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Endgame Bootcamp 12

Mradsomer

17 Jun 202692 viewsEnglish (US)

Endgame

Three Endings

Endgame Bootcamp 1: Camp Addendum

Endgame Bootcamp 2: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Endgame Bootcamp: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Intro

The Beast has opinions, but does not speak in any other language outside of algebraic notation. Often times the lines are a rabbit hole, never ending, always unwinding, and not human. Enjoy these three not so simple endings, with a lack of the usual thorough commentary.

Warming up (game 1)

Instead of the game move: Kd4 how should White proceed in this bishop knight endgame?

Don't take the "free" bishop if you're Black, because White's f pawn will promote after f7, Knight moves anywhere, or any other move by Black, f8=Q or fxe8=Q if the Knight didn't move.

Pay attention to White's queenside pawns and Black's kingside pawns. White has to figure out a way to promote while stopping Black from promoting. A heavy/major piece is required to checkmate. White must figure out how to "dominate" the Black knight with their bishop. Once this is accomplished, the minor pieces will trade off and White will have a winning pawn ending.

The move to seal the deal is b4, and if Black responds with g4 play f7. Black must tend to the threat immediately so Kxf7 allows White to start breaking down Black's queenside pawn island with Bb8, attacking a7. Black plays a6 and White has a positional move:

Kc4! Stepping towards the already weakened pawn island. Black can respond with Ke6, trying to take the center and potentially invade White's kingside corner. Very common in endings with promotion, that the two Kings are racing for the same goal. Once White pressures the Black "a" pawn again with b6, we have a5 and Ba7 threatens Black's "b" pawn. Black finally moves their minor piece with Nd6+

now White uses opposition, keeping the Black king from crossing the 4th rank of the board. (Ranks are numbers. Files are letters) Ke4 does the job, because Black still has a hanging pawn and has to play Nc8 to defend it. This also puts White's bishop under attack so it moves to the only square Bb8, but it now eyes the diagonal that the Black knight was previously on. That's why Ne7 would be Black's next move.

I already hinted at the value of White's bishop, so it should be no surprise it wants to keep improving it's position. Never forget where a Bishop is best placed, as most pieces are, in the center of the board, where it can eye more squares than if placed on the sides/corners/other places of the board. Be5 is a powerful move, not only because of centralization, but the Black knight will eventually have to move to a dark square after its next move. (The knight alternates from light to dark squares as it moves, never going from one light square to another light square, or one dark square to another dark square). Black attempts to push the King around with more checks, and in doing so, makes their first mistake. Nf5+ Ke4

Black could have played Ne7 then: Bb2 Nd5 Bd4 h4 Ba1 Nb4 Kf4 g3 fxg3 Nd3+ Kf3.

Black instead played Nd6+ getting the question mark. Then after Kf4 it gets another question mark with Kd5, because White is able to trade off minor pieces finally, into the winning pawn ending. Black wants to retain its knight for as long as possible. So we set up the position after Bxd6 Kxd6.

Finally a pure pawn ending. White should be able to scoop up the Black pawns on the kingside, then as Black tends to the passed pawns on the kingside, White walks back over to the queenside to be positioned for at least one of their pawns to promote.
Example continuation: Kg5 Ke5 Kxh5 Kf5 Kh4 Kf4 h3 gxh3 Kxh3 Kf3 Kh4 Kf4 Kh5

Black has to nab the f pawn eventually, giving White the opportunity to cross the board without opposition from the Black king. White makes it to their pawns in time to promote on b8 before Black's pawn reaches a1.

Kf3 Kg5 Kxf2 Kf5 Ke2 Ke6 Kd2 Kd7 Kc2 Kc7 Kb3 Kxb6 Kxa4 Ka6 Kb4 b6 a4 b7 a3 b8=Q+

The Main Event (game 2)

White has one option for the win. Black is up a pawn in this rook/same color bishop endgame so it's not an easy shut and close case for White.

The sequence starts with a5, then after Rb6 Rc5 with check. Black has a square better than the rest, on f4. We still maintain a sharp position for both sides, and e5 drives the point further, because if Black plays Bh5 with check, White simply steps to f2 while asking Black what they will do with their almost trapped rook. This is why a5 is played, to allow the Black rook an escape route. However the White rook snaps up a5 quickly. So far all the moves White has played have worse alternatives, so we can consider this to be a forced continuation. We will quickly look at a poor move from Black before reviewing Black's better defense.

