Should have been easy

Late Thursday night during a thunderstorm, I played a few three minute games online. Two draws from dead lost positions became lessons in elementary endings to end the spring term for my before school elementary chess club.

In the first, my opponent ran desperately short of time in a bishop ending where he had an significant advantage in number of pawns. After promoting a pawn and using the queen to capture my last pawn, he had a forced checkmate in seven, but only 4.0 seconds left.

Black to move

50...Qe4+

My opponent opts for a sequence where premoves can be played to save time.

50...Qc7 leads to mate in six moves more.

51.Kd6 f4 52.Kc5 f3 53.Kd6 f2 54.Kc5 f1Q

A second queen appears and 3.0 seconds remain on the clock. It is also forced mate in three. Black has done well and should win.

There are two schools of thought on this position:
1) a decent player resigns in such a hopeless position, and
2) its is foolish to resign in a blitz game when your opponent has three seconds left.

55.Kd6

Black to move

What should a player know about checkmate with two queens?

From the hardest position against a lone king, it is mate in four. Checkmate can occur in the middle of the board. Checks are often the best move.

Most players, however, seem to think the ladder mate is simplest and therefore best. In this case, it can be accomplished with premoves.

55...Qff5

This move does not get closer to checkmate. That is, mate is still three moves in the future.

55...Qf6+ executes an easy ladder mate unless White opts for 56.Kc5 Qfc6#
I would probably play 55...Qa6 in a heartbeat.

56.Kc7 Qee6 57.Kd8

Black still has 2.8 seconds remaining and a simple mate in one.

57...Qff7??

The premove squandered half a point.

The second undeserved draw had gross errors by both players. Time was a less critical factor with both having more than half a minute on the clock.

White to move

58.Rh6??

I would play 58.Rb6

One of very few non-winning moves in this simple rook ending.

58...Rh1+ 59.Kg4 Rg1??

Black here is stuck in unimaginative routine moves that were wholly unnecessary when simply calculation shows that 59...Rxh6 draws easily.

60.Kf4 Rf1+

White to move

I started with this position with the young students, explaining that moving the king towards the rook puts an end to harassing checks. Ke4-d3-e2 (or f6+ if the rook gives up the checks).

61.Ke5 Re1+ 62.Kf4 Rf1+ 63.Kg4 Rg1+

At this point the game is technically drawn, as a repetition is about to occur. It is sad that a player rated in the mid-1900s does not know how to win this ending.

64.Kh5 Rh1+ 65.Kg4 Rg1+ drawn by repetition.

Mood Swings

Yesterday afternoon, I threw away an easy draw against a player rated 400 lower. How I found myself playing for a draw is another matter. A bit later, a player rated 200 higher than me threw away an easy win.

White to move

81.Ra3+??

81.Kxe5 and Black's winning chances are gone.

81...Kd4? 

Black returns the favor.

82.Ra4+ Ke3 83.Ra3+ Rd3

Now Black is winning and had no difficulty converting what remained of the ending.

It was a painful loss.

Then, early for a chess lesson with some young students, I sat in my truck in the parking lot and played a game on my phone. The opening went poorly after I played the French Defense in an unusual manner.

Black to move

16...Bxa2?

1...O-O was better, but I remain down a pawn.

17.Ne5

White's plans are clear.

17...O-O

17...Rc8 at least shows recognition of White's threats.

18.Rd7?? Ne5!-+

Now I am winning. The next ten minutes sitting in my truck moving chess pieces on my phone brought pleasure as I ground out a win.

Knight over Bishop

I had this position this morning. I was White.

Black to move

41...Bd3??

It is clear that 41...Be2 would have prevented, or at least delayed my plans to remove Black's g-pawn, but 41...Ba2 also keeps the draw in hand. To wit, 42.Nf3 Kc4 43.Ne5+ Kb4 44.Nxg6 Kxa4 45.Ne5 Bg8 46.Kxf5 c4 and White will be forced to give up the knight for Black's last pawn.

