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Struggling to checkmate in this endgame as Black. Too advanced for my rating?

I'm having trouble understanding this endgame I had as Black.

I've analyzed it and tried to solve it over 30 times, but I still can't consistently checkmate the White king. Is this too advanced for my current rating? It feels really demotivating. Even with no time pressure I just lose the advantage in one move.

I've done lots of endgame puzzles and the game analysis shows one line, but when I practice against stockfish white always plays completely different moves.

If you can explain the winning technique or solve it, what difficulty rating would you give it?
Any help or tips would be super appreciated!

https://lichess.org/ThnqYoVF/black

I'm having trouble understanding this endgame I had as Black. I've analyzed it and tried to solve it over 30 times, but I still can't consistently checkmate the White king. Is this too advanced for my current rating? It feels really demotivating. Even with no time pressure I just lose the advantage in one move. I've done lots of endgame puzzles and the game analysis shows one line, but when I practice against stockfish white always plays completely different moves. If you can explain the winning technique or solve it, what difficulty rating would you give it? Any help or tips would be super appreciated! https://lichess.org/ThnqYoVF/black

You were doing all right and winning until 93...Ke1? Any other king move was winning. You walk your king towards his rook.
Black resigned in a drawing position.

"Is this too advanced for my current rating?" * No, it is basic. Analyze it some more to understand it.

"white always plays completely different moves" * White is losing, so it does not matter what he plays.

You were doing all right and winning until 93...Ke1? Any other king move was winning. You walk your king towards his rook. Black resigned in a drawing position. "Is this too advanced for my current rating?" * No, it is basic. Analyze it some more to understand it. "white always plays completely different moves" * White is losing, so it does not matter what he plays.

https[colon]//lichess[period]org/ThnqYoVF
It seems that it was necessary to do something rather laborious like this: 93...Kc3 94 Rc8+ Kb4 95 Rb8+ Kc5 96 Rc8+ Kd6 97 Rd8+ Ke7 98 Rd1 h2+ 99 Kh1 Kf6 100 Rd6+ Re6 101 Rd1 Kf5 102 Kg2 Kf4 103 Ra1 Re2+ 104 Kh1 Re4 105 Kg2 Kg4 106 Ra2 Rf4 107 Rb2 Rf2+ 108 Rxf2 gxf2 ...
I wonder if, somewhere around move 69, it would have been possible to do something quicker.

https[colon]//lichess[period]org/ThnqYoVF It seems that it was necessary to do something rather laborious like this: 93...Kc3 94 Rc8+ Kb4 95 Rb8+ Kc5 96 Rc8+ Kd6 97 Rd8+ Ke7 98 Rd1 h2+ 99 Kh1 Kf6 100 Rd6+ Re6 101 Rd1 Kf5 102 Kg2 Kf4 103 Ra1 Re2+ 104 Kh1 Re4 105 Kg2 Kg4 106 Ra2 Rf4 107 Rb2 Rf2+ 108 Rxf2 gxf2 ... I wonder if, somewhere around move 69, it would have been possible to do something quicker.

"somewhere around move 69"

  • 69...Kg3 was quicker indeed, but 69...Re2 was not wrong. There is no bonus for a faster win.
"somewhere around move 69" * 69...Kg3 was quicker indeed, but 69...Re2 was not wrong. There is no bonus for a faster win.

I think it is indeed a very difficult endgame, easily underestimated. Sure you are up two pawns but there are so many stalemate threats while the king is in the corner.

My rating on this site is over 2100 and though I do feel I should be able to win this against a human of equal strength in many cases, I just tried a few times against the computer and indeed needed quite a few takebacks to find the right plan and avoid a draw.

Perhaps a practical approach that is less demotivating can be:
Play the moves, when you see the evalutation change from 'big advantage' to 'equal' immediately take back the move and reflect on why you lost the advantage/what the alternate plan should be.

Then the next time you should likely need less takebacks and find the winning plan more naturally.

After practicing twice, i just had an attempt in which I only needed 4 takebacks against the computer, and felt like that was a pretty decent run.

Have a look at how I got there, the main line leads to the win and the sidelines are where I made a wrong choice and needed a takeback

https://lichess.org/study/5No6NvZF/bdpoaDTe

Some personal observations:

  1. Typically avoid putting a pawn on a7 or a rook on b7 (begging for stalemate), so keep your rook on e and f files and push b7 instead of a7
  2. Keep your rook mostly on the e file while your king wants to advance over the f file, and on the f file (most of the time) when your king wants to advance over the g file (near the end).
I think it is indeed a very difficult endgame, easily underestimated. Sure you are up two pawns but there are so many stalemate threats while the king is in the corner. My rating on this site is over 2100 and though I do feel I should be able to win this against a human of equal strength in many cases, I just tried a few times against the computer and indeed needed quite a few takebacks to find the right plan and avoid a draw. Perhaps a practical approach that is less demotivating can be: Play the moves, when you see the evalutation change from 'big advantage' to 'equal' immediately take back the move and reflect on why you lost the advantage/what the alternate plan should be. Then the next time you should likely need less takebacks and find the winning plan more naturally. After practicing twice, i just had an attempt in which I only needed 4 takebacks against the computer, and felt like that was a pretty decent run. Have a look at how I got there, the main line leads to the win and the sidelines are where I made a wrong choice and needed a takeback https://lichess.org/study/5No6NvZF/bdpoaDTe Some personal observations: 1. Typically avoid putting a pawn on a7 or a rook on b7 (begging for stalemate), so keep your rook on e and f files and push b7 instead of a7 2. Keep your rook mostly on the e file while your king wants to advance over the f file, and on the f file (most of the time) when your king wants to advance over the g file (near the end).