Tragicomedy in the Endgame: Instructive Mistakes of the Masters

By Mark Dvoretsky

The Key Concepts of Chess Endings In 2003 when it was released, Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual became an instant classic. Now the chess instructor extraordinaire offers an introduction to the fascinating world of chess endings. This book is designed to highlight the key concepts of the most common chess endgames and will prove quite instructive to chessplayers of all levels. Topics include: - The King in the Endgame - Pawn play - Zugzwang - Saving Methods - Tactics in the Endgame - Piece Maneuvering - Piece Exchanges - “Technique- ...and much more! The author has countless practical suggestions for improving your endgame play in this era of rapid-time controls so that you don’t end up “drowning-in the ocean of endgame theory. Let Mark Dvoretsky help you win more games as he examines some elementary endgame errors from master play and shows you how to avoid making the same mistakes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781936490059

Mark Dvoretsky

The late Mark Dvoretsky (1947-2016) was considered the premier chess instructor and trainer of his era.

Book preview

Tragicomedy

in the

Endgame

Instructive Mistakes of the Masters

by

Mark Dvoretsky

Foreword by

Karsten Müller

2011

Russell Enterprises, Inc.

Milford, CT USA

Tragicomedy in the Endgame

Instructive Mistakes of the Master

by

Mark Dvoretsky

ISBN: 978-1-936490-04-2

© Copyright 2011

Mark Dvoretsky

All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be used, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any manner or form whatsoever or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Published by:

Russell Enterprises, Inc.

P.O. Box 3131

Milford, CT 06460 USA

http://www.russell-enterprises.com

[e-mail]

Cover design by Janel Lowrance

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Signs & Symbols

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1: Swimming in Theory

Rook and Pawn (in the Opponent’s Half of the Board) versus Rook

Rook and Pawn (in Its Own Half of the Board) versus Rook

Rook and Rook’s Pawn versus Rook. a- and h-pawns

f- and h-pawns

Lasker’s Idea

An Extra Pawn on the Flank

Rook against Pawns

Rook versus Minor Piece

Rook and Bishop versus Rook

Queen and Pawn versus Queen

Queen versus Rook

Chapter 2: The King in the Endgame

Activity of the King

Selecting the Path for the King

Shouldering

Cutting Off the King

Chapter 3: The Strength of Pawns

The Dangerous Passed Pawn

The Pawn Break

Pawn Races

The Outside Passed Pawns

Separated Passed Pawns

Connected Passed Pawns

Pawn Structure

Chapter 4: Zugzwang

Don’t Fall into Zugzwang!

