MIGUEL ILLESCAS:

PRACTICAL ENDGAMES

CENTER CONTROL AND PIECE
COORDINATION IN THE ENDGAME.
Delicate play: when one little mistake may be
enough to loose!

Andersson,Ulf - Illescas Cordoba,Miguel

Pamplona 1998
We all know how important is to fight for the center
in the opening and the middlegame. But the
importance of center control on the endgame is not
so obvious. In this game I was the lucky protagonist
of an exciting battle with a very respected player as
Ulf Andersson. The swedish grandmaster was
always very strong in endgames, which makes me
particularly proud of this game. After a quiet
opening we soon entered a queenless middlegame
where Andersson started to press but in the next few
moves the position became equal. Andersson was
later a bit overoptimistic and as a result he got
slightly worst around move 30, where we reached a
very interesting endgame. White got a far away
pawn but black was very active in the center,
enjoying good coordination. As usually happens in
chess, dynamic factors proved to be more important,
but steadily I managed to increase the advantage.
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.g3 dc4 5.Qa4

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsnlwqkvl-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9Q+pzP-+-+0
9+-+-+NzP-0
9PzP-+PzP-zP0
9tRNvL-mKL+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

This solid move never appeared like a real threat for
black. Of course, after 5.Bg2 white has to be ready
to play a pawn down if black chooses 5...a6.
5...Bd7
Very popular is also 5...Nbd7.
6.Qc4 Bc6 7.Bg2
There is no time for 7.Nc3, since after 7...Bf3 8.ef3
Nc6 black will establish a firm control on d5. The
classical game Szabo - Kortschnoj, Palma de
Mallorca 1969, continued 9.Be3 Be7 10.Bg2 0–0
11.0–0 and now black could have equalised with
11...Nb4 12.f4 c6.
7...Bd5
The bishop must leave the way open for the c5
break.
8.Qd3
8.Qa4!? Qd7 9.Qd1, Kortschnoj - Petrosian,
Moscow 1971/Candidates.
8...Be4!

XIIIIIIIIY
9rsn-wqkvl-tr0
9zppzp-+pzpp0
9-+-+psn-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-zPl+-+0
9+-+Q+NzP-0
9PzP-+PzPLzP0
9tRNvL-mK-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

This is an important intermediate move. After 8...c5
9.Nc3 Bc6 10.0–0 Nbd7 11.Rd1, white has a
comfortable edge, as in Alekhine - Rabar, Munich
1942.
9.Qd1
There is not a good square for the queen.
9...c5 10.Nc3 Bc6 11.0–0 Nbd7 12.Be3
It seems that the position is pretty equal, as showed
by the following examples. In a previous game my
opponent made a quick draw after 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bf6
Nf6=, ½–½, Andersson - Krasenkow, 34

th

Rubinstein mem 1997; 12.Bf4 cd4 13.Qd4 Bc5
14.Qd3 0–0=, Huebner - Lutz, GER- CupT 1992;
12.Qd3!? cd4 13.Nd4 Bg2 14.Kg2 Be7 15.Rd1 0–0
16.Qb5 Qc8 17.Bf4 a6 18.Qd3 and white was

slightly better in Petrovs - Kotov, Moscow 1940;
12.Re1 cd4 13.Nd4 Bg2 14.Kg2 Bb4 15.Bd2 0–0
16.a3 Ba5=, Golombek - Gobert, Amsterdam (ol)
1954; 12.b3 Be7 13.Bb2 0–0 14.Rc1 Rc8 15.Rc2
Qa5=, Keres - Arulaid, Tallinn 1969.
12...Be7 13.dc5
The move in the game is very much in Andersson's
style. There was some illustrious examples in this
position as the following one: 13.Rc1 cd4 14.Qd4 0–
0 15.Rfd1 Qa5 16.Ng5 Bg2 17.Kg2 Rfd8 18.Qc4
Ne5 19.Qb5 Qb5 20.Nb5 Rd1 21.Rd1 Nd5 22.Bc1
a6 23.Nd4 Rd8=, K. Georgiev - Portisch, Dubai (ol)
1986.
13...Bc5 14.Bc5 Nc5

XIIIIIIIIY
9r+-wqk+-tr0
9zpp+-+pzpp0
9-+l+psn-+0
9+-sn-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-sN-+NzP-0
9PzP-+PzPLzP0
9tR-+Q+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

