Generally speaking, when you have a material advantage, you want to simplify the position. However, if you have a knight for two pawns, you can't trade everything down, as you'll end up with only a knight, with which you can't win. So what is the strategy to win a queenless middlegame/endgame such as the one you get in this line in the Halloween Gambit? Even though the engine says black is winning, the Lichess database gives roughly equal win-rates for white and black, suggesting the conversion isn't easy at all.
How do I convert a N vs 2P queenless middlegame/endgame?
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"what is the strategy to win a queenless middlegame/endgame such as the one you get in this line in the Halloween Gambit? "
++ Use the extra piece to win 1 or 2 pawns.
Then sacrifice a piece for 1 or 2 pawns so as to emerge with an extra pawn and queen it.
Trade pieces while avoiding unnecessary pawn trades. Try to attack your opponent’s pawns with your pieces, and use your extra piece to exert pressure.
If you can trade down to a, for example,
N + 5P VS 7P endgame, you should be able to win easily.
If you can trade down to a, for example,
N + 5P VS 7P endgame, you should be able to win easily.
LM_player wrote:
Trade pieces while avoiding unnecessary pawn trades. Try to attack your opponent’s pawns with your pieces, and use your extra piece to exert pressure.
If you can trade down to a, for example,
N + 5P VS 7P endgame, you should be able to win easily.
If you can trade down to a, for example,
N + 5P VS 7P endgame, you should be able to win easily.
Makes sense. That N + 5P vs 7P endgame seems like a good reference for the ideal situation I'm playing for. I guess that's why they say "trade pieces" when you're up material, rather than pieces and pawns. Thanks for the answer!