42.Nf3+- c4 43.Ne5 Bc2 44.a5!

This move was necessary to the win.

44.Nxg6 Bxa4 45.Ne7+ Ke6 46.Nxf5=

Black to move

Analysis diagram

Black's only drawing move may not be so easy to find here. What would you play?

44...Kc5 45.Nxg6 Kb5 

White to move

46.Ne5

Stockfish favors 46.a6! The lines following are pure engine.

46...Bb3 47.g6 Kxa5 48.g7 c3 49.bxc3 Bg8 50.Kxf5 Kb5 51.Kf6 Kc5

White to move

52.c4

White wins more quickly with a simple technique: Ke7 or Nf7 with the idea of trapping the bishop. 52.Nf7 Kc4 53.Kg6 Kxc3 54.Nh6 Be6 55.Nf7 and the pawn promotes.

52...Kd4 53.Kf5

I appeared to be oblivious to the technique mentioned above.

53...Kc5 54.Ke4 Kd6 55.Kd4 Ke7

White to move

56.c5!

I found the only winning move.

56...Kf6 57.Nd7+ Kxg7 58.c6!

And again, only one move wins.

58...Be6 59.Ke5

59.Kc5 also wins

60.Nc5! Be2 61.c7 Bg4

White to move

62.Ne6+

Black's last few seconds of time ran out.

1-0

Errors Aplenty

Misplaying a Rook Ending

Why are rook endings difficult? The rook's move is arguably the simplest in chess, yet a rook ending where one side has an advantage of one pawn can prove vexing.

This ending arose in a game-10 Arena on chessdotcom. Both players had slightly more than three minutes remaining after 67 moves. I had Black.

White to move

68.Kf5?

Now, the position is equal. 68.Kd5 leads to a win.

68...Rh1

68...Rd1 also holds the draw.

69.Kg4 Rg1+ 70.Kf5 Rh1 71.Ke4

Black to move

71...Kf6?

71...Rf1 was the only move.

After the subsequent 72.Rf5+, Stockfish gives 72...Ke6 as equal, but an advantage of two pawns after 72...Ke7. However, experience analyzing many rook endings with Stockfish has taught me that anything under +4 should not be considered a decisive advantage. 72...Ke7 likely also hold the draw.

72.d5!+-

White is again winning. The next errors cam after thirteen more moves.

72...Ra1 73.Re6+ Kf7 74.Ke5 Re1+ 75.Kd6 Rf1 76.Re7+ Kf6 77.Re8 Kf7 78.Re7+ Kf6 79.Re4 Rc1 80.Kd7 Kf7 81.d6

Black to move

81...Rc5 82.Re7+ Kf8 83.Kd8 Rxh5 84.d7 Rc5

White to move

85.f5?

85.Re5 secures the full point

85...Rxf5?

Black puts White back in the driver's seat. Four possible moves along the c-file would have held the draw.

Despite Black's failure here, White did not find the right idea, although he came close.

86.Re8+ Kf7 87.Kc7 Rc5+ 88.Kd6 Rc1

White to move

89.Re7+

This move does throw away the win, but White nonetheless missed the right idea.

89.d8Q Rd1 90.Kc5 Rxd8 91.Rxd8 Kf6 92.Rd5 and Black's king cannot help the advance of his pawns.

89...Kf6

Three moves later, the game was drawn by repetition.

Thematic Obsession

On Thursday at youth chess camp, I taught a short session on the minority attack and another on hanging pawns. On Friday, I tried to initiate a minority attack when the position did not call for it. Later in this game, my opponent had hanging pawns. By this point in the game, I already had a clear advantage.

The game was played in Arena at chessdotcom. 10 minutes.

Stripes,J. (1796) -- Internet Opponent (1968) [E08]
Live Chess Chess.com, 08.08.2025

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 c6 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Rd1 h6

A rare move

White to move

9.a3N

Perhaps I'm hoping to conduct a minority attack.

