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Any good strategies on end games?

Any good strategies on end games?

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me, not you

CaNaDa

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as in Pawn movements.. or when just one or two main pieces left and the rest pawns? I'm getting killed in the end game .. I just don't play the pawn movements properly.. I make stupid mistakes., which I know the books won't help correct, but maybe I can learn a strategy or two.

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Originally posted by MIODude
as in Pawn movements.. or when just one or two main pieces left and the rest pawns? I'm getting killed in the end game .. I just don't play the pawn movements properly.. I make stupid mistakes., which I know the books won't help correct, but maybe I can learn a strategy or two.
Any gamelinks with lost pawnendings?

M
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CaNaDa

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Actually.. in the middle of a couple right now, so I can't ask for advice yet.. once completed I'll post it.. its a clan challenge too, so don't want to break any rules.

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Pencampwr Maes-e

Treffynnon.

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get a copy of Essential Chess Endings by James Howell. I picked up a copy for £6 and it's certainly improved my game. It's quite chatty and can just about be read without a board so its suitable for bath and bog though I have purchased a little wooden board to carry round with me to allow me to study properly at work!

I HATE chess books, but this one is great. Similar level to Teach Yourself Better Chess which I also think is a bit of a gem!

m
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Based on what you have written, I think your problem is you push pawns too much. A pawn push is very commital, once it's there, it can't move back. In the endgame you want to position your surviving army, including the king, in the best position possible BEFORE you push your pawns. And by all means, sometimes it's better to find a way to win one of your opponents pawns rather then thinking about queening, because if you are up a pawn or two in the ending, the queening will come naturally anyways.

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CaNaDa

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I think you are right.. I'm trying to get to the end, but I also lose because the other guy gets his to the end and I can't stop him..
but., while talking about pawns.. here was one game I had that is finished.. we decided on a draw as neither of us wanted to move our pawn.. I figured first to move would lose.. was I correct, or was there a way to win this pawn battle with moving a pawn first
Game 822735

!~TONY~!
1...c5!

Your Kingside

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No, that's a draw, neither king really has anyway to encroach in his opponents side either, you may even be able to drop a pawn, and still draw this...But I wouldn't have tried...

m
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Originally posted by MIODude
I think you are right.. I'm trying to get to the end, but I also lose because the other guy gets his to the end and I can't stop him..
but., while talking about pawns.. here was one game I had that is finished.. we decided on a draw as ...[text shortened]... o win this pawn battle with moving a pawn first
Game 822735
That game looks as dead end a draw as any, there is no way to push your pawns forward because of the structure, each side has one breaking point, but in both cases, that breaking point is guarded by two pawns.

Rather then look at the king/pawn ending, let's go a bit back and look at the queen/pawn ending. I don't think you should of traded queens, because if you do that, it's a draw. It's probably a draw anyways, but your queen is way more active then his and your queen is behind his pawns attacking while his is purely defensive. I would of screwed around with the queen a little while longer to see if he makes a mistake, as you really have nothing to worry about at this point, it's all up to him to put on his game face and defend properly in the queen ending.

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CaNaDa

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unfortunately, I was afraid I would make a stupid mistake and lose.. as long as I didn't lose, I have a good chance to win the group in the tourney, so I took the draw.. I know. .. each game should be treated separately, but didn't want to risk it..

m
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Another thing newbies do/think wrong in the endgame is they beleive too much in the word "endgame" and beleive the game is just that, ending, when in reality, endgames can be very important, tough, complicated, and many times last from 30-60 moves, it's without a doubt the longest phase in the game, even longer then the middlegame many times. So when you reach an endgame, keep in mind, there is still a lot of chess left to play and you must think long and hard.

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Originally posted by MIODude
I think you are right.. I'm trying to get to the end, but I also lose because the other guy gets his to the end and I can't stop him..
but., while talking about pawns.. here was one game I had that is finished.. we decided on a draw as neither of us wanted to move our pawn.. I figured first to move would lose.. was I correct, or was there a way to win this pawn battle with moving a pawn first
Game 822735
The pawn ending is dead drawn,BUT,54.Qc8! would have given you the advantage.Though,with 2 queens it's far from easy.

54.Qc8!,Kb6(best move) 55.Qxe6,Kc7 56.Qxd5,Qh3 57.Qe5+,Kd8 and now I'm torn,58.Qxf5 or 58.Qe3 or 58.Kc2 but either way,white is much better.

54.Qc8!,Kd6?? 55.Qa6+! and next move white wins the queen

54.Qc8!,Qc7? 55.Qxe6,Qd6 56.Qxf5 and black doesn't have the Qh3 counterpunch as he did in the first line.

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CaNaDa

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Originally posted by SirLoseALot
The pawn ending is dead drawn,BUT,54.Qc8! would have given you the advantage.Though,with 2 queens it's far from easy.

54.Qc8!,Kb6(best move) 55.Qxe6,Kc7 56.Qxd5,Qh3 57.Qe5+,Kd8 and now I'm torn,58.Qxf5 or 58.Qe3 or 58.Kc2 but eithe ...[text shortened]... te is much better.


54.Qc punch as he did in the first line.

for first option.. both of us kept our king close to our point pawn, so he wouldn't make this move.

For second option.. I don't see the taking of the queen possible?

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Originally posted by MIODude
for first option.. both of us kept our king close to our point pawn, so he wouldn't make this move.

For second option.. I don't see the taking of the queen possible?

Well,55.Qa6,Ke7 (or anywhere else) 56.Qa7+,Ke8 (or anywhere else) 57.Qxh7

If he doesn't play the first option,Kb6,all the better for you,'cause that's his best move 🙂

s

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"Before exchanging your 2nd to last minor piece, ask yourself this question. Will my last minor piece be stronger than my opponents? If the answer is yes, trade. If it's no then don't trade." Boris _____
Sorry i don't know his last name. I just remember reading it in Chess Life Dec. issue. It sounds kind of obvious but i haven't seen it in any endgame books.

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