FIDE Surveys – Goran Dizdar

1

Goran Dizdar:

Timing for the King’s endgame
activity

The king's role in endgame is an unavoidable
topic for anyone who wishes to master the
final phase of the game. Ambiguity of the
king's status trough the different stages of
game is one of the most difficult part for
inexperienced players to understand, mostly
due to extremes which emanate from
different levels of king’s vulnerability during
his involvement in the battle. It is easy to
find, within the books or digital chess bases,
huge amount of material related to the
malpractice toward the king in the openings,
which again and again emphasize the
importance of king's safety. If we shift our
attention towards the middle-game practice,
we would find that methods of play may be
changed, but importance of king's safety
would remain undisputed. Blitzkrieg may
not be an issue anymore, yet all sorts of
strategies that relate to the attack of
opponent's king are still principal tool of that
stage of the game. And then, after several
changes may have been done, the players are
advised to look for appropriate opportunity
to include their kings into the battle. They
have to feel the moment when the treasure,
so carefully hidden for a long time, will be
payable to appear at the local flea market –
not an easy task indeed! That such
metamorphosis is necessary, it shouldn’t be
doubted at all. It is enough to open any book
on basic endgames to find out that the piece,
what once was protected and dignified
royalty, now has become responsible hard
worker whose abilities would decide on his
destiny itself.
There should be some critical moments in
the game that preceded and led to any of
such transformation, namely, the moments

when the players decided it is just suitable
time to introduce the king to the active play.
The skill and ability to find when the timing
is appropriate is something that may be
developed only through the analysis and
practice.

We will begin with a game of two great
players, renowned for their endgame skills.

Kortschnoi V. : Karpov A.
Moscow 1974

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-+0
9+-tr-+pmk-0
9-+-+-vlpzp0
9zp-zp-+-+-0
9P+L+-+-zP0
9+-+-+RzP-0
9-+P+-zP-+0
9+-mK-tR-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Kortschnoi desperately needed to win to stay
in match and one might wonder if his
approach to such an important game was
appropriate one, for opposite color bishops
and symmetric pawns structure give, at first
glance, little hope for obtaining any serious
advantage. However, his next move will
clear things up …
29.c3!
This small step ahead awakens the hidden
potential of White position. The road for
white King’s activity is open!
29…Rcd7 30.Kc2 Rd2 31.Kb3 Rd1
All of a sudden the presence of opposite
color Bishops is helping White to build an
advantage. He is in full control of white
squares and Black can do little against the
slalom-like entrance of white King into the
battle.

FIDE Surveys – Goran Dizdar

2

32.Rd1 Rd1 33.Bb5! Rd5
The difference in Kings’ activity may soon
bring black pawn structure in grave danger,
so he looks for escape in trying to reach the
position with only the Bishops left.
34.Re3 Re5 35.Rd3 Re2 36.Rf3 Re5
37.Kc4!
White can allow opponent’s counter-play for
the huge difference in kings’ roles is already
a decisive factor.
37…Rf5 38.Rd3! Rf2 39.Kc5 Be5 40.Kb6
Rg2 41.c4 Rg3 42.Rd7 g5 43.hg5 hg5 44.c5
Rc3 45.c6 g4 46.c7 g3 47.Bc6 Bc7 48.Rc7
Kh6!

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-tR-+p+-0
9-mKL+-+-mk0
9zp-+-+-+-0
9P+-+-+-+0
9+-tr-+-zp-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

49.Rc8
Although White should win accurate,
coordinated play of his pieces is required. He
should also avoid tricks, such as 49.Rf7?
Rc6! and Black is promoting! However,
there was another way, too: 49.Lg2! Rc7
50.Kc7 Kg5 51.Kb6! Kg4 52.Kc5! f5
53.Kd5 f4 54.Ke4 or 51…Kf4 52.Ka5 and
White will win the race.
49… f5 50.Rf8 Rc6 51.Kc6 Kg5 52.Rg8
Kf4 53.Kb5 Kf3 54.Ka5 f4 55.Kb4 Kg2
56.a5 f3 57.a6 f2 58.a7 f1Q 59.a8Q Qf3
60.Qa2 Qf2 61.Qd5 Qf3 62.Qd2 Qf2
63.Kc3 Kg1 64.Qd1 Kg2 65.Qd3 Qc5
66.Kb3 Qb6 67.Kc2 Qc6 68. Kd2 Qh6
69.Qe3 Qh4 70.Rb8 f6 71.Rb6 Qf5 72.Rb2
Kh2 73.Qh6 Kg1 74.Qb6 Kh2 75.Qb8 Kh3

76.Qh8 Kg4 77.Rb4 Kf3 78.Qh1 Kf2
79.Rb2!
Black resigned. 1:0.
The game illustrated all advantages of
King’s timely introduction to the battle.
White was in firm control of the path of his
King’s advance, and therefore no real
obstacles occurred. To reach such progress,
the subtler methods sometimes are
necessary.