Reciprocal Zugzwang

Reserve Tempi

Chapter 5: In Search of Salvation

The Fortress

Stalemate

Perpetual Check, Perpetual Pursuit

Chapter 6: Tactics

Mate

Double Attack

Various Tactics

Traps

Chapter 7: Piece Play Maneuvers and Exchanges

Piece Placement

Exchanges

Simplification to a Pawn Endgame

Chapter 8: Technique

Prophylaxis

Winning or Losing a Tempo

Move Order

Carelessness

Chapter 9: Premature End to the Struggle

Unjustified Capitulation

Agreeing to a Draw in a Won Position

Conclusion

Index of Players

Signs & Symbols

!       a good move

!!       a brilliant or hard-to-find move

?       a weak move, a mistake

??       a blunder

!?       a move worth considering

?!       a doubtful move

      the only move

=       the position is equal

+=       White’s position is somewhat better

+-       White has the advantage

+–       White has a won position

=+       Black’s position is somewhat better

-+       Black has the advantage

–+       Black has a won position

∞       the position in unclear

=∞       with compensation for the material

#       mate

      zugzwang

m       match

wm       world championship match

zt       zonal tournament

izt       interzonal tournament

ct       candidates tournament

cm       candidates match

ch       championship

ch(1)       first league championship

wch       world championship

ech       European championship

f       finals

sf       semi-finals

qf       quarter-finals

ol       Olympiad

tt       team competition

jr       junior or youth competition

sim       simultaneous exhibition

W?       A position that may be used as a solving exercise, White to move

B?       A position that may be used a solving exercise, Black to move

(D)       See the next diagram

Foreword

Nowadays, many players neglect studying the endgame and focus mainly on opening preparation. I think that this approach is flawed, as time invested in studying the endgame will repay high dividends. The point is that not only will your technique improve – you will have the psychological advantage of looking forward to reaching and enjoying an endgame – but your overall understanding of the game of chess itself will improve, as in the last phase of the game, the real potential of every single piece may be seen much more clearly than in a complicated middlegame position.

So the real question is, in my opinion, how to navigate the expansive ocean of endgames, and how to learn the important positions, methods and principles which can act as lighthouses to guide you. The main approach is certainly to pick up a reference work like Dvoretsky’s excellent Endgame Manual and study it thoroughly. Of course, without having studied the principles of endings, even strong players may find themselves adrift at sea, searching for the correct way to weather the storms. In fact this book is based on the well-known maxim that one can benefit from one’s mistakes. And that also definitely applies to the mistakes made by others, as this books so aptly demonstrates.

Mark Dvoretsky is ideally qualified for this project because of his vast experience in this area and his large collection of excellent examples which have been tested with some of his exceptionally strong students. In this book, he deals mostly with rook endgames as they occur most frequently; many valuable half-points can be saved by being familiar with certain positions and methods in these endings. But an insight into the essence of the errors regarding theoretical aspects of the endgame is of course not all this work has to offer. Dvoretsky also looks at principles such as prophylaxis, whose importance can hardly be overestimated, or the question of the when and how to exchange – especially simplification into a pawn endgame – where many blunders often occur.

To get maximum benefit from this book, I advise you to just look at the diagrams first, contemplating the possible strategy and moves. Only read on when you have reached a conclusion about which move you would play and why. Then not only your understanding of the important final phase of the royal game will improve but so will your overall results as well.

Grandmaster Dr. Karsten Müller

Hamburg

October 2010

Introduction

Many chessplayers have read Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual (DEM). My new book will help them recall important theoretical positions and technical methods, as well as study several sections on endgame theory in depth (for example, rook and bishop versus rook, or rook endings with f- and h-pawns). It compels one to think about the reasons for endgame errors that everyone – from ordinary amateurs to prominent grandmasters – has made, with a view of avoiding similar mistakes.

For those who are not familiar with DEM, the present volume will serve as an introduction to the fascinating world of endgames and, possibly, prompt them to take up the systematic study of endgame theory. I am firmly convinced – contrary to popular opinion – that such an undertaking is much more effective than endless reworking and memorization of opening material. And, as a result, there will be a significant increase in rating and improved tournament results.

I have called those instances in which serious endgame errors occurred tragicomedies – sad for the chessplayers themselves, but amusing for spectators. As was noted in DEM, in which a tragicomedy section finished many chapters, such episodes will serve as an excellent warning against ignoring elementary theory. Moreover, they become etched into one’s memory, thereby contributing to a better understanding of those endgame concepts.

In every tournament, and in fact in virtually every round, there are more and more new examples of instructive endgame errors. If desired, a multi-volume encyclopedia could be released on this theme. Several authors, for example Leonid Verkhovsky or Adrian Mikhalchishin, would specialize in these endings. I have not tried to familiarize the reader with fresh examples, although the book does contain a number of them – on the contrary, I have gladly made use of fragments which have been previously published. Neither the quantity nor newness of the material to be studied is that important. The level of comprehension that the reader acquires from the lessons in this book is much more critical. Therefore many insufficiently significant examples from my collection were not included in the book.

