Essential Endgames Every Tournament Player Must Know

© 2014 Craig Suveg. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/31/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4817-0648-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-0647-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-0646-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013900829

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Contents

Preface

I. Pawn Endgames

King and Pawn vs. King and Pawn

Blocked Pawns and the Acquisition of Key Squares

Pawns on Adjacent Files

Passed Pawns – Dual-Purpose King Maneuvers

King and Two Pawns vs. King and Pawn

Blocked Rook Pawns and an Extra Passed Pawn

A. Blocked Rook Pawns and a Distant (far bishop file or greater) Passed Pawn

B. Blocked Rook Pawns and a Central and Far Passed Pawn

C. Blocked Rook Pawns and a Central and Near Passed Pawn

D. Blocked Rook Pawns and a Passed Bishop Pawn on the Same Wing

E. Blocked Rook Pawns and a Knight Pawn

Pawn Breakthroughs

II. Rook Endgames

Rook vs. Pawn

Rook vs. Two Connected Passed Pawns

Rook and Pawn vs. Rook

Lucena Position

Philidor Position

Reserve Philidor Position

Long-Side Defense

Vancura Defense

Cutting Off the Enemy King by File

Cutting Off the Enemy King by Rank

Long-Side Defense Prevails

Rook and Two Pawns vs. Rook

a. Doubled Pawns

b. Connected Pawns Blocked by the Enemy King

c. Attacking Rook stuck in Front of a 7th Rank Rook Pawn

d. Vancura Defense Against Two Rook Pawns

e. Rook and Bishop Pawns on the Same Wing

Rook and Two Connected Passed Pawns vs. Rook and One Passed Pawn

Rook and Multiple Pawns: Strategic Themes

All Pawns on One Side of the Board

(a) Rook and Two Pawns vs. Rook and One Pawn

(b) Rook and Three Pawns vs. Rook and Two Pawns

(c) Rook and Four Pawns vs. Rook and Three Pawns

Material Advantage of One Outside Passed Pawn

III. Minor Piece Endgames

Elementary Checkmates Involving a Bishop and Knight

Knight vs. Rook

Knight vs. Center Pawn and King

Knight vs. Knight Pawn and King

Knight vs. Rook Pawn and King

Bishop vs. Rook

Bishop vs. Rook and 6th Rank Bishop Pawn

Bishop vs. Rook and Rook Pawn

Bishop vs. Knight and Pawn

Bishop and Pawn vs. Knight

Bishop and Rook Pawn vs. Lone King

Bishops of Opposite Color

Three Drawing Scenarios for Separated Pawns in Bishop of Opposite Color Endgames

(a) One of the Two Pawns Is a Wrong-Colored Rook Pawn

(b) Two Pawns Separated by One File

(c) Two Pawns Separated by Two Files

An Exception: One of the Two Pawns Separated by Two Files Is a Knight Pawn

Bishop and Pawn(s) vs. Bishop of the Same Color

Bishop and Center Pawns

Bishop and Knight Pawns

Centurini’s Rule – Four or More

Two Extra Split Pawns

Two Extra Protected Passed Pawns

IV. Queen Endgames

Elementary Checkmates: Queen and King

Queen vs. King and 6th Rank Pawn

Queen vs. King and 7th Rank Pawn

Queen vs. King and 7th Rank Rook Pawn

Queen vs. King and 7th Rank Bishop Pawn

Philidor’s Blockade: Queen vs. Rook and Pawn

Queen and Multiple Pawn Endgames

V. Endgame Outline

Bibliography

Tests

For my beloved mother Dolores (1934-2010), who made the ultimate queen sacrifice by not only showing me how the pieces moved but showed me how to move ahead in the game of life.

Preface

It was my mother who first introduced me to the royal game as a young child. And, I can still vividly remember my very first chess set. You know, the inexpensive department store one with plastic pieces and a fold up card board. Yet, this set was very different. Like others, it came with a basic instruction book outlining the general rules of the game and how the pieces moved. But, what was most intriguing about the instruction book was it’s title: Chess in 30 minutes. Well, I thought, this game cannot possibly be that difficult. After all, I had learned how to play CandyLand and Ropes and Ladders in as much time! So, with the confidence and ambition of a naïve little schoolboy, the journey began at once. Needless to say, after practically a lifetime of competitive chess, that journey still continues today. The present work merely represents yet another short stride along this long and winding road.

So, why another book on the endgame?

Because what if a book on endgames were created in which each and every position was carefully selected to represent the endgames most frequently encountered in modern tournament practice? What if such a book included an easy reference outline summarizing all the rules required to solve them? What if such a book not only imparted the knowledge and technique necessary to solve the most essential endgames but provided an organized thinking process designed to solve a very broad range of the less essential endgames? Still, what if such an endgame book provided you with the necessary knowledge and technique to make you a master strength endgame player? Would you purchase it?

There is such a book, and I present it to you here for the very first time. Unfortunately, not all texts on the endgame are created equal. Many lack explanation or organization; others present obscure theoretical examples or seemingly endless and complicated variations. The present work emphasizes recognition and understanding; not reams of variations or if-then prose. You will quickly become familiar with the basic rules dealing with the most frequently encountered endgames and develop a deep understanding of how to solve them without the need of deep calculation. Like a sorcerer peering into a crystal ball, you will be able to determine quickly—sometimes even in seconds—not only the outcome of the game but the plans required to decide it.

