THE CORRECT EXCHANGE IN THE ENDGAME

by
Eduardas Rozentalis

www.thinkerspublishing.com

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Second edition 2018 by Thinkers Publishing

The Correct Exchange in the Endgame

Copyright © 2018 Eduardas Rozentalis

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission from the publisher.
ISBN 978-94-9251-019-8
D/2018/13730/1

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website: www.thinkerspublishing.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE
KEY TO SYMBOLS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1. EVALUATION OF THE EXCHANGE

SIMPLIFICATION IN A BETTER POSITION
SIMPLIFICATION IN AN INFERIOR POSITION
EXCHANGE OF THE MOST ACTIVE PIECE OF THE OPPONENT
EXCHANGE OF A PIECE LEADS TO A CHANGE IN A PAWN STRUCTURE
THE BISHOP PAIR ADVANTAGE
EXERCISES

CHAPTER 2. CALCULATION OF THE EXCHANGE

FORCED SIMPLIFICATION OF THE POSITION
EXCHANGE AS PART OF A FORCED VARIATION
EXCHANGE AS A PART OF COMPLICATIONS IN AN INFERIOR POSITION
EXERCISES

CHAPTER 3. THE EXCHANGE: WHEN, WHERE, WHICH?

WHEN TO EXCHANGE?
WHERE TO EXCHANGE?
WHICH PIECE TO EXCHANGE?
EXERCISES

CONCLUSION
TEST
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3

Swipe left for next chapter

 KEY TO SYMBOLS

! a good move
? a weak move
!! an excellent move
?? a blunder
!? an interesing move
?! a dubious move
 only move
= equality
 unclear position
 with compensation for the sacrificed material
 White stands slightly better
 Black stands slightly better
 White has a serious advantage
 Black has a serious advantage
+- White has a decisive advantage
-+ Black has a decisive advantage
 with an attack
 with initiative
 with counterplay
 with the idea of
 better is
 worse is
N novelty
+ check
# mate
 PREFACE
OF THE 2ND EDITION
In the Informant 120 I published an article “Going for a pawn ending — cal-
culate the right exchange”.

Having received much positive feedback, I considered writing a book on this

subject: how to decide about the transition to a pawn ending. However recently
an excellent book “Liquidation on the Chess Board” has been written by Joel
Benjamin and this persuaded me to reconsider the general concept and change
the subject to the exchange of pieces in the endgame.

When should we exchange a piece in the endgame and when should we keep
it? Why is it so important? How to make a right choice? In this book we ex-
amine different types of endings and offer guidance to decide upon the cor-
rect decision. We will focus mainly on the exchange of pieces, not pawns. The
exchange of pawns will be the subject of a separate book.

Going through the instructive examples and numerous exercises you will see
all the important aspects of the piece exchange in the endgame, and enrich
your knowledge and understanding of the final stage of the chess game. Try-
ing to solve the positions, you will certainly improve your decision-making
ability and analysing skills.

The first edition of the book was very well accepted by chess players of different
levels. I am especially happy that many chess coaches and teachers found it
useful for their training programme. The book was announced a silver winner
of the Boleslavsky Award 2016 by the FIDE Trainer’s Commission. Together
with Thinkers Publishing we decided to produce a second, extended edition.
I hope it will be successful as well.

Eduardas Rozentalis
October 2017
 INTRODUCTION

I would like to start with a complete This is a side variation. However, we

game. The middlegame stage was will not discuss the opening here, as
very short in this game; it transposed our subject is exchanges and the end-
to the endgame soon after the open- game.
ing. This game will show us the con-
nection between the first two stag- 6.d4 exd4 7. xd4
es and the endgame as well as the
importance of the exchange. I have
8 r+lwqk+ntr
7 +pzp-+pzpp
picked it because there were no any
tactical complications and pure stra- 6 p+pvl-+-+
tegic ideas can be clearly seen. 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-wQP+-+
▷ E. Rozentalis 3 +-+-+N+-
▶ T. Wedberg 2 PzPP+-zPPzP

New York, 1997
1.e4 e5 2. f3 c6 3.  b5 a6 4.  xc6
This is the Exchange variation of Ruy
Lopez. White exchanges his Bishop
to change the black pawn structure. It
is by far not the main variation of the
Ruy Lopez but a quite popular open-
ing among many players who cannot
or do not want to study or play very
complex and long variations. It does
not promise White any essential ad-
vantage, but just gives solid and clear
play. I used it practically my whole
chess career and it delivered me many
wins.
4...dxc6 5.0–0 d6
1 tRNvL-+RmK-
a b c d e f g h
White achieved one of his main
goals: he exchanged a couple of cen-
tral pawns which gives him a clean
pawn majority on the kingside, while
Black’s majority on the queenside is
less striking as he has doubled pawns.
7...f6 8.  e3  e7 9.  bd2  e6
10. c3
White wishes to move his Knight to
c4, but the immediate 10.c4? would
lose a pawn: 10...  xh2+ 11.  xh2
xd4 12. xd4  xc4.
10...0–0 11.c4
10 THE CORRECT EXCHANGE IN THE ENDGAME

8 r+-wq-trk+ 8 r+-+rwq-mk
7 +pzp-sn-zpp 7 +pzp-+-zpp
6 p+pvllzp-+ 6 p+p+-zpn+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-wQ-+-+-
4 -+N+P+-+ 4 -+-sNP+-+
3 +-wQ-vLN+- 3 +P+-+-+-
2 PzPP+-zPPzP 2 P+P+-zPPzP

1 tR-+-+RmK- 1 +-+RtR-mK-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

White starts his simple plan: to ex-

change as many pieces as possi-
ble, meanwhile exploiting his pawn
structure advantage.
11...  xc4?
My opponent, Grandmaster Wed-
berg, allowed me to implement this
plan totally. He should have kept the
Bishop and played 11... g6.
12. xc4+ h8 13.  ad1 e8 14. c5
 xc5?
Once again, Black should not have
exchanged the Bishop. 14...  d8 was
the correct move, inviting White to
exchange on d6 which would have
improved Black’s pawn structure.
15. xc5  g6 16.  fe1 f7 17.b3  fe8
18.d4 f8?
Voluntarily going for an endgame.
White is more active and better, but
the middlegame with Queens on the
board would have given more chanc-
es for Black to equalize.
19. xf8+  xf8 20.f3
White has achieved a lot. He has an
extra pawn in the centre, which one
day he will be able to make good use
of. As for Black’s extra pawn on the
queenside, it is doubled and much
more difficult to use it in an efficient
way.
20...  ad8 21. f2
It’s an endgame, so both sides can
and should bring their Kings closer
to the centre.
21... g8 22. f5 f7 23.e3 b5
Of course Black should try to organ-
ize some play on the queenside, but
this move also weakens his pawns.
He should probably have considered
23...a5 24.a4 b6 followed by ...e6, re-
locating the Knight to d4 or c5.
24.  xd8
 INTRODUCTION 11

The moment has come to exchange 26...c5 27. e3 e6 28.f4
all Rooks.
The white pawns are ready to move
24...  xd8 25. d1 forward, seizing more space.
8 -+-tr-sn-+ 28...d7 29. b2
7 +-zp-+kzpp
6 p+p+-zp-+ It is equally important to improve the
5 +p+-+-+- Knight’s location.
4 -+-+P+-+
3 +P+-sNP+- 29... d6 30.g3
2 P+P+-mKPzP
White is in no hurry.
1 +-+R+-+-
a b c d e f g h 30... e6 31.d3 d6 32.g4

25...  xd1? Time to move the pawn.

Black exchanges the last Rook and 32...c4 33.bxc4 bxc4 34. b4 c6
finds himself in a probably lost posi-
tion. He absolutely should have kept
8 -+-+-+-+
7 +-+n+-zpp
one Rook.
6 p+pmk-zp-+
Better was 25...  a8! after which Black 5 +-+-+-+-
preserves his chances to get some 4 -sNp+PzPP+
counter-play on the queenside. 3 +-+-mK-+-
2 P+P+-+-zP
26. xd1
1 +-+-+-+-

After swapping so many pieces a b c d e f g h

we now reached a Knight ending.
White has a clear advantage in the
form of an extra pawn in the cen-
tre, which allows him to organize a
passed pawn. In his turn Black has
very little chance of creating a passed
pawn, as his pawns are doubled. The
Knight endgame is strategically won
for White. All he needs is an accurate
and precise technique to bring home
the full point.
35.a3!
Such endgames usually do not re-
quire long calculations, just two or
three precise moves ahead should do
the job. White prepares the way for
his Knight heading towards a2-c3.
Of course, not 35. xa6? c5 and the
Knight is trapped.
12 THE CORRECT EXCHANGE IN THE ENDGAME

35...a5 36. a2  b6 37.c3 45...h5+ 46.  f3  f7 47. e3 e6

We can see that the Knight is relo-
cated excellently. It blocks the black
pawn and restricts the black Knight.
37...c5 38.h4
Now the queenside is blocked. White
can move his kingside pawns.
48.f5+
With this move White prefers to win
the black h-pawn instead of making
a passed pawn in the centre.
48... f7 49. f4 e5 50.c3
8 -+-+-+-+
7 +-+-+k+-

38... e6 39. b5 d7 40.g5 e6 6 -+-+-zp-+

41.gxf6 5 zp-zp-snP+p
4 -+p+PsN-zP
White exchanges the pawns, thus 3 zP-zP-mK-+-
making the black f- and h-pawns his 2 -+-+-+-+
future targets.
1 +-+-+-+-

