The best endgames of the year

by Karsten Müller
12/22/2024 – The chess tournament scene has exploded in recent years. And in addition to many exciting attacking games, there are also many amazing and instructive endgames. Karsten Müller is one of the world's greatest endgame experts. The sensitive radar of the grandmaster from Hamburg hardly misses an instructive endgame that has been played on this planet. At the end of the year, Müller shared with us the best, most interesting and most instructive endgames of the year.
Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Six endgame gems

It is worth mastering the endgame, especially because time is often short when we reach this deciding phase of the game.

Our in-house endgame expert, Karsten Müller, has selected six endgames played in 2024 which he considers particularly outstanding. They are presented in random order.

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5 7.Ne5 Nbd7 8.Nxd7 Bxd7 9.e4 dxe4 10.dxe4 Bc6 11.Qe2 Nd7 12.f4 a6 13.a4 Qc7 14.Nc3 Bf6 15.e5 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Be7 17.Bd2 Rae8 18.Ne4 Qc6 19.Qf3 f5 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Bc3 f5 22.Rfd1 Nb6 23.Nd2 Qxf3+ 24.Kxf3 Rd8 25.Ke2 Rd6 26.a5 Nd7 27.Ne4 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Rd8 29.Nd6 Nf6 30.Bxf6 Bxf6 31.Nxb7 Rxd1 32.Kxd1 Be7 The power of passed pawns. Dangerous passed pawns are often powerful assets in the endgame: 33.b4! The creation of a passed pawn ensures the win. 33.Kc2 Kf7 34.b4 cxb4 35.c5+- is a transposition to the game. 33...cxb4 34.c5 Kf7 35.Kc2 Ke8 36.c6! White has everything under control. Bf8 37.Kb3 Be7 38.Kc4 h5 39.Kd3 Bf8 40.Kd4 The white king will now penetrate via c5 or e5. Black's counterplay with the b-pawn is always too slow. Bg7+ 40...Be7 41.Ke5 b3 42.Kxe6 Bd8 43.Nd6+ Kf8 44.Nc4 Ke8 45.Kd6+- 41.Kc5 Bf8+ 42.Kb6 b3 42...h4 43.Ka7 b3 44.c7 Kd7 45.Kb8+- 43.c7 Kd7 44.Nc5+ The decisive point. Kc8 44...Bxc5+ 45.Kb7 b2 46.c8Q+ Kd6 46...Ke7 47.Qxc5++- 47.Qd8# 45.Nxb3 Bd6 46.Nd4 Bxc7+ 46...e5 47.fxe5 Bxe5 48.Nxf5 Bxc7+ 49.Kxa6+- 47.Kxa6 47.Kxa6 Kd7 48.Kb5 e5 49.fxe5 Bxe5 50.Nxf5+- 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2793Giri,A27461–02024GCT 11th Sinquefield Cup 20249.3

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano Caruana at the 2024 Sinquefield Cup | Photo: Crystal Fuller

