Chess: The Endgame

You are here: Home > The Endgame

Web Tip

Site Search

Community

	2533 users
	50 cent, BIGGA, Chollatzkows, Der Neue, HoBlum, Isamin, MA2003, Manfred W., Nicka17, barnyks, lfcanales, msc, pferd, svotz, timetunnel
	turkuaz (32) ergenekon (32) bernhard71 (37) nam (?) Oberschachniete (55)

Latest Tournaments

2006.02.18 - 2006.03.11

23rd Linares Tournament
Aronian wins the event.

2005.10.14 - 2005.10.23

2nd Samba Cup

2005.09.27 - 2005.10.16

FIDE Championship 2005
Topalov wins

Advanced strategy in the endgame by Jan van Reek

Lesson 12: Crossing a diagonal

Euwe, Max - Sonnenberg (1923)

The bishop has a special effect on the chess board. Connected squares on a diagonal become strong, while the adjacent squares stay weak. The limitations of a bishop become painfully clear in the endgame of the weak bishop against the strong knight. Weak squares can be used by the opponent as an entrance to the hostile position. A difficulty arises when a strongly defended diagonal has to be crossed. An instructive endgame by Euwe clarifies this process.

36. Nf3 Bd7 Black has an awful pawn structure on the queenside. 37. Ne5 Be8 38. f4 The strong knight has chased away the weak bishop. Kf8 39. Kf2 Ke7 40. Ke3 Kd6 41. Kd4 The white king has utilised weak squares for an advance. Black can hardly move. If he allows an exchange of pieces, the pawn ending will be lost. He tries to create a defence line on the kingside instead. g6 42. Nd3 Bd7 43. Nc5 White blockades on two squares. Bc8 White seems to have allowed a defence of the diagonal c8-h3, but Euwe crushes the opposition. He crosses the Rubicon! 44. g4 ! h5

[ h6 45. b3 ! and Black has to play h5 anyway. ]

45. f5 ! gxf5 46. gxh5 f4 47. Nd3 Bxh3

[The alternative f3 48. Ke3 Bf5 49. Nc5 a5 50. Nb7+ also offers little resistance. ]

48. Nxf4 Bf5 49. Nd3 Bh7 50. Nc5 An immediate advance is fine, but Euwe decides to gain a pawn. It increases the humiliation. Bf5 51. Nxa6 Bh7 52. Nc5 Bf5 53. Nd3 Ke6 54. Ne5 Kd6 55. h6 The advance occurs. Be4 56. Nf7+ 1-0

The Endgame

	Introduction
	Struggle:
1.	Attack in the centre
2.	The attack on the king
3.	The flank attack
4.	Encirclement
	Prophylaxis:
5.	Blockade in general
6.	Blockade by the knight
7.	Restriction in general
8.	Restriction and time
9.	Consolidation
10.	Fortification
11.	Strong and weak squares
	Crossing a diagonal
13.	The battle for an important square
14.	Overprotection
15.	Conunterattack: direct confrontation
	Examples:
16.	150 commented endgames