Questions & Answers on Practical Endgame Play

GM Edmar Mednis

$7.95

GM Edmar Mednis, best-seelling author on chess endgames, has collected an extensive set of practical endgame positions to use in illustrating the principles of handling such situations in actual play. Each type of position is thoroughly analyzed, with examples, and then in chapter summaries an extended set of Principles/Rules of Thumb For Practical Endgame Play are provided -- a ready reference for quick review and a reminder of the critical points. This is the type of book players need -- detailed analysis and instruction in practical methods of playing to win or draw -- working from actual game positions that often defied the players' analysis during the progress of the game. Studying this book is a sure way of improving your endgame play -- and your tournament scores! At the same time, you will be thoroughly entertained.

0-931462-69- X

Questions & Answers on Practical Endgame Play

International Grandmaster

Edmar

Mednis

1 987 Coraopolis, Pennsylvania Chess Enterprises, Inc.

© Copyright 1 987 by Edmar Mednis. All rights reserved. ISBN ().. 9 31 462-69-X Editor:

B. G. Dudley

Proofreading: Thomas Magar Cover Design :

Typesetting:

E. F. Witalis, Jr. Witalis·Burke Associates Pittsburgh, PA Bob Dudley

Diagrams: Thomas Magar

Preface The idea for a chess book usually comes from the author. He thi nks of something that he feels is interesting or important and sets out to write a book about it. Since most chess authors are highly qualified in their pro­ fession, the eventual book most l i kely is a good one. Yet public response - in terms of sales may well be disappointing. The reason is clear enough: no one asked the prospective reader/buyer whether the projected book wou ld be of i nterest to her/him. ••

The genesis of this book is quite different because all the material for it comes from the chess public. For many years I have been writing "The Practical Endgame", a syndicated column on practical endgame play. This book is based on the endgames played by my readers, other endgames that were of interest to them, their questions and comments. I may think that I know what is good for my readers; the readers know what they are interest· ed in. Since my readers are quite a representative section of the chess pub­ lic, it is fair to assume that their interests and needs are symptomatic of the public at large. As a smal l token of my appreciation for their interest, I have compiled a l ist of contributors and this appears at the end of the book. There are two ways the reader can use this book. She/he can work through it from beginn ing to end and thus learn much about many i mpor· tant aspects of practical endgame play. As a special feature for this reader/ student, I have summarized at the end of each chapter the major chess wis· dom discussed in that chapter. I have called this part "Principles/ Rules of Thumb for Practical Endgame Play." It is the kind of general information that is part of each master's endgame wisdom. This knowledge gives us a better base from which to make specific decisions during play. It is not a 1 00% foolproof "cookbook" type l ist of items which are always true and therefore can be employed blindly. Please do not make such use of them! Because the book has a very detai led table of contents, the reader can readily look up a specific type of endgame that he needs information on. However, to make maxi mu m use of the book, he should play over carefully the example that he is interested in. This way the understanding of that endgame will be increased. And understanding is the key to successful endgame play. I hope that by now any analytical errors are at an absolute minimum. I would very much appreciate your cal ling them to my attention. To free space for other i mportant topics, I have covered a bit less those on which I have already published extensively. Thus for more on rook endgames, please see "Practical Rook Endings", published by Chess Enter· prises; for same color bishop endgames, see "Practical Endgame Lessons"; for Q + P vs. Q endgames, see my endgame cassette "Queen & Pawn End­ games." To ensure that the reader and the author are on the same wavelength regarding the meaning of the question and exclamation marks as they are used in the characterization of moves, these are the presently accepted meanings: I II

= =

a strong move a very strong move; a fantast ic move

3

7 =a bad move; a weak move 77 a horrible move; a blunder 17 an enterprising move; a move worthy of consideration 71 = a dubious move, for theoretical or practical reasons •

•

I am happy to again be associated with Chess Enterprises and B. G. Dudley.

New York 1 986

4

Edmar Mednis

Contents Preface Chapter 1 :

3 King & Pawn Endgames

Section 1 :

K & P Endgames

8 8

Subject # 1 : K + 2 P vs. K + P Subject # 2: Multi-pawn endgames with a one pawn advantage Subject # 3: Tempo play with kings in positions where pawn moves are not possible Su bject # 4: King vs. connected passed pawns

11 15

Section 2 : Simplifying I nto K & P Endgames

19

Subject # 5 : K + ' 2 P vs. K + P Subject # 6 : Significance of an active king i n zugzwang type positions Subject # 7: D istant opposition with blocked pawns Subject # 8: Pawn majorities on opposite flanks

19 21 22 24

Principles/Rules of Thumb for Practical Endgame Play

26

Chapter 2:

Minor Piece Endgames

Section 1 : Same Color Bishop Endgames

8 9

28 28

Subject # 9: B + P vs. B

28

Section 2:

29

Knight Endgames

Subject # 1 0: N + P vs. N Subject # 1 1 : Pawns on the same side, one king is contained Subject # 1 2: Pawns on both sides, material advantage, defender has no counterplay Su bject # 1 3 : Pawns on both sides, material advantage, defender has counterplay

29 32

Section 3:

39

Bishop vs. Knight Endgames

35 37

Su bject # 1 4 : Equal material, ful l play with pawns on both sides, equal chances Subject # 1 5: Equal material, pawns on both sides; bishop has good scope, yet the kn ight is superior Subject # 1 6 : Equal material, pawns on both sides; early stage of a characteristic "bad bishop" endgame Subject # 1 7 : "Bad" bishop vs. "good" kn ight Subject # 1 8: Both sides have passed pawns

42

Section 4: Endgames of Pawns vs. Piece

49

Subject # 1 9 : Pawn (s) vs. bishop - the king having the pawns is active Subject # 20: Pawn (s) vs. bishop -- both kings are active Subject # 2 1 : Two pawns for the piece, several minor pieces on board

49 55

39

45 45 48

56 5

Section 5 : Multi-Minor Piece Endgames

58

Subject Subject Subject Subject

58 58

# # # #

Section 6:

22: 23: 24: 25:

2 2 2 2

B B B B

vs. 2 B, equal material vs. 2 B, pawn advantage vs. B + 1'4 equal material + N vs. 2 B + 1'4 equal material

B + Wrong RP Endgames

64

64

Subject # 26: The basic position in B + wrong RP endgames Subject # 27: Looking for the opportunity to discover the drawing B + wrong RP endgame

65

Principles/Ru les of Thumb for Practical Endgame Play

66

Chapter 3:

Rook & Pawn Endgames

68

Section 1 : Material Advantage

68

Subject # 28: R + 2 P vs. R + P, pawns on same side Subject # 29: One pawn advantage, pawns on both sides Subject # 30: R + h· and f·pawns vs. R

68 69 84

Section 2:

87

Positional Considerations

Subject # 31 : The importance of the active rook

87

Section 3: Double Rook Endgames

89

Subject # 32:

Exchangi ng one pair of rooks in going for the �n Subject # 33: Exchanging one pair of rooks in going for the draw Principles/Rules of Thumb for Practical Endgame Play

Chapter 4:

Endgames With Opposite Color Bishops

$ 91 93 95

Section 1 : Pure Bishop Endgames

95

Subject # 34: Material advantage, both sides have passed pawns Subject # 35: Material advantage, pawns on both sides, no pawn breakthrough possible Subject # 36: Material advantage, pawns on both sides, pawn breakthrough is possible Subject # 37: Material advantage, pawns on both sides, stronger side can create connected passed pawns

95

101

Section 2 : R + B vs. R + B Endgames

1 03

Subject # 38: Material advantage, the blockade can be broken Subject # 39: Material advantage, both rooks active

1 03 1 04

Principles/Rules o f Thumb for Practical Endgame Play Chapter 5 : Endgames With Rooks & Minor Pieces

6

60 63

97 99

1 06 1 07

Section 1 : R ook vs. Minor Piece

1 07

Subject # 40: Rook vs. bishop, pawns on both sides Subject # 41 : Rook vs. knight, pawns on one side only Subject # 42: Rook vs. bishop, pawns on one side only

1 07 1 09 1 10

Section 2:

Rook(s) + Minor Piece vs. Rook(s) + Minor Piece

Su bject # 43: Subject # 44: Subject # 45: Subject # 46: Su bject # 47:

R + B vs. R + N, material equality, pawns on both sides R + N vs. R + B, one pawn advantage R + N vs. R + B, one pawn advantage, pawns on the same side 2 R + N vs. 2 R + N, pawns on both sides 2 R + B vs. 2 R + N, pawns on both sides

Section 3: Other Endgames With Rooks & Minor Pieces Subject # 48: R + B vs. R + B + two connected passed pawns Subject # 49: 2 R + N + B vs. 2 R + N + B, one pawn advantage Principles/ Rules of Thumb for Practical Endgame Play Chapter 6: Subject Subject Subject Subject

Endgames With Queens # # # #

50: 0 + P vs. 0 51 : Q + P vs. R + P 52: Queen + pawns vs. 2 rooks + pawns 53: Q + N vs. Q + B, one pawn advantage, pawns on the same side

Principles/Rules o f Thumb for Practical Endgame Play List o f Contributors

1 13 1 13 1 15 1 16 117 1 18 1 20 1 20 1 23 1 25 1 26 1 26 1 27 1 28 131 1 34 1 35

7

Chapter 1 King and Pawn Endgames Section 1 : K & P Endgames Subject # 1 : K + 2 P vs K + P Questions: Are not endgames with the pawn configuration shown in Diagram 1 won for the stronger side? Are there any exceptions?

Diagram 1

Answers: To my mind, "chess logic" wou ld say that B lack should win this posi­ tion. As a matter of fact, positions having such a pawn configuration and king placement are won except when the defender has a BP or RP. From Diagram 1, a 1 924 stuay by Dedrle, White to play draws, because -- thanks to having the bishop pawn -� he has a tactical trick. The solution is:

1 Kd3

X'"

Kd6

Black can try either to make progress in the center or to run to the king­ side with 1 ... Ke7. White then draws as follows: 2 Kd4 1 Kf7 3 Ke31 Kg6 4 Kf21 Kf5 5 Kf3 Kg6 6 Kf2 Kh5 7 Kg3 Kg6 8 Kf2 Kg7 9 Kf31 Kf7 1 0 Ke3 Ke7 1 1 Kd4 Kd7 1 2 Kd31 and we're back at our starting position !

2 Kc41 The first key to the position is that White must be able to have the op­ position as soon as the pawn formation is fixed. Therefore losing is 2 Kd47 f51, e.g., 3 Ke3 Kc51 4 Kd3 Kd5 5 Ke3 Kc4 6 Kf3 Kd3 or 3 Kc4 e5 1 etc.

2 .....

Kc6

The second key is that 2... e5 is met by 3 Kd3 1 1 with the points that 3 exf4 4 Ke4 is an elementary draw and after 3 Kd5 (or 3... Ke6) 4 fxe51 Kxe5 5 Ke3 Kf5 6 Kf31 White draws thanks to having the opposi­ tion. •.•

•..

3 Kd4

Kb5

After 3 f5 quite wrong is 4 Ke577 since after 4 Kd7 5 Kd4 Kd6 Black, having the opposition, wins: 6 Kc4 e51 7 fxe5t Kxe5 8 Kd3 Kf4 1 9 Ke2 Kg31. However, the thematic 4 Kc41 retains the opposit ion and the draw. 4 f51 1 The third key: only this tactical possibility saves the draw. Black must 8 ••.

•..

now advance his e-pawn since after 4 ... exf5 5 KeJ White will capture the forward f-pawn for a simple book draw.

4

....•

eSt

5 Kd5 Kb6 Or 5 Kb4. Even though White's plan is now obvious, Black can do nothing at this moment to help his e·pawn advance. Thus White, in effect, gains a valuable tempo for the execution of his plan. .•.

6 Ke6 7 Kxf6 8 Kg7 9 f6 10 f7

e4 e3 e2 e1=Q

By having a BP on the 7th with h is king in support, while the oppon­ ent's king is too far away, White has reached a well known book draw. Play could go :

10 11 12 13 14

Kg8 Kh7 Kg8 KhBI Stalemate

Oe7 Qg5t Qf6 Qg6t Qxf7

Note that it is this stalemate possibility which gives White the draw. White wou ld lose if he woul d have b-, d-, e- or g- pawns. However, RPs wou ld also draw (White: Kf2, h4; Black : Kf7, g6, h6). In this case how­ ever, White must i mmediately establish the opposition with 1 KfJ I Kf6 2 Kf41.

Subject # 2: Multi-pawn endgames with a one pawn advantage Questions: What is the general approach in winning such endgames? How should White play from Diagram 27 If White makes a strategic error in his pawn placement, can he sti l l win7

Diagram 2

Answers: The general winning plan is: ( 1 ) activate your king, (2) create a passed Pawn from your pawn majority, (3) queen your pawn directly or if this is not possi ble, use it as a decoy to capture significant material elsewhere. Exactly this approach is the correct one from Diagram 2. Y. Seirawan · 9

L. Shamkovich, Lone Pine 1 977, after Black's 39th move. Specifically: White wants to place his king on f4 or h4, create a passed pawn by playing e3; if Black's king is to stop the passed d·pawn, then White's king wi II de· vour Black's kingside. However, such a plan does not a i low Black a trace of counterplay. One suggested winning line is:

40 Kg2 41 Kh3 42 e3 43 fxe3 44 Kh4 45 d4 46c5

Kg5 b6 dxe3 Kf6 Kg6 Kh6

and White wins easily. Other reasonable starting moves are 40 Kh2 or the immediate 40 e3. The game course, however, was quite different:

40 f47 Even though it does not throw away the theoretical win, the move is as wrong as possible. It not only takes away access to f4 for White's king, but, more i mportantly, it prevents an active posting of White's king since now the e3 break is not possible without the assistance of White's king. White with his last move has made his e-pawn a backward pawn and thus Black's d-pawn by itself can hold back both White's d· and e-pawns. With such practical problems facing him, it is not surprising that White never finds the way from here on.

40 41 Kf2 42 e3

Ke6 Kd6

Simpler and more perceptive is 42 Kg21 with the plan of going after the h·pawn. If B lack heads for White's e-Pawn with 42 ... Kc5 he wi l l wind up one tempo short; if B lack plays 42 ... Ke6, White breaks with 43 e31 and wins easi ly after 43... dxe3 44 d41 .

42 43 Kf3 44 Kxe3

Kc5 dxe3 b61

D iagram 3

This is both an interesting and important zugzwang position. If B lack is on move, the end is immediate: 45... Kd6 46 d4 etc.; 45... Kb4 46 Kd4 followed by 47 c5. But of course White is on move. White's plan should 10

be clear: triangulate with his king to give the move to Black. Yet White never gets the hang of it. The most straightforward method is 45 Kd21 Kd4 46 Ke21 (and not 46 Kc27 because of 46... Ke3 47 Kc3 Kf3 48 d4 Kxg3 45 d5 h4 50 d6 h 3 51 d7 h2 52 d8=0 h 1 =0 53 Og5t Kf3 54 Oxf5 Oe 1 t l 55 Kb3 Qdlt 56 Kb4 Oelt 57 Ka4 Oalt l with a draw since 58 Kb577 loses to 58... 0a5t.) 46... Kc3 (46... Kc5 47 Ke31 ) 47 Ke3 Kb3 48 Kd21 Kb4 49 Kc2 Kc5 50 Kc3 Kc6 51 d4. White can also start off with 45 Kf3 or 45 Kf2, so as to continue after 45 ... Kd4 with 46 Ke2, transposing into the above line. After 45... Kb4 White again plays 46 Ke2 Kb3 (46... Kc3 47 Ke3) 47 Kd21 etc.

45 Ke2 Also good enough to win as long as White knows what to do later on. Black now is not about to fall for 45... Kd47 46 Kd2 Kc5 47 Kc3 (or 47 Ke3) and makes things harder with . . . Kb41 45 .....

46 Kd27

This is nothing as is 46 Ke37 Kc51. · M ore knowledgeable king maneuver­ ing is required as follows: 46 Kf21 Kb3 47 Kf3 1 1 Kb4 (47 ... Kc3 48 Ke2) 48 Ke2 1 Kc3 (48... Kc5 49 Ke3) 49 Ke3 Kb3 50 Kd2 1 Kb4 51 Kc21 etc. Kb31 46

47 Ke2 48 Kf2

Kb41 Kb3!

B lack is continuously forcing White to find the difficult way. The wins woul d be elementary after 48... Kc57 or 48... Kc37 since in each case 49 Ke31 is obviously correct.

49 Ke177 White can sti l l win with the correct triangulation 49 Kf31 Kb4 50 Ke2 1 : 50... Kc5 5 1 Ke3; 5 0. . . Kb3 5 1 Kd2; 50... Kc3 51 Ke3 Kb3 5 2 Kd21. 49 . Kc3 . ...

50 Ke2

Draw

Of course, the position is stil l won, if White can find the way. But Black was not about to risk this and claimed the draw based on the three fold repetition of the position that would result after 50... Kb4.

Subject # 3: Tempo play with kings in positions where pawn moves are not possible Questions: What are sister squares and coordinate squares? What is the correct approach in playing positions where no pawn moves are possible? How should White handle the position of Diagram 47 (on the next page) Answers: D iagram 4 is a 1 930 study by V. Halberstadt as published in the 1 932 book "Opposition and Sister Squares" by Duchamp and Hal berstadt, page 87. First, to get the nomenclature straight: sister squares as used by Du­ champ & Halberstadt are the same as the "co-ordinate squares" discussed by Averbakh & Maizelis in their "Pawn Endings". The use of these terms 11

Diagram 4

is a required broadening of the theory of opposition in K + P endings. On a bare board the theory of opposition serves very well. But as pawns are added and obstructions arise, the principles of opposition can no longer be exclusively relied upon to give the correct answers regarding the i ndicated king moves. For this something more general is required (i.e. theory of sis­ ter squares); yet unfortunately the execution of this theory requi res a more specific and detailed approach than using, e.g. opposition as the guiding principle. The theory of sister squares says that i n a given position, for each location of a White king, there is a corresponding correct location for the Black king. If the Black king can always keep occupying the sister squares to White's king position, then B lack will be able to stand his ground. Otherwise White wi ll win. As can be recognized, in most open positions the sister square will be the one establishing opposition; in cluttered positions opposition by itself can not be relied upon to give the right answer. The concept of sister squares wi l l be clarified in the actual discussions from D ia­ gram 4. From a very specific viewpoint we can say that D iagram 4 is of l i mited practical value because White - being two pawns ahead in a position where B lack is without counterplay - should have been able to win easier earlier on. Nevertheless, the king play to come is very instructive and can be ap­ plied equally well to more "practical" positions. A general evaluation of D iagram 4 shows that White has two invasion points: b5 on the queenside and f4 on the kingside. It is absolutely necessary that both of them exist, because Black can easily cover either one. The decisive winning king loca­ tions with Bisek on move are as fol lows: a) on the queenside: Wh ite's king on c4, Black's on b6; b) on the kingside: White's king on g3, Black's on f5. White's general winning technique consists of maneuvering with his king in such a way that Black will have to allow penetration on one of the two fronts. For instance, if White's king is on c4 and Black's is forced to go from b6 to a6, then White's king wi l l quickly reverse gears and head for the kingside. A simple move count shows that it takes White's king five moves to get to g3, whereas from a6 Black's king in five moves can only get to f6; then White on move plays Kf4 to win. Let us now look at Halberstadt's solution with my comments:

1 Kb21

Forcing Black's king to go to the b-fi le, as otherwise White immediately penetrates on the kingside. According to Hal berstadt this is White's only

12

winning move, because the sister square of b2 is b8 and Black's king can't get to it. White can't make any immediate progress by playing 1 Kb3 be­ cause the sister square to this is b7 and B lack simply plays 1 ... Kb7 and it is clear that after 2 Kc4 Kb6 Black is holding his ground. Kb6 1 ..... Or 1 ... Kb7 2 Kb3 Kb6 3 Kc41 and White wins. Note that b7 is the sister square of b3 only with White on move - otherwise it is a meaningless situation with B lack simply being in zugzwang.

2 Kc21 Heading for the kingside and forcing Black to follow suit. The sister square of c2 is c8 but Black can't get to it and thus loses easily. Kc7 2 . ... .

Kb7

3 Kc31

After 3 ... Kd7 or 3... Kc8 White infiltrates on the queenside. After the text B lack loses on the kingside.

4 Kd2 5 Ke2 6 Kf2 7 Kg3 8 Kf4

Kc7 Kd7 Ke7 Kf6

White wins. Halberstadt specifically claimed that 1 Ka2 does not win because Black's king then, in effect, can get to al l the queenside sister squares. Yet a deep­ er look at Diagram 4 should lead to the feeling that because B lack is so completel y devoid of chances for counterplay that more than one first move coul d do the job. Rolland E. George has made the valuable discovery that with the pawn structure of Diagram 4, White wins with any location of the kings and irrespec tive of who is on move. White's most difficult task is after the i ntroductory moves 1 Ka2 Ka7 1 . I am ca l l ing this new position Diagram 5 and am designating it George 1 978 to properly credit the discov­ erer. White to play and win from D iagram 5 as follows:

'B

W"� R • = - � �� �-­ � � r.� • - �� ft • B B 81

�

D iagram 5

F

�· ftr�j··� ��� �� � �-··· •,� � •ft - t� �� ��

•••

.• p � � � � ... � �-��� -d -

,..., �d

•jjj

1 Kb2

Kb8

2 Kc2

Kc81

Getting to its sister square. After 1 ... Kb77 1 or 1 ... Kb6?1 White wins as from Diagram 4. Again keeping the position on hold. Through the next two moves, B lack is O. K. - on the queenside his king can get to al l the sister squares. 13

3 Kd1

4 Kd2 &

Ke1 1 1

Kd8 Kd7

It is this move that forms the basis of Mr. George's discovery that the pawn formations of Diagrams 4 & 5 always lead to a win for White. B lack simply has no square equivalent to e 1 1 In other words, when White's king gets to e 1 , B lack can't protect both invasion routes. 5 . ... Ke8 What to do? After 5... Ke7 6 Ke21 Black also only has the choice of where to lose: 6 ... Kd7 7 Kf2 and White wins on the kingside; 6 ... Kf7 7 Kd2 and White wins on the queenside. .

6 Kf2 Black's king is too far away from f5 and White wins on the kingside. 6 Kf7 Kf6 7 Kgl 8 Kf4 White wins. Gunter Roth of West Germany has suggested adding a White pawn to Diagram 4. This new position is shown in D iagram 6 which I am cal ling Roth 1 98 1 .

Diagram 4

Now White cannot tempo around the squares e1 and e2. Therefore the position does become the exce l lent illustration of the theory of sister . squares that Halberstadt envisioned. The only correct solution starts with Halberstadt's 1 Kb21:

1 Kb21

Kb7

After 1 ... Kb6, Halberstadt's original solution applies: 2 Kc21 Kc7 3 Kc31 Kb7 (after 3 .. Kd7 4 Kc4 White wins on the queenside) 4 Kd21 Kc7 5 Ke 1 1 Kd7 6 Kf2 and White wins on the kingside. .

2 Kb31 Only so. After 2 Kc27 there is no win: 2... Kc81 3 Kc3 (or 3 Kb3 Kb7 1 or 3 Kb2 KbS I ) 3... Kc7 4 Kd2 Kd7 5 Ke 1 Ke7 and Black i s safe forevermore. Kc7 2 .. Or 2... Kb6 3 Kc4 Ka6 4 Kc31 and White will infiltrate on the kingside. ..

.

3 Kc31 and White wins. 14

Now Black is i n zugzwang and must allow W hite in: a) After 3 Kd7, White wins on the queenside with 4 Kc4. •.•

b) After 3 Kd21.

...

Kb6 or 3 ... Kb7, White wins on the kingside starting with 4

Subject # 4: King vs. connected passed pawns

j

Questions: What are the important principles in handling the endgame of king vs. connected passed pawns7 What is the correct play and resu lt from Diagram 7 7

D iagram 7

Answers: The most famous position for the endgame of king vs. connected passed pawns is shown in Diagram 7. It is known as Szen's position or Szen 1 840. Endgame theory says that whoever is on move wins. Even though the spe· cific position is theoretically both important and i nteresting, it is not of much practical importance. I just cannot imagine that exactly this position can ever resu lt in any actual game. There is, however, one exceedingly imp9rtant position in the king vs. 3 connected passed pawns endgame and I am showing this in Diagram 7A.

D iagram 7A

Al l endgames where a single king has to cope with three connected passed pawns can lead to this position. It is a zugzwang position : whoever is on move loses. Therefore the side with the king wants to maneuver i ts king in such a way that its last move has been Kg1 and now it's Black's turn. Conversely, the pawns want to advance in such manner that in the 15

diagram position it is again W hite's move. The play from D iagram 7A can develop as follows. (Of course, we are assuming that the B lack king is in­ volved in some zugzwang situation somewhere else and that the determining factor in the game is what happens from the Diagram 7A configuration. ) (a) 1 Kg2 g31 2 Kg1 Or 2 Kh3 f3, etc. f3 2 h3 3 Kf1 f2t 4 Kg1 h2 5 Kf1 h1 =Qt 6 Kg2 and Black wins. From this variation that if all the pawns are on the six th rank (the situa­ tion after Black's 3rd move) that the pawns then win, no matter who is on move. (b)

h31 1 Kf2 Even though in this particular position Black can also win with 1

f3, it

.••

is always good practice to first advance the pawn farthest from the king.

g3 f3

2 Kg1 3 Kf1 Black wins. (c)

1 Kh2 f31 Again the soundest plan, even though in this particular position 1 ... h3 also wins. 2 Kh1 g3 Also 2 f2 wins. 3 Kg1 f2t In a sense a "safer" win than 3 h3 since after 4 Kh 1 g2t77 5 Kg1 Black's pawns are stopped and wil l be lost. Of course 4 .. f2 wins if W hite has a pawn move somewhere on the board that relieves stalemate. 4 Kg2 h3t ••.

••.

.

5 Kf1

h2

1 Kf1

h31

B lack wins. (d)

The only move. Here pawns are stopped. 2 3 4 B lack wins.

1

(e)

f31 1 . . . h377 is refuted by 2 Kh21. g3 Kg1 3 Kh2 f2 or 3 Kf2 h2. Kh1 f2 h3t Kg2

f317 loses since after 2 Kf21 h3 3 Kg3 the

Kf2

Kf1

Kg2

1 Kh1 Again the only move. 2 Also winning is 2 h3: 3 4 •..

16

.•.

g3t h2 f3t

and Black wins. But Black to play loses, since the pawns are i mmediately stopped:

(a)

1

g3

1

f3 h3

2 Kg21

(b)

2 Kf21 3 Kg3 1

(c)

2 Kh21 3 Kg3

h3 f3

From all of the above lines we have learned the following two most im· portant principles: 1. The critical status of Diagram 7A as a zugzwang position 2. The king must blockade the farthest advanced pawn; conversely: ad· vance the pawn which is farthest from the king. Let us now util ize the above information to help u nderstand the correct solution to D iagram 7. I am mostly following the analysis by Maizelis from "Pawn Endings" by Averbakh and Maizelis. White to play wins:

1 Ke2 2 Kf3

Kd7 Kc6

5 Kg3

Kb6

Fi rst each king positions itself to be well placed to cope with any pawn advance. Now it is time to start advancing the pawns, starting with the one farthest from the enemy king. h5 3 a4 f5 4 c4 Each side had threatened to i mmediately advance its rook pawn (the farthest pawn ! ) . Since this has been temporarily prevented, the knight pawns are activated.

6 b4

D iagram 8

6 g5 In trying to ape White, B lack will always be a move behind. But the temporizing 6 ... g6 is no better: 7 a5t Ka6 8 c5 Kb5 (otherwise 9 c6 and 17

1 0 b5t) 9 Kg2 1 ( Reme m ber that White is aiming for Diagram 7A with Black to move!.) Now B lack has the following choices: (a)

9 . .. g5 1 0 Kg3 g4 ( I f 1 0... h4t 1 1 Kh3 f4 1 2 Kg4 and B lack being in zugzwang wi l l lose) 1 1 Kf2 1 f4 1 2 Kg2 h4 (Or 1 2 ... f3t 1 3 Kg3! h4t 14 Kf2 1 h3 1 5 Kg3 and again B lack is on move and loses. ) 13 Kg1 1 1 (Diagram 7AI ) 1 3... Ka6 ( Black's pawns are stopped) 1 4 c6 Ka7 1 5 b5 Kb8 1 6 b6 ( 1 6 a6 also wins) 1 6 ... Ka8 1 7 a6 Kb8 (Or 1 7 ... f3 1 8 c7 and there is no stale­ mate since B lack has pawn moves.) 1 8 a7t Ka8 1 9 c7 and White wins. .

.

9 ..... h4 10 Kh21 (This way of getting in front of the most advanced passed pawn is, I believe, the clearest Also winning is 1 0 Kh3, as long as after 1 0 ... g5, White plays 1 1 Kh2 1 : 1 1 ...g4 1 2 Kg2 h3t [ 1 2... f4 1 3 Kg1 1] 1 3 Kg3 f4t 1 4 Kh2 f3 1 5 Kg3) 1 0 ... f4 ( 1 0... g5 1 1 Kh3 f4 1 2 Kg4) 1 1 Kg1 1 1 g5 1 2 Kg21 g4 1 3 Kg1 1!. Again we have Diagram 7 A and White wins as above. (Back to Diagram 8) 7 a5t Ka6 After 7 ... Ka7 or 7 ... Kb7, 8 c5 also wins and more simply, e.g. 7 ... Ka7 8 c5 Kb7 9 b5 Kb8 1 0 Kg2 !. h4t 8 c5 I f 8... Kb5, 9 Kg2! puts Black in zugzwang, e.g. 9... g4 1 0 Kg3 or 9... h4 1 0 Kh31 f4 1 1 Kg4. 9 Khll Blockading the farthest advanced pawn. Now 9... Kb5 10 Kh21 g4 1 1 Kg21 f4 1 2 Kg1 1 ( Diagram 7A! ) loses as already shown earlier. 9 .... f4 1 0 c61 But, for heaven's sake, not 10 Kg47? because after 10 ... Kb5 it is White who is in zugzwang and loses ! (b)

.

10 1 1 b5t

f3

Ka7 12 b6t Also wi nning is 1 2 c7 Kb7 1 3 b6 followed by 1 4 a6t. 12 Kb8 g4t 13 a6 14 Kh2 White can also afford both 14 Kxg4 and 14 Kxh4. 14 glt 15 Kg1 hl 16 a7t Ka8 and White wins.

17 c7

Because of being on move in D iagram 7, White queens one move earlier than Black. I must admit that I have not given an exhaustive analysis of Diagram 7, because that position is just not that important for the practical player. But you should now have a good grasp of the major principles of king vs. three connected passed pawns. And always remember Diagram 7A - that is THE position to know! 18

Section 2: Simplifying into K & P Endgames

V

Of course, K & P endgames do not resu lt out of the thin air. Either one rightly or wrongly decide to simplify down side of the other, or both to a K & P endgame. In this section I sha l l discuss some instructive "sim­ plification moments" and the important endgames that resu lt from them. ••

••

Subject # 5: K + 2P vs. K + P

Question: Are the K & P endgames possible from D iagram 9 won for B lack7

Diagram 9

Answer: Because B lack has a RP, the pawn structure of D iagram 9, M. Stean E. Geller, Bath 1 973, after White's 66th move, is in many ways deficient for win n ing purposes. As we follow the game conti nuation, I shall say more about it. ·

66

..•••

Ne6

The N & P endgame is theoretically quite drawn and thus B lack is willing to try his luck in a K& P endgame.

67 Nd3

converted into regu lar vertical opposition. The reason why this position is drawn is that after 71 ... h4 72 Ke3 g4 73 hxg4 Kxg4 B lack's passed pawn is the h-pawn and White's king is close enough to stop it. But please note that the Diagram 9 type pawn formation is won for Black for all the other pawns (White: g3 B lack: f5, g5; White f3, Black : e5, f5; etc. ).

67

68

••..•

Nf2

Nf4

But now the knight exchange loses: 68 Nxf47 gxf4 69 Kf2 Ke4 70 Ke2 f3t 71 Kf2 Kf4 72 h4 Kg4 and B lack also wins the h-pawn and the game. 19

68 69 Ke3 70 N h 1 1 71 Nf2

Ng6 Ne7 Ke5

Again simpler is 71 Ng31 since after 71 ... Nf5t 72 Nxf51 Kxf5 73 Kf3 White draws as discussed in the note to White's 67th move.