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Rg1 b5 7.a4 bxa4 8.g4 Bb7 9.Rxa4 e6 10.g5 Nfd7 11.Be3 Nc5 12.Ra3 Nbd7 13.f3 Nb6 14.Nb3 Qc7 15.Qd4 e5 16.Qb4 Ncd7 17.Bxb6 Nxb6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.Qb5+ Qd7 20.Rxa6 Qxb5 21.Nxb5 Bxa6 22.Nc7+ Kd7 23.Nxa6 Be7 24.Ke2 Rc8 25.c3 Na4 26.Nb4 Nxb2 27.Nd5 Na4 28.Kd3 Rb8 29.Ra1 Rxb3 30.Rxa4 Bxg5 31.Ra7+ Ke6 32.Nc7+ Kd7 33.Kc2 Be3 34.Ra8 Rb7 35.Nd5 Bg5 36.Rg8 g6 37.Rg7 Ke6 38.Rxh7 Ra7 39.Kb2 Rb7+ 40.Kc2 Ra7 41.Rh8 f5 42.Kb3 Bf6 43.Rh6 fxe4 44.fxe4 Kf7 45.Rh3 Kg7 46.Kc4 Ra5 47.Kb4 Ra2 48.Kb5 Bg5 49.Kc6 Re2 50.Nc7 Bf4 51.Kxd6 g5 52.Ke6 The superb knight. Rook and knight can form a strong attacking duo: Kg6? The wrong move order. 52...Bxh2! should have been played first, for example: 53.Ne8+ 53.Kf5 g4 54.Ne6+ Kg8 55.Kxg4 Kf7 53...Kg6 54.Rh8 Ra2 55.Rg8+ Kh5 56.Nf6+ Kh4 57.Rh8+ Kg3 58.Kf5 Rc2 59.Rc8 Kf3 53.Nd5! The knight decisively strengthens the attack. g4 53...Rxh2 54.Nxf4++- 53...Bxh2 54.Ne7+ Kg7 55.Nf5+ Kg8 56.Kf6 Rf2 57.Rd3 g4 58.Kg6+- 54.Rh8 Kg7 55.Rh4 Rxe4 This leads to a counterattack, but Black is already hopelessly lost. 55...Rxh2 fails to 56.Rxg4+ Kf8 57.Nf6 Rh8 58.c4 Be3 59.c5 Bxc5 60.Nd7++- 56.Rxg4+ Kh6 56...Kf8 57.Nf6+- 57.Nf6 57.Kf6+- also wins immediately. 57...Re2 58.Kf5 The mate threat with Rg6 decides the game. Bg5 59.Rxg5 59.Rxg5 Rf2+ 60.Ke6 Kxg5 61.Ne4++- 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Engel,L2547Neugebauer,M25291–02024German Bundesliga 2023-2413.3

Luis Engel

Luis Engel | Photo: André Schulz

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 d5 4.e5 d4 5.exf6 dxc3 6.fxg7 cxd2+ 7.Bxd2 Bxg7 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Qb3 Nd4 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Bc3 Qe4+ 12.Be2 e5 13.f3 Qe3 14.Qc2 Be6 15.Bd2 Qc5 16.b4 Qd4 17.Rd1 Qh4+ 18.g3 Qh3 19.Bf1 Qh5 20.Bg2 0-0 21.0-0 Qg6 22.Qc1 Rfd8 23.Be3 Bf8 24.a3 a5 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.bxa5 Qd3 27.c5 Qc4 28.Qxc4 Bxc4 29.Rc1 Bb5 30.c6 bxc6 31.a4 Bxa4 32.a6 Ra8 33.a7 c5 34.Rb1 Kg7 35.Rb8 Bc6 36.Rxa8 Bxa8 37.f4 e4 38.Bf1 Kf6 39.Bc4 Bd6 40.Kf2 Kg6 41.Ke2 f5 42.Kd2 Kf6 43.Kc3 h6 44.Kb3 Ke7 45.Bg8 Bb7 46.Ka4 c6 47.h3 Kd7 48.Bh7 Ke6 49.Kb3 Be7 The king's invasion. The king should usually be activated in the endgame: 50.Ka4 This overloads the defence. Kd5 50...h5 does not save the game either: 51.Kb3 h4 52.g4 fxg4 53.hxg4 Kd5 54.Bg8+ Kd6 55.g5 h3 56.Bg1 e3 57.Kc2 Kc7 58.Kd3 Kb6 59.Kxe3 Kxa7 60.Be6+- 50...Bf8 51.Ka5+- 51.Bxf5 Bf6 52.Bc8 Ba8 53.f5 Bd4 54.Be6+ Ke5 55.Bf4+ 55.Bxh6+- also wins immediately. But not 55.Bxd4+? cxd4 56.Kb4 c5+ 57.Kxc5 d3 58.Bc4 Kxf5 59.Kd4 Bc6 60.Bb5 Ba8= 55...Kf6 56.g4 c4 57.Bxh6 c3 58.Kb3 e3 59.Bf4 e2 60.g5+ Ke7 61.Bg3 Be3 61...Bxa7 62.Kxc3 Bb8 63.Bh4 c5 64.Kd3 Bf3 65.g6+ Kf8 66.f6+- 62.g6 Kf6 62...Bd2 63.g7 e1Q 64.Bxe1 Bxe1 65.g8Q+- 63.Kxc3 Bxa7 64.Kd2 Bd4 65.Kxe2 c5 66.Bh4+ Kg7 67.Bg5 Be4 68.h4 White's pawns will simply overrun Black. c4 69.h5 c3 70.h6+ Kh8 71.Be3 Bf6 72.g7+ Bxg7 73.hxg7+ Kxg7 74.Bd4+ Kh6 75.Bxc3 75.Bxc3 Kg5 76.f6+- 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mamedyarov,S2734Shengelia,D24941–02024German Bundesliga 2023-247

