Here's a game I just finished not more than 5 minutes ago. I resigned as black has forced a queen exchange, and there is no way I can stop his pawn from queening. I have to say that black played what I thought was a won endgame for me quite skillfully (maybe that's why black's rating is so much higher than mine!!):
In the opening, I was trying to gain as much space as possible in the centre to help eventually initiate a kingside attack. I also tried to target the hole on the f6 square as a starting point. I was actually very happy with 13. h5!, maintaining the pressure on the f6 square and not retreating the bishop. Unfortunately, I couldn't maintain it after the subsequent exchanges, although black's kingside had been weakened.
I think the other quality move was 32. Qb8, leading to the gain of a pawn on the queenside. In retrospect, I think this would have been good enough to win had I followed up with 36. Qxg7+, exchanging queens and leaving black to worry about runaway pawns on both sides of the board (despite my doubled pawns on the kingside). I think I got greedy, trying to up my advantage by another pawn, and this shot me in the foot. By grabbing the pawn with 37. Qxb6, I allowed black's queen to run amok and whittle my advantage down slowly but surely, due to the black king's less assailable positioning and nimble queen moves.
I thought I would be able to hold, or force my own queen exchange later in the endgame, but black marched his king down to my end of the board, giving his queen a powerful mobile post from which to threaten my king. I should have activated my king earlier on, possibly with 44. Kg3 instead of 44. Qh8+ with a spiteful check. After that, black had me on the run with a series of queen checks that nipped my pawns one by one. After 66. Qe5+, I couldn't stop the queen exchange and subsequent queening of black's c-pawn, so I resigned. I have to tip my hat to black, excellent play in the endgame which I hope to emulate one day.
Any other suggestions to improve my game here?
I hate to say this, but it looks drawn to me!
1. Qxe5 Kxe5
2. Kxf3
and then if Black tries for a win (pushing the pawn clearly fails):
2. ... Kd4
3. Ke2 Kc3
4. f4 Kb3
5. f5 c4
6. f6 c3
7. f7 c2
8. f8=Q c1=Q
(5. Kd2 might be a quicker way to draw)
I would say you lost the advantage sometime around move 48 with all those silly queen moves between a1, a2, b2, c2 etc!
Originally posted by Fat LadyD'oh! Oh well, chalk up one more lesson in endgame theory. I was envisioning
I hate to say this, but it looks drawn to me!
1. Qxe5 Kxe5
2. Kxf3
and then if Black tries for a win (pushing the pawn clearly fails):
2. ... Kd4
3. Ke2 Kc3
4. f4 Kb3
5. f5 c4
6. f6 c3
7. f7 c2
8. f8=Q c1=Q
(5. Kd2 might be a quicker way to draw)
1. Qxe5 Kxe5
2. Kxf3 Kd4
3. Ke2 Kc3
4. Kd1
which would lose to:
4. ... Kb2
protecting the queening square c1, and winning the pawn race. As stated above - d'oh!
Originally posted by PBE6a general piece of advice: you're not required to check every time it's legal. 🙂 now, because of your futile checks, the enemy queen gained about a brazillion free tempi, at the same time forcing your queen to useless diagonals/files/ranks. it looks to me like you almost completely ignored non-checking queen moves.
Any other suggestions to improve my game here?
learning KQkr mate is an excellent antidote to poor queen handling. learning to see the non-checking possibilities, how to restrict the enemy king and even force zugzwang.
Originally posted by PBE6I like 33.Qxa7+. White's Rook seems like a much better piece than Black's - seems a shame to trade it so readily.
Here's a game I just finished not more than 5 minutes ago. I resigned as black has forced a queen exchange, and there is no way I can stop his pawn from queening. I have to say that black played what I thought was a won endgame for me quite skillfully (maybe that's why black's rating is so much higher than mine!!):
[pgn][Event "March 2009 Longhaul Octet V" ...[text shortened]... te one day.
Any other suggestions to improve my game here?
If Black responds with 33...Re7, then just 34.Qxb6, safely eating another pawn. If 33...Kf6, 34.Rd7! is very annoying.
The ending has become the strongest part of my game. My favourite endings book is one of the classics - Practical Chess Endings by Irving Chernev.
Here's one of the positions in the first chapter:
It's a great one for chess lessons as it show two important endgame concepts - the attacking king driving the defending one away (like two magnets of the same polarity) and a pawn sacrifice to get a passed pawn. I challenge the person I'm coaching to beat me three times in a row with White and they very rarely manage it. A few weeks ago one student fell at the final hurdle when he walked into a silly stalemate trick (to be fair, I only allowed him two minutes on the clock to finish the game):
1. Kd5 Kd8
2. Ke6 Kc8 (I try Ke8 the first time!)
3. Ke7 Kb8
4. Kd8 Ka7
5. Kxc7 Ka8
6. b6
Originally posted by wormwoodGood advice, I'll have to take a look at KQkr endings for sure. I was planning on getting Silman's "Complete Endgame Course" shortly (been saying that for weeks now...), but I see Fat Lady found much use in "Practical Chess Endings" by Irving Chernev. Any recommendations for or comparisons between these two?
a general piece of advice: you're not required to check every time it's legal. 🙂 now, because of your futile checks, the enemy queen gained about a brazillion free tempi, at the same time forcing your queen to useless diagonals/files/ranks. it looks to me like you almost completely ignored non-checking queen moves.
learning KQkr mate is an excell ...[text shortened]... to see the non-checking possibilities, how to restrict the enemy king and even force zugzwang.
Originally posted by PBE6I've been thinking of getting a practical endgame book as well, and was going to ask fat lady about the chernev book as well. 🙂 many people like the silman book, but I'm looking for something different. more practically oriented, as I already have more than enough of dry theory to plow through...
Good advice, I'll have to take a look at KQkr endings for sure. I was planning on getting Silman's "Complete Endgame Course" shortly (been saying that for weeks now...), but I see Fat Lady found much use in "Practical Chess Endings" by Irving Chernev. Any recommendations for or comparisons between these two?
Originally posted by wormwoodWow, just took a look at your profile and you've had stunning improvement over the last few years - congrats! 🙂 What aspect did you tackle first, or gave you the most satisfaction?
I've been thinking of getting a practical endgame book as well, and was going to ask fat lady about the chernev book as well. 🙂 many people like the silman book, but I'm looking for something different. more practically oriented, as I already have more than enough of dry theory to plow through...
Originally posted by wormwoodI thought Silman's was practically oriented?? 😕
I've been thinking of getting a practical endgame book as well, and was going to ask fat lady about the chernev book as well. 🙂 many people like the silman book, but I'm looking for something different. more practically oriented, as I already have more than enough of dry theory to plow through...
Hm,now I must reconsider buying that one.
Originally posted by RomanticusWell the good thing about the old books is that you can generally pick them up very cheaply. I think I paid 99p (+ perhaps £2 postage) on eBay for my copy of Practical Chess Endings.
I thought Silman's was practically oriented?? 😕
Hm,now I must reconsider buying that one.