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79

Kf3 Ke3 Kf3

Nh 1 1

Ke2 Kf3 Ke3 Nf2

Nf5t Nd4t Nc2t Kf5 Ne1t Ng2

Nh4t Kg6

White wi l l sti l l have to labor mightily after the text move. All of us know by now that best is 79 Ng3 1 Nf5t 80 Nxf5 Kxf5 81 Kf31 with a simple draw. Ng2t 79 80 Kf3 Ne1t Nc2 8 1 Ke2

82 Kf3 83 Nh 1 1 84 Kel 85 Kf3 86 Nf21 87 Nd1 1 88 Ke3 89 Kf3 90 Nf21 91 Kg31

Kf5 Nd4t Na6

92 93 94 95

Kd3 Ke3 Kd3 Kd4 Nd3 Ne1t Nd3t Ke5 Nf4 Nd5t Nf6 Kf5

Nc5

Nd7 Ne5t Nc4t Ke5 Kd4

Ne5 White can hold the draw because after 9 1 . . . Ke3 he has 92 Ng4t l l Ke2 93 Nf6 1.

96

97 98

99

100 101

102 103

Nd1 Nf2t Nd11 Nf2t Nd1 Kf3 Kf2 Kf3 Ke3 Nf2 Kf3 Ke3 Kf3

104 105 Nh 1 1

Draw

Nd5

Ke5

White finally got his deserved half point. But wouldn't it have been much easier if he had known that the K & P endgame after 67 Nxe6 1 is drawn7

20

Subject # 6: Significance of an active king in zugzwang type positions Questions: Can White afford to recover the pawn in D iagram 1 0? Can the active king be a strength even if caught in a zugzwang situation?

j

D iagram 1 0

Answers: The only way to know for sure whether White can play Nd5t fol lowed by Nxb4 from Diagram 1 0, K. Regan M. Rohde, Goichberg/Marshall I nter· national 1 977, analysis position after B lack's 55th move, is to go through a very careful analysis of the resulting K & P endgame: •

56 57 58 59

Nd5t Nxb4 Kxb4 g3

Ke5 Nxb4 Kd4

Both safeguarding the g-pawn and preventing Black from an immediate f4, as after 59 Kb3 f41 and an easy win for B lack. After the text move White hopes for 59... g57 60 h41 and White wi l l be O . K. because the h-pawn queens with check. ·

Since pawn moves don't do the trick, B lack must use his active king. 59 Ke31 1 B l ack has a pretty tactical possibil ity in mi nd, if White plays 60 Kxc3: 60... g5 61 h4 gxh4 62 gxh4 f4 63 h5 f3 64 h6 f2 65 h7 f 1 =0 66 hB=Q Oa 1 t l fol lowed by 67 ... 0xh8. Note how Black's king first sidestep­ ped a potential check and set up a skewer of White's king and queen by Black's queen. .•.••

60 Kb31 A nice perceptive try. If now 60 ... Kf2, White has 61 Kxc3; after 60. . . Kd4 o r 60 . Kd2, White has 61 h4; a lso after 60... g 5 61 h 4 the resu lting Q & P endgame is most l i kely drawn. Yet B lack can improve on the latter variation by an in turn perceptive king maneuver. 60 .. .. Ke21 Now after 61 Kxc3 g5 1 Black wins as in the variation given after B lack's 59th move, while 61 h4 Kd2 puts White in zugzwang. 61 Kb41 Kd2 62 Kb3 g5 63 h4 gxh4 64 gxh4 f4 21 .

.

.

65 66 67 68 69 70

h5 h& h7 h8=Q Ka3 Ka4

f3 f2 f1•Q Qb5tl Qb2t Oxc2t

with a winning Q & P endgame for Black.

By capturing White's c-pawn with check whi le his own king is well placed, Black has a won endgame, though of course care is stil l required. Notice how Black was able to use his more active king even though he was in zugzwang as far as protection of his c-pawn was concerned. The above deep analysis shows that from D iagram 1 0 White should con­ tinue to play the knight endgame with, e.g. 56 Na6 Ke5 57 Nc5, even though B lack does have realistic winning chances. Is there a short cut to coming up with the conclusion on the K & P endgame without doi n g all of the above analysis? Well, not completely though our chess intuition should guide us in thi nking that with B lack's king active on e3, good things cou ld well be possible for him.

Subject # 7: Distant opposition with blocked pawns How to handle king play so as to obtain/retai n distant opposi­ tion? Can Black achieve a winning K & P endgame in D iagram 1 1 by sacrificing his knight with a properly timed ... Nxg3?

. · D iagram 1 1

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Answers: It is obvious from a quick glance at D iagram 1 1 , La Rouche - S. Weil, New York 1 977, after Black's 52nd move, that B lack has a substantial ad­ vantage. White has two chronic weaknesses - c3 and g3 .. and the former binds down White's king and the latter immobil i zes the knight. But unfor­ tunately for Black, the closed nature of the pawn formation does not al low his king to penetrate. Therefore, Black fashions another plan: at a moment when White's king is as far away as possible from the kingside, B lack wil l sacrifice his knight on g 3 and thereby allow h is king to penetrate the king­ side. It is clear that B lack wi ll not risk a loss thereby and will have substan­ tial prospects for success. Even if the resu lting K & P endgame is not a theoretical win, Black wi l l have good practical winning chances since it wil l 22

be the active one. The course of the game will bear this out:

53 Kc2

Nxg31 1

54 Nxg3 55 Nh5t 56 Kc1

Kf4 Ke31

Since White's k i n g is shuttling between c2 a n d d3, the moment to sacrifice is when he is on c2.

The key to defending this position successfully is to be able to have the opposition the moment that B lack has recaptured the kn ight in exchange for the g-pawn. White can also d raw with 56 Ng3, if he fo llows up correctly: a) 56 Kf3 57 Nf51 g3 58 Kd2 g2 59 Nh4t Kf2 60 Nxg2 Kxg2 6 1 K e 2 1 with White having horizontal opposition; .••

.

b) 56. . Kf2 57 Nhil (57 Nf57 loses, as will be seen from the game contin­ uation) 57 .. g3 58 Kd21 1 (This move in conjunction with the next one gains the tempo requ i red to achieve the opposition.) 58... g2 59 Nf4 g 1 =Q 60 Nh3t Kg2 61 Nxg1 Kxg1 62 Ke1 1 and White again has the horizontal opposition and the draw.

.

Kd3 Kd2

56 ..... 57 Kb2

• • • • •• • Bta • • • t B t. BltJ

•

D iagram 1 2

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Notice how B lack is actively using his king to make it more d i fficult for White to find the correct move. Remember that White must be able to achieve opposition -- regu lar or distant -- as soon as Black captures the knight. With B lack's king heading for the queenside it is confusing for White to keep the matter of opposition clear in his head.

58 Ng3 This is O. K., if -- and this is a big if -- White knows to proceed with the method given in the analysis to White's 56th move. I believe that in practical play it is easier to handle the position if White plays 5!!..KbJI and only after 58.. Kc1, 59 Ng3. Then Black's k ing is one square farther from the kingside and this makes it simple for White to achieve opposition: 59. . Kd2 60 Nh5 Ke2 61 Kc2 Kf2 62 Kd2 g3 63 Nxg3 Kxg3 64 Ke31 Kg4 (64 .. Kg2 65 Ke2) 65 Ke21 (diagonal opposition) 65... Kf4 66 Kf2 Ke4 67 Ke2.

.

.

.

58 .....

Ke 1 23

59 Kc2

An interesting alternative draw is 59 Kb3 Kf2 60 Nf5 g3 61 Nxg3 Kxg3 62 Ka3 1 1. White has just enough mobility along the a-file to achieve distant horizontal opposition and thereby draw. The proof: a) 62... Kf2 63 Kb21 Ke 1 64 Ka 1 1 1 (Only so. He must stay off the c-file because c3 is not avai lable for the king.) 64 . Kd 1 65 Kb1 1 Kd2 66 Kb2 Kd3 67 Kb3 Ke2 68 Ka21 etc.; .

.

b) 62 ... Kf3 63 Kb31 (And not 63 Kb27 because of 63 ... Kf2 1 ; not 63 Ka27 because of 63... Ke2 1 . ) 63... Kf2 64 Kb2 Ke3 65 Ka31 etc., with White keeping his distant opposition.

Kf2

59 60 Nf577 ••••.

The losing move. Mandatory is 60 Nh51 g3 61 Kd2 1 1 g2 62 Nf4 with a draw - as discussed earlier.

60 61 Nxg3 62 Kc1

g3 Kxg3

White is lost because he can neither reach regular or distant opposition. The attempt at the former with 62 Kd3 loses to 62... Kf3 63 Kd2 Kf2 1 64 Kd3 Ke 1 ; the attempt at the latter with 62 Kb3 is foiled by 62... Kf31 63 Kb2 (Or 63 Ka3 Ke31 64 Kb2 Kd2; 64 Kb3 Kd3; 64 Ka2 Ke2 1.) 63... Kf21 .

62 63 Kb1 64 Ka2

Kf3 Ke3 Ke21

The thematic gaining of the distant opposition is the only way to win. After 64 .. Kd27 65 Kb2 White has the opposition and B lack is stymied forever more, e.g. 65 ... Ke31 7 66 Ka31 1 and White has the security of dis­ tant opposition. .

66

Kd1 1 Kc1 1

Ka3

66 Kb3

White resigns

If Black so chooses, he can k i l l all of White's pawns.

Subject # 8: Pawn majorities on opposite flanks Questions: What is the correct way of handling K & P endgame having pawn majorities on opposite flanks? Can White play Rxd2 in Diagram 1 3 and live?

f.i# r� Diagram 1 3

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24

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Answers: I n analyzing the A & P endgame that occurred in the game V. Korchnoi Smith + Kol key, California 1 977, I suggested that the best way of using is to advance i t as fast and far as Black's extra pawn the passed d·pawn possible so as to tie down White's pieces. The key position in the analysis occu rred after Black's 28th move (see D iagram 1 3) and I suggested that Black probably has a win n ing A & P endgame "since if White plays 29 Axd2 he risks a lost K & P endgame". After 29 ... Axd2t 30 Kxd2 we have a very thematical ly important endgame, where White has a ki ngside pawn majority and B lack has a pawn majority on the queenside. Thematic play now wou ld be: Ke5 30 ..... B lack's dual advantages consist of the more active king and a sound queenside pawn majority. With the logical text move Black tries to prevent White from mobi l izing his kingside pawn majority. Yet it appears that also sufficient to win is the direct 30... Kd61 31 g3 Kc51, e.g. 32 Kc3 b5 33 f4 a5, as after dissolution of the queenside, B lack wi l l penetrate decisively into White's kingside. •

••

••

31 Ke3 Fruitless is 31 Kd3 h5 32 Kc4, since 32 ... a6! keeps White's king out.

31 ..... 32 Kd3

h5!

White lacks one tempo to chase B lack's king away from its domineering location. Thus 32 g3 allows the blockading 32... g4! with the fol lowing thematic continuation : 33 f4t (The interpolation of 33 hxg4 hxg4 34 f4t changes noth ing.) 33... gxf3 e.p. 34 Kxf3 b5 35 Ke3 (35 g4 is met by 35 ... h4; after 35 h4 B lack blockades the kingside by 35... f4. ) 35 ... a6! 36 Kd3 a51 37 Ke3 b4 38 Kd3 a4 39 Kc4 b3 40 axb3 axb3 4 1 Kxb3 Kxe4 and Black's king wins on the kingside. I nstead of 32 g3, White has no time for 32 f3, because then 32... h41 fixes White's kingside pawns. Therefore White's best poli cy is the do-nothing one associated with the next move, since this way no vul nerable kingside entry points are caused.

32 33 Ke3 34 Kd3 35 Ke3

b5 a6! a5 h4!

Since White's f., g- and h-pawns are close to their original locations (only the h·pawn has moved a bit), they are able to keep out B lack's king in case Black goes for an immediate dissolution of the queenside: 35... b4? ! 36 Kd3 a4 37 Kc4 b3 38 axb3 axb3 39 Kxb3 Kxe4 40 Kc2! fol lowed by Kd2 and Ke2 and a draw. With the text move Black reins in White's four pawn vs. three pawn king­ side majority, since a g3 by White (e.g. 36 g3) is met by 36 ... g4 ! ! and the resu lting advanced passed h-pawn in combination with the passed pawn Black gets on the queenside from his pawn majority, is sure to win. Be­ cause White is now unable to get a viable passed pawn on the kingside, B lack's king can head for the queenside to assist his pawns there.

36 Kd3 37 Kd4

Ke61 25

Or 37 Kc3 Kd7! 38 Kd3 Kc6 39 Kd4 Kd6.

37 38

a3 39 Kd3

Kd6 Kc6

There also is no hope in 39 e5 dxe5t 40 Kxe5 Kc5! 4 1 Ke4 Kc4! etc.

39 40 Kc3 41 axb4t 42 Kc2

Kc5 b4t axb4t

42 43 44 45 46 47

Kc4 b3 Kc3 b2t Kb3 g41

Or 42 Kd3 Kb5 etc.

Kb2 Kb1 Kc1 Kb1 g3

and Black wins. Of course, all this was not obvious to me when I made my "di plomatic'· comment that after 29 Rxd2 White "risks" a lost K + P endgame. Sti l l , an experienced grandmaster develops a feel for what types of basic endgames are won and this feel was the basis for my original evaluation.

Principles/Rules

of

Thumb for Practical Endgame Play

King & Pawn Endgames: ( 1 ) I n open board situations use opposition to achieve penetration by your king when attacking; use opposition also to prevent your opponent's king from penetrating. (2) Keep your pawn formation as flexible as possible. Avoid backward pawns. (3) In zugzwang positions, play your king so as to "lose" a move before reach ing the critical position. King triangulation is the method general ly used to achieve this. (4) In blockaded positions use the principle of coordinate squares to de­ termine the correct king moves/maneuvers. (5) When the king fights against three connected passed pawns it should always first blockade the farthest advanced ones. In case the _pawns are on the same rank, the king should be in the center of the cluster with two fi les in between. Then he can blockade whichever pawn is advanced first. (6) For winning purposes the RP is the worst one to have. Be wary of having a RP in endgames where you are up a pawn, if the chances are real­ istic that you may have to depend on queening it for the win. (7) In mutual queening races always be on the look-out for tactical tricks, since often these bring about a totally unexpected change in the original evaluation of the results from this race. (8) In positions where simple opposition is not feasi ble look for the oppor­ tunity to achieve distant opposition -- whether going for the win or trying 26

to defend. (9) If you have a majority on one side and your opponent on the other side, advance your pawns on the side of his majority in such a way as to prevent him from mobi l izing it in a healthy, flexible way. ( 1 0) It is always an advantage to have the more active king. If your king can securely stay on the fourth rank wh ile the opponenfs is relegated to his third rank, this already is a substantial advantage for you.

27

Chapter 2 Minor Piece Endgames Section 1: Same Color Bishop Endgames Subject # 9: B + P vs. B Questions: Under what conditions is the B + P vs. B endgame won 7 Is D iagram 1 4 won7

Diagram 14

Answers: The defending side is sure of a draw if its king can get to any square in front of the pawn from which it can not be chased away. Otherwise the risk of a loss is great In particular Diagram 14 is lost, irrespective of who is on move. As will be seen, B lack's problem is that the king can not get to c7 and can be chased away from c8. Thematic play with Black to move is: Kc8 A) 1 ..... Black gets in front of the pawn, but can't remain there.

2 Bc61

Bc2

Of course, 2... Bxc6 3 Kxc6 is won for White i rrespective of who is on move because Wh ite's king is on the sixth rank in front of his pawn. ·

••

3 Bb7t

Kd8

Black runs into mate after 3 Kb87 4 c6 followed by 5 c7. After 3.. . Kd7 White's win is also easier: 4 c6t l
5 c7t 6 Ka71

Ke7

7 Kb8 8 Bc8 1

Bg4

8 ..... 9 Bf51

Be2

The king heads for b8 from where it can both protect the pawn and cover the c8 queen ing square. 6 ..... Kd6 Chasing the bishop off its primary defensive diagonal. Or any other reasonable square along this diagonal. 28

9

Ba6

10 Bd31 White wins.

Note White's winning bishop maneuvers: Black's bishop is forced off its

tong diagonal first; then the job is completed by forcing it off the short

diagonal. B)

1

Be8

••.••

B lack does not want White's bishop to arrive on b7 with check. But even so, the bishop wil l be decisive there.

2 Bc61 3 Bb5 4 Ba61

Bf7 Bd5

The key move. Black's bishop wil l now be forced to give up control of c6 and then White's pawn can start its advance.

4 5 6 7 8

Kd7 Be& Kd6 Bf5 Bg4 Bf5

Bb71 c6t c7 Ba61 9 Kb71 10 Kb81 White wins.

The win now is just as in the previous line: White plays BcB, then Bf5 (or anythi ng reasonable on the h3-c8 diagonal ) and finally Bd3 (or anything reasonable on the f 1 ·a6 diagonal). With White to move, he plays 1 Bc6!, then 2 Bb71, advances his c·pawn to c7 and finishes off as in the above l ine.

J

Section 2: Knight Endgames Subject # 10: N + P vs. N

*

Questions: What are the important benchmarks in eva luating N + P vs. N endgames? Is Diagram 1 5 a win?

. Diagram 1 5

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Answers: If the defend i ng king can get in front of the pawn, then a l l normal

29

positions are drawn. Therefore, the theoretically important positions are where the king cannot get back. For this situation the following principles apply: 1. The rook pawn is by far the most difficult pawn for the knight to stop, si nce the knight can only maneuver to one side of it. I f, for instance, i n our position Wh ite's pawn would be o n a4 rather than b4 , White wi ns after 60 a5. The knight pawn is the second most difficult pawn for the knight to stop, because the knight's maneuvering room on the short side is limited. Yet on a relative basis, it is much easier to stop the kn ight pawn than the rook pawn. 2. The knight pawn, if it reaches the 7th rank in safety, is an assured win. Therefore our main question is whether from D iagram 1 5, D. Rozier Sutton, Correspondence 1 980-82, after Black's 59th move, the pawn can get to b7. Further important questions will be discussed as responses to specific queries by Mr. Rozier.

·

Specific Question # 1 : I s it necessary to bring the White king towards the center or near the b- and a-files? Since it is necessary to prevent Black's king and knight from interfering with the b-pawn's advance, White's king should head towards the center and i n particular the c-file. It is easy to see that after someth ing l i ke 60 Ka6, 60 ... Nd6 stops the pawn's advance. Specific Question # 2: Should White first restrict the activity of Black's K + N or push the pawn as far as possi ble immediately? Well, Wh ite would really like to accompl ish both, but it should be clear that, without restrict­ ing Black's pieces, the pawn cannot be advanced very far. And remember that it must get to the 7th rank before the win is assured. My overall conclusion is that Diagram 1 5 is a draw because Black can prevent the decisive advance of the pawn. Yet despite the apparent sim­ pl icity, this position is actually very complicated because very many differ­ ent knight and king maneuvers are possi ble for both sides. Therefore it is possible that some specific variation as given by me may not be the most exact one.

60 Kc6

Specific Question # .,: Is this the best square for the king? It does not really matter in the sense that the position is drawn. Also logical is 60 Kc5. Then to keep the draw Black must play 60... Kf6 61 Nd4 Ne7 62 Nc6 Nc8 63 b5 Ke6 64 Na7 1 Nd61 65 b6 Kd7. 60 ..... Kf7? 1 I n playing the N + P vs. N endgame, Black shows a dangerous d isregard for tempos (see also my comment at Black's 58th move in Subject # 1 3) . The accurate move i s the active 60. . . Kf61. Then 61 Kd7 i s no problem be­ cause of 6 1 ... Ke51 62 b5 Nd6 63 b6 Kd5! and Black is safe. An impor· tant principle for the defender to know is that the king is much better placed behind the pawn (as here) than to the side of it.

61 Kc7

Mr. Rozier states that he didn't want to play an immediate 61 b5 so as not to allow an eventual ... Nd4t or ... Na7t. I n connection with this move,

30

h e has the following question: Specific Question # 4: I s it very important to control the c8 square? There is noth ing magical about c8 or any other square. What Wh ite wants is to prevent Black's pieces from interfering with the march of the b-pawn. Viewed from this perspective, it is clear that White's strongest move is 61 Kd7 1 . Then Black has extreme difficulties in getting his knight to stop the pawn, e.g. 6 1 ... Ne7 62 Ne3! or 62... Ng7 62 Nd4 !. The only promising plan that I see is to again activate the king with 61 ... Kf61 62 b5 Ke51. Then after 63 b6 Nd6 Black's position looks very precarious, but I th i n k that he can hold since 64 Kc6 can be met b y 64. . . Nc4 6 5 b 7 Na5t.

61 .....

Ke6

Black's king now is sufficiently active. Sti ll Black's task is very difficult because of the ideal placement of Wh ite's knight on c2 from where it does both defensive and offensive duties.

62 b5

Nd6

63 b6

Nb5t

Black cannot play 62... Ne7? because of 63 Nell and White's pawn be­ comes unstoppable. Usually the correct plan would be 63... Kd5? 64 Ne3t Kc5 but here White has the very annoying 65 Ng5! ! and Black's knight will not be able to get to its correct defensive square - c5 - because its king sits on itl Therefore White's pawn wi l l reach b7 for an assured win.

64 Kd8 White's response does not present much of a challenge to Black. After 64 Kc61 Nd6 Black must defend very accurately: a) 64 Ncl4t Ke5! (64. Ke7? 65 Nf5 t l wins) 65 Nf5 Nc41 ..

b) 64 Ne3 Ke51 65 Kc7 ! Ne4 ! (65 ... Nb5t ? 66 Kd7 Nd6 loses to 66 Nc4 t ) 67 Kd7 1 Nc5t l (everyth ing else loses) 67 Kc6 Ne6! (only move ! ) and I think that Black can hold. Nd6 64 . . . . .

65 Ne3

There was stil l time to regroup with 65 Kc7.

65 .. . 66 Kc7 .

.

Nb7t l Na51

Black now can keep his knight both safe and active on the queenside.

ff1 Nc4 68 Kb8

Nb31

68 ..... 69 Kc8

Nc5

After 68 b7 Black has the saving 68 ... Nc5 69 b8=0 Na6t, while after 68 Kc6 Nd4t 69 Kc5 Nb3t 70 Kb4 Nd4 71 b7 Kd71 White's king has been drawn too far away and Black succeeds by an eyelash after 72 Ka5 Kc7 73 Ka6 Nc6! and B lack just has time for 74 ... Nd8 followed by 75 ... Nxb7.

Mr, Rozier gives th is move a question mark and asks h is last question. Specific Question # S: Is there a win after 69 Ka7 or 69 Ka87 No, I don't see any. After 69 Ka7 Kd7 70 NeSt Ke6 7 1 Nd3 B lack has 71 ... Nxd3 72 b7 NeS! and after 69 KaB Kd7 70 NeSt KcB 7 1 Nd3 Nb71 31

Black can again prevent the b-pawn's advance. Remember that to draw Black must prevent the pawn from getting to b7 in safety. Ke7 69 . . . ..

Draw.

Black is i ndeed safe. But White could continue to play on in the hope of an eventual Black error. As we have seen, such endgames are not at all easy to defend.

Subject # 1 1: Pawns on the same side, one king is contained Questions:

Is the contained king always a loser? What is the proper method of playing in such positions? What is the correct evaluation of Diagrams 1 6 - 1 97

Diagram 1 6

Answers: As an i ntroduction to our theme, let us first consider Diagram 1 6, H . Kahn - NN, USA 1 978, B lack on move. White o f course threatens 2 Nf4 mate. Therefore, Black's response -- 1 ... g3 -- is forced and Wh ite ach ieved an instructive draw as follows: 2 Nxh41 gxh2 3 Nf31 Nxf3 Stalemate. I n this type of position -- where White has his pawn on h2 and king on h1 and Black has g- and h-pawns - is it possible to set up positions winning for Black? The answer is three-pronged : 1 ) Theoretically, very much so. With Black's king on f 1 , various mating motifs are possible, with the simplest being Black's knight on f2 (e.g. in Diagram 16 put Black's king on f1 and White's knight on g6. Black wins with 1 ... Ne4 1 . ) 2 ) From any reasonable starting position, White would have t o play very poorly for such possibilities to arise. 3) There is little logic in Wh ite's king voluntarily heading for containment on h 1 . He should try to keep h is ground on the second rank, operating on the g2 and f2 squares. The single most important principle is that once the enemy king is con­ tained, do not allow him to escape. Otherwise, the chances are high that you will never get him back in and your advantage wi l l have disappeared. I shall now discuss the kind of approach you should use in coming up with the correct plan. Let us look at D iagram 17 on the next page, with White to move. Wh ite has the dual advantages of the active king and 32

Diagram 1 7

knight, whereas Black's king is severely contained and h is kn ight is a poten­ tial problem also. But how to proceed? The idea is clear enough: 1 Kf7 Nh6t 2 Kf8 and Black is in zugzwang and must al low 3 Nf7 mate. But it is equal ly easy to see that Black can simply play the king-freeing 1 ... h6. If it would again be Black's move in this position, White would win easily be­ cause after "2 Kh7", 3 Ng6 puts Black in zugzwang. With Black's king on h8, a White knight on f8 is equally effective for zugzwang. Unfortunately, as we know, a knight can never gain a tempo and thus by knight moves alone there is no way to put B lack in zugzwang after 1 Kf7 h6. And king moves also seem out of the question since both a Kf8 or Kg6 would free Black's knight. Also the attempt to prevent 1 ...h6 by 1 h67 fails: 1 . ..Nf6t (not 1 ... Nxh677 2 Kf8 followed by 3 Nf7 mate) 2 Kf8 (2 Kf7 is met by either 2 . Nd7 or 2 ... Ng4) 2 . Nd7t l l 3 Nxd7 stalemate. Thus we see that in this last l ine Black's king is actually too contained. ...

.

.

..

What to do in real l ife? Of course, you can abandon winning attempts and offer Black a draw. Yet this is hardly the way to achieve success i n tournament play ! Therefore the practical th ing to d o is to try a lot of king and kn ight maneuvers from Diagram 1 7 in the hope that something wi l l succeed. Not that anything is guaranteed, but it is certain that unless you search for success, you will not find it. If the game is adjourned and you have access to a good chess l ibrary, then of course you can consult this. You wil l then find someth ing very sim i lar in "Knight Endings" by Averhakh and Checkhover. On page 66 is the position shown in Diagram 1 8 and this is an endgame study by V. Bron in 1 948. As can be seen, the only difference is that here the White knight is on e3 rather than on e5.

=---:w� :::-_,,.� t+� ��:� ;;-ft:: �a ::-::: ::-: iiii � : "' r---� � • �;���:�;11-. � • � H � W'«' t � � �

Diagram 1 8

. � .e. . . � . � . � � � p ­ � � i • � P �,£ • �')) p 1'!:'1•, "''%' • � . �.� ��j �

.

• •

��

W{? gi

.

• .!.!.

33

The solution to the study in D iagram 1 8, with my comments, is as follows:

1 Kf7

Nh&t

1 ... h6 gets us i nto the main line more quickly.

2 Kf8 3 Ng4

Ng8 h6

The fancy 3... Nh671 is not met by 4 Nxh6?7 stalemate, but by 4 Ne51, followed by 5 Nf7 mate.

4 Kf71 To contain Black's knight on g8.

4 5 Ne5 6 Nc41 7 Nd6

Kh7 KhB Kh7

As discussed in connection with D iagram 1 7, White cannot put Black in zugzwang just by his knight moves. The only way is by king tempo moves. But to enable this, White must keep Black's knight stalemated. For this, White's knight must get to e8 from where it takes away both f6 from Black's kn ight and g7 from B lack's king.

7 8 NeBI 9 Ke61 10 Kd&l

KhB Kh7 Kh8

White wants to achieve the same position as after Black's 8th move, but with Black on move.

10 ..... 1 1 Kd71

Kh7

As so often, the principle/concept is more important than the exact moves. As can be recognized, White's 1 0th and 1 1 th moves can also be played in the reverse order. 11 12 Ke&l 13 Kf7

KhS Kh7

Mission accomplished. Since the knight can neither gain nor lose a tem­ po, it is a simple matter for White's knight now to stalemate Black's king, after wh ich Black's knight will be forced to commit suicide. KhS 13 .... .

14 Nc7

An equivalent winning knight route is 1 4 Nd6 Kh7 Ne5 Kh7 1 7 Ng6.

14 15 Ne& 16 Nf8 17 Kxf&

1 5 Nc4 Kh8 1 6

Kh7 Kh8 Nf&

White wins. With this background, it is easy to recognize that D iagram 1 7 is actually a simplified, "forward" version of Bron's 1 948 study. The solution in fact is: 1 Kf71 h&

34

2 Nc4

and White wins as per the D iagram 1 8 solution, where Nc4 was played as White's 6th move. The motif of Black's king in the corner, contained by his own h·pawn, offers many opportunities for creative play.

Diagram 1 9

Diagram 1 9 shows the concluding part of a prize winning 1 978 study by V. Shkrl, with the solution being:

1 Ne8 1 1

Nf6t

Or 1 ... Nxe8 2 Kf8 fol lowed by 3 Bg7 mate.

2 Kf8 3 Nd6 4 Nf7 mate.

Nxh6 Ng4

Subject # 12: Pawns on both sides, material advantage, defender has no counterplay Questions:

What is White's proper technique in going for the win in Dia· gram 207 Should White simplify into a K & P endgame by playing 1 g57

Diagram 20

In Diagram 20, W. Maloney · N. N., New York 1 973, White on move, White has two advantages: ( 1 ) He is up a solid pawn, and (2) Black is with· out counterplay. Yet there also are a couple of roadblocks in the way to the win: ( 1 ) The g5 break may not win, and (2) White's king is inactively placed on the edge of the board. 35

The single most important point in going for the win is: avoid doing anything irreparably wrong! Here the wrong thi ng is to go for the K & P endgame, as happened in the game:

1 g57 2 Nxg5 3 Kxg5

Nxg5 hxg5t Kg7

We already learned in Chapter 1 that it is risky for the superior side to enter a K & P endgame where he is left with rook pawn (s). Here White is left with two rook pawns and the position is a draw. Note that if instead of the a-pawns, we would have equivalently placed b-pawns, then White wins easily.

4 a4

a51

The only way to draw. The principle is: Black wants to have his pawn up the board as far as possible, so that White's king when he captures it wi ll be as far away from b7 as possi ble. The rule of thumb to know to correctly judge such positions is: White wins if h is a-pawn is in Black's side of the board.

5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12

Kf5 Ke5 Kd5 Kc5 Kb5 Kxa5 Kb6 Ka7 Draw

Kh6 Kxh5 Kg5 Kf6 Ke6 Kd71 Kc81 Kc71

B lack shuttles his king between cB and c7 and White can't progress. The correct technique in positions such as Diagram 20 is to make the whole board your scene of interest. We call it "playing on both sides of the board"; then when Black is busy protecting himself on the one side, White scores decisive penetration on the other. Specifically, White's first objective is to get h is knight to f5, thereby tying down either Black's king or knight to the defense of the h-pawn. This then wou ld free the way to the queenside for White's king, ensuring the decisive capture of the a-pawn. The correct approach is:

1 Ne5tl 2 Nc61 3 Nb4

Kf6 a6 a5

If Black removes his knight from the kingside with 3 Nc5, White has a tactical breakthrough there with 4 g5t l l hxg5t 5 Kg4 a5 6 Nd5t Ke5 7 h61. •..

4 Nd5t

Ke5

I n the long run too passive is 4 ... Kg7, since White's king wil l first get to the center and then the queenside.

5 Ne31 With the dual threats of 6 Nc4t and 6 Nf5. Black again has nothing better than activity.

5 6 Nf5t 36

Kd4 Kc3

7 Nxh6 8 Nf5 9 h6

Kb3 Kxa3

White's two kingside pawns are winners against Black's single a-pawn. NfB 9 .....

10 g5

Kb4

After 1 0 .. Kb2, White first stops Black's pawn with 1 1 Nd6 a4 1 2 Nb5 and then promotes h is with 13 Kh5 and 14 g6. .

11 12 13 14 15

Kh5 g6 Kxg6 h7 h8=Q

a4 Nxg6 a3 a2

White wins. By going for counterplay B lack final ly made it fairly close. But White did not really have any difficult decisions to make. Playing di rectly on the side of his strength -- the kingside - was good enough for the win.

