Questions tagged [endgame]
The endgame is the part of the game when there are only a few pieces left on the board. Usually play revolves around one or both players trying to promote a pawn. Alternatives are the opening and middlegame tags.
3
votes
1answer
108 views
Heavy piece endgame with 2 extra pawn, how to convert?
1r6/5pk1/2q1p1pp/3p4/r2P4/2P4P/PPQ2PP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
White to move.
White is 2 passed pawns up, but black is very active. I'm sure objectively white is winning, but how? Black will attack and ...
9
votes
3answers
173 views
How to improve on the early endgame?
The late middlegame/early endgame is by far my weakest point.
I often get some kind of advantage in the opening, but then struggle to convert. I do study endgames, for example I am currently reading ...
2
votes
3answers
206 views
Stuck around 2000 rating. Concrete advice for improving? [closed]
I've been stuck around the 2000 rating mark on various different online chess websites for a few years now. I seem to have hit a wall. I'm quite busy so when I do find time for chess I tend to just ...
6
votes
5answers
296 views
At what playing strength level should one be able to mate with King Bishop and Knight vs King?
As in title above, at what playing strength level should one be able to mate with King, Bishop and Knight vs King without much effort (with reasonable time left for the game)?
4
votes
1answer
74 views
How does black ensure a draw in this R+3P vs. r+2p endgame with all pawns on the same side?
From a recent world-championship game Fabiano Caruana vs Magnus Carlsen (2018), the players agreed to a draw here:
[Title "Black to move"]
[FEN "8/1r3kp1/7p/7P/4R1P1/6K1/5P2/8 b - - 2 54"]
However, ...
2
votes
1answer
93 views
How does the last move in the Michael Adams vs Anatoly Karpov game result in the end of the match?
In the Michael Adams vs Anatoly Karpov (1994, Dortmund GER, rd 1, Jul-15 ) match (moves listed [here][1]), the last move is indeed a check to the black king, but why did the match end after that ? I ...
5
votes
2answers
149 views
What is the simplest method to win Queen vs Knight endgame?
What method requires the least amount of memorisation (doesn't have to be shortest path to victory) for the queen vs knight ending?
I have looked at tablebases but the moves are somewhat bizarre and ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
Perfect strategy for winning simple endgames by premoving [duplicate]
I am a regular bullet player, so I am looking for a perfect strategy in which you only premove to win simple endgames, given that you only premove one move at a time (i.e. you can see what your ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Can a King and Queen mate a King and Knight or is this a drawn game?
White has a King and a Queen.
Black has a King and a Knight.
It is White's move. Can White win or is this ending a draw?
2
votes
1answer
110 views
2 Knights against 1 pawn (endgame)
Why is it important to leave the opponent's pawn in this situation?
From over 7kk games only 426 ends with KNN against KP, of which 286 games (67.1%) is draw.
In the two knights endgame, how should ...
0
votes
3answers
95 views
On the feasibility of mating with knight and bishop within 50 moves using a particular method
Prove that it is possible, from any starting KBNK position, to accomplish the mate by manoeuvering to arrive at key positions from a well-known method or strategy whilst
the losing king actively tries ...
-2
votes
1answer
94 views
How is a game of chess won?
My understanding is that there are basically two ways in which a game of chess is won.
(1) One side gives (or forces) checkmate, regardless of material situation on the board. He may be in material ...
8
votes
3answers
218 views
Endgame technique: How to win with rook + g and h pawn vs rook?
The tablebase suggests it's a win for White, but I struggle to beat my phone. Black's rook seems to always be able to harass the white king to stop white make any progress.
What's the technique to ...
-9
votes
2answers
99 views
Why are masters so bad at endings? [closed]
The other day I witnessed a National Master fail to checkmate using a queen vs rook: See here. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo6hCsHn4bX/
I witnessed some of the worst technique known to man by a 2200+ ...
2
votes
2answers
82 views
Which openings (black/white) should man play against a player, who is not good at endgame but a tactical beast?
I'am looking for openings with white and black against strong junior players, which are mostly tactical beasts but not good at endgame.
5
votes
1answer
166 views
What's so important about the h4 square in this endgame?
I'm reading John Nunn's book Grandmaster Chess Move by Move, and it stresses the importance of the h4 square in the following endgame.
8/2p2p2/5k1p/2B1p1p1/4P3/1P3P2/2n1K1PP/8 w - - 0 1
1. Kd2? Nd4 ...
4
votes
1answer
119 views
Is there a database of endgame positions with known perfect play?
