Karsten Müller: Topical Endgames

by Karsten Müller
9/7/2022 – Our ineffable Karsten Mueller brings this lovely set of endgames for both your entertainment and enjoyment as well as one more learning lesson. Be sure to check out how to beat a 2800 in a rook endgame, not to mention scary positions you should not be afraid of, and when sending a knight to a corner can be a saving maneuver. The last position has some aesthetic ideas that serve as the cherry on top.
Rules of thumb are the key to everything when you are having to set the correct course in a complex endgame. In this final DVD of his series on the endgame, our endgame specialist introduces you to the most important of these rules of thumb.

Using the active notation

You might be inclined to believe the game notations below are either to be just looked at and the moves played through in your mind. But as most of you know you can click on the moves to get a separate replay board, which you can resize and move to the best place on your screen. The popup board has full controls, and you can use the navigation buttons to advance the moves, as well as use an engine or save the game or position to your computer. In the engine window you can ask for multiple lines, or what the threat is, or see the positional evaluation of the position. 

Punishing passiveness

They say all rook endgames are drawn, but this truism is put to the test day in and day out by even the best players in the world. In the following quite equal endgame, Nepomniachtchi punishes Firouzja's passive approach to the position with merciless strokes that become a masterclass in rook endgame play.

 
Nepomniachtchi, Ian27921–0Firouzja, Alireza2778
GCT 9th Sinquefield Cup 2022
Saint Louis03.09.2022[Petronijevic,Zoran]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Qc2 Nxd4 8.Nxd4 Qxd4 9.Nd2 c3 10.bxc3 Qc5 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Bd6 13.Rb1 f5 14.Bg2 0-0 15.Be3 Qa5 16.c4 f4 17.Bd4 Be5 18.Qb2 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 e5 20.Qd5+ Qxd5 21.Bxd5+ Kh8 22.Bxb7 Rb8 23.Bxc8 Rfxc8 24.Rfd1 Kg8 25.Rxb8 Rxb8 26.Rd5
After good play from both sides, we have an approximately even rook endgame. Both sides have active rooks and both sides have weak pawns. Still, Black should be careful, because he has more weak pawns. He should play one precise move and the position will transpose to a draw. 26...Rb4? A pseudo active move that causes Black serious problems. White has a clear advantage due to a better pawn structure. Still, even after this clear mistake, Black has a good chance to hold. Much easier was 26...fxg3 27.hxg3 27.fxg3 leads to even play after Rb4 28.Rc5 Kf7! 29.Rxc7+ Kf6 30.Rc6+ Kf5 31.Rxa6 Rxc4 32.Kf2 h5 33.h4 Rc3 Black is active and he makes a draw easily. 27...e4 28.Rd4 Rb2 29.Rxe4 Rxa2 with even play. 27.Rxe5 fxg3 28.hxg3 Rxc4 29.Ra5
White's best chance: he attacks Black's weak pawn. 29...Rc6?! One more bad idea: this move is passive. Better was an active decision 29...Rc2! 30.Kf1 c5 searching for active counterplay. The possible line is: 31.f4 h5 32.Kf2 g6 33.Rxa6 Kg7 34.Ra7+ Kh6 35.Kf3 c4! Black's idea is to trade his c-pawn for White's a-pawn, thus reaching 3 vs 2 on the kingside, which is not easy, to make a draw. But after a proper defence, it is still possible. 36.Ra8 Kg7 37.Ra7+ Kh6 38.a4 Ra2 39.a5 c3 40.Rc7 Rxa5 41.Rxc3 Kg7 This position is even, although not easy because White has a passed e-pawn. 30.Kg2
White improves his king which is essential in every endgame. 30...Kf7? At first glance a natural move, but it loses the game. Again, active play was a way to achieve a draw. For instance, a good idea was 30...Re6 31.e3 Kf8! with the clear idea of supporting his c-pawn. 32.Kf3 h6 33.e4 Ke7 34.Ke3 Rg6! A good prophylactical move that prevents f4. 35.Rc5 Kd6 36.Kd4 White has maximally improved his position, but still, he cannot win: Black is able to defend his weak pawns. Kd7 Although White has a clear advantage, Black has good chances to survive. 37.Kd5 Rd6+ 38.Ke5 Re6+ 39.Kf4 Rg6 and win is not visible. 30...Rc2 is another active move that leads to a draw in a similar way as in our analysis of the previous move: 31.Kf3 Kf7 32.Rxa6 c5 33.Ra5 h5 34.a4 g5 35.Ra6 Kg7 36.Rc6 c4 37.a5 Ra2 38.Rc5 Kg6 39.Ke3 Ra3+ 40.Ke4 c3 41.f3 c2 42.Rxc2 Ra4+ 43.Ke3 Rxa5 Black has a great chances for salvation. 31.f4! Black does not have counter-play anymore and he loses. Ke7 32.e4?! Stronger was 32.Kf3 32...Rb6 33.Kf3 Rc6 34.f5 Kf7 34...Kf6 can not help as well 35.Kg4+- 35.g4 h6 36.Kf4 Ke7 37.Ra4 A subtle move that prepares e5. Rb6 38.Rc4 Kd8 39.e5 Rb1 40.Rc6 Rb4+ 41.Kf3 Rb5 42.Ke4 Rb4+ 43.Kd5 Rxg4 44.Ke6 Kc8 45.Rxa6 Kb7 46.Ra3 Rg2 47.Kf7 Rf2 48.f6 Kc6 49.Kxg7 Kd7 50.Kf7 1–0

