World Cup: A selection of outstanding endgames (1)

by Karsten Müller
8/31/2023 – The FIDE World Cup was a complete success, as top players fought for spots in the Candidates, both in the open and in the women’s section. Magnus Carlsen and Aleksandra Goryachkina were the winners. As ever, GM Karsten Müller compiled the most interesting positions from the tournaments. Find here five instructive endgames from the open category! | Pictured: Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu | Photo: Stev Bonhage
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Pragg’s passed pawns

The fact that Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Arjun Erigaisi are good friends did not prevent them from playing a hard-fought, exciting quarterfinal match. In this game, each of the Indian youngsters had two pawns per side. Time to calculate!

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1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 5.Bd2 Be7 6.c4 Ng4 7.Qe2 d6 8.Nc3 Bh4 9.g3 Bf6 10.h3 Nge5 11.0-0-0 Nd4 12.Qe3 c5 13.Nd5 Be6 14.f4 Nec6 15.Bc3 0-0 16.Nxf6+ Qxf6 17.Nf3 Qe7 18.Bxd4 cxd4 19.Nxd4 Nxd4 20.Qxd4 b5 21.Kb1 Bxc4 22.Bxc4 bxc4 23.Qxc4 a5 24.Rh2 a4 25.a3 Rfc8 26.Qd3 h6 27.Rc2 Rxc2 28.Qxc2 Qe6 29.g4 Qf6 30.f5 Rb8 31.Ka2 Rb5 32.Rd2 Rb3 33.Rd3 Rb6 34.Rc3 Qd4 35.Qd3 Qe5 36.Qc4 Qh2 37.Rc2 Qxh3 38.Qxa4 Rb8 39.Rc7 Qxg4 40.Qc4 Rf8 41.a4 h5 42.a5 h4 43.a6 d5 44.Qxd5 Qe2 45.Qc4 Qxc4+ 46.Rxc4 Ra8 47.b4 Rxa6+ 48.Kb3 h3 49.b5 Rh6 50.Rc8+ Kh7 51.Rc1 g5 52.fxg6+ fxg6 Pragg's passed pawns. Rook endings have a large drawish tendency, but races are different: 53.b6? Passed pawns should indeed be pushed. But this is the wrong one. The other passed pawn should advance: 53.e5 h2 53...g5 54.Rc7+ Kg8 55.Rc6= 54.Rh1 g5 55.b6 Rxb6+ 56.Kc3 Rh6 57.Kd4 g4 58.Ke4 g3 59.Kf3 Rg6 60.Kg2 Kg7 61.Rf1= 53...g5 54.Rc7+ Kg8 55.Rc8+ Kf7 56.Rc7+ Ke8 57.b7 Rb6+ 58.Kc4 g4 59.Rh7 Rxb7! Pragg's pawns are unstoppable now. 60.Rxb7 h2 61.Rh7 g3 62.Kd5 g2 63.Rxh2 g1Q 64.Rb2 Qg8+ 65.Kc5 Qg5+ 66.Kc4?! 66.Kd4 is more tenacious, e.g. Kd7 67.Rb4 Qa5 68.Rc4 Kd6 69.Ke3 Ke5 70.Kd3 Qa6 71.Kc3 Qd6 72.Kc2 Qa3 73.Kd2 Qb3 74.Rc3 Qb4 75.Kd3 Qxe4+-+ 66...Qc1+ 67.Kb3 Qe3+ 68.Kc4 Qxe4+ 69.Kc3 Kd7 70.Rb4 Qe1+ 71.Kb3?! 71.Kc4 is more tenacious. 71...Kc6 72.Rd4 Kc5 73.Rd8 Qg3+ 74.Kc2 Qg6+ 75.Kd1 Kc4 76.Rc8+ Kd3 77.Kc1 Qg4 78.Rc2 Qa4 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Erigaisi Arjun2710Praggnanandhaa R26900–12023C22FIDE World Cup 20236.5