Subject # 13: Pawns on both sides, material advantage, defender has coun­ terplay Questions:

How shou ld Wh ite play from Diagram 2 1 , i.e. shou ld he try to advance his pawns or worry about Black's queenside counter• play? Can White win?

D iagram 2 1

Diagram 2 1 shows the position in D. Rozili - Sutton, Correspondence 1 980-82, after Black's 45th move. Unlike the previous example, here Black's knight is at the throat of Wh ite's queenside pawns. Moreover, White's knight is also under attack, so that someth ing most likely wi l l have to give in White's position. The determining factor will then be the dynam­ ics of the position and here White has two clear advantages: his extra pawns on the ki ngside are already well mobi lized as connected passed pawns and his king can both assist these pawns and go after Black's queen­ side pawns. Mr. Rozier has added some valuable questions and comments and I have made use of them herewith. Specific Question :

Is it better to try to win on the kingside or the queen37

side? Well, you want to win wherever the opportun ities arise. I n such an unbalanced position, generally the best policy is to play on both sides of the board. By this I mean to try to get the most out of the possibil ities on each side. We'l l see very soon what this means in actual play . Mr. Rozier states that he felt that to win on the kingside would be too difficult and feared Black's queenside majority. Thus he decided to ex­ change his kingside pawns for Black's queenside pawns. However, for win­ ning purposes the problem that resulted was that he was left with just the single b-pawn . My evaluation of Diagram 21 is that it is won for White if he plays very accurately at the very beginning. But the really important poi nt is to realize that for maxi mum endgame success the key is to handle such positions i n the most logical way. Whether the starting point i s a 1 00% theoretical win can usual ly be determined only after very exhaustive further analysis. The game conti nued :

46 Nh4t This surely looks logical since it draws the king away from the pawns. I nstead 46 Ne6t71 Ke6 47 Nc6 N xa2 48 NbS aS is fine for B lack. Kg4 46 . . . .. Risky, of course, since the king can be caught behind enemy l i nes. Therefore a meaningful alternative is 46... Ke6 47 fSt KeS I (making it more difficult for White's king to approach) 48 f6 Ke6. This position is very complicated, but I th ink that White should win after 49 Ng61, for instance, 49 ... N xa2 50 Nf4t Kf7 51 Kd4 ! Nc1 52 KfS! Nxb3 53 g6t KfB 54 NeSt. Notice how, for ulti mate success, White's passed pawns need the help of both the king and knight.

47 Ng27 Mr. Rozier passes over this move without comment, but I believe that the critical moment for this endgame is right here. With Black's king on the "wrong" side, the thematic plan for White is to advance his pawns. Un­ fortunately, the immediate 47 g6? is not good because of 47 . . . Kxh4 48 g7 NdSt 49 Ke4 Ne7 50 KeS NgB and White wi l l have to be satisfied with the draw after 51 Kd5 c4 52 bxc4 bxc4 53 Kxc4 Kh5 etc. The on ly reason why Black was able to defend was the unfortunate location of Wh ite's king on e3 which gave Black time for Nd5 with check. The above considerations should lead in a rather straightforward way to the conclusion that 47 Kd3! must be the correct way to handle matters. Black's defenses then can fa ll in these categories : a) Capturing White's knight: 47. .. Kxh4? 48 Kxc3 Kh5 49 Kd3 is an elementary K & P endgame win. b) Capturing White's a-pawn: 47... Nxa2? 48 g6 N b4t 49 Ke4 Nc6 50 NfS! followed by 5 1 g7 queens the g-pawn. c) Retreating the knight: 47. .. Nd5 48 Ng2 and White wi l l win since Black's king can neither get back (48... Kf5 49 Ne3t) nor capture White's knight [48 ... Kg3 49 Ke4! Nc3t (49. . . Ne7 50 Ne3 is a prosaic win) 50 Ke5 Kxg2 51 g6] . d) Protecting the knight: 4l. . . b4 3 8.

.. a

g6 Nd5 49 Ke4 Ne7 (49. . . Nf6t

50 Ke5 NeB 51 Nf5) 50 Nf31 wins since 50... Nxg6 loses to 51 Ne5t.

47 .....

Nxa2

Now Black has a two pawn queenside majority and this very much changes the complexion of the so-cal led "normal endgames" i.e. those where the g-pawn doesn't queen.

48 g6 Now Black's knight gets back, but after 48 Ke4 Kh5 Black's king can stop the pawns just long enough for his queenside majority to create suffi­ cient counterplay.

48 49 50 51 52 53

g7 Ke4 f5 Ne3t Kd5

Nc3 Nd5t Ne71 Ng8 Kg5

As anticipated, this wi l l lead to a N + b-pawn vs. N endgame. There is nothing better si nce after 53 Ke5 a51 Black again has sufficient counter­ play.

53 . ... 54 b41 .

c4

The on ly way to play for the win.

54

55 Kc5

56 Kb6 57 Kxa6 58 Kxb5

Kf6 Kxg7 c3 Ne7 c2

Good enough, but with 58... Kf71 fol lowed by 59 . . . Nxf5! Black wou ld gain one to two tempos for getting h is K + N closer to the queenside and thus make the draw considerably more assured.

59 Nxc2

Nxf5

This endgame turns out to be barely drawn for Black. For the further cou rse of play turn back to Su bject # 1 0.

Section 3: Bishop vs. Knight Endgames Subject # 14: Equal material, full play with pawns on both sides, equal chances Questions : When is the bishop the superior minor piece? When the knight? What is the proper approach in playing unbalanced, dynamically equal endgames? Should Black exchange rooks in Diagram 22? (on next page) Answers: The basic principle of evaluating the bishop vis-a-vis the kn ight is simple: because the bishop is a long range piece, in positions which are fairly open and have pawns on both sides, the bishop is genera lly the superior mi nor piece to have. Moreover, again because of its long range power, the bishop even from far away is excel lent in coping with passed pawns. On the other hand, the knight is superior in blockaded positions where its flexibil ity for close range maneuvering comes to the fore. The knight -- being a natural 39

Diagram 22

blockader is excellent for blockading a passed pawn if it can assume an impregnable position in front of it. ••

In real life, the actual specifics of the position so often are the key ele­ ments in evaluating the comparable worth of the minor piece. We shall learn much from following the play from Diagram 22, H. Pil ls· bury Em. Lasker, St. Petersburg 1 895/96, after White's 22nd move. I judge the position as equal. Obviously there is material equality and there is nothing inherently wrong with either side's pieces or pawns. However, wh ile it objectively offers equal chances, the position is u nbalanced and thus in an actual game both sides have winning and losing chances. Black now has the option of either of two strategic approaches: he can keep rooks on the board or aim for a minor piece endgame. Lasker decides on the latter: ·

22 .....

Re8

Black hopes that with the rooks gone, his king can become active. Com· bined with the general superiority of the bishop in open pos:t;ons, he ex­ pects that this wi ll lead to good chances for him. The move is fine, though it is not realistic to expect more than equality. Black's a-pawn is a chronic weakness, there is noth ing wrong with Wh ite's pawn formation and at this moment the kingside is not really open. •·

An alternate sound plan is 22 ... R b8 and after 23 Re3 B lack can play 23 ... Rb4 or 23 ... f6 followed by 24... Kf7.

23 24 25 26 27 28

Rxe8t Ke2 Kd2 Kc3 f4 h3

KxeS Kd8 Kc7 Kb& h5 Kc5

Each side has certain strengths: Black the more active king, Wh ite the more actively placed minor piece. Black's bishop does have potential be· cause most of White's pawns are on l ight squares, but at the moment it is well contained. With his next move Wh ite aims to further contain the bishop .

.

•

29 f5

g&

whereas Black aims to free its diagonal. For drawing purposes main­ taining the status quo with 29... Bc8 is sufficient. Then after 30 g4 hxg4 40 •

.

.

31 hxg4 Black can simplify further with 31 ... g6.

30 f6 17 White also is playing t o win. H e realizes that t h e f-pawn may well go lost but plans to use the time that B lack spends to capture it, to capture Black's a-pawn and thereby establish an outside passed pawn. I nstead, 30 fxg6 leads to static equality. 30 . d5 White was threatening to win with 31 Nf3 and 32 Ng5; thus B lack must free a route back for his king. The disadvantage of the text is that it weak­ ens Black's queenside pawn formation. .

...

31 cxd5

Kxd5

Also playable is 31 ... cxd5.

32 Nf3 33 Nd2

Ke6

We are now close to the exciting and decisive stage of this endgame. Black will have an extra pawn on the kingside, whereas White wi l l have a passed a-pawn. 33 ..... Kxf6 James Schroeder in his edition of St Petersburgh 1895/96 criticizes this move and suggests instead the immediate 33... c5 fol lowed by 34... Bc6. Yet as G M Reuben F ine has demonstrated, the text is O.K. The decisive error occurs later. -

34 35 36 37 38

Nc4 Nxe5 Nc4t Nb6 Kd4

h41 Ke5 Kf4 Bf5

Diagram 23

J F ine considers this position in Basic Chess Endings (No. 260a) and gives this excellent practical principle: with two outside passed pawns (i.e., one for each side) one must get going as fast as one can, sit tight and hope for the best. 38 . Be47 The decisive error. Black gets going much too slowly. Note that win­ ning the g-pawn sti l l doesn't do anything immediate for Black's kingside pawn pushes. Fine gives this drawing line : 38... g51 39 a5 (39 Kc5 is also met by 39... Bxh3 1 ) 39... Bxh3 1 1 40 gxh3 (After 40 a671 Bxg2 B lack is well ahead of the game continuation) 40... g4 41 hxg4! ( F ine here continues 41 .

...

V

with the less accurate 41 a6) 41 ... h3 42 a6 h2 43 a7 h 1 =Q 44 aB-O Qg1 t fol l owed by 45... Cbi:b6 and complete equality.

39 a&

eSt

Requ ired in any case after 39... Bxg2 40 a6. 40 Kxc6 Bxg2

41 a& 42 Nd5t

#J

Black sti l l doesn't have a passed pawn, whereas White has two connected passed pawns. With some fine knight maneuvers Pi l lsbury puts the game on ice.

42 43 Ne3 1 1 44 b41 45 b51

Ke5

Bf3

Ke&

Passed pawns must be pushed ! Be2 45 . . .. 46 Nd51 Resigns. After 46 ... Bf3 47 b61 Bxd5 48 b7 White gets a new queen. .

Subject # 15: Equal material, pawns on both sides; bishop has good scope, yet the knight is superior Questions: Who has the superior minor piece in Diagram 247 Who is better?

Diagram 24

Answers: Diagram 24 shows the position from J. Blackburne · K. Schlechter, Vienna 1 898, after White's 25th move. The opening was a wild and wooly King's Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Bc4 d5 4 exd5 Qh4t etc. ), but fairly quickly White steered towards the endgame and our starting point is the be­ ginning of a classic knight vs. bishop endgame. Black's bishop is rather free since neither the White nor Black pawns decrease its scope and the position on an over-al l basis is fairly open. Such considerations usually mean that Black stands well. But here White has a clear advantage because of the fol· lowing specific factors: 1 . White's c4 - d5 pawn complex gives him a major space advantage. 2. Black's d-pawn is a chronic weakness, requiring constant attention from his king. 42

3. It is much easier for White to create a viable passed pawn from his

queenside majority than for Black to do so from his kingside majority.

4. White's knight is more useful than Black's bishop because it has more potential, since White's pawns can be safeguarded wel l and Black's king must remain passive. However, this does not mean that Black is without drawing resources. The overridiny reason for Black's loss is that he thio1ks that he can d raw by not doing anyth ing. Perhaps he underestimated Blackburne's endgame skill or was too complacent about his problems. Let's follow the game course:

25 .....

Bd37!

On the face of it the move is harmless enough, but the dubious mark is added because it is the start of a completely faulty approach. The first question that Black should consider is how to place his queenside pawns so that White's task in mobi l izing his majority there is made as d ifficult as possible. One ratior1al possibi lity is 25 ... a6 (preventing Nb5t) fol l owed by 26... b6. But even more appropriate seems 25 ... a5! followed by 26... b6. The idea behind this set-up is to force Wh ite to exchange his a-, b- and c-pawns for Black's queenside pawns so that White is left only with the d-pawn. Even though this then is a passed pawn, the fact that Black re­ mains with a sound ki ngside majority should al low Black a certain enough draw.

26 27 28 29 30 31

b3 Kd2 g3 a3 Ke3 Nf3

Kd771 Be471 Bb171 Be471 Bb1 Ke771

The king stood well enough on d7. Moreover, the i mportant factor here is that B lack fails to take any steps to mobilize his kingside majority. As will be later seen, White's two pawns on the kingside tie down Black's three pawns there, wh ile White creates a very powerful passed d-pawn. Correct is the obvious 31 . h61 fol lowed by 32 ... g5. If White plays 32 h4, then Black prepares with 32.. . f61 and again follows up with ... g5. This way each side has a thematic strength, whereas in the game on ly Wh ite is the achiever. ..

32 b41 The first meaningful step on the queenside. 32 ... . Bf5?1 33 c51 The second meaningfu l step. White sure knows what to dol 33 .. . Bd7 .

.

.

34 Kd41

Posting the king on a powerful central square.

34 ... 35 Nd21

Be871 Bd771

36 Nc41 37 bxc5

dxc5t f6

.

.

B lack may well be lost by now, but even so there is no excuse for not getting his kingside pawns i nto position for some activity with 35 ... h6 fol­ lowed by ... g5. 43

38 Nb21 White prepares to run his a-pawn to a5 so as to further immobi l ize Black Black's queenside. At the very least Black should "risk" ... g5 soon ·· such as now.

38 39 a41 40 a51

Bf571 Kd771 a&

Otherwise with a6 (perhaps the immediate 41 a6) White would create passed c· and d-pawns. But now White's a-pawn blockades both Black's queenside pawns. With total success on the queenside and the center White now turns his attention to the kingside.

41 42 43 44

Nc4 Nd& Ke41 g41

Kc7 Bd7 Ba471 Bc2t71

Black absolutely refuses to l i ft a fi nger in his own behalf. For better or worse 44 g6 had to be tried. •..

45 Kd4 46 h31

Bg& Kb871

Though sti l l losing, 46 h5 47 Nf51 hxg4 48 hxg4 wou ld at least ex· change off a set of pawns. ..•

47 Nf&l 48 gxf5

Bxf5

Diagram 25

48 ... Kc771 Though this K + P endgame is lost, B lack should at least try 48 ... g51, since to win White must know to open the position with 49 fxg6 e.p. l. ..

49 Ke4 50 Kf41 51 Kg41 52 h4 53 h51

Kd7 Ke7 Kd7 Kc8 h&

54 Kf4 55 Ke4

Kc7 Resigns.

Otherwise 54 h6 wins.

With Black's kingside majority paralyzed, White breaks through in the center, e.g. 56 Kd7 56 d& Kd8 57 Kd6 Kd7 68 c6t ! bxc6t 59 Kc5 KdB 60 Kxc6. ••.

44

Subject # 16: Equal material, pawns on both sides; early stage of a char­ acteristic "bad" bishop endgame Question: Should Black fear having the position of D iagram 267

�& � - � !'� ?'}@ %[� :' "· 'j_ f$ffi� ":� •• • t �Y:.fii� � • tR 1: t::i���. ..•a . • w:. t , ..,;� a a • i

,

Diagram 26

l a &t1 rs•• .�

I' :

' ; ;.� '

t·�

�� •'""' '1-1 � R E ft �%� � �. � %� . . . .. . �

Answer: I n D iagram 26, P. Ol iver · NN, France 1 98 1 , Black has an isolated d·pawn on the same color as his bishop. Protection of this pawn will require the help of the bishop and most l i kely the pawn will reduce the scope of the bishop. This means that the bishop wil l be at least "somewhat bad". Sti ll, should Black have to worry if he lands in the D iagram 26 position? In answering such a question it is very important to always keep i n mind the difference between a theoretical answer and a practical one. True, B lack's only permanent weakness is the d-pawn, yet he is caught in a char­ acteristic superior knight/inferior bishop endgame -· as will be discussed in detai l in the next subject. It is easy for a theoretician to say "it should be an easy draw". But go ahead and draw it in a practical game! I n actual play White's winning chances are always considerable, because the knight is a very n imble attacker and here can try to operate on both sides of the board. Just one inaccuracy on Black's part (which in the game forced Black to play the further weakening ... b5) and his position becomes critical. In a practical game I would never voluntarily accept the type of position that Black has here. I mean, I would only accept it if the alternatives were very clearly worse.

Subject # 17:

"

Bad' Bishop vs. "Good" Knight '

�

Questions: What is the correct technique in playing positions such as Dia­ gram 27 for the win? How should Black defend? It is already won for White? Answers: After some maneuvering on White's part, D iagram 26 led to D iagram 27, P. Ol iver - NN, France 1 98 1 , B lack on move. In it White has two clear ad­ vantages: the superior king, placed on the unassai lable d4 square and the superior minor piece. Because Black's bishop will be tied up in defending the isolated d-pawn, White's nimble knight wi l l be much the more danger· ous attacker. Other important aspects of the position wil l be brought out as part of the game course: 45

Diagram 27

1 .....

Kd67

This looks l i ke the losing move to me and, in any case, is absolutely wrong. A careful look at Diagram 27 shows that even though his position is inferior, Black actually has only one fundamental weakness the d-pawn. Therefore, if Black can prevent the creation of new weaknesses in his posi­ tion, h is chances for a draw are very bright. The correct plan, is, of course, 1 . .. Bc6!, which prevents 2 Na4 and therefore keeps Black's queenside safe. In connection with this quite correct suggestion, Mr. Olivier makes the fol­ lowing two general comments: ··

( 1 ) "An eventual NfJ wi II be met by Kf5" - Perhaps, but as a general principle, Black's king shou ld keep an eye on the queenside and therefore Black's safest response is the simple . . . h6.

(2) "White's plan to play a5, preceded by b4 should be met by ... a5 and ... a4" - I would not touch any of Black's queenside pawns as this only creates holes in Black's position. 2 Na41 b5 Unfortunately this horrible weakening move is forced since 1 .. . Kc6 al­ lows White's king to penetrate decisively by 3 Ke5. 3 Nc5 Bc8

4 b4

The resu lt of Black's faulty 1 . .. Kd6? is that both his king and bishop cannot move. As soon as Black's pawn moves wil l be exhausted, something will have to give. However, White has a problem also and that is that the knight can neither gain nor lose a tempo and therefore White also must be dependent on pawn moves to retain the zugzwang.

4 ..... 5 g3

h6 g47

Now B lack is definitely lost. Black's queenside pawns and center squares are already very vulnerable and to keep chances for a draw he must keep his kingside as safe as possible. After the text White's pieces get access to f4 and Black wil l not be able to prevent penetration of his kingside. Much more attractive for Black is to i mmediately execute the plan recommended by Mr. Olivier on move 1 6: 5... Bf51 6 Nxa6 Bd7 7 Nc5 Be8. I would thi n k that Black ultimately should lose, but since Black's kingside is sound, penetration by Whi te's pieces is very difficult and White would have to maneuver perfectly to be able to progress. 46

6 Nd3 7 Nc5 8 Ke371

Bcl7 Bc8

However, with this sequence White leaves his knight insufficiently pro­ tected, which Black can exploit with 8... a51 and after 9 Kf4, B lack can simply play 9 a4. Then later if White gets too frisky on the kingside, Black can infiltrate on the queenside starting with d4 1 . It is difficult to understand why Black does not take advantage of this opportun ity. •••

•..

The systematic way of making progress is 8 Nb31 Bf5 9 Ke3 Ke5 1 0 Nc5 Bc8 1 1 Nd3t Kd6 1 2 Kf4 and Black will not be able to safeguard his kingside.

8 ..... 9 Nd3t

Ke57! Ke6

Here 9 ... Kd6 1 0 Kf4 transposes i nto the above note. ·

10 Kd4 1 1 Nc5

Kd6

h5 Because of zugzwang Black has no choice, but here the pawn becomes vulnerable to an attack from White's knight.

12 Nd3! From now on White plays very exactly. Black's immediate problem is that he cannot play 12 ... Bf5, 12 ... Bd7, nor 12 ... Bb7 because of 13 Nf4. 12 Be6 ••••.

13 Ka3

Ke7?1

Such passivity is hopeless. Required is 13 ... Kc6 since then after 14 Nc5 Bc8 1 5 Kd3 Black again has 1 5 ... a5. Even so, Black's kingside is so com· promised that White must win after 1 6 Kd41 axb4 ( 1 6 ... a4 17 Ke5 ! ) 1 7 cxb4 Kd6 1 8 a4 bxa4 1 9 Nxa4. While Black wil l be busy stopping the b-pawn, White wi l l capture the d-pawn and thereafter the ki ngside. Bc8 14 Nc5

15 Kd3 ! 1 16 Kd4

Kd6

R esigns.

•.t.• • • • • • • Diagram 28

� te � � • %� Rt�tB .t B t� � �� � ;G; � � l � .·w � � � f� f� �� - �� • • . � �*� � � .

• • • •

He is in zugzwang again and must lose the a-pawn. Mr. Ol ivier raises the question whether Black could not hold the position after the further moves: 16 Bf5

1 7 Nxa& 18 Nc5

Bcl7 Ba8

47

The answer is of course, No. Not only is he a full pawn down, but sti l l has weaknesses o n b5, d5 and h5, n o counterplay a t all and very import­ antly, White's king can get into Black's kingside via f4. A fairly d irect method for White is 1 9 Ke3 Ke5 20 Nd3t Kd6 21 Kf41 Bd7 22 Nc5 Be8 23 Kf51 Bc6 (23 ... d4 24 Ne4t Kd5 25 Nf6t Kc4 26 cxd4) 24 Nb31 Bd7t 25 Kf6 Be8 26 Nd4 Bd7 27 Nf5t Kc6 28 Ke51

Subject # 18: Both sides have passed pawns Question s :

I n a position where both sides have passed pawns, wh ich is the better minor piece7 Who has the advantage in D iagram 297

Diagram 29

• � .• .m.-.:�� � . . . • • ft • • . � @1.�.10' B .a.. fP . ... . . . . '� • •• • r.;. . ft . w� � • iQ �

•

• • • •

Answers: It is not possible to generalize which piece is better in positions where both sides have passed pawns. The only safe principle is that the bishop is the more effective minor piece in stqpping far advanced passed pawns be­ cause he can do it from far away, whereas it takes the knight many moves to get back. In other situations the key is always the specific position. We see that in Diagram 29, C. Marvel - NN, USA correspondence 1 973, after White's 4 1 st move, White's bishop has no particular power. In fact, Black's knight has an excel lent location on f5 and is somewhat more useful than the bishop. Black's connected passed pawns are wel l advanced and can move in unison, whereas White's pawns are separated too far and thus can­ not be made to work together. The above factors mean that Black has the advantage. However, White can draw since he can liquidate both of Black's pawns at the cost of his bishop. The game was called a draw here with White offering it. A logical continuation could be:

41 .....

Ke6

To help stop the g-pawn.

42 Ke2 43 Kd2

c4 Ne7

Playing for the win. Obviously 43...c3t is fine for a safe draw.

44 a7 45 Bc31 1

Kn

It is very i mportant for the White king to get access to the pawns by making the bopawn move forward and this give up control of c3. Moreover, such a pawn formation allows the bishop to blockade them with ease. 48

Unsatisfactory are 45 h47 1 Nd5 and 45 Ke371 c31 (46 Bxc377 Nd5t), with White i n each case having to work much harder for the potential draw.

45

••.•.

b3

The draws after 45... bxc3t 46 Kxc3 and 45 ... Nd5 46 Bxb4l Nxb4 47 Kc3 are elementary since i n each case Black is left without pawns.

46 Bb2 47 h4

Nd5 Drawn

There is no way either side can strengthen its position. 4 7... Nb6 4 8 Kc31 Na4t 4 9 Kxc4 Nxb2 5 0 Kxb3.

For example :

Section 4: Endgames of Pawns vs. Piece Subject * 19: Pawn (s) vs. Bishop · the king having the pawns is active Questions:

How many pawns equal a minor piece7 Is this always true in an endgame7 Who has the advantage in Diagram 307 What are the key positions for the endgame of bishop vs. 3 connected passed pawns7

Diagram 30

Answers: For material balance purposes the correct equation is three pawns equal a bishop or a knight. However, to develop an appropriate feel for endgame play we have to understand the shadings also. The general principle is that as the amount of material on the board decreases, the power of the pawns increases. I n the u ltimate simple case bishop or. knight vs. three pawns i t i s obvious that only the pawns' side has winning chances. ··

··

To correctly evaluate dynamic positions, it is necessary to first complete the forcing play and only then sit back and do the evaluation. This applies fully to the situation in Diagram 30, J. Frankie M. Vul
49

the invasion with 1 .. . Kd5 or he can first force Wh ite's bishop to make a de· cision by playing 1 ... Ke6. Both of these wil l be covered in turn. I.

1

••.•.

Kd5

The game continuation and played instantly by B lack even though he had 1 % hours on the clock. I t does not present particular difficulties for White since the bishop on f6 routinely protects the key h·pawn, the capture of which wou ld make Black's h·pawn a very menacing outside passed pawn.

2 3 4 5

Kb6 Kc5 Kc4 Kxb3

Ke4 Kf3 Kxg3 Kxf4

Black has only gained a passed inside f-pawn, which the combination of White's K + B can stop easily enough.

6 7 8 9

Kc21 Kd1 Ke1 Bcl4

Kg3 f4 Kg21 Draw

Black no longer has winning chances but can force the draw with 9. . Kh3 10 Bf2 ( 1 0 Bf6 Kg2 1 ) 10 ... Kg4 fol lowed by 1 1 ...g5. .

II.

1 .....

Ke617

The bishop is forced to give up protection of the h·pawn since of course it has to stay on the a 1 -h8 diagonal. Both here and later on White has to make i mportant decisions. Only with the benefit of hindisght can we tell which are the right ones. (A) 2 Bb2 Or 2 Be5; or 2 Bg7; or 2 BhB. These are perfectly reasonable retreat squares for the bishop, yet all suf­ fer from the same problem : the h·pawn cannot be protected. Even though White can theoretically stil l draw, the result of these choices is less comfor· table play and a less sure outcome.

2 3 Kb6 4 Kc5

Kd5 Ke4 Kf3

White now has a crucial choice to make: to go after the b-pawn or to run to the kingside as fast as possible. It turns out that either one, handled perfectly, is correct. Note that choosing the b-pawn blockading 2 Bb2 gives White this option. After the other three moves White must go after the b-pawn. Even though thanks to hindsight we know that this is also correct, in a practical game it is never smart to voluntarily l i m it one's options. (1 )

5 Kd4

This approach looks perfectly reasonable to me. However, it turns out to be much more complicated than it looks.

5 6 Ke3 7 Kf3

Kxg3 Kxh4

White seems to have made excellent defensive progress: Black's b-pawn is stopped and his king contained. Yet the key elements are that Black 50

already has three pawns for the piece and can mobilize these with:

7

g51

...••

• • • • • • • • • • • • - . - 1 ��.1Jl - . �1

Diagram 31

W #b h

. •

. •

��

f.�

� illi'J

.• 1 . ·�· ·

� �� . • • • •

��

White's only two choices are either to take or not to take. One draws, the other loses. ·

(a)

8 fxg5?

Black now wins because one of his three i solated pawns is already on the sixth rank. Therefore, the bishop must watch th is pawn so that it cannot help his king stop the others.

8 9 10 11 12 13

Bc1t Bb2t Kf4 Kf3 Kf4

Kxg5 Kf&l Ke& h41 Kd5 Kc4

Black's king penetrates decisively, while his kingside pawns remain self· protective.

14 Kf3 15 Kg2 16 Kh3

Kd3 f4 f31

Black wins. (b)

8 Bf&l

Black is now forced to give up his most valuable b-pawn and then is left with only two pawns for the piece on the kingside. Even though White's prospects soon look bleak, he can stil l draw with perfect play.

8 9 Bxb2 10 Kg2

b2 g4t g3

(See the diagram at the top of next page) Black's active king and two passed pawns are very menacing against White's impotent looking bishop. White again is at an important crossroad: (i)

1 1 Kf3?

Not allowsing Black's king to get to g4, thereby mobi lizing the connected passed pawns. But what it allows is worse: penetration along the h·file.

11 12 Bd4 13 Bg1t

Kh3 Kh21 51

After 1 0... g3

Diagram 32

Otherwise Black plays 1 3... h4 fol lowed by 14 ... g2.

13 14 Kxg3 15 Kh4 16 Kxh5

Kxg1 Kf1 Kg2

White also loses by one tempo after 1 6 Kg5 Kg3 1 7 Kxf5 h4.

16 17 Kg6

Kf3 Ke4

Black wins. (ii)

1 1 Bc1 7

Protecting the f·pawn and coming closer to the kingside. Yet the bishop is too passively placed now to cope with Black's initiative.

11 12 Bd2 13 Be1

Kg4 h4

13 14 Kg1

h3t Kxf4

•••••

White cannot keep protecting his pawns by 13 Be3 (or 13 Bc 1 ) because of 13 ... h3t 14 Kg1 Kf3 1 5 Bd2 h2t 1 6 Kh 1 Kf21 and there is nothing to be done about the coming 1 7... g2t 18 Kxh2 g1 =Qt. •••••

We now have the very important endgame of bishop vs. three connected passed pawns. For this the following two rules of thumb formulated by Reuben Fine are useful to know: ( 1 ) A win is possible only if all three pawns can succeed in crossing the fourth rank. (2) When the pawns are on the sixth or seventh ranks the battle is hope· less. Here already two of Black's pawns are on the sixth and the third is sure to join them.

Black wins. 52

15 16 17 18 19

Bb4 Bel& Bc7 Bel& Kf1

Kg4 f4 f3 f2t Kf3

(iii) 1 1 Be51 The f-pawn must be protected, of course, and from the active location the bishop can also control the crucial g1-a7 diagonal.

11 12 13 14 15

Bd&l Be5 Kg1 Bd&l

Kg4 h4 h3t Kf3 h2t

If 1 5 ... g2, 1 6 Kh21 sets up an unimpregnable blockade.

16 Kh1 1 7 Bc5tl 18 Bd6

Kf2 Kf3 Draw.

Neither side an progress. (2)

5 Kc4

I mmediately going for the b-pawn. Black now does capture all of White's kingside, but h is pawns are not sufficiently advanced for the win.

5 ..... 6 Bf61

Kxg3

Only so. After 6 Kxb37 Kxh4 White's king is too far from the kingside and Black's h-pawn becomes unstoppable.

6 b2 7 Bxb2 Kxh4 8 Kd31 Kg3 9 Ke21 h4 After the immediate 9... Kg2 White has 1 0 Bf6. 10 Kf1 1 Otherwise 1 0... Kg2 wins.

10 11 Kg21 •••••

Kxf4 Kg4

Diagram 33

With White's king i n front of the pawns and two of Black's pawns not yet beyond the fourth rank, the position is drawn. However, White must know how to handle it. The general principle is: the pawns must be block· aded. To ensure that this can be achieved, the bishop must be activated to attack the pawns from behind. The problem with the bishop attacking the pawns from the front is that as the pawns advance, the bishop's scope decreases. 53

12 Bf61 The above discussion clearly suggests that this is the correct plan. Losi ng is the passive plan 1 2 Bc1 71 g5 1 3 Bd27 f4 14 Be1 . Now we have # 1 43 in Fine's Basic Chess Endings and Black wins as follows: 1 4... Kf51 1 5 Ba5 (or 1 5 Kh3 Ke41 1 6 Kg4 Ke3 1 7 Kxg5 h3) 1 5 ... g4' 1 6 Bd8 h3t (note that now all of Black's pawns are on the fifth rank or beyond. ) 1 7 Kh2 Ke4 1 8 Bb6 Kf3 19 Bc7 Ke3 20 Bb8 f3 21 Kg1 Ke2 22 Bg3 f2t 23 Bxf2 h2t 24 Kxh2 Kxf2 25 Kh 1 Kg31 etc.

1 2 .....

g5

After 1 2 ... h3t White stops the pawns after 1 3 Kh2 f4 1 4 Be7 1 g5 (or 14...f3 1 5 Bc5) 1 5 Bxg51 Kxg5 16 Kxh3 and reaches a drawn K & P end· game.