41...gxf6 42.c3 a b c d e f g h
Once again White should not be in a
Black is in zugzwang and the white hurry and should prevent any coun-
pieces are starting to penetrate his ter-play. Black wanted to play ...c4-c3,
side of the board. followed by ...c4. Now this door is
closed for good!
42...d7 43.d5 f7 44. f3 g6
45. g4 50... e7 51. xh5 d3 52. f4 e1
53.a4
8 -+-+-+-+
7 +-+n+-+p
The last accuracy. Black can’t attack
6 -+-+-zpk+ this pawn any more and is down-
5 zp-zpN+-+- and-out.
4 -+p+PzPKzP
3 zP-+-+-+- 1–0
2 -+P+-+-+
This was a clear example of a stra-
1 +-+-+-+-
tegic advantage which nicely dem-
a b c d e f g h onstrated that White had good rea-
The white King goes forward compel- sons to accept the exchange of every
ling Black to move his h-pawn, which piece because after every simplifica-
will become a real weakness. tion his winning chances were grow-
ing. Conversely, Black should have
 INTRODUCTION
avoided this at any cost or at least
thought twice before exchanging a
piece and determined which ones to
keep. Therefore, we can now under-
stand that while White had no diffi-
culty solving this problem Black had
a far more difficult task.
However, in many cases, the task is
not as easy to solve as in this example
and both sides have to be very careful
when deciding to go for a simplifica-
tion or keep the pieces on the board.
Every piece exchange shifts the posi-
tion dramatically, meaning this is a
very important long-term decision.
Quite often we reach an endgame
while being in time-trouble. This
makes our decision difficult as we
don’t have enough time to calculate
long variations and we need to trust
our intuition.
Every chess player can find many ex-
amples in his own practice. Often he
needs extensive analysis to conclude
if his decision in the game was cor-
rect or wrong. But such work always
pays off in the long run.
Th is way we significantly improve
our endgame understanding. Study-
ing endgames of top players is also
very useful. However, the games of
the best world players can easily be
found on every chess website and in
chess magazines. Therefore, I decid-
ed to present to you some less well-
known endgames. Mainly examples
come from my own practice.
13
To avoid boring and dry commen-
tary I also used several instructive
positions from the excellent daily e-
newspaper “Chess Today” from my
good friend, Irish Grandmaster Alex
Baburin. Alex, I owe you a drink or
two!
The book consists of two parts: a the-
oretical part and a test.
In the first part we will try to work
out the correct way of thinking about
evaluating the exchange, calculating
the exchange and deciding which
piece, when and where we should or
should not exchange. As I do believe
a chessboard and pieces can speak
better than pure words I will explain
general ideas while analysing the
concrete positions.
Every chapter also contains exercis-
es. They correspond to the concrete
items. First try to find the right de-
cision yourself. Then we can discuss
them and you will see how much you
have learnt.
The test consists only of exercises,
mainly more complicated than in the
first part. They require a wide range
of your endgame skills. It will allow
you to check your abilities and enrich
your endgame skills.
And now, my dear reader, let’s start
talking about the correct exchange in
the endgame.
CHAPTER 1. EVALUATION OF THE EXCHANGE

First of all, if we consider the possible exchange of a piece we have to evaluate the consequences.
What will we get as a result? Will our position really improve? Maybe by transposition we will reach a well-known
theoretical position, or our pawn structure might be improved.
Let us have a closer look at the most common reasons for an exchange. And equally important, the opposite: why we
sometimes should refrain from an exchange.
SIMPLIFICATION IN A BETTER POSITION
Quite often it is useful to exchange some pieces when we have extra material or a positional advantage, because then
our opponent will have less counter-play.
E. Rozentalis
A. Weindl
Stockholm, 1990

Black to move

73...Qh6

Black is a piece up and heads for some simplification by exchanging the Queens. But first of all he needs to evaluate the
position arising after this exchange.

74.Qh4

White in his turn, should notice that the exchange of the Queens leads to a lost position. Thus he has to avoid the
simplification.
Let’s check what happens after the exchange of the Queens: 74.Qxh6+? Kxh6 75.Kg1 Kg5 76.Kf2 Kf5 77.Kf1 The
white King cannot leave his g2-pawn unprotected as the black Bishop would capture it. 77...Ke4 78.Kf2 Kd3 The
black King goes forward, and sooner or later the white King will find himself in a zugzwang position. 79.Kf1 Ke3
80.Kg1 Ke2 81.Kh1 Kf1 82.Kh2

82...Kf2 White has to give up both pawns. (Of course, not 82...Bxg2?? because of the stalemate after 83.a8=Q Bxa8)

74...Kg6

White’s Queen is pinned, so Black can safely move his King. It would be a big mistake to exchange the Queens now
without a proper evaluation of the position after 74...Qxh4+?? 75.gxh4 Kg6 76.g3

Only White can have some winning chances, as both black pieces are occupied at guarding two dangerous White passed
pawns and the white King can assist those pawns.

75.Kg1
Once more, White’s only chance. Exchanging on h6 is losing, as we already discussed, while 75.Kh1 allows the
winning exchange 75...Qxh4+ 76.gxh4 Kh5, and White loses a pawn, as the g2-pawn is pinned and can’t protect the
pawn on h4.

75...Qxh4?

A bad evaluation or a lack of knowledge!

If Black didn’t play so quickly and wrongly, he would have easily discovered the road to victory: 75...Qe3+ avoiding
the exchange 76.Kf1 Qe4 77.Qh2 and White has to protect the pawn. But now his Queen is placed on a very passive
square. After 77...Bd5! the black Bishop comes closer to the white King and a mating attack is inevitable.

76.gxh4 g3

Most likely Black stopped his evaluation right here when analyzing the exchange. He thought that after capturing the
h4-pawn he would have an easy win. But he was not aware that the position with an extra Bishop and a pawn on g2
versus a pawn on g3 is a theoretical draw.

77.h5+ Kxh5 78.Kh1

Black cannot win this position. White will be happy to give up his a7-pawn. The white King has a safe haven on the
squares h1 and g1. And if the black King arrives to f2 or f1 it is stalemate.

78...Kg5 79.Kg1 Kf4 80.Kh1 1/2

Another example:
E. Schmittdiel
E. Rozentalis
Dortmund, 1993

Black to move
White has a pawn for the exchange and some drawing chances.

50...Kc4

Black activates his pieces and also wants to exchange Rooks. 50...Kc6 would give White counter chances: 51.Ke7+
Kc7 52.Ke6.

50...Kc4 51.Rf7

As his h4-pawn is hanging White has to attack the black pawn!

51...Re4+ 52.Kf6 Rf4+!

Black wants to exchange Rooks.

52...Rxh4 53.Rxa7 Rf4+ would also give Black the better position but White would keep some chances in a sharp fight
after 54.Kg6 h4 55.Rh7.

53.Kg6 Rxf7 54.Kxf7 a6

A useful move. The black pawn should be on a light square because White owns the dark Bishop.

55.Kf6 Kd3

The black King is coming to the centre.

56.Kg6 Rb5

When he went for the rook exchange, Black evaluated this position as being close to winning. Of course not an easy win
but also no any risk of losing, obviously as important in a practical game. In addition, his advantage is static. This
means that he can try different plans while his advantage will not evaporate!

57.Kf6 Ke4 58.Ke6

The Bishop is stuck, so only the white King can move.

58...Rd5 59.Kf6

59.c4 Rd4–+

59...Rf5+

The black pieces are well coordinated. They are masters of the light squares.

60.Ke6

In case of 60.Kg6, the black King marches to the h4-pawn: 60...Kf4 61.c4 Kg4 62.c5 Rf4–+

60...Rf4 61.Be7 Kd3

The black pieces start attacking the white pawns.

62.Bg5 Ra4 63.Bd8 Rc4 64.Kf5

White is not able to protect all of his pawns, he now must attack a black one. 64.Bf6 was losing as well: 64...Rc5–+

64...Rxc3 65.Kg6 Rc5 66.Bg5

66...Ke4!

The black King is approaching, intending to box in the white King if he captures the pawn on h5. This is much stronger
and practical than 66...Rxa5 which is probably also winning after 67.Kxh5 Ke4.

67.Kxh5 Kf5 68.Bd2 Rc8

We can see the difference between a Rook and a Bishop in an open position. The Bishop is restricted to the squares of
its own colour and can operate only on the diagonals, while the Rook is very mobile on all the files and lines.

69.Kh6

Otherwise, White loses his Bishop. For example: 69.Bh6 Rg8 70.Bg5 Rh8+ 71.Bh6 Kf6

69...Rh8+ 70.Kg7 Rxh4 71.Be3

71...Re4

Once again, the Rook can cut off the white King while providing a safe route for his own King.

72.Bb6 Re6 73.Kf7 Ke5 74.Bd4+ Kd5 75.Bf2

75.Bb6 Rxb6 76.axb6 Kc6 77.Ke6 Kxb6–+

75...Rc6 76.Be3 Kc4 77.Bb6 Kb5

White resigned. He cannot prevent the final exchange on b6, after which the pawn ending is lost because the white King
is too far from the a-pawn.

0–1
SIMPLIFICATION IN AN INFERIOR POSITION
If our opponent has the material or positional advantage, we might come closer to a draw by exchanging the correct
piece. It can diminish the pressure or lead to a theoretical draw.
R. Fontaine
E. Rozentalis
Istanbul, 2003

Black to move

35...Bxc6

The opposite-coloured Bishops provide good drawing chances for the weaker side. Of course not always, and especially
not if more pieces remain on the board. But this option is always worth considering. If you made the correct evaluation
it could save your game and day!

36.Rxc6

Unfortunately for White he can’t avoid the exchange of Rooks because of the f2-pawn: 36.Bxc6 Rxf2+.

36...Rxc6 37.Bxc6 h6

It is advisable for Black to put his pawns on the squares of his Bishop’s colour so it can protect them.

38.f3 Ke7 39.Kh3 Ba5!

It is always important to find optimal squares for your pieces. The Bishop goes to e1 where it will be able to prevent the
white passed pawn from moving to a5, and meanwhile attacking White’s g3-pawn.

40.Kg4 Be1 41.f4

White cannot win after 41.Kf4 For example: 41...f6 42.g4 Kd6 43.Be8 Kc7 44.Kf5 Bh4 45.Kg6 Bg5 46.Kf5 Bh4 47.f4
Bg3=

41...Kd6

Now the black King goes to the queenside to stop the white a-pawn. The black Bishop will be able to solve all the
problems on the kingside by himself.

42.Be8 f6 43.Bg6 Kc5 44.Kf3 Kb4 45.Be8 Ka5 46.g4

46...Bd2!

After the g-pawn has moved forward, the black Bishop immediately aims at the f-pawn. Eventually, this one will have
to move to f5. The Bishop will occupy his final position on g5 and both black pawns will be firmly protected.

1/2

Another example:
E. Rozentalis
V. Kramnik
Berlin, 1995
White to move

Despite the material equality, Black’s pieces exert some pressure. This is not the end of the world but some caution is
needed. Otherwise Black will attack White’s pawns on the queenside.

27.Rfd1!

White temporarily sacrifices a pawn in order to exchange his passive piece.

27.Rfe1 Nd6 28.Nxd6 Rxd6³

27.Rfd1! Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Rxc4 29.Nd2!

Another important exchange. White calculated this well in advance!

Otherwise he could find himself in trouble after the natural 29.Rd7? Rc1+ 30.Kh2 Bf6 31.Rxb7 g5! And Black’s attack
on the kingside looks very dangerous and promising.

29...Nxd2 30.Rxd2

All the active black pieces are exchanged. White is now ready for 31.Rd7. He will regain the pawn and his problems are
gone.

30...Rc1+ 1/2
EXCHANGE OF THE MOST ACTIVE PIECE OF THE OPPONENT
By exchanging the most active or dangerous piece of your opponent the whole assessment of the position can alter.
After such an exchange he might be stuck with only bad pieces, while ours could become active and more effective.
L. Yudasin
E. Rozentalis
Trakai, 1995

White to move

Black has the bishop pair and given the chance he will improve his pawn structure by playing ...f5.

