Recognizing Known Positions

Earlier this month at a youth tournament that I ran, I watched one of my students miss an elementary checkmate in two moves. It was a ladder mate (or rolling barrier, as it is called in Bruce Pandolfini, Pandolfini's Endgame Course [1988]). But, a few moved later, this same player executed the checkmate. When he was successful, he controlled the first and second rank. He missed it when the mate could have occurred on the h-file with the g-file also under control.

I suspect that known patterns may be harder for young students to recognize when they are rotated 90°.

Last night, I reached a position where I had to execute a checkmate with knight and bishop. It was the first time that I had such a position that was not due to seeking it, such as when I underpromote a pawn. After I captured my opponent's last piece, I had very nearly the position that I have used in training. The checkmate took me 32 moves, but there were a couple of times when my move extended the distance to mate by six. My opponent answered these with moves that helped me get back on course.

Black to move

I played 107...Nd6, one of two optimal moves.

After 108.Ka5, Kc6 would have kept me on a known path, but I played 108...Bc5, which is equally good in terms of distance to mate. The move I played shows that I was not recognizing the pattern.

Several moves later, White's king has ventured into territory that I might have controlled.

Black to move

116...Nc3+ extends the distance to mate by one move.

Had I played 116...Be3, forcing White's king to the edge, I would have been following advice I've given students dozens of times, usually while teaching two bishops against a lone king. Here, that is the best move. Then again:

Black to move

I was feeling confused when I missed the mate in eleven that forces in three moves a position that I know.

118...Bc3 119.Kb3 Kd3 120.Ka4 Kc4 121.Ka3

Black to move

121...Bb4+ forcing White to the second rank when 122.Kb2 Ne3 sets up the barrier that I studied in Pandolfini's Endgame Course the first time that I learned this elementary checkmate.

White to move

Alas, I made a knight move and it was still mate in 18, as it had been since my move 116.

Nonetheless, I finally reached a position where I was able to draw on memory and calculation only two to three moves deep to finish the job.

Black to move, mate in nine

My work studying Thomas Engqvist, 300 Most Important Chess Positions (2018) resumes today with this position from Timman,J. -- Lutz,C., Wijk aan Zee 1995.

Black to move

Here, Black must defend successfully, avoiding the position analyzed by François-André Danican Philidor in 1849, which I spent some time working on Friday, and between rounds in a Swiss tournament this past weekend. It was the previous position in Engqvist's excellent book.

The 90° rotation might vex me the same way it did my young student.

Endgame: Partly Remembered

It was with considerable interest that I was watching the round four endgame yesterday between Odysseus Rodriguez and Chase Rands. After the game, I showed both players wins that I thought they had missed. A strong move that I thought Rodriguez could have played occurred in a position that I remember partly. The position of White's king and Black's c-pawn both affect whether my idea would have been one of two winning moves or one of five ways to maintain equality.

Later in the game, Rands had a queen against an h-pawn two squares from promotion. It is a technical win for the queen, but Rands was desperately short of time. Nonetheless, he reached a position where he had a forced mate in two, but feeling harried with only three seconds left, he missed it. The game was drawn with lone kings when Rands had one second left.

I had been watching Rands' games with interest because he played an excellent game against me in round one, converting his clear advantage on the delay with three seconds remaining. I was rooting for the young player after he beat me.

Rodriguez may have missed a win from this position.

White to move

My idea is the best move, but Stockfish also finds one other idea that leads to victory. Rodriguez played Bc2, which gave Rands a key tempo with the king's move towards the a-pawn. But, this move is not losing as it seemed to be in the game, so perhaps the position is incorrect.

If Black's c-pawn was one square further, which I think it was and White's king on the g-file, which does not sit well in my memory, then Bc2 is a losing move, but my idea is one of five drawing possibilities. 

White to move

What would you do as White in either of these positions?

