A Sample Coaching Game - Part 6

V: We have now entered a technical, simple endgame. We haven't really played a real endgame with you so far (our previous game ended earlier), so do you know how endgame thinking differs (and is more effective) than the procs that players typically use in the middle portion of a game?

F: I'm thinking Nd6 with setting up Nf7 to attack your pawn, but with your rook you could choose to take my b pawn and then start promoting your pawns on that side.

V: Indeed, white's strategy in this endgame here is quite obvious, due to the big advantage on the queen-side. With the help of the rook, the queen-side pawns can move forward rapidly, and a single knight is unlikely to be able to do much to stop their forward motion. For this reason, this endgame we have is quite clear-cut, unlike many endgames that might require understanding fine distinctions, planning ahead, etc.

[43…Nd6]

V: I feel that 44.Ra4 would do just fine, but I'd like to try 44.Ra6 here, as it skewers the knight with the black pawns in the center and on the king-side.

[44.Ra6 Nf7 45.Rxe6]

F: It looks like Kg7 is my only option but then you could pin my knight to my king again

V: Yes, I could. Or I could ignore it and go for the queen's side b-pawn, and then promote one of my distant queen-side passed pawns. I did consider pinning the knight, as that could transition to another endgame that you might benefit from exploring a bit with me. I'm happy to take that route.

[45…Kg7]

V: At this point, 46.Rb6 (followed by Rxb4), or 46.f4 exf4 47.exf3 Nxg5 48.Re5 (followed by Rxd5) both win easily for white. I am taking a third route, mostly for the purpose of you experiencing another important type of endgame.

[46.Re7]

F: Kf8 is about the only thing I can think of here. My moves are very limited at this point.

V: Correct. No need to think too hard on that; to avoid complete passivity you need to choose ...Kf8.

[46…Kf8 47.Rxf7+ Kxf7]

F: The one thing I do know about end game is to utilize your king as an attacking piece.

V: As an active piece, I'd say instead. That may mean active offense, or active defense.

V: Specifically in pawn endgames this is crucial, since the king is the only piece left that can go in a non-linear direction. Are you familiar with the rule of king opposition? How about the pattern of a distant passed pawn?

F: I'm not familiar with either of those. I will try to read up some on them both. Don't mean to delay so much again.

V: Let me know if you don't find much on either of those patterns -- after all, the names I used are relatively common but not universal, so other people may call them slightly differently.

F: Is what you're referring to with the rule of king opposition this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opposition_(chess)

F: If so, I am informally aware of it.

F: As far as pattern of distant passed pawns I'm not finding anything on it.

V: Yes, this is the pattern. That wikipedia article has some valuable examples, and explains it well. There are some tricky situation (such as when the kings need to move in a triangle to pass the turn) but for the most part it's doing a good job.

[48.Kg3 Ke6 49.Kf4 Kd6]

V: On the other pattern, apparently the popular name is "outside passed pawn", where "outside" means "distant". Here's a description of it. (It was referred to once in the King Opposition article you have just read.)

V: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passed_pawn#Outside_passed_pawn

F: I can see how you can create a passed pawn rather easily with a3 and then if I try to prevent the promotion on the b-file it will leave my other pawns vulnerable to attack by your king and opening up more passed pawns.

V: That is one idea. I intend to realize another, simpler idea -- no need to get my king over to the queen-side for that.

[50.f3]

F: Yes, I'm not sure why but for some reason I was thinking a3 would lead to an exchange of pawns instead of me with a passed pawn. Think I looked too quickly. This move makes much more sense.

[50…exf3 51.exf3]

V: Notice how your b-pawn blocks two white pawns: it's a common pattern where fewer forces stop more forces, especially pawns, because of the specific configuration of the larger forces (pawns not side by side, which is the strongest configuration, but one in front of the other).

[51…Ke6]

F: I think I see the pattern of what will happen in the end. I'll end up trying to prevent your g-file pawn from promoting and it will allow you to take my d-pawn and since my king will be too far out since you'll have your king to defend your d-pawn and it will be able to promote

F: This after you trading my g-pawn for your f-pawn.

V: That's a good description. It's a classic way of taking advantage of a distant passed pawn (in this case, my g-pawn).

[52.Kg4 Kf7 53.f4 Ke6 54.f5+]

V: The theme of 54.f5+ is a temporary pawn sacrifice in order to gain access to an important square. That theme is often seen in master-level games at the middle game phase, where pieces jockey for active positions. In the endgame, such as here, it likely leads to a zugzwang for black on the very next move. Are you familiar with zugzwang as a term and as an idea often applied in endgames (but not only)?

Part 7 (last in the series) continues here:

http://blog.chess.com/_valentin_/a-sample-coaching-game---part-7