Analyze with KIMPLODES! K = King Safety in the Endgame!
An endgame analyzed using KIMPLODES!, a human-oriented approach to analysis. [Links providing broad information regarding KIMPLODES! are found at the bottom of the post.]
The specific focus of this analysis is on king safety in the endgame. It's shocking how often even GMs blunder into a lost position because they overlook K = king safety in an endgame. In this case, the critical mistake occurs in an endgame. And it's such a natural move, bringing the king to the center while simultaneously blockading a passed pawn. After all, there aren't that many pieces on the board, and there are no immediate threats, no enemy knights able to chase the king from the blockading square.
INTRODUCTIONS!
Gentlepersons, chess connoisseurs, novitiates, masters of the 64 squares, and simple spectators! Let me introduce today's contestants!!
The Players
On your left, playing as White, we have Attila Turzo, a Hungarian IM born in 1978. The Hungarian Junior CC at age nineteen and the Hungarian Team CC in 2015, he has been coaching other players since age sixteen. He has placed first in more than ten international tournaments, including the Unna Open in Germany where he scored a perfect seven out of seven with a performance rating over 2700. His peak rating of 2415 was achieved in 1998. His ratings started out with a bang as the lowest rating I found for him was 2195 in a game against Boris Avrukh in 1994, when Attila would have been at most sixteen. A prolific blogger on chess.com, Attila has been my coach for several years and was a key reason I have written and published two chess books.
On your right, handling the black pieces, we welcome Tam Zhongyi. A Chinese GM born 29 May 1991, she earned a gold medal on board four at the 42nd Chess Olympiad in 2016. Then went on to win the knockout edition of the Women’s World CC in 2017, defeating Anna Muzychuk in the final. Later she added to her collection of world titles, winning the Women’s World Rapid CC in 2022. Then there is the eensy-weensy, tiny little fact that she is the three-time reigning Chinese Women’s CC, with five titles total to her credit. Finally, she is the challenger set to face Ju Wenjun in the 2025 Women’s World CC. Her peak rating of 2551 was reached in September 2024.
The Scenario
We're pleased to restage this game from the 22 December 2022 edition of Titled Tuesday! I happened to be watching this game as my coach, IM Turzo, was streaming. While streaming, White explained that he traded queens earlier to simplify the game; seems advisable against a player rated around 160 points higher. We join the action at a point where Black's bishop is a bit sidelined on the queenside by her pawn chain stretching from b7 to d5. I'd call it virtually trapped. White's chances were in opening another front on the kingside. Meanwhile, finding meaningful black moves is difficult. I'd probably try for a future ...b6 and ...c5. But as seen in the alternative line 30...Rg8 in the notes, that proposed pawn push might not generate much activity.
Spoiler Alert: All the puzzles you will encounter further below are based on this game. That includes the analytic lines.
So, ready to test your memory of all those lines? Or are you games-person enough to have skipped over all that folderol and spindrift, choosing to jump unprepared into the problems presented below? In either case, good solving!
Let the puzzles begin
Puzzle #1
In one of the alternatives, we explored what happens if Black sacrifices an exchange on d6 to activate their remaining pieces.
How does White best punish Black if they grab the b2-pawn after activating?
Assessment:
A. The rooks defend each other and now the d6-pawn can advance.
B. Lines: White's rooks control the only open files so Black's rook cannot find a path to the back rank to stop the d-pawn.
C. Pawn structure: Black's pawns are on light squares and prevent the bishop from controlling the d7 square.
Puzzle #2
How did White provoke a mistake by Black?
Assessment: King safety: Black's king is immobilized. Now both king and rook are trapped to the defense of the e7 square where White would relish an express delivery mate. It's tragic when you can't get a little helpmate from your friends.
At blitz speeds, we don't have time for clever palaver. Wait. We do. It's like when Spidey questions the mental capacity of a common criminal or the Kingpin. Plenty of time for snark. Particularly given this is analysis.