After watching a couple of moves, I thought Rands had good winning chances and directed my attention to another game, IM John Donaldson against Tilly Backstrom. It was difficult for me to anticipate how Donaldson was going to win the game. Both players had queens, Donaldson had a bishop to Backstrom's knight, and both had five pawns. Donaldson had a 4-2 majority on the kingside and was pressing with the e- and f-pawns. Backstrom had a 3-1 majority with a passed c-pawn on the queenside.

White to move

Donaldson eventually won in an ending I'd like to have a copy of (I do have a photo on my phone of the position above). I then faced Backstrom in the last round and was worried because she seemed to put up a great deal of resistance against Donaldson. She misplayed the Trompowsky against me and  I had a decisive advantage by move 17. I might post that game tomorrow.

The tournament was the Spokane Chess Club's Inland Classic, a five-round Swiss held February 22-23 in Rathdrum, Idaho.

When to Trade

This morning in a rapid game, I erroneously rejected the opportunity to exchange rooks into a winning pawn ending. 

White to move

I failed to see that it was indeed a winning ending.

Fortune smiled, and my opponent offered the trade a few moves later.

White to move

This time, however, I needed no calculation to recognize the pawn ending as a win for me.

Playing Drawn Endgames

Do you play out a position that is technically drawn? Twelve years ago, here on Chess Skills, I inquired about an endgame that I was watching live. Levon Aronian made Fabiano Caruana play 36 moves in a dead drawn rook and bishop vs. rook ending. Some research showed that Aronian had won such endings in previous games. When time is short and one side faces no dangers, it makes sense to press and force the opponent to prove their skills in maintaining equality.

Thomas Engqvist makes this point in 300 Most Important Chess Positions (2018) with several examples. First is Duras,O. -- Nimzowitsch,A., San Sebastian 1912.

Black to move

Engqvist writes:

Nimzowitsch tried to make his opponent tired and careless by doing nothing. As a matter of fact there is nothing Black can do. By playing in this "innocent" manner Nimzowitsch managed to fool his opponent. (230-231)

After 24 moves of seemingly pointless shuffling, the players reached this position.

Black to move

Duras erred with 57.Rg5. Nimzowitsch seized the moment with 57...f5 and Duras resigned ten moves later.

Engqvist adds Flohr,S. -- Vidmar,M., Nottingham 1936, where he notes, "In practice it's not easy to defend these kinds of endings and even famous masters and grandmasters make mistakes that eventually lead to a loss" (238). Vidmar resigned 16 moves after his critical error.

Then, in Chigorin,M. -- Tarrasch,S., Budapest 1896, Tarrasch offered a draw in this position.

White to move

"Chigorin correctly declined since White cannot lose anyway", Engqvist observes (240).

After 30.Kf4 Kf8 31.f3 Kg8 32.Ra7 Kf8 33.g4 hxg4 34.fxg4

Black to move

34...Ra1??

34...Kg8 was necessary. Engines need considerable search depth to perceive the error here, but Chigorin appeared to understand the moment.

35.Kf5 Rf1+ 36.Kg6 Rf4 37.g5 fxg5 38.hxg5

In this position, I recognized that White will be able to reach a Lucena position, although that took another ten moves.

My own insistence on playing on when there is the sliver of a chance of eventual victory developed as a consequence of reading Jacob Aagaard, Excelling at Technical Chess (2004) almost twenty years ago. Yesterday, I faced an opponent in online play who pressed when he had a slight edge in a technically drawn ending. I erred. He missed his chance. And then, he took the game almost to stalemate, even offering me opportunities to fall apart in an elementary pawn ending.

White to move

Stripes,J. -- Johnson,F. [A04]
Live Chess Chess.com, 19.02.2025

28.Ra1!= Rxa1 29.Rxa1 Ra8 30.Ke3?!

