kf3 Bf4 57. Bg7 (57. Kf2 Bd2 58. Kg3 Bc3 59. Bc1 c4 60. bxc4 b3 61. Kxh3 b2 62. Bxb2 Bxb2 63. Kg4 Kf6 64. Kf4 Ba3 65. Ke4 c6 $19 (65... Bd6 $2 66. Kd5 Kxf5 67. c5 Be7 68. Kc6 Kxe6 69. Kxc7 Bxc5 $11)) (57. Kxf4 h2 58. Ke5 h1=Q 59. f6+ Ke8 60. e7 Kf7 $19) 57... Bg5 58. Be5 (58. Kg3 c4 59. bxc4 Bf6 $19) 58... c4 59. bxc4 Bf6 $1 (59... Bf6 $1 60. Bf4 (60. Bxf6+ Kxf6 61. Kg3 b3 62. Kxh3 b2 $19) 60... b3 61. Bc1 b2 62. Bxb2 Bxb2 63. Kg3 Ba3 64. Kxh3 Kf6 65. Kg4 Bd6 $19 {And finally the sharp endgame weapon zugzwang decides.}) 0-1

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