9.Nbd2 is natural and best  b6 10.e4 Bb7 11.e5 Nh7 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.h4  appeared in Nepomniachtchi,I (2779) -- Tabatabaei,M (2689) Julius Baer Play In Match Chess.com INT rapid 2023, which Black won in 93 moves.

9...Re8 10.cxd5?!

10.Nc3 dxc4 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Ne4

10...exd5 11.b4

Hastily initiating a minority attack that lacks support of pieces

11...Nb6 12.Nbd2

White will have difficulty getting the light-squared bishop into play.

12...Bf8 13.e3

13.Ne5 may be better

13...Bg4

White to move

14.Nb3

14.Re1 is better. White's opening cannot be deemed a success, as Black seems to be the one making threats.

14...Nc4 15.Nc5 b6 16.Nd3 Qc7 17.Re1 Nd6

White to move

18.Nfe5

The wrong knight. 18.Nde5 is equal.

18...Bd7

18...Bf5 pins the other knight.

19.Bb2=

White missed an opportunity to gain a pawn. 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Ne5 Qe6 21.Qxc6 Rec8 22.Qa4.

19...Nde4?

This error helps White to gain the advantage. 19...Bf5

20.Rac1 Rac8 21.Nxd7 Qxd7 22.Ne5

22.f3 Nd6 23.e4 was better.

22...Qf5 

White to move

 23.Qe2

White missed an opportunity to take control.

23.f3!+- Nd6 24.Qxf5 Nxf5 25.Bh3 This pin is the key to the tactical sequence 25...g6 26.e4 Ne7 27.Bxc8 Rxc8 28.Re2

23...Ng5 24.h4 Ne6 25.Qf3?

25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Nxc6+-

25...Qxf3 26.Bxf3 Nd8

26...c5 27.dxc5 bxc5 28.b5 would keep some chances for equality.

White to move

27.b5!

Although the minority attack that I tried to force led only to handing Black equality or perhaps even a slight advantage, shackling my opponent with hanging pawns was a good decision. Even here, though, the routine 27.Rc2 was slightly stronger, according to the engine.

27...c5 28.dxc5 bxc5+-

Now Black has hanging pawns. These are not always a defect in the position, but here they present White with vulnerable targets without offering Black any dynamic counterplay.

White has superior minor pieces, as well as more space and mobility.

29.a4

It is not terrible to secure the majority, but there are much better opportunities on the board. For instance, 29.Nd3 Nb7 30.Bxf6 removes a defender, although giving up one of the "superior" minor pieces 30...gxf6 31.Bxd5 Na5 32.Bc4 Rcd8 33.Nf4

29...Bd6 30.Ng4

30.Nd3 

30... Nxg4 31.Bxg4 Rc7 32.Red1 Be5

White to move

33.Ba3! d4 34.exd4

34.Rxc5! Nb7 35.Rxc7 Bxc7 36.Rxd4+-

34...Bf6 35.dxc5 Nb7 36.c6

Black's position is resignable. See "Two Donner Quotes".

White to move

The game went on another 25 moves. I kept my advantage. 1-0

Masters Err Too

After some dubious choices in the late opening and early middle game, I was being punished. White has a decisive advantage and is preparing the knockout blow. It was a ten minute game and we both had plenty of time remaining.

White to move

FM Roar Elseth -- Stripes,J [C03]
Live Chess Chess.com, 09.05.2025

33.Rg8+

Good enough, but not best.

33.Ba7+! Ka8  34.Qxe4 Rxe4 35.Bb6 Rc4 36.Rg7 Be8+-
33.Qxe4 dxe4 34.Bb6 Rc6 35.Rg7!+-

33...Rc8 34.Ba7+

34.Qxe4 dxe4 35.Rg7 Be8 36.Bb6 h4+-

34...Ka8+- 35.Rxc8+?

From a decisive advantage to slightly better. This error solves some of Black's problems.

35.Rg7 Qxe3 36.Bxe3 Be8 37.Kg3+-

35...Bxc8+/-

White to move

36.Qc5?

