<p>King and pawn endings is one aspect of chess which needs plenty of home studies and practice. <br /><br /></p>.<p>It is also a part where precise calculations are needed as the difference between a victory and draw can just be an innocuous looking move! <br /><br />Also in these endings, the position of the King with respect to his pawns and his opponent’s pawns plays a crucial role.<br /><br />In the game which follows, it is interesting to see the end-part where White fixes up his opponent’s pawn on the queenside and ensures victory for him, courtesy a better placed King.<br /><br />White: Alexander Onischuk (2610) – Black: Tong Yuanming (2505)<br />Tan Chin Nam Beijing ,1998<br />The Ruy-Lopez<br />1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5<br />The Ruy-Lopez or the Spanish Opening which for centuries has remained one of the most popular Openings in chess<br />3. .. a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4<br />Black decides to accept the centre pawn. He also had the option of playing 5. ..d6<br />6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Be7 11.Bc2 d4<br />Instead of advancing this pawn, Black could have castled also.<br />12.cxd4<br />If 12.Nb3 d3 13.Bb1 Nxb3 14.axb3 Bf5 15.Be3 0–0<br />12...Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Nf3 Qxd1<br />Black exchanges off the queens. He had the option of retreating to 14. . ..Qd7 15.Bg5 h6 16.Qxd7+ Nxd7 17.Bxe7 Kxe7<br />15.Rxd1 Bg4<br />If 15...0–0 16.Nd4 Rfd8 17.Be3 Bd5 18.Rac1 Ne6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Bb3 Bxb3 21.axb3 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rd8 23.Rxd8+ Bxd8<br />16.h3<br />If 16.b4 Nd7 17.Bb2 Rd8 18.a3 0–0 19.Rd2 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Nxe5 21.Re2 Nxf3+<br />16...Bxf3<br />The Ruy-Lopez is one of the most analyzed Opening and till now both players have played moves which were previously played. Now Black makes a new move which does not appear like a good idea. If 16...Bh5 17.b4 Ne6 18.Be4 Rd8 19.Rxd8+ Nxd8<br />17.gxf3 g5 18.f4 gxf4<br />He can also play 18. ..h6<br />19.Bxf4 Rd8 20.Rxd8+<br />The exchange of rooks works better for White<br />20. ..Kxd8 21.Rd1+ Kc8 22.Be3 Ne6 23.f4 Bc5<br />Now inviting the exchange of bishop. But this may not help as White has two connected pawns in the centre and his other bishop also looks promising<br />24.Kf2<br />White can also play 24.Bxc5 Nxc5 25.Kf2<br />24...Bxe3+ 25.Kxe3 Rg8! 26.Kf3<br />If 26.f5 Nc5 27.b4 (27.f6 Rg5 28.Kf4 Ne6 And if 27.Rd5 Nd7 28.f6 c6) 27...Nd7<br />26...h5 27.Bf5<br />White is in a commanding position now<br />27...Rd8<br />A mistake! But then the position is already bad for Black. If 27...h4 28.Bg4<br />28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Bxe6<br />With a better pawn structure, White exchanges the last remaining piece to get a winning position<br />29. ..fxe6<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />30.b4<br />A very important move which blocks Black’s pawns from any advance. <br />Here the White King is also better positioned, leaving no counter-play for Black.<br />It is interesting to note a variation here with 30.Kg3 c5 31.Kh4 c4; 30.b4 Kd7 31.Ke4 c5 32.bxc5 Kc6 33.f5 exf5+ 34.Kxf5 b4 35.e6 a5 36.e7 Kd7 37.Kf6 Ke8 38.c6 a4 39.c7.<br />1–0<br />Black decides to resign rather than prolong the agony.<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to Play and checkmate<br /> 1.Ng3 Nxc7 2.Ng6 checkmate.<br /><br /></p>
<p>King and pawn endings is one aspect of chess which needs plenty of home studies and practice. <br /><br /></p>.<p>It is also a part where precise calculations are needed as the difference between a victory and draw can just be an innocuous looking move! <br /><br />Also in these endings, the position of the King with respect to his pawns and his opponent’s pawns plays a crucial role.<br /><br />In the game which follows, it is interesting to see the end-part where White fixes up his opponent’s pawn on the queenside and ensures victory for him, courtesy a better placed King.<br /><br />White: Alexander Onischuk (2610) – Black: Tong Yuanming (2505)<br />Tan Chin Nam Beijing ,1998<br />The Ruy-Lopez<br />1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5<br />The Ruy-Lopez or the Spanish Opening which for centuries has remained one of the most popular Openings in chess<br />3. .. a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4<br />Black decides to accept the centre pawn. He also had the option of playing 5. ..d6<br />6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Be7 11.Bc2 d4<br />Instead of advancing this pawn, Black could have castled also.<br />12.cxd4<br />If 12.Nb3 d3 13.Bb1 Nxb3 14.axb3 Bf5 15.Be3 0–0<br />12...Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Nf3 Qxd1<br />Black exchanges off the queens. He had the option of retreating to 14. . ..Qd7 15.Bg5 h6 16.Qxd7+ Nxd7 17.Bxe7 Kxe7<br />15.Rxd1 Bg4<br />If 15...0–0 16.Nd4 Rfd8 17.Be3 Bd5 18.Rac1 Ne6 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Bb3 Bxb3 21.axb3 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Rd8 23.Rxd8+ Bxd8<br />16.h3<br />If 16.b4 Nd7 17.Bb2 Rd8 18.a3 0–0 19.Rd2 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Nxe5 21.Re2 Nxf3+<br />16...Bxf3<br />The Ruy-Lopez is one of the most analyzed Opening and till now both players have played moves which were previously played. Now Black makes a new move which does not appear like a good idea. If 16...Bh5 17.b4 Ne6 18.Be4 Rd8 19.Rxd8+ Nxd8<br />17.gxf3 g5 18.f4 gxf4<br />He can also play 18. ..h6<br />19.Bxf4 Rd8 20.Rxd8+<br />The exchange of rooks works better for White<br />20. ..Kxd8 21.Rd1+ Kc8 22.Be3 Ne6 23.f4 Bc5<br />Now inviting the exchange of bishop. But this may not help as White has two connected pawns in the centre and his other bishop also looks promising<br />24.Kf2<br />White can also play 24.Bxc5 Nxc5 25.Kf2<br />24...Bxe3+ 25.Kxe3 Rg8! 26.Kf3<br />If 26.f5 Nc5 27.b4 (27.f6 Rg5 28.Kf4 Ne6 And if 27.Rd5 Nd7 28.f6 c6) 27...Nd7<br />26...h5 27.Bf5<br />White is in a commanding position now<br />27...Rd8<br />A mistake! But then the position is already bad for Black. If 27...h4 28.Bg4<br />28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Bxe6<br />With a better pawn structure, White exchanges the last remaining piece to get a winning position<br />29. ..fxe6<br /><br />Diagram 1<br /><br />30.b4<br />A very important move which blocks Black’s pawns from any advance. <br />Here the White King is also better positioned, leaving no counter-play for Black.<br />It is interesting to note a variation here with 30.Kg3 c5 31.Kh4 c4; 30.b4 Kd7 31.Ke4 c5 32.bxc5 Kc6 33.f5 exf5+ 34.Kxf5 b4 35.e6 a5 36.e7 Kd7 37.Kf6 Ke8 38.c6 a4 39.c7.<br />1–0<br />Black decides to resign rather than prolong the agony.<br /><br />Diagram 2<br /><br />White to Play and checkmate<br /> 1.Ng3 Nxc7 2.Ng6 checkmate.<br /><br /></p>