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Photo: Lennart Ootes

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 d5 9.exd5 cxd5 10.h3 c6 11.Qf3 Bd6 12.Re1 Nd7 13.Bf4 Nc5 14.Rad1 Rb8 15.b3 Qf6 16.Ne2 a5 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.c4 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 a4 20.bxa4 Ba6 21.Qc3 Qb4 22.cxd5 Bxe2 23.Qxb4 Rxb4 24.Rxe2 cxd5 25.Rxd5 Rxa4 26.Red2 h5 27.Kf1 Rfa8 28.Rd8+ Rxd8 29.Rxd8+ Kh7 30.Rd2 h4 31.Ke2 g5 32.Kd3 g4 33.hxg4 Rxg4 34.f3 Ra4 35.Kc3 The rook belongs behind the passed pawn. This rule of thumb is generally good, as is the one about the defender exchanging pawns, but both must be applied with caution. Anand must call on all his defensive skills to hold his position together: h3!? Black arrives just in time but must have calculated it precisely. 35...Ra8 also draws. 36.gxh3 Ra3+ 37.Kc4 Rxf3 38.Rd3 Rf1 39.a4 Ra1! First, the rook belongs behind the passed pawn, as the rule of thumb suggests. 40.Kb5 f5 41.Rd4
41...Rf1‼ The only drawing move. The f-pawn must create counterplay immediately. 41...Kg6? is too slow due to 42.a5 Kg5 43.h4+ Kf6 44.a6 Ke5 45.Ra4+- 42.a5 f4! 43.Rb4 43.a6 f3 44.a7 Ra1 45.Ra4 Rxa4 46.Kxa4 f2 47.a8Q f1Q= 43...f3 44.Rb3 Kg6 45.a6
45...Kg5 The only drawing move. The king must support the passed f-pawn. 46.Kb6 46.a7 Ra1 47.Rxf3 47.Kb6 Kf4= 47...Rxa7= 46...Kf4! Again, the only drawing move. 46...Kh4? 47.a7+- 46...f2? 47.Rb2 Kh4 48.a7 Ra1 49.Rxf2+- 47.h4 Ra1 48.Rb2 Kg4 49.Rb4+ 49.a7 Kxh4= 49...Kg3 50.Rb3 Kg4 51.Rxf3 Kxf3 52.a7 Kg4 53.Kb7 Kxh4 54.a8R Rxa8 55.Kxa8 ½–½
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2788Anand,V2748½–½2024German Bundesliga 2023-2410.25