An inaccuracy

30.Ra6 Rb8 31.Rxa7 Rxb3 32.Rxe7 Rc3 33.Re8+ Kg7 34.Rd8 Rxc4 35.Rxd6=

30...Kf8 31.Ra6 c5

31...Rb8 32.Ra3 a5 33.Kf4 would be more difficult for White.

White to move

32.d5?

32.dxc5 dxc5 33.Kd3=

32...Ke8

32...f5 should win.

33.Kd3 Kd7 34.Kc3

34.g4 is White's best chance. It seems that both of us missed the strength of f7-f5.

34...e6?

34...f5!

I have survived my first error and the game is again drawn with best play.

35.e4 f5 36.dxe6+ Kxe6 37.exf5+ gxf5

White to move

38.Kd3??

38.b4= cxb4+ 39.Kxb4 Rb8+ 40.Kc3 Rg8! 41.c5! Rxg3+ 42.Kd2 Ke5 43.cxd6 Rg7 44.Ke3 Rd7 45.Kf3
38.h5!=

38...h5-+ 39.Ke3 Ke5 40.Ra5

Black to move

40... a6??

Spoils the win.

40...Rb8-+ 41.Ra3 a5
40...Rg8-+

41.b4!=

The rest of the game was played well by both sides and a draw was the appropriate result. I never had winning chances, but there were opportunities for me to go wrong, so my opponent pressed.

41...Rc8 42.bxc5 Rxc5 43.Rxa6 Rxc4 44.Ra5+ d5

White to move

45.Ra8 Rc3+ 46.Kf2 d4 47.Re8+ Kd5 48.Rf8 Ke4

White to move

49.Re8+ Kd5 50.Rf8 Ke5 51.Re8+ Kf6 52.Rh8 Kg6 53.Rg8+ Kf7 54.Rg5 Kf6 55.Rxh5 Rc2+ 56.Kf3 d3 57.Rh6+ Ke5 58.Rh8 d2 59.Rd8 Rc3+

White to move

60.Ke2 Rxg3 61.Rxd2

61.Kxd2 f4 62.Re8+ Kf5 63.Ke2=

61...Rg2+ 62.Ke1 Rxd2 63.Kxd2

And now, in a drawn pawn ending, my opponent goes to remove my pawn, and then makes me show that I know where to place my king.

63...Kf4 64.Ke2 Kg4 65.h5 Kxh5 66.Kf3 Kg5 67.Kg3 f4+ 68.Kf3 Kf5 69.Kf2 Ke5 70.Kf3 Kf5 71.Kf2 Ke4 72.Ke2 f3+ 73.Kf2 Kf4 74.Kf1 Ke3 75.Ke1 Ke4 76.Kf2 Kf4 77.Kf1 Kg4 78.Kf2 Kf4 Game drawn by repetition ½-½

Having lost all four prior encounters against Atlanta coach and chess expert Frank Johnson, I'm very happy with the draw. My work on rook endings with Engqvist's book and Jesus de la Villa, 100 Endgames You Must Know, 4th. ed. (2015) made a difference in navigating difficulties, but did not prevent all errors.

Copying

Working with very young chess players, I often hear one of them complaining that their opponent is copying their moves. It sounds as though there is some ethical problem with such behavior. When I'm drawn into the discussion, I point out that such imitation is completely within the rules and that it generally favors the first player.

Jose Capablanca offers a comment on symmetry in Chess Fundamentals (1921).

After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5, we reach the following position.

Black to move

Capablanca asserts. "there is long analysis showing that Black should lose if he also plays 7...Bg4" (27). The reader is left wondering where to find this analysis, but Capablanca offers no clues. ChessBase Mega 2024 contains fifteen games with the resulting position prior to publication of Chess Fundamentals. One is a sixteen move miniature that Capablanca won in a simul in 1918. Another, Alekhine--Marshall, St. Petersburg 1914 was drawn after 45 moves and annotated by Siegbert Tarrasch. Capablanca participated in the tournament where this game was played. Perhaps he and others spent some time analyzing the game.