Don't judge a book by its cover

Visually, the opening diagram for the endgame has to look not a little frightening for Black. White has two advanced connected passed pawns, the king next to them for support, and Black's king is in the crosshairs, but appearances can be deceiving as both GM Sadhwani and Karsten Mueller demonstrate. 

 
Prraneeth Vuppala2458½–½Sadhwani, Raunak2620
Julius Baer Challenge CCT 2022
Chess2401.09.2022[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd3 Bd7 8.0-0-0 a6 9.f4 Be7 10.Nf3 Qc7 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 Ng4 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Ne4 0-0-0 15.h3 Nh6 16.Qb3 Bc6 17.Nd6+ Kb8 18.Bxa6 Nc8 19.Qb4 Nf5 20.Nxf5 exf5 21.Bd3 g6 22.Rhe1 Na7 23.Kb1 Rhe8 24.Qc3 Bxf3 25.Qxc7+ Kxc7 26.gxf3 Rd4 27.c3 Rf4 28.Re3 Re6 29.Bc2 Nc6 30.Rde1 Rh4 31.Bb3 Re7 32.Bd5 Rxh3 33.b4 g5 34.b5 Nd8 35.c4 Kb6 36.Kb2 Kc5 37.Kc3 Ne6 38.Bxe6 fxe6 39.a4 g4 40.a5 Rd7 41.fxg4 Rxe3+ 42.Rxe3 fxg4 43.Re4 Rg7 44.Rf4 Rg5 45.Rf8 Rxe5 46.Rc8+ Kd6 47.a6 bxa6 48.b6 Re3+ 49.Kb4 Re1 50.c5+ Kd5 51.Rd8+ Kc6 52.Rd6+ Kb7 53.Rd7+
Race of the passed pawns They can be quite sharp: 53...Kc6! Black must defend activly. 53...Kc8?? runs into 54.c6 Rb1+ 55.Kc5 Rb5+ 56.Kd6 Rxb6 57.Rxh7 Kb8 58.Kd7 Ka7 59.c7 Rb7 60.Kd8 g3 61.Re7 g2 62.c8Q Rxe7 63.Qc5+ Ka8 64.Kxe7+- 54.Rc7+ Kd5 55.Rd7+ White must force the draw as 55.b7?? is met by Rb1+ 56.Ka5 g3 57.Kxa6 g2 58.Rg7 Kc6-+ 55...Kc6 56.Rc7+ Kd5 57.Rd7+ Kc6 ½–½

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.

Knightmare

The classic fight between knight and bishop should have ended in a draw with more than one path to equality. Perhaps the most astonishing analysis is how a trip to the corner by the knight was also a possibility, but the magic is in how it pulls this trick off. The real lesson here: any move can be possible so long as there is a solid plan behind it.

