Improve your Rook And Knight Endgames

My Rook and Knight Endgames - Strategy and Tactics (now also available in paperback format) 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 examples of positions that the reader would get a better understanding of by working through this book.
Scroll Down to see solutions

Petrosian, Tigran - Bannik, Anatoly, 1958

White's turn

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Haba, P. - Dautov, R., 1995

Black's turn

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Sutovsky, Emil - Bacrot, Etienne, 2003.11.09

White's turn

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Raaste, Eero J - Tseitlin, Mikhail S, 1980

Black's turn

Solutions

Petrosian, Tigran - Bannik, Anatoly, Ch URS, 1958

18. Bc5

A lot has been written about this move in different books. In this famous position Black suffers from weak light squares and lack of space. Petrosian found a brilliant way to consolidate his positional advantage... I mainly see the explanation in the common strategic idea of trading off bad bishop which protects good pawns. Now the pawn chain 'e5-f6-g5' becomes much more vulnerable. Also the white knight's domination over his black colleague becomes more apparent, as now the white knight can access an important 'c5' square.

18. ... Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Bxc5 20. Nxc5 Re8 21. Ne4 Re6 22. g4 a5 23. Rd3 Nd7 24. Kc2 b6 25. Rf3 Kd8 26. a3 c5 27. Kc3 Ke7 28. Rd3 Rc6 29. Rd5 Nf8 30. Ng3 Ne6 31. Nf5+ Ke8 32. e3 Nc7 33. Rd1 Ne6 34. Kd3 Rc7 35. Ke4

Another aspect of the exchange of bishops is that now the advance of the white king is more dangerous for Black than before.

35. ... Rc6 36. Nd6+ Ke7 37. Nf5+ Ke8 38. Nd6+ Ke7 39. Nf5+ Ke8 40. a4 Nd8 41. Nh6 Ne6 42. Ng8 Nf8 43. Rd2 Kf7 44. Nh6+ Ke8 45. Nf5 Ne6 46. Rd6 Rxd6 47. Nxd6+ Kd7 48. Nb5 Ng7 49. h6 Ne8 50. Kd5 f5 51. Kxe5 fxg4 52. Nc3 Ke7 53. Ne4 Kf7 54. Kf5 g3 55. fxg3 g4 56. Ng5+ Kg8 57. Ke6 Nc7+ 58. Kd7 Na6 59. e4 Nb4 60. e5 Nd3 61. e6 1-0

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Haba, P. - Dautov, R., Deutschland, 1995

30. ... Nxh4+! 31. Kf1

( 31. gxh4 Rxf4 -+ )

31. ... Nf3 -+ 32. Rd8 Nd4 33. Rh8 Rf5 34. Rxh5 Nxb3 35. Rxf5 exf5 36. Ke2 Na5 37. Kd3 b3 0-1

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

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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Raaste, Eero J - Tseitlin, Mikhail S, Makarczyk Memorial, 1980

32. ... Rxa2! 33. Nd6

( 33. Kxa2 Nc3+ 34. Kb3 Nxd5 also gave Black good winning chances. )

33. ... Rd2! 34. Ne8+ Kc6! 35. Rxd2 Nxd2+ 36. Kc3 Ne4+ 37. Kd4

37. ... Kd7!

Black either wins the second pawn, or transposes into a winning pawn endgame. White chose the latter option, but resigned a couple of moves later.

