Study the endgames I

Submitted by alex_nauta on Wed, 12/03/2008 at 7:49am.

Hello, everybody! I decided to write a series of articles on endgames, since I decided to study them so I can improve my game. In this, first article I will bring your attention to what can happen if your knowledge about endgames is not good enough. Many times players lose a drawn game or draw a winning position, just because of insufficient endgame knowledge.

In first position  a very famous player from the past resigned a game which he could draw if he would know for this typical stalemate. In his defence I can say in his time there was not so much information about chess like nowdays so players had to invent the theory not just to study like today.

In the second position black (very strong grandmaster resigned) where he could have an fairly easy draw. I will leave out the names and moves and let you think about it.

edit : I am not familiar with this article makeing feature so it looks like the diagrams are not in order i ment to be.

» posted in Endgames
 

Comments:

by Cutekoolguy - 2 months ago
Queens United States
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 1

ihi every 1 is stealmate an option which comes automatically

by alex_nauta - 10 months ago
Beograd Serbia
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 18

Thx for the comment phmilet it realy fills up the article, :)

by phmilet - 11 months ago
Rio de Janeiro Brazil
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 181

Hi alex, nice article! It should be mentioned on the second diagram after 3. ... Ra8 that not only is the distance between the rook and the king too big, the rook also has two "safe squares" on the back rank, a8 and b8, and that's why the sneaky 4. Ra4!? doesn't work for white.

For instance, push every other piece one square to the left (black: rook on a8, king on g7; white: king c7, pawn e7 and rook f4), and although the black rook is distant enough to check the white king, Ra4 suffices to win.

by alex_nauta - 11 months ago
Beograd Serbia
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 18

Thx for compliments streetfighter, :)

Well the rook is very close to the white king, but it has enogh space to manuevre.

I will show you now:

by Kenji - 11 months ago
Romania
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 3

Stealmate occur in this position. But i don`t find a way to force this things happens. And draw ...pfff...i dont see it.

by CM streetfighter - 11 months ago
Glenrothes Scotland
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 543

The king and pawn ending is well-known; a very clever way to draw with the stalemate.

The R&P position has me confused - I still can't find the way to draw?! I was fairly sure this was winning for white, partly because the black rook is too close (in files) to the white king?!

Is it something which only works for a pawn on the bishop's file??

Hmmm, guess I'd better do some more work on R&P endings : )

Nice article alex!

 

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