Let me note other self-imposed restrictions. Inasmuch as the book is basically an introduction (or, on the other hand, a supplement) to DEM, to avoid repetition, I have chosen not to include examples from the Manual. Preference was give to examples from practice by very strong, or at least rather well-known chessplayers. With rare exceptions, fragments from games with rapid time controls or blitz games were not used, as chessplayers are capable of a lot of nonsense when their flag is hanging, and it is senseless to include it in the ideological base. However nowadays it is almost always necessary to play endings in severe time trouble. The principle reason for this is the radical change in the time controls as well as elimination of adjournments. This is further aggravated by FIDE’s pernicious policy of having games played at as quick a pace as possible, which inevitably leads to superficiality and poorly reasoned decisions. This in turn results in the diminution of chess as an art, depriving the games played of both ideological and aesthetic value. But I should also note that under such difficult conditions, a good working knowledge and understanding of endings becomes especially important. In fact, in endgames played in time trouble, it will be possible to regularly outplay less experienced opponents.

The following material should be studied by actively trying to solve, on your own, the problems posed in these positions. Next to many diagrams appearing at a critical move you will find a question mark, indicating that it may be used as an exercise. The majority of exercises are elementary, but some will pose quite a challenge.

Mark Dvoretsky

Moscow

November 2010

Chapter 1

Swimming in Theory

An analysis of the possible causes of endgame mistakes must naturally begin with a weak grasp of theory. And this is not only because of what can be seen from a great number of tragicomic episodes from chess praxis. The parsing (for experienced players – repetition) of some of the most important theoretical positions and ideas will be useful in other parts of the book and it will be necessary to refer to them repeatedly.

At times, all the information about endgame theory seems to be stored in innumerable endgame encyclopedias and reference books. No one – including the authors of these kinds of books – can possibly know or remember all of this theory. As far as theory is concerned, I only understand the core knowledge necessary for the skilled, practical chessplayer. My overall objective when writing DEM was to identify and as best as possible offer a precise explanation of this core theory.

In the majority of the different endgames, the amount of theoretical knowledge necessary for the practical player is not great. However, this is not so with rook endings. Here it is necessary to master more information than all of the other parts combined. It is also the most important and difficult section and that is where we will therefore begin.

Rook and Pawn (in the opponent’s half of the board) versus Rook

The long and short side. A center pawn divides the board into two unequal parts: one part contains four files, the other three.

If the weaker side’s king does not manage to get in front of the pawn, then it should try to get on the short side, so as to be able to check from the long side with the rook.

The pursuit of the enemy king by a rook is effective when, between the rook and pawn, there are at least three open lines (files, as in this case, or ranks). If there is less distance, the king will approach the rook without straying too far from its pawn, maintaining the possibility of defending it if necessary.

Let’s take a look how these principles are applied (and alas, frequently not applied) in practice.

1. Svidler – Pelletier

Biel 2001

The black king is positioned where it should be, on the short side. However, if it were to be cut off along the g-file (51.Rf7-g8!!), the fact that it is on the short side would not matter: White would advance his king and pawn without any difficulty.

But those kinds of moves are usually are made only by some especially sharp blitz players. In a normal game, the black king inevitably gets to g6 (or g7). That is why it is important to prevent the only effective defensive plan, checking from the long side. With this in mind, the rook must take the a-file (the black rook will be too close to the king and pawn on the b-file).

51.Ra7! Rf2+ 52.Ke6 Kg6 53.Ra8!, etc., would have won. We will become more familiar with this kind of position in the analysis of the next example

Peter Svidler chose 51.Kf6?? (also wrong is 51.e6?? Rf2+ 52.Ke5 R×f7 53.ef Kg7 54.Ke6 Kf8=) 51...Rf2+ 52.Ke7 Ra2!

The black rook has taken up the long side and the position is now drawn.

53.Rf1 Kg6! (not allowing the king to be cut off by 54.Rg1 – now Black is ready to start with the checks from the side) 54.Rd1 Ra7+ 55.Rd7 Ra8 56.Rc7 Kg7 57.e6 Kg6 58.Kd6 Ra6+ 59.Kd7 Ra8 Draw.

