The umbrella

by Karsten Müller
11/15/2022 – One important defensive method in rook endings is giving checks - pawns that stop this "rain of checks" are called "umbrellas". In the diagrammed position it is White to move. How can he draw the game and stop Black from opening a functioning umbrella?
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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1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 e5 4.d5 Nf6 5.Nc3 b5 6.Bg5 Bc5 7.Qc2 Bd7 8.a4 b4 9.Nd1 c3 10.bxc3 0-0 11.Nf3 c6 12.Bc4 h6 13.Bh4 cxd5 14.Bxd5 Bc6 15.Bxc6 Nxc6 16.0-0 Rc8 17.cxb4 Bxb4 18.Qb2 g5 19.Bg3 Nxe4 20.Nxe5 Nxg3 21.hxg3 Qd6 22.Rb1 Bc5 23.Nxc6 Rxc6 24.Kh2 Re8 25.Qc2 Bb6 26.Qf5 Re5 27.Qf3 Qf6 28.Qxf6 Rxf6 29.Ne3 Bxe3 30.fxe3 Rxf1 31.Rxf1 Kg7 32.Rd1 Re4 33.a5 Re5 34.Rd7 Rxa5 35.g4 Ra3 36.Rc7 a5 37.Ra7 a4 38.Ra6 Ra1 39.Kg3 a3 40.Kf2 Kh7 41.Ra7 Kg6 42.Ra6+ Kg7 43.Kg3 Kf8 44.Kf2 Ra2+ 45.Kf3 Ra1 46.Kf2 Ke7 47.e4 Kd7 48.Rf6 Ke7 49.Ra6 Kd8 50.Ra7 f6 51.Ra6 a2 52.Ra7 Kc8 53.Ra3 Kb7 54.Ra4 Kb6 55.Ra8 Kc5 56.Ra4 Kb5 57.Ra8 Kc4 58.Kg3 Kd3 59.Ra4 Ke3 60.Ra8 Kxe4 61.Re8+ Kd5 62.Ra8 Ke6 63.Ra7 Ke5 64.Ra5+ Ke4 65.Ra4+ Ke3 66.Ra6 Ke2 67.Kh2 Kd3 68.Kg3 Kc4 69.Ra8 Kb5 70.Ra7 Kb6 71.Ra8 Kc7 72.Ra7+ Kd8 73.Kh2 Ke8 74.Kg3 Kf8 75.Kh2 Kg8 76.g3 h5 77.gxh5 f5 78.g4 f4 79.Ra8+ Kg7 80.Ra7+ Kf6 81.h6 Rb1 82.Rxa2 Kg6 83.Ra6+ Kh7 84.Ra7+ Kxh6 85.Ra6+ Kg7 86.Ra5 Kf6 87.Ra6+ Ke5 88.Ra5+ Ke4 89.Rxg5 f3 The umbrella One important defensive method in rook endings is giving checks - pawns that stop this "rain of checks" are called "umbrellas". In the diagrammed position it is White to move. How can he draw the game and stop Black from opening a functioning umbrella?
White to move and draw
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gungl,T2359Pajeken,J24340–12022D2093rd German Championship 20229.8

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.

ChessBase Magazine #206

Order now at the ChessBase Shop ! Available as a download or on DVD.

ChessBase Magazine Extra #205

 Order now at the ChessBase Shop ! Available as download or on DVD.

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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