15.Qd8N
I still remember the situation after my opponent
played this move. I was thinking that the game was
basically over, and would calmly head for a draw
from this boring symmetrical, but for Andersson the
battle was about to start! He looked so happy that I
felt intimidated, and after some few moves I started
to feel uncomfortable with my position. The move
on the game was a novelty. The only precedent was
a short draw played in France some years ago: 15.b4
Nce4 16.Ne4 Be4 17.Qa4 Bc6 18.b5 Bd5 19.Rfd1
0–0 20.Ne1 ½–½, Bricard - Prie, Chambery 1994.
15...Rd8 16.Rac1 Ke7 17.b4!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-tr0
9zpp+-mkpzpp0
9-+l+psn-+0
9+-sn-+-+-0
9-zP-+-+-+0
9+-sN-+NzP-0
9P+-+PzPLzP0
9+-tR-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

A good move, which gives white some space
advantage on the queenside.
17...Ncd7
Black must be careful with the jumps of the f3
knight. After 17...Nce4? 18.Ne5 Nc3 19.Nc6 bc6
20.Rc3 white gets a nice advantage.
18.Rc2!?
This quiet move made me understand that my
opponent was not joking: he was trying to squeeze a
minimal advantage and he knew well what he was
doing. I got a bit nervous and my answer was not
accurate. Strategically harmless was 18.b5 Bf3
19.Bf3 b6=; more interesting but still inocuous
18.a4 Rc8 19.a5 Rhd8=.
18...Ne8?!
I don't like this move. Not such a bad idea for the f6
knight but try to ask to the h8 rook! I wanted to
arrange my rooks in the open lines but after
18...Rc8?! 19.Rfc1 white pressure over c8 is
annoying.; I didn't think on 18...Bf3!? 19.Bf3 Ne5
which looks close to equality. After 20.Bg2 (20.Bb7
Rb8=) 20...Rd7 21.Rfc1 Rhd8 22.h3 g5= black is
doing fine. Not difficult to find was howewer
18...Rb8 19.Rfc1 Rhd8=.
19.e4!
Putting under serious doubt black's last move. The
c6 bishop is left without escape and Nd4 starts to be
a threat. After 19.Rfc1 Nd6= black seems to be ok.
19...Nd6

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-tr0
9zpp+nmkpzpp0
9-+lsnp+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-zP-+P+-+0
9+-sN-+NzP-0
9P+R+-zPLzP0
9+-+-+RmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

20.Rd1?!
Lucky for me, white was hesitating and decided to
put the rook into play before starting further action.
20.Nd4! was the natural continuation. I was planning
to play 20...Rc8 (20...Ne5 doesn't work in view of
21.f4 Ndc4 22.Nd5! ed5 23.Nf5), but 21.a4! would
be strong. With such a quiet move white keeps the
initiative. It is not easy to play with black. I was only
counting on 21.b5? Bb5 22.Ncb5 Rc2, where black
is more than ok, for example: 23.Nd6 Rd2 24.N6b5
a6 25.Nf3 Ra2.
20...Nb6!
Now I will have time to coordinate my forces. Of
course it was bad 20...Be4? 21.Ne4 Ne4 22.Rc7; but
it was possible to take with the knight. After
20...Ne4 21.Ne4 Be4 22.Rc7 Bd5! 23.Rdc1 white
has compensation but black should hold.
21.Nd4 Ndc4 22.Nc6?!
Amazingly this move seems to liquidate the slightest
white's advantage. Black will enjoy nice play on the
d line while black's king is for the moment more
active than his counterpart. The weakness on c6 will
be irrelevant, since white will have no time to attack
it. It was better to keep the pressure with 22.a4!?
although black is very close to equalise.
22...bc6 23.Bf1 Rd1 24.Nd1 Rd8

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-+0
9zp-+-mkpzpp0
9-snp+p+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-zPn+P+-+0
9+-+-+-zP-0
9P+R+-zP-zP0
9+-+N+LmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy

With this move black is just in time to develop and
can fairly claim full equality. But my opponent was
still under the impression of the last few moves and
he kept playing as if white would still have an edge.
25.Be2?!
The bishop is not better than the black knights. The
line 25.Nb2 Nb2 26.Rb2 Rd4 27.f3 Kd6 shows what
we were stating on the previous comments. Black
has the initiative and c6 is not weak at all. It was the
right moment to look for simplification: 25.Bc4 Nc4
(25...Rd1 26.Bf1 Kd6 27.f4=) 26.Rc4 Rd1 27.Kg2
Ra1 28.Rc6 Ra2= it would be time to shake hands.
25...Rd4 26.f3 Kd6 27.Kf2 g5
A typical way to restrict white's pawn chain. Black
wants to make e5 avalaible for his piecking and
knights.
28.a4?!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9zp-+-+p+p0
9-snpmkp+-+0
9+-+-+-zp-0
9PzPntrP+-+0
9+-+-+PzP-0
9-+R+LmK-zP0
9+-+N+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Andersson still seems to be playing for a win, but
this "active" pawn advance will bring white only
trouble. 28.Nb2= was wiser, trying to change pieces.
28...a5!
Logical and strong. The a4 pawn is stopped.
29.Bc4
Time to start thinking on how to make a draw. After
29.ba5 Na5 white's bishop looks rather clumsy.
29...Nc4 30.ba5 Na5
The a4 pawn becomes a target, kind of isolated from
his own army. Still, black will need to do a lot of
work before the pawn can be taken.
31.Nc3
31.Nb2 looks very passive: 31...c5 32.Ke3 Rb4 and
white's pieces feel uncomfortable.
31...Rc4
Now the knight is pinned.
32.Ke3
After 32.f4 gf4 33.gf4 e5 34.f5 Kc5 black is better.
32...e5!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+p+p0
9-+pmk-+-+0
9sn-+-zp-zp-0
9P+r+P+-+0
9+-sN-mKPzP-0
9-+R+-+-zP0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Stronger than 32...Kc5 33.e5! Kb4 34.Kd3 Kb3
35.Rc1= and white manages to hold.
33.h4
There is no time for 33.f4 gf4 34.gf4 ef4 35.Kf4 Nb3
and white is unable to coordinate.
33...gh4 34.gh4 h5 35.Kd3 Rd4 36.Ke2 Rc4
37.Kd3 Rd4 38.Ke2 Rb4!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+p+-0
9-+pmk-+-+0
9sn-+-zp-+p0
9Ptr-+P+-zP0
9+-sN-+P+-0
9-+R+K+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

After some thought I found this move which allows
me to keep pressing.
39.Rd2
Now 39.Kd3?! allows 39...Nb3 and the black knight
becomes very dangerous.
39...Kc5 40.Rd7
Looking for some active play. The passive 40.Rc2!?
was not appealing, since after 40...Rc4 41.Kd3 Nb3
black continues to make progress.
40...Rb2

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+R+p+-0
9-+p+-+-+0
9sn-mk-zp-+p0
9P+-+P+-zP0
9+-sN-+P+-0
9-tr-+K+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

41.Kd1?
Maybe this is the decisive mistake. White's king will
become very vulnerable cut on the first rank. Of
course 41.Kd3?? Nc4 is loosing for white, but
41.Rd2! was still giving some hopes for the defence,
since 41...Rd2 42.Kd2 Kb4 43.Ne2! and the weak h5
pawn will give white enough counterplay.

41...Rh2! 42.Rf7 Rh4 43.Ne2
With the idea of simplifying the position with f4.
43...Rh1 44.Kc2 Nc4

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+R+-0
9-+p+-+-+0
9+-mk-zp-+p0
9P+n+P+-+0
9+-+-+P+-0
9-+K+N+-+0
9+-+-+-+r0
xiiiiiiiiy

45.Rh7
White will be tied up after this move. Maybe white
should stick to 45.f4!? where black is better but it's
not so easy. It was not advisable to try to activate the
knight because after 45.Nc1 h4 46.Nb3 Kb6! black's
h pawn becomes too dangerous.
45...Rh2 46.Kd1
46.Kd3 looks better, but after 46...Nb2 47.Ke3 Kc4!
black is threatening mate in one! So white has to
play 48.f4, but after 48...Nd1 49.Kf3 Rf2 the game is
over.
46...Rh1 47.Kc2 Rh2 48.Kd1 Nb2 49.Ke1
After 49.Kd2 Na4 white is unable to create
conterplay by playing f4.
49...Nd3!
The knight returns to the strong hold on d3.
Correctly, I estimated that I would loose the
initiative if I take the pawn. After 49...Na4 50.f4
white gets some counterplay. It is also possible to
play 50.Ng3 h4 51.Nf1!
50.Kd1 Nb2 51.Ke1 Nd3 52.Kd1 h4!
Finally I decided to advance the h pawn and keep the
good coordination between my pieces.
53.a5 Kb5