White made the same kind of mistake as in the previous ending.

2. Bolland – Euwe

Weston 1924

72.Kd7?? Ra3 (Black is able to save himself inasmuch as his rook is on the long side) 73.Rc2 Ra5 74.e6 Ra7+ 75.Rc7 Ra8! 76.Rc1 Ra7+ 77.Kd8 Kf6 78.e7 Ra8+ Draw.

Seizing the important a-file with the rook would have decided matters.

72.Ra2! Rb3 73.Ra7+ Kg6 (73...Kf8 74.Ra8+ Kg7 75.e6+–) 74.Ke7! (premature is 74.e6? in view of 74...Kf6! 75.Rf7+ Kg6 76.Rf8 Rb6+ 77.Kd7 Rb7+ 78.Kc6 Ra7=, and the black rook occupies the long side.) 74...Rb8 (74...Rh3 75.Ra6+ and 76.e6) 75.e6 Kg7

An important theoretical position has arisen, one which is well worth noting. I reproduce my comments from DEM. The black rook is only two files from the pawn and this situation provides White with real chances for success.

However, the immediate 76.Ra1? (with the threat of 77.Rg1+) does not work: 76...Rb7+ 77.Kd8 Rb8+ 78.Kc7 Rb2 (threatening 79...Kf8 or 79...Kf6) 80.Rf1 Ra2! 81.e7 Ra7+ with a draw, since the rook has managed to check from the long side as needed.

To win, his opponent must be on move. In fact, on 76...Rc8, 77.Ra1 decides matters; on 76...Rb1, the white rook occupies the important a8-square; bad is 76...Kg8 77.Kf6 Rf8+78.Rf7. There remains only 76...Kg6, but that move, as we shall see, worsens Black’s position.

76.Kd6+!

77.e7 Kf7=.

White has reached his goal by triangulation.

78...Kg6

On 78...Rb1, 79.Ra8! Rb7+ (79...Rb2 80.Ke8 Rh2 81.Ra7+ Kf6 82.e7 Rh8+ 83.Kd7) 80.Kd6 Rb6+ (80...Kf6 81.Rf8+ Kg7 82.e7) 81.Kd7 Rb7+ 82.Kc6 Re7 83.Kd6 Rb7 84.e7 decides.

79.Ra1! Rb7+ 80.Kd8

Also good is 80.Kd6.

80...Rb8+

If 80...Kf6 instead, the route to victory is instructive: 81.e7! Rb8+ (81... R×e7 82.Rf1+) 82.Kc7 Re8 83.Kd6! Rb8 84.Rf1+ Kg7 85.Kc7 Ra8 86.Ra1!+–.

81.Kc7 Rb2

82.Re1!

The point! With the king on g7, Black would reply 82...Kf8, but now the pawn cannot be stopped.

82...Rc2+ 83.Kd7 Rd2+ 84.Ke8 Ra2 85.e7+–

Philidor’s Position – Two Methods of Defense. This discussion is about those situations in which there is a white pawn on the fifth rank.

3. F. Portisch – Biro

Zalakaros 1996

With the white king on e5, a defensive system demonstrated back in the 18th century by the great French chessplayer François-André Philidor may be employed: 52...Rh6!. The rook moves along the sixth rank until White plays f5-f6, after which it drops back to the first rank and starts checking from the rear. The king will not be able to be protected from them on f6.

In practice, the weaker side often does not manage to take the sixth rank in a timely manner. Then another defensive method is necessary: placing the rook behind the passed pawn.

With the king on e6, 52...Rf2! draws easily: 53.Kf6 Kg8! (the king of course goes to the short side) 54.Ra8+ Kh7. The basic idea behind the defense is shown after 55.Ke6 Kg7! – and thanks to the rook’s position on f1, the pawn cannot advance and the moves must be repeated: 56.Ra7+ Kf8 57.Kf6 Kg8! 58.Ra8+ Kh7, etc. If White plays 55.Rf8, preparing 56.Ke7, then the rook goes to the long side, 55...Ra1 with an obvious draw.

