Hardest endgame to master?

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checkmateibeatu

I'd say QvR, but what about you?

checkmateibeatu

I think BBvN would be tough too.

shoopi
TheMouse wrote:

NNNvB

Or a more likely difficult endgame is QP v Q


 Thankfully, I'm pretty sure NNNvB has never happened in a master game (did it happen in a non master game?). As for QP V Q - aren't some of these drawn?

And about BBvN - isn't it drawn when the knight can't be taken quickly?

To me, QvR is extremely challenging, and most probably the hardest so called "basic" endgame to master. BN v K can be hard to some but I found out the technique is easy to learn.

checkmateibeatu

This is what amazes me (from wikipedia):

pawnless chess endgame is a chess endgame in which only a few pieces remain and none of them is a pawn. The basic checkmates are types of pawnless endgames. Endgames without pawns do not occur very often in practice except for the basic checkmates of king and queen versus king, king and rook versus king, and queen versus rook (Hooper 1970:4).

shoopi

Speaking of which, does anyone know of a free online source to learn QvR endgame technique?

checkmateibeatu
An endgame tablebase is one, but I don't think that's what you're looking for.
BobbyRaulMorphy

I think Shankland has two videos on it.  There's a trick to breaking down the third rank defense.

checkmateibeatu
He was asking for a FREE online source.
shoopi

That's probaby not available to free members, right?

And yeah, I'm looking for a more interactive guide than a tablebase... something I could use as guidance in this complicated endgame.

As of now, I can't beat a computer in this.

checkmateibeatu

I explore the winning positions on this thread:

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/endgames/queen-vs-rook-setup

MaartenSmit

...but may take more than 50 moves.

wowiezowie

I'd say it's BN v K

Sherlock__Holmes

BBN vQ with pawns (without pawns is not easy too)

Dragec
shoopi wrote:

That's probaby not available to free members, right?

And yeah, I'm looking for a more interactive guide than a tablebase... something I could use as guidance in this complicated endgame.

As of now, I can't beat a computer in this.


you can find several videos on YouTube, they cover some positions.

Drikhen

B+K+N vs K

Knightmage

This site is good for practicing endgames, I also have Silmans complete endgae course which I am very slowly working through.

 

If you want a free site the following link in not to bad.

http://www.chessvideos.tv/endgame-training/endgame-simulations.php

 Believe it or not I had trouble getting my head around the QvN endgame.

Spiffe

One can come up with all kinds of exotic examples, but I've seen enough detailed analysis of king & pawn endgames with multiple pawns to be skeptical that many players have mastered those.

AndyClifton

The hardest one for me was always (and continues to be) N v B.

As far as exotic ones go, I once had Q v R B N (no pawns) against my computer (eek!).

checkmateibeatu
AndyClifton wrote:

The hardest one for me was always (and continues to be) N v B.

As far as exotic ones go, I once had Q v R B N (no pawns) against my computer (eek!).


That's because it's unwinnable!

AndyClifton

Maybe not, but it certainly was loseable...I lasted about 25-30 moves.