Questions tagged [endgame]
Questions relating to the final stages of a game of chess, when only few pieces are left on the board.
580
questions
-1
votes
0
answers
10
views
How to improve ending of the endgame play? [closed]
There is always a winning advantage by my side and it is lost because one wrong move and all the advantage just goes to the Dumpster. How to improve the last precise moves that aren't mentioned in any ...
1
vote
1
answer
135
views
Exchanging pieces when up...not this time!
[FEN "8/ppk3pr/2n5/8/8/P7/1P1RK1R1/8 w - - 1 1"]
1. Kf3 Nd8 2. Rg6 Nf7 3. Kf4 Rh4+ 4. Kg3 Rh7 5. Rd5 a6 6. Rf5 Nd6 7. Rc5+ Kb6 8. Rd5 1-0
Played recently. I concluded that simply ganging ...
3
votes
0
answers
81
views
Can previous and continuing research on N-piece tablebases be used toward human theory of chess?
This follows another questions here:
What is the status for EIGHT piece endgame tablebases?
My answer there was appropriately removed as being question in reaction to that question, well in light of ...
2
votes
2
answers
224
views
Rook endgame book that goes through the strategy of such positions
Consider this position:
[FEN "8/R4p2/P4kp1/7p/7P/4K1P1/r4P2/8 w - - 0 1"]
1. Kd4 Rxf2 2. Rc7 Ra2 3. a7 Kf5 4. Kc4 Kg4 ( 4... Ra1 5. Kb5 Rb1+ 6. Kc6 Ra1 7.
Kb7 f6 8. a8=Q Rxa8 9. Kxa8 Kg4 ...
1
vote
2
answers
130
views
How do I improve my endgame technique?
I have decent endgame technique and recently bought Jesus De La Villa's 100 endgames you must know. How do I shift it closer to top level endgame technique?
4
votes
4
answers
310
views
Is this position a draw?
I was playing at my local chess club on Sunday and I had the position below as white. Me and my opponent continued for a while before finally agreeing to a draw. When I play it against bots as white ...
-1
votes
1
answer
101
views
In a completely lost position do chess engines attempt to bait their opponent into mistakes, or just play for the longest survival?
Essentially, do Chess Engines acknowledge that their opponents might make "flawed" moves? Or do they always assume absolutely perfect play.
More specifically, if an engine has a choice ...
4
votes
1
answer
113
views
What is the key idea for winning with KQ against KBN? (How to break the barrier?)
Mastering winning with KQ versus KR is one of my biggest daydreams. Well, in a few particular cases I was able to checkmate (after reaching Philidor and then capturing the rook), but that was just a ...
5
votes
1
answer
569
views
How can I draw this KPPP-KR endgame?
See Three (3) Pawns and a King vs King and Rook.
I consider it one of the most amazing chess endgame puzzles.
[Title "White to play and draw"]
[fen "8/2k5/2r5/8/4PPP1/5K2/8/8 w - - 0 1&...
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Only Rook endgame!
Is it possible to win (black or white) in this position?
[fen "2k5/5R2/8/4K3/r7/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
2
votes
2
answers
127
views
Timeout vs Insufficient Material
This is not a new topic but it did happen in my game at chess.com. I was playing white and played the only legal move h7 and was checkmated on the next move.
My question is: What will happen if I just ...
0
votes
1
answer
53
views
Output A List of final positions
I have a .pgn database. I like to extract all of the final positions into a new pgn database. I do not have ay programming skills. What is the best way to do this?
1
vote
1
answer
130
views
What is the easiest way to win this endgame in a blitz game?
Say you're in a blitz game and you and your opponent both have 45 seconds left.
[Title "White to move"]
[fen "6k1/3p2pp/p7/1pPq4/1P6/P5RP/6PK/8 w - - 0 45"]
My question is how ...
0
votes
1
answer
59
views
How are piece phase values for tapered evaluation/phase calculation calculated?
On the chessprogramming wiki site for tapered evaluation, there is the following code snippet for how engines calculate phase:
eval = ((opening * (256 - phase)) + (endgame * phase)) / 256
PawnPhase = ...
0
votes
2
answers
132
views
Stockfish misses mate in 11 with 10 pieces [duplicate]
I fed @HaukeReddmann's "hack" to this scenario
[FEN "8/p7/rp6/rp6/pP6/R7/8/K6k w - - 0 1"]
to Lichess Stockfish 14, white to move. Up to Depth 77 (after which I gave up waiting), ...
9
votes
3
answers
3k
views
White to play and win - only moving the rook once
[Title "White to play and win - only moving the rook once"]
[fen "k7/8/8/8/8/8/8/K1R5 w - - 0 1"]
This is an exercise in using the opposition and outflanking from John Hawkins' ...