38. Kxe4

( 38. Ng7 Nxg3 -+ )

38. ... Kxe8 39. Kd5 Ke7 40. b5 Kd7 0-1

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

Rook and Knight endgames – Tactics part 1

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):
Arnason, Jon L    --    Adams, Michael
Manila ol (Men)   1992     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Zelcic, Robert    --    Gleizerov, Evgeny
Montecatini Terme op   1997.08.08     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Apicella, Manuel    --    Vaisser, Anatoli
FRA-ch Final stage   1999.08.28     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Reinderman, Dimitri    --    Chuchelov, Vladimir
Mondariz zt 1.1   2000.09.05     1-0

# White's turn 1-0

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Solutions:
Arnason, Jon L    --    Adams, Michael
Manila ol (Men)   1992     1-0

# Solution: 37. Rxg4 Rh2

( 37. ... Rxg4 38. Nf6+ Ke7 39. Nxg4 +- leaves White with two extra pawns. )

38. Ng7+ Ke7 39. Nf5+ Kf6 40. b3 +- a5 41. Rg8 Ke5 42. Rf8 Nd6 43. Nxd6 Kxd6 44. Rf4 b5 45. a3 Ke6 46. Rg4 Ke5 47. Rg6 Rxh4 48. Rxc6 Kd4 49. a4 bxa4 50. Rc4+ Ke3 51. Rxa4 Rh5 52. Kb2 Rg5 53. Rc4 Rh5 54. Ka3 Re5 55. Ka4 Kd2 56. Rc8 Kc1 57. c4 Kb2 58. Rb8 Kc3 59. Rb5 1-0

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Zelcic, Robert    --    Gleizerov, Evgeny
Montecatini Terme op   1997.08.08     1-0

# Solution: 39. Rc7+! Kxc7 40. Nxe6+ Kd7 41. Nxf4

With the pseudo sacrifice not only has White regained the pawn, but he also achieved a knight endgame, which is winning for him due to the dangerous 'a' pawn, and more active placement of pieces.

41. ... Nc6

( Defending the 'd' pawn allows White to collect both pawns on the kingside. 41. ... Kc6 42. Nxh5 +- )

42. Nxd5 Nxe5+ 43. Ke4 Nc6 44. Nxb6+ Kc7 45. Nd5+ Kd6 46. Nf4

Black resigned as his kingside pawns cannot be defended.

1-0

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Apicella, Manuel    --    Vaisser, Anatoli
FRA-ch Final stage   1999.08.28     1-0

# Solution: 34. Nd8+! Kd7

( 34. ... Nxd8 35. a7 +- )

35. Nxc6 Kxc6 36. Rxf6+ Kc5 37. a7 Rg8 38. Ra6 +- Ra8 39. Kf2 Kd5 40. Kf3 h5 41. h4 Ke5 42. Ke3 Kd5 43. Kf4 Rf8+ 44. Kg5 Ra8 45. Kf5 Rf8+ 46. Rf6 Ra8 47. Rf7 Kc6 48. Kg6 Rh8 49. Rh7 Ra8 50. Kxh5 Kb6 51. Kg6 Ka5 52. h5 Ka4 53. h6 Kxa3 54. Rb7 Kb3 55. Rxb5+ Kxc3 56. h7 1-0

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Reinderman, Dimitri    --    Chuchelov, Vladimir
Mondariz zt 1.1   2000.09.05     1-0

# Solution: 34. Nxa5! g5

( 34. ... Rxa5 35. Rd8# )

35. Nc6 +/- gxf4 36. gxf4 Ra6 37. Nd4 Rd6 38. Rg1+ Kf8 39. Nxc2 Rd2+ 40. Ke3 Rxc2 41. Ra1 Rc3+ 42. Kd4 Ke7 43. a5 Kd6 44. a6 Rc8 45. a7 Ra8 46. Kc4 Kc6 47. Kxb4 Kb6 48. h4 h5 49. Ra2 f6 50. Ra5 Kb7 51. Kc5 e5 52. fxe5 fxe5 53. Kd5 Rd8+ 54. Kxe5 Ka8 55. Kf6 Rd3 56. Kg6 1-0

Nutcracker tournament – Find the right move

I quite enjoyed watching games from the tournament played in Moscow at the end of 2014, so here are some sample puzzles that can help you train your positional and attacking skills.

Scroll down to see the solutions.

