analyzing the adjourned position at
Efstratios Grivas:
home. This was the last game of the
Junior section of the 14th Balkaniad.
ANALYSIS - ENDGAME
My team needed a victory in this
game in order to win the gold
medals, a fact that made the
adjourned position particularly
Bishop Endgames
significant.
41.Bf8
Grivas : Georgiev,Ki., Plovdiv
In principle the black pawns must be
1982, D91
weakened, but 41.fxg5! hxg5
(41...Bxg5 42.Be3 Bd8 43.Kf4) 42.f4
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3
Bd8 43.fxg5 Bxg5 44.h4 giving
Bg7 5.Bg5 Ne4 6.Bh4 c5 7.cxd5
White passed pawns, seems stronger.
Nxc3 8.bxc3 Qxd5 9.e3 Nc6 10.Be2
41...h5 42.fxg5 Bxg5 43.Bc5 a5
0 0 11.0 0 cxd4 12.cxd4 b6 13.Nd2
Black does not have many
Bb7 14.Bf3 Qd7 15.Nc4 Rac8
alternatives. His bishop must prevent
16.Rc1 Rfd8 17.Qb3 Kf8 18.Rfd1
the advance of the white king via h4,
Na5 19.Nxa5 Bxf3 20.gxf3 bxa5
while the f5- and h5-pawns will be
21.Qa3 a4 22.Kg2 Ke8 23.Rxc8
lost if they advance. King moves also
Rxc8 24.Rc1 Rxc1 25.Qxc1 f5
fail to bring the desired result:
26.Qc4 e6 27.Bg3 Bf6 28.Bb8 Bd8
43...Kd8 44.Be3! or 43...Kc7 44.Be3
29.Qc5 a6 30.Qe5 Be7 31.e4 Qc6
Be7 (44...Bxe3 45.fxe3 Kd6 46.Kf4
32.d5 exd5 33.exd5 Qf6 34.f4 Kf7
with a win) 45.Kf4 Kd6 46.Kxf5
35.h3 Bd8 36.Ba7 g5 37.Qxf6+
Kxd5 47.Bg5 Bc5 48.f4 a3 49.Kg6
Bxf6 38.Kf3 h6 39.Bc5 Ke8 40.Kg3
Kc4 50.f5 Kc3 51.Bd8 Kb2 52.f6.
Kd7
44.Kf3!
XABCDEFGHY
White could of course go again for
8-+-+-+-+(
44.Be3 Be7 45.Kf4 Kd6 46.Kxf5
7+-+k+-+-'
6p+-+-vl-zp& Kxd5 47.Bg5 Bc5 48.f4. However,
5+-vLP+pzp-%
with 43...a5 Black has weakened the
4p+-+-zP-+$
b5-square, which the white king
3+-+-+-mKP#
rushes to exploit.
2P+-+-zP-+"
44...Bd2!?
1+-+-+-+-!
XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy
8-+-+-+-+(
The ending is favourable for White, 7+-+k+-+-'
6-+-+-+-+&
as he is effectively a pawn up, due to
5zp-vLP+p+p%
the doubled black a-pawns. When
4p+-+-+-+$
this game took place, the
3+-+-+K+P#
adjournment system was still
2P+-vl-zP-+"
employed and the games were
1+-+-+-+-!
adjourned after the 40th move; this
xabcdefghy
allowed the possibility of carefully
45.a3! 57.Kc4 Bd2 58.Kb3 Be3 59.Ka4
Avoiding yet another trap set by Bb6 60.Be1 Kd7 61.Bc3 Kc7 62.Bf6
Black. The careless 45.Ke2? Bb4! Kd7 63.Bc3 Kc7 64.Be1 Kd7
would have allowed Black to draw. 65.Bg3 Kc7 66.Kb3 Be3 67.Kc3
45...Bc1 46.Ke2 Bf4 47.Kd3 Kc7 Kd7 68.Kd3 Bc1 69.e5 Ke7 70.Kc4
48.Kc4 Kb7 49.Kb5! Be3 71.Kb3 Kd7 72.Ka4 Bb6
XABCDEFGHY
The black pawns now fall. The end
8-+-+-+-+(
was:
7+-+k+p+p'
49...Bd2!? 50.Bb6! Bc1 51.d6 Bxa3
6pvl-zp-+p+&
52.d7 Be7 53.d8Q Bxd8 54.Bxd8
5+-+PzP-zP-%
Kc8 55.Bxa5 Kd7 56.Kc5! Ke6
4KzP-+-zP-zP$
57.f4
3+-+-+-vL-#
And Black resigned, giving the
2-+-+-+-+"
Greek Junior Team the golden medal
1+-+-+-+-!
of the 14th Balkaniad (1982). From
xabcdefghy
1971 until 1994, when the
White has an extra pawn but his
Balkaniads ceased to be held, this
structure is not very helpful, as
remained the only one for the Greek
almost all of his pawns are place on
Junior National Squad.
the same colour squares as his
1-0
bishop, while his king seems unable
to invade the queenside under
Rustemov : Wedberg, Stockholm
favourable circumstances. However,
2001, A70
White is able to improve his position
with the use of the zugzwang
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 d6
method, so much that he even wins
5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.h3 a6 8.e4
the game!
b5 9.Bd3 Bg7 10.0 0 0 0 11.a3 Re8
73.Be1 Kc7
12.Re1 Nbd7 13.Bf4 Qb6 14.Qd2
After 73...Be3 a typical line is
Bb7 15.b4 Rac8 16.Rac1 Nh5
74.Ka5 Bxf4 75.exd6 Kxd6 76.Kxa6
17.Bg5 Qc7 18.Ne2 Qb8 19.g4 Nhf6
Kxd5 77.b5 Ke6 78.b6 f6 79.b7 fxg5
20.Ng3 cxb4 21.axb4 Nb6 22.Bh6
80.hxg5 Kf5 81.Kb5 Bh2 82.Bd2
Bh8 23.Rxc8 Qxc8 24.Nf5 Qd7
Bb8 83.Kc6 Kg4 84.Bb4 Kxg5
25.Qf4 Rd8 26.Qg5 Re8 27.Qf4
85.Bd6 Ba7 86.Kb5 Kf5 87.Ka6.
Rd8 28.Kh2 Ne8 29.Rc1 Rc8
74.Bd2! Kd7 75.Bc3 Be3
30.Rxc8 Nxc8 31.N5d4 Qc7 32.Qc1
Black's alternative options do not
Qxc1 33.Bxc1 Kf8 34.Kg3 Ke7
save him either: 75...Bc7 76.Bd4! or
35.h4 Nf6 36.Nb3 Nb6 37.Nfd4 Bc8
75...Ke7 76.b5! axb5+ 77.Kxb5 Be3
38.f3 Bd7 39.Be3 Nc4 40.Bxc4 bxc4
78.Kc6! Bxf4 79.exd6+ Bxd6
41.Na5 c3 42.Kf2 Ba4 43.Ke2 Nd7
80.Bf6+ or, finally, 75...Kc7 76.e6
44.Ndc6+ Bxc6 45.Nxc6+ Ke8
fxe6 77.dxe6 Kd8 78.Bf6+ Ke8
46.g5 c2 47.Kd2 Ne5 48.Nxe5 Bxe5
79.f5! gxf5 80.h5 Be3 81.h6 and
49.f4 c1Q+ 50.Kxc1 Bc3 51.Bd2
82.g6, and White wins.
