[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "mycomputer"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3k4/8/2KP4/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]
[EventDate "2011.12.02"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,3,1002,1002,29981,29982]} {It is natural that the defending side
should try to prevent their seizure. Consider another simple position.} 1. d7 {
[%csl Ge7] and puts his opponent in zugzwang, and after the forced Here
everything depends on who it is to move. If it is White, he plays} (1. Kd5 Kd7
2. Ke5 Kd8 3. Ke6 Ke8 (3... Kc8 4. Ke7 $18 {[%csl Gb7,Gb8][%CAl Rd6d7]}) 4. d7+
Kd8 5. Kd6 $11) 1... Ke7 2. Kc7 $18 {[%CAl Gc7d8,Rd7d8] , seizing one of the
key squares, White wins.} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "mycomputer"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3k4/8/2KP4/8/8/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "4"]
[EventDate "2011.12.02"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%tqu "En","","","","d8c8","maintaining control over c7. Now It is quite
different matter if it is Black's move. He, of course, plays",10,"d8e8","",0]}
1... Kc8 {maintaining control over c7. Now It is quite different matter if
it is Black's move. He, of course, plays} (1... Ke8 $2 {[%tqu "En","","","",
"d6d7","",0,"c6c7","",10]} 2. d7+ $2 (2. Kc7 $1 Kf7 3. d7 Ke7 $18) {[%tqu "En",
"","","","e8d8","",10]} 2... Kd8 3. Kd6 $11) 2. d7+ {no longer wins: after} (2.
Kd5 Kd7 3. Ke5 Kd8 4. Ke6 Ke8 $11) 2... Kd8 {White himself is in zugzwang, and
the forced} 3. Kd6 {leads to stalemate. ~2Second conclusion: in such
situations the struggle for the achievement of the ultimate aim - the queening
of the pawn - reduces to a struggle for the key squares. The player with the
pawn will try to invade with his king on one of these squares; the defender,
by manoeuvring with his king close to the key squares, will aim not to allow
the opponent's king onto them.~} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "mycomputer"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/2k5/3pK3/3P4/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[EventDate "2011.12.02"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,11,1012,1022,1032,1032,1032,29980,29981,29982,29983,29984,29985,29986]
} {[%tqu "En","","","","e6e7","It is easy to show that, compared with a passed
pawn, the system of critical squares for a blocked pawn is expanded. In the
given case the critical squares of the d6 pawn will be e6 and e7, the
symmetric squares c6 and c7, and the intermediate square d7. White's plan
consists of two stages. First he must win the opponent's pawn, and then try
to queen his own. It is obvious that after winning the pawn his task will
reduce to one considered earlier - to the struggle for the key squares.
^013^010 White's king has already penetrated onto one of the critical
squares of the enemy pawn. It is not difficult to see that this factor is
decisive: if it is Black's turn to move, he immediately loses his pawn.
While if it is White's move, he maintains the zugzwang situation by As we
have established, the occupation by the king of one of these critical squares
must lead to the achieving of the intermediate goal - to the winning of the
pawn, but this means, in turn, that (from White's point of view) the critical
squares of the black pawn here can also be called the key squares. ~2Fourth
conclusion: a pawn, be it passed or blocked, has a definite system of key
squares, the seizure of which by the king plays an important role, since it
normally leads to the achieving of a definite goal - the queening of the pawn,
or to its loss. ~",10] Let us now turn to an elementary example, where there
are blocked pawns.} 1. Ke7 $18 {It is easy to show that, compared with a
passed pawn, the system of critical squares for a blocked pawn is expanded. In
the given case the critical squares of the d6 pawn will be e6 and e7, the
symmetric squares c6 and c7, and the intermediate square d7. White's plan
consists of two stages. First he must win the opponent's pawn, and then try
to queen his own. It is obvious that after winning the pawn his task will
reduce to one considered earlier - to the struggle for the key squares.
^013^010 White's king has already penetrated onto one of the critical
squares of the enemy pawn. It is not difficult to see that this factor is
decisive: if it is Black's turn to move, he immediately loses his pawn.