Did my opponent overlook the check or underestimate it?

Better was 36.Bd4 Kb8 37.Qxe4 could lead to an interesting position (37.Qc3 offers winning chances). 37...dxe4 38.Kg3 Kc7 39.Kh4 Bd7 40.Kxh5 Bb5 41.Be3 Be2+ 42.Kg5 Bf3 43.h4

Black to move

Analysis diagram

43... Bg2 44.h5 Bh3=

36...Qxe5+= 37.Kh1 Qe4+ 38.Kg1 Qg6+ 39.Kh2 Qxf6 40.Bb6

White threatens checkmate.

Black to move

40...Qf4+ 41.Kg1 Bd7 42.Bc7

White used 40 seconds on this move, which renews a mate threat.

42...Qg5+ 43.Kf1 

If there is a refuge from checks, it may be in the center.

43...Bb5+ 44.Ke1 Qg1+ 45.Kd2 Qg5+

White to move

46.Ke1

Another 40 seconds were used here by my opponent.

46.f4 does not escape from my relentless queen. 46...Qg2+ 47.Kc1 Qf1+ 48.Kb2 Qe2+ 49.Kb3 Qc4+ forces the queens off the board.

46...Qg1+ 47.Kd2 Qg5+ 48.Ke1 Game drawn by repetition ½-½

I should have lost, but my opponent fell short and gave me a chance to force a draw.

When preparation meets opportunity

The expression, "luck is when preparation meets opportunity", is often credited to Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger (c. 4 BCE-65CE), but has not been sourced to any of his writings. Another version, credited to several golfers ("the harder I practice, the luckier I get") has been tracked by Quote Investigator, who finds the sentiment was around before any of the golfers credited had been born. The Yale Book of Quotations (2006), ed. Fred R. Shapiro offers, "Luck is the residue of design" from Sporting News (21 Feb. 1946), quoting baseball executive Branch Rickey.

Whatever, the origins of the phrase, the concept has merit. Yesterday, I faced the Budapest Gambit in a ten minute game after having spent part of Sunday reading Vassilios Kotronias, "Budapest Gambit: Repertoire for White" in Chess Informant 162, 49-59. Perhaps it was luck, then, that I was better prepared than my opponent.

Stripes,J. -- Internet Opponent (1459) [A52]
Live Chess Chess.com, 21.04.2025

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Bf4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3

All so far as recommended by Vassilios Kotronias in Chess Informant 162. He offers another option at move 4 also, but Bf4 is his top choice.

Black to move

7...0-0?

Four games in CB Mega 2024

7...Qe7 is Black's normal move, which White meets with 8.Qd5 and possibly a slight advantage.

8.h3

Of course.

8...Nh6 9.e4

My move appears to be inaccurate. I considered 9.Qd2 Qe7 (I wanted to prevent 9...Nf5 but it can be met with 10.e4 [10.Nd4 is better 10...Ncxd4 11.cxd4] 10...Nh4 11.Nd4 Qe7 12.0-0-0+/=) 10.g4 d6 11.exd6 Qe4 12.dxc7 Qxc4 13.Bg2 Re8 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.0-0 Qe6 16.Rfe1 Qe7 17.Qxh6 Qf8 18.Qxf8+ Rxf8 1-0 Anand,V (2786) -- Boffman (1517) Anand Charity sim ICC INT 2007. 

9...Re8N

9...f6 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Bxc7 Qxc3+ 12.Nd2 with a slight advantage for White.

White to move

10.Qd2

10.Bg5! was a missed opportunity 10...f6 11.exf6 Nf7 12.Bh4 and a clear advantage for White.

10...f6?!

10...d6 11.0-0-0! (11.Bd3? Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Bxh6 gxh6=) 11...dxe5 12.Qxd8 Nxd8 13.Nxe5 f6 14.Nd3 and White is somewhat better.

11.Bxh6

This move struck me as better after 10...f6, but I could have played 11.c5!