15.Bd7!

Although the white Bishop has already made at least three moves in the opening against none by the opposing Bishop,
this exchange is essential in gaining the advantage.

15...Bxd7 16.Rxd7 Rfd8 17.Rxd8+ Rxd8 18.Ng3

Without his light-squared Bishop Black can’t prevent White’s occupation of the weak f5-square. This is a clear
strategical victory for White.

18...Kf8

Maybe Black should have moved his Bishop to the kingside with 18...Bb6 followed by ...Bc5 and ...Bf8.

19.Nf5 Ke8 20.h4!

The white Rook is activated through h3.

20...Kd7
Black occupies the open d-file but he can’t use it because White controls the central squares: 20...Rd3 21.Ke2.

21.Rh3 Rg8

White threatened to penetrate through the g-file To prevent this Black has to relocate his Rook, giving up the d-file.

22.Rd3+ Ke6 23.g3 Bb6 24.Rd5 a6 25.c4 Ba7 26.c5

Because of Black’s bad pawn structure, White’s pieces managed to obtain excellent squares while Black’s pieces had to
retreat to very passive ones. Black’s position is hopeless.

26...Bb8 27.c6 bxc6 28.Ra5 Ba7 29.Rxa6 Bb6 30.Ra4 Rb8 31.b3 Bc5 32.Rc4 Bb4+ 33.Ke2 Kd7
Black has activated his pieces, but he sits on many weak pawns.

34.Kf3 Bf8 35.Kg4

To attack the weak h-pawn the white King travels to the kingside.

35...Rb6 36.Ra4 Rb8 37.Ne3

The Knight leaves his perfect outpost.

37.Kh5 was probably better but it doesn’t matter as White is winning anyway.

37...Bc5 38.Nd1 Ke6 39.Rc4 Rg8+ 40.Kh5 Kd6 41.Kh6

The h7-pawn is lost. Nothing can save Black.

41...Bd4 42.Rc2 c5 43.Re2 c4 44.Kxh7 Rg6 45.bxc4 Kc5 46.Ne3 Kb4 47.a4 c5 48.h5 Rg5 49.Nd5+ Kxc4 50.Nxf6 1–
0

Another example:
E. Rozentalis
I. Glek
Budapest, 1996

White to move

25.R7d2!

White has a space advantage and should not exchange Rooks at this stage.
25.Rxe7+ Kxe7 followed by 26...Rb6 and Black can defend this slightly inferior position.

25.R7d2! Rc8 26.Kc2 c6 27.Bd6 Re3 28.Rd3!

First White managed to improve both his King and Bishop. Now he wants to exchange the only active black piece.

28...Re2+ 29.R1d2 Rxd2+

Black exchanges this piece to ease the pressure.

In case of 29...Re1 White can further activate his King with 30.Kb3.

30.Rxd2 c5?

This is a clear strategical mistake: the advance of the pawn to a dark square makes it a target for the white Bishop.
Moreover, White gets control over the very important d5-square.
Black should have tried to exchange his passive Bishop with 30...Bc7! 31.Bc5 (In the rook ending Black can hope to
organize a passed pawn on the h-file, which compensates for the weakness of his queenside pawns. 31.Bxc7 Rxc7=)
31...Be5 and Black has enormously improved the location of the Bishop.

31.c4

Fixing the pawn and seizing space.

31...Rc6 32.Rd5 Be7

33.Bf4!

White avoids the bishop exchange. The reason is clear: his Bishop is better and he has a space advantage.
In the rook ending after 33.Bxe7 Kxe7 34.Kc3 Ke6 Black would have chances for a draw because he can create a
passed pawn with ...g6, ...f5 and ...h5.

33...Kf7 34.Kd3 Ke6 35.Be3

All the white pieces are placed at perfect squares. The white Rook controls both sides: it attacks the c5-pawn and keeps
an eye at the kingside, preventing Black from organizing a passed h-pawn. Black has no counter-play and can only
make waiting moves.

35...Rc8 36.f4

The white pawn marches to f5 seizing even more space.

36...Bd6 37.f5+ Ke7

The black King can’t move to the queenside because of 37...Kd7 38.Bf4 Rc6 39.b4 and White wins.

38.b3 a5?

Black tries to create counter-play, but by doing so he only gets an extra weakness. A waiting move like 38...Rc6 was
better.

39.a4
Black’s weakness on a5 is much more important than White’s weakness on b3. All the black pawns are on dark squares
now.

39...Rc6

In case of 39...Rb8 White can exchange his Bishop and after 40.Bxc5 Bxc5 41.Rxc5 Rxb3+ 42.Kd4 Rg3 43.Rxa5 Rxg4+
44.Kd5 his active King and two passed pawns should bring him the victory.

40.Ke4 Rc8 41.Bf2 Rc6 42.Rd3

The Rook leaves the d5-square and will be replaced by the white King.

42...Bc7 43.Rf3!

The Rook must temporarily retreat once more, as the immediate 43.Kd5 does not work because of 43...Rd6+.

43...Bb6 44.Bg3

The King can’t move forward but White can improve his Bishop.

44...Ba7

The rook ending is totally lost for Black: 44...Bc7 45.Kd5 Kd7 46.Bxc7 Rxc7 47.Re3 Rc6 48.Re7+ and White wins this
pawn ending.

45.Kd5 Kd7 46.Re3 Rb6 47.Bf4

Full domination. Black is in zugzwang.

47...Rb7 48.Bd6 Kd8 49.Rd3

White is winning a pawn, but he must be careful because 49.Bxc5?? loses a piece: 49...Rd7+.

49...Kd7

49...Rd7 50.Kc6+–

50.Bxc5 Bxc5 51.Kxc5+ Kc7 52.Re3 Kd7 53.Kd4

The simplest. The King returns to protect his b3-pawn. It enables the white Rook to freely attack the Black’s other
pawns.

53...Rb8 54.Kc3 g6 55.Rd3+ Kc7 56.fxg6 Rg8 57.Rd5 Rxg6 58.Rxa5 Rxg4 59.Rf5

The white Rook remains active. It controls both black pawns. White wins easily by pushing his queenside pawns.

59...Rg6 60.a5 Kd6 61.a6 1–0

EXCHANGE OF A PIECE LEADS TO A CHANGE IN A PAWN STRUCTURE
A very important feature of an exchange in chess is that it can lead to a change in the pawn structure. This occurs when
a pawn retakes an exchanged piece. This exchange can also clearly change the assessment of the position.
E. Rozentalis
R. Appel
Bochum, 1994

White to move

White has the advantage: his pieces are very active; his pawn structure is much better; the b7 and d5-pawns are nice
targets for White. However, there are no obvious breakthroughs.

36.Rc5!

White offers Black the chance to exchange Rooks on c5, after which a white pawn will occupy c5 making a place for his
King on d4. This is an instructive example, demonstrating that when the other side recaptures a piece with a pawn, this
exchange leads to a change in a pawn structure.

36...Ke7 37.Rbb5

After putting more pressure on the d5-pawn, White compels Black to exchange on c5.

37...Rxc5 38.dxc5 Kd8

The black King hurries to c7 and c6, where he can protect his weak pawns.

39.a6!

Taking time to open the b-file for White’s Rook.

39...Kc8
Black couldn’t allow the white Rook to infiltrate via b8. He now protects his position with his King. How can White
still break through?

40.Rb6!

A tactical solution. The white Rook now occupies the sixth rank.
40.Kd4 bxa6 41.Ra5 was winning as well, but the text move is more effective.

40...Bg8

In case of 40...axb6 41.a7 the white pawn queens.

41.Rf6 Rd8 42.Kd4 bxa6 43.Rd6 1–0

THE BISHOP PAIR ADVANTAGE
One of the features of the bishop pair advantage is that the side which has this advantage can often decide when and
which Bishop he wants to exchange. Two Bishops are much more mobile and stronger than two Knights or a Bishop
plus Knight.
M. Matlakov
F. Rambaldi
Qatar, 2015

White to move

White has the bishop pair advantage. Nevertheless, Black’s position is pretty solid.

41.g5

This move allows White to get a central passed pawn.

The exchange of the Bishop would lead to a clear draw: 41.Bxe5 fxe5 42.a5 h6 43.g5 h5=

41.g5 Nf7 42.Bf4 fxg5 43.Bxg5!

The situation has changed. Now White is ready for an exchange of his dark-squared Bishop. This move is more practical
than capturing with a pawn.
43.hxg5 was also possible. However, White would have to be ready to sacrifice two pawns, allowing serious
complications: 43...Nd8 44.Kd4 Otherwise, the black Knight arrives on e6 and White would not be able to break
through. 44...Ne6+ 45.Ke5 Nc5 46.Be3 Nxb3 47.Bc4 The white King and his Bishops are very active. The e-pawn is
very dangerous. However, it’s not easy to assess whether this would be enough for the victory.

43...Be6

In case of 43...Nxg5 44.hxg5 Kf7 Black should try to move his King to g7 and exchange his weak h-pawn. Otherwise,
White will win the game with his central passed pawn. However, he is losing after 45.a5 Kg7 46.Kd4 h6 47.gxh6+
Kxh6 48.Kc5 Black can’t protect both his queenside pawns and also stop the e-pawn.

44.b4 Kd7 45.Kd4 Bh3 46.b5

White exchanges another couple of pawns. He just wants to open the position and thereby activate his Bishop.

46...axb5 47.Bxb5+ Kc7 48.Bc4 Nd8 49.Ke5

The white Bishop ousted the Knight from f7, giving free passage for the white King to e5 and f6.

49...Bd7 50.Bb3

White is not in a hurry. First he protects his pawn.

50.Bg8 was probably winning even faster.

50...Nc6+ 51.Kf6 Nd4 52.Bd1 Ne6 53.Be3 b6 54.e5 Nc5

As often happens, when one has the bishop pair advantage, eventually one can exchange one of his Bishops to increase
his advantage.
55.Bxc5

The bishop ending is winning now.

55...bxc5 56.e6 Be8 57.Ke7 Bc6 58.Kf7 c4 59.e7

The passed e-pawn decides the game.

59...c3

60.Bc2

Always be careful until the very end!

The careless 60.e8=Q? would cost White the full point: 60...Bxe8+ 61.Kxe8 h6 and the white Bishop cannot hold both
passed pawns.

60...h6

After 60...Kd6 White can already promote the pawn: 61.e8=Q Bxe8+ 62.Kxe8, as 62...h6 does not work because of
63.Bxg6.

61.Kxg6

Black managed to save his Bishop, but it is only a moderate success. The white King will return.

61...Be8+ 62.Kg7 Kd6 63.Kf8 Bg6 64.Bxg6 1–0

 Show in Quiz Mode

EXERCISES
1
T. Sanikidze
M. Gagunashvili
Tbilisi, 2016

White to move
White is a pawn up. Searching for his best chance, should he exchange his Bishop for the Knight thus entering the rook
ending?