Bd4 52.Kd1 Bf2 53.Be1 Be3 54.Bg3
76.Ka5 Bxf4 77.e6+
Kd7 55.Kc2 Kc7 56.Kd3 Bc1
XABCDEFGHY
77.exd6 also seems enough,
8-+-+-+-+(
according to a line given above.
7+-+-+-+p'
77...fxe6 78.Kxa6 exd5
6-+-+-mk-+&
78...e5 79.b5 Be3 80.b6 is easier.
5zpp+-+-+-%
79.b5 Be3 80.b6 Bc5
4-+-+l+-+$
80...d4 81.Bd2!.
3zPLzP-+-zP-#
81.Ba5!
2-zP-+-+-+"
Of course not 81.b7? Kc7 with a
1+-+-+-mK-!
draw!
xabcdefghy
81...Kc8 82.Ka7 d4 83.Ka8!
White is a healthy pawn up and he
And Black is forced to surrender his
just needs to prove some technique in
bishop.
converting his advantage into the full
83...Bxb6 84.Bxb6 d3
point.
XABCDEFGHY
34...a4
8K+k+-+-+(
In general, placing the pawns on the
7+-+-+-+p'
same square colour as his bishop
6-vL-zp-+p+&
cannot be the right policy for Black.
5+-+-+-zP-%
Buy in fact there is no danger, as
4-+-+-+-zP$
White has to create a passed pawn in
3+-+p+-+-#
the queenside and he will be obliged
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-! to exchange them.
xabcdefghy
35.Bg8 Ke5 36.Kf2 h6 37.Ke3 Bd5
85.Ba5! Kd7 86.Kb7 Ke6 87.Kc6 38.Bh7 Bc4 39.Kf3 Be6 40.Bd3 Bd7
Ke5 88.Bc3+ Ke6 89.Be1 d5 90.Bc3 41.Ke3 Bc6 42.c4! bxc4 43.Bxc4
d4 91.Bd2 Kf5 92.Kd5 Kg4 Kf5
93.Kxd4 Kxh4 94.Kxd3 43...Be8 44.b4 axb3 45.Bxb3 Bd7
1-0 46.a4 Kd6 47.Kd4 Kc6 48.Kc4 Kb6
49.Kb4 Bg4 50.a5+ Ka7 51.Bc4 Bf3
De Firmian : Fishbein, Philadelphia 52.Kc5 and White wins, as his king
1997, B88 will head for the black h-pawn. A
typical variation can be: 52...Bg4
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 53.Kd6 Bf3 54.Ke5 Bg4 55.Kf6 Bf3
Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 a6 56.Kg6 h5 57.Kg5 Bg4
XABCDEFGHY
8.Bb3 Be7 9.f4 0 0 10.0 0 Nxd4
8-+-+-+-+(
11.Bxd4 b5 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nd7
7mk-+-+-+-'
14.Ne4 Bb7 15.Nd6 Bxd6 16.exd6
6-+-+-+-+&
Qg5 17.Qe2 a5 18.c3 Ra6 19.Rad1
5zP-+-+-mKp%
Rxd6 20.Bxg7 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Kxg7
4-+L+-+l+$
22.Rxd7 Bc6 23.Rd4 Kh8 24.Qf2
3+-+-+-zP-#
Qe5 25.a3 f5 26.g3 Be4 27.Qe3 Qf6
2-+-+-+-+"
28.Rd6 Re8 29.Qc5 f4 30.Rxe6
1+-+-+-+-!
Rxe6 31.Qc8+ Kg7 32.Qxe6 fxg3
xabcdefghy
33.Qxf6+ Kxf6 34.hxg3
58.Kf4! (58.Bf7? Ka6 59.Bxh5 Bd7
60.Bg6 Kxa5 61.Kf4 Kb4 62.Bf5 Bxe5 17.Qd3 b4 18.Ne2 a5 19.Qb3
Bc6 63.g4 Kc3 64.g5 Be8 65.Ke5 Ba6 20.Nd4 Qb8 21.g3 Bc4 22.Qa4
Kd2 66.Kf6 Ke3 67.Be6 Kf4 =) Ne4 23.Be1 Nc5 24.Qc2 b3 25.axb3
58...Bd1 59.Ke3 Bg4 60.Be2 Be6 Nxb3 26.Rab1 Nxd4 27.exd4 Bb3
61.Kf4 Bf7 62.Kg5 Kb7 63.Kh6! 28.Qd3 Bf6 29.Rdc1 Ba2 30.Ra1
Ka7 64.Bxh5. Bc4 31.Qd2 Ra6 32.Rcb1 a4
44.Be2 Ke5 45.Kd3 33.Qd1 Qb5 34.Bc3 h6 35.h4 Be2
This is a second winning method for 36.Bxe2 Rxe2 37.Qf1 Rae6 38.Re1
White, heading for the queenside and Rxe1 39.Rxe1 Qxf1+ 40.Kxf1
exchanging the black a-pawn for the Rxe1+ 41.Kxe1 h5 42.Kd2 Kh7
XABCDEFGHY
white g-pawn.
8-+-+-+-+(
45...Bb7 46.Kc3 Ke4 47.Bd1 Ke3
7+-+-+pzpk'
48.Kb4 Kf2 49.Bxa4 Bc8
6-+-+-vl-+&
49...Kxg3 50.Bd1 +-.
5+-+p+-+p%
50.Be8 Kxg3 51.Kc5 Bb7
4p+-zP-+-zP$
There is hope anymore for Black,
3+-vL-+-zP-#
even with the more  stubborn
2-zP-mK-zP-+"
51...Bg4 52.a4 h5 53.Bxh5 Bxh5
1+-+-+-+-!
54.b4 Kf4 55.Kd6 Bd1 56.a5 Be2
xabcdefghy
57.Kc6 Bf3+ 58.Kb6 Ke5 59.b5
Black has the advantage in view of
(59.a6? Kd6 60.b5 Be2 =) 59...Kd6
his better bishop, but White can
60.Ka7 +-.
defend.
XABCDEFGHY
43.Ke3?
8-+-+-+-+(
An important mistake. White is
7mK-+-+-+-'
 obliged to rid himself of one
6-+-mk-+-+&
weakness, and for this reason he
5zPP+-+-+-%
should continue with 43.Kc2! Kg6
4-+-+-+-+$
(43...g5 44.hxg5 Bxg5 45.b3 axb3+
3+-+-+l+-#
46.Kxb3 Kg6 47.Be1 =) 44.b3 axb3+
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-! 45.Kxb3 Bd8 (45...Kf5 46.f3 g5
xabcdefghy
47.hxg5 Bxg5 48.Be1! Ke6 49.Kc3
52.b4 Bf3 53.b5 h5 54.Bxh5 Bxh5 f5 50.f4 Bf6 51.Kd3) 46.Kc2 Kf5
55.b6 Bf3 56.a4 Kf4 57.Kd6 47.f3 f6 48.Kd3 Bc7 49.Be1 g5
1-0 50.Ke3 gxh4 51.gxh4 Bf4+ 52.Kf2
retaining a slightly inferior but fully
Milos : Morozevich, New Delhi defensible position.