3
votes
3
answers
131
views
What are some good endgame books?
I know some people have asked about general good books or middle game books. But I read someone said that the best way to start learning chess is by studying endgames, so I ask: What are some good ...
3
votes
3
answers
205
views
Winning in a KBBvKN endgame: possible or too hard for humans?
Apparently, two bishops and a king can mate a king supported by a lone knight, according to endgame tablebases, but it generally takes more than 50 moves, which is why it seems that one is studying ...
2
votes
1
answer
280
views
A difficult same color Bishop endgame
Is this position a White win or a draw?
[Title "Black to move : "]
[FEN "3B4/5p1p/4k1p1/2b1P3/8/5P2/1P4PP/5K2 b - - 0 1"]
6
votes
1
answer
211
views
How easy is Q vs. N supposed to be?
Reading the first chapters of Jeremy Silman’s endgame book I breezed through the exercises, as I expected. It starts with KRR vs K and KQ vs. R – even half-asleep I can do this reliably against a ...
1
vote
1
answer
192
views
Checkmate with two bishops of same colour
Is it possible to checkmate King with two bishops of same colour in the endgame?.
Is it possible in Chess to get this position in reality?
Position:
King with Two bishops of same colour V/S King.
19
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What is the status for EIGHT piece endgame tablebases?
An earlier question here asked in 2012 about the status of 7-piece tablebases. Today complete 7-piece tables are widely available.
So today, what is the status of 8-piece endgame tablebases?
How ...
11
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why exchange bishop for knight in this endgame?
In this position, Stockfish gives black (me) -8.1 and recommends BxN.
8/5p2/4pkpp/p1n5/Pp6/1Bb1PP2/2PNK2P/8 b - - 7 28
Instead I played Kf5 and the evaluation plummets to -2.1.
My understanding was ...
3
votes
1
answer
213
views
Mate-in-N problems where N scales indefinitely with board size
Motivation - Long range mating patterns
This question is inspired by my recent interest in infinite chess and the post on MathOverflow Checkmate in ω moves?. Since my chess endgame skills are quite ...
1
vote
0
answers
93
views
Which theoretically drawn endings have high difference in material count?
Ending of King+Queen vs. King+Pawn is usually draw when pawn is on seventh rank of rook or bishop file, given that defending king is in front of it and attacking king is not close enough to force ...
1
vote
2
answers
99
views
Is Stockfish reliable as far as draw conclusions is concerned?
I just stumbled across this endgame :
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=134885&m=24
Basically, Black has only a Queen, White has Queen and Rook. Black resigns.
But here comes the ...
3
votes
0
answers
128
views
Analysis of positions with only one king on the board?
Endgame positions with just one king on the board may be very rich. Has any analysis of simple positions done? Maybe even tablebases for small numbers of pieces?
There are some existing problems with ...
3
votes
2
answers
201
views
The simplest approach for king & pawn vs king & pawn endgames
I'm trying to study king & pawn endgames, where both sides have one or multiple pawns remaining. So far it seems really puzzling to me - while I know the basic principles of opposition and ...
2
votes
1
answer
122
views
King + 2 Knights vs King + Pawn - win rate at master level at standard time controls?
After 80 moves of his game against MVL, Carlsen reached this theoretically winning endgame position, which ended in a draw:
[Title "Carlsen - MVL, Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland, 2023"]
[...
2
votes
3
answers
583
views
Bishop and Rook versus Queen
Is a bishop and rook better than a queen in most endgames with pawns still on the board?
I'm aware that bishop and rook is technically 1 point of material less than a queen, however, would the fact ...
4
votes
2
answers
902
views
Why didn't Laurent Fressinet-Alexandra Kosteniuk (2007) end in a draw?
Game is available here. The last 116 moves of that game was R+B vs. R, which is a theoretical draw that is hard for a human to defend. Fressinet eventually faltered and resigned when he was about to ...
1
vote
1
answer
159
views
Can a rook and King checkmate a bare King without zugzwang?
Can a rook and a king force a checkmate against a bare king that starts in the center if the opponent was allowed to pass?
2
votes
2
answers
154
views
To call this a "rook-pawn endgame" ... just a typo?
In this chess.com tutorial, the caption describes this as a rook-pawn endgame. It seems likely to me this is a typo. But being a noob, I wanted to be sure it wasn't a reference to some well known ...
3
votes
1
answer
298
views
How do I create endgame tablebases?
What software can I use to create and verify endgame databases? I want to create my own tablebases from scratch on my PC - I'm specifically looking for open-source software that I can modify to ...