13 Bd81 14 Be71

f4

14 .....

f3t

Now we have Fine's # 1 42. Notice how the active bishop prevents the �pawn from advancing beyond its fourth rank. After 1 4... Kh5 1 5 Bd61 stops the �pawn's advance; after 1 4... Kf5 1 5 Bd8 1 keeps the status quo.

15 Kf2 The correct technique is for the king to stop the fartherst advanced pawn.

15

Kf4

1 6 Bxg5t l 17 Kxf3

Kxg5 Draw.

Or 1 5... h3, 1 6 Bd6.

2 Bc31 (B) The simplest and best defense. By making sure that he can retain the h·pawn, White avoids all of the problem decisions discussed earlier. 2

3 Kb&

4 Kc5 5 Kc4 6 Be1 tl

Kd5 Ke4 Kf3 Kxg3

The less accurate 6 Bf671 b 2 1 would transpose t o the previous variation. 6 . ... . Kxf4

7 Kxb3

Ke3

Black here is, in effect, a tempo ahead of the game continuation (i.e. 1 ... Kd5), but since White has chosen the most effective defense, he sti l l draws easily.

8 Kc2 9 Bd2t l 10 Kd1

f4 Kf3 Draw.

Black can draw easily with 1 0 ... Kg4 and 1 1 ... g5, but has no way of making progress. I have spent a considerable amount of time on this endgame because it contains all the important thematic strategies in the fight of bishop vs. pawns. Always remember: the bishop must be activated and kept active ! 54

Subject # 20: Pawn (s)

VL

bishop

-

both kings are active

Questions: How important is it that the bishop side has a viable pawn? Can White win from D iagram 347

Diagram 34

Answers: If the side with the bishop also has a pawn which can be turned i nto a passed pawn, its winning prospects increase sign ificantly. This is so because the opponent can only stop the passed pawn with his king and this should give your king + bishop time to vanquish the enemy pawns. In Diagram 34, W. Radspinner D. Vespo, I ndianapolis, 1 977, after White's 56th move, White has two advantages. Because Black only has two pawns for the piece, White has a material advantage. Moreover, White's active king is able to capture Black's g-pawn and this will turn Wh ite's g-pawn into a passed one. Therefore White should have good winning chances, but a definitive answer cannot be given until we calculate the re­ sults of the mutual queening races to come. Best play now is: •

56

•••••

Kb31

Black also needs passed pawns on the queenside, because the existing ones can be stopped. If 56... Kd3, White wins routinely after 57 Kf5 Kd2 58 Kxg4 e 1 =Q 59 Bxe 1 t Kxe 1 60 Kxf3. Black actually played 56 ... Kd3 in the game and was successful because White ("at the age of 79, ti red after 5 hours of play") responded with 57 Be1 77 and was forced to resign after 57 Ke3. ••.

57 58 59 60

Kf5 Kxg4 Kxf3 Kxe2

Kxb2 Kxa3 b5

Each king has been devouring the other's pawns and what we now get is an old fashioned pawn race where White turns out to be one tampo ahead.

60 61 62 63 64

g4 Bd4 Bxb2t g5 66 g& 66 g7 67 g8=Q 68 Qg7t l

b4 b3

b2 Kxb2 a5 a4 83 a2 Kb1

55

We have now a theoretically very important position in the endgame of Q vs. R P. If White's king would be far away (i.e. h2), this endgame is drawn. But if the king is close, winning chances become quite real. I n our case, the following rule appl ies, as cited by Averbakh and Maizelis on page 290 of their book Pawn Endings: "Wh ite wins if he can get his king to b3 in two moves or to d3, d2 or d 1 in one move." The latter situation applies here and White wins as follows:

69 Qg1 t 70 Od4tl 71 Qb4t

Kb2 Kb1 Kc1

After 7 1 .. . Ka 1 White also plays 72 Qc3t. If 7 1 . . . Kc2 White wins with 72 Oa3 Kb1 73 Qb3t Kc1 1 7 74 Kd31 a 1 =Q 75 Oc2 mate. The winning technique consists of achieving mate through the cooperation of queen and king.

72 Qc3t 73 Kd21 74 Qc2 mate.

Kb1 a1=Q

Subject # 21 : Two pawns for the piece, several minor pieces on board Questions: Who is better i n Diagram 357 Why7

Diagram 35

• • • g .... ... . ••• t . • • -�& rt �l &�a•� �� t '* �� � • • • �� �;; �� w.�-/;r���� -. �� � �-Jf< R i ......,·)'

•

'

��

v

•

n...J

•

�A

•

tf;�

Answers: The type of position shown i n Diagram 35, Garner- Newsom, USA 1 976, is both common and important. Therefore you always want to evaluate it correctly. Wh ite has two good pawns for the piece, but this is never enough. Therefore Black has the advantage. However, White does have drawing chances because of his sound pawn formation and the fact that Black's bishop cannot attack White's pawns. It turns out that Black's job is much easier if he is on move. Black on move wins easily: 1 . . ..

.

2 hxg3 3 Ke1

hxg31 Na7 1

Black is planning to go after the vulnerable a-pawn with ... Bc6, Ba4 and Nb5. Therefore, White's king has to try to reach b2. 3 . .. Bc6 4 Kd1 Nb51 Forcing White to m isplace the kn ight on b 1 . 56 ..

Black wins.

5 6 7 8

Nb1 Kc1 Kb2 Nd2

Ke71 Be8 Bh5 1 1 Be21

Notice how Wh ite's K + N + kingside pawns have been paralyzed and Black wins by penetrating with his king on the kingside. If White plays 9 a4, that just makes the pawn more vulnerable. Even though Black's bishop cou ld not attack White's pawns directly in the play above, the fact that it is an extra piece allowed it to control a lot of other key squares. White on move has good drawing chances:

1 axb41

The side trying to draw welcomes routine pawn exchanges such as th is one. Moreover, we learned earlier that Wh ite cannot al low the isolation of his a-pawn.

1 2 g41

.....

axb4

Passed pawns must be pushed! Obviously White's hopes come from the and f-pawns. White cannot yet be sure of drawing, but this clearly is the way to go. g-

2 3 bxc3 •.••.

bxc3 Na71

Black must play aggressively if he hopes to succeed. The defensive 2... Ne77 4 Nf3 Bc8 5 Kg31 Ng6 (Otherwise 6 Kh4 and 7 Kg5) 6 Nh4! ! Nxh4 7 Kxh4 allows Wh ite to draw since the Black bishop is tru ly i mpo­ tent and White can shuttle back and forth with his king between g3 and h4. Black's king never has time to go to the queenside, since then White's king wou ld penetrate into Black's kingside and actually wi n.

4 f5 5 Nb1

Nb51 Ka7

Now that White's knight is paralyzed, Black wants to use his bishop to help the king penetrate on the kingside.

6 7 8 9

Ka3 Kf4 Kg5 f6t

Bc8 Kf7 Kg7

Unfortunately White is in zugzwang. Thus after 9 Kh4 Black wins with 9 ... Kh6! 10 g5t Kg7 etc.

9 But not 9 ... Kf7?? Black wins.

•.••.

Kh7

1 0 Kh6 and White's pawns wi l l win.

10 Kh5 1 1 g5

Bd7 BeSt

Black wi l l follow with 1 2 . . Bg6 and win. Thus we saw that with energet· ic play Black can just -- by one tempo - mobil ize his bishop effectively and thereby win. Th is example shows how general ly insufficient two pawns are for a minor piece if the extra piece can be effectively brought into play. .

57

Section 6: Multi-Minor Piece Endgames Subject # 22: 2 B vs. 2 8, equal material Questions: What are the respective plans for White and Black in Diagram 367 Should Black accept a draw offer?

Diagram 36

Answers: Diagram 36 is Leatherman S. McDonald, USA Correspondence 1 977-78 where Black accepted a draw offer. I believe that the agreement to a draw is reasonable. However, whatever advantage there exists does rest with Black. There is material equality and White has a pawn majority on the queenside, whereas Black's is on the kingside. At the moment it is easier for Black to mobi lize his majority than for White to do something with his. A particular strategic deficiency in White's pawn formation is that his h·pawn is on h3; this gives Black the opportunity to undermine its support with a potential ...f4 and ...f3. •

Black's immediate play in the position is clear: he'll mobilize his kingside pawns by playing ... g5 and ...f4 (the latter prepared if requi red by ... Be5). White's i mmediate best plan is not so clear and he can choose from a num­ ber of reasonable possibilities: ( 1 ) immediate queenside play by Kc2, fol· lowed by b3 (or b4); (2) kingside defensive set-up with Ke2, having in mind f3; (3) kingside defensive set-up with Bf1 , having in mind queenside/central follow-up with Kc2 and c4. In all cases correct play should lead to a draw. On an immediate basis it is, however, easier for Black to make the correct strategic decisions.

Subject # 23: 2 B vs. 2 B, pawn advantage Questions: What are the main characteristics of the 2 B vs. 2 B endgame? Shouldn't White be able to win D iagram 37 fairly easily? Answers: The endgame of 2 B vs. 2 B is the most symmetrical kind of endgame. There can't be any talk of having the superior m inor piece or the superior bishop. Each side has the opportunity to control a segment of the board completely and to get to any square. Each side can work to keep the status quo withs bishop moves or to try to bring about zugzwang by "losing a move". I n open board positions the two bishops can develop tremendous offensive power; paradoxically the two bishops also are exce llent on defense 58

as they can protect all access squares as wel l as be able to achieve counter­ play.

Diagram 37

I n Diagram 37, U; Andersson R. Byrne, B iel I nterzonal 1 976, after White's 45th move, White is ahead a passed e-pawn. Yet Black is able to achieve a draw because of a deep understanding of the defensive power of the two bishops: 45 ..... Kg81 The first correct step is to bring the king closer to the e-pawn. Now 46 e5 is harmless becau.se of 46... Bd5 47 Bf5 Kf7. •

46 b3

The pawn looks uncomfortable here, but there is no choice since Black threatened 46... b3 fol lowed by ... Bd4 and/or Bc6. 46 Bd81 Accordi ng to GM Byrne the on ly drawing method. The bishop must be used to prevent White's e-pawn from getting to e7. 47 Kh2 Ba&l The th i rd key move in a row. Now that Black's king + KB are placed well enough defensively to cope with the e-pawn, the QB starts looking for counterplay. The objective is the b-pawn via 48... Bd3 and 49... Bc2. •..••

48 g4 49 Bf5

Bd3

Kf71 1 Black uti lizes the first chance t o ge t his king closer t o the e-pawn. Faulty is 49 Bc2? because of 50 BeSt and 51 Bd5. White then has pro­ tected everything and h is bishops are very active. Be21 50 e5 51 Bc2 The point of B lack's 45th, 46th and 49th moves is best shown off after 51 e6t7 1 Kf6, when the e-pawn has been stopped and Black is sure to cap­ ture either the b- or e-pawn. Bf31 51 ..... On to d5 from where it wil l attack the b-pawn and guard the e6 square. Bd5 52 Kg3 53 h4 g5 1 54 h5 Bb& Black has set up an optimum defensive position and is going to keep the status quo. Bd81 55 Kh3 59 .•.

56 Bg&t

Kg7!

57 Bc2 68 Kh2 59 Kgl Draw.

Kf7 Bb6 Kg71

Also playable is 56 ... Ke6 since there is noth ing for White in 57 Bf5t Kf7 58 e6t Bxe6 59 Bxe6t Kxe6. But Black is not about to budge from his "fortress".

Black's bishops have a grip on the position and neither White's king nor e-pawn can get anywhere, e.g. 60 Be7 Kf7 61 Bf6 Kf81 etc. Attempts at complications just boomerang for White. GM Byrne gives the following as one example: 60 Bf571 Bxb3 61 e6 Kf6 62 e7 Bxa4 63 Bg6 Ke61 and it is Black who has a slight advantage after 64 Bxb4 axb4 65 e8=0 Bxe8 66 Bxe8 b3.

Subject # 24: 2 B vs. B + N, equal material Questions: Why are two bishops superior to bishop + knight or two knights? Who is better in D iagram 387 How should White handle this position?

Diagram 38

Answers: In the first place, two bishops are not always superior to B + N or 2 N. The two bishops may be passively placed or be handicapped by a poor pawn formation or the other side may have very active pieces or a spatial advantage. Under such conditions it is even possi ble that the side with the bishops stands worse. Nevertheless, in the majority of endgames, having the two bishops is a tangible advantage. There are two main reasons for this. Endgame positions tend to be fairly open ones and in such positions the bishop is the superior m inor piece. A pair of bishops can develop tre­ mendous power and really rake the board. Moreover, two bishops on ad­ joi ning diagonals have absolute control over the sector that they face. Therefore, they can both do tremendous damage as well as set up an im­ pregnable defense. When you have a characteristic two bishops endgame,

never exchange off one of your bishops unless this is sure to increase your advantage.

Diagram 38 shows the position from B. Ti l l - K. Mann, Pan-American I ntercol legiate Championship 1 983, after Black's 30th move. The character-

SO

istic feature of it is that White has the two bishops versus bishop + knight. Ever since the queens were exchanged on move 1 4, the position has been an endgame. The key changes since then: ( 1 ) All rooks were exchanged, which I think was a "neutral" development, and (2) White very stupidly played his h-pawn to h4. This had no positive features at a l l and two very negative ones: the g- pawn has been seriously weakened and Black has the potential of getting a passed h-pawn after a ...g5, hxg5, .. .fxg5, followed by ... h4. I want to stress that pawns should never be moved in the endgame,

unless something positive is accomplished thereby.

I n general terms, White has two characteristic advantages in Diagram 38: the two bishops in a fairly open position and the queenside pawn majority. This should mean that White has the advantage, though the weakness of the g-pawn lessens its absolute value. Overall, White has a slight edge and should run absolutely no risk of losing. Yet he very quickly gets a lost po­ sition and loses with.out putting up any kind of a fight. How so? Well, I have said before that "you wil l lose a won endgame if you do not under­ stand what the principles of that particular endgame· are about". As we will see, White loses this superior, "riskless" position, because he does not have a clue what is important in the coming play :

31 Be4 32 Bd3

Nd6

This retreat is strategically justified if White is playing for a win. After 32 Bd5t Be61 33 Bb4 Bxd5 (33... Ke77 34 Bxb7 1 ) White must be satisfied with the equal opposite color endgame resulting after 34 Bxd6 since 34 cxd57 Nf5 just leads to a new weak pawn on d5. Bf51 32 . 33 Bxf57? This may not lose, but the two question marks are fully justified be­ cause it is as wrong as cou ld be. White does not realize that he is in a characteristic, slightly superior "two bishop" endgame and therefore quite wrongly voluntari ly enters an inferior m inor piece endgame. ..

..

Of course the correct move is 33 Be2, followed by attempting to mo­ bilize the queenside pawns. There is no need to worry about 33 ... Bb1 71 be­ cause White has 34 a4, whereupon 34 ... Bc271 just loses more time and al­ lows 35 c51 Nf5 36 Bc4t Ke7 37 Bd5 with a huge advantage for White. Note how quickly the combination of the two bishops and queenside ma­ jority exerts its strength. 33 Nxf5 Notice how the dynamics of the position have changed: White's remain­ ing bishop is i mpotent for attacking purposes whereas B lack's knight already menaces White's chronically weak g-pawn. Black already has the advantage, but with correct defense Wh ite should hold. .....

34 Ba5 There is nothing that Wh ite can do to Black and thus his hope must be that he can prevent Black's plans. Keeping the bishop on the c 1 -h6 diagon· al does prevent B lack's ... g5, but al lows Black's king to infiltrate via c5 and then br or d4. Unfortunately White's king cannot hel p out since it is stuck to protect the g-pawn. Therefore 34 Bel , with the idea of freeing the king for central support, also is worth considering. 61

34 36 Bb6

Ke& F

36 hxg& 37 Bd871

fxg5

37 38 Bc7 39 fxg47

g4 Nd41

•••••

After 35

..•

Kd6 White can probably hold with 36 a41 Kc6 37 a5.

Now White is lost. Clearly he does not understand the pawn color situa­ tion. It is imperative to keep Black's kinside pawns on the dark squares so that the bishop can attack them and thus create sufficient counterplay. Therefore mandatory is 37 g41 hxg4 (forced since 37 ... Ng7 allows 38 Bd8! ) 38 fxg4 and the vulnerability of Black's e· and g-pawns should give White sufficient chances for the draw. However, White's king on f3 will have a m uch better defensive location than in the game.

Since this is patently hopeless, 39 f4 must be tried. Then after 39 ... exf4 40 Bxf4 White's g-pawn is easil y protectable, whi le 39... e4 40 Bb61 Nf5 makes it much harder for Black to infiltrate than in the game, since e4 is no more available for his pieces.

39

•••••

hxg4

From now on the play is easy to understand. White is stuck to protect· ing the g-pawn and Black's pieces therefore have a free hand in the center and the queenside. Black's play is thematic in exploiting the features of the superior m inor piece.

..O b4 41 Bb6 42 Bc7

Kf5 Ke4

42 43 b5 44 cxb6 45 b6

Nc2 axb5 Na31 Nc4

The K & P endgame after 42 Bxd4 Kxd4 43 c5 Kd3 44 K e 1 Kc3 45 a3 Kb3 is also quite lost.

White's queenside pawns now are both paralyzed and vulnerable.

46 47 48 49 50 51

Ka2 Bd8 Bf6 Bd8 Bg5 Bf6 a3 Bd8 Kf2 Kg2

52 53 54 55 56 e4 57 Kf2 58 Ka1

Kd4 Kc3 Kd4 Na& Nc6 Nb4 Nd5 Nc3t Ne4t Nd2 Nc4 Kd31 Ke3

Black coul d of course immediately ram the e-pawn down White's throat with 58... e4, 59... e3, 60 ... e2 followed by a knight jump to e3/e5/d2 de· pending on White's defense. 62

59 60 61 62 63

Bc7 Bb8 Bc7 Kf1 Ke1 Resigns

e4 Kf3 e3 e2t Nb2

Do note that once White played 39 hxg47 he never had a chance. For the practical player it is of utmost i mportance to avoid those positions which are 100% hopeless.

Subject # 25: 2 B + N Questions:

VL

2 B + N, equal material

In the endgames with many minor p ieces, what elements are most important? What is the thematic play in Diagram 397 How lar�e is White's advantage?

Diagram 39

Answers: With many minor pieces on the board, the relative "goodness" or "bad­ ness" of one of these becomes less i mportant. The key element i n such endgames becomes pawn structure. The important point in Diagram 39 a 1 976 Lemke position - is that White has a passed pawn deep i n Black's territory and this pawn is secure. Therefore White has the advantage. Black's pieces are well placed in general, hold back the c-pawn wel l enough and Black's pawn formation is satisfactory. With careful and good play B lack should be able to draw. A logical sequence now i s :

1 Ke3 Centralizi ng the king and preparing 2 Nd4.

1 ....

h51

2 Nd4 3 Nf31

h4

Getting the kingside pawns going to obtain some counterplay and at least bring about the routine exchange of some pawns. R emember that the side wanting to draw always welcomes routine pawn exchanges. I nstead, inferior is 1 ...Ne67 1 because it allows White's KB to enter the fray via 2 Bb31 Nd8 3 Bd51. Here 3 gxh4 a llows 3 ... g41 followed by 4 ... Bxh2. And 3 c771 hxg31 4 Nc6t J<e8 leads to less than .nothing since neither 5 Nxe57 nor 5 Bxc57

63

are playable because of 5... gxh2 .

. 3 ..... 4 hxg3

hxg3 8xg31

Black is very happy to exchange pawns whenever he can do th is for "nothing'·. Risky is 4 ... fS?I 5 Nxe5 fxe5, since with pawns on both sides, White's bishop pair can become very dangerous.

5 Nxg5 6 Nf3 7 Nd4

Be1 8c3 8xd4t

8 Kxd4 9 Kc31

Ne6t

Undesirable, yet unavoidable since White was threatening 8 Nf5t. How· ever, the reduced amount of material remaining should allow Black to draw.

After 9 Kc4 Black can draw with the tactical 9 .. Nd81 1 0 Ba4 BeSt 1 1 Kb4 NxcStl 1 2 BxcS Bxa2 and Black will exchange off White's last pawn, e.g. 1 3 Bd5 Bb1 followed by 14 ... f5 or 1 3 Kc3 BeS followed by 14 ... f5, or 1 3 Bf2 KeSI .

9 10 Kb4 1 1 8e3

Ng51 Nf31 Ne5

White has a continuing slight advantage, but Black's position is sufficient· ly stable to hold.

Section 6:

8

+ Wrong RP Endgames

Subject * 26: The basic position in 8 + wrong RP endgames Question : What positions in the 8 + wrong RP endgame are drawn?

D iagram 40

Answer: The basic position is shown i n Diagram 40. When we speak of the wrong B and RP combination we mean that the bishop cannot cover the queening square of his RP .. here the h·pawn. For this situation the follow· ing statement is 1 00% correct: Endgames of the lone king against a rook

pawn and the wrong color bishop are always drawn if the king can reach the queening square. Here Black can get to h8 and the position is drawn.

For instance, 1 Kh4 Kg7 2 Kg5 Kh7 3 Bf5t l
64

It does not even matter whether White has one or two or more h-pawns. But note that for Black the critical part is that he must be able to reach hB. If i n Diagram 40 we put Wh ite's bishop on f7 and White's king on fB, then Wh ite to move wins with 1 KgB! Kg5 2 Kg7. However, if it is Black's move he draws with 1 ... Kh7 1 followed by 2 ... Kh8. Because Diagram 40 is such a guaranteed draw, you always want to aim for it if you have an inferior endgame. Also remember that Black does not want to have any pawns on the board which cou ld bring about a zugzwang position. An h-pawn is never a problem, but a g-pawn or a combination of g- and h-pawns could be dangerous in certain positions.

Subject # 27: Looking for the opportunity to discover the drawing B + wrong RP endgame Questions:

Does White have drawing chances in Diagram 4 1 ? I f so, what i s the strategic theme involved?

Diagram 4 1

Answers: Diagram 41 shows the position from Roche B. Altschuler, World Open, New York 1 976, aft2r White's 40th move. We can quickly see that Black's passed e-pawn wi l l cost White his bishop. Yet it turns out that White can draw, because of two factors: ( 1 ) Black only has one pawn left, and (2) Wh ite can bring about a drawn B + wrong R P endgame. Of course, at the moment B lack has a g-pawn and not an h-pawn, but as we wi l l see White has the opportunity for a bit of magic. •

Let us follow the game continuation:

40 ..... 41 Bxe3

e3 Bxe3!

The only way to create problems for Wh ite is to take the g5 square away from his king. After 41 ... Kxe3?! White can draw by the simple method of captu ring B lack's pawn : 42 Kg4 Be7 43 h4 Ke4 44 h5 g5 45 h6 Ke5 46 h7 Bf6 47 hB=Q BxhB 48 Kxg5.

42 h41 The correct move which should lead to the draw. White prevents Black's potential ... g5 and prepares his drawing maneuver. This wi l l consist of forcing Black's g-pawn to become an h-pawn. 65

42 ..... 43 Kh31

Ke4

The clearest way to achieve White's goal. I nstead, in the game White played the truly horrible 43 h57?, enabling B lack's g-pawn to remain on the board as a winning g-pawn : 43 ... g5 44 Kg4 Ke5! 45 h6 Kf6 46 Kh5 Kf5 ( Black also wins after 46... Kf7 or a tempo move with the bishop on the c l · f4 diagonal. After the text Black's g-pawn i s safe for a l l time and Black's extra piece will force White's king into zugzwang position leading to the loss of both pawns. ) 47 h7 Bd4 48 Kh6 Bc3 49 Kh5 Bg7 1 50 g3 Bc3 51 Kh6 Bd4 52 Kh5 Bg7 1 53 g4t Kf4 54 Kg6 Bc3 55 Kh5 Bd4 1 White resigns.

43 44 g4t 45 g5t l

Kf5 Kf6 Kf5

The K & P endgame after 45 ... Bxg5 46 hxg5t Kxg5 47 Kg3! is drawn because White has the opposition.

46 h51 1 This i s the "magic" part of White's defense. Black's g·pawn is forced to become a non·winning h·pawn. 46 . . . gxh5 .

.

47 Kg2

Draw

White has reached the D iagram 40 type position and is safe.

Principles/Rules of Thumb For Practical Endgame Play Minor Piece Endgames ( 1 ) The bishop is the superior piece in open position, especially where there are pawns on both sides of the board. (2) The bishop is effective in coping with far advanced passed pawns be· cause he can stop the pawn even from far away.

(3) The bishop can "lose a move"; what this means is that a bishop can maneuver on its important diagonal back and forth and can choose the mo­ ment that it returns to the key square. This is a very important strategy in zugzwang type positions. (4) IN B + P vs. B positions, if the defensive king can get to any square in front of the pawn from which it cannot be chased away, the position is a sure draw. If the king cannot achieve this, the risk of a loss is great. (5) In N + P vs. N endgames, if the defensive king can get in front of the pawn, then all normal positions are drawn. (6) In N + P vs. N endgames, if the NP reaches the 7th rank in safety and the defensive king is not in front of it, the position is an assured win. (7) The RP is the most difficult pawn for the knight to stop; the second most difficult pawn for the knight to stop is the N P. (8) The knight by itself can never gain or lose a move and thus can not achieve zugzwang position. Every new knight move leads to an i nherently new position. 66

(9) The knight is the supreme blockader. tions, it is the superior minor piece.

I n cluttered or blockaded posi·

( 1 0) I n minor piece endings where each side has an outside passed pawn, you want to get your pawn going as quickly as possible. ( 1 1 ) If the bishop's scope is hindered by a central pawn on the same color as the bishop and the bishop's help is needed to protect it, then the bishop is "a bad bishop". If more pawns on the same color as the bishop decrease its scope further while requi ri ng its defensive help, then the bishop becomes "very bad". Such "very bad bishops" endgames are lost most of the time. ( 1 2) Where the bishop has to cope with connected passed pawns, the bishop wants to get the pawns on squares opposite its color so that it can blockade them. On the other hand, the pawns want to advance in un ison and keep on the same color as the bishop. ( 1 3) A bishop or a knight is worth three pawns. ( 1 4) As the amount of material on the board decreases, the power of the pawns increases. ( 1 5) I n endgames of bishop vs. pawns, the bishop must be activated and kept active. ( 1 6) If the only material on the board is bishop vs. three isolated pawns, the pawns wi l l win if one pawn has reached the sixth rank in security. ( 1 7) If the only material on the board is bishop vs. three connected pawns, a win is possible only if al l pawns can safely cross the fourth rank, i .e. be on the fifth rank or further. ( 1 8) In the endgame of bishop vs. pawns, if the bishop side has a pawn which has prospects of becoming passed, this factor significantly i ncreases that side's chances. ( 1 9) In normal positions, two pawns -· even if they are "good" ·· are never sufficient compensation for a minor piece. (20) General ly, i n endgames the two bishops are superior to two kn ights or B + N. There are two reasons for th is: ( 1 ) endgame positions tend to be open ones, and (2) the two bishops on adjoin ing diagonals have total control over the sector that they face. Never voluntarily exchange off one of your bishops unless you increase your advantage thereby. (21 ) Endgames of the lone king against a rook pawn and the wrong color bishop (the bishop does not cover the pawn's queening square) are always drawn if the king can reach the queening square. (22) In the above endgame, the defending side does not want to have kn ight pawn (s) or a combination of NP + RP since these canditions could lead to zugzwang positions where the stronger side's RP is turned into a winning N P. (23) Where the opponent has a bishop + NP, but the bishop is the wrong color for the adjoining R P, and you have a RP or a NP + RP combination, look for the opportunity to turn your opponent's NP into a RP using the method of Diagram 4 1 . 67

Chapter 3 Rook and Pawn Endgames Section 1 : Material Advantage Subject # 28: R + 2 P vs. R + P, pawns on same side Questions: How easy is it for Black to draw Diagram 42? What is thematic play for both sides?

Diagram 42

An;wers: The general rule of thumb is that "normal" positions with a one pawn advantage where all pawns are on one side are drawn. This should be particularly true for endgames where the pawn reduction is down to R + 2 P vs. R + P. However, as such normal endgames go, White has a favorable case in Diagram 42, L. Shamkovich M. Grinsburg, Maryland 1 976, after White's 72nd move. White's pawns are well mobi lized, his king active and the rook flexibly and actively placed. However, B lack's K + R + pawn also stand well and the position is a theoretical draw. •

Black's objective must be to prevent any further progress by White's king or pawns. Therefore, wrong is the "active" 72... Rb1 7 because of 73 Ra7t and Black has no satisfactory king move: (a) 73 ... KfB 74 f5l R b6 75 RaBt Kg7 76 f6t Kh7 77 RfBI R b7 7B ReB Rb6 7B Re7 KgB BO Kh6l RbB B1 Ra7 ReB B2 Ra51 RbB (B2 ... R eB is also met by B3 e6! ) B3 e61 fxe6 84 Kg6 and White wins. (b) 73... Ke6 74 f5t ! Kxe5 75 Re7 t l l
68

.

having reached Phi l i dor's position, has a routine draw. But White has a non­ routine, active king move.

fxe5 Rb6t Rb1

73 Kg61 74 f5 75 Kg7

Black's only hope is to activate his rook and pray that the passed e-pawn wi l l give chances for a draw. The immediate 75. . .e4? loses the pawn after 76 Ra4! in a position where Black's king wi l l be kept away from the f-pawn's queening square. White therefore wi l l reach the winning Lucena position.

76 f6t 77 Re8t7

Ke6

Here White reciprocates Black's error. He places the rook so that it watches the e-pawn, but the resultant disadvantage is that the rook gets in the way of the ki ng. Subsequently GM Shamkovich demonstrated the fol­ lowing winning method : 77 Ra6t ! ( keeping the rook active) 77 . . . Kf5 (equi­ valent is 77 ... Kd5) 78 f7 Rb7 79 Rf6t Kg5 (or 79 ... Ke4 80 Kg6 Rxf7 81 Rxf7 and White's king wi l l get back in time to stop the pawn . ) 80 R e6 Kf5 81 ReS e4 82 Kg8 R xf7 83 Kxf7 Kf4 84 Ke6 ! and White wins as later in the game.

77 78 f7

Kf5 Rb777

.••••

This passive retreat condems the rook and therefore Black to quick and certain death. The rook has to be kept active with 78 ... Rg1 t ! 79 Kf8 Rh 1 1 (Shamkovich ) . If then 80 Ke7, 80... Rh71 and while White untangles his rook and king so that the f·pawn can advance, Black's king + pawn move forward sufficiently to achieve the draw.

79 Kg8 80 Kxf7 81 Re7 1 1

Rxf7

e4

For White t o wi n, h i s k i n g must get back quickly to assist in stopping the pawn. This fine tempo move forces Black's king to give way so that White's can rush back. It is l i ke an echo of the famous 1 928 study by Reti (White: Ke7, Rd4; B lack : Ke5 d5). White to move and wi n : 1 Rd2! d4 2 Rd1 1 1 Kd5 3 Kd71 Kc4 4 Ke6 and White wins.

81 82 Ke61 83 Kd5 84 Kd4

Kf4 e3 Kf3 Resigns.

White catches and wins the e-pawn after 84.. e2 85 Kd3. .

Subject # 29: One pawn advantage, pawns on both sides Questions:

Is Diagram 43 won for White? What is thematic play for both sides? In general, how should White play such positions?

