Notable endgames from the Women’s World Cup

by Karsten Müller
8/20/2023 – The FIDE World Cup is coming to an end. One of the most exciting events in the chess calendar, it features an open section and a women’s section, with spots in the Candidates up for grabs in both events. The ever-curious GM Karsten Müller compiled the most interesting positions from the tournaments. Find here five instructive endgames from the women’s category! | Pictured: Divya Deshmukh | Photo: Anna Shtourman
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Fataliyeva’s fatal decision

Usually, a pawnless endgame with rook and knight against rook is an easy draw. But the setup can be difficult for the defending side, especially when the king is near a corner.

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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qc2 Bxc3 6.bxc3 e4 7.Nd4 Ne5 8.f4 Ng6 9.d3 exd3 10.Bxd3 d6 11.0-0 0-0 12.e4 Re8 13.Bd2 Nd7 14.Nb3 a5 15.a4 b6 16.Rae1 Bb7 17.Re3 Nf6 18.Nd4 Nd7 19.Nb3 Nf6 20.Nd4 Nd7 21.Nb3 c5 22.Be1 Nf6 23.Nd2 Qd7 24.Qd1 Bc6 25.Bc2 Qg4 26.Qxg4 Nxg4 27.Re2 Ra7 28.Bg3 Nf6 29.Rb1 Rb7 30.f5 Ne5 31.h3 Nfd7 32.Bf4 h5 33.Kf2 g6 34.Rd1 Nf6 35.Kf1 Kg7 36.Bg3 g5 37.h4 gxh4 38.Bxh4 Nfg4 39.Bb3 f6 40.Bg3 Nf7 41.Bc2 Nfe5 42.Bb3 Kf8 43.Nf3 Rd7 44.Bf4 Ke7 45.Bxe5 dxe5 46.Rxd7+ Kxd7 47.g3 Rg8 48.Bc2 Nh6 49.Kf2 Nf7 50.Nd2 Rg4 51.Re3 h4 52.Bd1 hxg3+ 53.Rxg3 Rf4+ 54.Ke3 Ng5 55.Bc2 Kd6 56.Rg1 Rh4 57.Rg3 Rh2 58.Kd3 Nh3 59.Ke3 Nf4 60.Bd1 Rh1 61.Bf3 Rc1 62.Rg8 Rxc3+ 63.Kf2 Bxa4 64.Rb8 Rc2 65.Ke3 Rb2 66.Rb7 Bd7 67.Bd1 a4 68.Ra7 Ra2 69.Nb1 b5 70.Nc3 Ng2+ 71.Kd3 Nf4+ 72.Ke3 Ng2+ 73.Kd3 bxc4+ 74.Kxc4 Ne3+ 75.Kd3 Ra3 76.Ra6+ Ke7 77.Bxa4 c4+ 78.Kd2 Nf1+ 79.Kc2 Bxa4+ 80.Nxa4 Rd3 81.Ra7+ Ke8 82.Ra8+ Kf7 83.Ra7+ Kg8 84.Nc5 Ne3+ 85.Kc1 Rd4 86.Ra3 Rd1+ 87.Kb2 Rd2+ 88.Kc3 Rc2+ 89.Kb4 Rb2+ 90.Kc3 Re2 91.Ra7 Rc2+ 92.Kb4 Rb2+ 93.Kc3 Rc2+ 94.Kb4 c3 95.Kb3 Rc1 96.Nd3 Rf1 97.Kxc3 Rf3 98.Ra4 Ng4 99.Kd2 Rh3 100.Ra1 Rh2+ 101.Kc3 Kf7 102.Ra7+ Kg8 103.Nc5 Rh3+ 104.Kc4 Ne3+ 105.Kb5 Rf3 106.Kc6 Nxf5 107.exf5 Rxf5 108.Kd6 Rf4 109.Ke6 e4 110.Nd7 Kg7 111.Nxf6+ Kg6 112.Nd5 Rf3 113.Ra4 e3 114.Re4 Kg5 115.Nxe3 Rf6+ 116.Ke5 Rf3 117.Nd5 Rf5+ 118.Ke6 Rf2 119.Re1 Kg4 120.Ke5 Kf3 121.Re3+ Kg4 122.Nf6+ Kh4 123.Re1 Kh3 124.Ne4 Rf8 125.Rg1 Re8+ 126.Kf4 Rf8+ 127.Ke3 Re8 128.Rg6 Fataliyeva's fatal decision. Usually the pawnless endgame rook and knight against rook is an easy draw. But it can be difficult, when the defending king is near a corner: Kh2? This runs into a beautiful refutation. One way to draw is for example 128...Kh4 129.Kf4 Kh5 130.Rg5+ Kh6= 129.Kf2! 129.Kf3? is met by Ra8= 129...Kh3 129...Rf8+ 130.Nf6 Rh8 131.Rg2+ Kh3 132.Rg3+ Kh4 133.Kg2 Rg8 134.Nxg8+- 129...Rxe4 130.Rh6+ Rh4 131.Rxh4# 130.Nf6 Rh8 131.Rg1 131.Rg1 Kh2 132.Ng4+ Kh3 133.Rh1++- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ju,W2564Fataliyeva,U24011–02023A28FIDE Womens World Cup 20233.2