Perfect play as in, it leads to checkmate in the least moves possible. Not just forced mates.
3
votes
1answer
83 views
What was Nakamura thinking with 62…g5 against Carlsen in Senquefield Cup 2018 rd. 9?
I (a 2300 player) would never consider 62...g5 in this position giving White a protected passed pawn. Nakamura either thought it was a drawing method, or the toughest defense, but Carlsen showed ...
6
votes
1answer
251 views
How does syzygy store its information?
From reading everything I've found so far, I know that syzygy uses both win/draw/loss files and distance to zero files, but I haven't found any information on the internal file format that these files ...
1
vote
1answer
149 views
How to be more aware of smothered mate opportunities?
I've been playing Chesscademy's android app for a while when I'm bored: thought it could improve my chess to be solving their tactic challenges (not sure if it's working though..).
One pattern I ...
2
votes
5answers
143 views
Book recommendations on Pawn Endgame for intermediate and advanced level players?
I just started preparing Endgame using Dvoretsky Endgame Manual. I am wondering if there are more books online about Pawn Endgames that I can use side by side either as an additional study material or ...
3
votes
2answers
206 views
Is this a stalemate?
The gamepigeon app is declaring I lost (I am black). This simply does not make sense since it is white's turn and they are in check. The game abruptly ends.
Is this erroneous logic? How can I lose ...
0
votes
0answers
82 views
Marshall vs. Queen Endgame
In a game of "Sort of Almost Chess", the variant from Mr. Betza that replaces one of the queens with a Marshall (the Rook+Knight compound, also known as the Chancellor, or the Empress in Fairy Chess ...
6
votes
2answers
290 views
When checkmate is impossible in a position [duplicate]
Edit This question is not a duplicate, as mentioned in my comment. The linked supposedly-duplicate question addresses neither my below question #1, nor question #3, nor question #2 except tangentially ...
11
votes
4answers
3k views
Are there rules for categorising all pawn-only endgames into won/drawn/lost?
If a situation containing only pawns and kings is displayed is there a simple set of rules for determining if the position is won/drawn/lost?
I know for single pawn and double pawn endgames this is ...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
What longest number of moves for a forced mate position (including draw rules)?
What is the longest (currently discovered) number of moves for a forced mate position where players will use both the 50-move draw rule and the 3-fold repetition rule if it will help them avoid losing....
1
vote
1answer
103 views
How to mate a king already in the corner with a knight and a bishop?
How can white mate black in 4 moves in this game. This might be easy but I am a beginner.
7k/7N/6K1/8/7p/7B/8/8 w - - 1 0
6
votes
2answers
350 views
Checkmating the bare king with 3 knights – can the mate be forced on any edge square?
In the case where White has King and 3 Knights, and Black has just the bare King, it is known that White can force checkmate. But can White in fact pick any edge square in advance, and force the ...
6
votes
2answers
208 views
How likely is it that a non-orthodox promotion is optimal?
Under promotion is an interesting aspect of chess, but there are other possibilities that aren't allowed under modern rules.
One is the so-called "dummy pawn", as this question discusses:
When (if ...
-3
votes
3answers
224 views
Forcing a draw with knight and king
Can white force a draw somehow from this position using only his knight and king?
4
votes
3answers
423 views
Are connected doubled (4 pawns on 2 files) a weak structure?
It seems to me to be a very solid structure that can play very good in the endgame.
Example: pawns on c2, c3, d2, d3.
0
votes
2answers
133 views
Advantage of Diagonal Opposition
Suppose there are only two pieces on the board, black king and white king. Black king is at g7 and white king is at e5. It's Black's turn to move. So in this case white has the opposition. Black now ...
6
votes
2answers
182 views
How often does each side win in Rook, Bishop and Knight versus Queen?
How often does each side win in Rook, Bishop and Knight versus Queen endings? It is a 6-piece endgame so the evaluation of each position is known but I could not find statistics on this endgame after ...
1
vote
3answers
263 views
How is this stalemate?
My friend played this game as white and wants to know how this is a stalemate. I do not know much about chess and both of us would like to know more about this rule.
k7/2Q5/8/P2P4/1R6/8/2P3PP/6K1 w -...
4
votes
2answers
160 views
Endgame analysis : white to play and..?