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1
T. Sanikidze
M. Gagunashvili
Tbilisi, 2016
White should keep the Bishop!

37.g5

37.Bxf6? gxf6 This rook ending is a clear draw. It seems that the black pawns are doubled and weak, but actually White
cannot attack them. Moreover, they don’t allow White to create a passed pawn.
37.g5 hxg5 38.hxg5 Nh7 39.Rc6

White improves his position by seizing more space. He has good practical chances for a win.

39...Nf8 40.f5 g6

Sooner or later, Black will be forced to make this move. For example, White can play Rc7 with a threat of g5-g6.

41.e4 Rd8 42.Bc3 Rb8 43.Kf4 Rd8 44.Bf6 Ra8 45.Bd4 Rd8 46.Bc5

Now the pawn on g6 is under attack. Black has to go for the exchange of pawns.

46...gxf5 47.exf5 Ra8 48.Kg4

The white King is closing in. Although not much material is left on the board, White’s attack is really very dangerous.

48...Rd8?

Too passive.
Black’s last chance was a try to play actively: 48...Ra4+ 49.Kh5 Nd7±

49.Kh5 Rb8

And we arrive at the position of the next exercise.

[...]

2
T. Sanikidze
M. Gagunashvili
Tbilisi, 2016
White to move
Should White now exchange his Bishop or not?

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2
T. Sanikidze
M. Gagunashvili
Tbilisi, 2016

50.Bxf8!

Now is the right time to exchange the Bishop. The rook ending is winning for White.

50...Kxf8 51.f6!

White must have seen this idea when he decided to go for this rook endgame. The black King is cut off and his Rook
cannot leave the eighth rank because of mate.

51...Kg8 52.Kh6 Rd8 53.Rc7 Rb8 54.g6

After the pawn exchange, White wins easily in this well-known position with an extra f-pawn on the sixth rank.

1–0

3
L. Fressinet
N. Grandelius
Isle of Man, 2015
White to move
White’s pawn structure is much better, but Black has the bishop pair advantage. What is more important in this case?
And what should White do?

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3
L. Fressinet
N. Grandelius
Isle of Man, 2015

25.Nc3!

White has an advantage as his pawn structure is much better. And the most practical decision is to exchange the light-
squared Bishops.
White has another option: 25.Nd6 and after 25...b5 (25...Bc2 is worse: 26.b4 Bb1 27.a3 followed by 28.c5) 26.Bxc6
bxc4 27.Nxc4
White has an extra pawn and good winning chances. But with two Bishops, Black still has some hope to activate them.
Or exchanging his light squared one for the Knight and transposing to an opposite-coloured bishop ending with
drawing chances. That’s why, from the practical point of view, the text move is better. White gets a position with a
clear positional advantage, while Black doesn’t have any chance of counter-play!

25.Nc3! Bc2 26.Be4! Bxe4 27.Nxe4

After the bishop exchange, White has a clear advantage. His Knight is much better than the passive black Bishop. His
pawn structure is also much better as Black has doubled pawns.

27...Kg6 28.Nd6 b5 29.Kg2 Bc5 30.Ne4 Ba3 31.Ng3!

A very important move. The white Knight takes control over the f5-square. Black is not able to repair his pawn
structure. He doesn’t have any counter-play and can only await his fate.

31...bxc4 32.bxc4 Kg5 33.Kf3 Bf8

33...Kh4 loses a pawn: 34.Nf5+ Kxh3 35.Nxh6.

34.Nf5 Kg6 35.h4 h5 36.Ng3

White gets a passed pawn.

36...hxg4+ 37.Kxg4 Bb4 38.h5+ Kh6 39.Nf5+ Kh7 40.Kf3 Ba3 41.Ke4 a5 42.f4

The black King is cut off from the centre. The white King is free to move. White should only seek some space to attack
Black’s queenside.

42...exf4 43.Kxf4 a4 44.Ke4 Bc5 45.Kf3

The King now moves back to the kingside to relieve the Knight from the protection of the h-pawn.

45...Ba3 46.Nd4 Kh6 47.Kg4 Bc5 48.Nxc6 Bxe3 49.Ne7 Bc5 50.Nf5+ Kh7 51.Kf3!

Again a change of duty. The Knight won a pawn and goes back to protect the h-pawn. The white King is free to support
the passed c-pawn. This pawn will cost Black his Bishop.

1–0

4
E. Rozentalis
Z. Almasi
Dresden, 1996
Black to move
Should Black exchange Rooks or keep them on the board?

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4
E. Rozentalis
Z. Almasi
Dresden, 1996

32...Re8!

Black should keep the Rook. Mainly because he has a space advantage and the Rook is needed to attack White’s weak
central pawn.
In case of 32...Rxd2 33.Kxd2 Kd5 34.Nd3 Kc4 35.Nc1 White can hold the position.

32...Re8! 33.Kf2 Bc4 34.f4

The only way to protect the pawn, but it makes the White bishop even more passive.

34...Ne7!

The Knight goes to the excellent f5-square.

35.Kg1 Nf5 36.Bf2 f6

To open the file for the Rook.

37.exf6 gxf6 38.g3 Nh6!

The g4-square is an even better place for the Knight.

39.Kg2 Ng4 40.Kg1 Re6 41.Kg2 f5

All the black pieces are active, while all the white pieces are very passive.

42.Rd1 Bd5+ 43.Kg1 Bc4 44.Kg2

To win some time on the clock Black repeated the moves. And now we arrive at the position of the next exercise.

[...]

5
E. Rozentalis
Z. Almasi
Dresden, 1996
Black to move
Black has an impressive space advantage. How can he use it in the best possible way?

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5
E. Rozentalis
Z. Almasi
Dresden, 1996

44...Rd6!

As we have already seen, Black has achieved a lot in this game. In order to get the final breakthrough he goes for the
rook exchange. This not only makes way for his King, but also improves his pawn structure. It’s a winning exchange!

45.Rxd6+

White doesn’t have any choice.

45...cxd6 46.Bg1 Kd5

The King can occupy a central square now.

47.Kf3 b5
White is in zugzwang.

48.Be3 Nh2+

White resigned, because he cannot prevent the penetration of Black’s King.

48...Nh2+ 49.Kg2 Ke4–+

0–1

6
B. Avrukh
E. Rozentalis
Tel Aviv, 2011
White to move
White has the bishop pair. How to use it?

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6
B. Avrukh
E. Rozentalis
Tel Aviv, 2011

41.Bxf6!

White exchanges one of his Bishops and decides the game. Not because it doubles black pawns on the f-file. The real
reason is that by preserving his light-squared Bishop he can support his passed b-pawn.

41...gxf6 42.b5

This pawn marches to b6. Black cannot prevent this and his own passed pawn is not dangerous for White.

42...Bc8 43.b6 Re7 44.Rc2 Ba6

44...Bb7 loses as well: 45.Rxc4 Bxe4 46.fxe4 Rb7 47.Rb4+–

45.Kf2 Kf8 46.Ke3 Ke8 47.Ra2 Bb7 48.Ra7

With enormous efforts Black managed to stop the pawn on b6. But with the help of the white Rook this blockade is
being destroyed.

48...Bxe4 49.fxe4 1–0

CHAPTER 2. CALCULATION OF THE EXCHANGE

We always have to calculate variations when we are considering an exchange. What happens if we go for an exchange
and what if we decline this possibility?
The most common reasons and features are identical to those described in Chapter 1. But in Chapter 1 we were talking
about positional evaluation and knowledge. In this Chapter we are looking at precise calculation of the forced
variations.
FORCED SIMPLIFICATION OF THE POSITION
While we study the position we might find a series of forced moves which offers a chance to simplify followed by an
easy technical win.
A. Naiditsch
P. Nikolic
Baden Baden, 2015

White to move

White is a pawn up and has a winning position. He just has to find the best way to proceed. And Naiditsch discovers a
tactical solution that allows a rook exchange.

39.Rd5+

But of course not 39.Bg6+? Rxg6 40.Rxg6 because of the fork 40...Nf4+

39.Rd5+ Kh6 40.Rg5! Nf4+

40...Rxg5 41.hxg5+ and Black loses the Knight.

41.Kg4 Nh5
The only move to save the Knight.

42.Rxg8 Nf6+ 43.Kf5 Nxg8 44.Be4

As result of this small tactical scrimmage, White not only reached a simplified position but also activated his King.

44...b6 45.Bf3

45.Ke6 was also possible, as the white King would capture Black’s pawns. However, White prefers not to sacrifice his
extra pawn now.

45...Ne7+ 46.Ke6 Ng6

Black is trying to activate the Knight by attacking the white pawns.

47.h5 Nf4+ 48.Kd6 Nd3

White has many ways to win. Still, some accuracy is needed.

49.b3 b5 50.Be2 Nc1 51.Bd1 Na2 52.Kc5 Nc3 53.Bc2

Finally, White managed to protect his queenside pawns. Soon the black pawns will be attacked and captured.

53...a5 54.Bd3 a4 55.b4 Kxh5 56.Kd4

The black Knight has to move and the black pawns will fall.

1–0
EXCHANGE AS PART OF A FORCED VARIATION
The calculation can bring us some material or positional advantage. If our calculation is correct, of course.
E. Rozentalis
Z. Hracek
Dresden, 2008

Black to move

Black is a pawn down, but has the two Bishops. He has to make a choice: to retreat his light-squared Bishop against a
possible exchange on d5 or to move his King towards the weak white h3-pawn without delay. In such cases it is not
enough to follow your intuition. Correct calculation is mandatory to make the correct choice!

44...Kf4?

44...Kh4? would also be a mistake because of 45.Nxd5 exd5 46.Ne3 Kxh3 47.gxh5 and White is winning;
Black should have pulled back the Bishop. 44...Ba8! The two Bishops will compensate for White’s extra pawn. The
position is equal, for example 45.Nb5 Bd5=

44...Kf4? 45.Nxd5+ exd5 46.Ne3 h4?

Still implementing the wrong plan.

Black would still hold a draw in case of the correct 46...hxg4 47.hxg4 (Or 47.fxg4 Ke4 and his active King in
combination with the strong central pawn keeps Black out of danger.) 47...Ke5! 48.Nc2 Be7 Black cannot permit
White to push b3-b4. 49.Kd3 g5 50.Nd4 Bc5
Despite the extra pawn, White cannot win this position. His only chance is to attack the a-pawn, but its capture leads to
the loss of the Knight: 51.Nc6+ Kd6 52.Nxa5 (52.Nd4=) 52...Bb4 53.Nb7+ (53.Nc4+ dxc4+ 54.Kxc4 Bd2) 53...Kc7
54.Kd4 Kxb7 55.Kxd5 Bd2 This is a draw, as White can never create a passed pawn on the kingside.