 
Prraneeth Vuppala24581–0Malicka, Maria2350
Julius Baer Challenge CCT 2022
Chess2401.09.2022[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6 6.Be2 Nd7 7.0-0 Bc5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.Rd1 Ngf6 10.d4 Be7 11.Bd3 0-0 12.Ne2 Rc8 13.Bf4 Re8 14.Ng3 Nf8 15.h4 Qb6 16.h5 h6 17.Rab1 Qa5 18.a3 b5 19.c3 Qb6 20.Qe2 a6 21.Nf1 Bd6 22.Be5 Bxe5 23.dxe5 N6d7 24.Bc2 a5 25.Rd3 b4 26.axb4 axb4 27.Rg3 Qc7 28.Re1 bxc3 29.bxc3 Qc4 30.Qd2 Qh4 31.Bd1 Kh8 32.Rg4 Qe7 33.Re3 f5 34.exf6 Nxf6 35.Rf4 Ne4 36.Qe1 e5 37.Rg4 Nh7 38.f3 Nef6 39.Rh4 Qd6 40.Ng3 Qc5 41.Kh1 d4 42.cxd4 exd4 43.Rxe8+ Rxe8 44.Ne4 Nxe4 45.Rxe4 Rxe4 46.Qxe4 Nf6 47.Qe6 Qc1 48.Qe2 Kg8 49.Kh2 Qf4+ 50.g3 Qf5 51.Bb3+ Kh8 52.Bc2 Qxh5+ 53.Kg2 Qe8 54.Qd3 Qd8 55.Qf5 Qe8 56.Bd3 Qb8 57.Kh3 Qe8 58.Qf4 Qh5+ 59.Kg2 Qe8 60.Qxd4 Qd7 61.Qe3 Qe8 62.Qc5 Qd8 63.Bc2 Qd2+ 64.Kh3 Qd8 65.g4 Qa8 66.Qf5 Qb8 67.Bd3 Qd8 68.f4 Qe8 69.Qe5 Qxe5 70.fxe5 Ne8 71.Bg6 Nc7 72.Bf7 g5 73.Kg3 Kg7 74.Bc4 Kf8 75.Kf3 Ke7 76.Ke4
Black's knight's knightmare Knights are concrete pieces and one wrong jump can be fatal: 76...Ne8? This misplaces the knight. Even the odd 76...Na8 draws, e.g. 77.Kf5 Nb6 78.Bb3 Kf8 79.Kg6 Nd7 80.e6 Ne5+ 81.Kf5 Nc6 82.Kf6 Ne7= 76...Kf8 defends as well due to the resulting wrong rook's pawn after 77.Kf5 Kg7 78.e6 Nxe6 79.Bxe6 h5 80.gxh5 Kh8= 77.Kf5! Ng7+ 78.Kg6 Ne6 78...Ne8 does not defend due to 79.Kxh6 Nc7 80.Kxg5 Ne8 81.Kg6 Nc7 82.g5 Ne8 83.Kh7 Kf8 84.g6 Ng7 85.e6 Ne8 86.Kh8 Ng7 87.e7++- 79.Bxe6 Kxe6 80.Kxh6 Kxe5 81.Kxg5 1–0

Battle of the Zwischenzugs

This cute finale starts with black and white trying to outfinesse each other, but the deciding zwischenzugs by each player end in Black's favor. A very pretty sequence to wrap things up.

 
Savitha Shri B24350–1Maurizzi, Marc`Andria2521
Julius Baer Challenge CCT 2022
Chess2401.09.2022[Mueller,Karsten]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.Nc3 Nd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Ne2 a6 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.c3 dxc3 10.dxc3 Be7 11.Be3 d6 12.f4 0-0 13.Qc2 h6 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Ng3 b5 16.Qe2 e5 17.f5 Qd8 18.Bb1 Kh7 19.Nh5 Bg5 20.Bxg5 Qxg5 21.Rxd6 Na5 22.Rd3 Rg8 23.Rg3 Qd8 24.Rd1 Qb6+ 25.Kh1 Ra7 26.Qe3 Qxe3 27.Rxe3 Nc4 28.Re2 Rc7 29.Bd3 Nd6 30.Kg1 Bb7 31.Kf2 Rd8 32.Ng3 g6 33.fxg6+ fxg6 34.Ke1 h5 35.Bc2 h4 36.Nf1 Rf7 37.Red2 Rdf8 38.Rxd6 Rxf1+ 39.Kd2 Kh6 40.Rxf1 Rxf1 41.Ke2 Rg1 42.Kf2 Ra1 43.Bb3 Bxe4 44.Rxa6 Rb1 45.Re6 Rxb2+ 46.Ke3 Bf5 47.Rxe5 Rxg2 48.Rxb5 Rxh2 49.a4 h3 50.a5 Rb2 51.Rb6
51...Be4!? This lures White's king into a check of the new born queen on h1. 51...Rxb3 52.Rxb3 h2-+ wins as well. However, not the direct 51...h2? due to 52.Bd5 Ra2 53.Rb8 Rxa5 54.Bh1 Kg7 55.Rb2= 52.Bd5 52.Kxe4 h2-+ 52...Rxb6 53.Bxe4 Ra6 53...Ra6 54.Kf4 Rxa5 55.Kg3 Rc5 56.Kxh3 Rxc3+-+ 0–1

 

Here are all the above endgames in our traditional player:

 
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 a6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Qc2 Nxd4 8.Nxd4 Qxd4 9.Nd2 c3 10.bxc3 Qc5 11.Ne4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Bd6 13.Rb1 f5 14.Bg2 0-0 15.Be3 Qa5 16.c4 f4 17.Bd4 Be5 18.Qb2 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 e5 20.Qd5+ Qxd5 21.Bxd5+ Kh8 22.Bxb7 Rb8 23.Bxc8 Rfxc8 24.Rfd1 Kg8 25.Rxb8 Rxb8 26.Rd5
After a good play from both sides, we have an approximately even rook endgame. Both sides have active Rooks and both sides have weak pawns. Still, Black should be careful, because he has more weak pawns. He should play one precise move and the position will transpose to a draw. 26...Rb4? A pseudo an active move that causes Black serious problems. White has a clear advantage due to a better pawn structure. Still, even after this clear mistake, Black has a good chance to hold. Much easier was 26...fxg3 27.hxg3 27.fxg3 leads to an even play after Rb4 28.Rc5 Kf7! 29.Rxc7+ Kf6 30.Rc6+ Kf5 31.Rxa6 Rxc4 32.Kf2 h5 33.h4 Rc3 Black is too active and he makes a draw easily. 27...e4 28.Rd4 Rb2 29.Rxe4 Rxa2 with an even play. 27.Rxe5 fxg3 28.hxg3 Rxc4 29.Ra5
White's the best chance: he attacks Black's weak pawn. 29...Rc6?! One more bad idea: this move is passive. Better was an active decision 29...Rc2! 30.Kf1 c5 searching for an active counterplay. The possible line is: 31.f4 h5 32.Kf2 g6 33.Rxa6 Kg7 34.Ra7+ Kh6 35.Kf3 c4! Black's idea is to trade his c pawn for White's a pawn, thus reaching 3 vs 2 on the Kingside, which is not easy to make a draw, but after a proper defence, it is still possible. 36.Ra8 Kg7 37.Ra7+ Kh6 38.a4 Ra2 39.a5 c3 40.Rc7 Rxa5 41.Rxc3 Kg7 This position is even, although not easy because White has a passed e-pawn. 30.Kg2
White improves his KIng which is essential in every endgame. 30...Kf7? At first glance a natural move, but it loses the game. Again, active play was a way to achieve a draw. For instance, a good idea was 30...Re6 31.e3 Kf8! With the clear idea of supporting his c pawn. 32.Kf3 h6 33.e4 Ke7 34.Ke3 Rg6! A good prophylactical move that prevents f4. 35.Rc5 Kd6 36.Kd4 White has maximally improved his position, but still, he cannot win: Black is able to defend his weak pawns. Kd7 although White has a clear advantage, Black has good chances to survive. 37.Kd5 Rd6+ 38.Ke5 Re6+ 39.Kf4 Rg6 and win is not visible. 30...Rc2 is another active move that leads to a draw in a similar way as in our analysis of the previous move: 31.Kf3 Kf7 32.Rxa6 c5 33.Ra5 h5 34.a4 g5 35.Ra6 Kg7 36.Rc6 c4 37.a5 Ra2 38.Rc5 Kg6 39.Ke3 Ra3+ 40.Ke4 c3 41.f3 c2 42.Rxc2 Ra4+ 43.Ke3 Rxa5 Black has a great chances for salvation. 31.f4! Black does not have a counter-play anymore and he loses. Ke7 32.e4?! Stronger was 32.Kf3 32...Rb6 33.Kf3 Rc6 34.f5 Kf7 34...Kf6 can not help as well 35.Kg4+- 35.g4 h6 36.Kf4 Ke7 37.Ra4 A subtle move that prepares e5. Rb6 38.Rc4 Kd8 39.e5 Rb1 40.Rc6 Rb4+ 41.Kf3 Rb5 42.Ke4 Rb4+ 43.Kd5 Rxg4 44.Ke6 Kc8 45.Rxa6 Kb7 46.Ra3 Rg2 47.Kf7 Rf2 48.f6 Kc6 49.Kxg7 Kd7 50.Kf7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nepomniachtchi,I2792Firouzja,A27781–02022E04GCT 9th Sinquefield Cup 20222.1
Prraneeth Vuppala2458Sadhwani,R2620½–½2022B62Julius Baer Challenge CCT 202210.6
Prraneeth Vuppala2458Malicka,M23501–02022B11Julius Baer Challenge CCT 20228.7
Savitha Shri B2435Maurizzi,M25210–12022B30Julius Baer Challenge CCT 202215.2

 

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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