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.
6
votes
2answers
96 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
62 views
Why are masters so bad at endings? [on hold]
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
72 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
145 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
110 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
79 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 ...
5
votes
1answer
175 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
140 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
114 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
196 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
77 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
244 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
95 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
339 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
189 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
206 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
420 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
124 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
165 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
247 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
1answer
125 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
278 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
317 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
114 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
356 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
158 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, ...
19
votes
1answer
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
157 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
192 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
268 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
648 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
214 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
204 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
111 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.
...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
Is a forced draw by 50 moves possible with Bishop and Knight endgame?
Excepting the variations where there is a capture or fork possible for the defending side. Is a position possible where this kind of endgame will last more than 50 moves?
Is somewhere a calculation in ...
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Why is this King and Pawn ending lost for White?
[FEN "8/8/8/3pk3/1K6/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
Even with White to move, the game is lost. OK, but according to what rule/principle?
With 1. Kc3
I'm able to get first to one of the key squares (c3,d3,e3)
I ...
4
votes
2answers
203 views
How to analyse an endgame quickly?
I am a relatively new player (less than 1 year, ungraded) but I feel I have made good progress so far. I am playing competitively with players in the 1300-1500 region and would like to continue my ...
2
votes
2answers
105 views
Book recommendation on Zugzwang
I am looking for a book recommendation on end-games, more specifically how to avoid the Zugzwang and what to do in case they arise.
If you have any book, which has in-depth case study on endgames ...
1
vote
1answer
236 views
Middle game and endgame principles
In the opening, it's helpful for me as a beginner to remember some basic principles: develop your pieces, castle, knights before bishops (generally), don't move the same piece twice, etc. Are there ...
1
vote
0answers
62 views
Chess RSS feeds
Would anyone have any recommended RSS feeds for chess strategy? Specifically tactics, middle game and end game strategies. When I look on Google search I see a decent amount come up and would prefer ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
Why are opening books so popular?
As title above, why are opening books so popular? I am sure that most players know that middlegame and endgame books are ultimately much more important for improving one's chess strength. That is not ...
-1
votes
3answers
389 views
What is the source of the house-rule 18-moves?
In my area, most kids including me grew up with a very popular house-rule: After all the pieces of either of the players are removed besides the king, the opposing player has 18 moves to checkmate him....
4
votes
1answer
2k views
Where can I download a 6 man endgame tablebase
I just cannot seem to find a link to a 6 man download endgame tablebase from syzygy. If anyone could provide me with a link it would be greatly appreciated.
3
votes
2answers
185 views
Rook and minor piece endgames, with pawns
Where can I find resources on how to play these types of endgames?
I've done a google search, but all I came up with was repeated results for a Fritz Trainer dvd, and a similar, unanswered, question ...
0
votes
1answer
9k views
King move to other side
During a game of chess, after several moves. Is it an automatic win as soon as you get your king all the way across the board?
I was told this is a tournament rule.
2
votes
3answers
186 views
Can black make any progress in this end game?
I have been analyzing this endgame for a while now, but I can't seem to make any progress. The engine evaluation is -2.5, but I'm wondering if this is one of those weird evaluations that is wrong ...