47.Nxd5+ Kg3 48.f4!

Black probably missed this. The white King is ready to lock hs opponent’s King in the corner. Moreover, the white
Knight fully dominates the black Bishop.

48...Kxh3

48...Kg2 is more stubborn. However, White is still winning. After 49.g5 Kxh3 50.Kf3 Kh2 51.Ne3 the Knight will stop
the Black passed pawn: 51...h3 (51...Bc7 52.Kg4 h3 53.f5 Be5 54.g6 Bc3 55.Nd5 Be5 (55...Kg2 56.Nf4+) 56.f6+–)
52.Ng4+ Kg1 53.Kg3 Bc7 54.g6 Kf1 55.Ne5+–

49.Kf3 Kh2 50.Kf2 h3 51.g5

Zugzwang.

51...Kh1 52.Kg3

Black resigned because of 52.Kg3 h2 53.Kf2 g6 54.f5+–

1–0
EXCHANGE AS A PART OF COMPLICATIONS IN AN INFERIOR POSITION
Quite often in a strategically inferior position we can try to complicate matters by tactical means to change an
unfavourable situation. It might involve some exchanges of the pieces. In addition, it can force our opponent to go
wrong while making these difficult choices.
M. Roiz
E. Rozentalis
Dresden, 2008

Black to move

Due to the weakness of the black pawns White has a clear advantage.

29...Nxb3!?

Maybe not the best move according to the computer. But from a human and practical point of view it is justified to use
tactics to ease the pressure by exchanging some pieces!
In case of the natural 29...Ne4 White preserves a clear advantage: 30.Bxb6 axb6 31.Rc6±

29...Nxb3!? 30.Nxd6

White’s reaction is natural and strong, but not the best.

30.Bxb6! Rxb6 31.Nxd6 Na5 32.Nc8 The white pieces are too active. 32...Rb8 33.Ne7+ Kf7 34.Rd7 and Black is not
able to protect all his weaknesses.

30...Bxe3

Black is able to exchange Bishops.

31.Kxe3
31.Nxb7 Nd4+ and Black regains the lost material.

31...Re7+ 32.Kf3

White again makes the most natural but not the best move. It gives Black another chance to ease the pressure by tactical
means.

32.Kf2! was the correct continuation. After 32...Na5 33.Nc8 Rg7 34.Rd6 White keeps good winning chances due to his
active placed pieces.

32...Na5?

If we compare the initial position of our example with the current one, we can claim that Black achieved a lot. He
managed to exchange Bishops and one of his weak pawns. The main problem he is still facing is his hanging Knight,
which has no good squares to retreat to. However, with precise calculation, Black should have found a tactical way to
exchange that piece too!
32...Re1! Black considered this move, but didn’t calculate properly till the end and missed the crucial idea on move 36:
33.Rd5 (33.Rxe1 Nd4+ and Black should make a draw) 33...Rf1+ 34.Ke3 Re1+ 35.Kf2 Rh1 36.Kg2 Rc1! Black
exchanges another piece or improves his Knight’s position. In both cases he still is worse but with good chances to
resist.

33.Rd5 Rd7
The move allows White a tactical blow, but Black was losing a pawn and the game in any case.
33...Nb7 34.Nc8 Ref7 35.Nxa7 With an extra pawn and the better position, White should be winning.

34.Nxf5! Rxd5 35.Ne7+ Kf7 36.Nxd5

Finally, Black managed to exchange a couple of Rooks, but at the cost of a pawn. The rest is simply a matter of
technique, which White converted easily.

36...Rd8 37.Ne3 Ke6 38.Rc7 a6 39.Rh7 h5 40.Rh6 Kf7 41.f5 Rd3 42.Ke4 Ra3 43.fxg6+ Kf6 44.Nf5 Ra4+ 45.Kf3

Black resigned, as 46.g7 is coming.

1–0
 Show in Quiz Mode

EXERCISES
1
E. Rozentalis
E. Atalik
Augsburg, 2008

White to move
White has a material advantage, but Black’s Rooks are active. How to deal with that?

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1
E. Rozentalis
E. Atalik
Augsburg, 2008

32.Rd5!

Black’s Rooks on the d-file are far too active. White exchanges one of them at the cost of one of his extra pawns. It’s a
bargain.

32...R7xd5 33.exd5 Ne7

Black activates his Knight.

In case of 33...Rxd5 White activates his Bishop and starts pushing his passed a-pawn: 34.Be2 c3 35.a4+–

34.Bf3

The black Knight should be exchanged as well. Otherwise it would become very active on e3 or c3.

34...Nxd5

Black is forced to take the pawn and allow the exchange of the light pieces. After 34...Nxf5 35.Rd1 White exchanges
the Rooks and has two passed pawns. And in case of 34...Rxc2 35.d6 Black can’t stop the passed d-pawn.

35.Bxd5 Rxd5 36.a4

After all the exchanges, we reached a rook ending. White can start pushing his passed pawn and, more important, he can
support it with his Rook from the best position: from behind!

36...Ra5 37.Ra1 h5 38.g3 Kg7 39.Kg2 Kh6 40.h4 c3 41.Ra3 Kg7 42.Kf3 Rxf5+ 43.Ke3

White wins, as his King is going to the queenside attacking the c-pawn while supporting his own passed pawn.

1–0

2
M. Karthikeyan
P. Eljanov
Qatar, 2014
Black to move
Can Black push 51...c3? What happens in this case?

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2
M. Karthikeyan
P. Eljanov
Qatar, 2014

51...c3!

Yes, he can and he should! But, he had to calculate the consequences.

52.Bxc3

All White’s hopes were on this capture.

52.Bc1 was more stubborn. Still, after 52...Be4 53.gxh4 gxh4 Black should be able to convert his extra pawn into a full
point.

52...Bxe3+!

This nice move gives Black an immediate win!

52...Bxc3? 53.Nxd5 hxg3+ (Or 53...Kxd5 54.gxh4 gxh4 55.Kg2=) 54.Kxg3 Kxd5 55.Kg4 (Not 55.h4? Be1+ 56.Kg4
Bxh4–+) 55...Bf6 56.h4 gxh4 57.Kh3 The light-squared h1 corner promises White a draw against the dark squared
Bishop.

53.Kxe3 g4!
This is what Black had to anticipate. After this blow, one of his pawns queens!

0–1

3
E. Rozentalis
B. Lindberg
Stockholm, 2012

Black to move
White’s passed pawn is very dangerous. Black has to do something on the kingside. What do you think about these three
 options?
54...Qg5+, 54...Bf5 or 54...Bh3+

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3
E. Rozentalis
B. Lindberg
Stockholm, 2012

54...Bf5?

The wrong choice. Black hoped to exchange his Bishop, but missed the tactics.
a) 54...Qg5+? was also a mistake, as after 55.Kf1 Bh3+ 56.Ke2 the white King escapes from checks.
b) 54...Bh3+! was the correct move. After 55.Kg1 Qg5+ 56.Kh2 Qh4 White can’t avoid the repetition of moves and a
draw is inevitable.

54...Bf5? 55.Qe7+!

Black missed this intermediate move.

He calculated only 55.Nxf5? Qe4+ which would give Black good drawing chances in the queen endgame.

55...Kg6

55...Kxe7 56.Nxf5+ wins.

56.Qg7+

Black is compelled to take the Queen, losing both of his pieces.

1–0
 4
B. Krause
A. Naiditsch
Hamburg, 2015

White to move
Can White save the game?

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4
B. Krause
A. Naiditsch
Hamburg, 2015
Yes, he can. But he has to make the correct choice from two options.

45.f8=Q+?

In the game, White made a bad choice, because of a wrong calculation.

The immediate rook exchange would bring White a draw: 45.Rxc1! Nxc1 46.Rf2 Kf8 (otherwise 47.e7 is coming)
47.e7+ Kxe7 48.f8=Q+ Rxf8 49.Rxc2. Black is a Knight and a pawn up. However, both are hanging and one of them
will be lost.

45.f8=Q+? Rxf8 46.Rxc1 Rc8!

The intermediate move was missed by White. He calculated only 46...Nxc1? 47.Rxc2 with an easy draw.

47.Rcxc2

There was nothing else. Black is winning.

47...Rxc2 48.Rxc2 Ne1+ 0–1

5
E. Rozentalis
S. Nihal
Stockholm, 2016
Black to move
Should Black exchange his Knight?

Show/Hide Solution
Show/Hide Solution

5
E. Rozentalis
S. Nihal
Stockholm, 2016
The answer is no. The Knight can make a fantastic career!

25...Nc4! 26.c3

Otherwise, White loses a pawn on the queenside: 26.b3 Nxa3+–+

26...Bxh4!

The white Knight is overloaded. He is protecting the h4-pawn and keeping his eye on the d2-square. Unfortunately he
cannot do both jobs at the same time and Black wins a pawn.

27.Bxh4

White is forced to go for a knight endgame as after 27.Bf4 Bf6 Black’s pieces are too active.

27...Rxh4 28.Rxh4 Rxh4 29.Nxh4 Nd2+ 30.Kc2 Nxf1 31.Kd3

White is a pawn down. He tries to mobilize his forces to get some counter-play.

31...Kf6 32.Nf3 g5 33.Ke2 g4

Black pushes his pawn and offers a knight exchange. And now we arrive at the position of the next exercise. 0–1

6
E. Rozentalis
S. Nihal
Stockholm, 2016
White to move
White to move. Black has just offered a transition to a pawn endgame. Was he correct?

Show/Hide Solution
Show/Hide Solution

6
E. Rozentalis
S. Nihal
Stockholm, 2016
Yes, he was correct. White does not have any chance in the pawn endgame. That’s why he played

33.Nd4

Let’s check what would have happened in case of the knight exchange. 33.Kxf1 gxf3 34.Kf2 Ke5 35.Kxf3 d5

With this move Black creates a distant passed pawn. 36.exd5 Kxd5 37.b3 a5! The pawn marches to a4 to weaken
White’s queenside. 38.Ke3 a4 If the pawn had still been on a2 White would have been safe and healthy. But, the pawn
is already on a3, which means that White cannot hold his pawn chain any more and the black King will have a free
entry to c4. 39.bxa4 bxa4 40.Kd3 f5 41.c4+ Kc5 42.Kc3 f4 The f-pawn distracts White’s King and Black wins.

33.Nd4 Ng3+ 34.Ke3 Kg5 35.Nc6 f5

By this pawn exchange Black opens the centre for his pieces.

36.exf5 Nxf5+ 37.Kf2 g3+

The g-pawn is very dangerous. White cannot resist.

38.Kf3 Kh4 39.Nb4 Kh3 40.Nd3 Nh4+ 41.Ke4 Kh2 42.Nf4

42...Kh1

Avoiding the last trap: 42...Ng6? 43.Nxg6 g2 44.Nh4+–.