Arjun Erigaisi

Arjun Erigaisi | Photo: FIDE / Stev Bonhage

Magnus misses a magical win

Vincent Keymer beat Magnus Carlsen in their first classical encounter. The Norwegian eventually bounced back and went on to win the tournament — he, however, failed to find a remarkable knight manoeuvre in the tiebreaks.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 Nc6 5.e4 e5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.Ne2 b6 9.Ng3 Na5 10.Bd3 h5 11.0-0 h4 12.Nf5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Qd7 14.Rb1 0-0-0 15.Bg5 c5 16.d5 Rh5 17.f4 Rhh8 18.fxe5 dxe5 19.Qe1 e4 20.Bxf6 Rde8 21.Bxg7 exd3 22.Qd2 Rhg8 23.f6 Re4 24.Rbe1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 Re8 26.Re7 Rxe7 27.fxe7 Qxe7 28.Qxd3 Qe1+ 29.Qf1 Qe3+ 30.Kh1 Qe4 31.h3 f5 32.Qf3 Qxf3 33.gxf3 Nxc4 34.a4 Kd7 35.Bf6 Kd6 36.Bxh4 Kxd5 37.Bd8 Nb2 38.h4 Ke6 39.h5 Nxa4 40.c4 Kf7 41.Kg2 Nb2 42.Kg3 Nxc4 43.Kf4 b5 44.Kxf5 b4 45.Ke4 a5 46.h6 Kg6 47.Be7 Magnus misses the magical win. Knights are tricky pieces: Nd2+? The wrong knight road. Magnus misses the magical win 47...b3 48.Kd3 Ne3 49.Kc3 Nd5+-+ 48.Kd3! Keymer's king is now just in time. Nb3 48...Nxf3 49.Bxc5= 49.Kc4 a4 50.Bg5 Kh7 Of course not 50...Kxg5?? 51.h7+- 51.Be3 Kg6 52.Bg5 Nd4 52...Kxg5?? 53.h7+- 53.Kxc5 a3 53...b3 54.Bc1 Nc2 55.Kc4= 54.Bc1 Ne2 54...a2 55.Bb2 Nc2 56.Kc4= 55.Kxb4 Nxc1 56.Kxa3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Keymer,V2690Carlsen,M2835½–½2023E20FIDE World Cup 20234.4

Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer

Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer | Photo: FIDE / Anna Shtourman

Caruana breaks Abasov’s fortress

A rook is often much stronger than a bishop in an endgame. But with pawns only on one flank, fortresses can arise!