While if it is White's move, he maintains the zugzwang situation by As we
have established, the occupation by the king of one of these critical squares
must lead to the achieving of the intermediate goal - to the winning of the
pawn, but this means, in turn, that (from White's point of view) the critical
squares of the black pawn here can also be called the key squares. ~2Fourth
conclusion: a pawn, be it passed or blocked, has a definite system of key
squares, the seizure of which by the king plays an important role, since it
normally leads to the achieving of a definite goal - the queening of the pawn,
or to its loss. ~} Kc8 2. Kxd6 Kd8 3. Ke6 Ke8 4. d6 Kd8 5. d7 {[%CAl Gd8c7]}
Kc7 6. Ke7 $18 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "mycomputer"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/3p1K2/1k1P4/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]
[EventDate "2011.12.02"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,3,1032,29968,29975,29976]} {We have considered an instance where one
side attacked a pawn, and the other side was forced to defend it. But it is
quite possible to have a situation where a king not only defends, but is also
able in turn to attack the opponent's pawn.} 1. Ke7 {! White's king is
threatening to attack the opponent's pawn, but its opposite number is
intending to do exactly the same. What then should happen here? It is correct
first to step onto the other critical square - e7. After} (1. Ke6 {? It
turns out that the direct invasion of the critical square is a terrible
mistake. After} Kc5 $19 {[%CAl Ge6e7,Ge6d7,Ge6f7,Ge6f6,Ge6f5] we reach a
position of mutual zugzwang, in which the side to play first (White) loses.} 2.
Kf5 Kxd5 3. Kf4 Kd4 $19) 1... Kc5 (1... Kc4 2. Kxd6 $18) 2. Ke6 $18 {it is
Black who ends up in zugzwang.} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "3700"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/3p1K2/1k1P4/8/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,3,-1011,-1012,-1032,-1032]} 1... Kc4 {! But if it is Black to move,
he wins in similar fashion:} (1... Kc5 $4 2. Ke6 $18) 2. Ke6 Kc5 $19 {[%CAl
Ge6d7,Ge6e7,Ge6f6,Ge6f7,Ge6f5] , and it is White who is in zugzwang. ~2Fifth
conclusion: critical squares do not always become key squares for the other
side. This depends on the relative placing of the kings, and on the turn to
move. In other words, to determinate whether a critical square is a key square,
in certain cases a preliminary calculation is needed, in order to ascertain
the resulting positions of mutual zugzwang.~} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "3700"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "k7/8/Pp4p1/6P1/K7/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "4"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,4,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. Kb4 {Therefore White plays} (1. Kb5 {? If
White begins, he can immediately attack the opponent's pawn, but such activity
is incorrect and leads to defeat. On} Ka7 {, when White ends up in zugzwang
and loses his pawn. there follows}) 1... Kb8 {The correct continuation is
} (1... Ka7 {? Now it is Black who must not attack the pawn: after} 2. Kb5 {
he himself ends up in zugzwang.}) 2. Kc4 (2. Kb5 $4 Ka7 $19) 2... Ka8 {! with
a draw. Pawns such as those we have just been examining are picturesquely
termed "untouchable" pawns: whoever is the first to attack such a pawn - he
loses. As we will see later, in positions with "untouchable" pawns an exact
calculation of the reserve moves is very important, since in the resulting
position of mutual zugzwang every tempo counts. Our conclusions regarding
key squares have been deduced from positions with a minimal number of pawns,
but in principle these conclusions are also applicable to positions with a
greater number. In each case, however the pawns are deployed, both the
critical and the key squares can be established. At this point I should like
to emphasize that these squares are not simply theoretical concepts. With
their help it is easier to analyse many complex endings. They enable the
correct plan of play to be quickly and faultlessly found. ~2 And another
important conclusion. The basic device in the struggle for key or critical
squares is the creation of a zugzwang position, in which one of the sides is
forced to take unfavourable action. In double-edged situations the zugzwang
may be mutual, and then everything will depend on whose turn it is to move ~} *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "3700"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/8/5p2/5P1K/8/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "5"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,1,0,0] Now let us move the position two files to the left.} {Let us
now examine in more detail how the struggle for the key squares proceeds.} 1...