Answers: To discuss the important su bject of correct play ("technique" ) in A & P endgames I will use as the starting point the position shown in Diagram 43 on the next page. This is E. Lomer Sahlender, West German Team Cham69 ·

Diagram 43

pionship 1 984, after Black's 53rd move. The result of the game was most important because Wh ite needed to win for h is team to tie the match. Un­ fortunately, it is never enough just to want to win. To actually achieve this you must know how to try to get the most out of the particular position. A quick look at D iagram 43 should be enough to determine that Wh ite's prospects for a win must be bright. His pluses are clear: he is up a good pawn, his rook both securely protects the kingside pawns while keeping Black's g-pawn under attack and his king has a good chance of getting at Black's b-pawn. Yet there also are factors which make the win difficult: the lack of mobility of White's kingside pawns, B lack's rook's active loca­ tion and very importantly, the considerable reduction in the number of pawns remaining. The latter factor means that Black only has to worry about protecting three pawns and White only has four pawns to try to win with. Moreover, there is the real risk that White wil l be left with a A + P vs. A endgame whic is theoretical ly drawn. Is our starting position a theoretical win for White? More than thirty hours of analysis has led me to think "yes" yet there is one possible sub­ variation where matters are not absolutely clear. Someone who is writing a definitive theoretical treatise on A & P endgames wou ld need to be 1 00% sure whether White has a forced win. Yet the situation is different for the practical player. If you are White, you want to do everything that is logi­ cal to do in order to win. If you are B lack, you want to put up the best defense possible and whatever wil l be, will be. ··

··

The starti ng position will be approached from White's viewpoint. But, of course, throughout I wi l l give Black's best defenses and explain the reasons thereof. To win White wi l l have to come up with a definitive, correct plan. Nevertheless, the first and overriding requirement is never to do anything which is obviously wrong. My discussion will fi rst cover the wrong approaches; the correct method will be presented last and by then it wi l l be much easier to appreciate its logic. The specific parts wi l l be the actual game continuation, Mr. Lamer's suggested winning plan and my suggested winning plan. Part I : The Game Continuation 70

=

The Wrong Way

54 g477 A move that must be labeled "criminal": Wh ite not only quite unneces­ sarily exchanges off a pawn (something which as a general principle the side up material does not want to do), but, moreover, as a direct result, turns his completely secure kingside into shambles. It is a move whose logic is impossi ble to understand. Please, never ever play anything l i ke itl After the text move, White does not have the slightest winning chances. 54 . hxg4 55 Rxg4 Rc7 Good enough, but even stronger, as pointed out by Mr. Lamer is 55 . . . b5 ! with the threat of 56... Rc4. After 55... b51 White does not have the slightest advantage and must aim for the draw with 56 Rg5 and 57 h5 or 56 f5 (56 ... gxf5 57 Rf4; 56 ... Kxf5 57 Rg5t followed by 58 Kd6) . ....

j

·

56 b5 57 Kd& 58 Rg5 59 Rg4 60 Rg5t Drew

Rc1 Rc3 Rh3 Kf5 Kf&

Diagram 44

The mutual queening race after 61 Kc7 R xh4 62 Kxb7 Rxf4 63 Rg1 R b4 64 b& g5 65 Kc7 g4 b7 Kg5 leads to an endgame of king vs. king. Part I I : Mr. Lamer's Analysis

=

The Wong Way

54 f57 According to Mr. Lamer's analysis this move leads to a win for White, but as we will see this is not so. I call it the "brute force" method. White sacrifices a pawn on the kingside so that his rook can penetrate i nto Black's queenside. As a general principle, it is the kind of move/variation which should only be used if more normal methods are insufficient. The practical dangers associated with such a plan are considerable: not on ly do two of White's pawns disappear, but Black's f-pawn is turned into a passed pawn and thus into potential counterplay. Therefore, be very carefu l about exe­ cuting such a plan. Do it only if, ( 1 ) you have analyzed it to be a 1 00% certain win, or ( 2) a l l the normal approaches are obviously without pros­ pects. Analyzing this continuation wi l l , however, give us the opportunity to learn much about the very important su bject of mutual queening races. 54 . . gxf5 ..

.

71

55 Rxh5 56 Rh&t

Rxg3

After the direct 56 Rh7?1 Black can mobi l i ze the iately by 56 f41 . Black then has an easy draw, e.g. R b31 58 Rxb7 f3 etc. 56 .. .. Kg7 This unpleasant retreat is forced since 56... Rg67? Ke51 allows a K & P endgame where White ·· having pawn •· wins easily. •..

passed f-pawn immed­ 57 Rxb7 f3 1 or 57 Ke4

.

57 Rxg6t Kxg6 58 the outside passed

57 Rb&

Diagram 45

57

Rh3!

The plan of winning White's h-pawn while retaining the f-pawn is both logical and good, though Black must be careful about the method chosen. I nferior is 57 ... Rg47 1 (suggested by Mr. Lomer) because then White has 58 h51. Black also can play the immediate 57 ... f4. Mr. Lomer states that this loses because of "58 Rxb7t fol lowed by 59 Ke4". Yet if we continue the analysis (after 58 R xb7t Kf6 59 Ke4) we find that Black is O . K. : 59 .. .f31 60 Ke3 Rh3! 61 Rh7 f2t ! ! 62 Kxf2 R b31 63 R b7 Rh3! 64 b5 R xh4 65 b6 Ke6. The key in such a variation is that White's king is cut off from his only remaining pawn by Black's rook wh ile Black's king can get close enough to the b-pawn to help stop it.

58 Rxb7t

If instead White plays to eliminate Black's f-pawn by 58 Ke5 Rxh4 59 Kxf5, then Black's king gets back in time after 59... Kf71 60 R xb7t Ke8 followed by 61 ... Kd8. Such variations show up one of the negatives in Diagram 43: the risk that he will wind up with an unwinnable R + P vs. R endgame.

58 ..... 59 b5

Kg& Rxh4

Black's f-pawn and king combination are placed well enough so that in this mutual queening race Black has a comfortable theoretical draw. Yet, as we shall see, it is quite possible to misplay this endgame.

60 Kc5

If 60 b6 Black has 60... R b4. The idea of the text therefore is to prevent B lack from immediately placing his rook behind White's pawn. 72

60 .....

Rh1

Since B lack's rook can prevent White's pawn from queen ing either from the back (b1 ) or side (hB), there is no need yet to determine the rook's lo­ cation. Therefore the thematic move is to immediately get the pawn going with 60. . f41. .

61 Rd7

Rb1

The accurate move here is 6 1 ... Rc 1 t !, followed by 62... f4.

62 Rd4

Rc1 t?

Not only inconsistent but finally a critical loss of time. In order is 62... Kg51 . Then after 63 b6 f4 64 R b4 Rxb4 65 Kxb4 f3 both sides queen.

I Diagram 46

63 Kd5? According to Mr. Lamer Wh ite now wins. But what on earth can be the point of the text move? Isn't the idea behind 62 Rd4 rook interference with 63 Rc4? White in fact wi ns after 63 Rc4 1 : 63. . R e 1 (or 63... R b 1 64 b6 Kg5 65 R b4) 64 b6 Kg5 65 b7 ReB 66 Kb6 R bB 67 ReB! Rxb7t 68 Kxb7 f4 69 Kc6! f3 70 Kd51 Kf4 7 1 Kd4 1 f2 72 RfBt Kg3 73 Ke3. .

63 . . . .

Kg5

64 b6

f41

.

Mr. Lomer completes his analysis here with 63...f4(??) 64 b6 f3 65 b7 f2 66 bB=Q f 1 =0 67 OgBt and White wins. But this is irrelevant since White has 64 R xf4 and, moreover, there is no reason for Black to al low White's !>-pawn to queen. Remember that passed pawns must be pushed!

65 Rb4 Or 65 b7 R b 1 66 Kc6 f3 67 RdB Kf4! 6B bB=Q R xbB 69 RxbB f2 70 Kd5 Ke3 with a draw. 66

.....

66 Kc6 67 Kd7

Rd1 t l Rc1 t l

After 6 7 Kb5 f3 6B b7?? f 2 69 bB=Q f1 =0t i t i s Black who queens with check and thereby starts the winning attack.

67 ..... 68 Ke7 69 Kd7

Rd 1 t Re1 t

After 69 Kf7 f3 70 b7?? f2 71 bB=O f 1 =Qt 72 KgB Og2 1 1 B lack wins.

69 70 Kc7 71 Kb8

Rd1 t Rc1t f3

Draw.

73

And so with a perfect defense Black is able to draw from the position that Mr. Lamer abandons as a simple win for White. I have gone i nto con· siderable detail to demonstrate how easy it is to misplay (and misanalyze) a position which theoretically is quite drawn. Each side, throughout, must try to mobilize its passed pawn as rapidly as possible. Moreover, the effort to stop the enemy pawn must be as efficient as possible. I n such positions it is quite common that one tempo makes the difference between drawing and losing. Part I l l : The Correct Method In most positions you have the choice of i mmediately embarking on what I call a "grand plan" or on what I call a "simple plan". The grand plan is the definitive and specific method or variation at the end of which you have achieved your objective. Sounds quite straightforward, yet in a real l ife situation it is not easy to come up with the correct plan. Both the game continuation and Mr. Lamer's suggested variation are examples of grand plans wh ich were incorrect. Yet very often there is a continuation which is easy to see and execute. Therefore, I call it a "simple plan". You always want to first look whether such an approach is not possible in your position. It should be fairly ob­ vious that in Diagram 43 Black's rook is on its ideal square. By being on the c·file it prevents White's king from crossing over to the queenside to get at Black's b-pawn, and, specifically, from c3 the rook is attacking White's g-pawn. If White can - for nothing •· chase Black's rook away from c3, is this not the only logical starting move? Therefore White plays:

54 Kd41 At the very least Black now has to make a series of most unpleasant de· cisions. Should he keep the rook active by keeping it trained on g3? Should he prevent White's king from crossing the c·file? And if so, should he position the rook offensively or defensively? The correct answer wi l l not appear without a tremendous amount of specific analysis. Most l i kely Black is lost no matter what he plays. Yet some variations turn out to be quite hopeless, whereas others present at least some hope. But even if i n theory there would be a defense, i n over-the-board play it would b e very difficult to find this. Therefore the type of move exemplified by 54 Kd41 is always the right way to start, because it offers Black the chance to go wrong in many ways. And note that White, if he wants, can always return to the starting position by just playing the king back to d5. Let us now look at Black's logical responses. A)

54

•.•••

Rb3

(See Diagram 47 at the top of the next page) Advantage of plan: rook keeps up the attack on the g-pawn Disadvantage of plan: White's king is allowed to cross the c-file to get at Black's b-pawn

55 Kc5

b&tl

The only move worth considering. Otherwise White wins easi ly with 56 b5 and 57 Kb6.

56 Kb6 74

Rb1

Diagram 47

After 54... Rb3

The only rational alternative is 56 ... Kf7, but then White wins easily by exchanging pawns on the ki ngside as follows: 57 f51 gxf5 58 R xf5t Kg6 59 Rg5t Kh6 60 g41 hxg4 61 Rxg4 Kh5 62 Rf4. White's rook protects both h is h· and b-pawns and White's king captures Black's pawn for an easy win.

57 f51

••

We shall see in a moment why thi s breakthrough - ineffective in Part I I is decisive here.

57 58 Rxh5 •••••

gxf5

Now we can compare the results of the same breakthrough as was played in Part I I. We see that here: ( 1 ) White is not sacrificing anything, (2) White has a sound passed h·pawn, and (3) White's king wi ll capture B lack's b-pawn the moment Black's rook leaves the b-file. Therefore the position with White up a sound pawn rnust be an assured win. ••

••

White's specific plan is also clear: he wi l l exchange his g-pawn for Black's f-pawn, thereby positioning h is rook for defense of both pawns. Then White's king will capture Black's b-pawn for free.

58 69 Rg51 ••••.

Rb3

Since White has the clear wi nning plan described above, it is foolish to complicate matters by playing 59 Rh6t 7 1 . After the text move, 59... Ke6 is easily met by 60 g4 f4 61 Rf5 f3 62 h5.

59 60 g41 61 Rxg4 62 Rc4

Rb1 fxg4 Kf5

Wh ite wins. With both of White's pawns safe, 63 Kxb6 will give White a two pawn advantage in a position which is both theoretically and in practice an easy win. Hindsight tells us that the defense with 54 . R b3 offers Black no real hope for a successful defense. ..

B)

54

.•...

Rc1

(See D iagram 48 on the next page)

75

Diagram 48

Advantages of plan: ( 1 ) Black prevents White's king from reaching the queens ide. (2) Black's rook is kept generally active. Disadvantage of plan : The immediate attack on White's g·pawn is relieved.

55 Rb6 Since White's king can not get to the queenside, the rook must do so. This direct way is the correct way, since again 55 f571 increases Black's drawing prospects : 55... gxf5 56 Rxh5 b51 57 Rh6t Kg7 58 R b6 Rc4t 59 Ke5 f41 60 gxf4 Rxb4. The basic endgame of R + h- and f-pawns vs. R is a theoretical draw with the defending king placed in front of the pawns as here. Moreover, there is some chance that Black's b-pawn can be of use.

56 .....

Rg1 1

This is the basic point behind keeping the rook active with 54 ... Rc1 . The play after the defensive 55 ... Rc7 wi l l be discussed in Part I l l C, where Black continues with 54 . Rc7. -

·

.

.

56 Ke4! With pawns on both sides of the board, White must pay total attention to both sides. The point of the text move is to prevent the activation of Black's king by denying him access to the important f5 square. Black again has a choice of defenses: to return his rook to defend the b-pawn or to trade his b-pawn for White's g-pawn. I shall consider each of these possibil ities. (1 )

56 .....

Diagram 49

76

Re1t71

After 56... Re1

After chasing White's king back to the kingside, Black wi l l defend his b-pawn. Though there appears much logic behind such a plan it wi l l fai l because White's king + rook wi l l be left much more active than their Black counterparts.

57 Kf3 58 g41

Re7

With this pawn break Wh ite activates his king for kingside play. Black has nothing better than to capture.

58 69 Kxg4 •••••

hxg4t

Already the consequences of B lack's 56th move are clear: Wh ite's rook and king are active and the extra pawn on the kingside will be turned i nto a passer.

59 60 Rb6t 61 h51

Rd7 Kg7

Most l i kely 6 1 f5 is also good enough, but since a passed RP is general ly the most difficu lt pawn to promote in a R + P endgame, it is so much safer to create a passed f-pawn instead.

61 62 63 64 66 66

Kxh5 Kg4 Kg5 f5 Rb51

gxh5t Rd5t Rd7 Rd5t Rd7

White does need a definitive plan of how to progress decisively from his marvelous position. The text move aims to get the rook to the 7th rank. Since Black has no counterplay, White is assured of achieving his plan.

66

Rc51 68 b5

Kf7 Kf8 Rg7t

69 Kf6 70 Ke6 71 Kd6

Rf7t Re7t Re1

01

If Black does nothing, White wi l l play 69 b6 followed by 70 Rc7. If Black's king heads for the queenside, then of course White's f-pawn queens.

7 1 ... Rf7 leads to a lost K & P endgame after 72 ReSt Kg7 73 Rc7.

72 ReSt 73 Rc7t 74 Rxb7

Kf7 Kf6 Rd1 t

Even more hopeless is 74 ... Kxf5 75 Rf7t Kg6 76 Rf2 with Black's king horribly cut off.

75 Kc5 76 Rd71 77 Kc6

Rf1 Rxf5t

White wins. B lack's king is sti l l cut off from the pawn and White wi l l achieve the thematic Lucena position and therefore win. The continuation cou ld be : 77 ... Ke6 78 Rd4 Rf1 79 b6 Rcl t 80 Kb7 Ke7 81 KbB R b 1 82 b7 Rcl 77

( I f 82 ... R c 1 , 83 Ra4 followed by 84 Ka7) 83 Ka7 Ra 1 t 84 Kb6 R b 1 t 85 Kc6 Rc1 t 86 Kb51 Rb1 t 87 R b4. From the above we see that Black cannot survive a position with a pas· sive rook if White's rook and king are active. The fact that the ultimate win takes a lot of moves is i rrelevant, because there is the absolute certain· ty of White's win. 56

(2)

.•...

Rxg3

Diagram 50

Though Black is, of course, happy enough to sni p off White's g-pawn, this by itself is of no great shakes since Black's kingside pawns remain im· mobile. The great value of the text move is that Black's rook is kept active. Always remember that the key principle in playing R & P endgames is: activate your rook and keep it active ! This applies equal ly well whether you are striving to win or laboring to draw. Kf7 67 Rb6t The attempt to come over to the queenside with 57 ... Ke7 58 Rxb7 t Kd6 leaves the kingside too vulnerable after 5 9 Rb6t � 7 60 R b5t with the threat 61 Rg5. Ke6 58 Rxb7t Black's king should prefer e6 over f6 because from here the king safe· guards d5 and thus prevents the White king incursion via that square. 59 Rb6t Kf7

60 b6

Rb31

The only chance for defending is to activate the rook. Notice that by advancing his pawn with the rook in the clumsy in·front·of·the·pawn loca­ tion, White has given Black's rook more scope behind White's pawn -- spe­ cifically the important b4 square. Black has no chances at all if he goes for White's h-pawn because that would deactivate the rook too long: 60 ... Rh371 61 Rc61 Rxh4 (60 ... Rb3 is now too late because White has 62 b61 . ) 62 Ke51 R h 1 63 Rc7t l<e8 64 b6 Kd8 65 Rg71 Rb1 66 Rxg6 and by having two good passed pawns White's win is simple enough. Note that 66 ... R b5t 67 Kd4 R b4t al lows 68 Kc61 Rxf4 69 Rg8t 14:J7 70 b7.

After 60 . R b3 White must make a fundamental choice: advance the b-pawn without help from the king or to rush the king over to the queen­ side and abandon the kingside. There is no way to make the correct deci­ sion based on " intuition". I nstead, a tremendous amount of actual research 78 .

.

is required to come up with the truth. I shall take a detailed look at both alter natives, starting with the "safer" one. (a)

61 Rb8

Diagram 5 1

Since White's rook i s in front o f h i s pawn, the only way to clear the way is to first advance the rook.

61 62 b61 .....

Ke6

As is readi ly apparent, Black's king and rook stand very well and there­ fore to make progress White must mobil i ze his passed pawn.

62 .... 63 Ke3 .

Rb4t Kd7

The king must help stop the pawn since a rook check with 63... R b3t71 just liberates White's king. Moreover, Black cannot play the more active looking 63 .. Kd671 because of 64 Rg81, e.g. 64 ... Rb3t 65 Kd4 Rg4t 66 Kc3 R xf4 67 b7. .

64 b71 Obviously the pawn wil l not promote but wi l l sacrifice itself so that White can get at Black's kingside. Since any Black rook move along the b-file allows Wh ite's king to penetrate into Black's position, his king must come over. Yet that wi l l have the obvious disadvantage of taking it far away from the kingside.

64 . . 65 Rg8 .

..

Kc7 Kxb7

Forced since the "more desirable" 65... R xb77 al lows a lost K & P end­ game after 66 Rg7tl.

66 Rxg6 The queenside has been liquidated so that the decision wi l l be made on the kingside. Black's drawing chances come from the fact that if his king can quickly get back to the kingside, that even if White wins the h-pawn for noth ing, the position is a theoretical draw. A theoretical draw, yes, but in real life to defend perfectly the rook vs. rook + h- and f-pawn endgame is a most arduous and unpleasant task and even grandmasters lose it half the time.

66 .....

Kc71

The king must head toward the f-pawn. I nstead 66. . . R b3t7 leads to an inferior version of the main l ine continuation, because Black's king remains 79

too far away.

Dl Re6 White on his part tries to prevent Black's king from crossing into the kingisde. I nstead, 67 Rg5 Kd7 68 R xh5 gives White a two pawn advantage and Black a theoretically drawn position. Yet to hold the d raw B lack must be prepared to defend perfectly wel l over 50 moves. Notice that every time White moves a pawn, the 50 move rule count starts anew so that White can press and press and press until he hi mself gets tired or Black cracks under the pressure. Dl .....

Rblt

Black must make a most difficult decision : does he want to defend the endgame just discussed after 67 ... Kd7 68 ReS when White at his leisure can choose to play R xh5 (if he has nothing better), or does he want to go after White's h-pawn7 The danger with this latter decision is that the result­ ing position may in fact be theoretically lost. I n a real game, with the clock ticking, which is the correct decision? There is no easy answer and the basis for a decision most l i kely will be personal. If you have great con­ fidence in your ability to hold a theoretically drawn position, choose the 67 ... Kd7 method. If your i ntuition tends to be excellent, go for the h-pawn because if you are right, then the draw will be less laborious. Rh3 68 Ke4 69 f5 R xh4t

70 Ke5

Kd71

The king must be brought over to help out. It is not enough to just activate the h-pawn, e.g. 70 ... R h 1 7 71 Kf6 h4 72 Ke71 h3 73 f6 h2 74 Re2 and White wins. This is not surprising because White has two major advantages: h is king can help his passed pawn and Black's rook has the in· active-in-front-of-his-pawn position.

71 Kf6

Unfortunately the winning try 7 1 f6 fails to 72 ... Re4t and 7 1 Rh6 al lows Black's king to come over with 7 1 ... Ke7 1 .

71 .....

Rf41

By i mmediately attacking the f-pawn Black makes it so much harder for White to advance it. Moreover, by defending his own pawn from the side B lack is able to keep his rook active.

72 Re7t

Diagram 52

80

72

Kd61

Black must keep his king active. Losing is 72... Kd87 because of 73 R eS I R f1 (or 73 ... Kd7 74 Kg5 Rf1 75 Kxh5 Kd6 76 ReSt and 77 Kg6; or 73 ... h4 74 Kg5 Ra4 7 5 f6) 74 Kg51 R h 1 75 f6 Kd7 76 f7 Rf1 77 Kg6 h4 78 ReS.

73 Rh7

Neither have I found a forced wi� after 73 Re3 Kd71 74 Kg6 (74 Kg5 Rf1 ! I 74... h4 75 f6 Rg4t 76 Kf7 R g3 ! .

7 3 ..... 74 Kg5

h4

I nstead 74 Rh5 allows Black to activate his king with 74 ... Kd5! and later bring it over to help his passed pawn.

Rf1 1

74 ..... 75 Rxh4

After 75 f6 Black draws with 75 ... h31 76 R xh3 Ke6.

75 .....

Ke7!

76 Rh7t 77 Kf6

Kf81 Kg81

78 Ra7 79 RaBt 80 Rf8 Drawn.

Rf21 Kh7 Ra21

Everythi ng else loses. The theme throughout is that the king must get back to help stop the pawn. Obviously the mate threat must be attended to, but also Black must do it so that the king can stay on the short side of the pawn when chased away from the queening square. Black loses after 77 ... Ke8? 78 R h8t Kd7 79 Rf81 followed by 80 Kg7, 81 f6, 82 Kf7 and having reached the Lucena position, White wins.

Black's rook has plenty of checking room along the long side (because his king is not in the way) and the position is a well known theoretical draw. And so we see that if Black plays perfectly throughout he can draw after 61 R b8. Of cou rse, Wh ite's practical wi nning chances are great, but there is no theoretical win. Do note that the method used by Black is very in· structive and thematic for rook endgames: activate and keep the rook active. Moreover, in positions when on ly a single pawn is on the board, the king must be able to help stop the passed pawn. (b)

61 Ke51

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After 61 Ke5

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81

The king gets activated i mmediately and White threatens the decisive 62 Rb7t. Again Black's only hope is active rook play. Ra3t 61 . ...

.

62 Kd61

Necessarily impl ied in Wh ite's plan is to leave the kingside pawns to their own fate. For this White's pawns turn out to be wel l placed since they sufficiently contain Black's pawns so that Black is forced to capture both of White's pawns to get viable passed pawn (s) himself. And this takes valuable time in a position where time is the critical element. 62 .... Re4 The alternative is to first try to get White's king (and perhaps White's rook) onto an i nferior square and then to try to capture the kingside pawns in a more favorable way either by the rook or the king. However, I have not been able to come up with a plan that works for Black. One i l lustra­ tive example is: 62... Rd3t 63 Kc7 Rb3 64 R b8 Rb4 65 b6 1 Rc4t (65... R xf4 loses to 66 b7 Rc4t 67 Kd6 Rb4 68 R h 8 1 ) 66 Kd61 R b4 6 7 Kc5 Rb1 6 8 R d 8 with an easy w i n for White who has retained h is kingside and wil l soon promote his b-pawn. .

Nevertheless I do not claim that I have exhausted all the possi bil ities of such an alternate approach. Perhaps Black does somehow have a hidden magical draw.

63 Rc61

White improves the position of his rook so that it does not block his pawn. Moreover, the rook helps to contain B lack's king.

63 64 b6 65 b7 66 Kc7

Rxf4 Rxh4 R b4

Rxb7t

Worse is 66... h471 67 Rb61 Rc4t 68 Kd6 Rd4t 69 Ke5 AdS 70 b8=Q Rxb8 71 Rxb8 since White's king is already safely back.

67 Kxb7

This position is won for White since B lack's king is cut off from assisting his pawns and White's king has sufficient time to get back. The conclusion could be . . . ·

67 68 Rd61 89 Kc61 .....

h4 h3

The key to winning is to keep Black's king contained as long as possible while al lowing White's king to get back as qu ickly as possible.

White wins.

69 70 71 72 73

Kd51 Ka41 Kf3 Kf2

g5 g4

g3

g2

Black's pawns have been stopped and wil l now be picked off by White's rook. 82

(c)

Diagram 54

Advantage of plan : B lack protects the b-pawn and prevents Wh ite's king · from entering the queenside Disadvantage of plan : The rook becomes passive

55 Rb51 Since Black is not able to menace White's g-pawn, White can i mmediately activate his rook.

55 .....

Ke6

Black lacks a good move. Thus after 55 ... Rd7t 56 Kc4 or 55 ... Re7 56 Rc51 White's king can get into B lack's queenside and the winning method is similar to that discussed after 54. . Rb3. .

56 f5tl l White's rook stands well on b5, but White's king can not qu ite penetrate anywhere. This temporary pawn sacrifice al lows White to achieve this. Yet note the preconditions for the pawn sacrifice: White's rook is actively placed; Black's rook is passive.

56 .....

gxf5

Obviously 56... Kf6 57 fxg6 Kxg6 58 Ke5 cannot be any better for Black than the text move.

57 Rb6t 58 Ke51

Kf7

This is the ultimate point of 56 f5t l l. Though material is temporarily even, all three of Black's pawns are vulnerable to White's active K + R duo. If Black now plays passively he risks losing h is kingside for nothing. There­ fore he tries activity.

58 ..... 59 Kf4

Rc3

The pawns wi l l not run away. White can choose the most comfortable moment to capture them.

59 60 Kxf5 61 Rxb7t 62 Rh71

Rc4t R g4

Ke8

The theoretical ly surest win is where Wh ite is up two good pawns.

62 63 Rxh5

Rxg3 Rb3

83

64 Ke&l

The mate threat allows White not only to activate his king but also to smoothly protect his b-pawn.

Kd8 Kc8 Kb8

64 66 Kd&l 66 Kc&l 67 b5 White wins.

With just the b-pawn this position is a theoretical draw, but the addition­ al h-pawn makes it an easy and certain win. The reader may now feel l i ke asking: "Why did you spend so much time on such a simple position?" I did it for two reasons. F i rst, because the variations that could arise cover all the most important theoretical and stra· tegic benchmarks in R & P endgames. Secondly, because the position was nowhere as simple as it appears to the chessical ly naked eye. As my final comment, I want you to note that B lack did best in those variations where he maxi mized the activity of his rook.

Subject * 30: R + h· and f-pawns vs. R Questions:

Is the position shown in Diagram 55 a certain draw? How should Black defend?

��� • Diagram 55

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Answers : The endgame of R + h· and f-pawns (or a- and c-pawns) vs. rook is very important theoretical ly and also of considerable practical importance. Just in our last example one of the important variations simpl ified down to th is endgame. When the defensive side has a proper defensive formation, the endgame is unquestionably a theoretical draw. However, it is much easier to say it is a draw than it is to draw it. The defense has to be accurate a l l the way through, with one misstep often sufficient t o lead t o the loss. Th is endgame is always played out by the stronger side and even in i nternational play is won more than half the time. The defending side shou ld never light­ ly accept such an endgame, because it has ahead of it a most arduous and lengthy task with no guarantee of u lti mate success. I mean, choose to de­ fend such an endgame only if the alternatives are very clearly worse. Diagram 55 shows the position from B. Gross - P. Whitehead, Berkeley 1 974, White on move. This is as favorable a position as possi ble for the 84

defender. White has yet to begin to achieve his goals, whereas B lack's king is on the ideal defensive square (g7) and Black's rook can readily reach its ideal defensive spot - a 1 . The following are the guideli nes for proper defen­ sive play by Black's king (as given by David Hooper in "A Pocket Guide To Chess Endgames" ) : (a) The king should stay at g 7 unti l forcibly driven away. (b) The king answers a check from a pawn by blockading it. (c) The king can usually answer a rook check on the g-file by moving to either side. (d) The king answers a rook check on the rank by moving forward. The overriding assignment for Black's rook is to prevent White's king from penetrating Black's position. Therefore Black's rook wi l l need to as­ sume an appropritate active location with the single most useful square being a 1 . Now we are ready for the game course: 1 Re3 Kg& Ra1 2 Kg3 ·

3 4 5 6

h3 f3 Re4

Ra4 Ra1 Rg1t Kf5?

Kh4 It has already become clear that Black doesn't know the theory behind this endgame. Otherwise, i nstead of going on king and rook sorties, he wou ld keep his king on g7 and shuttle with his rook between a1 and b1 .

7 Ra4?1 Nor is White's approach fruitful. The general wi nning method consists of advancing both pawns and then sacrificing the h-pawn at the appropriate moment to achieve a winning R + f-pawn position. The start of the correct technique is 7 Rg41, followed If possi ble by Kg3, h4, h5, Rh4.

7 8 Kg3 9 Kf2 10 Rg41

Rf1 Rg1t Rb1 Rb2t?

The correct plan is to head back with the king: 1 0... Kf61. 11 Kg3 Rb1

12 Rf4t?

Thereby undoing the fru its of his 1 0th move. Correct is 1 2 h4 1 R h 1 1 3 Kg21 fol lowed by 1 4 h5. Kg& 12 . 1 3 Kh4 Rb5 ...

.

14 Rg4t

Kh&

Playable but simpler is 14 ... Kf7 or 14 ... Kf6.

16 16 17 18 19

f4

Kg3

Rg8 Rg5 Kh4

Rf5 Ra5 Ra1 1 Rg 1 t Rf1

Considerably simpler is to shuttle the rook between al and b 1 .

85

20 Kg4 Rg1 t17 In effect deactivating the rook whi le allowing White's king to penetrate. Correct and requ ired is the obvious 20... R a 1 . Then 21 Kf5 is harmless be· cause of 2 1 Ra5t etc. •..

21 Kf5

Rh1

26 Re&

Ra37

22 Rg&t Kh7 Kh671 23 R g3 Costs a tempo and puts the king on an i nferior square. Correct is 23... Ra1 though Black's position remains uncomfortable after 24 R e3!. 24 Kf&l Ra1 25 Re3 Ra&t It is absolutely mandatory to prevent further penetration by White's king by playing 26 ... Ra7!. 27 f671 The accurate move order is 27 Kf7 t l Kh7 28 f5.

27 .....

Rxh37

Here was the last chance for 27... Ra7!. Because of the presence of White's h-pawn it is not certain that Black can draw, but chances do exist. The greedy text plays right i nto a well known book loss.

28 Kf7t

Kh7

Also 28... Kg5 loses to 29 f6. Ra3 29 f& With White to move he has a book win (See for example, Hooper, page 1 31 , 8: 2h ( i ) ). However, if Black now were on move he draws with ... Ra81 which prevents White's king from getting to the eighth rank.

30 Kf81 31 ReS 32 Kf717

Ra8t Ra1

But what has this to do with the position? Passed pawns must be pushed! With the obvious 32 f7 1 White wins, e.g. 32... Kg6 33 R e6t Kh7 34 Rf6 or 32... Ra7 33 Re1 Ra8t (33... Kg6 34 Kg8! R xf7 35 Rg1 t Kf6 36 Rf1 t) 34 Ke7 Ra7t 35 Kf6 Ra6t 36 Re6 Ra8 37 ReB. Kh617 32 . Black allows his king to be driven away and thereby loses. The draw was to be had with 32 ... Ra7t 33 Re7 Ra81 and White can't progress. As a specific theoretical point I can add that with White's rook on e7 Black can also have h is rook on a1 (i.e. 33... Ra 1 ) since after 34 Kf8t Kg6 35 f7 Black has the saving 35 ... Kf6. 33 Rh8t Kg5 34 Kg7 Ra& ..

35

..

f7 36 Kf8 37 Ke7 38 Ke&

86

Rg&t Ra& Ra7t Resigns.

section 2: Positional Considerations Subject # 31 : The importance Questions:

of

the active rook

Is Black better in Diagram 567 Why? How can he exploit this?