Black won the game in 63 moves.

0–1
CHAPTER 3. THE EXCHANGE: WHEN, WHERE, WHICH?

We have already discussed the evaluation and calculation of the possible consequences of the exchange. However, it is
likewise very important to define when and where it is good to exchange a piece, when and where not! Indeed, on one
specific square the exchange can be correct and on another one it can be wrong.
In complicated endgames we have to think, evaluate and decide which piece (or pieces) we want to exchange and which
ones we want to keep.
WHEN TO EXCHANGE?
We must keep in mind that even the slightest detail can change the position dramatically. The decision about an
immediate exchange can be totally different from a decision some moves later.
M. Adams
D. Harika
Isle of Man, 2015

White to move

He is a pawn up. Should he exchange his Queen or not?

58.Kf1!

White should first calculate: what happens in case of the exchange 58.Qxe3? dxe3 59.Kf1 Kf7 60.Ke2 Kxf6 61.Kxe3
Ke5
Arriving at this pawn ending, he can evaluate or simply know, thanks to previous studies, that this is a draw. For
example: 62.Kf3 (62.g4 h5 63.g5 h4=; 62.g3 h5=) 62...h5 63.g3 Kf5= After calculating and evaluating the
consequences of the exchange White can look for another option. Black in his turn has to decide whether he should go
for a queen exchange.

58.Kf1! Qd3+

The same situation. After 58...Qxe7? 59.fxe7 Kf7 60.Ke2 Kxe7 61.Kd3 Kf6 62.Kxd4 Kf5 63.Kd5

a very similar pawn ending is on the board. The only difference is that the white King managed to penetrate to d4 and
d5. And this position is winning for White. For example: 63...Kf4 (63...h5 64.g3; 63...Kf6 64.Kd6 Kf5 65.Ke7 h5
66.g3 Ke4 67.Kf6 Kf3 68.Kg5 Kxg3 69.h4+) 64.Ke6 Kg3 65.Kf5 Kxg2 66.h4 Kf3 67.h5+– That’s why Black
decided to abstain from the exchange.
59.Kf2 Qf5+ 60.Ke1

After 60.Kg1, the white King cannot escape from checks 60...Qb1+ 61.Kh2 Qb8+=

60...Qg6?

A mistake losing the game.

Black should have continued giving checks. With 60...Qb1+! he would have saved the game: 61.Kd2 Qb2+ 62.Kd3
Qc3+ 63.Ke4 Qc2+ Black can sacrifice his passed pawn and pursue the white King 64.Ke5 Qe2+ 65.Kd6 Qa6+
66.Kc5 Qa5+ 67.Kxd4 Qd2+ 68.Kc5 Qc3+ 69.Kb6 Qd4+

The white King cannot escape from a perpetual check.

61.g4 Qb1+

The correct plan. However, the position has changed fundamentally. The white pawn moved from the unsafe g2 square
to the protected g4 square. And this tiny difference gives White a winning position.

62.Kd2 Qb2+ 63.Kd3 Qb3+ 64.Kxd4 Qb2+ 65.Ke3 Qc1+ 66.Kf3 Qf1+ 67.Kg3 Qd3+ 68.Kf4 Qf1+ 69.Ke4
We can see now, if the white pawn was still on g2, Black would capture it with check. With a pawn on g4, the white
King easily escapes.

69...Qe1+ 70.Kf5 Qb1+ 71.Qe4 Qb5+ 72.Qe5 Qb1+ 73.Ke6 Qb6+ 74.Qd6 Qe3+ 75.Kf5 Qg5+ 76.Ke4 Qg6+ 77.Kf3

No more checks. White is winning.

77...h5 78.Qd5+ Kf8 79.g5 Qe8 80.Qe4 Qxe4+ 81.Kxe4 1–0

WHERE TO EXCHANGE?
We should also remember that every exchange can change the pawn structure or positions of the other pieces. For that
reason, the positional assessment can be changed as well. This means that an exchange on one square can be good
while the same exchange can be bad on another square.
A. Gara
E. Rozentalis
Oslo, 2014

White to move

Black has a small advantage due to the isolated d-pawn and his more active Rook. What should White do?

31.Rc3

A good move. White offers a rook exchange, correctly evaluating its consequences.

31...Rb5

Black refrains from the exchange.

In case of 31...Rxc3 32.bxc3 the white b-pawn moves to the c-file, protecting the d4-pawn. His King will walk to the
centre afterwards. The position becomes equal: 32...Nd5 33.Bd2 Nb6 34.Ke2=

32.Rc5?

But this rook exchange is a mistake.

32.Ke2! White should have moved his King towards the centre. A draw would be the most probable result.

32...Rxc5!

Black allows White to get rid of the isolated pawn, but gains the opportunity to bring his King towards a dominant
position.

33.dxc5 e5 34.Ke2 Ke6 35.Kd3 Kd5 36.b4

Looking at the present position, we can conclude that when executing the 32nd move, White failed to find the correct
evaluation. The black King in the centre controls White’s queenside pawns, and at the same time supports its own
forces on the kingside. One wrong decision has changed White’s position from an almost equal to a strategically lost
one.

36...h5

Now Black can start moving his pawns on the kingside.

37.Bd2 Nf5 38.Bc1 a6

A very useful move. The pawn moves to a light square and prevents a possible breakthrough b4-b5.

39.Bb2 Nh4 40.g3 Nf3

The Knight attacks the white pawns, provoking some weaknesses.

41.h3

In case of 41.h4 g5 Black organizes a passed h-pawn: 42.hxg5 (or 42.Ke3 gxh4! 43.Kxf3 h3 44.g4 h4 followed by
45...e4+ and Black wins) 42...fxg5 43.Ke3 e4–+

41...g5 42.Ke3 Ng1!

Forcing the white pawn to move forward.

43.h4 gxh4 44.gxh4 Nh3

The white Bishop is passive as it is restricted by its own pawns. The black Knight, on the contrary, is very active and
mobile. It’s jumping to g6 via f4 now.

45.Bc1 Nf4 46.Kf3 Ng6 47.Kg3 f5

White was obliged to move the King to the kingside in order to protect the weak pawns while Black can move his
central pawns, seizing even more space.

48.a4 f4+ 49.Kh3 Ne7 50.Bb2 Nf5

The Knight travels further to f5, where he will become more active.

51.Bc1

Or 51.f3 Nd4 52.Kg2 (52.Bxd4 exd4) 52...Kc4 and Black wins.

51...f3!

After this move the white King is cut off from the centre.

52.Bd2 e4 53.Be1 Kc4

Everything is in place. Now the black King can go forward in order to support his pawns.

54.a5 Kd3 55.b5

White’s last chance. However Black is ready to face it...

55...cxb5 56.c6 e3 57.c7 Ne7 58.Kg3 Ke2 59.Bb4 Nc8 60.Bc5 exf2 61.Bxf2 b4

The white Bishop cannot stop the two passed pawns.

0–1

Another example:
M. Ulybin
E. Rozentalis
Cappelle la Grande, 2009
Black to move

Black is under pressure. White’s pawn structure is better and his pieces are more active. What should Black do?

24...Ra8

First of all, he has to exchange the most active white piece.

25.Rfa1

White wants to bring another Rook to a7.

If White exchanges immediately, Black has enough resources to defend his position: 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Nxc6 bxc6
27.Rd1 Ra3 with sufficient counter-play.

25...Re1+!

An important check. It allows Black to exchange Rooks on his own terms: the a-file will be his!
25...Rxa7? 26.Rxa7 would allow White to keep up the pressure.

26.Rxe1 Rxa7

Black managed to take control over the a-file. His Rook is active now.

27.Kf2

White’s Rook doesn’t have any squares to penetrate on the open e-file: 27.Re7 Kf8 28.Rc7 Bd7

27...Ra2+ 28.Re2 Rxe2+

With another rook exchange, Black is closer to a draw. His King will be able to come to the queenside and protect his
weak pawns.
29.Kxe2 Bd7

It is absolutely necessary to retreat the Bishop, avoiding an unfavourable exchange.

29...Kf8? would be a big mistake as it would allow White to exchange the black Bishop on c6, after which he could
create a distant passed pawn 30.Nxc6 bxc6 31.b4

Sooner or later White will have a passed pawn on the b-file, while Black will have one on the d-file. This endgame
might be very unpleasant for Black.

30.g4 Kf8 31.Kd3 Ke7

The black King is going to the queenside to protect his pawns.

32.Kc3 Kd8 33.Kb4 b6 34.Nf5

Another choice: should Black exchange his Bishop or should he keep it?
34...Bc6

Black decided to keep it. Actually, both options are correct in this case!
Let’s look what happens if Black chooses the exchange 34...Bxf5 35.gxf5
a) 35...Kc7? allows another exchange into a pawn ending: 36.Nd5+ Kc6 (36...Nxd5+ 37.cxd5 Kb7 38.Kb5 f6 39.b4
Kc7 40.Ka6+–) 37.Nxf6 gxf6 38.f4 Kc7 39.Kb5 Kb7 40.b4 Kc7 41.Ka6 Kc6 42.b5+ Kc5 43.Kb7 Kxc4 44.Kxb6 d5
45.Kc6 d4 46.b6 d3 47.b7 d2 48.b8=Q d1=Q 49.Qb5+

In this queen ending White is more active and can hope for an advantage. In any case, Black has no reason to
voluntarily go for such a dangerous endgame.
b) 35...Kc8! The correct move, Black doesn’t have any problems. 36.Kb5 Kb7 37.b4 Nd7 38.Nd5 Ne5 and the position
is equal.

35.Nxd6 Bxf3

Making the decision on the 34th move, Black must have properly calculated and evaluated this capture. He is losing a
pawn, but in the meantime exchanges most of the pawns.

36.Nxf7+ Kc7 37.Ne6+ Kb7 38.Nxg7 Bxg4 39.Nxh6 Nxh5

Black is ready to exchange any piece. With one pawn against two on one side he will be able to make a draw in every
endgame.

40.Ne8 Be6

The Bishop dominates the h6-Knight now. White will not be able to avoid a further exchange.

41.Nd6+ Kc6 42.Nb5 Nf4 43.Nd4+ Kc7 44.Kb5 Kb7 45.Nhf5 Bxf5 46.Nxf5 Ne6

This endgame is easy to hold.

47.Nd6+ Kc7 48.b4 Kxd6 49.Kxb6 Kd7 50.c5 Nd4 51.b5 Nxb5 52.Kxb5 Kc7 1/2
WHICH PIECE TO EXCHANGE?
In endgames with many pieces on the board, there is always the question: which piece or pieces to exchange and which
ones to preserve? The answer depends largely on our evaluation of the positional aspects and our precise calculation.
R. Barhudarian
E. Rozentalis
Stockholm, 2007

Black to move

Should Black exchange the Knight or he should keep it?