After 8.Nd5 Nd4, Alekhine played 9.Kh1 and Tarrasch recommends 9.Nxb4 Nxb5 10.Nd5 Nd4.

Tarrasch's recommendation was the continuation in Capablanca's miniature.

The game continued: 11.Qd2 Qd7

White to move

Black carried the imitation too far and will now suffer punishment.

12.Bxf6

12.Nxf6+ may be slightly better. 12...gxf6 13.Bxf6 and now 13...Nxf3+ walks into checkmate in four.

12...Bxf3 13.Ne7+

Checks usually end all chance of further copying.

13...Kh8

13...Qxe7 14.Bxe7 is the only way to avoid immediate checkmate.

White to move

White has forced mate in three.

14.Bxg7+ Kxg7 15.Qg5+ Kh8 16.Qf6#

Yesterday, I found myself in a symmetrical position.

White to move

Ten moves have been played.

11.Ne5

After 11...Qb3 12.Nxb3, the symmetry ends and both players have equal chances.

My opponent, inexplicably, played 11...Nxe5?? 12.Qxb6+-

Black found a way to keep the game interesting, but the win was simply a matter of avoiding a few transparent traps after that.

Capablanca's game and my position from yesterday are today's lesson plan for the beginning students who I meet this afternoon. Do not fear copying as it does not harm you.

Breaking Routine

For those keeping track, my five positions per day in Thomas Engqvist, 300 Most Important Chess Positions (2018) faltered. I continue to work through this book, but some days do two or three positions. This morning, I spent some time on number 246, a terrific ending played by Akiva Rubinstein against Emanuel Lasker in 1909. Had I remained on track with five per day, I would have been at position 266.

I have faltered in that routine, but also deliberately broke my routine in a rapid game this morning with good results, although my play could have been improved.

Internet Opponent -- Stripes,J. [B21]
Live Chess Chess.com, 17.02.2025

1.e4 e6 2.f4 c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d3

Black to move

My database shows that I've been on the Black side of this position no less than 98 times in online play.

4...d6

4...d5 is the main move and my norm, but I've also played 4...g6, Nge7, a6, and d6. I last played my move in this game on the Internet Chess Club in 2002.

5.c3 b5?!N

5...Nf6=
5...g6 6.a4=
5...Be7 6.Be2=

6.a3

6.d4+/=

6...Bb7= 7.Be2 Nge7?!

The knight's prospects from this square are limited and the dark-squared bishop is denied its natural square.

8.Qc2

8.Be3 g6 9.0-0 Bg7 10.h4

8...g6 9.b4?! cxb4 10.axb4 Bg7

White to move

11.Ra2?

11.d4 a6=

One gets the sense that neither player grasps the needs of the position.

11...0-0

11...Rc8 12.Qb3 Qb6 and Black has an advantage.

12.Be3 a6

12...d5 13.e5 d4! (13...Nf5 also leads to advantage for Black) 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxg2 Black is better.

13.Nbd2 Rc8

14.-- △Nxb4 Black is getting pressure on White's position.

14.Rb2

Black to move

14...Nb8

14...f5! 15.e5 15.Qb3 d5 16.e5 d4 17.Nxd4 Nxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxg2 19.Bf3 Bxh1-/+

15.d4 Nd7 16.Bd3 Nb6

16...f5! was still the correct idea.

17.Qc1 Na4

17...Rc7 can be played at once.

18.Rc2 Rc7 19.0-0 Qa8 20.Re1

20.Qa3

20...Rfc8-/+

White to move

Black's pieces are well coordinated. Although completely different, the position sparked a memory of a correspondence game that I played in the 1990s (see "Playing by the Book"). In that game, I had pressure along the long diagonal a1-h8 and along the b-file and broke through to victory with penetration on the b-file.

21.Nb1?