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+R0
9-+p+-+-+0
9zPk+-zp-+-0
9-+-+P+-zp0
9+-+n+P+-0
9-+-+N+-tr0
9+-+K+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Only now it becomes clear that white is in real
trouble.
54.Rd7
The knight on d3 is too annoying and must be
destabilized. After 54.Rh6 h3 55.a6 Ka6 56.Rc6 Kb5
57.Rh6 Rg2! it's possible to feel the strenght of the
black's knight on d3.
54...Nf2 55.Ke1 Ka5
Twenty five moves later after the a pawn was
blocked, finally it falls under black's pressure. Black
is now pawn up but his pieces need to coordinate
better.
56.Kf1 h3

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+R+-+-0
9-+p+-+-+0
9mk-+-zp-+-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+-+-+P+p0
9-+-+Nsn-tr0
9+-+-+K+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

57.Rd2?!
The endgame will be lost after this passive move.
White cannot pretend to trap black's pieces. After
57.Ng1? Nh1! 58.Re7 Ng3 59.Ke1 Rh1 60.Kf2 h2

black wins. Probably the best defence was 57.Ng3!
Now, after 57...Rg2 58.Nf5 h2 59.Kg2 h1Q 60.Kf2
white has some hopes to build a fortress.
57...Rg2
Now the threat of Nh1–g3 becomes real. In the game
I saw 57...Nd1!?, with the idea of Rh1, but I thought
there was no need for artificial moves. In fact black
is winning faster than in the game. For example:
58.Rd1 Rh1 59.Ng1 h2 60.Kg2 Rg1 61.Rg1 hg1Q
62.Kg1 c5 63.f4 ef4 64.e5 Kb6 and black king is on
the pawn's square. Of course it was a bad mistake to
rush with 57...Nh1?? 58.Kg1!
58.Nc3
It is an ugly square for the knight but the alternatives
were not helpful. After 58.Ng3 Rg3 59.Rf2 c5 the
rook's endgame is very simple. If 58.Ng1 there it
follows 58...h2! 59.Kg2 h1Q 60.Kf2 Qh2 and black
wins heavy material; the active 58.Rd6 allows black
to continue with the simple 58...c5 59.Rd5 Kb4
60.Re5 Nd3 and if 58.Rc2 Nd1 59.Rc6 Ne3 60.Ke1
h2 the h pawn promotes.
58...Ng4!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+p+-+-+0
9mk-+-zp-+-0
9-+-+P+n+0
9+-sN-+P+p0
9-+-tR-+r+0
9+-+-+K+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

An effective finesse. I was considering the obvious
58...h2 59.Kg2 h1Q 60.Kf2 where, I thought, black
has good chances to win, while white may try to set
up a fortress. But I understood that the text's move
was clearly stronger: the game goes to a knight's
endgame where the extra away h pawn must be
decisive. An interesting trap was waiting for black.
If 58...Kb4? 59.Na2! (instead of 59.Rf2? Rf2 60.Kf2
Kc3 61.f4 ef4 62.e5 Kd3 63.e6 h2 64.Kg2 f3 65.Kh2
f2 66.e7 f1Q 67.e8Q Qe2 winning) 59...Ka3 60.Rf2!
Rf2 61.Kf2 Ka2 and white is allright after 62.f4!=.
59.Rg2

There is no choice. After 59.Rd3 Nh2! 60.Ke1 Nf3
61.Rf3 h2 black wins easily.
59...Ne3 60.Kg1 Ng2!
After this precise move black's advantage becomes
clearly decisive. White will need to spare a lot of
tempi to deal with the h pawn while black can make
progress on the queenside. Completeley wrong
would be 60...hg2?, since after 61.Ne2 Kb4 62.Kf2=
white would be in time to organize the defence.
61.Nd1
If 61.Kh2, simply 61...Nf4.
61...Kb4 62.Nf2 Nf4
An important move. Black reagroupes and starts to
restrict the opponent's knight activity.
63.Ng4 Nd3!
The simplest way. By protecting the pawn on e5
white is deprived of any counterplay.
64.Kh2 c5
The c pawn starts its triumphal march.
65.Kh3 c4 66.Ne3 c3 67.Kg4 Kb3 68.Kf5 Nb2!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-zpK+-0
9-+-+P+-+0
9+kzp-sNP+-0
9-sn-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

With the the idea at of ¤c4 and the c pawn will
promote. There is nothing white can do to prevent it.
A bad mistake would be 68...c2? 69.Nc2 Kc2 70.f4!
ef4 71.Kg4! and white is making a draw after
71...Kd2 (71...Kc3 72.e5=) 72.Kf3!=.
69.Ke5 Nc4 70.Kd4 Ne3 71.Ke3 c2 72.Kd2 Kb2
0–1.