Artemiev, Vladislav    --    Morozevich, Alexander
Nutcracker Rapid   2014.12.25     0-1     A05

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 c6 3. g3 g6 4. b3 Bg7 5. Bb2 d6 6. Bg2 e5 7. d3 O-O 8. O-O Re8 9. Nbd2 a5 10. a3 Nh5 11. Qc2 c5 12. Ne4 Nc6 13. e3 f5 14. Nc3 Nf6 15. Rad1 h6 16. Nd2 Be6 17. Nd5 Bf7 18. Nxf6+ Bxf6 19. Nb1 d5 20. cxd5 Bxd5 21. Bxd5+ Qxd5 22. Nc3 Qf3 23. Nb5 h5 24. Nc7 h4 25. Rfe1 h3 26. Kf1

Black to move:

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Aleksey Dreev    --    Daniil Dubov
Nutcracker Rapid 2014   2014.12.25     1-0     E32

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 b6 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Bb7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bg5 h6 9. Bh4 g5 10. Bg3 Ne4 11. Qc2 c5 12. e3 cxd4 13. Nxd4 Qf6 14. Rd1 Na6 15. f3 Nxg3 16. hxg3 d5 17. cxd5 Rac8 18. Qd2 Rfd8 19. Bxa6 Bxa6

White to move:

 

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Alexander Morozevich    --    Daniil Dubov
Nutcracker Rapid 2014   2014.12.25     1-0     B72

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Qd2 O-O 9. O-O-O Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Be6 11. Kb1 b5 12. Bf3 Rc8 13. Nxb5 a6 14. Nc3 Rc4 15. e5 Nd7 16. Bd5 Rxd4 17. Qxd4 Bxe5 18. Qe3 Nb6

White to move:

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Fedoseev, Vladimir    --    Dreev, Aleksey
Nutcracker Rapid   2014.12.25     1-0     B12

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 Nd7 6. O-O Ne7 7. Nbd2 h6 8. Nb3 g5 9. Ne1 Qc7 10. Nd3 Bg7 11. f4 Ng6 12. fxg5 hxg5 13. Bxg5 f6

White to move:

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Solutions

Artemiev, Vladislav    --    Morozevich, Alexander
Nutcracker Rapid   2014.12.25     0-1     A05

26. ... Nd4!? 27. Qc4+ Kf8 28. Qxc5+ Kg7 29. Qd5 Qxd5 30. Nxd5 Nf3 31. Nc7 Rec8 32. Rc1 Nxe1 33. Nxa8 Rxc1 34. Bxc1 Nxd3 35. Bd2 Bd8 -/+

#

36. Ke2 e4 37. Bc3+ Kf7 38. Bd4 Nc1+ 39. Kd1 Nxb3 40. Bb6 Bxb6 41. Nxb6 Ke6 42. Kc2 Nc5 43. Kd2 Nd7 44. Nc4 Ne5 45. Nxa5 b6 46. Nb3 Nf3+ 47. Ke2 Nxh2 48. a4 Ng4 49. Kf1 h2 50. Kg2 Nxf2 51. Kxh2 Ng4+ 52. Kg1 Nxe3 53. a5 bxa5 54. Nxa5 Kd5 55. Kf2 Nc4 56. Nb3 g5 57. Nc1 f4 58. gxf4 gxf4 59. Ne2 Ke5 60. Nc3 Ne3 61. Nb5 Ng4+ 62. Kf1 f3 63. Nc3 e3 0-1

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Aleksey Dreev    --    Daniil Dubov
Nutcracker Rapid 2014   2014.12.25     1-0     E32

20. e4 exd5 21. e5! Re8

( 21. ... Qxe5+ 22. Kf2 # would leave White with great compensation for the pawn as the black bishop is nicely constrained by the white knight and black pawn on d5.

22. ... Qf6 23. g4 += and White develops initiative by threatening Nf5. )

22. f4 Re7 23. Qe3 Rce8 24. Kd2 Qg6 25. Rh2 h5 26. f5 Qh6

#

27. e6!? fxe6 28. fxe6 Rxe6 29. Nxe6 Rxe6

White to move

30. Rxh5!

Black must have overlooked this shot.

