The endgame in chess involves the application of technique even though the same position may not arise frequently. The game becomes more interesting when the position is more or less evenly balanced and both players have passed pawns (pawns which are not obstructed by the opponent’s pawns and the opponent does not have any pawns in the adjacent files).

In the game which follows, both players have passed pawns on opposite flanks after they have castled on opposite sides. White does enjoy an edge but it is exciting to watch both players trying to push their passed pawns and the strategy they apply to stop their opponent’s pawns.

White — Vassily Ivanchuk (2695); Black — Alexei Shirov (2740)
Novgorod, 1994
Semi Slav

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6. Declining the gambitted pawn in the Queen’s Gambit.
3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6. The Semi Slav Defence
5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5. Sacrificing the knight for two pawns.
9. ... hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. exf6.
Winning back the piece after losing a pawn.
11. ... Bb7 12. g3 c5 13. d5 Qb6 14. Bg2 0–0–0 15. 0–0. The players have castled on opposite sides.
15. ... b4 16. Na4 Qa6. The game is still going along lines played previously. If 16. ... Qd6 17. dxe6 Qxe6 18. Re1 Qf5.
17. a3 Bxd5. If 17. ... exd5 18. axb4 Qe6 19. Nc3 cxb4 20. Bxd5 Bxd5 21. Qxd5 Qxd5 22. Nxd5 Ne5 23. Ne7+ Kb7 24. Ra5 resulted in a victory for White in yet another previous game.
18. Bxd5. If 18. axb4 Bxg2 19. Kxg2 Qc6+ 20. f3 cxb4.
18. ... Ne5. If 18. ... exd5 19. axb4.
19. Qe2. If 19. Nxc5 Bxc5 20. axb4 Bxf2+ 21. Rxf2 Rxd5 and if 19. Bxe6+Qxe6 20. Qe2 Rd3 21. Be3 Qh3 22. f3 Rxe3.
19. ... Rxd5 20. axb4 cxb4. If 20. ... Qc6 21. Nc3 cxb4 22. Nxd5 Qxd5.
21. Nc3 Qc6. If 21. ... Ra5 22. Rxa5 Qxa5 23. Ne4.
22. Nxd5 Qxd5 23. f3. If 23. Rfd1 Nf3+ 24. Kf1 Nxh2+ 25. Kg1 Nf3.
23. ... Bc5+ If 23. ... Nxf3+ 24. Qxf3 Qxg5 25. Qa8+
24. Kg2. If 24. Be3 Nd3 25. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 26. Kg2 Qd4.
24. ... Nd3. If 24. ... Ng4 25. h4 Qxg5 26. fxg4 (26. hxg5?? Rh2 checkmate) 26. ... Qd5+ 27. Kh3.
25. h4. If 25. Be3 Qe5.
25. ... Kb7. Black could have considered 25. ... Bd4 26. Rfb1 Kb7 which would have led to an unclear position.
26. Ra5 Qd4 27. b3. A good move!
27. ... Bb6. If 27. ... cxb3 28. Rd1 Bb6.
28. Ra2 c3. If 28. ... cxb3 29. Rd2 Rd8 30. Rb1.
29. Rd1 Rd8 30. h5. Cleverly pushing the passed pawn when all the action is at the centre.
30. ... a5. Black has to try his luck on the queen side with his passed pawns there. If 30. ... Qe5 31. Qxe5 Nxe5 32. Rxd8 Bxd8 33. h6.
31. g4. If 31. h6 Nf4+ 32. Bxf4 Qxd1 33. Qxd1 Rxd1 34. g4.
31. ... Nf4+ 32. Bxf4 Qxd1. If 32. ... Qxf4 33. Rxd8 Bxd8 34. Qb5+ Kc8 35. Qe8 Qc7 36. Rc2 with advantage for white.
33. Qxd1 Rxd1.
Diagram 1

34. h6. The right time to push this crucial passed pawn.
34. ... Ka6. Why? Black should have continued with 34. ... e5! 35. h7 Rd8 36. Bxe5 Rh8.
35. g5 Rd8. If 35. ... Kb5 36. h7 Rd8 37. Bd6 Bc5 38. Rxa5+ Kxa5 39. Bc7+ Ka6 40. Bxd8 c2 41. h8Q c1Q.
36. Kf1 Bd4. If 36. ... Rc8 37. h7 Rh8 38. g6 fxg6 39. f7 Bc5 40. Rh2 Bf8 41. Ke1 Bg7 42. Bd6 Kb5 43. f8Q Bxf8 44. Bxf8 Rxf8 45. h8Q with a good position for White.
37. Ke2.
If 37. Rxa5 Kxa5 38. Bc7+ Bb6 39. Bxd8 c2.
37. ... e5.
If 37. ... Kb5 38. Rxa5+ Kxa5 39. Bc7+ Kb5 40. Bxd8 c2 41. Kd2 Be3+ 42. Kxc2 Bxg5 43. h7.
38. Be3 Kb5 39. h7 Rh8. If 39. ... Bxe3 40. Kxe3 Rh8 41. g6 fxg6 42. f7 Kc6 43. Rg2 Kd5.
40. Bxd4 exd4 41. g6! fxg6 42. f7 Kc6. If 42. ... a4 43. Rxa4.
43. Kd3 Kd7 44. Re2 a4 45. Re8 axb3. If 45. ... Rxh7 46. f8Q.
46. Rxh8 b2 47. Rd8+ and Black resigned for if 47. … Ke6 (47. ... Kc7 48. Kc2 b3+ 49. Kb1) 48. Kc2 b3+ 49. Kb1 and if 47. Kc2 d3+ 48. Kb1 d2 49. Rd8.
Diagram 2

White to play and win
1. Qh8+ Kf7 2. Re7+ Kxg6 3. Qxg7+ Kh5 4. Qg5 checkmate.