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Rook and Knight Endgames – Tactics part 2

Rook and Knight Endgames - Strategy and Tactics book looks at endings with rook + knight Vs. rook + knight. This material balance occurs quite frequently in tournaments, and some classical ideas and endgames have become well-known. Nonetheless, there is some lack of discussion of this topic in chess literature. The book covers both the strategic themes, and gives the reader a chance to practice their tactical skills. Mikhail Botvinnik was well known for his great technique in this type of endings; the book includes several relatively unknown examples from his career to illustrate the typical ideas, but also games by other famous players such as Korchnoi, Morozevich and Anand are featured. Here are some sample tactical positions (scroll down for solutions):

Korchnoi, Viktor    --    Tiviakov, Sergei
Warsaw AIG Life rapid qf4   2002.12.22     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Aronian, Levon    --    Filippov, Valerij
EU-ch 4th   2003.06.10     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Sutovsky, Emil    --    Bacrot, Etienne
EU-ch Internet fin   2003.11.09     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Dobrov, Vladimir    --    Kiriakov, Petr
EU-ch Internet 3rd   2006.01.22     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

 

Solutions:

 

Korchnoi, Viktor    --    Tiviakov, Sergei
Warsaw AIG Life rapid qf4   2002.12.22     1-0

# Solution: 29. Rxf7+ Kg8

( 29. ... Kxf7 30. Ne5+ Ke7 31. Nxc6+ +- )

30. Ne5 Rc2 31. Kf3 Nc3 32. Rc7 Nxe2 33. Rxc2 Nd4+ 34. Ke4 Nxc2 35. Ng4 Kg7 36. Ke5 Ne1 37. Kxe6 +- Nf3 38. h4 Nd4+ 39. Ke5 Nf3+ 40. Kd5 Nd2 41. Ne5 Kf6 42. g4 Nf1 43. Ke4 Nd2+ 44. Kf4 Nb3 45. g5+ hxg5+ 46. hxg5+ Ke6 47. Nf3 Nc5 48. Nd4+ Kd5 49. Ke3 Ne4 50. f4 Ng3 51. Kf3 Ne4 52. Nf5 Nd2+ 53. Kg4 Ke6 54. Nh6 Ne4 55. f5+ Ke5 56. Nf7+ Kd5 57. Kh5 Ng3+ 58. Kg6 Ke4 59. Nh6 1-0

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Aronian, Levon    --    Filippov, Valerij
EU-ch 4th   2003.06.10     1-0

# Solution: 39. Rxd4!!

A very impressive combination, even though not a strictly necessary one. Instead 39.b7 or 39.bxa7 were also winning.

39. ... Kxd4

( 39. ... Rxd4 40. bxa7 Rd8 41. Nc6+ +- )

40. bxa7 Rxa7 41. Nc6+ Kc5 42. Nxa7 +-

#

42. ... f5 43. Nb5 f4 44. Nc3 Kd4 45. Nxe4 Kxe4 46. gxf4 1-0

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Sutovsky, Emil    --    Bacrot, Etienne
EU-ch Internet fin   2003.11.09     1-0

# Solution: 26. Nxa6! Ra8

( 26. ... bxa6 27. Rd6+ Kg5 28. Rxc6 +- )

27. Nc5 Ne5 28. Rxb7 +- Rd8 29. Kc2 Nc4 30. b3 Rd2+ 31. Kc1 Rxf2 32. bxc4 Rxg2 33. Nd3 Rg3 34. Kd2 Rxh3 35. c5 Rh2+ 36. Ke3 Ke6 37. Nf4+ Ke5 38. c6 Kd6 39. c7 Kd7 40. Nd5 Rh4 41. Nb6+ 1-0

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Dobrov, Vladimir    --    Kiriakov, Petr
EU-ch Internet 3rd   2006.01.22     1-0

# Solution: 36. Nb5! cxb5

( 36. ... Ke7 37. Rxc6 +- )

37. Rc8+ Ke7 38. a8=Q Rxa8 39. Rxa8 +- Nd3 40. Rb8 Nb2 41. Rxb5 Nc4+ 42. Ke2 Ke6 43. a4 1-0