2000, D15 43...g5 44.hxg5 Bxg5+ 45.Kd3
Even with the alternative 45.f4 White
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 a6 will not be able to defend after
5.Nf3 b5 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Ne5 e6 45...Bh6 46.Kf3 Kg6 47.g4 hxg4+
8.Bd2 Be7 9.Be2 0 0 10.0 0 Bb7 48.Kxg4 f5+ 49.Kf3, when Black
11.Nd3 Nc6 12.Bf3 Bd6 13.Qe2 Re8 would have to find the line 49...Kh5
14.Rfd1 e5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 50.Kg3 Bg7 51.Kh3 Bf6 52.Kg3 Be7
53.Bd2 Bh4+ 54.Kf3 (54.Kh3 Bf2 49.fxg3 Bc1 50.Ka3
55.Bc3 Be3 56.Kg3 Bc1! 57.Kf3 50.Kxa4 Bxb2 51.Bb6 Kf5 52.Kb3
Kh4 58.Be1+ Kh3 59.Bc3 Kh2 -+) Ba1 53.Ka2 Bc3 54.Kb3 Be1.
54...Bf6 55.Bc3 Kh4 56.Be1+ Kh3 50...Kf5 51.Bd8 Ke4 52.Be7
XABCDEFGHY
57.Bf2 Bh4 58.Be3 Kh2 59.Bd2 Kg1
8-+-+-+-+(
60.Bb4 Kf1 61.Ba5 Be1 62.Bb6
7+-+-vL-+-'
Bc3!. It is worth noting that in all
6-+-+-+-+&
lines the weakness of the white b-
5+-+p+-+p%
pawn is of decisive effect.
4p+-zPk+-+$
45...Kg6 46.Ba5
3mK-+-+-zP-#
XABCDEFGHY
2-zP-+-+-+"
8-+-+-+-+(
1+-vl-+-+-!
7+-+-+p+-'
xabcdefghy
6-+-+-+k+&
52...Kd3!
5vL-+p+-vlp%
52...Kxd4?! 53.Kxa4 Bxb2? 54.Bf6+
4p+-zP-+-+$
Ke3 55.Bxb2 Kf3 56.Be5 Kg4 =.
3+-+K+-zP-#
2-zP-+-zP-+" 53.Bd8 Kc2 54.Kxa4 Bxb2 55.Kb5
1+-+-+-+-!
Kd3 56.Kc5 Ke4 57.Bf6 Ba3+
xabcdefghy
58.Kc6 Bb4!
Exchanging the bishops with 46.Bd2 Black is now winning, as he can
Bxd2! 47.Kxd2 Kf5 48.f3 (48.Ke3 threaten both white pawns
Kg4 49.Ke2 f6!) 48...Kg5 49.Ke3 f5 simultaneously and force the
leads to a pawn ending that is won obligation to move on White
for Black. (zugzwang).
46...f5 47.Kc3 59.Bg7
No salvation is offered by 47.Bc7 f4! Or 59.Be5 Bc3 60.Kc5 Bd2 61.Kc6
48.gxf4 Be7 49.Ke2 Kf5 50.Kf3 Be3 62.Kc5 Bf2.
Bb4! 51.Kg3 Bc3!. Once again the 59...Bc3 60.Kc5 Be1 61.Be5 Bf2!
white b-pawn is the culprit. 62.Kd6 Bxd4 63.Bf4 Bf2 64.Ke6 d4
47...f4 64...Bxg3 65.Bxg3 d4 is another win.
Black can also win with 47...h4 65.Kf6 h4
48.gxh4 Bxh4 49.Kb4 Bxf2 50.Kc5 0-1
f4 51.Kxd5 Kf5 52.Kc4 f3! 53.Bc3
Be3 54.Be1 Bc1 55.Kb5 Bxb2 Grivas : Adamidis, Athens 1980,
56.Kxa4 Bxd4! 57.Kb3 Kg4 58.Kc4 B48
Be5 59.Kd3 Bg3 60.Bc3 Kh3 61.Bd4
Kg2 62.Bc5 Bf2 63.Be7 Bb6 64.Bh4 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4
Bc7. Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.a3 Qc7
48.Kb4 fxg3 8.Be2 d6 9.0 0 Be7 10.Qd2 0 0
Although the text-move is sufficient 11.f4 Bd7 12.Nb3 Rfd8 13.Bf3
for victory, 48...Kf5! 49.Kxa4 Ke4 Rac8 14.Qf2 Re8 15.Bb6 Qb8
50.Kb5 Kxd4 51.Kc6 Ke4 52.b4 16.Rad1 Bd8 17.Na4 Bxb6 18.Nxb6
fxg3 53.fxg3 Bd2 wins more easily. Rcd8 19.Rd2 Ne7 20.Rfd1 Bc6
21.Re1 d5 22.e5 Nd7 23.Nxd7 Bxd7 possibility of the pawn lever a2-a4 or
24.Red1 Bc6 25.Nd4 Qa7 26.g3 Rc8 b3 and c4, increasing the dynamic
27.c3 Bd7 28.Re1 Nc6 29.Nxc6 potential of the white pieces.
Qxf2+ 30.Kxf2 Bxc6 35.h4 Bb7 36.Kd4 Rec8 37.h5 Kg7
XABCDEFGHY
38.hxg6
8-+r+r+k+(
Alternatively, White could continue
7+p+-+pzpp'
with 38.Rh1, intending Bd3 and
6p+l+p+-+&
Rdh2, with a decisive advantage.
5+-+pzP-+-%
38...hxg6 39.Rh1 Rh8 40.Rxh8
4-+-+-zP-+$
Kxh8 41.Bd3 Kg7 42.Rh2 Bc8
3zP-zP-+LzP-#
Black cannot exchange the remaining
2-zP-tR-mK-zP"
pair of rooks. After 42...Rc8 43.Rh1
1+-+-tR-+-!
Rh8 44.Rxh8 Kxh8 45.Kc5 the
xabcdefghy
invasion of the white king is
White's superiority is significant and
decisive.
is owed to his better bishop. If we
43.Rh1 Bb7
were to remove the two bishops from
XABCDEFGHY
the board, we would have a balanced
8-+-+-+-+(
position. White's plan for exploiting
7+ltr-+pmk-'
his advantage is as follows:
6p+-+p+p+&
centralization of the king, an initial
5+p+pzP-zP-%
breakthrough on the kingside and,
4-+-mK-zP-+$
eventually, a breakthrough on the
3zP-zPL+-+-#
queenside. The exchange of one pair
2-zP-+-+-+"
of rooks is welcome (so as to 1+-+-+-+R!
xabcdefghy
pressurize Black's weaknesses more
efficiently), as is the creation of new 44.a4?
weaknesses in Black's pawn White thought that with this
structure. breakthrough will further weaken
31.Ke3 Kf8 32.Be2 Rc7 33.g4! g6 Black's pawn structure and will
34.g5?! either offer White new targets, or
Too hurried. White could have first allow the penetration of the white
improve his position with Kd4, h4, rook into Black's lines. But it was
Bd3, and only later choose which more precise to go on with 44.Ra1
pawn break to opt for (h5 or f5). Bc6 45.Kc5 Bd7+ 46.Kb6 Rc6+
34...b5? 47.Kb7 Kf8 48.Rh1 (48.a4 bxa4
Without any reason Black creates 49.Bxa6 Ke7 50.Bb5 Rc5 51.Bxd7
further weaknesses on his queenside Kxd7 52.Rxa4 Rb5+) 48...Kg7
(a6- and b5-pawns). The reader may 49.Rc1 Kf8 50.b3 Ke7 51.c4 bxc4
wonder, quite naturally, how the 52.bxc4 Rc5 53.Kb6 Rc6+ 54.Ka5
advance of a pawn that is protected Bc8 55.Rc2 with a decisive
by a fellow pawn and bishop can be advantage.
considered weakening. The answer 44...bxa4
lies in that White now obtains the White wins after 44...Bc6? 45.Kc5!