34...Nb6!

It’s better to keep the Knight. Basically, in this position Black would be happy to exchange his Bishop for the white
Knight, as it would allow him to occupy the c4-square. Exchanging all the light pieces would also be good for Black, as
due to his distant passed a-pawn the resulting rook ending should be much better for him.
34...Nxe3?! 35.fxe3 and White gets some counter-play in the centre after playing e3-e4 or c3-c4.

34...Nb6! 35.Ba3 Bh6

Black refrains from an exchange again. He proceeds according to the above-mentioned plan.
35...Bxa3 36.Rxa3 Kc6 would also preserve an advantage, but the text move is probably stronger.

36.Bc5 Bxe3

As planned, the black Bishop should be exchanged for the white Knight.

37.Bxb6

In case of 37.fxe3 Nc4 38.e4 Ke6

Black managed to block White’s central pawns and he controls all the light squares. His pieces support the passed pawn.
Black’s position is strategically won.

37...Bf4 38.Bc5 Bd6!

As already mentioned, after the exchange of the Knights, Black should also exchange the Bishops.

39.Bxd6 Kxd6 40.Ra4 Kc6 41.c4 dxc4+ 42.Kxc4 Ra8

Black has achieved what he wanted. The rook ending is much better for him. His distant passed pawn is more important
than the white central passed pawn and the black Rook is much better placed: behind the passed pawn.

43.d5+ Kd6 44.Kd4

After 44.h4 Rc8+ 45.Kd4 Rc5 Black wins a pawn.

44...h4

White is in zugzwang. In particular, he cannot move his Rook. That would allow Black’s passed pawn to go forward.
Black now can take more space on the kingside.

45.f4 f6 46.h3 Ra7

We keep our cool, a typical waiting move. White is forced to make a move with the King, giving Black what he needs.

47.Ke4 Kc5

Now the King has the possibility to move forward.

48.f5 g5 49.Rd4 Re7+ 50.Kd3 Rd7 51.Ke4 Re7+ 52.Kd3 Kd6!

After the move repetition, Black discovered the road to victory.

53.Rc4

Or 53.Ra4 Re5 54.Rxa5 Rxd5+ and Black wins the pawn ending.

53...Kxd5

Finally, Black wins the central pawn.

54.Rd4+ Kc5 55.Rc4+ Kb5 56.Rc8 Re5

Black wins another pawn.

0–1
Another example:
E. Rozentalis
J. Sriram
Lienz, 2015

Black to move

Black is a pawn down. What should he play?

55...Ng1!

Black must play actively.

But, first of all, he should calculate and evaluate consequences of the move 55...Nxc3 Let’s investigate... 56.bxc3 Bc6
57.a4 Bxe4 58.fxe4 Kxc3 59.a5 Kb4 The best place for the King, as later it will not interfere with his Queen checking
White’s King. (After 59...Kd4 60.a6 c3 61.a7 c2 62.a8=Q c1=Q+ 63.Kxg6 Qg1+ 64.Kxh5 the white King escapes
from the checks.) 60.a6 c3 61.a7 c2 62.a8=Q c1=Q+ 63.Kxg6 Qg1+ 64.Kh7
At this position we should stop calculating. Black is a pawn down in the queen endgame. Still some drawing chances
remain, but to hold this in a practical game is very difficult. For that reason, it’s enough to decide to search for
alternatives, rather than entering the queen ending! Only if we have no other choice, then we are obliged to go for this
option. (64.Kxh5? is not good, because of a perpetual check: 64...Qd1+=)

55...Ng1! 56.Kf4

White doesn’t have anything better. He must protect his pawn.

56...Nxf3?

Black chooses this very tempting option. With a temporary sacrifice of the Knight he regains a pawn and transforms to
the opposite-coloured bishop ending. However, if he had calculated a little bit further, he would have seen that it leads
to a lost position.
If he had been aware of this, Black would easily have found the correct way: 56...Ne2+! 57.Ke5 Ng1 58.Kf4 White
must protect the pawn again and the draw is inevitable. 58...Ne2+=

57.Kxf3 Bc6 58.a4 Bxe4+

59.Kf4 Bb7

If the black King was able to come to the queenside and stop White’s passed pawn, it would be a draw. Unfortunately
for Black, he was not able to execute this: 59...Bh1 60.a5 Kc2 61.Ke5 Kb3 62.Kd6 Ka4 63.Kc5!

White doesn’t allow the black King into the a8-corner. Black must give up his Bishop for the White passed pawn.

60.a5 Bc8

Or 60...Kc2 61.Ke5 Kb3 62.Kd6 Ka4 63.Kc7 Ba6 64.Kb6 and White wins.

61.Ke5 Ke3 62.Kd6 Ke4 63.Kc7 Be6 64.Bd2 Kd3 65.Bg5 Kc2 66.Bf6 g5 67.hxg5 h4 68.g6 h3 69.Be5
Black cannot push his h-pawn. One of the two white pawns will queen.

1–0
 Show in Quiz Mode

EXERCISES
1
E. Rozentalis
A. Dunis
Nancy, 2006

Black to move
34...Rxh1 or 34...Rdh7?

Show/Hide Solution
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1
E. Rozentalis
A. Dunis
Nancy, 2006

34...Rdh7?

A natural but wrong move. It gives White a nice chance.

After the correct 34...Rxh1 35.Rxh1 Rh7 a draw is inevitable. For example: 36.Rxh7 Kxh7 37.Kf3 Kg6 38.Ke4 Kg5
39.Kf3 f5=

34...Rdh7? 35.Rh5!
White got a chance to get some advantage.

35...Rxh5

36.Rxb7 was a threat. Black was forced to exchange Rooks on h5.

36.gxh5+ Rxh5 37.Rxb7

After the exchange of the Rooks and couple of pawns, the white Rook became very active on the seventh rank. It can
attack both the black Bishop and the weak a-pawn.

37...Rg5+?!

The Rook went astray.

Black should have played 37...Rh7 to exchange Rooks. However, after 38.Rb8 White would keep the initiative. (Going
for another rook exchange would lead to a drawish bishop ending: 38.Rxh7 Kxh7 39.Kf3 f5=)

38.Kf3 Kf5 39.Rd7 Rg8

Black’s Rook retreated to a passive position as it has to protect the Bishop.

40.Rd6 Rh8 41.Be1!

Necessary prophylaxis. The Bishop comes to f2 or g3 controlling the black Rook.

41.Rxa6?! Rh2! with counter-play.

41...Be7?

Black is giving a pawn for nothing.

His last chance was 41...Re8 trying to get some counter-play by playing ...e4, when it became possible.
42.Rxa6 Rb8 43.Rb6

A most natural move. However, White had to calculate that he was winning the black c5-pawn by force after the
exchange. Otherwise, the bishop endgame wouldn’t be winning.

43...Rxb6 44.axb6 Bd8 45.b7 Bc7 46.Bf2 Ke6 47.Bxc5 Bb8 48.Bf8

White plans to play c4-c5, followed by Bd6.

48...Kf7 49.Bh6 Ke6 50.c5 Kd5 51.Bf8 Kc6 52.Bd6!

The final exchange of the Bishops, leading to a winning pawn ending. Still, some easy calculation is needed!
52...Bxd6 53.cxd6 Kxb7 54.c4

The c-pawn is going to protect the d-pawn.

54...Kc6 55.c5 f5 56.Kg3

The most efficient plan. White’s King arrives to force the black pawns to move forward.

56...Kd7 57.Kh4 Ke6 58.Kg5 f4 59.Kg4

One step backwards by the King. However, his next move is 60.d4, after which both black pawns will be captured.

1–0

2
E. Rozentalis
S. Ulak
Suwalki, 1999

White to move
What is better: 29.Rce1 or 29.Rfe1? And why?

Show/Hide Solution
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2
E. Rozentalis
S. Ulak
Suwalki, 1999
The position is equal. Still, because of the centralized Knight, White has more perspectives. Now he has the following
dilemma: which Rook goes to e1?
29.Rce1!

From c1! Why? Because the most important thing for White is to take control over the e-file and prevent the black Rook
from coming to e4. There are no penetration squares for the black Rooks on the c-file, which means that White can
leave this issue for now...
In case of 29.Rfe1? Rac8 White is not able to avoid penetration by one of the black Rooks, while another one will be
exchanged. For example: 30.Kf2 Rxc1 31.Rxe8 (31.Rxc1 Re4µ) 31...Rd1„

29.Rce1! Rxe1

Now 29...Rac8 30.Kf2 is fine for White and 29...Re4 30.Rxe4 dxe4 31.Kf2 followed by 32.Ke3 is also good for White.
Maybe Black should have played 29...h5 taking more space on the kingside.

30.Rxe1 Bd7?

Occupying the open file was a must. 30...Rc8 and after 31.Kf2 White would obtain only a very slight edge.

31.Kf2 h5 32.Rc1

White can put his Rook on the c-file and leave the e-file for what it is.

32...Rc8

In case of 32...Re8 33.d3 White controls all the squares on this file.

33.Rc3?

Too clever! White wanted to keep the Rook and exchange it on c3, which would improve his pawn structure. Instead, he
should have exchanged the Rook 33.Rxc8 Bxc8 and fixed the pawns on the queenside: 34.a5

Maybe Black is able to hold the position with best play. However, White has good winning chances in a practical game.
33...b6!

White is not the only one to make clever moves! Black moves his pawn to a dark square, improving his Bishop. And the
most important, he gets a good square for his Rook on c5.

34.Kf3 a5 35.h3 Rc5 36.g4 hxg4+ 37.hxg4 Be6?

A bad move. The Bishop should keep control of the vital squares b5 and c6. 37...Ke7 followed by 38...Kd6 was solid
and good enough.

38.g5+?

Both sides missed a possibility for White to win a pawn: 38.Rxc5 bxc5 39.Nc6 However, it’s not clear if White can win
the endgame arising after 39...Bd7 40.Nxa5 c4 41.bxc4 dxc4 42.Nxc4 Bxa4 43.Ke4±
38...Ke7 39.Ke3 Kd6?

A natural, but losing move.

39...Bg4! activating the Bishop. White can’t make any progress. For example: 40.Rxc5 (or 40.Nb5 Bd7) 40...bxc5
41.Nc6+ Kd6 42.Nxa5 Kc7 and to free his Knight, White has to give up a pawn.

40.Nb5+

Now the white Knight and King are penetrating into Black’s camp.

40...Kc6 41.Kd4 Rxc3?

The wrong exchange.

41...Bg4 Black should have tried a pawn sacrifice: 42.Ke5 d4+ 43.Kxd4 Be2 White should be winning, but there would
still be some chances left for a draw.

42.dxc3 Kd7 43.Ke5

White is clearly winning now.