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bb4 7.Ndb5 Nxe4 8.Qf3 d5 9.Nc7+ Kf8 10.0-0-0 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qe7 12.c4 Qf6 13.c3 g5 14.Bd6+ Kg7 15.Qxf6+ Kxf6 16.Nxa8 Nxd6 17.cxd5 exd5 18.f3 Nf5 19.Nc7 d4 20.Bb5 Ne3 21.Rd2 Bd7 22.Re1 Rc8 23.Rxe3 Rxc7 24.Re4 dxc3 25.Rd6+ Kg7 26.Re3 a6 27.Ba4 Be6 28.Bxc6 bxc6 29.Rxc3 Bxa2 30.Rcxc6 Re7 31.Rxa6 Re2 32.Rd2 Re1+ 33.Kb2 Be6 34.Ra1 Re5 35.Kc3 h6 36.Kd4 Rb5 37.Ke3 Rb3+ 38.Kf2 Rb4 39.Ra5 Rh4 40.h3 Rb4 41.Kg3 Kf6 42.Re2 Bf5 43.Ree5 Bg6 44.Reb5 Rc4 45.Rb6+ Kg7 46.Rab5 Rc2 47.Rb2 Rc4 48.R2b4 Rc5 49.R6b5 Rc2 50.Rd5 Ra2 51.h4 gxh4+ 52.Rxh4 h5 53.Rb4 Rc2 54.f4 Kf6 55.Rg5 The fortress breaker. A rook is often much stronger than a bishop in an endgame. But with pawns only on one wing, fortresses can arise: Rc6?! This allows the direct activation of Caruana's king. 55...Rc1! is more tenacious as 56.Rb6+?! (Now Black often has the additional defense ...Kh6. I cannot say if White can still win or not.) Zoran Petronijevic: In my opinion this move is OK. Wolfram Schoen and Charles Sullivan also gave winning proofs for White. One way to win is 56.Ra5 Rf1 Wolfram Schoen adds 56...Rc2 57.f5 Bh7 58.Rb6+ Kg7 59.Rb7 Rc4 60.Raa7+- 57.Rb6+ Kg7 58.Rb3 This prepares Rf3 followed by the fortress breaker f4-f5. Kf6 59.Ra6+ Kg7 60.Rf3 Rxf3+ 61.gxf3 f6 62.Kh4 Kf7 63.Ra7+ Kf8 64.f5 Bf7 65.Ra1 Kg7 66.Kg3 Be8 67.Kf4 Bf7 68.Ke4 Kf8 69.Kd4+- 56...Kg7 57.f5? runs into Petronijevic: Black cannot create the fortress. Step by step, White will either shift the opponent's king from the kingside, or win a pawn. A possible line is 57.Kh2 Rf1 58.Rb4 Ra1 59.Rb8 Rf1 60.Kg3 Black is running out of good moves. Kf6 also cannot help 60...Kh6 61.Rh8+ Bh7 61...Kg7 62.Rhxh5+- 62.Rd5 Kg7 62...h4+ cannot help either 63.Kg4 Kg7 64.Rhd8 Be4 65.Rg5+ Kf6 66.Rd6+ Ke7 67.Rd2 Kf8 68.Rh5 Kg7 69.Rxh4+- 63.Rb8 Bg6 64.Rb3 Bc2 65.Rf3 Rh1 66.Ra3 h4+ 67.Kf2 Bg6 68.Rg5 Kh6 68...Rb1 69.Rg4+- 69.Rb3 Rc1 70.Rh3 Rc2+ 71.Kg1 Kg7 72.Rxh4+- 61.Rb6+ Kg7 62.Rb4 Ra1 63.Rc5 Rf1 64.Ra5 Kh6 65.Rb6 Kg7 66.Rb3 Bc2 67.Rg5+ Kh6 68.Rb6+ Bg6 69.Rd5 Kg7 70.Rb3 Rg1 71.Ra5 Bc2 72.Rg5+ Kh6 73.Rb6+ Bg6 74.Ra5 Kg7 75.f5 Bh7 76.Rb3 Kf6 77.Ra6+ Kxf5 77...Kg5 78.Kh2 Rd1 79.Rg3+ Kf4 80.Rg7 Bxf5 81.Rxf7 Rd5 82.Rf8 Ke3 83.Ra3+ Kd4 84.Ra4+ Kc3 85.Rg8 Be6 86.Rg3+ Kb2 87.Re4 Bd7 88.Re2+ Kc1 89.Rf3 Rd1 90.Ref2+- 78.Rf3+ Kg5 79.Rxf7 Be4 80.Rg7+ Kf5 81.Kh2 Rb1 82.Rh6 Rb2 83.Rxh5++- 57...Kh6= 56.Kh4 Re6 57.f5 The fortress breaker. Bxf5 58.Rf4 Re5 59.Rxh5 59.Rxh5 Ke6 60.g4 Bg6 61.Rxe5+ Kxe5 62.Kg5 Ke6 63.Rf6+ Ke7 64.Rxg6 fxg6 65.Kxg6 Kf8 66.Kh7 Kf7 67.g5+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Caruana,F2782Abasov,N26461–02023B45FIDE World Cup 20238.2

Fabiano Caruana

Fabiano Caruana | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova

Duel of the passed pawns

One of the things that make World Cups so attractive is the fact that players tend to be extremely motivated from the first round. Check out this sharp endgame played between Maxime Lagarde from France and Santiago Yago de Moura from Brazil.

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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5 Qe7+ 7.Be2 Qc7 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Re1 Be7 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bb5+ Be6 12.Nb3 Bb6 13.Be3 0-0 14.h3 Ne4 15.c3 Rfe8 16.a4 a6 17.Bd3 Rad8 18.Nfd4 Bc8 19.Qc2 Ne5 20.a5 Ba7 21.Nb5 axb5 22.Bxa7 Nxd3 23.Qxd3 Qc4 24.Qxc4 bxc4 25.Nd4 Bd7 26.Red1 Ra8 27.Bb6 Nf6 28.f3 h5 29.h4 Kh7 30.Kf2 Ra6 31.Nc2 Be6 32.Nb4 Raa8 33.Be3 Rec8 34.Kg3 Kg6 35.Kf4 Rc7 36.Bd4 Nd7 37.Bb6 Nxb6 38.axb6 Rxa1 39.Rxa1 Rc5 40.Ra7 d4 41.Rxb7 d3 42.Rb8 Rb5 43.Ke3 Duel of the passed pawns. Such positions can be very deep and sharp: Re5+? Here rook activity is wrong as White's b-pawn is too strong. 43...f6 44.g3 Kf5 defends according to the computer. 44.Kd2 Re2+ 45.Kd1 Bd7?! 45...Re5 is more tenacious, but does not defend due to 46.b7 Rb5 47.Nc6 Kh7 48.Na5 Bd5 49.Rd8 Bxb7 50.Nxc4+- 46.Ra8! White's rook controls everything. Rxg2 47.b7 Rg1+ 48.Kd2 Rg2+ 49.Ke1 Rg1+ 50.Kf2 d2 51.Ra6+ The final deadly point. 51.Ra6+ f6 52.Rd6 d1Q 53.Rxd1 Rxd1 54.b8Q+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lagarde,M2599Santiago,Y24811–02023C09FIDE World Cup 20231.2

