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!

Applied Study: Lesson from a Youth Tournament

After spending parts of several days last week on a particular endgame offered in Thomas Engqvist, 300 Most Important Chess Positions (2018), it arose in a game that I was watching during a youth tournament yesterday. I attempted to take a photo of the position, but the student on the move made his move before I snapped the image.

Black to move

The image on my phone combined with my memory allowed me to set up the game on my iPad last night and play it out against Stockfish. I hope some students can learn something from this analysis. An exclamation  mark after a move indicates that the move played is best, or equal best, as measured by the shortest distance to checkmate.

As usual, the moves in bold are from my game against Stockfish. Other moves are suggested improvements.

1...Kg5!

1...Kf5 was played by the child 2.Rc5+ wins, but was not played. Eventually, Black was able to promote the g-pawn, forcing White's rook off the board.

2.Kg2 h4

I remembered this idea from Engqvist, but it is not the engine's top choice as it extends the distance to mate by three moves.

2...Rb4 is best.

3.Rd3 Rf5

3...Ra4

4.Rb3 Rc5

4...Rd5 is slightly more accurate.

5.Rb2

Black to move

5...Rc4

I considered but did not fully calculate 5...h3+ 6.Kg3 Rc3+ 7.Kh2 Kh4 8.Rb4 Rc2+ 9.Kh1.

6.Ra2 Kf4! 7.Rf2+ Ke3! 8.Rb2

Black to move

Rd4!

I'm hoping to exchange into an easy pawn ending.

9.Rb1 Rd2+! 10.Kg1 g3! 11.Rb3+ Rd3!

Six consecutive best moves are the result of book study and practice against the computer.

12.Rb8

Black to move

12...h3

My move is based on an idea in the book: threaten back-rank checkmate, but there was a faster way to accomplish this goal.

12...Kf3 13.Rf8+ Kg4 14.Rg8+ Kh3 15.Rf8 Rd1+ 16.Rf1 Rxf1+ 17.Kxf1 Kh2.

13.Re8+ Kd4! 14.Rd8+ Kc3

14...Ke4 15.Re8+ Kf5

15.Rc8+ Kd2 16.Kf1

Black to move

16...Rf3+! 17.Kg1 Re3

17...h2+ 18.Kg2 Rf2+ 19.Kxg3 h1Q

18.Rd8+ Ke2! 19.Ra8 Rd3! 20.Re8+ Kf3!

The king marches toward the rook until it runs out of checks.

21.Rf8+ Kg4! 22.Rg8+ Kf5! 23.Kf1

Black to move

23...Ra3

23...h2

24.Rf8+ Kg6! 25.Rb8 g2+ 26.Kf2 Ra2+! 27.Kf3

Black to move

27...Kg7

27...g1Q?? 28.Rg8+ and a draw.
27...h2!

28.Rb7+ Kf8! 29.Rb8+ Ke7! 30.Rb7+ Kf6

30...Kd6

31.Rb6+ Ke5 32.Rb5+ Kd4! 33.Rb4+ Kc3! 34.Rb1

Black to move

34...h2! 35.Rc1+ Kd4

35...Kd2

36.Rd1+ Ke5!

Finding shelter behind White's king

37.Re1+ Kf5! 38.Re8 h1Q!

The rest should be easy.

39.Rf8+ Ke6! 40.Re8+ Kd7! 41.Kf4 Qh4+! 42.Kf3 Rf2+

42...Kxe8

43.Ke3 Qf4+

43...Kxe8 44.Kd3 g1Q

44.Kd3 Rd2+ 45.Kc3 Qd4+ 46.Kb3 Rb2+ 47.Ka3 Qb4#

Finishing with the queen and rook roll from Pandolfini's Endgame Course (1988), and excellent endgame resource by chess coach Bruce Pandolfini for young players.

Revising Plans

In late December, I set myself a course of study of 300 Most Important Chess Positions (2018) by Thomas Engqvist. Although the author suggests learning five positions per week, my plan was to work through five per day. I maintained this schedule until last Thursday.

Friday, my wife and I left for a weekend at a lake cabin and some play in the snow with our puppy. I took the book along, but did not spend as much time working on it as planned.

Upon my return, there were further distractions that kept me from resuming my rapid pace through the book. One of the endgames gave me some trouble as I tried to beat Stockfish from a winning position. Parts of three days this week were invested in this one endgame.

Black to move

Black's best move here, according to Engqvist, is Re1+, but the computer also played Rh1 in some games against me. It took several tries and some time studying Engqvist's analysis before I succeeded is winning with White. I ended up using another study by Genrikh Kasparian as the starting position. This one does not appear in Harold van der Heijden's Endgame Study Database, but Engqvist’s position could occur in the study I used.

The past two days, I have resumed my project of working through five positions per day. If there are no further disruptions to my plan, I should finish in early March. I do have a two-day break planned during a weekend Swiss at the end of February.

Windmill!

Black threatens checkmate, but it is White's turn and both of Black's pieces threatening mate will soon be gone.