21.Bf2 Rxc3 22.Rxc3 Rxc3 23.Qb1 Rc7 Black maintains an advantage, but there is still a game to be played.

21...Bxe4-+ 22.Ng5?

22.Bxe4 Qxe4 23.Bf2 Qd3 24.Rd1 Qf5

22...Bxd3 0-1

Three Positions

My beginning students—young players in grades kindergarten through second grade—saw three positions in chess club this afternoon. These all occurred in my online play this morning.

White to move

White played 50.Bd7 and the students were asked how they would play as Black. Oblivious to the dangers, they made the same error as my opponent in the blitz game: capturing the bishop with 50…Bxd7 ends the game with stalemate. 50…Kxd7, on the other hand, leads to victory for Black.

Black to move

The students found 53…Re1+ 54.Kd6 Rd1+. It was unclear whether all of them would exchange rooks, however. We then pushed the pawn to promotion and worked on the elementary checkmate of queen and king against a lone king.

White to move

The third position was rather advanced for these students. I discussed my thought process during the game, looking for ways to restrict the knight’s mobility. I played 34.Kf1. Black’s reply 34…Nd4 did not seem to me the best choice. Some of my students indicated that they would exchange bishop for knight. We then discussed the resulting weakness of the Black pawn on d4. After 35.Bxd4 exd4 36.Ke2, Black resigned.

While looking at the position, I discussed the imbalances of bishop vs. knight and differences in the pawn structure. This concept takes time for students to grasp. Several have heard it in the past and they will hear it again.

Exhilarating

Blitz chess can reinforce bad habits. It can induce stress. It can produce horrendous play and terrible disappointment. It can be addictive.

Last night, I felt a moment of positive exhilaration when I had a forced mate in three, I won on time with 0.1 seconds left. It was a thrilling moment!

It was a three minute game with no increment. At move 32, White was under one minute remaining. At move 40, Black was under one minute. After move 50, White had 11.4 seconds and Black had 21. The position was equal

51.Kf3 Kf5 52.Ke3? g5?

52...d2 and Black is better.

53.fxg5 Kxg5 54.Rg1+ Kf5 55.Rf1+ Ke5

After 55 moves, White is down to 9 seconds, while Black has 11.8. The position remains equal.

56.Rd1 Ke6 57.Rxd3 Rxd3 58.Kxd3

The exchange restores the material balance, but also makes the game easier, especially for Black.

58...Kd5

Seizing the opposition.

59.Ke3

59.Kd2 Kc4 60.Kc2 d5 was possible and also equal.

It seems that the clock will decide the result.

59...Kc4 60.Kd2 d5

60...Kb3 61.Kd3 and Black almost certainly will err with so little time. 61...Ka3 would be the only move.

61.Kc2 d4

Time for both players is precariously short. White has been moving slightly faster than Black.

62.cxd4 Kxd4 63.Kb3

We have reached a simple pawn ending that should be drawn, although only Black can win on time after White loses the last pawn.

63...Kd3 64.Ka3 Kc3 65.Ka2 Kxb4

66.Kb1??

A game losing blunder, but only if Black does not run out of time. If Black's clock expires, the game is drawn.

66...Kb3 67.Ka1 b4 68.Kb1 Ka3!

Lots of endgame practice and study and I instantly knew that my king had to go to the a-file to preserve the winning advantage. Nonetheless. 0.9 seconds came off the clock.

69.Ka1 b3 70.Kb1 b2 71.Kc2 Ka2 72.Kd3 b1=Q+ 73.Kc4

73...Qf5!

The shortest distance to mate. Again, I found this move instantly because I've been in this position against the computer many times, but it still took 0.9 seconds off the clock.

White had 2.8 seconds to Black's 1.5.

74.Kd4 Kb3 75.Ke3 Kc3

White's last 1.9 seconds expired while Black had 0.1 remaining. The game could have been drawn. What a feeling to play the last 25 moves in 21 seconds!