Ulviyya Fataliyeva

Ulviyya Fataliyeva | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova

Deceptive simplicity

King and pawn endgames might look simple, but they can be very deep. A single mistake in move order might be the difference between getting a draw or a win.

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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Nab1 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5 0-0 13.Bc4 a5 14.0-0 Bg5 15.c3 Be6 16.Qd3 Rb8 17.Bb5 Na7 18.c4 Rc8 19.b3 f5 20.exf5 Bxf5 21.Qe2 Be6 22.Rd1 Kh8 23.Ra2 Nc6 24.Bxc6 Rxc6 25.Ne3 Qb6 26.Rad2 Qc5 27.Rd3 Bxe3 28.Rxe3 Bf5 29.Nd2 Rc7 30.Nf1 Rcf7 31.Ng3 Qb6 32.Kh1 Bg6 33.f3 Rf4 34.Ne4 Bxe4 35.Rxe4 h6 36.h3 Rxe4 37.Qxe4 Rf4 38.Qd5 Rf6 39.Qa8+ Kh7 40.Qe4+ Kh8 41.Rd5 Kg8 42.Rb5 Qd4 43.Rb8+ Rf8 44.Rxf8+ Kxf8 45.Qxd4 exd4 46.Kg1 Ke7 Deceptive simplicity. Pawn endings can be very deep: 47.Kf2? The wrong order of moves. 47.f4 wins due to h5 48.g4+- 47...d5? The wrong order of moves. 47...h5! draws theoretically, but over the board White still has good winning chances after 48.g3!? 48.Ke2?! d5 draws as now 49.c5? is met by 49.cxd5 Kd6 50.Kd3 Kxd5 51.h4 Ke5= 49...h4-+ 48...g5 49.Ke2 Ke6 50.Kd3 Ke5 51.h4 gxh4 52.gxh4 Kf4 53.Kxd4 Kg3 54.Kd5 Kxh4 55.Kxd6 Kg3 56.c5 h4 57.c6 h3 58.c7 h2 59.c8Q h1Q 60.Qg4+ Kf2 48.c5! Kd7 49.Ke2 Kc6 50.Kd3? The wrong order of moves. 50.f4! Kxc5 51.Kd2 wins, e.g. Kd6 52.Kd3 Kc5 53.f5 h5 54.g3 Kc6 55.Kxd4 Kd6 56.g4 hxg4 57.hxg4 Kc6 58.Ke5 Kc5 59.g5 d4 60.Ke4 d3 61.Kxd3 Kd5 62.f6 gxf6 63.gxf6 Ke6 64.Kc4+- 50...Kxc5 51.f4 h5 52.g4 hxg4 53.hxg4 g6! 54.f5 54.g5 is met by Kd6 55.Kxd4 Ke6 56.Kc5 Kf5 57.Kxd5 Kxf4 58.Kc5 Kxg5 59.Kb5 Kf6 60.Kxa5 g5 61.Kxb4 g4 62.a5 g3 63.a6 g2 64.a7 g1Q 65.a8Q Qd4+ 66.Kb5 Qd3+= 54...gxf5 55.gxf5 Kc6 56.Kxd4 Kd6 57.f6 Ke6 58.f7 Kxf7 59.Kxd5 Kf6 60.Kc5 Ke5 61.Kb5 Kd4! Black's counterplay is just in time. 62.Kxa5 Kc3 63.Kb5 Kxb3 64.a5 Kc3 65.a6 b3 66.a7 b2 67.a8Q b1Q+ 68.Ka6 Qa2+ 69.Kb7 Qxa8+ 70.Kxa8 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Roebers,E2419Dronavalli,H2500½–½2023B33FIDE Womens World Cup 20234.1

