The sharpest endgame weapon

by Karsten Müller
12/10/2024 – Zugzwang is a typical endgame weapon. Usually the attacker uses it to force concessions, but when both sides are in zugzwang things can be different. In the diagram position it is White to move and draw. What should she do?

Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen

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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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,165,57054%2421---
1.d4946,47455%2434---
1.Nf3281,31256%2441---
1.c4181,93756%2442---
1.g319,68856%2427---
1.b314,23654%2427---
1.f45,88648%2377---
1.Nc33,79651%2384---
1.b41,75348%2380---
1.a31,19754%2403---
1.e31,06848%2408---
1.d394850%2378---
1.g466246%2361---
1.h444653%2374---
1.c342651%2425---
1.h327956%2416---
1.a410860%2468---
1.f39147%2431---
1.Nh38966%2508---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Bg4 8.Ne5 dxc4 9.Nxc4 Qc8 10.Ne5 Bh3 11.Qb3 Bxg2 12.Kxg2 Nbd7 13.Bg5 e6 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Rad1 h6 16.Bf4 Nd5 17.Nxd5 cxd5 18.Rc1 Rac8 19.Rfd1 g5 20.Be3 b6 21.Qd3 Qa4 22.a3 Rfe8 23.Rh1 Qd7 24.Qd2 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Rc8 26.Rc3 Rc4 27.b3 Rc7 28.Qc2 Rxc3 29.Qxc3 Bf6 30.h3 Be7 31.b4 Bd6 32.Bd2 Kg7 33.Qc2 f5 34.e3 Kf6 35.Bc1 h5 36.Qd2 Be7 37.e4 Kg6 38.h4 dxe4 39.hxg5 Qd5 40.Qe3 Qd8 41.f4 exf3+ 42.Kxf3 Qd5+ 43.Kf2 Qe4 44.Qf4 Qd5 45.Qe3 Bd6 46.Bd2 e5 47.dxe5 Qxe5 48.Qxe5 Bxe5 49.Bf4 Bd4+ 50.Ke2 b5 51.Bc1 Be5 52.Kf3 a6 53.Kg2 Bc7 54.Kh3 a5 The sharpest endgame weapon Zugzwang is a typical endgame weapon. Usually the attacker uses it to force concessions, but when both sides are in zugzwang things can be different. In the diagram position it is White to move and draw. What should she do?
White to move and draw
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Mehak Gul1709Shaba,L18310–12024D7845th FIDE Womens Olympiad 20244.227

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.

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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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