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When to stop calculating

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Avatar of Riten
Riten
Nov 18, 2016
0
#1

Hi everyone,

in this thread I want us to share experiences about calculating variations. When do you estimate "that variation is not good, let's try something else"? In most cases it is obvious when it becomes hopeless to calculate further but there are some special cases when it's harder to find out how good/bad the variation really is.

Few days ago I was playing a regional league and i had an interesting experience. I was a pawn down so my position was worse but I was fighting for a draw. At one moment I found a variation leading me to a pawn endgame. I would be a pawn down but I would get the pawn back few moves later. The only question was what can the opponent do in those moves (in pawn endgames every move is important). I wasn't sure whether is it draw or am I lost so I stopped calculating and chose another variation for which I thought I had better chances for a draw.

 

 
 
This is the position I'm writing about (I was black). In this position - white to move - doesn't matter what white plays, he's lost. If you don't, believe it, check it with an engine. When I analysed the game an engine said so. I couldn't believe. After few minutes of staring at the position I understood why it is won for black. But during the game i calculated a variation, after 7 moves I reached this position in my mind but then almost immediately stopped calculating and chose another variation. I managed to draw, so I wasn'r really disappointed anyway.
 
So, what have I learnt from this experience? Don't "refute" a variation too early. Does anyone else have a similar experience? Share it with us! Other advices are welcome too!
Avatar of Ashvapathi
Ashvapathi
Nov 18, 2016
0
#2

I don't remember exactly where I heard it(I heard it while watching some GM's lecture on Endgame) where he was saying that endgames can be calculated till the end(as in promoted pawn).

Avatar of blastforme
blastforme
Nov 18, 2016
0
#3
In that position i can see up to the point where the black king is on h5 and the white king is on g3. The white king then can't penetrate blacks side of the board. Even if gives up the h pawn, i can't see how he's getting at black's pawns. But as you say, it depends on how black moves those pawns. Is that where you decided to stop calculating? Or am i looking at it the wrong way?
Avatar of Ninjakiwi17
Ninjakiwi17
Nov 18, 2016
0
#4

White is completely winning in the diagram, so i have no idea what you're talking about

Avatar of blastforme
blastforme
Nov 18, 2016
0
#5
Ninjakiwi: How would you proceed as white for a guaranteed win?
Avatar of Ninjakiwi17
Ninjakiwi17
Nov 18, 2016
0
#6

just go to the kingside, pick up the e5 pawn, and promote it

Avatar of blastforme
blastforme
Nov 18, 2016
0
#7
How do you get around the e6 pawn?
Avatar of blastforme
blastforme
Nov 18, 2016
0
#8

Sorry-i meant the e5 pawn in the previous post. The way i see it, the black king wins the h pawn, and after that the white king has no way around to get the e5pawn. I think the OP is right.. black is winning here.. or it's a draw at best..

Avatar of Ninjakiwi17
Ninjakiwi17
Nov 18, 2016
0
#9

Now it's lost, the king was on h8 before

Avatar of blastforme
blastforme
Nov 18, 2016
0
#10
that's true.. i think it was..
Avatar of usernaym
usernaym
Nov 18, 2016
0
#11

Slightly ironical that white's extra pawn on e4 should be  the reason for his defeat..

Avatar of u0110001101101000
u0110001101101000
Nov 18, 2016
0
#12
usernaym wrote:

Slightly ironical that white's extra pawn on e4 should be  the reason for his defeat..

Although it's probably only half true at best, I have a saying I like to use: "middlegame advantages are endgame weaknesses" tongue.png