(45.axb5? Bxb5 46.Ra1 Bxd3 Wedberg : Chiburdanidze,
47.Kxd3 Rc4 48.Ke3 Rc6 49.Ra4 Haninge 1988, C97
Rb6!) 45...bxa4 46.Kb6 Rc8 47.Bxa6
Ra8 48.Ra1 Be8 49.Bb7 Rd8 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4
50.Rd1!, intending Rd4 and c4. Nf6 5.0 0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6
45.Ra1 8.c3 0 0 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4
XABCDEFGHY
Qc7 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.d5 c4 14.a4
8-+-+-+-+(
Bd7 15.Nf1 g6 16.N3h2 Nb7 17.Qf3
7+ltr-+pmk-'
Nc5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Bh6 Rxa1
6p+-+p+p+&
20.Rxa1 Qb7 21.Nd2 Ra8 22.Qd1
5+-+pzP-zP-%
Be8 23.Nhf1 Nh5 24.g3 Bd7 25.Kh2
4p+-mK-zP-+$
Qc8 26.h4 Rxa1 27.Qxa1 f5 28.Qa7
3+-zPL+-+-#
Nf6 29.f3 fxe4 30.Nxe4 Nxd5
2-zP-+-+-+"
31.Nxc5 Qxc5 32.Qxc5 dxc5 33.Ne3
1tR-+-+-+-!
Nxe3 34.Bxe3 Bf5 35.Be4 Bxe4
xabcdefghy
36.fxe4 Kf7 37.Kg2 g5 38.hxg5 Kg6
45...Kf8?
39.Kf3 Bxg5 40.Bxc5 Bc1 41.Ba3
After 45...Bc6 46.Bxa6 Ra7 47.Bd3
Kh5 42.Kf2 Kg4 43.Kg2
Rb7 48.Kc5 Bd7 49.Ra2 Rb3 50.Kd6
XABCDEFGHY
Be8 there is probably no way for
8-+-+-+-+(
White to win, as Black has found
7+-+-+-+p'
enough counterplay against the white
6-+-+-+-+&
b2-pawn.
5+p+-zp-+-%
46.Rxa4 Rc6 47.Rb4 Bc8 48.Rb8
4-+p+P+k+$
Ke7 49.b4!
3vL-zP-+-zP-#
All the white pieces occupy excellent
2-zP-+-+K+"
positions. After White puts in motion 1+-vl-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
his last plan, the invasion of his king,
Black's position will collapse. Despite the relatively simplified
49...Rc7 50.Rb6 Ra7 position, Black has a clear edge. The
More stubborn is 50...Kd8 51.c4 bad distribution of White's pawns
dxc4 52.Bxc4 Rd7+ 53.Kc5 Rc7+ forces his bishop into passivity, as he
54.Rc6 Kd7 55.Rxc7+ Kxc7 is burdened with their protection. If
although White wins with a nice Black succeeds in penetrating with
zugzwang manoeuvre: 56.Bd3 Bb7 his king, White's defences will
57.Bf1 Bc8 58.Bc4 Bb7 59.f5!! exf5 collapse.
(59...gxf5 60.Bxe6) 60.Bxf7 f4 43...h6!
61.Bxg6 f3 62.Bd3. The black h-pawn is the primary
51.Kc5 a5 factor in this position. With its
51...Rc7+ 52.Rc6. moves (...h6 now and ...h5 later) it
52.Rb8! Kd7 53.Kb6 Rc7 54.Bb5+ constantly brings White in
Kd8 55.bxa5 Rxc3 56.a6 d4 57.a7 zugzwang, forcing him to concede
d3 58.a8Q d2 59.Qa1 more and more space to his
1-0 opponent. The position is practically
a pawn ending, as the two bishops White resigned in view of 58.Bf2
are, for the moment, caught in a Ke5. The most significant factor in
deadlock. this ending was the placement of the
44.Kf2 Kh3 45.Kf3 h5! black pawn on h7. Had it already
Thanks to this final zugzwang Black advanced to h6 or h5 the result could
gains the opposition! have been a draw!
46.Kf2 Kh2? 0-1
And Black throws the victory away,
a victory that could have been Eliskases : Capablanca, Semmering
achieved with 46...Kg4! 47.Kg2 h4! 1937, D17
48.gxh4 Kf4!. Naturally, none of the
opponents had seen White's hidden 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3
possibility on the 49th move. dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nxc4
47.Bd6! Qc7 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4
Compulsory, as after 47.Kf3? Kh3 Nfd7 11.Bg2 f6 12.0 0 Rd8 13.Qc1
48.Kf2 Kg4 Black is back on the Be6 14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.a5 a6 16.Ne4
right rack. Bb4 17.Bd2 Qe7 18.Bxb4 Qxb4
47...Bxb2 48.Bxe5 Kh3 19.Qc5 Qxc5 20.Nxc5 Bc8 21.Rfd1
48...b4? 49.g4+! is foolish. Ke7 22.b3 Nf7 23.e4 Rd6 24.Rxd6
XABCDEFGHY
Kxd6 25.b4 Kc7 26.Rd1 Rd8
8-+-+-+-+(
27.Rxd8 Nxd8 28.f4 b6 29.axb6+
7+-+-+-+-'
Kxb6 30.Bf1 Ne6 31.Na4+ Kc7
6-+-+-+-+&
32.Kf2 g5 33.Ke3 gxf4+ 34.gxf4
5+p+-vL-+p%
Ng7 35.Nc5 Ne6 36.Nxe6+ Bxe6
4-+p+P+-+$
37.Kd4 Kb6
3+-zP-+-zPk#
XABCDEFGHY
2-vl-+-mK-+"
8-+-+-+-+(
1+-+-+-+-!
7+-+-+-+p'
xabcdefghy
6pmkp+lzp-+&
49.Ke3?
5+-+-+-+-%
The only - but excellent - move is
4-zP-mKPzP-+$
49.Bd6!! Kg4 (49...Bxc3 50.e5 Bd4+
3+-+-+-+-#
51.Ke2 =) 50.Bb4 Bc1 51.Bd6 with
2-+-+-+-zP"
equality! 1+-+-+L+-!
xabcdefghy
49...b4! 50.Kd2 b3!
The passed black b-pawn is now White is clearly better, as he can
powerful and decides the game. create a central passed pawn, while
51.Bd6 Kg4! the b4-pawn immobilizes two of
The last detail. Black aims to Black's (a6 and c6). One hurdle to
immobilize White's only source of White's ambitions is the reduced
counterplay, the e-pawn. material.