Kg7 {= , defending both key squares. We know that g6 is a key square, and
therefore Black must not allow the opponent's king onto it. But it turns
out that h6 will also be a key square: by reaching it, the white king also
penetrates by force to g6. This means that Black has two moves which
maintain the balance -} (1... Kh7 {= and} 2. Kg4 Kh6 3. Kh4) 2. Kg4 Kf7
3. Kh5 Kg7 *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "3700"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/8/3p4/3P1K2/8/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,1,0,0]} 1... Kf7 {!= , standing opposite the opponent's king, so as
not to let it onto any of the three squares e6, f6 and g6. Such a placing of
the kings is called opposition. In the given instance it is vertical
opposition. The correct method of defence is} (1... Ke7 {there follows
Here, apart from the familiar squares e6 and f6, the g6 square also
turns out to be a key one. In fact, if Black plays} 2. Kg6 {[%CAl Gg6f6,
Gf6e6]} Ke8 (2... Kf8 3. Kf6 Ke8 4. Ke6 $18) 3. Kf6 Kd7 4. Kf7 Kd8 (4... Kc7 5.
Ke7) 5. Ke6 Kc7 6. Ke7 $18 {, and White wins.}) *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "3700"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4k3/7K/3p4/3Pp3/4P3/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,7,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} {The following example demonstrates horizontal
opposition.} 1... Kf7 {[%csl Rg6,Rg7,Rg8] , placing his king in horizontal
opposition and then retaining it. E.g. Black maintains the balance by} 2.
Kh6 Kf6 {[%csl Rg5,Rg6,Rg7] ! The opposition is a well known term in he theory
of pawn^013^010 endings.^013^010 Here we should mention that ~2the opposition
is the~^013^010 ~2only means of struggle for three adjoining key~^013^010
~2squares, situated on a rank or on a file.~^013^010 Of course the kings can
also be deployed opposite^013^010 each other along a diagonal, but it is
important to^013^010 emphasize that such an opposition is a transitional one,
^013^010 and it can always be transformed into horizontal or^013^010 vertical
opposition.^013^010 In our example White can continue} 3. Kh5 Kf7 {! ,
standing in opposition along the diagonal. Then if In this case Black is
saved by} (3... Kg7 {to have the decisive reply so as on} 4. Kg5 $18) 4. Kg5
(4. Kh6 {while if} Kf6 {, reverting to horizontal opposition.}) 4... Kg7 {
, transposing into vertical opposition} 5. Kf5 Kf7 {[%csl Re6][%CAl Re6d6]} *
[Event "Donner Memorial-A"]
[Site "Amsterdam"]
[Date "1994.??.??"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Benjamin, Joel"]
[Black "Timman, Jan H"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C90"]
[WhiteElo "2610"]
[BlackElo "2635"]
[Annotator "Mueller,Karsten"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/8/3K2n1/4nkp1/R7/8/8 w - - 0 83"]
[PlyCount "9"]
[EventDate "1994.08.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "9"]
[EventCountry "NED"]
[EventCategory "15"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 202"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2021.05.27"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2021.05.27"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
{[%evp 0,173,58,16,23,19,11,11,15,11,1,14,8,-37,-3,-10,1,-41,-28,-40,-19,-9,
-11,-8,20,19,37,1,8,-1,-10,-37,-17,-22,-12,-24,-5,-42,-28,-18,-21,-30,-18,-19,
-33,-24,-14,-26,-15,-36,13,1,13,0,26,-32,-11,-11,2,2,-2,-23,-17,-6,15,-8,60,-6,
-16,11,-34,-52,-27,-27,-36,-26,-24,-14,0,0,0,0,0,-24,-27,-118,-88,-140,-229,
-153,-189,-189,-222,-313,-297,-297,-297,-297,-297,-181,-176,-180,-184,-184,
-176,-184,-163,-143,-149,-147,-147,-147,-147,-147,-91,-97,-83,-203,-196,-172,
-178,-218,-215,-215,-231,-199,-212,-212,-199,-206,-218,-214,-211,-190,-190,
-188,-196,-175,-163,-186,-185,-208,-220,-206,-212,-206,-206,-206,-206,-206,
-206,-198,-198,-198,-179,-190,-192,-183,-182,-179,-179,-174,-171,-198,-179,
-185,-198,-455,-742,-485,-752,-762,-762,-772,-782,-990] [#]} 83. Rb3 $2 {
Joel Benjamin is swindled by the knights and goes wrong. Now the rook is too
close to the radius of action of the knights. Joel Benjamin ist von den
Springern schwindelig gespielt und greift fehl. Nun ist der Turm zu dicht am
Aktionsradius der Springer dran.} (83. Ra1 Nf3 (83... Nh3 84. Ra4 Nhf2 85. Ra3
$11) 84. Ra4 Nfd2 85. Ra3 $11) (83. Kc6 {is also playable, e.g. ist ebenfalls
spielbar, z.B.} Nf3 84. Ra2 Nfd2 85. Ra3 $11) 83... Nf3 $1 {[%mdl 4096] The
only winning move. Der einzige Gewinnzug.} 84. Rb2 (84. Rb4 Nfd2 {[%csl Rb3]}
85. Ra4 g3 $19) 84... Nfd2 $1 {Once again the only winning move. The knights
protect the pawn and dominate the rook. Erneut der einzige Gewinnzug. Die
Springer schirmen den Bauern ab und dominieren den Turm.} 85. Rc2 g3 86. Rc1 (
86. Rc7 g2 87. Rg7 Ng5 $19) 86... Nf3 87. Rc2 (87. Rc2 Ned2 88. Rc1 g2 89. Ke6
Nf1 90. Rc4+ Kg3 91. Rc8 Ng5+ 92. Kf5 g1=Q $19) 0-1
[Event "Interzonal-08"]
[Site "Palma de Mallorca"]
[Date "1970.11.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Taimanov, Mark E"]
[Black "Larsen, Bent"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E14"]
[Annotator "Mueller,Karsten"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6r1/8/8/8/4k1PK/R7/8/8 b - - 0 63"]
[PlyCount "6"]
[EventDate "1970.11.09"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "23"]
[EventCountry "ESP"]
[SourceTitle "CBM 197"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2020.08.31"]
[SourceVersion "1"]
[SourceVersionDate "2020.08.31"]
[SourceQuality "1"]
{[%evp 0,6,0,99,71,95,86,83,113] Endgame highlights from the Interzonal
tournament in Palma de Mallorca 1970 A) Theoretical rook endgames A1) Cutting
off horizontally [#]Black must be on his guard: Endspielhighlights vom
Interzonenturnier Palma de Mallorca 1970 A) Theoretische Turmendspiele A1) Die
waagerechte Absperrung [#]Schwarz muss auf der Hut sein:} 63... Ke5 $2 {
Not like this. Black had two ways to draw: So geht es nicht. Schwarz hatte
zwei Remiswege:} ({The active Das aktive} 63... Kf4 {[%CAl Rf4g4,Rg8g4,Gh4g4]}
64. Ra4+ Kf3 {and White makes no further progress because und Weiß kommt
nicht weiter, weil} 65. g5 $4 {[%csl Rg3,Rg4,Rg5] on account of wegen} Rh8# {
is quite fatal. ganz fatal ist.}) ({Or the idea from the game but first Oder
die Idee aus der Partie, aber zuerst} 63... Rh8+ 64. Kg3 {and only then und
erst jetzt} Ke5 65. Ra6 {[%CAl Ra6h6]} Rh1 $11) 64. Ra6 $1 {[%CAl Ga6h6]
Cutting off horizontally is decisive. It is more effective because here the
rook can offer protection to its own king. Die waagerechte Sperre entscheidet.
Sie ist wirkungsvoller, weil der Turm hier dem eigenen König Schutz bieten
kann.} (64. Rf3 $2 Rh8+ 65. Kg5 Rg8+ 66. Kh5 Rh8+ 67. Kg6 Rg8+ 68. Kh5 Rh8+ 69.
Kg5 Rg8+ 70. Kh4 Rh8+ 71. Kg3 Ke6 72. g5 Ke7 73. Kg4 Rf8 $11) 64... Kf4 (64...
Rh8+ 65. Kg5 $1 (65. Kg3 $2 Rh1 $11) 65... Rg8+ 66. Kh5 Kf4 67. Rf6+ Ke5 68. g5
Rh8+ 69. Kg6 Rg8+ 70. Kh6 Rh8+ 71. Kg7 $18 {[%CAl Rg5g6]}) 65. Rf6+ Ke5 66. g5
(66. g5 {and Black resigned since White will inevitably reach the Lucena
position and win by bridge building, e.g. und Schwarz gab auf, denn Weiß wird
unweigerlich die Lucenastellung erreichen und durch Brückenbau gewinnen, z.B.}
Rh8+ 67. Kg4 Rh1 68. Rf2 Rg1+ 69. Kh5 Rh1+ 70. Kg6 Ke6 71. Kg7 Ke7 72. g6 Rg1
73. Re2+ Kd7 74. Kf7 Rf1+ 75. Kg8 Rg1 76. g7 Rh1 {The Lucena position has been
reached. Die Lucenastellung ist erreicht.} 77. Re4 {The rook starts bridge
building. Der Turm setzt zum Brückenbau an.} Rh2 78. Kf7 Rf2+ 79. Kg6 Rg2+ 80.
Kf6 Rf2+ 81. Kg5 Rg2+ 82. Rg4 $18 {The bridge has been built. The white king
and its rook are the central pillars. Die Brücke ist gebaut. Der weiße
König und sein Turm bilden dabei den Mittelpfeiler.}) 1-0
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "??vs ?"]
[Black "basic opposition"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "Nisha Mohota"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/1k6/8/1K6/3P4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "21"]
[SourceVersionDate "2017.09.19"]
{[%evp 0,21,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]} 1. Kc4 {[%csl Ra5,
Ra6,Ra7,Rb5,Rb7,Rc5,Gc6,Gc7][%CAl Rc4d5,Ya5b5,Rd5d6,Rd5e6] With White to play
this position is a draw as Black gets the opposition (one rank separated
between the Ks facing each other).} (1. Z0 Kc6 {With Black to move, White wins
as he has the opposition} 2. Kc4 Kd6 3. Kd4 Ke6 4. Kc5 {This is the point.
White is able to enter the 5th rank and has now made way for his P.} Kd7 5. Kd5
Ke7 6. Kc6 Ke6 7. d4 Ke7 8. d5 Kd8 9. Kd6 (9. d6 Kc8 10. d7+ Kd8 $11) 9... Ke8
10. Kc7 Ke7 11. d6+ Ke8 12. d7+ Ke7 13. d8=Q+ $18) 1... Kc6 {[%csl Gb3,Gb4,Rb5,
Gc3,Rc5,Gd4,Rd5][%CAl Gc6d5,Rc4d5]} (1... Kc7 2. Kd5 Kd7 {[%csl Rc6,Rd6,Re6]
[%CAl Rd5c6,Rd5d6,Rd5e6]} 3. d4 Kd8 4. Kd6 Ke8 5. Kc7 {[%csl Rd6,Rd7,Rd8]} Ke7
6. d5 Ke8 7. d6 Kf7 8. d7 Ke7 9. d8=Q+ $18) 2. Kd4 {[%CAl Rd4e5,Re5e6]} Kd6 {
[%csl Gc3,Gc4,Rc5,Rd5,Ge3,Ge4,Re5][%CAl Gd6e5]} (2... Kd7 3. Ke5 Ke7 4. Kd5 Kd7
5. d4 Kd8 6. Kd6 Ke8 7. Kc7 Ke7 8. d5 Kf7 9. d6 Ke8 10. d7+ Ke7 11. d8=Q+ $18)
3. Ke4 Ke6 $11 4. d4 (4. Kd4 Kd6 $11) 4... Kd6 5. d5 Kd7 6. Ke5 {[%CAl Ge5f6,
Gf6e7]} Ke7 {[%csl Rd6,Re6,Rf6] Black takes opposition when White's K advances}
7. d6+ Kd7 8. Kd5 {[%CAl Gd7c8,Gd7d8,Gd7e8]} Kd8 {[%CAl Gd5c6,Gd5e6]} (8... Ke8
$4 9. Ke6 (9. Kc6 Kd8 10. d7 Ke7 11. Kc7 $18) 9... Kd8 10. d7 {[%CAl Gd8c7]}
Kc7 11. Ke7 $18 {[%CAl Rd7d8]}) 9. Ke6 {[%CAl Gd8e8,Rd8c8]} (9. Kc6 Kc8 10. d7+
Kd8) 9... Ke8 (9... Kc8 10. Ke7 Kb7 11. d7 Kc7 12. d8=Q+ $18) 10. d7+ Kd8 {
[%CAl Ge6d6,Ge6d5,Ge6e5,Ge6f5,Ge6f6]} 11. Kd6 {Stalemate!} *
