Endgames from Madrid (2)

by Karsten Müller
6/24/2022 – Eight of the strongest players in the world are fighting in Madrid to get a shot in the next match for the world crown. Deep opening preparation and maximum focus often lead to slightly better (or worse) endgames. GM Karsten Müller aims his attention at the last stage of the game, as he compiles the most salient and instructive endings from the Candidates Tournament. | Photo: FIDE / Stev Bonhage
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.

Prophylaxis

In round 4, Richard Rapport and Hikaru Nakamura reached an ending with rooks, knights and seven pawns per side. In the diagrammed position, the pawns on e4 and b7 are under attack, and it is White to move. Would you capture the pawn? If not, how to proceed?

 
Rapport vs. Nakamura - Round 4

Rapport played the quiet 26.h3 and went on to safely get the draw. Had he gone for 26.Nxb7, Black would have got a dangerous initiative after 26...c4 27.Rd5 Rb8 28.Rb5 Nxe4.

Alireza Firouzja had two far-advanced passers on the kingside and an agile bishop against Hikaru Nakamura’s knight in the following endgame. But Naka found the way to force a draw from this position. How did he start?

 
Firouzja vs. Nakamura - Round 3

41...c3, and not 41...e5, is the right way to start the race. Pure knight against bishop endgames can be very deep!

Find analyses for these two positions and two more endgames in the replayer below.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Be6 10.Qd2 Nd7 11.d4 f6 12.Qc3 exd4 13.Nxd4 Qe7 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.Nxe6 Qxe6 16.Qb3 Nc5 17.Qxe6+ Nxe6 18.Rd1 Ke7 19.Nd2 h5 20.Nc4 g4 21.Rd2 Rad8 22.Rad1 Rxd2 23.Rxd2 Ng5 24.Na5 h4 25.Rd3 c5 A light initiative weighs heavily. In an endgame with rook and knight against rook and knight, this is the main guideline: 26.h3 Good prophylaxis. 26.Nxb7?! c4 27.Rd5 Rb8 28.Rb5 Nxe4 plays into Black's hands as his initiative gets dangerous. 26...gxh3 27.gxh3 b6 28.Nc6+ Ke6 29.Nxa7 Ra8 29...Nxe4 is playable as well, e.g. 30.Nb5 c6 31.Nc3 Nxc3 32.Rxc3 Ra8= 30.Nb5 Rxa2 31.Nxc7+ Ke5 32.Nd5 Ra1+ 33.Kg2 Ne6 34.c4 34.Rb3 is met by f5 35.Nxb6 Nf4+ 36.Kh2 fxe4 and Black's activity compensates for the pawn, e.g. 37.Nc4+ Kd4 38.Ne3 Re1 39.Rb8 Re2 40.Rd8+ Ke5 41.Nc4+ Kf5 42.Rd2 Re1= 34...Re1 35.Re3 Rxe3 36.fxe3 Kxe4 37.Nxf6+ Kxe3 38.Nd5+ Kd3 39.Kf3 Kxc4 40.Nxb6+ Kb3 41.Nd7 Ng5+ 41...Kxb2 42.Nxc5 Nxc5 43.Kg4= 42.Kg4 Nxh3 43.Nxc5+ Kxb2 44.Kxh4 Nf4 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
Rapport,R2776Nakamura,H2760½–½2022C65FIDE Candidates Tournament 20224.1
Firouzja,A2804Nakamura,H2760½–½2022E323.4
Caruana,F2786Duda,J2750½–½2022B903.2
Radjabov,T2753Rapport,R2776½–½2022B466.1

In over 4 hours in front of the camera, Karsten Müller presents to you sensations from the world of endgames - partly reaching far beyond standard techniques and rules of thumb - and rounds off with some cases of with own examples.

Links

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.
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.