Puzzle #3
You'll be asked to find two moves. In both cases, there is an alternative move that is as good or better. If you apply the Keep it Simple, Smith (KISS) Principle you will probably play the "approved" move the first time. But it is certainly fine if you discover in the notes that you played the equivalent or better move!
Quiet on the set, quiet on the set. Everyone's in place. We all know our lines. The framework erected, the hangman identified and present for duty, all that's left are some spite activities in hopes of a time forfeit. But the increment is actually increasing the time on White's clock.
Assessment:
A. Initiative: Mate in one is threatened on g6.
B. This position boils down to realizing that the Rooks need an open file to influence the outcome, recognizing why ...Ke6 is a blunder, and then performing some stage setting. Not particularly difficult at a slow time control, but how many of us could do all this in a few seconds towards the end of a three minute + one-second increment blitz game?
Puzzle #4
Lines: There are two very good moves here that revolve around lines.
Can you find the truly brilliant move that ends the game a few moves faster?
Interference with the opening of lines!!
Assessment: The point of this move is to eliminate spite checks by Black's rook and thereby deliver mate two moves faster. Black only has spite sacrifices after b4. If you spotted this improvement over the game line, my applause meter is pegged!!
Puzzle #5
In the game Black played ...Ra5?? in this position. Here a better move is played, eyeing the white bishop. How should White respond?
Assessment:
A. Material: The h-pawn will promote.
B. Pawn structure: Black's pawns nullify the long-range capability of the bishop which cannot attack the h5 or h7 squares along the pawn's promotion promenade.
C. Lines: White's control of the g-file prevents the black king from reaching the h-pawn.
Puzzle #6
The scenario: You are playing Black and your king is about to suffer a mortal blow. On the positive side of the ledger, your opponent only has a few seconds on their clock with a one-second increment. Meanwhile, you have several minutes left on your clock.
How do you extend the game and prospectively pocket a full point in what is objectively a lost position?
Assessment:
A. Squares and Lines: Black wants to chase the white king far enough from the f-file that the black rook can safely reach f1, f2, or f3.
B. Material and King safety: The reason Black's rook wants to safely reach the f-file is to allow a rook sacrifice on f5 when White pushes the pawn to f5. For instructional purposes, the notes in the diagram look at some plausible continuations with KIMPLODES! commentary.
Puzzle #7
A different setting than Puzzle #6 but the same issue: You are playing Black and your king is about to suffer a mortal blow. On your side of the ledger, your opponent only has a few seconds on their clock with a one-second increment. Meanwhile, you have several minutes left on your clock. How do you extend the game and prospectively pocket a full point in what is objectively a lost position?
Assessment:
A. Initiative: With the removal of a pair of rooks much of White's initiative disappears as there are no longer mate threats on the g-file.
B. King safety: Black's king is relatively safe now. But still trapped like a fly in amber or a dinosaur in a tar pit.
C. White is winning. But work remains. And given the scenario of very limited time on the clock for White, Black might take home a full point.
Related links:
1. For a slightly deeper summary of KIMPLODES! concepts than offered below you can click here.
2. If you want a full blog on a specific topic, for example, E=Energy (a particularly complex topic, skip it unless you want to reach FM), then click the relevant link below.
3. If you'd like to see more puzzles from individual games, then please scroll to the end and click one of those links.
Specific KIMPLODES! Topics
M = Material Am I ahead or behind in material? The more insightful question is whether a material deficit or surplus matters.
O = Officers The minor pieces. Who has the better bishops and knights.
E = Energy Sometimes the owner of the pieces with less space enjoys tremendous latent energy, just waiting to explode in retribution for the opponent's audacity in trying to squeeze the other side.
S = Space/Squares Oversimplified, as pawns advance, they gain a spatial advantage, but frequently leave behind holes the other side will try to exploit.
Additional analyses and puzzles from specific games:
Analyze with KIMPLODES! Two games, 12 puzzles
Analyze with KIMPLODES! Early Black Pawn Sac Philidor's Defense
Analyze with KIMPLODES! An Evans Gambit Game & Puzzles