It is my sincerest conviction that mastery of this selection of essential endgames is sufficient to reach master endgame strength. For the positions arising over the board not covered herein, adequate preparations have been made. Through the unique concept of extrapolation, you will discover an organized thinking and decision making process designed to take knowledge gained and apply it toward a broad range of related positions. This application process can only occur through the genuine understanding of the theoretical principles presented here and the practiced execution of technique acquired by working through these examples. By diligently solving the examples in this book, the student will be rewarded with the knowledge and confidence required to win drawn endgames and draw lost ones.

It is well established that a very important indicator of a player’s strength is his ability to play the endgame, which has invariably distinguished the great champions of the past.

It is also well established that the endgame can be especially difficult for younger players since they seem to commit far more mistakes here than in the opening and middlegame phases. Why? Lack of knowledge of the most essential and most frequent positions? Poor mastery of technique?

It is interesting then, if not somewhat consoling, for the student to not only witness the mistakes of the world’s current number one, Magnus Carlsen as a youngster but how he was able to correct them.

Before departing for our journey into the fascinating world of endgames, let us take a brief look at a few of Carlsen’s endgames in order to get a flavor of what one can expect to encounter even at the highest levels of chess.

Our first position is from a tie break between Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian, FIDE World Championship, Tripoli 2004:

W

A well known theoretical position so complicated that even Grandmasters avoid it! As we will see, rook endgames with rook and bishop pawns offer the weaker side good drawing chances. You would think that a player of Carlsen’s strength could easily split the point here, right? Incidentally, Carlsen’s recent stratospheric 2994 performance at the London Chess Classic raised his rating to new heights to break the old record held by Garry Kasparov. The new summit of Mount Ever Best is 2861. However, here, the Norwegian boy wonder was unable to save the game.

As we will see, in endings of this type the very best squares for the king are f2 and g2. In a rapid play situation such as this or for those who invariably insist on practicing poor clock management this type of endgame knowledge is worth it’s weight in gold. Consequently, 66. Kg2 suggests itself with the idea of blocking the h pawn and leaving the rook the option of checking along the rank or file. Actually, the best square for the rook is a8.

Instead, Carlsen chose 66. Kg4?! when after 66…h3, the win of the h3 pawn results in a lost pawn ending making it much more difficult for Carlsen to hold the position. The game continued 67. Rg5+? a cheap trick based on stalemate after which 67…fxg5? would lead to defeat. However, 67. Ra2 f5+ 68. Kf4 would have held the position intending after 68…Rb8 69. Ra6+ Kh5 70. Kg3 Rb3+ 71. Kh2 or, alternatively, 69. Kg3 Rh8 70. Kh2. It is no surprise that Aronian, currently ranked in the world’s top three did not take the bait. Instead, Aronian played 67…Kf7 68. Rh5 Ke6 69. Rh8 Rc3 70. Kf4 Kf7 (70…Rc2!) 71. Kg4 Kg6 72. Kf4 Rc2! this conversion technique is quite instructive. 73. Rxh3 Rc4+ leads to the exchange of rooks, the pawn is able to continue it’s advance and the king is able to make an outflanking maneuver. Carlsen continued 73. Kg3 h2 74. Kf3 Kf5 75. Rh5+ Ke6 76. Rh8 Ke5 77. Re8+ Kd4 78. Rd8+ Kc3 79. Rh8 Rd2 80. Kg3 Kd3 81. Kf3 Kc2 82. Kg3 Kd1and Carlsen resigned here.

Were you able to successfully solve this endgame? If you were, congratulations! If not, take heart! It is a very difficult rook endgame. Even Carlsen failed to solve it over the board. However, it is a very practical one and I guarantee you will see it at some point in your career. Like the old Boy Scout motto: It is better to be prepared!

B

A theoretically drawn position from Aronian-Carlsen, Moscow 2006. In the past, Carlsen had employed the technique of simply maintaining pressure on the pawn. 69…Re2! is certainly sufficient to draw. However, here he preferred another defensive plan involving attacking with the rook from the long side which proves to be a bit more complicated: 69…Ra1 70. Ke7 Ra5 71. e6 Ra7+ 72. Rd7 Ra8 73. Rd6 Ra7+?

With long side defense, the weaker side must not give up the back rank. 73…Kg6 was the only move to draw 74. Ke8 and black resigned.

W

The above position was reached in Carlsen-Kedik, Norwegian Under 18 Championship 2002:

48. g4? Carlsen misses. The way for the king should have been secured with 48. Ra4

48…Rb3+ 49. Kf4 Rb4+ 50 Kf5 Rb5+ 51. Ke6 Rb4! 52. Ra7+ Kh6 53. Kf5 Rb5+ 54. Kf6 Rb6+ 55. Kf7 Rf6+!

It is very effective to use the rook to drive the king away from the pawns. With the king cut off, it is much easier to blockade the pawns.

56. Ke8 Rf4! 57. g5+ Kh5 58. Rh7+ Kg6 59. Rh6+ Kg7 60 h5 Re4+ 61. Kd7 Re5 62. Rg6+ Kh7 63. Kd6 Ra5 64. Kc7 Re5 65. Kd7 Ra5 66. Ke6 Ra6+ 67. Kf5 Rxg6 drawn.

After the lesson learned in this type of endgame, all Magnus Carlsen could do was to remember for ever the technique of hitching the rook to the king and passed pawns. One year later, he saved a similar ending.

A question regarding how to most effectively use this book naturally presents itself. I have taken the liberty of including a number of test positions and solutions which I believe is essential in solidifying your mastery over the essential endgames presented in this work. I suggest that you begin by working through the test positions first; before studying the material presented, and obtaining an initial test score. At this stage, it is not important that you completely understand the solutions provided.