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Bishop, Knight and King vs Lone King

  • atomichicken
  • | Apr 20, 2009
  • | 819 views
  • | 12 comments

Jeremy Silman in his book 'Silman's Complete Endgame Course' makes the statement that this Endgame isn't worth learning as it will only come up at most about 3 times in one's lifetime or possibly not ever at all. But it shouldn't take long for most to Master and it also teaches useful Bishop and Knight Co-ordination techniques. So I think it is worth learning. I remember sitting down about a year ago and just practicing it for an hour against Fritz. That was all it took for me to become proficient at it..

I think it was in the most recent Olympiad where even a player rated over 2400 didn't know how to win such an Endgame! Which must have obviously been rather embarrassing?

I played such an Endgame against one of my students shortly after I learned it around a year ago. It will definitely be useful to look at for anyone who doesn't know how to pull off such a mate. All my annotations are from a year ago as well and done for my student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are also some useful videos on youtube.com demonstrating this Endgame.

ian

Comments


  • 3 years ago

    atomichicken

    According to Silman it's not even worth learning at all! But at almost any level I think it should be pretty easy to learn. To master for you it should take an hour or 2 at most.

  • 3 years ago

    josef5555

    Which rating do you have to be on to master this ending(according to Silmans complete endgame course?)

  • 3 years ago

    atomichicken

    Yes, you're right. Thanks for that improvement.

  • 3 years ago

    DJHeilke

    Actually,

     

    although you took 26 moves to mate, and did it in a way that doesn't require the king to be in the corner (which I found most interesting), the traditional corner mate is much faster.

    Starting on 19. Kb1, you should have moved the bishop, instead of hopping around with the knight.  19. .... Bc5 20. Ka2 (best) Kc7 21. Ka1 Bf8 22. Ka2 Nc1+ 23. Ka1 Bg7#

    Cheers.

  • 3 years ago

    atomichicken

    Actually, I'm wrong there. It turns out Q+K vs R+K is the only other one excluded from the book..

  • 3 years ago

    atomichicken

    It most certainly is. I advise you get the book I mentioned 'Silman's Endgame Course', he covers all that stuff in thorough detail apart from B+N+K vs K..

  • 3 years ago

    swiniaWkosmosie

    What about mating with Queen+King against Rook+King? Is it possible?

  • 3 years ago

    atomichicken

    Thanks. Yes for most it is. I guess 2 Bishops + King vs Lone King is probably equally rare, but Silman gives instructions on how to complete that one. It is much easier, but I don't think that Bishop and Knight is particularly hard. As I said it should only take 1-2 hours max for the average player to learn thoroughly.

  • 3 years ago

    SkillzTurtle

    very informative, this is the hardest forced mate endgame isnt it?

    But it is worth to stress that is very very very very rare. Normally there is a pawn left which could promote and a Q K V K is a heck of a lot easier! XD

  • 3 years ago

    atomichicken

    Glad you enjoyed it. All of the patterns and move orders should be memorised if possible!

  • 3 years ago

    kirkland

    that was very cool so what asspect should be memorized or what was easyer for you thanks

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