Tarrash S. : Rubinstein A.
San Sebastian 1912

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-+0
9+r+-+kzp-0
9l+-+-zp-+0
9zp-+p+-+-0
9-+-vl-zP-+0
9+-+P+LzP-0
9P+R+-sNK+0
9+-+R+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

Black King is on his way to center but the
road is not clear yet. He can’t continue with
the trip for after 33…Ke6? 34.Rc6 Rd6
35.Bg4 ticket would be too costly.
33…Rb2!
Although black Rook is more active than
opponent’s one, it will be traded to make
King’s journey safe! This method is worth of
remembering.
34.Rb2 Bb2 35.Rd2
Black had to be sure that his fine idea
worked after opponent’s active 35.Rb1 as
well. In that case he could have played
35…Bd4 36.Rc1 Ke7! 37.Rc7 Kd6 38.Rg7
Rb7! and penetration of his rook would
bring him decisive advantage!
35…Bd4 36.Nh3 Ke6 37.Rc2 Kd6 38.f5
If White succeeds in his counter-play with

FIDE Surveys – Goran Dizdar

3

Nf4, his prospects could be improved.
However, with his king perfectly posted,
Black is ready to call the shots.

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-+0
9+-+-+-zp-0
9l+-mk-zp-+0
9zp-+p+P+-0
9-+-vl-+-+0
9+-+P+LzPN0
9P+R+-+K+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy

38…Rc8!
The same, but very effective approach again!
After the change black King will have an
easy access towards opponent’s weak pawns.
39.Bd1 Rc2 40.Bc2 Ke5!
Black finds right way to go. 40… Kc5?
41.Nf4 would have led to nowhere.
41.g4 Be3 42. Kf3 Kd4
All black pieces are dominant to the
opponent’s ones, white position is hopeless.
43.Bb3
After 43.Ke2 Bb5 44.Bb1 Ba4 White would
be forced to move his a-Pawn, what would
only make its loss faster
43…Bb7
43…Bd3 44.Bd5 Bf1 was already good
enough.
44.Ke2 Ba6 45.Bc2 Bb5 46.a4 Bd7 47.Kf3
Kc3! 48.Ke3 d4 49.Ke2 Kc2 50.Nf4 Ba4
51.Ne6 Bb3 52.Nd4 Kb2 53.Nb5 a4
54.Ke3 a3 55.Na3 Ka3 56.Kd4 Kb4
and White resigned 0:1.
Beside good evaluation of timing for the
king’s induction, one has to be ready to
apply all necessary measures for carrying it
out, what sometimes could go to extremes
when stakes are high. In the following
memorable game the consistent fight for

Kings’ activation took an epic proportion
indeed.

Portish L. : Pinter J.
Hungary 1984

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-tr-+-tr0
9+l+-mk-zpp0
9p+n+-+-+0
9zP-+P+p+-0
9-zpL+-+-+0
9+-+-mKN+-0
9-+-+-zPPzP0
9tR-+-+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

Both sides have their kings already included
in play, and White has just pushed his d-
Pawn boldly, with the obvious idea to follow
him with his King, after expected black
Knight’s retreat. Well, it turned out that
Black plan was quite different!
21…Kf6!
Black is ready to fight for King’s activity,
even at the cost of a piece! 21…Na7
22.Kd4! Nb5 23.Kc5 would have ceded
initiative to White.
22.dc6 Rhe8 23.Kf4 Te4 24.Kg3 Bc8!
25.Rac1 Rg4 26.Kh3 f4
That was the position which Black had
aimed for. It looks that due to following
checks along g-line he has draw secured, at
least. For instance 27.The1 Rg3 28.Kh4 Rg4
and White has to return since 29.Kh5? Rg6!
is road to defeat.

FIDE Surveys – Goran Dizdar

4

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+ltr-+-+0
9+-+-+-zpp0
9p+P+-mk-+0
9zP-+-+-+-0
9-zpL+-zpr+0
9+-+-+N+K0
9-+-+-zPPzP0
9+-tR-+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

27. Ne5?
That was supposed to be the tactical
refutation of Black’s adventurous play, but
would only backfire instead. White
obviously counted on 27…Ke5 28.Rhe1 Kf6
29.Be6! with some advantage. White could
have won indeed, but with using intended
tactical idea in different way 27.c7! Re8
28.Be6!! Be6 29.Rc6!
27…Kg5! 28.Nf7 Kh5 30.Be2
Fascinating picture! What once had started
as an unsuspecting fight for Kings’
contributions to the game, ended up as a
deadly showdown on the very edge of the
battlefield! White perhaps thought that he
was still in control.

XIIIIIIIIY
9-+ltr-+-+0
9+-+-+Nzpp0
9p+P+-+-+0
9zP-+-+-+k0
9-zp-+-zpr+0
9+-+-+-+K0
9-+-+LzPPzP0
9+-tR-+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy

29…Rd3!

The moment of truth finally has come! After
this sacrifice Black would just have enough
pieces left to mate the opponent: 30.Bd3
Rg3#
30.g3 f3 31.Rc5 Rg5 32.g4 Bg4 33.Kg3 fe2
and White resigned 0:1.

This article is meant to attract your attention
to the important topic. I hope the presented
material was interesting enough to incite you
to continue with you own research.