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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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When the white king is in front of the pawn on the fifth rank, White has some prospects to win only if the black king is on the longer side. The critical position with the rook behind the central pawn was examined by Kling and Horwitz long ago, in 1851. Evaluation of the position depends […]
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If the white distant passed pawn were shifted one rank back, a very different position would arise! White wins since after eliminating the black distant passed pawn Black’s king will not be able to control the key-square b7 in time. For all similar positions a universal rule holds: White always wins provided his […]
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In a similar position, sometimes a reduction of material cannot save the weaker side even if it is attacking the remaining pawn by both the king and bishop. This rare case occurred in the game of the former world champion Max Euwe and the first ladies’ world champion- the legendary Vera Menchik, Hastings, 1930. […]
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In the position with the central pawn on the seventh rank, there is an essential difference between the situation with the black king on the shorter and the king on the longer side. Black can be saved only when his king on the shorter side, provided that he can check sideways. The following position […]
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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 […]
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When the king of the weaker side cannot simultaneously defend both isolated pawns, the position is usually lost, especially if the counter-play on the enemy pawns comes belatedly. Such a case is shown in the ending of the game Serper – Suba, Hastings, 1990/91.
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Owing to the flexibility of the knight’s leap and possibility of approaching the target by two different routes, it is advisable, as a rule, to wait for the knight’s reaction by playing a useful pawn move rather than show one’s intentions by moving the king immediately. This is a study by F. Prokop, 1925.
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