Eline Roebers

Eline Roebers | Photo: FIDE / Stev Bonhage

Opening king roads

Often in the endgame phase, the attacking king needs to be activated to convert one’s advantage. Pawn breaks might be very useful in these cases.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 cxd4 5.exd4 b6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.Bd3 Ba6 8.Nc4 d6 9.Qe2 0-0 10.h4 Nc6 11.c3 Rc8 12.Ne3 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Re8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.0-0-0 g6 17.h5 g5 18.Kb1 d5 19.Ng4 Bg7 20.Rde1 Rc7 21.Nfe5 Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qf6 23.Rhf1 Qf5 24.Qxf5 exf5 25.Nd3 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Kf8 27.f4 Re7 28.Rxe7 Kxe7 29.Kc2 f6 30.g3 Kd6 31.a4 Bf8 32.b3 Ke6 33.Kd2 Bd6 34.Ke3 Kd7 35.c4 dxc4 36.bxc4 Kc6 37.Kd2 Kd7 38.Kc3 Kc6 39.Kb3 a5 40.Kc3 Be7 41.Kd2 Bd6 42.Ke3 Ba3 43.Kf3 Kd6 Opening king roads. Often in the endgame the attacking king should be activated: 44.g4!? Opening the roads on the kingside. fxg4+ 45.Kxg4 Ke6 46.f5+ Kd7 47.Kf3 Bf8 48.Nf2 Kc6 49.Ke3 Kd7 50.Ke4 Kc6 51.Ng4 Bg7 52.Ne3 Bf8 53.Nd5 Bg7 54.Kd3 Bh8 54...Kb7 is refuted by 55.Nc3 Bf8 56.Ne4 Be7 57.Nf2 Bf8 58.Ng4 Bg7 59.d5 Kc7 60.Kd4 Bf8 61.c5 Bxc5+ 62.Kd3+- 55.Nc3 Bg7 56.Ne4 Kd7 57.d5 Kc7 58.c5 Opening the roads on the queenside. bxc5 59.Nxc5 Kd6 60.Ne6 Bh8 61.Kd4! Zugzwang is the sharpest endgame weapon. 61.Ke4? is wrong due to g4 62.Nd4 g3 63.Nb5+ Kc5 64.d6 g2 65.d7 g1Q 66.d8Q Qg4+ 61...g4 62.Nc5! The knight returns in glory. Bg7 62...g3 63.Ne4++- 63.Ne4+ Kc7 64.Ke3 g3 65.Nxg3 65.Kf3+- 65...Bf8 65...Kd6 66.Kd4+- 66.Ne4 Be7 67.Kd4 Ba3 68.Kc4 Finally the open king road on the queenside decides. 68.Kc4 Be7 68...Bb2 69.Kb5+- 69.d6+ 69.Kb5+- 69...Bxd6 70.Nxd6 Kxd6 71.Kb5 Ke5 72.Kxa5 Kxf5 73.Kb4+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Salimova,N2409Kiolbasa,O23941–02023A46FIDE World Cup Women 20232.1

Nurgyul Salimova, Oliwia Kiolbasa

Nurgyul Salimova and Oliwia Kiolbasa | Photo: FIDE / Anna Shtourman

The value of the initiative

Pure opposite-coloured bishop endings have a large drawish tendency, but with rooks still on the board they favour the attacker — like in the middlegame.