• • • •

Diagram 56

I

• • • �;§!; t t r�� � � � • -t• ;\;�; • • • • • B f! B � B ft B�fai($'· ; a � 0,� •� � �� .!..!. ­ � B • � - R · !9t

Answers: In D iagram 56, N. Javert - D. Eisen, USA correspondence 1 972n3, White on move, Black has two advantages: ( 1 ) the active rook which is in position to attack the b-pawn, and (2) the queenside pawn majority. This latter factor means that Black - at wi l l can create a passed pawn there and White's king isn't there to help stop it. White obviously can't do any­ thing about item (2) so that his correct approach must be to try to activate his rook. Remember: in R & P endgames the single most important factor is the active rook. After the indicated 1 Rc41 h5 2 Rc7 1 White's counter­ play gives him good drawing chances. Yet in the game Wh ite played: 1 g47 Now White is clearly lost since his rook is forced to take up a defensive location. Ra31 1 ..... The key move because White now has no satisfactory way to protect the h·pawn. If 2 Re3, then 2 . . . a51 followed by 3. . . b5 and 4 . . . a4 when White can't exchange rooks because the outside passed pawn wi l l give Black a won K & P endgame. Simi larly, after 2 b4 Ra41 Black wins since ... a5 can't be prevented. Therefore White's rook is forced to a most awkward location. Kf5 2 g5t 3 R b4 The active 3 Re7 Rxb3 4 R xh7 is hopeless here because with Black's king sti l l on the kingside White's pawns have no hope for a meani ngful advance while B lack's pawns start their win with 4. . . a5! b5 3 . . . .. ••

4 Kg2

White has to activate his king. After the defensive 4 Kf1 Ke5 5 Ke2 Black has a fairly routine wi n with 5. . . Kd5 6 Kd2 Kc5 7 Kc3 a5 followed by 8... a4.

4 5 Kg3

Ke5 Kd5

87

6 Kg4 7 Rf4 8 Rf7

Kc5 Rxb3 Rb1

Even though Black has reached a theoretically won position, impeccable play is required to win. With the text Black makes sure that h is rook stays active. 9 Rxh7 Rg1 t 10 Kh3 b4

1 1 Kh2 12 f3 13 h51

Rg4 Rd4

The only chance. White also needs passed pawnsl

1 3 .....

a5 1 1

Time i s o f greater essence in queening races than stray pawns and here 1 3 ... gxh57 loses a tempo since White's g-pawn immediately gets to the sixth rank. Another important principle is that connected passed pawns should be kept connected for maximum efficiency. Therefore i naccurate is 1 3 ... b371 1 4 hxg6 Rd8 because White's 15 Rb7 attacks the b-pawn.

14 hxg&

Rd8

The g-pawn must of course be stopped. If now 1 5 g7 Rg81, while after 1 5 R b7 Black can chase White's rook away with 1 5. . . Kc61 since Black's pawns are now self-supporting. White's only chance therefore is to also mobilize the f-pawn.

16 f4 16 f5

b3 Kc61

This is somewhat "cleaner" than the immediate queening race after 1 6... a4 17 R b7 Kc4 18 f6 a3 1 9 f7 a2 20 g7 a 1 =0 when, after White queens, Black will be first with his mating attack. However, White could have "forced" this continuation by playing 1 6 Rb7.

17 Ra7

a41

Keep the pawns connected!

18 g7 19 Re&tl

b2

The best try since White forces Black to misplace the king. The wi n is elementary after 19 Re1 a3 20 f6 a2 21 f7 b 1 =01 22 f8=0 (or 22 g8=0) 22... 0b8t l followed by 23 ... Rxf8. After the text Black's king must go to the b-fi le since 1 9. . . Kd77 20 Re1 allows Wh ite to threaten 21 R d 1 t, whi le 19 ... Kc57 allows the f-pawn to queen with check.

19

20 Ra1

21 f& 22 f7 23 ts-0

Kb5 a3 a2 b1 Q Rd2tl ..

Only drawing is 23... 0xe 1 7 24 Oxd8 a 1 =q because White can eventually exchange off a pair of queens and then queen the g-pawn. I n general, in positions such as after White's 23rd move, where both kings are exposed and where major material is present (queen + rook(s) or two queens on each side), the side which starts the checking can win. So also here. 88

24 Kh3 25 Kh4

Qd3t

Black also wins after the "bit better" 25 Kg4: 25. . . Rg2t 26 Kf4 Og3t 27 Kf5 Oxg5t etc.

25 26 Kg4 27 Kf4 28 Ke5

Rh2t Oh3t ! Rf2t

Or 28 Ke4 Oe6t etc.

28

a1 =0t! Resigns.

He gets mated by force after 29 Rxal Oe3t 30 Kd6 Rd2t 31 Kc7 Ob6t 32 Kc8 Rc2t 33 Kd7 Rc7t 34 Kd8 Ob8.

Section 3: Double -Rook Endgames Subject # 32: Exchanging one pair of rooks in going for the win

/ Diagram 57

Answers: B lack has two significant advantages in Diagram 57, Kendall J. J. Smith, USA correspondence 1 973n4, after Wh ite's 2 1 st move: ( 1 ) the superior pawn formation, and (2) the active rooks. B lack's rooks not only control the only open file, but can use this route to penetrate decisively into White's position. Black can do this in two ways. He can attack and win one of White's vulnerable pawns with the di rect 21 . . . Rd3. Or he can do as in the game: ·

21 .....

Rd2!

I l i ke this active plan. Black uses the active rooks to threaten a doubling on White's second rank. Since White cannot allow this, Black wi l l obtain a single rook endgame where he has a pawn advantage plus the active rook. As a general principle, White wil l have less potential counterplay having just a single rook than if B lack had played 21 . . . Rd3.

22 Rfe1

Black's plan can't be prevented but White cou ld have saved a tempo compared to the game by playing 22 Rf2! Rxf2 23 K xf2 Rd2t 24 Kf3.

22

•....

Rc21

89

23 24 25 26

Rec1 Rxc2 Kf1 a4

Rdd2 Rxc2 Kd7 Rxc3

B lack has won a pawn for noth ing, has this in the form of a passed c-pawn and stil l has the active rook. Theoretically, of course, this is a won position. Yet in real life . . .

27 Ke2 28 Kf3

Rc2t c5

"Passed pawns must be pushed" is a principle that I have been conti nual· ly emphasizing. Here too this plan is fully playable and satisfactory. Yet on a more sophisticated level we can see that the text move does loosen Black's position a bit and before his king has been activated. Moreover, White is now able to exchange off his vulnerable a-pawn. The strongest move for Black is 28 ... Kc61 since then 29 aS? can be met by 29 ... KbS! 30 R b l t Ka6 and White's a-pawn wi l l soon be lost. Kc6 29 h4

30 a51 31 aS 32 Rxa6t 33 Rd6?1

c4 bxa6 Kb71

White saves a move with the immediate 33 R a l , even though the posi· tion remains lost. 33 ..... Rb21

34 Rd1

There is no time for pawn grabbi ng with 34 Rd7t Kc6 3S Rxg7 c3 36 Rg8 KcSI 37 Ke4 Kc4 ! since soon White's rook wi l l have to sacrifice itself for the c-pawn. However, the passive text should not offer much hope iether.

34 .....

Rb5?1

Aiming for the principle " R ooks belong behind passed pawns". Unfor­ tunately here Black does so to the exclusion of everyth ing else: loss of two tempos, removal of his rook from a very active location and al lowing White to activate h is ki ng. Much simpler is to get the king to assist the c-pawn's advance by playing 34... Kc6! and if 3S R c 1 , 3S... KcS ! . Then having an ex­ tra passed pawn and the better position, B lack's wi n is just a matter of time.

35 Rc1 1 36 Ke41 37 Kd4

Rc5 Kc61 Kd67?

Black has some kind of a hal lucination here. Consistent and winning is 37 ... RdSt ! 38 Kc3 (38 Kxc4? ReSt wins the rook) 38... KcSI. B lack then has safeguarded his passed pawn and after the comi ng 39... Rd3t has a certain win. 38

e41

Taking away the dS square from B lack's rook means the death knel l for the c-pawn. 39 .....

One last try. 90

c3!7

If now 39 Rxc3? Rxc3 40 Kxc3 Black's king penetrates

with 40... Ke5 41 Kd3 Kf4 and wins. with the taking of the pawn.

39 Rc21 Draw.

However, White has no need to rush

h5

After 40 g31 g5 41 R xc3! Rxc3 42 Kxc3 gxh4 43 gxh4 Ke5! 44 Kd3 Kf4 45 Kd4 Kg4 46 e51 fxe5t 47 Kxe5 Kxh4 48 Kf41 White's king gets back just in time. Subject # 33: Exchanging one pair of rooks in going for the draw Questions: What are the main characteristics of Diagram 587 Which side is better? Who would benefit from the exchange of a pair of rooks?

I

Diagram 58

Answers: Diagram 58 shows the position from Macaulay - E. Schi l ler, London Team Matches 1 982, after Black's 38th move. The game had been adjourn­ ed at this point, with Black having sealed 38 ... Rf5-f3. Black needed to draw this game so that his team cou ld advance to the finals. The adjourned position is somewhat deceptive. Black's rooks look active, but in fact have little to do since White's position is inherently very sol id. On the other hand, Black's e- and h-pawns are vulnerable to an attack and, moreover, B lack's king is too far away from the center. All of this means that White has a significant advantage and Black must defend perceptively and creatively to hold.

39 Rd21 Black's weaknesses wi l l not run away so that there is no reason to jump the gun with either 39 R xe5 Rxe5 40 Rxe5 Rxf2t or 39 Kg2 Rxd3.

39

••..•

Rgf5

40 Kg2 h5 The clumsy placement of the rooks makes the normal 40... Kd7? unplay­ able, since 41 g4! wins the e-pawn for nothing.

41 Rh41 White has a number of reasonable ways to proceed and going for the vulnerable h-pawn seems the best. The attempt at getting at Black's king with 41 R e 1 Kd7 1 42 R a 1 can be parried by 42... Ke6 43 Ra7 Rf7 ! . More critical is the play after 41 Rxe5 R xg3t (4 1 .. . Rxf2t? ! 42 Rxf2 Rxe5 43 Rf7t �8 44 Rf4 1 puts Black in a most unpleasant bind.) 42 Kxg3 Rxe5 91

43 Kf4 R e 1 ! 44 Kg5. But it appears that Black can defend with 44 ... Kd7 ! 45 Kxh5 (or 45 f4 Rg1 t and if 46 Kf6, 46 ... Rg3 ! ) 45... Rg1 ! since 46 f4 is met by 46... Ke6, followed by 47... Kf5. And 46 Re2 Rd 1 1 47 R e4 Rxd3 48 f4 Rd 1 1 also gives Black sufficient counterplay.

41 ..... 42 Rxh5

Kd7 Rxh51 1

It is Black's defensive plan associated with this move that gives this game its value: rather than being even in material, he chooses to be a pawn downl The major principle in rook endgames is " Keep your rooks active" and Black executes this perfectly. Judging Black's possi ble plans from the above perspective, it is easy to see that bad must be 42... Rxf2t? 43 Rxf2 Rxh5 44 Rf61 and with Black's king stuck to protect the c-pawn and his rook inactive, Black's prospects are extremely bleak. Little better is 42 ... Rxg3t71 since after 43 Kxg31 Rxh5 44 Kg41 R h 1 45 Kf51 Wh ite's king + rook develop devastating pressure: a) 45... Rh5t 46 Kf6! followed by 47 Ra2 or 47 Re2; b) 45... Re1 46 Ra21 and the incursion of White's rook will be decisive.

43 Kxf3

Rh1 1

Now it is B lack's rook which is active and this factor seems sufficient to hold the position.

44 Kg4 45 Re2

Ke6

Allowing Black to demonstrate the opportunity for a marvelous stale mate concept. However, 45 f4 exf4 46 gxf4 is met by 46... Rg1 t followed by 47... Kf5; therefore 46 Kxf4 gives the best prospects for progress. B lack must go for counterplay and the critical position occurs after 46 ... Rb1 47 Re2t Kf6 48 g4 Rxb4 49 g5t Kf7 50 Kf5 Rb1 1 . This position is no· where close to clear, but I thi n k that Black should hold. Kd51 45 .. . . " I nto the valley of death" is the l iterary way that Mr. Schi l ler describes this move. .

46 Kf5 Alas, the devastating appearing 46 f4 exf4 47 gxf4 (threatening 48 Re5 mate) is foiled by 47 ... Rh4t l l 48 Kf5 Rxf4t 49 Kxf4 stalemate! No bet· ter is 47 Kf5 1 7 Rh6t 48 Kxf4 Rf5t l ("Stalemate races against checkmate" - Sch il ler) 49 Kg4 Rg5t l 50 Kf3 Rxg3t l 51 Kxg3 stalemate.

46 47 48 49 50 51 52

Kf6 Kf5 Kg& Kg7 Kf& Kg5

Rh5t Rh&t Rh5t Rh1 Rh2 Rh&t Rh1 1

Short of time, White has been saving it by king moves. But now he must try somethi ng else. But what? There are no reasonable rook moves. As for pawn moves: a) 53 f4 leads to the thematic stalemate draw; b) 53 f37 risks 53... Rd 1 1 when the position after 54 Kf5 Rxd3 55 R xe5t Kc4 is more l i kely to be in B lack's rather than White's favor; c) 53 g4? is the game conti nuation. All of this leads to the logical conclusion that the position after 52... Rh 1 1 is drawn. 92

53 g47 Under the psychological pressure of having to play for a win, White com­ mits a time pressure error.

53

•••••

Rh31

Notice how Black's rook •• having been kept active - is able to execute all kinds of threats.

54 Kf577 Obviously a hal lucination, as White overlooks the following "zwischen­ check". In order is the modest 54 Rd2 after which Black can satisfy h i m­ self with the preventive 54. Rf3 or go for more with the ambitious 54 ... e4 1 ? But who then i s better i s absolutely unclear. ..

54 55 Kg& 56 g5 57 Kh5

Rf3t Rxd3 Rf31 Ke&l

Black stil l has the active rook and the king now joins to stop the g-pawn. Black's position is won.

58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65

g6 g7 Rxe5 Kg4 Re4 Rd4 Rxd3 Kg3

Kf& Kxg7 Rxf2 Kf& d3 Ke51 Rf4t Rd4!

Draw?! Black here offered a draw si nce this was all his team needed. White re­ fused( ! ), but acquiesced soon thereafter ·· after h is queenside had become defoliated. Of course, our final position is totally won for B lack since he wins White's queenside pawns while retaining h is own, e.g. 66 Rb3 Kd5 67 Kf3 Kc4 68 Rb1 Kc3 69 Ke3 R h4 1 70 Ke2 Rxb4 etc.

Principles/Rules of Thumb For Practical Endgame Play Rook and Pawn Endgames ( 1 ) Activate and keep your rook active ·• whether going for the win or trying to draw. (2)

Rooks belong behind passed pawns, both yours and your opponent's.

(3) With all pawns on the same side, in normal positions a one pawn advan­ tage is insufficient to win. The defending side should strive to prevent the mobilization of the enemy pawn majority and in particular the encroach· ment of h is pawns into your part of the board. (4) The side playing to win wants to look for the opportunity to simplify into the winning Lucena position. (5) The side trying to draw wants to aim for Philidor's position. (6) Passed pawns must be pushed! (7) In positions where you have a passed pawn, the least active location for your rook is to be in front of this pawn. 93

(8) Endgames of R + h· and f-pawns (or a· and c-pawns) vs. R are theoretic­ ally drawn if the defensive king can straddle the pawns. However, in practic­ al play the actual job is very difficult and more than half of such endgames are lost.

(9) If you have connected passed pawns, advance them in unison so that they remain connected and thereby self-supporting. ( 1 0) As a broad generalization, endgames with double rooks follow the same principles as single rook endgames.

( 1 1 ) However, since double rooks impact a lot more attacking power than a single rook, many characteristic endgames which are drawn with a single rook can be won thanks to double rook power. A particularly important case is a one pawn advantage where al l the pawns are on the same side. I n the majority of double rook endgames this i s a win. ( 1 2) Because the double rooks can generate a lot more counterplay than a single rook, many characteristic endgames which are lost with a single rook can be saved into a draw thanks to double rook power.

94

Chapter 4 Endgames With Opposite Color Bishops section 1 : Pure Bishop Endgames subject * 34: Material advantage, both sides have passed pawns Questions: What is the most important factor in opposide color bishop endgames? How can White realize his material advantage from Diagram 59?

Diagram 59

Answers: Endgames having opposite color bishops are unique because a very impor· tant strategy of endgame play - exchanging pieces is not possible. There­ fore such endgames require even more attention to correct pawn play than other types, The word that is the key to the majority of opposide color bishop endgames is B LOCKADE. The side down material will try to set up a blockade. Whether this can be achieved wil l determine whether the posi­ tion can be held or goes lost. ··

As an introduction to our theme - as wel l as to demonstrate the need to be ever careful ·• I have selected Diagram 59, NN · E. Chong, USA 1 973 with Black on move. White has a two pawn advantage and has three passed pawns. However, by putting them on the light squares he has increased Black's .. chances for a successful blockade. To make progress White now wil l have to demonstrate considerable care and tactical creativity. Black on move has three possible plans: (1)

1 .. Ke7 Trying to blockade. Perfectly logical, but White can break the blockade by sacrificing h is forward passed pawn. 2 d8=Qt I Kxd8 Obviously, 2 .. Bxd8 3 d6t can't be any better for Black. ..

.

.

3 d& 4 c7t 5 dxc7t 6 Kb5

Bb8 Bxc7 Kxc7

1 .....

Bb8

Because Wh ite's bishop covers the a-pawn's queening square, White has an easy win. (2)

95

Playing for a stalemate trap. This is the game continuation. Black hopes for 2 d67 Bxd6t I 3 Kxd6 stalemate.

2 Bg2

Avoiding the above trap, but by itself insufficient to win. Correct is the active 2 Be41, as wi l l be seen in the next variation.

2

.•...

Bc771

Making it easy for White. Necessary is 2 . Be51 when 3 d6? fa ils because of 3 h 1 =Q I : (a) 4 Bxh 1 Bxd6t ! 5 Kxd6 stalemate; (b) 4 c7t Kxd7 with a draw since 5 Bh3t77 is not playable. Therefore Wh ite would have to dis· cover the winn i ng plan starting with 3 Be41 Bxd6t 3 d61 ..

••.

(3)

4 Kxd6 5 c7 mate.

h1=0

1 .....

Be5 1

Activating the bishop is B lack's last defense. Of course, again 2 d6? is refuted by 2. . Bxd6 t l since 3 Kxd6 is stalemate and after 3 Kb6 Bc7t White will not be able to break Black's blockade on c7. .

2 Be41 To win, the bishop must be able to check along the hJ.c8 diagonal. Therefore also good is 2 Bf31

2

.•••.

Bg31

This again makes th ings harder for Wh ite. After 2 ... Kc7 White has the choice between the prosaic 3 Kb5 winning the a-pawn (3 ... Bc37 ! 4 d6t ! Kd8 5 Bf51 followed by 6 c7 mate) or the blockade breaking 3 d8=Qt ! Kxd8 4 d6 followed by c7.

3 d61

h1=0

Of course, 3... Bxd6t 4 Kxd6 h 1 =Q again allows 5 c7 mate.

4 c7tl There is no win after 4 Bxh 1 ? Bxd6t l 5 Kb6 Bc7t and Black has an impregnable blockade.

4

5 Bf5t

6 7 8 9

cS=Qt Qe6t Of6t Be6t l

Kxd7 Ke8 Kf7 Kf8 Kg8

Care is required unti l the very end. The greedy 9 Qg6t?! Kh81 1 0 Oxg3? allows the shocking 1 0. . . Qd5t l l with an unavoidable stalemate.

and Wh ite wins.

96

9 10 11 12 13

Of7t l Qf8t l Og7t Qg4t

Kh7 Kh6 Kg5 Kf4

subject # 35: Material advantage, pawns on both sides, no pawn break­ through possible Qu estion:

How should Black go about trying to win from Diagram 607

. .ftBiii .{�;'��� ...

� ... �4} � ... -

Diagram 60

\tiJi

� ...

• t B t rl t • • • • • m �- .ft 8A • • • • • �/. .c. �� .c. �� .L!.. �� 1'+1 � · .LJ.. �d • • • •

Answer: I n two important ways Black is wel l off in D iagram 60, NN · J. B. Skeels, USA 1 973, Black on move: he has a sound two pawn advantage and White is without counterplay. Such a position with same color bishops would be an easy win. However, with opposite color bishops this is not so because of the following two factors : ( 1 ) White can readi l y and safely place all his pawns on light squares, thus negating the Black bishop's attacking power, and (2) Black's d·pawn is already on d4, thus making it very difficult to achieve the thematic pawn advance on the queenside with ...c4. The ad· vance of the d-pawn has also released the pressure against Wh ite's e·pawn. Al l of this al lows White to set up a blockade on d3. The above means that Black's job is far from easy and the game in fact was drawn. Our first conclusion should be that the chances for a win by means of a brute force advance of the c·pawn are sma l l. I nstead, the cor· rect winning strategy should consist of using the passed d·pawn as a de· flector to tie down White's pieces so that Black's king can infi ltrate i nto White's position (most l i kely the kingside). B lack should be most wary of a premature advance of h is own pawns if this would i n any way help White set up a blockade. The proper technique for Black is as follows:

1 .... . 2 Kd3

Kd6 Ke51

By centralizing the king on e5 Black achieves the following: attacks White's e-pawn, protects h is own central pawns and prepares for eventual infi ltration via f4. Instead faulty is 2. .. e57 which both makes it harder for Black's king to reach the kingside and opens the road to Black's queenside for White's bishop.

3 b3 As good as any, with Wh ite removing the b-pawn from an eventual attack by B lack's bishop. Worse wou ld be 3 b47 1 as the b-pawn can then easily become fodder for the bishop.

3 .....

h51

Making White's bishop give ground si nce 4 Bh3 is unsatisfactory because

97

after 4

..•

Bh6 Black threatens to win the h-pavvn with 5 . . Be3 and 6... E!_g 1 . .

4 Bf3 5 Ke2 6 h3

Bh6 Bf41

6 ..... 7 Kd3

Bg31 Bh21

After 6 g3 Black continues with 6... Be3 and 7 ... Bg 1 , loosening up White's kingside, anyway. Already we can see that White's king can't help out on the ki ngside since then Black's d-pawn becomes a power.

Black prepares to protect the d·pawn with ... Bg1 so that his king can go to f4.

8 9 10 11

Ke2 Kd3 Ke2 Kd3

Kf4 Bg1 Be3 e5

Without fau lt here and with the objective of wal ling in Wh ite's bishop some more.

12 Ke2

Kg3

White now is in zugzwang: his bishop cannot move, and if the king goes to d3, then Black's king penetrates further to f2. Therefore White starts advancing his queenside. Notice that up to now Black's material superiority has had only an indirect rol e : to tie up Wh ite's pieces.

13 b4

Bh61

Waiti ng for White to run out of pawn moves. Now after 14 a4 b5 1 White's b-pawn wi l l be lost.

14 Kd3 15 Kc2

Kf21

15 16 a3

Ke31 Bf8!

Or 1 5 a3 Bel ! .

There is no hurry about . . . dlt. B lack first wants to put h is bishop on the most effective square: b6.

17 Kb3 18 Ko4

Cutting White's king off from defense.

19 g4 20 Kb3 After 20 Bg2, 20... Ke2 ! is the fin isher. 20

21 22 23 24

Kb2

a4

b5 axb5

Completely hemming in White's bishop.

Be7 Kd21 h4

d3 Bd81 Bb6 cxb5 g51

26 Kb1

Bd41

26 Ka2 27 Ka3

Kc2 d2

White is again in zugzwang and must give further ground.

98

and Black wins

Subject # 36: Material advantage, pawns on both sides, pawn breakthrough is possible Question : How should White go about trying to win from Diagram 6 1 7

Diagram 6 1

Answer: Several important points wi l l be revealed in the play from D iagram 6 1 , Salpado - L. Raterman, California 1 977, after Black's 40th move. Counting pawns we see that numerically White is only one pawn ahead, but because Black's doubled lrpawns lack offensive value, in practical terms White is up two pawns: the d- and e-pawns. It is only the presence of opposite color bishops that make the win difficult and -- as a matter of fact -- without the presence of the queenside pawns this position is drawn. Even though at fi rst glance it appears that -- because White's bishop is of the wrong color for the a-pawn -- White wi l l not be able to win if the position simpl ifies down to B + a-pawn vs. B lack's lrpawns, this is in fact not so. But first things first. Wh ite's first job is to mobilize his ki ngside pawns and this is done easily enough by a straightforward advance:

41 h3 42 g4

Kd7 hxg4

Of course, both here and on move 44 Black welcomes the routine exchange si nce it leaves White with less material to try to win with.

43 44 45 46 47

hxg4 f5 gxf5 Kg5 Kf&

Bc4 gxf5 Bb3 Bc4

47 ..... 48 Kg71

Bb3 Ke81

White has efficiently mobi lized his ki ngside pawns and now activates his king. I t is quite apparent that White's pawn break must occur on e6 and it is equally apparent that B lack can muster three defenders on that square while White can only have two supporters. Therefore the e6 advance wil l have t o involve the sacrifice of the e-pawn so that the f-pawn can be liber­ ated. The best defense. After 48... Bc4 49 e6t ! fxe6 50 f6 e5 51 f7 Bxf7 52 Kxf7 White can retain the d-pawn for a very simple win : 52 . . . e4 53 Kf61 e3 54 Ke5 e2 55 Kd5 etc.

49 Kf6

White can play 49 Bc31 immediately to be followed by 50 e6!, but first wants to save some thinking time on the clock.

49 50 Kg5 51 Bc3!

Kd7 Bc4

51 ..... 52 Kf&

Bd5 Bc4

A good practical move, ensuring that after an eventual ... e5 Wh ite simply captures.

Black has no defense to the coming breakthrough. The attempt to con· tain Wh ite's king with 52 ... Be4 loses to 53 e6tl (but not 53 Kxf77? Bxf5 with a permanent blockade of e6 and a draw) 53 ... fxe6 54 fxe6t Kxd6 55 Bb4t Kc7 56 e7 Kd7 57 Kf7 Bd5t 58 KfB.

53 Kg7

Ke8

Or 53... Bb3 54 e6tl fxe6 55 f61 e5 56 Bxe5 leading to the game posi· tion after 56 . KeB. ..

54 e61 55 f61

fxe6

The sacrifice of the e-pawn has given White two passed pawns, wh ich wi ll cost Black his bishop.

55 56 57 58 59

Bxe5 f7t d7t Kxf7

e5 Bd5 Bxf7 Kxd7

This is not the standard wrong B · R P combination which wou ld allow Black to hide his king safely in the corner see Chapter 2, Section 6. The difference (and problem for Black ! ) is that Black has two very much un· wanted b-pawns. Reuben Fine in Basic Chess Endings gives excellent rules of thumb for the kind of position in which B lack has pawn (s) : " I n general the extra material is on ly a handicap for the defender. When he has one b-pawn the game is generally but not always a draw, whi le with doubled b-pawns the game is usually lost." In our case the position is a certain loss. ••

59 . . 60 Ke7

Kc&

61 Bel&

Kb7

.

.

.

b6 There are no prospects in retreating, but "attacking" is also insufficient since then after White wins the b-pawns, Black's king can be prevented from getting back : 60 ... Kc5 61 Kd7 Kc4 62 Bd6 Kd5 63 Kc7 Kc4 64 Bb4 Kd5 65 Kxb7 Ke6 66 Kc61 Ke5 67 Kxb5 Ke6 68 Kc6 etc. Though a most rare guest in practical play, such positions are wel l known in endgame theory. For example, Cheron gives (No. 772 in the 1 957 Ger· man edition) the following position of Horwitz 1 880: White: Kd6, Bf4, a3; Black : Kb7, b6 b5. The caption reads "White wins". This is essentially what we have here. In fact Horwitz and Salpedo demonstrate the same wi nning plan.

62 Kd7 1 00

Ka8

63 Kc7 64 Kc8!

Ka7 Resigns.

After 64.. . Ka8 65 Bb81 Black is in zugzwang and the forced 65 ... b4 al l ows 66 axb4 transforming White's a-pawn i nto an easily winning b-pawn. If 64.. . Ka6, Wh ite's king squeezes Black's away from the queenside to win as follows: 65 Kb81 Ka5 66 Kb7 Ka4 67 Kxb6 Kb3 68 Kxb5.

Subject # 37: Material advantage, pawns on both sides, stronger side can create connected passed pawns Questions: Can White wi n from Diagram 62? What are some of the principles in evaluating B + 2 connected passed pawns vs. B endgames?

Diagram 62

R M . m fJ JJ.IJI M i . fi • • � w • 4l> � rr ��i£ • �� �� .!..!.

�'{� ��� . -�� � . � . � • • 4l> f( � � • · .!..!. � • • 4). � 4). .!..!. � .!..!. i18 i18

-�· . .

Answers: There is l ittle question that Black seems on the ropes in Diagram 62, J. Peters - A. Beliavsky, World Student Championship, Venezuela 1 976, White on move. White is up a passed h-pawn and, moreover, White's bishop can attack three of the four remaining Black pawns. Yet it seems that the ex­ istence of opposite color bishops is just enough to save Black. The i nstruc­ tive game course was:

1 h6 2 Bb&

Kg8

White makes a major strategic decisio n : he immediately goes after B lack's pawns and voluntarily gives up his h-pawn. A very logical alternative is to try to create a passed pawn on the queenside whi l e retaining the h-pawn. However, neither during the game nor subsequently has I M Peters been able to find a way of accomplishing th is without al lowing the ki nd of massive pawn exchanges that presage a draw. I have not been able to do so either. In some positions White can wi nd up two pawns up -- as he does in the game -- but the positions are drawn. For instance, White can start off with 2 f4 Kh7 3 Bg7. But after 3... e5 it's difficult to see how or why White can achieve any more than he does in the game.

2 ..... 3 Bd8

Kh7 e51

Stronger than the expected 3 ... e6 because it makes it easier for B lack to get White's f-pawn exchanged off.

4 Ba5 101

After 4 Bc7 Black draws with 4 ... d51 5 Bxe5 Kxh6, e.g. 6 Bd6 Kg51 and if 7 Bxb471, 7 ... Kf4.

4 . ..... 5 Bxb4 6 Bxd6

Kxh6 Kg51 Kf471

At the moment Black stil l has not grasped the correct strategy. Correct is the immediate 6... Kf51 followed by 7 ... Bc6. The text costs a tempo.

7 c4

Be&

8 Kc2 Kf5 1 1 Even though now a move behi nd, B lack discovers the essence of the po­ sition : h is king and bishop must be mobilized to cope with White's com ing passed pawns on the queenside. At the moment the bishop is placed ideal­ ly where it is and B lack's king must get back to at least e6. I nferior there­ fore is 8... Kxf37 ! 9 Bxe5 and Black's king will have difficulties in establ ish­ ing a good defensive location. Even worse is 8 ... Bxf37 because after 9 b4 Bc6 1 0 Kb3 followed by 1 1 a4 and 1 2 b5 White's connected passed pawns move forward very quickly.

So often in opposite color bishop endgames the key element is not ma­ terial but the abi lity to achieve a blockade. 9 10 11 12 13

Bb8 f4 Bxf4 Kc3 Kb4

Ke61 exf41 Kd71 Kc81

Here the game was called a draw. To understand the "inscrutable" de­ cision, we should continue the thematic play. White's plan is to establish connected passed pawns and he cannot be prevented from ach ieving this. 13 Kb7

14 Ka& 15 b4 1 6 a4

Bd7 Be8

An immediate draw occurs after 1 6 b5 axb5 1 7 cxb5 Bxb51 -- White has the wrong B RP combination. -

16 17 b5 18 axb5

Bd7 axb5

There are no prospects in 1 8 cxb5 because Black plays 1 8... Bf5 followed by 1 9... Bd3 and whenever White plays aS, Black draws with ... Bxb51

18 19 Kb4

Be& Bf7

21 Ka5 Draw.

Bd7

20 c5 If White now would be on move again, he wou ld win by 21 eSt Kb6 22 Be3t Kc7 23 Kc5. 20 Be81 White cannot progress since his king is needed to protect the b-pawn and without the king's protection the c-pawn can't get to c6. Black's bishop just has enough room to shuttle between d7 and e8. From this discussion 1 02

and the one after move 1 8 we see that there are many positions in opposite col or bishop endgames where two connected passed pawns do not win. As a matter of fact to have an assured win, White needs to get both pawns to the sixth ran k in safety. By comparison, same color bishop endgames hav­ ing connected passed pawns are routine wins.