30. ... Rxe3 31. Rxh6 Rxg3 32. Rd6 Rxg2+ 33. Kc3 +/- Rg3+ 34. Kd4 Kf7 35. Re1 g4 36. Ke5 Bc4 37. Kf4 Rb3 38. Kg5 d4 39. Rd7+ Kf8 40. Rd8+ Kf7 41. Rxd4 Rb5+ 42. Kh4 Be6 43. Rf4+ Rf5 44. Rxf5+ Bxf5 45. Rc1 Ke6 46. Rc7 Kd5 47. Rxa7 Kc4 48. Ra4+ Kc5 49. Rf4 Be6 50. Kg3 Bd7 51. Re4 Kd5 52. Kf4 Be6 53. Re5+ Kd6 54. Rg5 Bd7 55. Ke4 Bc8 56. Kd4 Be6 57. Rg6 b5 58. Ke4 Ke7 59. Ke5 Bd7 60. Rg7+ Ke8 61. b3 1-0

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Alexander Morozevich    --    Daniil Dubov
Nutcracker Rapid 2014   2014.12.25     1-0     B72

19. Bxe6! fxe6 20. Qxe5! dxe5 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22. Kc1 +/-

# White returns the exchange, but leaves Black with a horrid pawn structure and a position that is really hard to defend in a practical game.

22. ... Nd5 23. Rd1 Kf7 24. Ne4 Rc8 25. b3 h6 26. c4 Nf4 27. g3 Ne2+ 28. Kb2 Nd4 29. h4 Ke8 30. Kc3 Kd7 31. f4 Kc6 32. fxe5 Nf3

#

33. b4 +-

White's queenside pawns begin marching forward, and it is really hard to stop them.

33. ... Nxe5 34. a4 Kb6 35. a5+ Ka7 36. Nc5 Rf8 37. b5 Rc8 38. Kb4 Ka8 39. Rd4 axb5 40. cxb5 Rb8 41. Re4 1-0

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Fedoseev, Vladimir    --    Dreev, Aleksey
Nutcracker Rapid   2014.12.25     1-0     B12

14. Rxf5 exf5 15. Bh5 O-O-O 16. Bxg6 fxg5 17. Bxf5

# After the pseudo exchange sacrifice, material is even, but White has a dominating position and soon converted.

17. ... Kb8 18. Qg4 Nb6 19. Nbc5 Qe7 20. Ne6 Rdg8 21. b3 Rh4 22. Qg3 Bh6 23. Rf1 a6 24. Bg4 Bg7 25. h3 Bh8 26. Ndc5 Ka7 27. Qf3 Nd7 28. Nxd7 Qxd7 29. Qf7 Qxf7 30. Rxf7 Rh6 31. Re7 Kb6 32. Kf2 Rc8 33. Nc5 1-0

Improve Your Play in Complex Endgames: Mikhail Botvinnik's skillful piece play

Here is another sample video from my latest Ebook  called "Rook and Knight Endgames - Strategy and Tactics"

Chess Strategy and Tactics: Ebook about rook and knight endgames

I added a new ebook to my list of my publications, this one is called "Rook and Knight Endgames - Strategy and Tactics".

This ebook is a follow up to my ebook about endings with each side having a rook and a bishop of opposite color - Bishop endgames - Do the opposites Attract?. The idea behind these series is the approach that Nimzowitsch used to call "a radioactive method" - selecting a rather narrow topic, and by learning a lot about it, understand chess much better in general. This time I would like to look at endings with rook + knight Vs. rook + knight. This material balance is also a quite frequent guest 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. Mikhail Botvinnik was well known for his great technique in this type of endings, and I would strongly recommend to the reader to study two famous endgames Botvinnik-Alekhine 1938, and Botvinnik-Levenfish, 1937. Instead of these, I included several less known examples from his career. Also games by other famous players such as Korchnoi, Morozevich and Anand are featured.

Sample game video: