Endgame Bootcamp 11

Endgame Bootcamp 1: CampAddendum

Endgame Bootcamp 2: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Endgame Bootcamp: 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Spring is in full bloom, and each day plants come and go. Enjoy the warm weather. Touch the pieces as you would touch grass. Take a deep breath as if you were to dive underwater, except there’s no need to hold it, the end is still on the horizon.

It’s important to warm up and cool down when exercising and we are about to work one of our most important “muscles” (I know the Brain is an Organ).

WARMING UP

White to move, practice your time crunch mating technique.

MAJOR/MINOR MULTI-PIECE ENDING

15 pieces on the board, but not for long, much like those Spring flowers.
White to move, what’s the plan for this Endgame?

All of White’s pieces are arguably better than the Black counterparts.

Sometimes thinking about what our Opponent’s goals are helps define the path forward. We will talk some shop before we get to the nuts and bolts. Soak in the position before you check the "answer key". This was a lovely rabbit hole to go down, and you can explore many permutations yourself. My goal was to bring forth instructive examples for any player to learn from, and not to completely flesh out the analysis of this ending.

1. Black can take on f4.
2. Black can also take on d4 under certain circumstances
3. Black dreams of pinning to win the queen with Ba6. (Which is why Kg1 is considered to be a top contender, immediately removing the threat of a pin.)
4. Qxf4 is most likely how Black wants to proceed if White doesn’t hang a piece.

Imagine walking through the woods spreading seeds for a path. Let the ideas planted in prior chapters come to bloom and lead you towards the win. It’s not just about the path, but the sights along the way. The destination is the goal, but that doesn’t stop us from soaking up every moment.

White’s plans depend on Black’s choice of defense. With the realization that White and Black have many options for continuation in this Ending, we must understand the thematic ideas.

• Black’s King is away from all the action, in fact, it’s tucked away in the corner where we’d like it to be for mate.
• White’s queenside is open, and we have a passed pawn.
• What’s the rule about passed pawns? They must be pushed.
• With the threat of the queenside present White can also use the kingside to throw gasoline on an already burning fire.
• One final thing to consider about the position: Black’s bishop is technically hanging, i.e. no pieces defending/guarding it.

To further emphasize White’s strengths, let’s view the board without the Major/Minor pieces.

This is the last theoretical exercise before we delve into continuations.

Black is unable to approach White’s b pawn in time, and White is able to defend if Black decided to push on the kingside. Liquidation favors White! If you don’t know about the rule of the square in chess Draw a square starting with the pawn you want to promote, going towards the promotion square. If the opposing King can step into the square immediately if they are already not within the square, it can capture prior to or post promotion.

April showers certainly bring May flowers, and sometimes March is a lion through and through with no presence of the lamb.

I choose you b5!

Let’s explore when Qxf4 could be inappropriate for Black. If b5 Qxf4 Kg1 Rc4

Rf1 by White sets up a lovely combination after Rxd4 Rxf4 Rxd3...

Another path to this tactic is b5 Rc4 Kg1 Qxf4 Rf1 Qxd4 Qxd4 Rxd4....

Hopefully you noticed Black’s bishop is capturable in both positions with a fork: after Rf8, any legal move by Black, Rf7
Drill Time! In the first continuation we have a drill when Black plays Rxf4 instead of Rxd3.

Mate in 10

Solution

Let’s take a step back: b5 Qxf4 Kg1

Instead of Black playing Rc4...Rc1
Rxc1 Qxc1 Qf1 Qe3 Kh1

Qxd4 sets up White’s lovely combo: Qf8 Kh7 Qf7 Qg7 Bg6 Kh8

It’s time to liquidate!

Qe8 Qg8 Bf7 Qxe8 Bxe8
If Black moves their king, then Bc6. If Black moves their bishop to c8 then Bc6. The secret is pushing White’s b pawn, even if Black attempts to threaten promotion, their d pawn is not quick enough. Bc8 Bc6 d4 b6 d3 b7 Bxb7 Bxb7 d2 Bf3 just in time.

Now White shuffles their pieces around after capturing the d pawn, until the inevitable queen reappears: continuation.
Continuation for when Black moves their king and not the bishop initially.

A Diverge

Rather than the immediate Kg1 after b5 Rc4, Rd1 is an appropriate response to Rc4....

Bc8 Kg1 gxf4 Bf3 Bd7 Bxd5 and that's one less pawn for Black.
They can try to hold on to the d pawn for a bit longer with Qd6 rather than Bd7

Rewind: b5 Qxf4 Bf3

White can play an early Bf3 from the gate if b5 Qxf4....Black could respond with Rf6 but play continues Re6 g3 Re3 gxf4 Rxd3. Now the King walks towards its opposer.

Kg2 Rd2 Kg3 Rb2 fxg5 hxg5 Kg4 Rxb5 Kxg5.

White’s rook is properly positioned to pressure Black’s bishop, or attack Black’s d pawn.

Path 1:

Rb6 Ra5 Ba6 Bxd5

Rd6 hitting the bishop lets White take over the d file after Bf7 Kg7 Rd5...Rc6 Bh5

Bd3 Rd7 Kf8 d5 and White is gearing up to play h4 solidifying “two weaknesses”.

Path 2:

Rb4 Ra7 Bc6 Ra6 Ba4 Kh6 attempting to square off a section of the forest to mark Black’s resting place...

We are forcing Black’s next couple moves, otherwise we mate. If Rb8 we pick up the bishop on a4, if Be8 Rf6.

Therefore:

Kg8 Bxd5 Kf8 Rf6

Ke7 Rf4 Rb6 Kg7

and now Black eyes the h pawn with Rb2 but there’s no danger

Cooling Down

Black to Move. Head to the answer and practice the drill

Congratulations on making it to the ending of my 11th Endgame Bootcamp. Enjoy