PRACTICAL CHESS ENDGAMES ANALYSIS
Fedorov, V. – Arkhipov, S.
White to move. Take the pawn or keep the king away from our kingside? White: Fedorov, V. Black: Arkhipov, S. Year: 1980 Result: 1/2-1/2
Makarichev, S. – Averbakh, Y.
It can be extremely difficult to win an opposite-colored bishops endgame, even with 2 extra pawns. Here is one aesthetic example from the past. Black to move. Event: URS-ch sf Lvov Year: 1973 White: Makarichev, Sergey Black: Averbakh, Yuri Result: 0-1
Kozul Z. – Zaja I.
White dominates in this simple endgame position. Next plan is to pick up black’s last remaining pawn. But Black is to move. White: Kožul, Zdenko WhiteElo: 2590 Black: Žaja, Ivan BlackElo: 2440 Year: 1997 Result: 1/2-1/2
P. Svidler – V. Anand
Here is one well known, older ending from a high class game where White missed a nice winning motif. Do you think you would find it? Event: Dos Hermanas White: Svidler, Peter WhiteElo: 2713 Black: Anand, Viswanathan BlackElo: 2781 Result: 1/2-1/2
Rapport – Jones
At first glance I thought this is easily winning endgame. White has many ideas: Black king is not safe, White always has mating motifs. Probably the main idea is to sacrifice rook on f7 and White wins if after Rf7, Nf7 Kf7 he can play Kd5! with the winning pawn ending. Also black rook […]
Karjakin – Sevian
Famous Troitsky line says this is a draw. White has to stop the g-pawn on g6 and at that moment and of course with knight on g5, White is winning. In this particular position Black should decide which corner is the best for his king and Sevian made wrong decision moving the king toward […]
BASIC MUST-KNOW CHESS ENDGAMES
R-226A (Lucena position)
6.3. Rook and Pawn Versus Rook (Lucena Position) Lucena Position is one of key positions in Rook vs Pawn Endgames. In most cases these endgames are a draw, especially when the pawn is distant from the promotion square. When the pawn is relatively close, the crucial question is if the weaker side’s king will […]
RMP-228
Rook and Pawn versus Bishop White’s material advantage is so big that the win is only the matter of elementary technique. When, however, Black blocks the square in front of the passed pawn with both pieces, the way to win is extremely difficult, and sometimes even impossible. Relative positions of kings and pawns are […]
E-book:Basic Chess Endings
Important Endgames
R-305 (Vancura)
Let us now examine positions with the black king imprisoned in the corner g7. Pay attention to the word imprisoned since the threat a7 with the winning backblow of the rook, the black king must not leave the safety area restricted to squares f7-f6-h6-h7. At first sight one can conclude that Black is helpless […]
R-226A (Lucena position)
6.3. Rook and Pawn Versus Rook (Lucena Position) Lucena Position is one of key positions in Rook vs Pawn Endgames. In most cases these endgames are a draw, especially when the pawn is distant from the promotion square. When the pawn is relatively close, the crucial question is if the weaker side’s king will […]
Karjakin – Sevian
Famous Troitsky line says this is a draw. White has to stop the g-pawn on g6 and at that moment and of course with knight on g5, White is winning. In this particular position Black should decide which corner is the best for his king and Sevian made wrong decision moving the king toward […]
Opposite-Coloured Bishop Endgames
Makarichev, S. – Averbakh, Y.
It can be extremely difficult to win an opposite-colored bishops endgame, even with 2 extra pawns. Here is one aesthetic example from the past. Black to move. Event: URS-ch sf Lvov Year: 1973 White: Makarichev, Sergey Black: Averbakh, Yuri Result: 0-1
Study Puzzle of the Day 7/8/2019
Try to solve this nice study composed by former World Champion Vasily Smyslov. White to move and win (V. Smyslov, 1987) (First try to solve the study without moving the pieces!)
Harikrishna, P. – Nihal, Sarin
The end of this endgame reminds me very much of the famous game Topalov-Shirov, Linares 1998. Event: 25th Sigeman & Co 2019 Date: 2019.05.06 White: Harikrishna, P. WhiteElo: 2730 Black: Nihal, Sarin BlackElo: 2598 Result: 1-0
B-858 (Kotov-Botvinnik)
If in similar positions with a tied king the bishop can protect its weak pawns on the other wing, a win will be possible only if somehow in some wondrous way a second passed pawn can be created. A brilliant, truly study-like example on the theme was contributed by the former world champion Mikhail […]
Jurkovic-Maravic
Event: 4th Croatian league White: Jurkovic, Dinko WhiteElo: 1745 Black: Maravic, Ivan BlackElo: 1836 Result: 0-1 Taking things too easy, even in a dead draw positions, often lead to unpleasant surprises. In this game Black effectively utilized his opponent’s careless attitude. Similar breakthrough motif is well-known from the classic example Kotov-Botvinnik. Related Posts:
B-781
When far advanced pawns are separated by at least two files, the stronger side will win provided its king can penetrate to the front of one pawn. Naturally, exceptions to this general rule are all positions with bishop and a wrong rook’s pawn. ← Basic EndingsBasic Endings →
B-779
c ) Endings with Split Pawns In endings with split pawns prospects of winning are better and increase proportionally with the distance between the pawns. Generally, the weaker side draws only when pawns are separated by one file since then the king can simultaneously prevent the advance of both pawns. A typical position, analyzed […]
B-775
With c- and d-pawns (or e- and f-pawns) there is an important exception to the general rule. White can win only if his c- or f-pawn has not advanced on the fifth rank! White to play wins by taking advantage of the passive position of the black bishop. ← Basic EndingsBasic Endings →