52...Re2+?

The Hungarian chessplayer playing Black is not familiar with the established method of defense. However, the position still remains drawn.

53.Kf6

Necessary was 53...Kg8! 54.Ra8+ Kh7 55.Kf7 Rb2!. There are three free files between the b-file, from which the black rook will operate, and the white pawn, and this distance is sufficient. With a center pawn (e.g., if the kings and pawn were moved one file to the left) Black would lose, as we saw in the analysis of the previous example.

53...Re8?

The decisive mistake. Passive defense, with the rook on the eighth rank, is a safe approach against a knight’s pawn, but not against a bishop or center pawn.

54.Kg6 Re1

Or 54...Kg8 55.f6 Rb8 56.Rg7+ Kf8 57.Rh7 Kg8 58.f7+.

55.Ra8+ Black resigned.

4. Burn – Spielmann

San Sebastian 1911

Knowledge of the second method of defense with Philidor’s Position suggests a simple route to a draw: 62...Rc4! 63. K×c6 Kb8.

As we realized in the analysis of the previous example, 62...Rb4+ 63. K×c6 Kb8 also does not lose. The king goes to the short side and the rook occupies either the h- or g-file. And in general, upon almost any other normal move, the position would remain drawn – except for the move played in the game.

62...Re7??

Now White could have won with 63.Rg8+! Kd7 64.Kb7 Re1 65.Rg7+ Kd8 66. K×c6 Rc1.

When the king is on the long side, positioning the rook behind a bishop’s pawn (or knight’s pawn) does not save Black in view of 67.Rg8+ Ke7 68.Rc8! followed by 69.Kb7. Black is unable to prevent the pawn promoting as it is not possible to effectuate flank checks – the short side is too short. The pawn reaches the seventh rank and what is known as Lucena’s Position arises, which, with the king on the long side, is usually won without difficulty several ways.

It is important to note that with a center pawn, a draw may be achieved even with the king on the long side. Let’s take a look at the previous position, but with everything moved one file to the right.

Here 67.Rh8+ Kf7 68.Rd8 does not reach its objective in view of 68...Ra1!. Although the rook and pawn are separated by two ranks, the rook’s position on d8 is rather clumsy. After 69.Kc7 (69.Rc8 Rd1! 70.Kc6 Ke7!) 69...Ra7+ 70.Kb6 Ke7 the draw is obvious.

Let’s return to the game.

63. R×c6+??

White allows the enemy king to remain on the queenside and the position once again become drawn.

63...Kb8 64.Rh6 Rb7+! (the analysis of the previous exampled confirmed that 64...Re8?? 65.c6+– is hopeless) 65.Kc6 Rc7+ 66.Kd6 Kb7 67.Rh8 Rc6+ 68.Kd5 Rg6 69.Rh7+ Kc8 Draw.

Philidor’s Position has been reached with the rook on the sixth rank.

We have just seen how the weaker side should avoid Lucena’s Position. But this is not always possible.

5. Peng Zhaoqin– Chiburdanidze

Moscow wch 2001

After 65...fg?? 66.hg Black’s position is hopeless. The king is cut off on the long side (however, with a knight’s pawn, there is no short side). It is not possible to prevent the advance of the pawn by reaching Lucena’s Position.

66...Rf1 67.Rg7+ Kf8 68.g5 Rg1 69.Kh7 Rh1+ 70.Kg6 Ra1 71.Rb7 Rg1 72.Rb8+ Ke7 73.Rg8! (a winning method known by us) 73...Rg2 74.Kh7 Rg1 75.g6 Rh1+ 76.Kg7 Re1 77.Ra8 Rg1 78.Ra2 Black resigned.