Be4?

After Bxe4 Kxe4 b5 (not Rc5 which still holds for White) Kxe5 Ra8.

Now g5 c4 Rd6 a5 f5 c5 Rd4 Rb8 Re4+ Kd3 Kd5

Black makes a mistake with Kd5 (Best was f4 Rxb7 Rd4+ Ke2 Re4+ Kd2 Rd4+ Ke1 Re4+ Kf2 h5 Rg7)

White capitalizes with c6 bxc6 b6 Rd4+ Kc3 Rc4+ Kb3 Kc5 a6 Rb4+

Kc3 Rxb6 a7 Ra6 a8=Q Rxa8 Rxa8 Kd5

A lovely ending where White easily scoops up the Black pawns to simplify and mate.
Black could have also played Rd6 rather than g5

...a5 Ke4 Ra7 b6 a6 Rd5

Setting up to liquidate with Rc7! Rxb5 Rc4 Kd5 Ra4 Rc5 a7 Rc8 a8=Q Rxa8 Rxa8

f6

We go back to continue on with the "forced" continuation. Black plays f6 rather than Be4 and White responds Ra8. Positioning the rook for checks on the Black king, and ability to slide over to the kingside where Black can create threats. Black has the choice of capturing on e5 with their king or pawn.

If fxe5 a5 Rb5 Rf8+ (Rd6 Rf8)

Rf8 is the only winning move for White, otherwise Black gets away with the Draw.

Black can block the check with their bishop, and that's probably best continuation, but we will look at: Kg3 Bc6 bxc6

a6 Rb6 a7 Ra6 a8=Q Rxa8 Rxa8

Kxh3 and we are out of the sharp position where White has practically one winning move each turn. Lets look at c4 Be4 Ke3 Bg2

Kf2 e4 Ra3+ Kh2 Rg3 Bf1 Rg4 h5 Rh4+

Bh3 Rxh5 g6 Rg5 e3+ Kxe3 Bf1 b5

Bxc4 bxc6 Kh3 Rxg6 Kh4 c7 Ba6 Rxe6

Bc8 Re8 Bd7 c8=Q Bxc8 Rxc8

Kxe5

Black did not have to play fxe5 way back when Ra8 was played by white:

Kxe5 Rc8 Bh5+ Ke3 f5. Debatably forced Ke3, as it's better than the alternative Kf2, but Kf2 is not losing for White, just a harder conversion.

Rc5+ Kf6 a5 Rd6 Bxb7 g5

Bf3 Bxf3 Kxf3 Ra6 (from a5 until here White's played only winning moves and finally has a fork in the road) c4

We will look at two different moves for Black after h5 Rc8. First g4+ and second Ke5.

g4

After g4 hxg4 hxg4 Kg3 Ke7

Kf4 Kd7 Rh8 Kd6 Rg8 Ra7 Ke3 Ke5

Kd3 Kf6 (Rd7+ is also fine for Black) c5 Kf7 Rh8 g3

Ke2 Ra6 Rh7+ Kf6 Kf3 Ke5 Kxg3 Kd5

Ke5

Ke5 Rd8 g4 hxg4 hxg4 Kg3 Ke4

c5 Rc6 Rd6 Rc8 Rxe6+ Kd5

Re7 Rc6 Rd7 Kc4 Rb7 Rg6

c6 Rxc6 b5 Re6 b6 Re3

Kf4 Rf3 Ke5 Re3 Kxf5 g3

Rc7 Kd5 Kf4 g2 Rg7 Re4

Kf3 Re7 (because if Rxe7 Black draws) Rxg2. Enjoy exploring the tablebase territory that we have been in since Kxf5

The Cool Down (game 3)

What is Black's best defense? The White knight is trapped, but mating threats loom.

I personally like reviewing these positions where one side is very much winning, because a past student of mine did not like when a lot of pieces were still on the board during a lesson. It's important to not become overwhelmed and see through the weeds.

If Rg4 then Ra3. If Rxg2 then Rg3. Let's explore both options.