GM Edmar Mednis
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GM Edmar Mednis, best-seelling author on chess endgames, has collected an extensive set of prac...
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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
• B
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• e
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• f8
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illllia ... ., . ., ... ., . ... . ... . -
B
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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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• Fftl ••
• •
-
.
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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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•
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24
d
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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-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?
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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
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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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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
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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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Diagram 69
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