JOIN USThe endgame in chess with queens on the board is a bit complicated and needs plenty of careful calculation because of the long reach of the queen or her immense power. The queen can shift flanks in no time and can also target long distance pawns and pieces. A slight advantage in position and the opponent is forced to look for ways to exchange queens.
In the game which follows, White stands better while entering the ending but Black too has possibilities of gaining counter-play. The Black queen makes a mistake in grabbing a pawn and this allows White to get into the driver’s seat.
White: Alexander Shabalov (2645) – Black: Mohsen Ghorbani (2430)
Elista, 1998 Sicilian Defence
1.e4 c5
The Sicilian Defence
2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Qc7
More popular is 5. ..Nf6 6.Be2 Bb4
6.Be2 a6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.0–0 Bb4 9.Na4
Here 9.Nxc6 bxc5 is worth a try
9. ..0–0 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Nb6
Difficult to understand this solo sojourn by the knight into enemy territory
11. ..Rb8 12.Nxc8
White can consider 12.c3 Bd6 13.d3 Nxe4 14.Nxc8 Rfxc8
12. ..Rfxc8 13.Bxa6 Rf8
Why not 13. ..Re8 or 13. ..Rd8
14.Bd3 Bd6 15.f4
Too ambitious for now. White can play 15.g3
15. ..e5 16.f5 Be7 He can play 16. ..Rxb2 17.a4 Ra8. With the text move Black is intending to advance his Kingside pawns and plan for counter-play with d7–d5. If 16...Rxb2 17.g4 Qa5 18.g5 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Qxc5+ 20.Kh1 Ne8 21.Qg4
17.b3
If 17.g4 Rxb2 18.g5 Ne8 19.Qg4 f6
17...d5 18.Qf3 If 18.exd5 cxd5 19.a4 e4 20.Bb5 Bd6
18...Rfe8 19.g4 Taking an aggressive stance
19. ..h6 20.h4 A premature advance! White could have tried to maintain and enhance his advantage without sacrificing the pawn. If 20.Bf2 Rb4 21.c4 and White is better
20...dxe4 21.Bxe4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Bxh4 23.Rad1 Rbd8
If 23...Ra8 24.a4 Red8 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 26.b4
24.a4 Bg5 If 24...Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8+ Qxd8 27.Qd3
25.Bf2 If 25.Bxg5 hxg5 26.Rfe1
25...Rd5 26.c4 If 26.Rxd5 cxd5 27.Qxd5 Qxc2 28.Re1 Bf4
26...Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Rd8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8
This spate of exchanges has resulted in an endgame where White appears better, but black too can look for his chances by trying to target the White King which appears vulnerable without the pawns around him. If 28...Bxd8 29.b4 Qd6 30.b5
29.Qe2 If 29.Qxe5 Qd1+ 30.Kh2 Qxg4
29...Qe7 If 29...Bf4 30.b4
30.a5 Qa3
Black can try at the centre with 30. ..e5
31.Qxe5
Diagram 1
31. ..Qxb3
A mistake! Black should have played 31. ..c5 32.Qe8+ Kh7 33.Qxf7 Qxa5
32.a6 If 32.Qe2 Qa4 33.Bb6 Bf6
32...Qd1+ If 32...Qxc4 33.a7 Qxg4+ 34.Bg3 Qd1+ 35.Kg2
33.Kg2 If 33.Kh2 Qxg4 34.Bg3 Qxc4 35.Qb8+ Kh7 36.a7 Qe2+ 37.Kh3 Qf1+ 38.Kh2 Be3 39.a8Q Bg1+ 40.Kh1 Ba7+
33...Qxg4+ 34.Qg3 Qxc4
A critical point in the game with White’s pawn close to the queening square.
If 34...Qe4+ 35.Kg1 Bf4 36.Qa3 Bb8 37.a7 Qg4+ 38.Kh1 Bxa7 39.Qxa7 Qxf5
35.a7 Qa4
If 35...Qe4+ 36.Kg1 Qb1+ 37.Kh2 Qa2 38.Qb8+ Kh7 39.Kg1
36.Qb8+ Kh7 37.a8Q Qe4+ 38.Kg1
If 38.Kg1 Qg4+ 39.Qg3 Qd1+ 40.Kg2
1–0
Diagram 2
Black to play and win
New game
1. … Rxh2+ 2.Kxh2 Qxg3+ 3.Kh1 Qh3 checkmate