Maxime Lagarde

Maxime Lagarde | Photo: FIDE / Stev Bonhage

Svane’s smart manoeuvring

German grandmaster Rasmus Svane reached the fourth round in Baku, when he was knocked out by Wang Hao in a long tiebreaker. In round 2, Svane upset Croatian star Ivan Saric.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.e3 0-0 7.Qc2 Ne7 8.Bd2 b6 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Ne4 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.cxd5 exd5 13.0-0 Rc8 14.Rac1 Nf5 15.b4 Nfd6 16.a4 c5 17.dxc5 bxc5 18.bxc5 Rxc5 19.Qb2 Nxc3 20.Rxc3 Rxc3 21.Qxc3 Ne4 22.Qb4 Qb6 23.Qxb6 axb6 24.Rb1 Bc6 25.Rxb6 Bxa4 26.Bxe4 dxe4 27.Nd4 g6 28.h4 Rc8 29.Kh2 Bc2 30.g4 Bd1 31.Kg3 h5 32.g5 Ra8 33.Nc6 Kg7 34.Ne5 Ra5 35.Kf4 Ra2 36.Kg3 Ra5 37.Nc4 Rd5 38.Rd6 Rd3 39.Rd4 Bb3 40.Nd6 Bd5 41.Kf4 Bc6 42.Nc4 Rc3 43.Ne5 Bb5 44.Rxe4 Rc2 45.Kg3 Rc1 46.Rb4 Bc6 47.Rb8 Rg1+ 48.Kf4 Ba4 49.f3 Rh1 50.Kg3 Rg1+ 51.Kf2 Rh1 52.e4 Rh2+ 53.Kg3 Rh1 54.Nc4 Bd7 55.Rd8 Ba4 56.Nd6 Rb1 57.Ra8 Bd7 58.Ra7 Be6 59.Ra8 Bd7 Svane's powerplay. Against a bishop the attacker often plays on the other color complex: 60.Ra7 Be6 61.Ne8+ A strong regrouping for the king attack. Kf8 62.Nf6 Rb8 63.Kf4 Kg7?! This loses "easily", but Black is lost in any case, e.g. 63...Rc8 64.Ke5 Rb8 65.f4 Rb5+ 66.Kd6 Rb8 67.Ra5 Rd8+ 68.Ke5 Bh3 69.f5 Kg7 70.Ra7 Bf1 71.fxg6 Kxg6 72.Nd5 Re8+ 73.Kd4 Rd8 74.Ke3 Bc4 75.Nf4++- 64.Re7! Ra8 64...Kf8?! is met by 65.Rxe6 fxe6 66.Nd7++- 65.Re8! Svane's point. After the rook exchange White's king will invade and win. Rxe8 66.Nxe8+ Kf8 67.Nc7 Bh3 68.Nd5 Kg7 69.Ne3 Be6 69...f6 70.gxf6+ Kxf6 71.Nd5+ Kf7 72.Ke5 Bg2 73.f4 Bf3 74.f5 gxf5 75.exf5 Bg2 75...Bg4 76.Kf4+- 76.Ne3 Bc6 77.Kf4 Kf6 78.Nf1 Bd5 79.Ng3 Bf7 80.Ne4++- 70.Ke5 Bd7 71.Kd6 Bb5 72.Ke7 Be2 73.f4 Bf3 74.e5 Bg4 75.Nc4 Be6 76.Nd6 Bb3 77.Nxf7! Bxf7 78.e6 Bg8 79.Kd7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Svane,R2625Saric,I26571–02023D38FIDE World Cup 20232.2

Rasmus Svane

Rasmus Svane | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova

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.

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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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