11...gxh6 12.Qxh6

Black to move

12...fxe5

12...Nxe5 was Black's last chance to put up a struggle. 13.0-0-0 Nf7 14.Qh4

13.c5! Re6? 14.Bc4+- d5 15.cxd6 cxd6 16.Bxe6+ Bxe6 17.Qxe6+ Kf8

White to move

18.0-0 Qe7 19.Qh6+ Qg7 20.Qxd6+ White won by resignation 1-0

Fighting Spirit

As noted in a couple of recent posts,* I prefer to play on in seemingly equal positions. Yesterday, a player rated above 2000 was not having a good game against me and I won a piece through a fork. Later in the game, my own error allowed a fork that returned the material. Then the exchange of queens gave us an ending with two rooks each after only 28 moves. The game went on another 50 moves.

White to move

Stripes,J (1802) -- Internet Opponent (2011) [D09]
Live Chess Chess.com, 21.03.2025

29.Rxe3 Rf2 30.Rd7 Rxa2 31.Ree7

At this point, I knew that I could not lose and considered forcing a draw.

31...a5 32.Rg7+ Kf8 33.Rgf7+ Ke8 34.Rde7+ Kd8 35.Rd7+ Ke8 36.Rfe7+ Kf8

It may have been here that the first draw offer was made by my opponent. He made two.

White to move

37.Rxh7 Kg8 38.Rdg7+ Kf8

Here, I spent 90 seconds in a ten minute game considering whether I wanted to play on or force the draw, concluding that best play will result in a draw. Nonetheless, with better pawn structure, I risked very little playing on. Moreover, I could force the exchange of one set of rooks.

39.Rxg6 Rd8

Black threatens checkmate in one.

40.Rh8+ Kf7 41.Rxd8 Kxg6 42.Rd5

Black to move

42...Kh5??

Either Ra3 or Rb2 holds things equal.

43.h3?

My failure returns the game to equal. 43.h4 was the winning move.

43...a4?? 44.bxa4+- Rxa4 45.Rxc5 Ra1+ 46.Kg2 Ra2+ 47.Kf3 Ra3+

White to move

At this point, I was fairly certain that my position was winning, but spent another full minute finding the way to proceed.

48.Kf2 Ra2+ 49.Ke1 Rg2

White to move

On the second opportunity to take advantage of the pin, I saw it.

50.h4! Kg4

50...Rxg3 51.Rxg5+ Rxg5 52.hxg5 Kxg5 leads to a position where White must move to the left of the pawn to successfully gain control of the key squares. An example appears on the first page of Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual (2003).

51.Rxg5+

Two connected passed pawns with a rook leading them down the board are nearly always decisive.

51...Kf3 52.c5 Ke3 53.Kf1 Rf2+ 54.Kg1 Rc2 55.Rf5 Rc1+ 56.Kg2 Rc2+ 57.Kh3 Ke4

White to move

58.Rg5

Sensible would be 58.Rf8 Rxc5 59.Kg4 cutting Black's king off from the activity on the g- and h-files. The c-pawn is not important.

58...Kf3 59.Rd5 Rc1 60.Rd3+ Ke4 61.Rd8 Rxc5 62.Rf8 Rc7 63.h5 Rh7 64.Kh4 Ke5 65.g4 Ke6 66.g5 Ke7 67.Rf4

Black to move

67...Rf7

67...Ke6 at least forces me to show that I know what I'm doing. Offering the trade of rooks makes for a simple pawn ending, which the computer finds that I played perfectly. My opponent took the game all the way to checkmate.

68.Rxf7+ Kxf7 69.Kg4 Kg7 70.Kf5 Kh8 71.Kf6 Kg8 72.g6 Kh8 73.g7+ Kg8 74.h6 Kh7 75.Kf7 Kxh6 76.g8Q Kh5 77.Qg3 Kh6 78.Qh4# 1-0

*"Playing Drawn Endgames" and "Equal is not yet Drawn".

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

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!