R3nk21B1K4/4r3/4P3/3Pb3/8/3P4/8/1B1K4 w - - 0 1
White to play and ?, D.Antonini 09/2017
I wouldn't qualify this position as a study, at least according to modern canons for study composition, as ...
5
votes
2answers
281 views
Can White win in this game (Q vs R+N+P)?
Is there any percent chance for the white to win?
Seems like greed for the opposite queen on behalf of sacrificing his pieces has cost him this game.
The view is from the white player's end.
6
votes
3answers
374 views
How can an Elo 1300 player improve his or her endgame?
I have noticed that, among opponents of Elo strength about 1300 (USCF class C to D), many play the opening and midgame almost as well as a 1400- to 1500-strong player but seem suddenly to drop to, say,...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
Is it possible to get DTM of a position from sygyzy tables?
This is a programming question related to chess endgame tables.
As far as I know syzygy tables allow me to get WDL and DTZ information for a given position. Is it possible to somehow (without access ...
4
votes
1answer
454 views
Where can I download gaviota endgame tables?
I am looking for a link to download all 5 pieces gaviota endgame tables (which can give me DTM values).
A few links from google search (like this) lead me to the site which does not exist.
4
votes
3answers
160 views
Which pieces do I have to keep on the board, to win this endgame?
This will be my first question, so please correct me if I do something wrong.
How to win this endgame?
More specifically, I want to ask, whether I should trade off pieces and in case of a trade, ...
20
votes
2answers
3k views
Stockfish blunders away a piece
Using stockfish_8_x64 with Arena 3.5.1, I see a weird pick by Stockfish. Start here:
White, Stockfish, to move. It plays bb6-g1,losing the bishop and the win.
Also strange: the same engine ...
2
votes
1answer
179 views
Endgame study - how much time per exercise
I've decided to give endgame study high priority, and I'm studying Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, though also glancing around in other books. The issue is, that I'm finding Dvoretsky's exercises really, ...
35
votes
4answers
4k views
Is this endgame (sort-of Q vs K) a draw?
I think the following endgame is a draw.
[FEN "7k/5BpP/3K2P1/8/8/8/8/4q3 w - - 0 1"]
My reasoning: I'm playing white. I will only move my king, always. Black's king cannot move. If the queen decide ...
3
votes
1answer
226 views
2 rooks vs 2 minor pieces in a pawnless endgame
I know that 2 rooks vs 2 minor pieces is a win for the rooks (at least from the endgame tablebases), but found nothing about the winning strategy.
For example, consider the 2 rooks vs 2 bishops ...
4
votes
2answers
318 views
Syzygy 6 man Tablebase Files Question
Is anyone familiar with the .wdl and .dtz formats for the 6 man tablebase that are available?
I already confirmed that both aren't needed, however they both store different information. Goal is to ...
-2
votes
1answer
86 views
Was there anyway better to play this endgame?
[fen ""]
[Result "1-0"]
[ICCause "2"]
[ICEcause "4"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nxe4 4.Qe2 Qe7 5.Qxe4 Nc6 6.d4 b6 7.d5 Nxe5 8.Bf4 Nf3+ 9.gxf3 Bb7 10.Nc3 f5 11.d6 cxd6 12.Qxe7+ Bxe7 13.O-O-O O-O ...
2
votes
2answers
862 views
Where to download a 6 man Nalimov endgame tablebase?
Can anyone tell me whereabouts I can download a 6 man Nalimov endgame tablebase? I've seen some websites with 6 man Nalimov (case in point: http://contentdb.emule-project.net/view.php?pid=1630). ...
4
votes
2answers
215 views
Is this tactics puzzle flawed?
While solving puzzles on ChessTempo, I came across this puzzle:
[FEN "8/8/1p6/p1p3p1/P1P1B1K1/1P2kP2/5n2/8 w - - 9 1"]
1. Kf5
I played the intended correct answer,
[FEN "8/8/1p6/p1p3p1/P1P1B1K1/...
7
votes
1answer
210 views
Amazon vs Chancellor endgame
Many online sources (such as Wikipedia) state that the endgame of amazon (piece that moves like Queen and knight) and chancellor (piece that moves like rook and knight) is a draw. I did some ...
1
vote
1answer
122 views
Longest forced win with just a Knight or Bishop
A single knight or bishop usually isn't enough to force checkmate. However, I know there are certain positions where the defending side has his king in front of a rook pawn where a win can be forced.
...