52.Bb4 Kg5 53.Be7+ Kg6 54.Bc5 38.Bc4! Bg4 39.e5 fxe5+ 40.fxe5 h6
Kf6 55.Bd4+ Ke6 56.Kd1 Ba3 41.h4 Bh5 42.e6 Be8 43.Bd3
57.Kd2 Bd6 By playing 43.e7!, followed by Ke5-
f6 and Bf7, White would win rather 57.b5 Kb7 58.b6 Be2 59.Bc2! Bf3
quickly. 60.Bd3 Bg2 61.Ba6+ Kc6?
43...Kc7 44.Kc5 Bh5 45.Bh7? Black chooses the wrong move and,
A serious mistake. After the natural as a consequence, loses the game.
45.Bxa6 White would retain a The correct 61...Kb8! 62.Kb5 Bf1+
winning advantage. 63.Ka5 Bg2 64.Kb4! Bb7 65.Bxb7
45...Bg4! (65.Bc4 Bf3 66.Kc5 Kb7!; 65.Kb5
The only acceptable move, as both h5! 66.Ka5 Bxa6 67.Kxa6 Ka8)
45...Be8? 46.Bg8! and 47.Bf7, and 65...Kxb7 66.Kb5 h5! holds the
45...Bf3? 46.Bg6! would lose. draw.
46.e7 62.Bc8 Bf1
White had no choice, as 46.Bg8 Bf3! Otherwise 63.Ka6 and Ka7.
47.Bf7 Bd5! doesn't trouble Black. 63.Bg4 Bd3
46...Kd7 47.Be4! Good moves are harder and harder to
The only worthwhile attempt. Only a come by. 63...Bg2 64.Ka6 Kc5
draw results from 47.Bd3 Bf3 65.Ka7 Kb5 66.Bc8 Ka5 67.Bb7 Bf1
48.Bxa6 Kxe7 49.Bb7 Kd7 50.b5 68.Bf3 Ba6 69.Be2 Bc8 70.h5 Kb4
cxb5 51.Bxf3 Ke7. 71.Ba6 or 63...Kb7 64.Bf3+ Kb8
47...Kxe7 48.Bxc6 Be2 49.Bb7 Kd7 65.Kb4 Ba6 66.Kc5 Bb7 (66...Bc8
50.Kb6 Kd6 51.Bxa6 Bf3 67.Kd6 Bb7 68.Bxb7 Kxb7 69.Ke6!)
XABCDEFGHY
67.Bxb7 Kxb7 68.h5! do not help
8-+-+-+-+(
Black.
7+-+-+-+-'
64.Bf3+ Kd6 65.Bb7 Be2 66.Ba6
6LmK-mk-+-zp&
Bf3 67.Bf1 Bb7
5+-+-+-+-%
XABCDEFGHY
4-zP-+-+-zP$
8-+-+-+-+(
3+-+-+l+-#
7+l+-+-+-'
2-+-+-+-+"
6-zP-mk-+-zp&
1+-+-+-+-!
5mK-+-+-+-%
xabcdefghy
4-+-+-+-zP$
White won a pawn, but the position
3+-+-+-+-#
remains difficult. If Black succeeds
2-+-+-+-+"
to exchange his bishop for the white 1+-+-+L+-!
xabcdefghy
b-pawn, a draw will be on cards, due
to the  wrong promoting square of 68.Bh3! Ke7
White's h-pawn. The result would not change after
52.Ka5! 68...Kc5 69.Bg4 Kc4 (69...Kd6
52.b5? Be2! again leads to a draw. 70.Kb5!) 70.Be2+ Kc5 71.Ba6 Bf3
52...Bc6 53.Bb5 Bf3 54.Bd3 Bc6 (71...Kc6 72.Bxb7+ Kxb7 73.h5!)
55.Bc2 Kc7 56.Ba4! Bf3 72.Bc8 and 73.Ka6 either.
As the pawn ending resulting from 69.Kb5 Kd6 70.Bg4 Ke7 71.Kc5
56...Bxa4 57.Kxa4 h5 (57...Kb6 Bg2 72.Bc8 Kd8?!
58.h5!) 58.Ka5 is lost, the white b- 72...Bf3 would give White more
pawn is able to advance. chances to go wrong. Still, White
wins with 73.Ba6 Kd7 74.Bc4 Kc8 37.Kg1 Ng5 38.Qxh3 Nxh3+ 39.Kf1
75.Bd5! Be2 (75...Bxd5 76.Kxd5 h5 Kf7 40.Ke2 g5 41.d5 Bc5 42.Bd2
77.Kc6! Kb8 78.b7) 76.Kd6! Kb8 Kf6 43.f4 Nxf4+ 44.Nxf4 gxf4
77.Ke7 heading for the black h- 45.Bxf4 Kf5 46.Kf3
XABCDEFGHY
pawn.
8-+-+-+-+(
73.Ba6 Bf3 74.Kd6 Bg2 75.Bc4 Kc8
7+-+-+-+p'
76.Bd5 Bf1
6p+-+-+-+&
Or 76...Bxd5 77.Kxd5 Kb7 78.Ke6
5+pvlP+k+-%
Kxb6 79.Kf6 Kc7 80.Kg6 Kd7
4-+-+-vL-+$
81.Kxh6 Ke7 82.Kg7.
3+P+-+K+-#
77.Ke6 Be2 78.Kf6 Kd7 79.Kg6 h5
2P+-+-+-+"
80.Kg5 Kd6 81.Bf7 Kc6 82.Bxh5
1+-+-+-+-!
XABCDEFGHY
xabcdefghy
8-+-+-+-+(
Material is equal, but the outside
7+-+-+-+-'
passed black h-pawn is clearly more
6-zPk+-+-+&
valuable than the central white one.
5+-+-+-mKL%
46...Bd4! 47.d6
4-+-+-+-zP$
Forced. 47.Bb8 Be5 48.d6 Ke6 49.d7
3+-+-+-+-#
Bf6! or 47.a4 Be5 48.axb5 axb5
2-+-+l+-+"
1+-+-+-+-! 49.Bd2 Bd6 50.Bc3 h5 would leave
xabcdefghy
White no hope.
And Black resigned in view of 47...Bc5?
82...Bc4 83.Be8+ Kxb6 84.h5 Kc7 Black makes his task harder, when
85.h6 Bg8 (85...Bd3 86.Bg6) 86.Kg6 he could have secured victory with
Kd8 87.Bf7. the simple 47...Ke6 48.Kg4 (48.a4
1-0 b4; 48.Ke4 Bc5 49.d7 Kxd7 50.Kd5
[50.Kf5 Kc6] 50...Bf8) 48...Bc5
Short : Van der Wiel, Rotterdam 49.Kg5 Bxd6 50.Bd2 Ke5 (50...Bf8).
1989, C92 48.d7 Bb6 49.a4! Bd8?