Viswanathan Anand

Vishy Anand | Photo: Amruta Mokal

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Bc4 Nb6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.Bc2 Nb4 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Nge2 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Nxc2+ 12.Qxc2 e6 13.Qd3 Rc8 14.0-0 a6 15.Qg3 g6 16.Bg5 Be7 17.Bh6 Bf8 18.Bg5 Be7 19.Bh6 Rc4 20.Rfd1 Bf8 21.Bg5 Qc7 22.Rac1 Bg7 23.b3 Rc6 24.Ne2 0-0 25.h4 Rc8 26.h5 Rc2 27.Qg4 Qd7 28.Rxc2 Rxc2 29.hxg6 fxg6 30.Nf4 Rc6 31.Rd3 Qf7 32.Qh4 Nd7 33.Rh3 Nf8 34.Be7 Qf5 35.Nd3 Rc3 36.Rf3 Qe4 37.Qh3 Rc6 38.Rf4 Qe2 39.Bf6 h6 40.Bxg7 Kxg7 41.Rxf8 Kxf8 42.Qxh6+ Ke7 43.Qxg6 Qe4 44.Qg7+ Ke8 45.Qg8+ Ke7 46.Qg7+ Ke8 47.Qg8+ Ke7 48.Nc5 Qe1+ 49.Kh2 Qxf2 50.Qg5+ Ke8 51.Nxb7 Qxd4 52.Qg8+ Ke7 53.Qg5+ Ke8 54.Qd8+ Kf7 55.Qf6+ Ke8 56.Qg6+ Ke7 57.Qh7+ Ke8 58.Qg8+ Ke7 59.Qg5+ Ke8 60.Nd6+ Rxd6 61.exd6 Qh8+ 62.Kg3 Qc3+ 63.Kg4 Qb4+ 64.Qf4 d4? Dance of the Queens. In queen endgames, the queen should often be centralised and king safety plays an important role: 65.Qe5‼ d3+ 65...Kd7 66.Qg7+ Kxd6 66...Kc6 67.Qc7+ Kd5 68.d7 d3+ 69.Kh3+- 67.Qf8++- 66.Kf3 Kf7 66...d2 runs into 67.Qxe6+ Kf8 68.Qf6+ Kg8 69.Ke2+- 67.d7 Qb7+ 67...d2 68.d8Q+- 68.Qe4! d2 68...Qxd7 69.Qh7+ Ke8 70.Qxd7+ Kxd7 71.Ke3+- 69.d8N+ This underpromotion is a nice touch, but the standard 69.d8Q+- also wins. 69...Kf6 70.Nxb7! The correct way to capture, because after d1Q+ 71.Kg3+- Black has no more checks. 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vaishali,R2475Goryachkina,A25531–02024FIDE Women's Candidates 202411.4

Vaishali Rameshbabu

Vaishali Rameshbabu at the 2024 Women's Candidates Tournament | Photo: Michal Walusza

New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 e6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 g6 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 Bg7 6.h3 exd5 7.exd5 Nd7 8.Nf3 Qe7+ 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Ne5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Nc3 Bd7 13.Bd2 f5 14.f4 Bd4 15.Kf3 Nf6 16.Ne2 Ne4 17.Be1 Bg7 18.Bxe4 fxe4+ 19.Ke3 Bxb2 20.Rb1 Bd4+ 21.Nxd4 cxd4+ 22.Kxd4 0-0-0 23.Bb4 Kc7 24.Rhe1 b6 25.Rxe4 Rde8 26.Rbe1 Rxe4+ 27.Rxe4 Re8 28.Rxe8 Bxe8 29.g4 Bd7 30.Ke4 Ba4 31.Kd3 Bd7 32.Ke4 Ba4 33.Kd3 Bd7 34.Kd4 h5 The breakthrough. Pure opposite-coloured bishop endgames have a very high tendency to end in a draw. If the defender is entrenched fortress-like on "its" square colour, there is often no progress to be made. Hence, it frequently becomes crucial to create dangerous passed pawns: 35.f5‼ White seizes the opportunity. 35.gxh5? gxh5 36.h4 Bf5= would, however, be a fortress. 35...hxg4 35...gxf5 36.gxh5 Be8 37.h6 Bg6 38.Ke3 Kd7 39.Kf4 Ke7 40.Kg5 Bh7 41.Bd2 Kf7 42.Bf4 Ke7 43.Bh2 a6 44.a4+- and Black is in zugzwang. 36.f6! Be8 36...gxh3 37.f7 h2 fails to 38.Bxd6+! Not 38.f8Q? h1Q 39.Qxd6+ Kc8 40.Qf8+ Kb7= 38...Kxd6 39.f8Q+ Kc7 40.Qf4+ Kb7 41.Qxh2+- 37.hxg4 a6 37...g5 38.Bd2+- 38.Ke4 The king decisively invades on the kingside. b5 39.cxb5 axb5 40.Kf4 Bf7 41.Kg5 Kd7 42.a3 Putting Black in zugzwang is good technique. The direct 42.Kh6+- also wins. 42...Ke8 43.Bxd6 Bxd5 44.Kxg6 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Warmerdam,M2636Rapport,R27171–02024German Bundesliga 2023-2415

Max Warmerdam

Max Warmerdam | Photo: Harry Gielen

From Mating with a queen; a rook; two bishops; a knight and a bishop; to the basics of pawn endgames – here you will gain the necessary know-how to turn your endgame advantages into victories!

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.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.