ENDGAME PRIMER

… Part FOUR by Jared Bray

In recent weeks I’ve been hounding players in the club on the need for abstract thought and identification of theme in positions before ever considering specific move orders. A strong player can identify the point of a position at a glance. This lends to why Masters win their games. They spend more time on pure calculation and less on concept. With more experience, these themes become more identifiable and I feel the endgame gives a lucid conduit for us to enhance thematic sensing.

In the last issue I presented the Réti position for consideration. There is a clear theme to pinpoint in the position. We have a pawn race with both sides going for promotion. This theme is easily seen with the board so empty and a good example of why endgames are great for exploration of thematic sensing.

Another idea present is that of double threats. White both wants to catch the passed h-pawn and promote his c-pawn. He has but one way to go about doing both…

(see diagram, next column)

“In the ending, the king must be moved as far as is compatible with his safety – right into the enemy camp – where he can capture pawns, hold up hostile pawns, and lead his own pawns on to queen.”

Siegbert Tarrasch

1.Kg7 h4 2.Kf6. Now here is a choice of Black. If 2…h3 then both sides will promote after 3.Ke6 h2 4.c7 h1=Q 5.c8=Q+. This is a drawn position. I bet you’re saying, “hold on, the black king never activated. Of course it’s a draw if Black doesn’t use his trumps!”

Contents Endgame Primer ........................ 1 SPBCC Members List .…………2 A Puzzle …………………...................8 Chess Calendar ...........................8 Games A. Mounts-Manchester ......................…...2 B. Zhang-Pagel..…................….......….....3 C. Bray-Salehzadeh ….…...……..…..…..... 4 D. Gartin-Whitaker ........……….….......… 6 Blast from the Past ………………5

Alright let us activate the Black monarch! (I promise that was not a reference to some super villain from a comic book!) First off after 4.c7, if Black plays 4…Kb7 White queens just the same with 5.Kd7 h1=Q 6.c8=Q+. How about we try for the point of the study with Black saying, “I want more than to stare at the cake, I want to eat it!”

1.Kg7 h4 2.Kf6 Kb6. Looks like Black is getting everything. How can White possibly save the game? 3.Ke5!! White has a double threat—Kf4 and Kd6. Black’s quick pawn can be stopped or White’s pawn can promote. So much drama!

3…h3 4.Kd6 h2 5.c7 Kb7 6.Kd7 h1=Q 7.c8=Q+. Or 3…Kxc6 4.Kf4 (entering the square of the pawn) h3 5.Kg3 h2 6.Kxh2.

For more thematic fun consider the following position with White to draw. If this is the first time you have come across it, the idea may elude you. That’s why we engage with chess study, however, to learn and grow our game winning (or drawing) abilities. No hints this time. (MuahaHA!!!) Good luck!

1

GAME A

Dylan Mounts – Spencer Manchester Springfield Ladder Tournament

May 3, 2019

Caro-Kann Defense Bayonet Attack

An exciting game, to say the least! Of this game, Mr. Mounts said, “A hell of a roller coaster … a lesson in not resigning until it’s over.” We think you’ll find it an extremely fun study! 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4 … The Caro-Kann Defense is considered one of Black’s most solid defenses against 1. e4. However, White’s fourth move – the Bayonet Attack – puts a whole new spin on the game. Black’s sharpest reply now is 4. … Be4, leaving White with a dilemma, as Mr. Mounts explains: “It forces White to make an uncomfortable choice: either drive the bishop away with f3 … or play Nf3, pinning the knight.” At that point both players have to be very careful! However, Mr. Manchester took the safer course. 4. … Bg6 5. h4 h6 6. h5 Bh7 7. f4 e6 (1)

1 W

Talk about your pawn storms! Black’s last move has prevented White from taking that space with his own pawn: if 7. … Nd7 8. e6 fe 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 and despite being a pawn down, White threatens instant checkmate and Black has to scramble. 8. Nf3 Nd7

Black is currently very cramped, but Fritz says the game is even. 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Ne7 11. Nc3 c5 12. Nb5?! (2) …

2 B

White’s knight sees a cute little ‘smother mate’, but … 12. … Nc6! “Making my knight look silly …” DM 13. f5 cd?! Better was first 13. …ef 14. gf and now 14. … cd. 14. fe Ndxe5 15. Qe2? … White had a good chance to stir the pot: 15. Nxe5 Nxe5 16. ef+ Kxf7 17. O-O+ Kg8 and now 18. Qe2, preserving what little order White can with his advanced pawn wall. 15. … f6? Now Black misses his chance to bag an important pawn: 15. … Nxf3+! 16. Qxf3 fe. 16. Nxe5 fxe5 17. O-O a6 18. Qf3 … Ignoring the attack and threatening mate. Said Mr. Mounts, “White’s silly knight on b5 has no good squares, and retreating will allow Black to grab the e-pawn, consolidating his position. White must sacrifice the knight to protect e6 and maintain an attack.” Black’s next move is forced. 18. … Qe7 19. Qxd5 axb5 20. Rf7! Qd6? (3)

(diagram, next column)

3 W

Very difficult to see the weakness in this move, but White found it, and it’s a killer. 21. Rxf8+!! … Devastating! If now 21. … Qxf8 22. Qd7#. 21. … Rxf8 22. Qxd6 Rd8 Yes, Black is down a queen to a rook, but those connected passed pawns in the center are worth something! 23. Qc7 e4 24. Qxg7 … 24. Qxb7 is met with 24. … Rd6 and now White’s queen will have trouble extricating her lonely self from enemy territory! 24. Bd2 is a viable option here. 24. … e3 25. Qxh6 Ne5 26. e7? … Under pressure and without a great move, White throws away his advanced e-pawn. “While it’s true that this pawn is destined to fall, there’s no reason to voluntarily let it go. Something like Qg7 is more productive.” DM

(continued on page 5)

SPBCC MEMBERS LIST Daniel Bao Ben Berger Jared Bray † Jim Baumlin John Cardoza Afzal Chowdhury Travis Dooly Isaac Drum Stephanie Dugan Ben Elliott Jolene Fethkender Quentin Fitzpatrick Jeff Fuzzell Jonathan Gartin Matt Hammonds Peter Hansen Stan Horton Steven Keener John Last James Latham Mike Little

Justin Lu Brayden Miao

Spencer Manchester Jon McClenahan

Vince McClenahan CJ Moeller

Roger Pagel Gerald Phillips Marty Phillips Matthew Pratt

TJ Ross Brian Rude

Kai Schaefer Ethan Stech

Billy Tropepe Isaac Walden

Sam Weiner Adam Whitaker

Cody Whittington Sam Whittington

† 2019 Club Champion

2

GAME B

Evan Zhang – Roger Pagel Missouri Class B Championship, Round

Two June 23, 2019

Staunton Defense: Benoni Counter-gambit

In the Missouri Class Championships there were players of all ages, even in the Class A and Class B divisions. Veteran Roger Pagel met young Evan Zhang in the second round, and wondered if he could teach the young man a few tricks. 1. d4 c5 2. Bf4 cxd4! 3. Qxd4 Nc6 After move #3, Black has taken the initiative! 4. Qd2 e5 5. Bg3 Nf6 6. Nc3 d5 7. e3 a6 8. O-O-O Bb4 9. Nf3 Bg4 (1)

1 W

White’s knights are both pinned, and the two advanced connected pawns in the center give Black’s position an ominous strength. 10. Re1 Ne4! 11. Qd3?! … In this bad situation, the best continuation for White was 11. Qxd5 Nxc3 12. Qxd8+ Rxd8 13. bxc3 Bxc3 14. Rd1 Rxd1+ 15. Kxd1 e4 16. h3 Bh5 17. Be2 exf3 and it sucks to be White. 11. … Nxc3 12. bxc3 Ba3+ 13. Kd1 e4 14. Qe2 exf3

15. gxf3 Be6 16. Qd3 Bd6 When you’re ahead in material, look to exchange. 17. Bg2 Bxg3 18. hxg3 h6 19. f4 Qd7 20. Rh4 Ne7 21. f3 Nf5 22. Rh3 Nd6 23. g4 Qb5 24. Qd4 f6 (2)

2 W

White’s pieces are struggling to find effective assignments. 25. Bf1 Qb1+ 26. Kd2 Qxa2 27. Qb6!? … Finally White gets a chance to make Black dance. 27. … Kd7 28. f5 Bf7 29. Rb1 Rhc8 30. Rh1 Rc7 31. Bd3 Nc4+ 32. Bxc4 Qxc4 33. Rb3 Rac8 (3)

3 W

Black is up a piece and his defense of b7 is adequate. 34. Rhb1 Qc6 35. Qd4 b5

36. Ra1 Ra8 37. Rba3 Rca7 38. Ra5 Kc7 39. Qf4+ Kb6 40. R1a2 Rc7 41. R5a3 Rd7 42. Qd4+ Kb7 43. Kc1 Qc4 44. Qd2 … Again, White declines the queen trade, but this time it leads to more material loss. 44. … Qf1+ 45. Kb2 Qxf3 46. c4 (4) …

4 B

White looks for another sequence of good counterplay. The d-pawn is pinned. 46. … d4! 47. ed Qxg4 48. Rc3 Rxd4 The material keeps pilin’ up … Mr. Zhang is gonna play to the bitter end. 49. Rd3 Rxd3 50. Qxd3 Qxc4 Threatening to win the rook on the spot. If White intends to play on, he has to trade queens now. But … 51. Qd7+? Qc7 52. Qd3?? … Trading queens is inevitable, and here it is the lesser of two evils. 52. … Bxa2 53. Kxa2 Qc4+ 54. Qxc4 bxc4 55. c3 h5 Unless Mr. Zhang had a side bet that he’d last 60 moves, there’s no reason to play on. However …

(continued on page 7) 3

GAME C

Jared Bray – Sirvan Salehzadeh MSU Open – Round 3

April 20, 2019

King’s Indian Attack: Réti Variation

A highly instructive game from the Missouri State Open, featuring our own club champion. 1. g3 d5 2. Nf3 c5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O e6 As per Mr. Bray: “The King’s Indian Attack is an automatic kind of opening. There’s a reason beginners often learn it early in their chess careers.” He says he chose this so-called beginners opening because “in the previous round, (the game against) Brian Rude had exhausted my reserves!” 5. d3 Be7 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. e4 de 8. de Qc7 9. e5 Nfd7 10. Qe2 Nc6 (1)

1 W

All eyes are on White’s e5-pawn! It currently requires additional support. 11. Re1 Rd8 Attacks on e5 now exhausted, White’s defenses in place, Black looks for new horizons, new opportunities for mischief.

12. b3 b6 13. Nc4 Nf8 14. Ng5!? (2) …

2 B

Mr. Bray explains: “The knight move was bold … but I felt like it pressured my opponent who was playing rather slow.” Whereas computers suggest moves like the solid 14. Bb2, or the very fancy 14. Nd6 (and now if 14. … Bxd6 15. exd6 Qxd6 16. Bf5 f6 17. Ne5! Nxe5 Bxa8), the text move was indeed a trap. Best reply for Black now (after the text move) is 14. … Nd4 and then 15. Qe4 Bd7. Instead of being proactive, however, Black takes the reactive course, and regrets it. 15. … h6 And now White shows us a technique that can be very instructive. Black’s c6-knight is pinned but protected by his queen. Black’s f7-pawn is also attacked but adequately protected by its king. If the White queen were to move to f3, it would be double-attacking both. Is there any way to force an advantage out of this? The answer lies in move order … 15. Nxf7! Kxf7 16. Qf3+ Kg8 17. Qxc6 Qxc6 18. Bxc6 Rb8 And as the smoke clears … “I’m simply up a pawn.” JB 19. Nd6 … This move might seem to give back the pawn, but Mr. Bray points out that if now 19. … Bxd6 20. exd6 Rxd6, Black will regret it after 21. Bf4, winning the exchange. 19. … Bxd6 20. exd6 Bb7 “Not 20. … Rxd6 when 21. Bf4 picks up the exchange.” JB

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21. Bxb7 Rxb7 22. Bf4 g5 23. Be5 Kf7 24. f4 Kg6 25. fg hg (3)

3 W

White’s passed pawn is out on a limb, and Black probably needs to get his king over there to block it with a future Kf7 e8 d7 … 26. Rf1 … OK, so Black’s king is cut off. What else can be done? 26. … Nd7 27. Bb2 Rf8 28. Rxf8 Nxf8 29. Rf1 Nd7 30. Kf2 … White needs another hand. The king is ready and willing. 30. … b5 31. Ke3 Rb6 32. Rd1 e5

(continued on page 7)

“Morphy’s principal strength does not rest upon his power of combination but in his positional play and his general style.”

J. R. Capablanca

4

Blast From the Past!

Will Starnes – Tyler Harris Springfield Championship Tournament

Round Two April 27, 2008

Trompowski Attack

The story of Tyler Harris should inspire us all. By the end of 2005, when he began competitive play, his rating settled in at 588, and over the next two years he was able to coax it up over the 1000-mark. By the time of this championship game against the venerable Will Starnes (1727) he was up to 1593.

In this tournament, Mr. Harris ended up tied for second place in a very strong field, with 5½ points (out of 9 possible). Our friend Joe Brozovich tied with Ed Karabiev and Craig LaSalle for first. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bf4 d5 3. e3 Bf5 4. c4 e6 5. Qb3 b6 6. cd Qxd5 (1)

1 W

A bold recapture, leaving the c7-pawn hanging. The computer favors White’s position slightly here, and suggests that 6. … Nxd5 might’ve been more solid. 7. Bxc7 Qxb3 “I’ve sacrificed a pawn, and now immediately exchange queens! I still remember how excited I was when I had the idea on the board … and how sad I was when the computer found the refutation later!” TH 8. axb3 Bb4+! Black has found a very comfortable home for his dark-square bishop! And

it will act as his advance field headquarters for the coming skirmishes. 9. Nd2 Nbd7?! 10. Bb5? … “10. Ba6 would’ve punished Black’s mistake.” TH 10. … Nd5 11. Bc6 Rc8 12. Bxd7+ Kxd7 13. Be5 Rc2! 14. Rxa7+? (2) …

2 B

White grabs a two-pawn material lead, but not for long. That rook needed to stay home. 14. … Kc6 15. Ngf3 Rc1+ 16. Ke2 Rxh1 17. Bxg7 Rg8 18. Ne5+ Kb5 (3)

3 W

And now where’s the follow-up? Black’s ‘exposed’ king is safer than White’s! 19. Bh6 Bxd2 20. Kxd2 Rxh2 21. Bf4 Nxf4 22. exf4 Rgxg2 23. Nc4 Rxf2+ 24. Ke3 Re2+ 25. Kf3 Be4+! (4)

(diagram, next column)

4 W

White resigned. After 26. Kg3 Reg2#.

0-1

GAME A (continued from page 2)

26. … Kxe7 27. Qg5+ … The immediate 27. Bxe3 here puts the game to bed. 27. … Ke6 28. Qh6+?! (4) …

4 B

White now has only a slight advantage. Black’s advanced central pawns are monsters. 28. … Rf6 29. Qh7 Nf3+?! Roger Pagel points out that 29. … Rdf8 gives Black significant fighting chances and would secure a draw. Fritz suggests another way: 29. … Rf7 30. Qe4 Rg8 31. Bxe3 (it has to happen at some point) dxe3 32. Qxe3 Rxg4+ 33. Kh2 Rh4+ 34. Kg3 Rf3+! 35. Qxf3 Nxf3 36. Kxf3 Rxh5 but now Black’s remaining pawns are a liability. 30. Kg2 Rd7 31. Qe4+ Ne5 32. Bxe3 … Not the most elegant way of develop-

(continued on page 7)

5

GAME D

Jonathan Gartin – Adam Whitaker Springfield Ladder Tournament

August 9, 2019

Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation

An extremely active battle that could’ve gone either way, featuring one of our newer members playing White. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cd 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 Nc6 Transitioning variations from the Kan to the Taimanov. According to the numbers, 6. Qd3 is now the best continuation for White, but the text move is also considered good. 6. Be3 Qc7 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bc4 Nf6 9. f4 Bb4 (1)

1 W

The central d5-push would’ve been strong here, but Fritz favors Black (slightly) anyway. 10. e5 Ne4 11. Qd4! … White’s best response, and now Mr. Gartin has the better game. 11. … Nxc3 12. bxc3 c5! 13. Qd2 Ba3 14. Qf2? … White’s move only weakens his position (besides offering material), and Black is quick to capitalize. 14. … Bb2!

15. Rb1 Bxc3+ 16. Bd2 Bxd2+ 17. Qxd2 Bb7 18. O-O Rd8 (2)

2 W

Presumably preparing that d5 advance, but here it is less practical. Now White can consider doubling rooks on the b-file. But instead … 19. Rbe1? d5 20. Bb3? … Better was 20. ed e.p. and after 20. … Rxd6 21. Qe2 O-O, Black’s advantage is minimized. 20. … Qc6 21. c4?? … First real blunder of the game. White doesn’t have a lot of good choices, but probably best was 21. Qa5 with the threat of pinning Black’s dangerous queen (with Ba4) or at least knocking her off that diagonal (if 21. … O-O). As it is, Black has been handed a deadly discovered attack. 21. … cd 22. Qf2 cxb3 23. axb3 Rd4!

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Black has an idea. 24. f5 (3) …

3 B

White looks to start some kind of kingside pawn advance, taking advantage of the fact that Black hasn’t yet castled. However … 24. … Rf4! A slap in the face! Now if 25. Qxf4 Qxg2#! 25. Qg3 Rxf5 26. Qxg7 … White must maintain a defense of g2. 26. … Ke7 Baiting the trap . 27. Rxf5 … Mr. Gartin knows that because of the checkmate threat, 27. Qxh8 is out of the question. 27. … exf5 28. e6!? Kd6? (4)

4 W

White has generated some promising counterplay! At this point Black actually needs to give material back – 28. … Qxg2+ would save his game (while giving back the bishop). Instead, with Black’s king on the run, Fritz sees a bright future for White!

(continued on page 7)

6

GAME A

(continued from page 5)

ing the queen’s bishop, but in this case, absolutely necessary! 32. … dxe3 33. Qxe3 Rd5 34. Re1 Kd6 35. Qb6+ Nc6 36. Re2 Rf7 37. Kg3 Rg7 38. Qe3 Ne5 39. Qh6+ (5) …

5 B

“One last tactic and Black finally throws in the towel,” said Mr. Mounts. Nonetheless we tip our hat to Mr. Manchester for a well-fought battle!

0-1

GAME B (continued from page 3)

56. Ka3 h4 57. Kb4 Rc8 58. Ka5 Rc5+ 59. Kb4 Kb6 60. Ka4 a5 (4)

5 W

Mr. Pagel is trying to show that White has nothing left to play for. No final diagram required for this game – you can see where it’s going.

61. Ka3 Rb5 62. Ka2 Rb3 63. Ka1 h3 64. Ka2 h2 65. Ka1 h1=Q 66. Ka2 Qb1# And so ended the second round for these two players. No one ever won a game by resigning, but we do hope young Mr. Zhang develops some class in the coming years!

0-1

“One of the great advantages of chess over other sports is that you can always resign.”

Joe Gallagher

GAME C (continued from page 4)

33. Ke4! Kf6 (4) 4

W

Black’s last move has afforded White the chance for a strong reply. 34. Kd5! Ra6 35. Rf1+! Kg6 Black’s king is forced to a distant file. 36. Bxe5 Rxa2 37. Ke6! Nxe5 38. Kxe5 Rxc2 39. d7 … Or 39. Rd1, after which 39. … Re2+ 40. Kd5 Rxh2 41. d7 Rh8 42. Kxc5 and life is still painful for Black. . 39. … Rd2 40. Rf6+ Kg7 41. Rd6 … “Seals the deal.” JB 41. … Re2+ 42. Kf5 (5) …

(diagram, next column)

5 B

Mr. Salehzadeh resigned. The d-pawn can’t be stopped, and Black’s queenside pawns can’t mobilize fast enough.

1-0

GAME D (continued from page 4)

29. e7? … This was the potential turning point of the game. Because of Black’s still-lethal bishop-queen battery, it’s not surprising that Mr. Gartin missed this forcing line: 29. Qe5+ Ke7 (forced) 30. exf7+ Kxf7 31. Qxf5+ and Black’s game crumbles quickly whether he interposes his queen or not: if A) 31. … Qf6 (and White’s mate threat is gone) 32. Qd7+ and then the Black queen falls one way or another: 32. … Kd6 33. Re6 or else 32. … Kg8 33. Re8+. But if the Black king runs, B) 31. … Kg8 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Rf1+ Ke8 34. Qe5+ Kd8 35. Rd1+ Kc8 36. Qxh8#. 29. … Re8 30. Qf6+ Kd7 31. Rd1+ Kc7 32. Rd2?? (5) …

5 B

Correct was 32. Qe5+. 32. … Qxf6 Mr. Gartin resigned. Lessons learned.

0-1 7

BLACK TO MOVE …

A PUZZLE by Jon McClenahan

This writer recently faced a tough situation in a 10-minute game on Lichess.com. Move #30, Black to move:

Material is even. In the moves prior to this, White had utilized open ranks and files to maneuver his rooks into active positions and was able to harass Black’s queen who was awkwardly placed on the queenside.

Now, as you see, White has been able to line up three attackers on Black’s bishop, including that strong knight at c5. Black has only two “high-dollar” defenders (Q & R) and no others are available. It seems to be a ‘won position’ for White.

But believe it or not, the game here is more or less even! How does Black avoid losing a piece?

BLACK TO MOVE … THE SOLUTION

So what can Black do to avoid losing his bishop … or worse?

It’s a complicated position but the key is evaluating the attackers. Black can use his “lost” bishop to turn the tide after 30. … Bg4!

How can that move possibly work?! After all, Black hangs his own bishop AND his own queen. But look again: Black also attacks White’s rook … AND Black’s queen! So if 31. Qxg4 Qxa7 and Black wins the exchange.

According to Fritz, after 30. … Bg4 the best continuation for White is 31. Rxe7 Bxf3 32. Rg1 and White is better (+0.84). But that’s a far cry from being up a whole piece!

The actual game continued 31. Rxd8? Bxf3 32. Rxe7 Bxg2+ (a handy intermezzo) 33. Kg1 Rxd8 34. Rxf7 Bxh3 and then in his frustration White blundered away his knight (35. Ne6??) and resigned the following move.

8