Endgame study | Dr.Dave, Exeter Chess

Two things to think about today: a study by Dierdle and a game by Capa. We did each as an exercise, trying to work out the best moves for each side.

  [Event "K+P vs K+P"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1921.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "NN"]  [Black "NN"]  [Result "1-0"]  [Annotator "Dierdle"]  [SetUp "1"]  [FEN "8/6k1/8/8/p7/8/1PK5/8 w - - 0 1"]  [PlyCount "12"]  *

  [Event "Havana"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1913.??.??"]  [Round "7"]  [White "Capablanca, Jose"]  [Black "Kupchik, Abraham"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C49"]  [PlyCount "135"]  [EventDate "1913.??.??"]  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. Bxc6 bxc6 7. Nxe5 7...  Qe8 {} 8. Nd3 Bxc3 9. dxc3 Qxe4 (9... Nxe4 10. Re1) 10. Re1 Qh4 11. Qf3 Ba6  12. Bf4 Rac8 13. Be5 {(idea / Nc5)} 13... Bxd3 14. cxd3 Qg4 15. Bxf6 Qxf3 16.  gxf3 16... gxf6 { Assessment: +/- better Pawns, fewer Pawn islands, more  active pieces.   The weakest spot in the Black position is the isolated a-Pawn,  and it is here that an attack should be directed.} 17. Re4 {First, Capablanca  mobilises and centralises his pieces.  There is never any sense of rush when  Capa plays an ending.  This ease of mobilisation is a dynamic advantage to add  to the static ones just listed.} 17... Rfe8 18. Rae1 Re6 19. R1e3 Rce8 20. Kf1  Kf8 21. Ke2 21... Ke7 { Now, White can attack the a-pawn.} 22. Ra4 Ra8 23. Ra5  {restrains the Pawns} 23... d5 $5 {I can sympathise with the bid for space but  this is not forced and has the disadvantage of leaving the c-Pawns without  support.} 24. c4 $1 24... Kd6 (24... dxc4 {  leaves all Black's Pawns isolated and most of them doubled!}) (24... d4 25. Re4  Kd6 26. b4 Re5 27. Ra6 {'hopeless', said Capa}) 25. c5+ Kd7 26. d4 {  Black's pawns have become fixed, cutting off the Queen's-side.} 26... f5 {  Hoping to nip out to h6 with some play.} 27. Rxe6 $1 27... fxe6 28. f4 {  Clearing the third rank for a Rook} 28... Kc8 29. Kd2 29... Kb7 $6 { Black has  achieved a solid defence of the a-Pawn and Whiite can achieve little else  there.   But White has access to both sides of the board via the third rank.} (  29... Rb8 $5 30. Kc3 (30. b3 {blocks the third rank}) (30. Kc2 Rb4 31. Kc3 Rc4+  32. Kd3 Rb4) 30... Rb7 {may have been better}) 30. Ra3 Rg8 31. Rh3 31... Rg7 {  This defence from the side keeps the Black Rook more active than moving it to  defend from h8, but I'm sure Black also considered ...Rg1!?, giving up a Pawn  to get the Rook active.  It looks a bit speculative here but is the right sort  of idea to have in mind.} 32. Ke2 Ka6 33. Rh6 Re7 34. Kd3 Kb7 35. h4 Kc8 36.  Rh5 Kd7 37. Rg5 37... Rf7 { Again, Black has achieved a solid, if passive,  defence.  White now returns his attention to the Queen's-side.} 38. Kc3 Kc8 39.  Kb4 Rf6 40. Ka5 Kb7 41. a4 a6 42. h5 42... Rh6 { White is poised on both  fronts but can improve the position of his pieces no further.  It is time to  try and force the issue.} 43. b4 Rf6 44. b5 $5 (44. Rg7 $1 44... Rh6 {  first would have been better, according to Capa:} 45. b5 axb5 46. axb5 cxb5 (  46... Rxh5 47. b6) 47. Kxb5 {e.g.} 47... Rxh5 48. c6+ Kb8 49. Ka6) 44... axb5  45. axb5 45... Rf8 {Off to sieze the a-file!} (45... Rf7 46. h6 Re7 47. Rg7 {  is hopeless: so Black must counterattack.}) 46. Rg7 Ra8+ 47. Kb4 cxb5 48. Kxb5  48... Ra2 { Black has gained some activity.  Of course, White does not  retreat and defend with Rg2.} 49. c6+ Kb8 50. Rxh7 {  White has an h-pawn.  Can the lone Black Rook do enough to compensate?} 50...  Rb2+ 51. Ka5 Ra2+ 52. Kb4 Rxf2 53. Re7 53... Rxf4 $6 {Natural, but not exact.}  (53... Rb2+ 54. Kc3 Rh2 55. Rxe6 Ka7 56. h6 56... Kb6 {  which isn't great but Black is also fighting with the King now}) (53... Rh2 $2  54. Rxe6 Rxh5 55. Re5 Ka7 56. Kc5) 54. h6 Rxd4+ 55. Kb5 Rd1 56. h7 {A Pawn on t  he seventh seems worth three in the bush!  Black can only hope to harass the  King with checks, but these are soon exhausted.} 56... Rb1+ 57. Kc5 Rc1+ 58.  Kd4 Rd1+ 59. Ke5 Re1+ 60. Kf6 Rh1 61. Re8+ Ka7 62. h8=Q Rxh8 63. Rxh8 Kb6 64.  Kxe6 Kxc6 65. Kxf5 Kc5 66. Ke5 c6 67. Rh6 Kb5 68. Kd4 1-0

  [Event "K+P vs K+P"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1921.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "NN"]  [Black "NN"]  [Result "1-0"]  [Annotator "Dierdle"]  [SetUp "1"]  [FEN "8/6k1/8/8/p7/8/1PK5/8 w - - 0 1"]  [PlyCount "12"]  1. Kc3?? (1. Kb1! a3 2. b3 Kf6 3. Ka2 Ke6 4. Kxa3 Kd6 5. Ka4 Kc6 6. Ka5 Kb7 7. Kb5  1-0) 1... a3 2. bxa3 Kf7 3. Kc4 Ke7 4. Kc5 Kd7 5. Kb6 Kc8 6. Ka7 Kc7 1/2-  1/2