There is a simple draw after 65...Rf3! 66.Rg7+ Kf8 (also good is 66...Ke8 67.g5 R×h3+ 68.Kg6 f4, but not 66...Ke6? 67.Kg6!+–) 67.g5 R×h3+ 68.Kg6 Ra3. After 69.Rb7 f4 70.Rb8+ Ke7 71.Kg7 the presence on the board of the f-pawn saves Black. And if 69.Rf7+ Kg8 70.R×f5, then either 70...Ra7, intending to drive the enemy king from g7 with check, or 70...Ra8.

As has already been noted, with a knight’s pawn, passive defense, putting the rook on the back rank, assures an easy draw. There is one subtlety: after 71.Rf6 Rb8 72.Rc6 Ra8 73.Kh6 Rb8 74.g6 Ra8 75.Rc7 Rb8 76.Rg7+, 76...Kh8!= must be played, but not 76...Kf8?? 77.Kh7+–, and White has reached Lucena’s Position.

6. Aronian – Carlsen

Moscow 2006

69...Ra1?!

Black needlessly switches from one defensive posture to another. It was simpler to impede the advance of the pawn by keeping the rook in the rear, 69...Re2! (70.Kd6 Kf7!), and only in reply to 70.Re8, go over to attacking from the side, 70...Ra2.

70.Ke7 Ra5 71.e6 Ra7+ 72.Rd7

An important theoretical position has arisen, in which a draw may be achieved without difficulty, thanks to the fact that the rook is on the long side. Nevertheless, there are still a few fine points that are necessary to know, as very many chessplayers in this situation would still lose. This game is no exception.

72...Ra8

A safer method of defense is to control the eighth rank. For if White manages to play Ke8 and e6-e7 with impunity, his position would become won.

However, the rook may retreat to almost any square, e.g., 72...Ra1. The point is that after 73.Ke8+ Black is saved by the active 73...Kf6! 74.e7 Ke6! and the unfortunate position of the white rook is telling. It is important that on 75.Kf8, there is the check 75...Rf1+!.

From the foregoing it is clear that the only losing rook retreat along the a-file is 72...Ra6??. After 73.Ke8+ Kf6 74.e7 Ke6 75.Kf8! it is not possible to check with the rook. Paradoxically, many chessplayers would put the rook on a6! The most well-known case is the ending in the game Capablanca-Menchik (DEM, 9-11).

73.Rd6!?

There is nothing in 73.Rd8 Ra7+ 74.Kd6 Ra6+ 75.Ke5 Ra5+ 76.Rd5 Ra8.

With the rook on d6, Black must keep his rook on the eighth rank. For if Ke8 is permitted, then the active counterplay to be had with Kf6, is not available – the pawn will go to e7 with check!

Bringing the rook closer to the king with 73...Rb8? is not good in view of 74.Rd8 Rb7+ 75.Kd6 Rb6+ 76.Kd7 Rb7+ 77.Kc6+–. This means that there is only one move which does not make matters worse: 73...Kg6!=.

73...Ra7+?? 74.Ke8 Black resigned.

There could follow 74...Ra8+ 75.Rd8 Ra1 76.e7 Ra7 77.Rd1 or 77.Rc8.

What can be said about what happened? The conclusion seems obvious: the young and extremely talented Norwegian grandmaster was not familiar with basic endgame theory, never having studied this ending

However, the next day after the game I spoke with Carlsen’s trainer, grandmaster Peter Heine Nielsen. He assured me that Magnus had studied endgame books. This means that the suggested explanation is not accurate; it is not a question of a lack of basic knowledge. At the same time, this episode should give us cause to reflect on the discrepancy between theory and practical experience, the necessity to apply acquired knowledge in practice.

In mathematical lessons in school, theoretical rules, formulas and method problem-solving are studied. But teachers, not being limited to teaching just theory, offer students a great number of exercises. Without this, the acquired knowledge would simply become dead weight, and most of it would soon be forgotten.

Let’s assume that someone who has never sat behind the wheel of a car, has learned by heart traffic rules and regulations and knows exactly when