Section 2: R + B vs. R + B Endgames Subject # 38: Material advantage, the blockade can

be

broken

Questions: What is the most important principle in R + opposite color bishop endgames? How can Black make progress from Diagram 637

Diagram 63

Answers : Just as in pure opposite color bishop endgames, so also for endgames where each side also has a rook, the single most important factor is the blockade. The side down material will try to blockade the opponent's passed pawn (s) and in order to win this blockade must be broken. A thematic and instructive position is shown in D iagram 63, H. Kmoch - A. Nimzovich, N iendorf 1 927, after White's 50th move. Black here not only is a pawn up but also has connected passed pawns on the queenside. But, Whi te's bishop quite effectively blockades the advance of the a-pawn, while the rook keeps back the b-pawn. There is no "normal" way to make pro­ gress. Yet there is a creative tactical way:

50

..

.

..

Rb41 1

To get his passed pawns going, Black is wil ling to sacrifice his roo k ! Black's simple threat is 5 7. . . Ra4 followed by 5 2... R a 1 a n d the win o f the a-pawn. Therefore White must capture.

51 cxb4 Better to give a pawn than the bishopl After 57 Bxb47 axb4 52 cxb4 Kb5 and 53... Kxb4 Black's win is elementary.

51

.....

a41

At the price of a rook, Black has turned his c-pawn into a passed one and now threatens 52... Kb51 followed by pushing the passed pawns. White now correctly ensures that his bishop can participate in the defense.

52 b5tl 53 Ba3 54 Rb1

Kxb5 c3 Kc41

1 03

Getting the king i nto the game since the pawns do need assistance.

55 f4

Hoping to eventually create a passed pawn by playing f5. 55 .. Kxd41 Black is in no rush. Not only does he now have four connected passed pawns, but also the bishop can be activated more flexibly. .

..

56 Kf2 57 Ke1 58 Ke2 59 Kf3

Kc4 d4 Kd5 Bb71

The i mmediate 59 ... Ba6 (with the th reat 60... Bd3) could have been tem­ porarily thwarted by 60 R d 1 . Now Black plans to get the bishop to d3 or e4 with gain of time, e.g. 60 Ke2 Ba6t followed by 61 ...d3. Wh ite is de­ fenseless.

60 Re1 61 Kf2 62 f5

Kc4t b2

A last desperate try. Otherwise Black plays 62... Kb3 with a routine win.

62 63 e6 Resigns.

exf5 Bc6

White's pawn gets stopped but Black's march i nexorably forward: 64 e7 K b3 66 Bc5 c2 etc.

Subject # 39: Material advantage, both rooks active Questions: Apart from the importance of the blockade, are there other unique principles involved in playing R + opposite color bishop endgames? What wou ld thematic play be from D iagram 647

Diagram 64

Answers: The other i mportant principle in R + opposite color bishop endgames deals with rook activity -- whether in going for the win or in trying to draw. Because of the inherent power of the rook, a R + B combination is very menaci ng since it can attack a point which the enemy bishop - by definition cannot help to defend. Therefore, many more attacking prospects are offered by R + opposite color bishop endgames than by R + other minor 1 04 ••

p iece endgames. Please note that it is not the "attack" which is stronger, but the defense which is considerably weaker. The opportu nities and importance of active rook play are well shown from D iagram 64, a club game in USA 1 976, White on move. B lack is up two pawns, connected and passed. White can capture one B lack pawn but that stil l leaves h i m one down and Black's passed pawns remain intact. Overall, White has some practical chances for a draw, but with correct play Black should win. The game course was:

1 Rb&

Bg3

Which pawn should Black give up? This way White gets a passed a-pawn. I would have preferred 1 ... a5, a safer course in practical play.

2 Rxa& 3 Ra377

Rb81

Just horrible. Wh ite puts h is rook on a useless square, does nothing posi­ tive himself and does not even prevent the Black rook's i nvasion. Logical are either the defensive 3 Bb5 or the active 3 Ra7, threaten ing 4 Be6.

3 4 d47

Rb2

4 5 dxc571

Bf2

•••••

Making matters worse. An absolute must was 4 Ra7!, keeping the Be6 th reat in the air and al lowing the a-pawn to advance. •••••

Ensuring" that h is rook won't get to the active a7 square. For better or worse White had to play 5 d5. •·

5 6 RaB 7 Bb5 8 a4

Bxc51 Rc21 g51 g4

In general connected passed pawns should be advanced in un ison. An exception is allowed here because the advance of the g-pawn creates annoy­ ing mating threats.

9 ReB There is no defense to what is coming, e.g. 9 Bc6 g3 1 0 Bg2 Rc1 t etc.

9 . 1 0 Be& ....

Stronger is 1 0 ... Rh2 mate.

1 1 Bd5

g3 Ra27 Rxa477

Black's i rrelevant greed allows White to set up a defensive formation. Again 1 1 ... Rh2 mates.

12 Re777 Wh ite "insists" on being mated. After the correct 1 2 Re2! White has reasonable chances of defending because B lack's pawns are now partly blockaded. White will next play 13 Kg2 and make it very hard for Black to break the blockade at f3.

12 1 3 Rxf7t 14 Rf8

Better late than never!

Ra21 Kg& Rh2 mate. 1 05

Principles/Rules of Thumb For Practical Endgame Play Endgames With Opposite Color Bishops ( 1 ) The key principle for defending a material down pure opposite color bishop endgame is to aim for a blockade. Therefore, the side up material should avoid playing h is passed pawn (s) so that the enemy bishop and king can safely blockade them. I n particular, connected passed pawns should not be placed on the color of your own bishop. (2) The material up side should be most carefu l in how it advances its pawns, lest the opponent's chances for a successful blockade increase. A unique characteristic of pure opposite color bishop endgames is that you can never break a blockade by offering to exchange pieces. (3) I n positions where routine pawn breakthroughs are not possible, look for sacrifices to ach ieve the goal of a winni ng passed pawn. (4) To win B + 2 connected passed pawns vs. B endgames, both pawns must be able to reach the sixth rank in safety. (5) In R + B vs. R + B endgames the major strategic theme again is the blockade. The side down material wi l l try to blockade the enemy passed pawn(s). (6) Since the rook is a major piece, endgames of R + B vs. R + B offer increased winning chances because of rook activity, as well as i ncreased drawing chances for the defender if his rook can be activated for counter­ play. The increased winning chances come from the fact that if the R + B attack a point, the defender's bishop cannot help out.

1 06

Chapter 5 Endgames With Rooks and Minor Pieces Section 1 : Rook vs. Minor Pieces Subject # 40: Rook vs. bishop, pawns on both sides Questions: What is the correct material relationship between a rook and a m i nor piece? How should Diagram 65 be evaluated? What is the thematic play from it?

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D iagram 65

. /i· "

Answers: The correct material balance is rook = minor piece plus 1 Ya pawns. Of course, such a situation can't occur since we cannot split a pawn . But it gives us the following very clear evaluations. Strictly on a material basis: ( 1 ) If you sacrifice a rook for a minor piece and get two pawns also, you are ahead in material by about half a pawn. (2) If you sacrifice a rook for a minor piece and only get one pawn addi· tionally, you are behind in material by about half a pawn. Diagram 65 is an analysis position from NN K. DeSmet, Belgium 1 982, Black on move. Black could have obtained this position. Should he have? -

Wh ile playing an actual game it is always necessary to keep in mind both the practical and theoretical considerations. I n our case, Black had a choice between Diagram 65 and what he played. Whether he made the right de­ cision depends on what the other choice(s) were. If Black's position was just a bit worse, then it is clearly suicidal to go for Diagram 65. If on the other hand, the other choice is clearly losing, then Diagram 65 is worth a try. I n the above discussion, I am already saying that Black's position is very bad. The reasons for this are clear: 1. White has a definite material advantage of about Ya pawn 2. White's pawn formation is perfect 3. The position is sufficiently open so that Wh ite's rook has excellent op­ portunities 4. White's king can be brought i nto play easily 1 07

5. There are a large number of pawns remaining and these are on both sides of the board 6. Black has absolutely no compensation for his material disadvantage The above factors mean that Black should never voluntarily accept D ia­ gram 65 and on ly do so if the alternatives are very clearly worse.

Is the position a theoretical win, in other words, if White and B lack both play perfectly, does White win? I th ink so, though in chess it is very hard to be 1 00% sure of almost anything. But in any case, un less B lack de­ fends perfectly, he wi l l lose very easily. Thus positions of this sort are lost almost always in practical play, even if at the start they may not be 1 00% theoretically lost. A l i kely continuation could be: 1 ..... f6 The only way to improve Black's king position. The immediate mobili­ zation of the queenside with 1 ... b57 leaves Black's king a prisoner on f8, since a subsequent ... f6 loses to Re6 and the rook penetrates i nto Black's queenside. But after the text move, 2 Re67 is not playable since 2... Be51 traps the rook and necessitates 3 f4.

2 Kf1 The rook stands well on the e-file, therefore, the first priority is to activate the king. White cou ld play 2 b4, but after 2 ... Bd4 he either has to exchange pawns (and get nothing tangible for that) or leave Black's c-pawn as a passed pawn. Pawns should only be moved when there is a clear bene­ fit from this. Otherwise you are only spoiling your future potential.

2 3 Ke2 .••••

Kf7

Be5

Blocking off the e-file. The alternative is 3.. .f5, but after 4 Rh4 Black has absorbed pawn weaknesses for uncertain benefit. 4 Kd3 b5 To prevent 5 Kc4. Of course, White's h-pawn is poisoned and thus 4 ... Bxh277 wi l l cost the bishop after 5 g3.

5 g3 6 a41 7 Re21

g5 a&

There is nothing to do on the 4th rank so the rook retreats to the 2nd to be ready to infiltrate into Black's position via the a-fi le. Notice the ef­ ficient and economical way that White is playing: king is central ized, just two pawn moves (one to open the a-file, the other to safeguard the king­ side), just one rook move, but this with a clear plan. Black lacks a satisfactory plan/response since 7... Ke677 loses the bishop after 8 f4. Also 7... Bd47 is poor because after 8 axb5 axb5 9 b41 fol l owed by 1 0 Rc2, White wins the c-pawn for nothing.

7 8 axb5 9 Re21 10 Ra51

Bel&

axb5

Ke6

To make Black's queenside majority immobi le while also allowing White's king access to c4. 1 08

10 .....

b4

1 1 Kc41 Simplest, since White obtains a won K & P endgame. The "thematic" 1 1 Ra7 (activating the rook! ) also is strong.

Ke5 Bxc5

11 12 Rxc5t .••.•

Hopeless also is 1 2... Ke4 1 3 Rc6.

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20

White wins.

Ke4 Kf3 Kxf2 f5 f4 gxf4 f3 Kg2 f2 Kh1

Kxc5 Kxb4 Kc5 b4 b5 gxf41 b6 b7 b8=Q Qg3t Oxf2

21 22 23

Subject # 41 : Rook vs knight, pawns on one side only Questions:

Is it significant that there are pawns on ly on one side of the board7 Can White win from D iagram 667

• Diagram 66

• • • • •

•

•

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� •

• .

� .

• M E! M

r+i �

��

� . � . � � �� %: . • ·�� Z{"ii . . . ��

Answers : It is always in the interest of the side down material that the remaining pawns be only on one side. This way there is both less to defend and easier to do so because the area to be covered is smaller. Moreover, the side going for the win has less opportunities because all of h is chances lie on one side only. Therefore, in rook vs. minor piece endgames, with the pawn formations "normal", one pawn for the exchange is sufficient to be able to draw. I n Diagram 66, P. Berdion N N , USA 1 973, White on move agreed to a draw and I have no quarrel with that. Black's pawn formation is sound enough to draw. Stil l there wou ld have been nothing wrong with White playing on for a few more moves to make sure that B lack understands the correct drawing technique. Thematic play would be : 1 Rd8 Nf1 1 09 ·

2 Rf8 3 Rg8

Ke7 Kf61

4 Ke4 5 Kf4

Nd6t

I nadvisable is 3... e5t71 since it weakens Black's defensive formation and achieves nothing positive. The defender should always refrain from creat­ ing new weaknesses.

Both 5 Kd37 and 5 Kd47 are bad because of 5... Nf5(t). We see now that in our starting position White also has a weakness: the g-pawn.

5

.....

Nf71

Drawn. With Black continuing to guard the e5 and g5 squares as well as prevent­ i ng annoying rook checks, White cannot expect to make progress.

Subject # 42: Rook vs. bishop, pawns on one side only Questions: Doesn't Black win easily from Diagram 677 Is there anything that cou ld complicate Black's task?

Diagram 67

Answers: Strictly on material considerations Black has a huge advantage: he has R + P vs. bishop or a material superiority of approximately 2% pawns. Of course, the great bulk of positions that simpl ify down to R + P vs. minor piece are straightforward wins. However, there is one class of positions which cannot be won. This is where the pawn has been advanced too far, with the resul t that it is both vulnerable and takes away a key i nvasion square from the king. Therefore, at the start of a R + P vs. minor piece endgame, you always want to first activate and penetrate with your king and only after this has been accomplished to start advancing the pawn. This brings us to D iagram 67, Campos - Henao, World Student Cham­ pionship, Venezuela 1 976, after White's 5 1 st move. It turns out to be a most frustrating position for Black. The reason is that after the exchange of Black's g-pawn for White's h-pawn a theoretically drawn position occurs. R + RP on the 5th or 6th rank vs. bishop is drawn if White's pieces are properly placed (as here) and he defends correctly (something which is not at all easy to do l ). Therefore Black is never in a position to break with ... g4 and how else is he to progress? This turns out to be most difficult to do and many analysts have therefore evaluated Diagram 67 as drawn. 1 10

Nevertheless, with a series of problem-l i ke maneuvers Black can achieve the win. First we will follow the game continuation :

Ke4

51 52 Bd6 53 Kh1 54 Bb8

Rc2t

Kf3

This position looks bleak for White but is in fact fully defensible. Black still cannot play 54 .. g4 because the position after 55 hxg4 is a theoretical draw. Moreover, as long as White's bishop remains on the h2-b8 diagonal, Black's king cannot get to g3. Therefore Black must try to chase White's bishop away from the present diagonal, but this can only be done by the combination of rook and king. Thus, to hope for an eventual decisive march forward, B lack's king must first head backward .

.

54 55 56 57 58 59

•

.

Rc1t Ke4

Kh2 Kg2 Kh1 Kg1 Ba7

Rc2t

Kd51 Rc81

Forced because 59 Bh2? leads to a routinely lost K & P endgame after 59 Rc1 t 60 Kg2 Rc2t 61 Kg1 Rxh21 62 Kxh2 Ke4. 59 Ke4 ..•

•••••

••• • •

r� � Diagram 68

..

�� �

g -

. . � � n .:a � -

� .

� � . � f �.U. ��� -�-� i.U. � � .

� • � • . • . • ft • • • • � . � . . � �

The key position. Black's king is ready to penetrate. How should White resist? There are two possible ways:

60 Kg2? the game continuation. Since this allows Black's king to penetrate via f4, B lack's win is rather simple. (1 )

=

60 ..... 61 Bb6 62 Kh1

Kf41 Rc2t

62 ..... 63 Be3

Kg3 Kxh3?1

64 Bxg5

Rh2t

After 62 Kf1 the simplest is 62... Kg3 63 Be3 g41 64 hxg4 h3. Considerably more thematic -- as well as faster -- is 63 ... Rb21 64 Bd4 R b 1 t 65 Bg1 g41 66 hxg4 h3 67 g5 h2 (J. Kaplan). 111

66 Kg1 66 Kh1 1

Rg2t Rb2

ff1 68 69 70 71 72

Rb1 t Kg4 h3 Re1 1 Re2t h2

Unfortunately 66 ... Rxg5 is stalemate, someth ing that B lack overlooked when playing 63 Kxh37 1 . Therefore Black must re-maneuver. He can do this successfu l ly because White's pieces can be pushed into a possible bind, leading to a position known as a theoretical win for B lack. ..•

Be3 Bg1 Kh2 Bd4 Bb6 Kh1

Because White's bishop is off the h2-b8 diagonal, this move is possible and winning.

73 Bc7 74 Bg3 75 Be1 Resigns.

Kh3 Rd2 Rb21

best defense 60 Kf21 With the idea that 60 Kf4 is parried by 61 Belt. Therefore B lack must use a very sophisticated approach. Rc71 60 . . (2)

=

.•.

.

..

61 Bb8

Of course, 61 Bb67! wou ld lose as in the game above: 61 Kg1 Kf3 etc.

61 ..... 62 Bel&

..•

Rc2t 62

Rb71 Kd5 1

Black has now woven a net around the possible good squares for the bishop and therefore the bishop must retreat to an off center location. Note that b8, c7, d6, e5, f4, g3 and h2 (because of 63. . . Rh2t and 64 . Rxh2) are not available and neither are fB, e7, c5, b4. Therefore White's response is forced and it allows B lack to execute his long prepared plan : to get h is rook to g3 when White's king is cut off from the h-pawn by being on f2. As you recal l White's king had to go to f2 to prevent B lack's king from first reaching f4 and thence g3. .

63 Ba3 Played with the crucial gain of a tempo.

64 Be7

.

Rb31 Rg3!

Mission accompl ished. Wh ite's king cannot get back to protect his h­ pawn, whereas Black's king wi l l be able to protect h is g-pawn. Ke6 65 Kf1

66 Bd8

Black wins.

1 12

Kf5

Section 2: Rook(s) + Minor Piece vs. Rook(s) + Minor Piece Subject # 43: R + B vs. R + N, material equality, pawns on both sides Questions :

In what positions is R + B the preferred combination ? I n what positions is R + N the superior one? Who is better in Diagram 69? What is the thematic play from it7

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�;;\t�t': 1

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Diagram 69

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>- � .·

• g

ft ��

• •

<� ,�? 1' 1£ w�

�

r� X

•

.

� » /-'• ,

�::,

"""'/·

�";

4).

�"*- .ll..

�: Jl 4l> �'.;,; -7 //,0'"

r+l �

Answers: The bishop is a long range piece and so is the rook. The combination is most effective in open or relatively open positions where there are pawns on both sides of the board. The knight is a short range piece and an excel­ lent blockader. It is most effective in cluttered or blockaded positions and in such positions is the preferred helper to the rook. In Diagram 69, J. Frankie - M. Chen, Boston 1 973, after Wh ite's 32nd move, White has a slight advantage because of the more active rook, a cen· trally placed bishop with potential on both sides (the superior minor piece in such a relatively open position) and a queenside pawn majority. This latter factor offers White the opportun ity to create a viable passed pawn there, with B lack's king too far away to be an effective defender. However, Black's position is fundamentally sound and Wh ite's advanced k ingside pawns are a bit weak. These factors al low Black, with careful defending, to draw:

32 .....

Rd71

And not the active appearing 32 ... Ra5? which allows White to mobil i ze his queenside with 33 b41 R xa2 (or 33... Ra6 34 a4! fol lowed by a5) 34 Bxb6.

33 a4 Ai ming to get at B lack's a-pawn by playing 34 a5. Wh ite has no time for king central ization with 33 Kf2 because 33... Nf4l threatens both 34... Nxh3t and 34 ... Nd3t. Also after the text move Black has to activate his knight.

.

33 ..... 34 Kg2

Ne51

34 a5 is met by 34 .. Nf3t fol lowed by 35 ... Nxd4. No advantage can be expected from 34 Bxe5 dxe5 since, because of the threat of 35 ... R d 1 t 36 Kf2 Rd2t, White must resort to the passive 35 Kf1 . 1 13

34

35 Be3

36 Kf3 37 Ke4 38 Bc1

Nc61 Ke61 Ne5t Nc4 Rd1 1

Demonstrating the useful ness of his 35th move: since White can't play 29 Rxa7 with check, B lack's rook can be activated. Nxb2 39 Bf4 Rd7 40 Rxa7 Nc4 41 Re6

42 a51

Since there is no hope of winning the b-pawn for nothing, White plays a nice "exchanging combination" which gives him a passed c-pawn.

42

•••••

43 Rxb6t

Nxa5 Kf7

44 Rd671

The exchanging off of White's active rook makes it so much easier for Black to defend. The correct plan is to i mprove the activity of White's rook while keeping the knight as i nactive as possible: 44 Ra6! Nc4 45 Rc61 Na5 46 Rc8 1 . The passed c-pawn is a real threat and Black will have to defend quite accurately.

44 ..... 45 Bxd6 46 Bf4

Rxd& Ke& Nc&l

The knight is a born blockader and it is not in White's power to chase it away from this post. This endgame is quite drawn.

47 Bg3 48 Bf2 49 Bd4

g6 Kd& f5t

50 gxf5 51 Kd3

gxf5t

Good enough to draw, though it requires accurate calculation. Of course, Black could simply keep the status quo with 49 Ke6. .••

51 Kxf5 Nxd4t 52 cxd4 Kd5 is a drawn K & P endgame because White is left with the h-pawn : 53 Kg5 Kxd4 54 Kh6 Ke5 55 Kxh7 Kf6 56 h4 (56 Kg8 Kg5) 56... Kf7 57 h5 KfBI etc.

51 .....

Ne5t

52 Ke3 Of course, 52 Bxe5t Kxe5 leads to the same type of play as i n the pre­ vious note. Therefore White refuses to exchange, but of course this also leads to nothing. 52 Ng6

53 54 55 56 57 58

1 14

Bf6 Bg5 Bf6 Bd8 Ba5 Bc7 Drew.

Kd5 Kc4 Kd5 Kc4 Kd5 Kc4

Subject # 44: R + N vs. R + 8, one pawn advantages Questions: What moves for Black are logical from Diagram 70? What is the correct evaluation of this position?

Diagram 70

Answers: D iagram 70 shows the position from Mocellin Ginod, France 1 982, with Black on move and about to seal. What should he seal? Well, to de­ termine that we should first correctly evaluate the position. White is ahead a sound passed c-pawn, has a powerfully placed knight and his rook beh ind the passed pawn. However, Black's rook and bishop are very actively placed. Since Black has no weaknesses and there are few pawns remaining, Black should feel confident of drawing. I think that Black has three logical moves: ·

( 1 ) 1 ... Kg7 : essentially keeping the status quo.

(2) 1 ... hxg4 : bringing about a routine exchange of pawns and thus heading closer to the draw. This is what I would have played. (3) 1 ... Bd4 : trying to chase White's rook away from the c-file, so that Black can play his rook to the active "behind the passed pawn" location on c2. However, Black had sealed someth ing completely different:

1

... ..

h4tn

Analytically speaking, this is a rather dubious attempt at getting more than a draw. B lack wil l now be two pawns down and with so l ittle attack­ ing material left, the chances for a mate are very sl ight. Yet psychological­ ly it works out very well. White was quite surprised by it and quickly lost his way. 2 Kxh41 Why not? White can probably draw after 2 Kf3 f5! 3 gxf5 gxf5 4 Ne3 A h 2 5 Ad3, but why shouldn't he go for more? Rg2 2 ... .. Continuing in his enterprising way : Black prevents Wh ite's king's return to g3. I will now consider the following two moves: (1 ) 3 Kg51 The king as an attacker! White is quite safe after it. He threatens to free h i mself with f5 and there is no way to prevent it.

3 4 f51

Kg7 f&t

115

5 Kf4 Of course not 5 Nxf677 because of 5 ... Be7.

5 6 Ke4 7 Ne31

g6t Re2t Kf7

Hopeless is 7 ... R h 27 because of 8 Kd5!.

8 Rd3 With excel lent winning chances for White. tangle his pieces with 9 Kf3.

White wi l l now work to un·

3 Nf67 The game continuation after which White went on to even lose. How· ever, objectively speaking, White's position is sti l l good enough to draw. (2)

(a) 3 Bd4 4 Nd7t Ke7 (4 Kg7 5 Rd3) 5 Rd31 and White is safe. .•.

(b) 3 Kg7 4 Kg7 7 Ne4) 5 course win the would lose the draw. .•.

•.•

NeSt l
Subject # 45: R + N vs. R + B, one pawn advantage, pawns on the side

same

Questions: With a material advantage and pawns on the same side, whi ch minor piece is the preferred one? How should Black proceed from Diagram 7 1 7

•

Diagram 7 1

. • . �;M �/ ' • • a • rl t • • • f� . • I\ . . • ..��. %� t ao& 8 M t 8 �i

. ,, -��

�- R D r. R • RR Answers: With pawns ori the same side only, the area to be covered is relatively small. To win an endgame having a one pawn advantage, the knight is the superior minor piece to have because its greater flexibility allows it to at· tack more points. I n Diagram 7 1 , an analysis position from J. Fedorowicz A. Bisguier, New York I nternational 1 977, after White's 54th move, Black has several advantages: an extra pawn, the active rook, the superior m inor piece. Moreover, White's king is in some danger of being mated. For maxi· mum attacking power Black's king should join the fray: 54 . .. Kg41 Black now threatens 55... Rh 1 t 56 Kg2 R g 1 mate, so that White's king

·

.

1 16

must flee.

55 Ke2 56 Kel 57 Bc4

Rh1 Rb1 1 Rc1 1

Forcing White's bishop to an inferior square, because 58 8e67 loses to 58... Re1 t 59 Re2 Rxe2t 60 Kxe2 Nd4t and 58 Bb57 loses to 58... Rc3t 59 Ke2 Nd4t.

58 Ba& 59 Ke2 60 Rb2

Rclt Khll

60 61 Ra2

Kg21 Nd4t l

60 Kf1 7 leads to mate after 60 ... Rc1 t 61 Ke2 R e 1 . ..•..

A regrouping with the purpose of getting at White's f-pawn.

62 63 64 65 66

Ke1 Bf1 t Ba6 Bc4 Ba&

Rf3 Kg1 Nc&l Ne51 Ng4

Black wins; after winning the f-pawn, B lack's further task is elementary. Notice how i mportant in the final play was the inherent flex ibil ity of Black's knight.

Subject # 46: 2 R + N

vs.

2 R + N, pawns on both sides

Questions: What is the most important principle in playing R + N vs. R + N (and 2 R + N vs. 2 R + N ) endgames? I n Diagram 72 how big a problem are White's tripled f-pawns?

Diagram 72

Answers: Since in R + N vs. R + N endgames both sides have the same pieces, the most important principle deals with the major piece on the board, the rook. Therefore, activate and keep your rook active ! In Diagram 72, M. Robertson - M. Roza, I l linois 1 974, after White's 1 6th move, we see a position which has gone directly from the opening into the endgame. White is up a pawn, though in the form of a tripled f-pawn. White's isolated tripled f-pawns are weak and ugly looking, yet a pawn is a pawn and therefore I judge the situation on the kingside as approximately 117

equal. Elsewhere White has just established control of the open d-fi le. At the moment chances seem to be in dynamic balance, but perceptive play is required to retain this. The game continued :

16 .....

Ne671

I mmediately attacking the forward f-pawn wi l l not give results. Thematic is to chal lenge White's control of the d-file with 1 6... Rfd8!.

17 Ne271 There was no need for this passive retreat. More logical is the active 1 7 f5! and if 1 7 . . . Nf4, 1 8 Rd4.

17 ..... 18 Rac1 !

Rac81 Rxc171

Why rush to exchange and give White control of the c-fi le? Because White has two active rooks, Black should safeguard his king from back rank mates by playing 1 B... h6 or 18 ... g6.

19 Rxc1

Re871

The rook is not placed fruitfully here. In order is 19 ... g6 1 followed by 20... Rd8. 20 a4 Playable but rather irrelevant to the position. More sensible is 20 Kf1 protecting the kn ight. And strongest is 20 f51 Ng5 2 1 Kg2 1 and because of Black's back rank weakness White wi l l be able to activate both his rook and knight.

20 ..... 21 b4

h6 Nc5 7

22 Rxc5 23 Rc7

Rxe2

An exchanging combination which makes White's rook the active one. Correct is the defensive 2 1 ... Re71 protecting Black's second rank from in­ cursion by White's rook. White's advantage after 21 ... Re71 is mi nimal. Possible of course is first 23 ReSt Kh7 and then 24 Rc7, yet it is not clear where White wou ld prefer Black's king to be.

23 .....

Ra2

The game score becomes completely i llegible after this move. However, if White now plays:

24 a51

. . . he wins a queenside pawn and obtains excellent wi nning chances.

Subject # 47: 2 R + B vs. 2 R + 1\4 pawns on both sides Questions : Why is White better in Diagram 73 (on the next page ) ? Is there a way that he can trade in these advantages for some­ th ing even better? Answers: Diagram 73 (on the next page) shows the position from E. Mednis - J. Fedorowicz, New York I nternational 1 977, after Black's 29th move. One obvious advantage for White is that Black's b-pawn is always vu l nerable to White's bishop. Moreover, both of White's rooks are actively placed. I f White could quickly double rooks o n the h-file Black's h-pawn could be in trouble. Therefore : 1 18

D iagram 73

30 f41 White combines play against the b-pawn with that against Black's h-pawn. The threat is simpl y ' 3 1 Reh3 Nh5 32 Be2. Note that White's kingisde play is only possible because both pairs of rooks remain on the board. Since the above plan cannot be defended against, Black tries to create some play by opening the a-file.

30

•.•..

axb4

31 cxb41 Rba7 My original plan was to simply protect the a-pawn by 32 Bc2 and then to go ahead with play on the h-file. F u rther calculation seemed to indicate that Black gets fai r chances for counterplay along the c-file after 32 ... Rc8 33 Reh3 Nh5 34 Bd1 Rac7. Subsequent -- at home -- analysis showed that in point of fact th is was not to be feared. Still, in a tournament game when you have a position of great strength you do not want to al low any counterplay that may be dangerous. More­ over, in a superior position there often are opportunities for trading the existing advantages for a new, enhanced set. Using this approach I decided, after some reflection, to continue with:

32 Bxb51 33 Rhh3 34 Rxe3

Nf5 Nxe3

After the sacrifice of the exchange, this is the starting position . On a purely materialistic balance, Wh ite does not have quite enough compensa­ tion. However, on positional considerations White has more than enough. Two connected passed pawns which can be assisted by the bishop in their advance -· this packs a tremendous punch. Of course, White's pre-sacrifice advantages also were considerable. Still, the master always looks for a dy· namic way to exchange one set of advantages for a new set consisting of expanded advantages. I felt confident that th is was being achieved with 32 Bxb51. Theoretically this position must be rated as won for White. This does not mean, however, that it plays itself. Accuracy is required to both pre­ vent counterplay and the establishment by Black of a viable defensive for· mation. Black's extra pawn is on the kingside so that his next move is a logical attempt at creating some counterplay. 34 e& .•.•.

1 19

36 Bc4

exd5

36 Bxd5 37 Kb3 38 a41

Rb8 Kf8

This allows the bishop a strong stable location. However, the attempt to pressure the bishop with 35... Rc7 36 KbJ Race is refuted by 37 dxe61 Rxc4 38 e7, leading to a won R + P endgame for White.

Passed pawns must be pushed! White's K + R + B stand well enough so that White should immediately start to exploit the strength in his position: the passed pawns. If Black does nothing the pawns wi l l move inexorably forward : b5, Kb4, a5, b6 etc. With h is reply Black hopes to either activate the rook -- or i n case of the exchange - to bring the k i ng over to the queenside for defense. It does not work out, but there is nothi ng satisfactory. 38 ReS 39 Rxe8tl Kxe8 40 a51 Kd8

41 Ka4

Kc8

' Also 41 ... Kc7 is met by 42 Kb51 and Black's K + R are in zugzwang. Neither is there time for rook activity, e.g. 41 ... Re7 42 a6 Re1 43 Kb5 Ra1 44 Kb6 followed by 45 a7.

42 Kb51 The king is a fighting piece i n the endgame and therefore should be made made active and kept active. The king is particu larly helpful when in front of or to the side of passed pawns, as th is way he can be of greatest assis­ tance in their advance. Less clear is 42 b5 Rc7 1 43 b6 Rc5, with B lack getting counterplay. After the text, if Black plays 42 ... Kc7, then 43 a6 puts him in zugzwang.

42

43 Kb&l

44 a&

There is no hope. upon 46 Bb7 wins.

Kb8 Re7 Rc7

If 44 .. Ra7 45 b5 and the rook must move, where­ .

45 Bb71 The threat of 46 a7 mate requires the reply, which leads to an elementary K + P endgame win.

45 46 axb7 47 Kc5

Rxb7t d5 Resigns.