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What happens in a King-Rook vs King-Bishop with a perfect play in a no pawn endgame?
Suppose both the kings are left in a fairly neutral positions with just rook at one side and a bishop at the other side. What is the outcome if both the sides play correctly?
Can a side with only ...
11
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Bishop and Knight exchange with opponent's Rook and pawn
Chess games statistics
In Chess, Are there advantages or disadvantages of exchanging your Bishop + Knight with opponent's Rook and Pawn in middle game?
Knight 3 points
Bishop 3 points
Vs
Rook 5 points
...
5
votes
1
answer
214
views
Black to play and win but why was the move played a blunder?
In the position below Minic just had to play one move to reach the time control and, in those days, the adjournment which would have given his team a chance to find the win. Unfortunately he blundered ...
2
votes
1
answer
193
views
Is there any sequence of premoves that guarantees checkmate in this particular King + Queen vs King endgame?
King + Queen vs. King is perhaps the most basic winning endgame and known to be mate in at most ten moves. However, I am wondering if there is any sequence of premoves that guarantees checkmate? For ...
5
votes
0
answers
85
views
Practical play in KRPvKQ central pseudo-fortresses?
A rook and a pawn sometimes draw against a queen, if a proper fortress can be set up. These are possible to learn to defend, and it's also possible to learn how to attack these with a queen when the ...
10
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Stockfish destroys Daniel Naroditsky's endgame variation (from his book (Mastering Positional Chess))
[FEN "7r/p3k3/2p5/1pPp4/3P4/PP4P1/3P1PB1/2K5 w - - 0 1"]
1. Kd1 Rh2 2. Ke1 Rxg2 3. Kf1 Rh2 4. Kg1 Rh6 5. f3 Re6 6. Kf2 Kf6 7. Kf1 Kf5 8. Kf2 b4 9. a4 Re4 $4 *
The position and variation ...
2
votes
0
answers
75
views
KBN vs K tablebase for 10x10 board
Where can I get the tablebase for king + bishop + knight versus king mate on 10x10 board?
2
votes
1
answer
85
views
Rook and promoted Bishop vs Rook endgame--forced win or draw?
I've recently been trying to learn the queen vs rook and rook and bishop vs rook endgames, and I've found it interesting how close the margin of victory vs draw is. I was thinking about whether the ...
3
votes
1
answer
193
views
Is the following position really a White win?
In a 2001 book by Karsten Muller and Frank Lampart FUNDAMENTAL chess ending the following position WHITE King on a4 Bishop on d5 pawns on a5 c6 e2 BLACK King on c7 Bishop on d4 pawn on f4 WHITE to ...
1
vote
1
answer
64
views
An endgame from Deutschland Grand Prix 2022 McShane vs Bluebaum
In a Game McShane vs Bluebaum, played at Deutschland Grand Prix 2022, the following endgame popped up.
[White "McShane"]
[Black "Bluebaum"]
[fen "3r1k2/5p2/1pp2Np1/1b1pR3/...
0
votes
3
answers
86
views
Editing (end)-game: how to move few pieces in accordance with a book to follow the solution to a problem
What is the most easy way to follow a dozen of moves from a book ?
I would like to edit a particular position and then see what the solution
in a book (in my case "100 endgames you must know"...
1
vote
1
answer
182
views
A complex eight pieces opposite color Bishop endgame
The position, derivated by a variation of the Alechkine Defense, Four Pawns Attack, is the following:
[FEN "3b4/8/1k2B3/6pK/P7/8/6PP/8 b - - 0 1"]
Black to move. Stockfish 14.1 NNUE gives ...
5
votes
1
answer
128
views
Technique for drawing this king and multiple pawns endgame
Given this position with king and multiple pawns per side (white to move):
3k4/p4ppp/1p2p3/8/8/1P4P1/P3PPKP/8 w - - 0 26
Engines give a 0.0 evaluation. Assuming your opponent plays best moves, my ...
7
votes
1
answer
593
views
When is it a good idea to trade pieces in the endgame?
Per title, I'm wondering when it's a good idea when defending an inferior endgame to seek to trade pieces, and when not to do it.
For example, take this endgame with Black to play:
[FEN "1k2q3/...
0
votes
1
answer
136
views
In the endgame, black had only two blocked pawns. It is his turn. Is it stalemate or must he move his king?
In the endgame, Black had only two blocked pawns. It is his turn. Is it stalemate or must he move his king?
My opponent claimed that the king cannot move if all other remaining pieces are blocked.
7
votes
1
answer
289
views
What is new in the fifth edition of Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual?
It seems the only change between the fourth and fifth edition (after the author's passing) was a change in color. This surely can't be enough for a new edition, so I wonder what changes to the content ...