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How white draws this endgame? Some general endgame tips, please!

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Ardweaden

Firstly, you must notice this was a 1-minute bullet game, and I, to be honest, play bullet horribly. But I am interested how to draw such endings in bullet (and in other types of chess)? Should I keep rooks on? What should me my plan of drawing such king&pawn ending?

Another note: We both had more than 20s on our clocks after we exchanged rook, so I wasn't able to win on time.

Ardweaden

Whoooops, I see now, I should play 43. Kxg4 and it's a draw. But how to draw this endgame anyway (position on move 28)?

binblaster

You shouldn't have exchanged rooks. You should have played for h4 followed by g3 (get your king active first before he tries to cut it off). From there try not to move your pawns but exchange them when your opponent advances his pawns. When you reach a R+P vs R endgame put your rook on the third rank and make sure your king is on the file in front of the pawn and the draw is easy from there.

InfiniteFlash

IF ITS JUST KINGS, from what i remember K+3p vs K+2p on the same side, it should be winning for the 3p side. I think black just creates a zugzwang like position sooner or later.

Generally speaking, if there were pieces added of the same type (bishop vs bishop, knight vs knight, rook vs rook, queen vs queen etc with 3 ps vs 2 pawns w/kings added to each side, it would be a draw though. 

mcbthefirst

Can I ask what was the point of 3.Bb5?  It's not really an effective pin at this point, is it?  The center's still not under control and you haven't developed your Knights. In the end you just had to maneuver your Bishop down and down the board.  Cool

MatchStickKing

mcb_1: it's the opening moves from the Ruy Lopez...

MSC157

I just wanted to suggest you 43.Kxg4, but comment #2 says everything.

http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=439035246

AndyClifton
Ardweaden wrote:

Whoooops, I see now, I should play 43. Kxg4 and it's a draw.

Black could still have won though with 42... Ke4.

shepi13

The king and pawn ending should be lost, but with the rooks on the position is a theoretical draw I believe (although it can have some difficulties).

AndyClifton

I drew that R & P in a USCF tourney a while back...my longest game ever (an even 100 moves).

mcbthefirst

MatchStickKing: I understand that, but it looks to me like once White plays d3, and certainly after Black castles Kingside,  the Bishop's career is stunted, wouldn't you agree?Cool

AndyClifton

You're a wily one, mcb...

Shakaali

The main mistake, as said by others, was exchanging rooks. For one thing extra pawn usually wins in pawn endings but perhaps even more importantly pawn endings can usually be calculated to the end. Therefore you should never enter one unless you are sure about the result because if there's a win the chances are that your opponent will find it.

However, in the game black advances his pawns bit carelessly with 35... g4?? (35 f4... should win) and thanks to black's backward f-pawn you could draw with 38. Kd3! (keeping the opposition).