|
« TAP TO LOG IN
|
ANNOTATED GAME
2nd Training Match vs fa_xander
fa_xander (928) vs. toiletduck1 (1835)
Annotated by: toiletduck1 (1200)
Chess opening: Saragossa opening (A00)
fa_xander (928) vs. toiletduck1 (1835)
Annotated by: toiletduck1 (1200)
Chess opening: Saragossa opening (A00)
 Interactive |
• |  Show all comments |
• | All annotated games | • | View chessboard as: |
| ||||||
|
34... Nxg3 |
munch. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
35. Kc2 Nf5 36. Kd3 Nxh4 |
munch. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
37. e4 dxe4+ 38. Kxe4 f5+ 39. Kf4 Kf7 40. Kg5 Nf3+ 41. Kxf5 Nxd4+ 42. Kg5 g6 43. Kh4 Kf6 44. Kg3 Kf5 45. Kh4 g5+ 46. Kxh5 Kf4 47. Kg6 g4 48. Kf6 g3 49. Ke7 g2 50. Kd6 g1=B |
Of course g1Q would have been easy, but I wanted to practice this for the 1st time against a human being instead of Crafty or some other engine. This is the sort of endgame that you need to know, you can't just figure it out. It may seem like a daunting task, but if you know how it's done and have practiced it, it's actually quite manageable; but remember, because of the 50 moves rule I have to get it done before or on White's 101st move. There is almost a 'system' in doing it, which I'll take you through. But before we start here's a few key points you need to know about this. You will ONLY be able to force mate in the same coloured corner squares as your Bishop, FACT. In this case mine is Dark Squared, so I need to force him to either h8 or a1. But how do I achieve this seeming impossible task? 1st things 1st, I'll need to force him to the edge of the board. It doesn't even matter if at 1st I can only force him to a8 or h1, I will have achieved step 1 of the puzzle. Step 1 is quite easy, you can just figure this bit out. Just keep cutting off his King's escape squares, and soon he'll be forced onto the edge. Oh.. and another thing, my Knight and Bishop will better co-ordinate when kept close and on the same colour squares: that way my knight can control the squares my Bishop is unable to and so they will together control more squares collectively. So anyway.. I'll get you on the edge, and we'll take it from there (no comments are needed until then, you can see basically what's happening). | |||||
| | ||||||
|
51. Kd5 Nf5 52. Kc4 Ke4 53. Kc3 Nd6 54. Kd2 Nb5 55. Kc2 Kd4 56. Kb3 Nc3 57. Kc2 Kc4 58. Kd2 Bf2 59. Kc1 Kd3 60. Kb2 Nb5 61. Kb3 Bc5 62. Ka4 |
After just 12 moves, step 1 has been achieved with ease. Now step 2 is the hard bit. Remember I want him on a1. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
62... Kc4 63. Ka5 |
Only move. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
63... Nc7 |
Cutting off his a6 escape square and also relocating to b4 via d5.. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
64. Ka4 |
forced. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
64... Nd5 65. Ka5 |
forced again. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
65... Nb4 66. Ka4 |
Another thing I should mention from here is that until he's cornered, you must keep the zig-zag Knight maneuver across the squares b4, d3 and b2 memorized. Stick to these squares and you can't go wrong. The same formula would apply if we had a symmetrical position, but two ranks down on the 6th rank or even 4 ranks down on the 8th. I should run through an important line, which I don't need to worry about in this position, but try to if you can imagine this piece arrangement: WK on a6, N on b6, BK on c6, and B on c7(say). So basically it's the same position, but 2 ranks down. This position requires a little more knowledge than the current position. Let's say BLK to move: 1. Bb8 2. Ka5 Nd5 sticking to those key squares! 3. Ka4 Kc5 4. Kb3 the most testing move Nb4 5. Kc3 looks like it escapes back into the centre, but.. Bf4! closes the door and observe the beautiful combination of Bishop and Knight 6. Kb3 Be5! and that troublesome King is back under wraps after a seemingly certain escape. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
66... Bb6 67. Ka3 |
forced. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
67... Nd3 |
sticking to those key squares. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
68. Ka2 |
If 68. Ka4 it's more simple Nb2 69. Ka3 (forced) Kc3 70. Ka2 (forced, sounds familiar?) Kc2 71. Ka3 does not escape because of.. Bc5 72. Ka2 (forced) Bb4 it's good in this situation to give back the tempo 73. Ka1 etc.. and I'll show you how to finish him off soon.. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
68... Kc3 69. Kb1 Nb2 70. Ka2 |
Of course 70. Kc1 doesn't escape because of Bd3 (similar Bishop-Knight co-ordination as in my earlier line) 71. Kb1 Bf4 another important zugzwang common to endgames, he'd prefer not to move but must 72. Ka2etc.. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
70... Kc2 71. Ka1 |
(71. Ka3 Bc5 72. Ka2 Bb4 73. Ka1 comes to the same thing) | |||||
| | ||||||
|
71... Na4 72. Ka2 Bc5 |
I have now limited him to just 2 corner squares, but step 3 is how to finish him off? here's 1 way. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
73. Ka1 Ba3 |
I want the check to come on b2.. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
74. Ka2 Bc1 |
74. Bb2 would be a disastrous stalemate, I must once again use up tempo. | |||||
| | ||||||
|
75. Ka1 Bb2+ 76. Ka2 Nc3# |
wallah! Check and mate. You may be asking: "But what's the point in learning this endgame, if it is likely I'll only come across it 2 or three times in my lifetime?". Well, these are the kind of core endgames that just need to be learned. Imagine you are at a tournament and you have completely outplayed your opponent, and you get into a specialist type endgame such as this and you don't know how to finish him off! And learning it also teaches good Bishop and Knight co-ordination. Anyway thanks for faxander for the game and although it wasn't perfect, I do notice you are gradually improving. Keep it up! make a note of the good and bad moves you made during the game and try to improve on them for future games. For more help on this and other endgames, there are some great videos on youtube.com take care! | |||||
| | ||||||
| ||||||