49...b4? 50.Bd6 a5? 51.Be7 is surely
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 undesirable, but 49...bxa4! 50.bxa4
Nf6 5.0 0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0 0 h5 51.Bg3 Bd8 52.Be1 Ke6 53.Ke4
8.c3 d6 9.h3 Be6 10.d4 Bxb3 Kxd7 54.Kd5 (54.Kf5 Kc6 55.Bd2
11.Qxb3 d5 12.exd5 Na5 13.Qc2 Kc5 56.Be1 Kc4 57.Kf4 Kb3 58.a5
exd4 14.cxd4 Nxd5 15.Nc3 c6 Kc4 59.Ke4 Kb5 60.Kf5 Bxa5
16.Ne4 Rc8 17.b3 Nb7 18.Bg5 f6 61.Bh4 Bb6 62.Kg6 [62.Be1 Bc5]
19.Bd2 Re8 20.Rad1 Qd7 21.Re2 62...a5 63.Kxh5 a4 64.Kg4 a3 65.Bf6
Bf8 22.Rde1 Re7 23.Qd3 Rce8 Kc4) 54...h4 55.Ke4 h3 56.Kf3 Bc7
24.Kf1 g6 25.g4 Bg7 26.Nh4 Qc7 would have brought victory.
27.Nc3 Qd7 28.Ng2 Rxe2 29.Rxe2 50.axb5 axb5 51.Bh6 Ke6 52.Ke4
Rxe2 30.Qxe2 Nxc3 31.Bxc3 f5 Kxd7 53.Kd5 Be7
32.gxf5 Qxf5 33.Qe8+ Bf8 34.Qxc6
Nd8 35.Qa8 Ne6 36.Qc8 Qxh3
XABCDEFGHY
(58...Kg6 59.Bd2 h5 60.Be1 Kf5
8-+-+-+-+(
61.Kc6 Kg4 62.Kxb5 with a draw)
7+-+kvl-+p'
59.Kc6 Kg6 (59...Bf8 60.Kxb5)
6-+-+-+-vL&
60.Be3! (60.Kxb5? Kxh6 loses)
5+p+K+-+-%
60...Kf5 (60...Be1 61.Kxb5 h5
4-+-+-+-+$
62.Kc4 h4 63.Kd3 h3 64.Bf4 Kf5
3+P+-+-+-#
65.Ke2!) 61.Kxb5 Ke4 62.Bh6 Bd6
2-+-+-+-+"
63.Kc4 Bf4 64.Bf8 Bg5 (64...h5
1+-+-+-+-!
65.Be7) 65.Bb4! h5 66.Be1 the game
xabcdefghy
would end in a draw.
54.Ke5?
58...b4 59.Kd5 Kg6 60.Bd2 Kf5!
In turn, White  refuses the draw.
61.Kd4
This could have been achieved
There is no hope in 61.Bh6 Bg5
without voluntarily removing the
62.Bf8 h5 63.Bxb4 h4 64.Bc5 h3
king from his excellent centralized
65.Bg1 Kf4 66.Bh2+ Kf3.
position. 54.Bf4 h5 55.Bg3 Bf8
61...Kg4 62.Kd3 Kf3 63.Bh6 Bd6
56.Bh4 Kc7 57.Bg3+ Kb6 58.Bf2+
64.Kd4
Ka5 59.Be1+ Bb4 60.Bh4 Bd2
Or 64.Kc4 Bf4 65.Bf8 h5 66.Be7
61.Kc6 is relatively simple.
Bd2.
54...Kd8?
64...Bf4 65.Bf8 h5 66.Be7 Bg3
A series of mistakes occurs, which
67.Kc5
shows the practical difficulty of this
67.Kc4 Be1 68.Bd8 Kg3! (68...Kg2
particular ending. The natural
69.Be7!) 69.Kd3 Kg2! 70.Be7
54...Kc6 55.Ke6 Bd6 56.Kf6 (56.Be3
(70.Kc4 Kh3!; 70.Ke2 Bg3!) 70...h4
h5) 56...Kc5 57.Bd2 (57.Kg7 Kb4
would not affect the result of the
58.Kxh7 Kxb3 59.Bd2 [59.Kg6 Kc2]
game either.
59...Kc4! 60.Kg6 Be5 61.Kf5 Bc3
67...Be1 68.Kd4 Kg2!
62.Bc1 b4 63.Ke4 Bg7!) 57...Kd4
68...Kg4 69.Kd3 is not clear.
58.Be1! (58.Ke6 Bg3) 58...Bf4!
69.Bd8
(58...Kd3? 59.Ke6!) once again
XABCDEFGHY
brings victory.
8-+-vL-+-+(
55.Kd5 Kd7 56.Ke5? Ke8? 57.Kd5
7+-+-+-+-'
Kf7!?
6-+-+-+-+&
XABCDEFGHY
5+-+-+-+p%
8-+-+-+-+(
4-zpK+-+-+$
7+-+-vlk+p'
3+P+-+-+-#
6-+-+-+-vL&
2-+-+-+k+"
5+p+K+-+-%
1+-+-vl-+-!
4-+-+-+-+$
xabcdefghy
3+P+-+-+-#
White also loses after 69.Kc5 Kg3 or
2-+-+-+-+"
69.Bf6 Kg3 70.Kd3 h4 71.Ke2 Bc3
1+-+-+-+-!
72.Be7 h3.
xabcdefghy
69...Kh3!
58.Kc6?
An excellent idea. The threat is
The last mistake. After 58.b4! Bxb4
70...h4. 33.exd5
70.Kd3 Bh4! It is not certain if White really had to
By transferring the bishop to e7 take on d5. Remember, in such cases
Black clinches the desired result. you do not exchange your e4-pawn
71.Ba5 for Black's d5-pawn - you exchange
Or 71.Bb6 Be7 72.Bf2 Kg2 73.Be1 it for his e6-pawn!
h4. 33...exd5 34.Kf4 hxg4
71...Be7 72.Ke2 Kg2 This isn't what Black normally wants
0-1 to play, but he might have been
concerned about the option of gxh5+
Kxh5, Kf5.
Good Kn vs Bad B
35.fxg4 Kf7 36.g5
Maybe 36.h5 was better.
Lenderman : Sadvakasov, Ledyard
36...g6 37.gxf6 Kxf6 38.Kg4 a5
2009, D13
39.Be1 a4 40.Kf4
Black has three potential targets (d4,
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.cxd5
h4 and b2), but the bishop can
cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bf4 a6 7.e3 Bg4
protect all of them easily, so this
8.Be2 e6 9.0 0 Be7 10.Ne5 Bxe2
should be a draw.
11.Qxe2 Rc8 12.Rfc1 0 0 13.Na4
40...Nd8 41.Kg4 Nf7 42.Bd2 Nd6
Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Nd7 15.Rxc8 Qxc8
43.Be3 Nc4 44.Bc1 Na5 45.Bd2
16.Bg3 Qc6 17.Qd1 Rc8 18.Nc3
Nb3 46.Be3 Na1
Qb6 19.Rb1 Qa5 20.Rc1 Rc4 21.f3
It's nice to use every square on the
Bb4 22.Be1 b5 23.a3 Bxc3 24.Rxc3
board, but realistically Black can't
Qc7 25.Qc1 Rxc3 26.Qxc3 Qxc3
get anything with his knight
27.Bxc3
manoeuvres.
XABCDEFGHY
47.Bd2 Nc2 48.Kf4 Ke6 49.Bc3 Na1
8-+-+-+k+(
50.Bd2 Nb3 51.Be3 Na5 52.Bd2
7+-+n+pzpp'
6p+-+p+-+& Nc4 53.Bc1 Nd6 54.Be3 Kf7 55.Bd2
5+p+p+-+-%
Kf6
4-+-zP-+-+$
55...Nf5? 56.Ke5! isn't what Black
3zP-vL-zPP+-#
wants to see.
2-zP-+-+PzP"
56.Be3 Nf5 57.Bf2 Ng7 58.Kg4 Ne6
1+-+-+-mK-!
59.Be3 Ke7
xabcdefghy
Time to try something new.
27...Nb8! 28.Kf2 Nc6 29.e4
60.Kf3 Kd7 61.Ke2 Ke7 62.Kf3
This isn't a mistake, of course, but
White avoids the messy line 62.Kd3
this move weakens the d4-pawn a
Kf6 63.Kc3 Kf5 64.Kb4 Ke4.
bit. I would prefer something like
62...Kd6 63.Ke2 Kd7!?
29.g4.
This is a clever waiting move.
29...f6 30.Ke3 Kf7 31.g4 Kg6 32.h4
64.Kf3?!
h5!
It was better to play 64.Kd3.
Good move - Black creates tension
64...b4! 65.Ke2?
and puts White under pressure.
I believe that White had to seek
XABCDEFGHY
counterplay with 65.axb4 Kc6
8-+-+-+-+(
66.Bd2 Nxd4+ 67.Kf4 Kb5 68.Be1
7+-+-+pzp-'
Kc4 69.Bf2.
6p+-+p+-+&
65...b3 66.Kd3
5+p+kzP-+p%
White could try to keep his king in a
4-vl-+-zP-zP$
more flexible position with 66.Bf2!?,
3+P+K+-zP-#
but Black can still advance: 66...Nc7!
2P+-+-vL-+"
67.Kd3 Nb5 68.Be3 Ke6 69.Bg5 Kf5
1+-+-+-+-!
70.Be7 Kg4 -/+.
xabcdefghy
66...Nd8 67.Bg5 Nc6
Black has the more active king and
Black has covered the b4-square, so
bishop, as well as the better pawn-
he is ready to move his king to f5.
structure, since all the enemy pawns
68.Kc3 Ke6 69.Bh6 Kf5 70.Bg7
on the kingside are fixed on the
Ke4
colour of White's bishop.
Activating his king is another
33...g6?
achievement for Black. He now has a
This looks logical at first sight,
won position.
however it is a serious positional
71.Bf6 Ke3 72.Bg7 Ke2 73.Bh6
error, which should have cost Black
Or 73.Bf6 Kd1 74.Bg5 Nxd4! -+.
the win. 33...Ba5! 34.Ke2 (34.a3 is
73...Ne7 74.Kb4 Kd3! 75.Bg5 Kc2
the main alternative; Black can play
76.Bxe7 Kxb2
for a win by combining the possible
0 1
breaks ...f6 and ...a5) 34...Ke4
35.Bc5 f6! 36.exf6 gxf6. Black will
Activity of Bs and Kns
continue by placing his bishop on c7
(or, if White plays 37.Bd6, then on
Sveshnikov : Kasparov, Minsk
b6), his king on f5 and then will play
1979, B22
...e5 with a great and probably
decisive advantage.
1.e4 c5 2.c3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.d4 cxd4
34.Ke2 Bc5 35.Bxc5?
5.Nf3 Nc6 6.cxd4 d6 7.Bc4 Nb6 A blunder. White had to avoid the
8.Bb5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bd7 10.Nc3 bishops' exchange with 35.Be1! Ke4
Nxe5 11.dxe5 Bxb5 12.Nxb5 (35...b4 36.Kf3! [36.Bd2? Ke4
Qxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Nd5 14.Ke2 a6 37.Be1 a5 38.Bd2 Bd4 39.Be1
15.Rd1 0 0 0 16.Na3 e6 17.Nc4 {39.Bc1 Bc3 40.Be3 Be1!} 39...Be3]
Be7 18.Bd2 b6 19.g3 Kb7 20.Ne3 36...Bf8 37.Bf2 =) 36.Ba5 and Black
Nc7 21.Nc4 Rd4 22.Rac1 Nd5 23.f3 has no way to improve his position.
Rc8 24.Ne3 Nxe3 25.Bxe3 Rxd1
35...Kxc5 36.Kd3 Kb4 37.Kc2 Ka3
26.Rxd1 Rc2+ 27.Rd2 Rxd2+
38.Kb1 a5!
28.Kxd2 Kc6 29.f4 b5 30.Kd3 Kd5 Black wins the pawn ending.
31.h4 h5 32.Bf2 Bb4 33.b3
39.Ka1 a4 40.bxa4 Kxa4 41.Kb1
41.Kb2 b4 42.Kc2 Ka3 43.Kb1 b3.
41...Ka3 42.Ka1 b4 43.Kb1 b3
0 1
Timman : Ree, Amsterdam 1984, 28.Kd3 (28.Kf3 Kf6 29.Kg4 Kg6
D40 30.f3 e5 31.h3 Kf6 =) 28...e5
(28...Ke7 29.Ke4 Kd7 30.Ke5 Ke7
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 [30...Kc6 31.Kxe6 Kxc5 32.Kf7 b5
Be7 5.Bg5 0 0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Bd3 c5 33.Kxg7 a5 34.h4 +-] 31.h3 Kd7
8.0 0 cxd4 9.exd4 dxc4 10.Bxc4 32.g3 Ke7 33.f4 gxf4 34.Kxf4 Kf6
Nb6 11.Bb3 Nfd5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 35.h4 e5+ 36.Ke4 Ke6 37.g4)
13.Re1 Rd8 14.Rc1 Nxc3 15.Rxc3 29.Kc4 Ke6 30.g4 is won for White,
Bd7 16.d5 Qd6 17.dxe6 Bxe6 as Black will soon end up in
18.Qxd6 Rxd6 19.Bxe6 Rxe6 zugzwang.
20.Rxe6 fxe6 21.Rc7 Rd8 22.Kf1 26.a3 Nc7 27.Ke2 h6
Rd7 23.Rxd7 Nxd7 No help is provided by 27...Nb5?
XABCDEFGHY
28.a4! Nc3+ 29.Kd3 Nxa4 30.Nxe6
8-+-+-+k+(
Nb2+ (30...b6 31.Kc2 a5 32.Kb3)
7zpp+n+-zpp'
31.Kd4 b6 32.b5, and the black a-
6-+-+p+-+&
pawn will be lost.
5+-+-+-+-%
28.Ne4 Kf8
4-+-+-+-+$
28...b6 29.Nd6 a6 is another option.
3+-+-+N+-#
29.Nd6 b6
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
XABCDEFGHY
1+-+-+K+-!
8-+-+-mk-+(
xabcdefghy
7zp-sn-+-zp-'
In a knight ending, pawn weaknesses
6-zp-sNp+-zp&
are more significant than in any other
5+-+-+-+-%
type of endgame. Black has only one
4-zP-+-+-+$
weak link in his position, the isolated
3zP-+-+-+-#
e-pawn, but White's advantage is
2-+-+KzPPzP"
already large. 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
24.Ng5!
White wishes to draw the weak pawn 30.Kd3
closer to his king. Black's defence White proceeds with accuracy. The
would have been easier after the outwardly attractive 30.Nc8 a5
alternative 24.Nd4?! e5 (24...Kf7? (30...Nb5? 31.a4 Nc3+ 32.Kd3 Nxa4
25.Nb5 a6 26.Nd6+) 25.Nb5 a6 33.Nxa7 Nb2+ 34.Kd4 and the black
26.Nd6 b6 27.Ke2 Kf8. b-pawn is doomed) 31.Kd3 (31.Nxb6
24...Nc5?! axb4 32.axb4 Na6 33.b5 Nc7)
Compulsory is 24...e5 25.Ke2 h6 31...axb4 32.axb4 b5! (32...Nd5?
26.Ne4 b6 27.Kd3 Kf7 28.Kc4 Ke6 33.Kc4) 33.Kd4 Na6! would not
29.Kb5 Nb8, when White retains the bring any benefits.
advantage but with no guarantee of 30...a6 31.Nc4 Nd5
victory. Black has managed to set up a decent
25.b4 Na6 defence. White is still better though,
The pawn ending resulting from thanks to his central control. 31...b5
25...h6? 26.bxc5 hxg5 27.Ke2 Kf7 32.Ne5 Ke7 33.Kd4 Kd6 34.Nd3 +/-.
32.Kd4 Ke7 33.g3 Kd7?! Or 42...g6 43.Ne3 and the white
Interesting is 33...g5 (to prevent pieces will penetrate.
34.f4), but on the other hand every 43.Nxg7 Ng6+ 44.Kf6 Nxh4
pawn move is weakening. Still, 45.Nxh5 Kc6 46.Ng3 Kd5
Black should have tried it. 46...Kb5 47.Nf5 Ng2 48.Ke5! +-.
34.f4 Kc6 35.Ke5 Nc7 47.a4!
The active 35...Kb5 36.Nd6+! Black is in zugzwang and his king
(36.Nb2? Nxb4! 37.axb4 Kxb4 must leave the d5-square. Inferior is
38.Kxe6 a5 39.Kf7 b5 [39...a4? 47.Nf5? Ng2! 48.g6 Nf4 49.g7 Nh5+
40.Nxa4!] 40.Kxg7 a4 41.Nd3+ Kc3 50.Kf7 Nxg7 51.Kxg7 Kc4 =.
42.Nc1 Kb2 43.f5 Kxc1 44.f6 a3 47...b5 48.a5 Kc4 49.Nf5 Ng2
45.f7 a2 46.f8Q a1Q+ 47.Kxh6 Qe5 50.Ke5!
=) 36...Ka4 37.f5 Kxa3 38.fxe6 Ne7 Centralization to the end! Black is
39.Nf5 Nc8 40.Kd5 g6 41.Kc6 gxf5 unable to stop the white g-pawn.
42.Kd7 also loses. 1 0
36.Nd6 Kd7
Or 36...a5 37.g4! axb4 38.axb4 Nd5 Wojtkiewicz : Khalifman, Rakvere
39.b5+ Kc5 40.h4 +-. 1993, D45
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 d5 4.e3 e6
7+-snk+-zp-'
5.d4 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 h6 8.h3
6pzp-sNp+-zp&
e5 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.dxe5 Nxe5
5+-+-mK-+-%
11.Nxe5 Bxe5 12.Bd2 0 0 13.Bg2
4-zP-+-zP-+$
Be6 14.f4 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 Ne4 16.0 0
3zP-+-+-zP-#
Nxc3 17.Qxc3 f6 18.Rad1 Re8
2-+-+-+-zP"
19.Qb3 Qb6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.a3
1+-+-+-+-!
Rac8 22.Rd2 Rc5 23.Rfd1 Rec8
xabcdefghy
24.Kf2 Rc2 25.Ke2 Kf8 26.Rxc2
37.f5!
Rxc2+ 27.Rd2 Rxd2+ 28.Kxd2 Ke7
A seemingly illogical move,
29.Kc3 Kd6
relieving Black of his basic organic
XABCDEFGHY
weakness. However, control of the
8-+-+-+-+(
central squares and better piece
7+p+-+-zp-'
placement will prove to be more
6-zp-mklzp-zp&
significant factors.
5+-+p+-+-%
37...exf5 38.Nxf5 Ne8 39.g4! Nf6
4-+-+-zPP+$
40.h3
3zP-mK-zP-+P#
White also wins with 40.Nxh6! Kc6
2-zP-+-+L+"
41.g5! Nd7+ 42.Ke6!. 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
40...h5
Passive defence with 40...Ne8 is not 30.a4!
of a help: 41.a4 Kc6 42.Ke6 Nc7+ The routine 30.Kd4? would allow
43.Kf7. Black to set up an impregnable
41.g5 Nh7 42.h4 Nf8 fortress with 30...b5! (followed by
...b6) 31.Bf1 Bd7 32.Kc3 Kc5 47.bxa6 Kc6 48.Ka4 b5+ 49.Ka5 +-.
33.b4+ Kd6, as White cannot create a 44.a5! bxa5 45.Kc5 a4
zugzwang because the bishop is 45...b6+ 46.Kxb6 a4 47.Kc6 a3
unable to attack two pawns 48.b6 a2 49.b7 a1Q 50.b8Q+ +-.
simultaneously. 46.d6 b6+ 47.Kc6 a3 48.d7 a2
30...g5 49.d8Q a1Q 50.Qd6+
30...Bd7! was more stubborn, Also wining was 50.Qxb6 Kf4
although White still wins: 31.b3 51.Qf2+ Ke4 52.Qc2+ Kf3 53.b6 +-.
(31.Kd4? Bxa4 32.Bxd5 Bc6 33.e4 The queen ending is easily won for
g5 34.e5+ fxe5+ 35.fxe5+ Ke7 =) White.
31...Kc5 (31...b5 32.a5 Kc5 33.b4+ 50...Ke4 51.Kxb6 Kf3 52.Kb7 Kg2
Kd6 34.Kd4 +-) 32.Bf3! (32.b4+? 53.Qd3 Qc1 54.b6 Qc5 55.Qb3 Kh2
Kd6) 32...g5 33.b4+ Kd6 34.Bd1! 56.Qf3 Qd4 57.Qc6! Kxh3 58.Kc8
Be8 35.Kd4 +-. Qb4 59.b7 Qf8+ 60.Kd7 Kxg4
31.Kd4 Bf7 32.Bf3 Be6 33.f5! Bf7 60...Qf7+ 61.Kd6 Qf8+ 62.Ke6 +-.
34.b4 Be8 35.b5! 61.Qc8
White has utilized his pawns for 1 0
maximum restriction of the enemy
bishop. Now he will bring his bishop
to b3 and play e4.
35...Bf7 36.Bd1 Bg8 37.Bb3 Bf7
38.e4 Bg8 39.Ba2 Bf7 40.Bxd5
Bxd5 41.exd5 Kc7
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8-+-+-+-+(
7+pmk-+-+-'
6-zp-+-zp-zp&
5+P+P+Pzp-%
4P+-mK-+P+$
3+-+-+-+P#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
White won the isolated d-pawn, but
still has to win the pawn ending.
42.Kc3!
Planning Kb4 and a5.
42...Kd6 43.Kc4 Ke5
An active try, as the passive 43...Kc7
also loses: 44.Kb4 Kd6 45.a5 Kxd5
(45...Kc7 46.a6 +- or 45...bxa5+
46.Kxa5 Kxd5 47.Kb6 Kc4 48.Kxb7
Kxb5 49.Kc7 Kc5 50.Kd7 Kd5
51.Ke7 Ke5 52.Kf7 +-) 46.a6 bxa6