Section 3: Other Endgames With Rooks And Minor Pi eces Subject # 48: R + B + N vs. R + B + two connected passed pawns Questions: Who has the advantage in D iagram 74 (on the next page) ? How should White handle the position? Answers: Diagram 74 (on the next page) shows the position in NN - P. L. Michael, USA 1 973, after Black's 28th move. Counting material we see that Black 1 20

Diagram 74

has two pawns for the piece and these are in the form of connected passed pawns on the kingsicle. Very rarely in a normal type of position are two passed pawns superior to a piece and it is also i nfrequent that two passed pawns are sufficient compensation for a piece. Therefore, after a relatively brief look at Diagram 74 I would conclude that White has some kind of an advantage but whether this should be sufficient to win is unclear. A more thorough evaluation of D iagram 74 will give the following addi· tional conclusions: ( 1 ) Black's passed pawns ca n be so placed that it is easy to protect them. (2) White can easily blockade the passed pawns because he already has the rook + knight on the kingside and the bishop can readily move there via e 1 . (3) From their blockading positions White's pieces will have little attack· ing power. (4) Black has no fundamental weaknesses that White can attack. (5) There is no straightforward way that Wh ite can expect to establish a passed pawn. With the above as a background we can now better appreciate the game continuation (the wrong way) and the follow-up correct way for White to handle the position : ( 1 ) Game Continuation = The Wrong Way 29 c471 By itself th is does no damage, but I 've added the dubious mark to i ndi­ cate that White is unaware of the correct plan. 29 h3 As a general principle Black would want to leave the pawns on the dark squares so that White cannot set up a blockade on g3. In other words, Black would l i ke to be able to play ... g4 and ... g3. However, at the moment this is not possible since 29 .. g4 30 Be1 g37? loses to 31 Bxg3. Black there­ fore satisfies h i mself with advancing the h-pawn forward to h3 where it is safe and bound to cramp White's defenses. This is a perfectly reasonable approach. •••••

.

30 c57 White puts the pawn en prise. Correct is 30 Be1 to blockade the g-pawn.

30

.....

d57 121

Black fails to notice that after 30... g41 31 Ne2 dxc5 White cannot cap. ture with 32 Bxc577 because of 32 .. ReS. .

31 Nf377 Allowing B lack's kingisde pawns to march. The correct 31 Be1 would draw without difficulty. g4 1 31

32 Nxe5t 33 Bc37

Ke6

33

Rc87

Because of the presence of opposite color bishops, some drawing chances are retained by 33 Nxg4!. The attempt to blockade the g-pawn tactically by 33 Be 1 ? is refuted by 33... Kxe5! I 34 Bc3t Ke4! 35 Bxh8 g3 and Black will make a new queen. .•...

This also is rather i rrevelant to the needs of the position which demand that Black get the kingside pawns going. The thematic 33... g3 1 wins easily.

34 b47 White still doesn't realize that the real enemy is Black's connected passed pawns. Drawing chances were retained by 34 Nxg41.

34

35 Re2

36 Re1 37 c6 Resigns.

g3 h21 g2 bxc6

(2) White's Correct Way 29 Be1 1 A piece up, it is i n order to first stop Black's potential play on the king­ side. h3 _ 29 Might as well advance it to here where it is quite safe. Of course, there is the disadvantage that White's bishop can now effectively blockade the g3 square. Yet there is no way to improve Black's position: 29... g477 is not playable, 29 e47 li mits Black's bishop and 29... Be4 is met by 30 Nh3 when 30... g4? is not playable because of 31 Ng5. •...•

.•.

30 Bg3

By covering the h2 square this gives Wh ite's rook some freedom. 30 g4 Protecting the h-pawn while also advancing one square closer to queen­ ing. •••••

31 Rf2 Activating the rook is now safe.

31 .....

Be4

Keeping the bishop as active as possible.

32 Bh2

The safest blockading position as the farthest advanced pawn is now stopped. Rg8 32 33 N e2 Bf3 Threatening 34... Bxe2 followed by 35... g3. 1 22 •••••

34 N g3

With some advantage to White. It is clear that White's minor pieces have completely stopped Black's kingside pawns. White's rook therefore is now free for attacking purposes. Can White win from here? And how to go about it? Even though White is clearly better, the job of establ ishing the exact, hoped for winning method is extremely difficult. If the game would be adjourned here it is very easy to spend 20 hou rs or so looking for the right method. This method must consist of the "proper" advance of the queen· side pawns to try to force some kind of vulnerable weakness in Black's po­ sition. Most l i kely White's king shou ld move to the kingside so as to free the knight for attacking purposes. Even after all of this I am not certain that White has a win. But what is clear - and important ·· is that White has played correctly from Diagram 74 to snuff out any "threats that Black could have on the kingside.

Subject # 49: 2 R + N + B vs. 2 R + N + B, one pawn advantage Questions: I n D iagram 75 what is Black's thematic play? What is White's thematic play?

.

..

A W�;,

-�

�-,

,A,

1�1

�ti .t �x�� • �j .t

D iagram 75

ltt 8 . � • rr• � � if� w � ;//: � �� ��'-" �a .,;-::iff, l:::j _ 'Z..J � � � �R� �rfff • 1\ 1;� t:;:j: � � ����" � <'.$\" • �� .a. ?� r� • *:fr& 8 i"4h •. i#. ::i. • ,g • �

..

/-'/•/.·%

' N

Answers: The play ensuing from D iagram 75, Legore · D. Eisen, USA correspon· dence 1 977·78, after White's 3 1 st move, is what practical play is about. Though Black is up a pawn and has two connected passed pawns on the queenside, the win is nowhere routine because White's pieces are actively placed there and thus i nh ibit the ready advance of Black's queenside. The strategic benchmarks of the position are : Black must try to get he queen· side going; Wh ite must prevent this, whi le making somethi ng of his extra pawn on the center/kingside. Success for each side wi l l depend on how wel l it is able to achieve the above objective (s). Black now played: . 31 b6 To prevent 32 Na5. The weakening of the queenside is unwelcome, but can't be avoided as e.g. 31 ... Rf6? ! is met by 32 Bg4 Nc5 33 f3 ! and Black has no good way of protecting his e·pawn (33... Na6 34 Rb2 ReB 35 Na51 leads to problems on Black's queenside) . ....

32 Bg41 It is clearly in Wh ite's i nterest to trade one of his doubled e-pawns for 1 23

Black's e-pawn. This both normalizes White's pawn formation and makes the remaining e-pawn a passed pawn.

32 33 Nxe5 34 fl 35 e41

Nc5 Bxe4 Bb7 g6

36 Rb21 37 Rba2

Kg7 a&l

Thanks to his e-pawn White has good central influence and the active piece placement also serves to keep Black at bay. Therefore Black correctly first improves the position of his king.

White tries to force Black's queenside pawns forward so that they become more vulnerable and Black resists this as much as possible. 38 Nc4 h5

39 Bhl

Rf&

41 Na5

Bc8

42 Bg21 43 Rc3

Be&

44 Rc7t 45 Rbc2

Rf7 Ra71

40 Rb2 So far White has played perfectly but starting here he fails to take the best practical steps. Black's major hope is his connected passed pawns; therefore eliminating one of them by 40 e5! Rxf3 41 R xf3 Bxf3 42 Nxb6 makes great sense. 40 ..... b5 A passive square for the bishop but after 41 ... Rf7 42 Rc2! Na4 43 Be6 it is sti l l the Wh ite bishop that is the superior one.

Playable, but not as logical as making use of the pawn majority in the center with 43 e5l followed by 44 f4. 43 Na4 It is important to prevent White's rook(s) from controlling the 7th rank, e.g. 45. . b471 46 R xf7t Bxf7 47 Rc7 with excellent counterplay for White as 47... b37 is not feasible and 47 ... R b8 7 1 allows 48 Nc6. .

46 R7c6 47 Rd67

Rfe7

Before thinking about further aggressiveness, White had to prevent the mobil ization of Black's b-pawn with 47 Bf1 1 as then 47 ... b47 is surprised by 48 Bc4 1 .

47 .....

b41

Passed pawns must be pushed!

48 Bf17

This offers now no prospects as the b-pawn just continues its run. As Eisen points out, the only practical chance was the piece sacrifice after 48 Rcc6 b3 49 Nxb3! Bxb3 50 Rxg6t Kf7 51 Rcf6t l<e8 52 R xa6. Never­ theless, since Black has lots of pieces remain ing, his chances of mounting an effective attack against White's king are excellent.

48 49 Rcc6 1 24

bl b2

50 Bd3

Red7!

The remaining motifs deal with promoting the b-pawn, with White being defenseless against it, e.g. 51 R xe6 Rxd3 52. Rxg6t Kf7 53 Rcf6t KeB or 51 e5 Rxd6 52 exd6 Ba2 53 Rc7t R xc7 54 dxc7 Nb6. White's game move is i rrelevant.

51 52 53 54

g4 fxg4 Rxd6 Nc6

hxg4 Rxd6 Rc7!

Or 54 R xe6 Rc3 ! or 54 e5 Rc3 55 Be4 Re3 56 Bc2 Rxe5 etc.

54 55 Bc2 Resigns.

Bc4! Bb5

Principles/Rules of Thumb For Practical Endgame Play Endgames With Rooks and Minor Pieces ( 1 ) The value of a rook is a minor piece + 1 Y:z pawns. This means that under normal conditions one pawn for the exchange is insufficient compensation, whereas two pawns for it is already a material advantage. (2) In rook vs. minor piece endgames, with pawns on both sides of the board, having only one pawn for the exchange usually leads to a loss. (3) I n rook vs. minor piece endgames, with pawns on one side only, usually one pawn for the exchange is sufficient to draw. (4) If a rook vs. minor piece endgame has minor piece, the correct winning plan is to the king and only then advance the pawn. is a relatively large class of positions which advanced too far.

simpl ified down to R + P vs. first activate and penetrate with The reason for this is that there are drawn if the pawn has been

(5) I n R + B vs. R + N endgames, the R + B combination is generally the more effective one in open or relatively open positions where there are pawns on both sides of the board. R + N is the preferred combination in cluttered or blockaded positions. I n all cases - since the rook is a major piece to be used es an attacker - activate your roo k l (6) With a material advantage (the usual case being one pawn) and pawns on one side only, R + N is usually superior to R + B because the flexibility of the knight allows the R + N side to attack more points in the enemy position. (7) The most important principle in playing R + N vs. R + N (and 2 R + N vs. 2 R + N ) endgames is to activate and keep your rook(s) active ! (8) I n multipiece endgames where your opponent has sacrificed a piece to obtain passed pawn (s), make sure to first stop the pawns. Only then work to exploit your material advantage.

1 25

Cha pter 6 Endgames With Queens Subject # 50: a + P vs. a Questions: Which pawn (s) are the best to have? Which are the worst? Answers: When we speak of the 0 + P vs. 0 endgame we are referring to the situa­ tion where the defender's king is sufficiently far away from the pawn so that it cannot help in the defense. It should be clear that if the king is in front of the pawn that the position is a certain draw. The endgame of 0 + P vs. 0 is a very important one for endgame theory. This is because it is the ultimate simplification in 0 & P endgames. Yet it is not all that important in practical play. Firstly, pure 0 & P endgames are not that common. Secondly, the simpl ification down to where only a single pawn remains is very infrequent. I have been playing in tournaments well over 35 years and have not had a single case of it. Though much theoretical work has been done already, there stil l is a lot to learn regarding exactly which positions are wins and which are drawn. I expect that the major computer chess programs, such as H itech, will help us establish the definitive conclusions. I n the meanwhi le, for the type of sit· uation shown in Diagram 76, this is the present knowledge for each pawn :

� • . • ;f· #$;·"• • • • �• � . ��� - · ?'<.�· • • • • • • • • . . � . ;� � • ISJ, . �

Diagram 76

-

�

•

«��&-'�

f� "e'-

• • • • ( 1 ) Center Pawns (d· and e-pawns)

Once the pawn reaches the 7th rank, it is a sure win. The problem is getting it there. Because there is lots of room for checking on both sides of the pawn, it is extremely difficult to advance it. Even after it reaches the 6th rank, the position most l i kely is sti l l a theoretical draw. (2)

Bishop Pawn (c- and f·pawns)

From a practical standpoint the best pawn to have is the bishop pawn. It is considerably easier to advance than a center pawn because the check· ing possibilities from the short side are considerably reduced. Once the pawn reaches the 7th rank, the position is a theoretical win, even though the road wil l be longer and more complicated than for a center pawn. 1 26

(3)

Knight Pawn (b- and g-pawns)

This pawn is something of a mixed bag for winning purposes. It is rela· tively easy to advance to the 7th rank, but once there it stil l may not be a theoretical win. (4) Rook Pawn (a- and h-pawns) Theoretically thi s is by far the worst pawn to have and the Di agram 76 type of position is an assured theoretical draw. However, the correct de­ fensive technique is both difficult and laborious and in practical play it is very easy to lose this endgame. Many positions with the pawn on the 7th rank cannot be won because the stronger side's king cannot find shelter.

Subject # 5 1 : Q + P Questions:

vs.

R + P

Isn't Diagram 77 an easy win for Black? Is the endgame of R + g-pawn vs 0 a draw?

D iagram 77

Answers : What happens from D iagram 77, Godin - McDonald, Connecticut 1 97B, after White's 52nd move, is a perfect i l lustration of the adage that "a game is not over unti l it is over" or in other words "always be carefu l !". White's position must be called "hopeless": he is down a queen for a rook and his king is an eyelash away from being mated. Black has a number of elemen­ tary wins, including 52 ... 0e2, 52... 0f6, 52 ... 0a7 and 52 ... Kc2. I nstead he played:

52 .....

Kxb37

An i nstance of human greed, because the b-pawn is obviously i rrelevant to the needs of the position. Even more importantly it gives White the op­ portunity for a tactical surprise:

53 a71 ! Now things are much more difficult, since if B lack captures the a-pawn , Wh ite captures Black's g-pawn. Yet there stil l is a way to win by taking advantage of the poor situation of White's king: 53 ... 0f5 ! 1 . Any checks by White's rook are prevented; 54 a8=0 allows mate after 54. . 0h5t 55 Kg1 Oxd 1 ; 54 Ra1 loses to 54 . . 0h5t 55 Kg1 Oh2t 56 Kf1 Oh 1 t ; the easiest win after 54 Kg1 is 54... 0c5t ! 55 K h 1 Oh5t followed by 56. . . 0xd 1 mate. .

.

53 .. .. .

Oxa77

Of course, this automatic move is understandable; it simply is not the 1 27

correct one.

54 Rd3t 55 Rc3t

Kc4

55 56 57 58 59

Kd5 Ke5 Kf4 Kg4

Here and on the following moves White tempts Black into allowing stalemate. However, the simple 55 R xg31 is better because for the 0 vs. R + P endgame to come it is i n White's interest not to allow Black's king to get near White's pawn.

Rd3t Re3t Rf3t Rxg3t l

Here Black acquiesced to the draw by playing 59 ... Kxg3 stalemate. But what if he continued the game by playing 59 ... Kf4? Note of cou rse that the disappearance of Black's g-pawn has rel ieved the stalemate situation. What of the general theory of 0 vs. R + Pawn (s) endgames? 0 vs. R endgames (involving various pawn counts), though wel l developed in endgame theory, are both difficult and complicated. Queen v. R ook/ Mi nor Piece Endings by Averbakh et al devoted 1 35 analysis packed pages to this subject, of which 53 pages are for the case of 0 vs. R + P. Clearly it is impossible to do much generalizing here. Regarding the specific posi­ tion: the g-pawn back home is a favorable case for the defender and based on the analysis of Diagrams 74, 75, 78 (all with colors reversed) in the Averbakh book, I would call our position a theoretical draw. However, it is very easy for Wh ite to make a misstep with his king or rook and very often just a single error is sufficient to cause a theoretica l ly lost position. In a practical game, the stronger side should always play out such positions. The winning chances are good, the losing chances are zero -- is th is not the ideal practical situation?

Subject # 52: Queen + pawns vs. 2 rooks + pawns Questions: Who has the advantage in D iagram 78? What is the best way for White to use his queen? How should Black employ h is rooks?

• Diagram 78

•

•

•

B

•

.

•••

� :t f�.&': �� •

. B.»w .g • • • • .e. � � � .e. -� .8. �� � • .8. �'""" . . �"0'� � • • • • •

-

.

• -

�

d

�-

Answers: Diagram 78 shows the position from R . Byrne - J. Tarjan, 1 984 U. S. 1 28

Championship, after Black's 38th move. The play from here on is both in­ teresting and instructive. The endgame of queen vs. two rooks is a very im­ portant one. From a strictly material istic consideration the queen plus a pawn balances the two rooks. Here the queen's side is up a pawn, but it is a doubled one and in fact was lost. Therefore materially the position wi l l soon be equal. The next factor to be considered must be piece activity. We have a rather open board here and all the major pieces (Wh ite's queen and Black's rooks) have excellent scope, thus continuing the equivalence. It is the pawn formation that makes the d ifference. Even after losing the b2 pawn, White wi l l have two connected passed pawns on the queen­ side. In general, connected passed pawns are powerful and they also are very dangerous against rook(s). Yet Black also has a favorable pawn situa­ tion : the f-pawn is a passed pawn. Black's correct plan must be to try to delay the successful advance of Wh ite's passed pawns long enough so that h is own passed pawn can become a threat. So, does White have a win? Yes, it seems so. But the resu lting positions are exceedingly difficult to judge correctly during play. Th is very much en· hances the chance (or risk) of an error, voiding the win.

39 Qc51 A multi-purpose, generally centralizing move: Black's 39. . . Rf2t is pre­

vented, the h-pawn is i ndirectly protected ( ... R xh3 loses the rook after Oc8t ), the queen is in a position to help the pawns advance as wel l as lend support to the king. 39 . Re1 ! Black must get at the b2 pawn, otherwise his rooks will be stymied in their attempts to bother Wh ite's king and the forward b- and c-pawns. White has no satisfactory way of protecting b2 (e.g. 40 Kd2 is met by 40 ... R b 1 41 Oa3 Rf2t) and thus he immediately mobi l i zes his pawns. R emember that in endgames containing passed pawns, the single most im­ portant principle is: passed pawns must be pushed! 40 b41 Re2t ....

41 Kb3 42 c41 43 Ka4

Rff2 Rxb2t

Rf1 1 Black must place his rooks so that they can be useful in defending a­ gainst the passed pawns, in attacking White's king and in helping the f-pawn advance. For this, they must have maximum flexi bility. Therefore they shou ld not be on the same rank (as here on the 7th) and not be under attack by the queen (as the f2 rook is). Thus, for instance, the desirable plan of 43 ... Ra2t 44 Kb5 Ra8?? fai ls because the f2 rook hangs.

44 Qd4 White plays in accordance with the general principle that in queen end­ games, the center (d4, d5, e4, e5) is the best location for the queen. Of course, as is obvious, from d4 the queen controls a lot of important terri­ tory. However, here and it happens often enough in chess to be most frus­ trating (or exhi larating if one gains from it) the general principle is over­ shadowed by a specific problem. In other words, after the text move B lack can ach ieve a rook deployment which gives him surprisingly good counter1 29 ··

··

chances. Hindsight tells us that it would have been safer if B lack's coming plan is prevented. Therefore let us look at the winn ing prospects after 44 Oc8t ! K h 7 and now the sophisticated 4 5 Ka3! with the idea o f forcing the rooks to take up less flexible roles. Black can then either move the b2 rook or protect it. As I see it, the two main lines are: ( 1 ) 45 ... Rfb 1 : 46 b5 g6 (46... R b3t 47 Ka4 R b4t 48 Ka5 just chases the king to a more active locati on) 47 Od7 Kg8 48 Qd8t ! Kh7 (48. . . Kg7? 49 Qd4t followed by 50 Oxb2 gives Wh ite a won K & P endgame) 49 Qf6! R b3 t 50 Ka4 Kg8 (50... Rb4t 51 Ka5 Rxc4? loses the rook to 52 Oxf7t) 5 1 Oc61 Kg7 52 c51 f5 (52... Rxb5 is a tempo too late in the K & P end­ game) 53 Qb7 t ! ( I f 53 b6?, 53 ... R3b2 ! leads to perpetual check) 53 ... Kf6 (Or 53... Kh6 54 c6 R3b2 55 Ka5 R a 1 t 56 Kb6 Rab1 57 Kc5 Rc2t 59 Kd6 R d 1 t 59 Ke6 Re2t 60 Kf7 and the king escapes to the kingside.) 54 c6! R3b2 55 Ka5 R a 1 t 56 Kb6 Rab1 57 Oa6! and the pawns win, e.g. 57... Rc2 58 c7 Rbc1 59 Ka7t l<e7 60 b6 etc. (2) 45... Rc2: 46 b5 f5 (46... Rf4 47 Kb4) 46 b6 Rf3t 47 Kb4 Rb2t 48 Kc5 Rfb3 49 Oxf5t g6 50 Qf6 and Wh ite will win. Thus we see that if Black plays perfectly, as in variation ( 1 ) , White's task is long and slow. But eventually the win is there. Moreoever, it is comfor­ table play since B lack does not have anyth ing that looks dangerous. 44 ..... Ra2t

45 Kb5 Ra81 As GM Byrne tells it, this move came as somethi ng unexpected. Black

safeguards the back rank and is ready to use the rook as an attacker from the front, threatening a ... R b8t.

46 Qe5 Upset by Black's unexpected resources, Wh ite hurries to prevent a ... R b8t. Byrne felt that he had no choice. I n fact, there is even an alternative win: the thematic ("passed pawns must be pushed") and cold blooded 46 c51. The main l ine appears to be : 46... R b8t 47 Ka41 R a 1 t 48 Kb3 ( Not 48 Oxa 1 ?7 because of 48... Ra8t ) 4a .. R b 1 t 49 Kc31 and Black lacks a satisfactory continuation: a) 49... R 1 xb47 50 Oxb4 Rxb4 51 Kxb4 is a won endgame, e.g. 5 1 .. . Kf8 52 Kb51 Ke7 53 Kb6! Kd8 54 Kb7 ! etc.

b) 49... Rf8 50 Kc2! Rf1 5 1 c61 not only makes White's pawns more mo­ bile since the king is not in the way, but even 5 1 ...f57 is prevented because Wh ite has 52 Oc4t.

c) 49... Rf1 50 b5! 1 Rf3t ( 50... Rxb57 allows 51 Qd8t l Kh7 52 Qd3t fol­ lowed by 53 Oxb5) 51 Kc4 g5 52 c6! Rf4 53 Oxf4 gxf4 54 c7 ReS 55 b6 KfB 56 Kd41 followed by 57 b7. 46 . . Rf8 1 It is this third point that White had overlooked: the rook is not only safe but supports from behind the f-pawn's advance. . ..

47 c5 48 c6

f5 Rc1 ?

A very poor practical move, after B lack's previous excellent defensive 1 30

play. Surely the only practical hope is the counterplay with 48... f4 ! . G M Byrne admits that during the game h e d i d not see a w i n after it. The ob­ vious 49 c7? allows a draw after 49 ... Rc1 !, e.g. 50 Od5t Rf7! 51 Od8t Rf8 52 Kb6 f3 ! and the power of the f-pawn forces White to take per­ petual check. Of course, GM Tarjan had considered 48 ... f4! in his deli berations. But as he tells it he had discovered that 49 Oc3! wins by threatening both Oc4t and the advance of the c-pawn. As it turns out, B lack's rook on f 1 is trapped out of play just long enough for t h e position t o b e lost. The three key variations after 49 Oc3! are: ( 1 ) 49... Kh8 50 c7 ReS 51 Kb6 followed by 52 Kb7 (2) 49. .. R b8t 50 Kc5 (3) 49... R b 1

50 c7 ReS 51 Oc4 t l l
Tarjan adds that ·he did not think that G M Byrne would miss 49 Oc3 !. Who knows7 I t is possible that once the position after 48... f4 had appeared on the board, that White would have taken a fresh look and discovered the win. Still, the objective in lost positions is to always make things as diffi­ cult as possi ble for your opponent. The choice of 48... f4! would have made this so; the text presents no problems at all.

49 Qf41 GM Byrne says that he l iteral ly rushed th is move - he was just so re­ lieved to have such an opportu nity. Not only is the dangerous f-pawn stopped, but this is even accomplished with the gain of time by the attack on the rook. Thus White can now get his own pawns rolling.

49 50 c7

Rd1 ReS

.••••

The threat was 5 1 Oc4t followed by 52 c8=Q

5 1 Kc61 52 b5

Rf8 Resigns.

Black's pawn is stopped and White's cannot be stopped.

Subject # 53: a + N vs. a + 8, one pawn advantage, pawns on the same side Questions:

Is the knight or the bishop the preferred companion for the queen7 I s Diagram 79 a theoretical win 7 What is White's most thematic play7

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131

Answers: The bishop is known as a long range piece, but, of course, the queen is the premier long range piece. Therefore, the bishop is lim ited in how it can contribute to the queen's inherent power. However, the flexibil ity of the kn ight is very usefu l for the queen to have. I n most normal positions, therefore, the knight is the preferred minor piece companion. Diagram 79 is J. R. Capablanca A. Alekhine, World Championship Match 1 927, Game # 29, after B lack's 39th move. White is up a pawn and in the game won on move 70. ·

There are two valid ·- and partly interdependent questions here: ( 1 ) Does White have a theoretical win?, and (2) What is best play for White? ·-

The nature of the position makes it al most i mpossible (i.e. without spending perhaps 100 hours on analysis) to come up with a 1 00% certain answer to the first question. The non-forcing nature of the position means that a tactical solution does not exist and therefore positional maneuvering is required. Yet the presence of queens means that there is an extremely large nu mber of reasonable move possibil ities (for both sides ! ) available. having pawns on only one side For such a position very favorable factors for White here: ·-

·-,

there are two

( 1 ) The large number of pawns ( 5 P vs. 4 P formation) means that White can mathematically force a passed d·pawn. (2) The knight because of its flexible though short range n ature is the perfect minor piece to have in playing for a wi n in positions with pawns on one side only. The lack of flexibil ity of Black's bishop reinforces this aspect. -·

-·

The above means that Wh ite's practical chances of wi nning are excellent. I would estimate that in the hands of someone who truly understands chess, is careful and patient, Wh ite would win 90% of the time. The immense practical problem face by Black is demonstrated by the course and result of the game. Alekhine, who was an excellent, creative and carefu l endgame player, and who was in top sporting form during the match, couldn't hold the draw, even though Capablanca demonstrably didn't play with maximum accuracy. I shall take a three fold look at the position, through : ( 1 ) Actual game course, (2) Analysis by James A. Schroeder, and (3) My suggestions. ( 1 ) Actual Game Course (with brief comments: 40 Qa8t l
Qc7 46 d5 exd5 47 exd5 Qc31

It may appear somewhat surprising that at this moment exchanging queens is Black's best play. The key benefit of it is that this enables Black's king to participate in stopping the d·pawn. White acquiesces to the exchange since after e.g. 48 Qe4, Black's queen finds an attractive home on c5. Nevertheless, keeping the queen's on was in Wh ite's interest.

48 Qxc3 Bxc3 49 Kf1 Kf6 50 Ke2 Bb4 51 Nd4 Bc5 52 Nc6 Kf5 53 Kf3 Kf6 54 g4 hxg4t 55 hxg4 Kg57 This attempt at immediate king activity boomerangs. 1 32

Keeping the status

quo with 55. . . Bb6 or 55... Bd6 is correct. After the latter, Capablanca gives the following l i ne : 56 Ke4 Kg5 57 Ne5 f5t 58 Kd4 Bb8 59 d6 Bxd6! 60 Nf7t Kxg4 6 1 Nxd6 Kf3 with a draw.

56 Ne5! Bd4 Black must lose at least another pawn no matter how he plays. Two other possibi l ities: a) 56 ... Ba3 57 d6! Kf6 58 d7 Ke7 59 Nxf7 Kxd7 60 Ne5t and 61 Nxg6; b) 56 ... f5 57 d6! fxg4 t 58 Kg2! Kf5 59 d7 Bb6 60 Nc6.

57 Nxf7t Kf& 58 Nd8 Bb& 59 Nc& Bc5 60 Kf4! Bxf2 Equally hopeless in the long run is 60... g5t 61 Kf3 etc. ; White wi l l protect h i s g-pawn with f3, move h i s king to e4 and then use h is knight with decisive effect.

61 g5t Kf7 62 NeSt Ke7 63 Nxg&t Kd& 64 Ke4 Bg3 65 Nf4 Ke7 66 Ke5 Be1 67 d&t Kd7 68 g& Bb4 69 Kd5 Ke8 70 d7t Elack resigns. (2) Analysis by James R. Schroeder

40 Nc6 The queen check is inherently poi ntless and a knight move is required. Wh ite's idea after the text is to continue with Qc2, Qc4, e4 and d5. Black o on his part wants to delay/prevent this. 40 Qd6 41 Qc2 Qd5t ! 42 e4 Qb5 43 Qc3 Kh7 ...

Black can also play 43 . . . 0e2, forcing the queenless endgame after 44 Qf3 Oxf3t 45 Kxf3. It is uncertain that White's winni ng chances are greater than in the actual game course a bove. After the text, Schroeder suggests that White improve the position of his Q + N and then play d5. Unques­ tionably this is the correct approach, but as he himself asks "Can this be accomplished?" Perhaps, but the difficulties must be huge, because White's pieces stand awkwardly and B lack's Q + B have excel lent defensive posts.

(3) My Suggestions White's general strategic approach and objective is clear enough : he wants to place his Q + N on "attractive" squares and then achieve a passed d-pawn by means of e4 and d5. Yet as so often in chess, the execution is so much more difficult than the plan ! I th ink the fi rst need that White has is to put his knight on a comfortable, trouble free spot and therefore I suggest:

40 41 42 43 44

Nf3! Qd3 e4 h3 Nd2!

Bf&! Kg7 Qc8 Qc7

Unl i ke in the game, Wh ite wi l l play d5 only after he has placed his knigh t more usefu l l y than on f3.

44 45

Qc8

Nc4! Qd7 exd5 46 d5 47 exd5 Though far from theoretica lly guaranteed -- and the position still must 1 33

be played out -- White's chances of making further progress from here are bright.

Principles/Rules of Thumb For Practical Endgame Play Endgames With Queens ( 1 ) For the endgame of Q + P vs. Q, where the defending king is away from the pawn, for winning pu rposes th is is the situation : (a) The best pawn to have is the c- or f. pawn because it is relatively easy to advance and once it reaches the 7th rank it is a certain win.

(b) Once the d- or e-pawn reaches the 7th rank it is an assured win. However, it is very difficult to get them to the 7th rank.

(c) The b- and g-pawns are relatively easy to advance to the 7th rank, once there may not be theoretical wins. (d) The a- and h-pawns are theoretical draws. However, in practical play it is very difficult to achieve the draw. (2) Most endgames of K + Q vs. K + R + P are theoretical wins. Even where they are theoretical draws, the side having the queen should play them out because it is very difficult to draw them in actual play. (3) The correct material balance is 2 rooks queen + pawn. In such an endgame with major pieces it is exceedingly important for each side to activate its major pieces. =

(4) Because of the queen's inherent power, its most effective location is i n the center: d4, e4, d5, e5. (5) The knight is the preferred minor piece companion to the queen be­ cause its flexibil ity greatly enhances the queen's power potential.

134

List Of Contributors Bruce Altschuler Pal Benko Pedro Berdion Robert Byrne Matthew Chen Edmund Chong Mark Coleman R. Coquard Peter Danenhower Karl DeSmet G ianni Donati Dave Eisen Keith Fraser Ronald �- George Roy Henock Ph i l l ip King Harold W. Kahn Jonathan Kolkey Craig Kuntz Jerry Lemke Eric Lerner Edmund Lamer Pau l M. Lowry Harry Lyman Thomas Magar William Maloney Ken Mann Clifford P. Marvel -. McDonald Phi l l ip L. Michael Borislav M i lic Pierre Ol ivier Sergio Pederzoli Robert Potvin William Radspinner L. Raterman Mary Robertson Gunter Roth Denis Rozier Eric Schil ler James R . Schroeder Vasser Seirawan Leonid Shamkovich J. B. Skeels James Jay Smith Fred Sorensen Robert J. Stachowski James Tarjan Mark Templer

G. N. Thompson Simon Wei l Paul Whitehead Robert L. Wi l liamson Manfred Zitzman Bernard Zuckerman

135

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