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1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 c6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Bc5 6.Nb3 Be7 7.Bg2 d5 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.d3 exd3 10.Qxd3 Nc6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxd5 Bf6 14.Be3 Qxd5 15.Bxd5 Nb4 16.Be4 Bh3 17.Rfd1 Rae8 18.f3 Rxe4 19.fxe4 Nc2 20.Bxa7 Nxa1 21.Rxa1 Ra8 22.Bd4 Be6 23.Bxf6 Bxb3 24.Bd4 Rxa2 25.Rc1 Ra8 26.Rc7 b5 27.Rc5 Bc4 28.Rg5 g6 29.Rc5 Bxe2 30.Kf2 Bc4 31.Bf6 h6 32.g4 Be6 33.Rxb5 Bxg4 34.h4 Kf8 35.Rb7 Ke8 36.Re7+ Kf8 37.Rb7 Ke8 38.Ke3 Ra6 39.e5 Be6 40.b4 Opposite colored bishops favor the attacker. Pure opposite colored bishop endings have a large drawish tendency, but with rooks they favor the attacker like in the middlegame: Ra1? This pseudo activity leads nowhere as White's b-pawn decides. The direct 40...g5 defends according to the computer, e.g. 41.hxg5 hxg5 42.Bxg5 Ra3+ 43.Kd4 Kf8 This is possible thanks to the sacrifice of the g-pawn. 44.Bf6 Kg8 45.b5 Kh7 46.b6 Rb3 47.Be7 Kg6 48.Bc5 f6 49.exf6 Kxf6= 41.b5 g5 Now it is too late. 42.hxg5 hxg5 43.b6! Passed pawns must be pushed. The greedy 43.Bxg5? Rb1 44.b6? Bd5 allows a black blockade. 43...Ra8 44.Kd4 Bh3 45.Bxg5 Bg2 46.Rc7 Rb8 47.Kc5 Rb7 48.Rc6 A typical exchange sacrifice. But here the direct 48.Rxb7 Bxb7 49.Kd6 wins as well. 48...Kf8 48...Bxc6 49.Kxc6 Rb8 50.b7 Kf8 51.Kc7 Rxb7+ 52.Kxb7 Kg7 53.Bf6++- 49.Rc8+ Kg7 50.Bf6+ Kh7 51.Rh8+ Kg6 52.Rg8+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Muzychuk,A2504Tan,Z25231–02023A23FIDE Womens World Cup 20237.1

Anna Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk | Photo: chess.com / Maria Emelianova

The knight hunt

In an endgame with bishop against knight, it is sometimes possible to fully neutralize the knight. A bit of patience is all one needs.

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nbd2 b6 5.a3 Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 Bb7 7.e3 0-0 8.Be2 d5 9.cxd5 Bxd5 10.0-0 a5 11.Ne5 c5 12.f3 Qc7 13.Qc3 Bb7 14.e4 Ba6 15.Bxa6 Nxa6 16.Be3 Rfc8 17.Rac1 Nd7 18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Rfd1 Qe8 21.Qe5 f6 22.Qd4 Rd8 23.Qc4 Qa4 24.Qxa4 Nxa4 25.b3 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Nc3 27.Rd3 Rc8 28.Bxb6 Ne2+ 29.Kf1 Nc1 The knight hunt. The duel bishop against knight can be deep: 30.Rd8+! Without rooks, White wins as the knight cannot find a real role. After 30.Re3? Rb8 31.Bxa5 Nxb3 Black has much better practical drawing chances. 30...Rxd8 31.Bxd8 Nxb3 32.Ke2 Kf7 33.Kd3 Ke8 34.Bb6 Kd7 35.Kc4 White will either win the a-pawn or trap the knight now. Kc6 35...a4 36.Kb5 Nc1 37.Be3+- 36.Be3 Na1 36...a4 37.Kb4+- 37.a4 Nc2 38.Bd2 Kb6 38...e5 is met by 39.Kd3 Nd4 40.Bxa5 Ne6 41.Bb4 Nf4+ 42.Kd2 Nxg2 43.Bf8+- 39.f4 f5 40.exf5 exf5 41.g3 g6 41...Ka6 42.Kc5 Na3 43.Bc3 g6 44.h3 Nc2 45.Bd2+- 42.h3 h6 43.h4 Kc6 44.Kd3 44.Kd3 Nb4+ 45.Bxb4 axb4 46.Kc4+- 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Khotenashvili,B2475Arabidze,M24511–0 E14FIDE Womens World Cup 20233.1

Bella Khotenashvili

Bella Khotenashvili | 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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