43...Ke7 44.Nc7 Kd7 45.Nxe6

The final exchange. The pawn endgame is winning: 45.Nxe6 fxe6 46.Kf6+–

1–0

3
K. Sasikiran
E. Rozentalis
Warsaw, 2009
Black to move
Should Black exchange the Rooks?

Show/Hide Solution
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3
K. Sasikiran
E. Rozentalis
Warsaw, 2009
The answer is no. Black has a better option.

35...Qd3!

He exchanges the Queens.

In case of 35...Rxc2 36.Qxc2 White has some practical chances to use his extra pawn in a queen endgame.

35...Qd3! 36.Qxd3 Rxd3 37.Kg2 Ra3!

The black Rook is very active. It controls the board.

38.Kf3 Kf8 39.Ke4 Ke7 40.Kd5 Kd7

This is the position Black was aiming for when considering which piece to exchange and which one to keep. His Rook
is so active that even the centralized white King is not dangerous. Wherever he goes, all the black pawns are protected.
On the other hand, the black Rook is ready to attack the white pawns, if the white Rook leaves its post.

41.Rd2

41.c5 is not possible, because of 41...Ra5 followed by 42...bxc5 and Black regains a pawn.

41...Ke7 42.Kc6 Ra5!

Black should always reckon with a pawn exchange after c4-c5. The Rook is strong enough to prevent that.

43.Kb7 Ra4 44.f3 f5 45.Ka8

White travels with his King, but Black has nothing to be afraid of. White can’t make any progress. A draw is inevitable.

45...Ke6 46.Kb8 Ke7 47.Kb7 Ke6 48.Kb8 Ke7 49.Ka8 Ke6 50.Kb7 Ke7 51.Kb8 1/2

4
U. Andersson
E. Rozentalis
Tilburg, 1993

White to move
What to exchange and what to keep?

Show/Hide Solution
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4
U. Andersson
E. Rozentalis
Tilburg, 1993

33.Ne6

The best move. The Knight is very strong as it will control the board. In any case, White should keep this Knight!
Exchanging all the Rooks would be a mistake 33.Rxe8? Rxe8 34.Rxe8+ Nxe8 35.cxd5 Bf6 and Black is only slightly
worse.
33.Ne6 Rf7 34.Bxf6!

The white Bishop appears a very active piece. However, it is more important to exchange the black Knight. Nothing will
stop White in taking full control of the centre.

34...Bxf6 35.cxd5

Let’s look at the position. No black piece can attack the strong white Knight or the central pawn on d5, while White can
easily attack the weak c7-pawn. Black’s position is strategically lost.

35...g6 36.Kf3 a4 37.Rc1 axb3 38.axb3 Ra8 39.Nxc7 Ra3

Or 39...Rc8 40.Rec2+–

40.Re3

White can easily protect his pawns. The black Bishop can’t attack them as they are on the white squares.

40...Re7 41.Ne6

The white Knight comes back to his outpost. Black resigned, as 42.Rc8+ or 42.Rc6 is coming.

1–0

5
A. Moiseenko
G. Battaglini
Jerusalem, 2017
White to move
Can he save the game?

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5
A. Moiseenko
G. Battaglini
Jerusalem, 2017
The answer is yes. However, it is not easy to find the correct way!

47.Qd2?

A bad choice. The resulting pawn endgame is lost because the black King comes to capture the e5-pawn.
The correct way was to look for a chance in the queen ending. 47.Qd8+ Kg7 48.Qf6+ Kg8 49.Qd8+ Kh7 50.Qd7! The
black King escaped the checks but White’s queen attacks the f7-pawn. 50...Kg7 (After 50...Kg6 the white Queen starts
to pursue the King again: 51.Qc6+ Kh5 52.Qf3+ Kg6 53.Qc6+) 51.e6 Qd1+ It seems that Black is simply winning.
52.Kf2!! It is not easy to see such a move in advance! White wants to exchange the Queens on his terms. (After the
natural 52.Qxd1 cxd1=Q+ 53.Kxd1 fxe6 Black wins.) 52...Qxd7 (White is not afraid of the four-Queens endgame in
case of 52...Qh5 53.Qd4+ Kh7 54.e7 c1=Q 55.e8=Q Qc2+ 56.Ke1 Qc1+ 57.Kf2 as Black has nothing better than a
perpetual check.) 53.exd7 c1=Q 54.d8=Q Black has an extra pawn. However, his pawns are doubled and White should
not have any problem to hold a draw in this endgame.

47.Qd2? Qxd2+

The correct and the only!

47...Qb2 allows a perpetual check: 48.Qxh6+ Ke8 49.Qh8+ Ke7 50.Qf6+ Ke8 51.Qh8+

51...Ke7= (51...Kd7? even loses: 52.e6++–)

47...Qd1+ loses a tempo and allows White to save the game. 48.Qxd1 cxd1=Q+ 49.Kxd1 Ke7 50.Ke2 Ke6 51.Kf3
Kxe5 52.Kg3 Kf6 Otherwise, the King goes to h4. 53.Kf4 Kg6 54.g4!

White should be fast to reduce the number of pawns on the board and exchange the pawns on his own terms. He needs
to have a pawn on g4 after the exchange. 54...f6 (54...fxg4 55.hxg4 is a theoretical draw: 55...Kf6 56.Kf3 Ke5 57.Ke3
Kf6 58.Kf4 Kg6 59.Kf3 Kg5 60.Kg3 f6 61.Kf3 Kh4 62.Kf4) 55.Kf3 (But not 55.gxf5+ Kh5 and White loses)
55...Kg5 56.Kg3 f4+ 57.Kf3 Kh4 (Or 57...f5 58.h4+ Kxh4 59.gxf5 Kg5 60.f6=) 58.Kxf4 Kxh3 59.Kf3=

48.Kxd2 Ke7 49.Kxc2 Ke6 50.Kd3 Kxe5 51.Ke3 f4+!

The pawn is going forward to push White’s King and finally to be exchanged for the g-pawn.

52.Kf3 Kf5 53.Kf2 Ke4 54.Ke2 h5 55.Kf2 h4 56.Ke2

Black managed to advance with his King and two pawns as far as possible. Now the time has come for a breakthrough!

56...f3+!

By this temporary pawn sacrifice Black weakens the white pawns.

57.gxf3+ Kf4 58.Kf2 f6

White is in zugzwang.

59.Kg2 Ke3 60.f4 Kxf4 61.Kf2 f5 62.Kg2 Ke3

And White resigned a few moves later.

0–1

6
M. Krasenkow
J. Hammer
Stockholm, 2016
Black to move
Black would like to activate his pieces. But 30...d4 can be met by 31.Bc4.
What do you think?

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6
M. Krasenkow
J. Hammer
Stockholm, 2016

30...d4

He goes for it. But after...

31.Bc4

...he has in mind a different exchange!

31...Ra2!

Black temporarily sacrifices the Rook in order to keep his active Bishop!

32.Rxa2

After 32.Rc1 Black can already exchange the Bishops as his Rook becomes extremely active. 32...Bxc4 33.Rxc4 Rh2
34.Kg3 (Or 34.Rb2 Rxb2 35.Nxb2 Re3+ 36.Kf2 Bh4+ 37.Kg2 Re2+ and Black wins a piece) 34...Rd2 35.Nf2 Re3+
36.Rxe3 dxe3 and Black’s passed pawn will cost White a whole piece.

32...Bxc4
The Bishop attacks both Rooks. All black pieces are very active and dangerous.

33.g5

White tries to ease the tension.

In case of 33.Rab2 Bh4! White has to give up his Knight because of the 34...Bd5 mate threat. 34.Ne3 dxe3 35.Rxe3
Bd5+ 36.Ke2 Rf8 and the black pieces dominate the board.

33...Bxb3 34.gxf6+ Kxf6 35.Rd2

35...Bxd1+
The Bishop accomplished his task in this game and can be exchanged now! The resulting rook endgame will offer a big
advantage to Black due to the fact that his Rook becomes much more active than White’s one.

36.Rxd1 Re3+ 37.Kf2

Unfortunately for White he cannot move his King forward as after 37.Kg4 h5+ 38.Kxh5 Kf5! 39.h4 d3 40.Kh6 Rg3 the
d3-pawn becomes unstoppable.

37...Re4 38.Rd3

38.Kf3 Kf5–+

38...Rxf4+ 39.Ke2 Ke5

Black is a pawn up and has more active pieces. He has a winning position.

40.Rg3 Ke4 41.Rg7 d3+ 42.Kd2 Rf2+ 43.Kc3 Rc2+ 44.Kb3 Rc1 45.Re7+ Kf3 46.Rf7+ Ke2 47.Re7+ Kd1 48.Kb2 d2
49.Re4 Rc2+ 50.Kb1 Rc3 0–1
 Show in Quiz Mode

TEST

I would advise you to take a closer look at the full analysis. I believe you will find a lot of instructive ideas and it will
surely improve your endgame skills. You might even find some mistakes and improvements!
1
E. Rozentalis
P. Jaracz
Gorzow Wlkp, 2012

Black to move
33...Rf7 or 33...Rg6?

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1
E. Rozentalis
P. Jaracz
Gorzow Wlkp, 2012

33...Rf7?

A bad choice. Black goes for a pawn ending bringing him into difficulties.
Instead, 33...Rg6! 34.Kf3 h6 would avoid any difficulties. The position is equal.

33...Rf7? 34.Rxf7 Kxf7 35.Kd4

The white King is more active. He will move to the queenside now.

35...Ke6 36.Kc5 Kd7

This pawn ending seems drawish. However, White has a typical plan in store: seize the opposition and penetrate into
Black’s camp from a side. However, with accurate and precise play Black can achieve a draw.

37.Kb6?

Good idea, bad execution!

37.h4! would have made Black’s defense much more difficult. White tries to fix a pawn structure on the kingside.
37...g6! The only move. (The obvious 37...Kc7? is wrong: 38.g4 g6 39.g5 Kd7 40.Kb6 Kd6 41.a3 Kd7 42.Kb7 Kd6
43.Kc8 and White wins, as in the game.) 38.Kb6 h6 39.g3 Kd6 40.g4 g5 41.hxg5 (Or 41.h5 Kd5 42.Kc7 Kc4 43.Kxc6
Kxb4 44.Kb6 Ka4 45.Kc5 Ka5=) 41...hxg5 42.a3 Kd7 43.Kb7 Kd6 44.Kc8
Black is in zugzwang, but his King can attack White’s g-pawn. 44...Ke5 45.Kc7 Kf4 46.Kxc6 Kxg4 47.Kxb5 Kh3
48.Ka4 (Or 48.a4 g4 49.a5 g3 50.a6 g2 51.a7 g1=Q 52.a8=Q Qf1+= The white king cannot avoid a perpetual.) 48...g4
49.b5 g3 After both sides have promoted, the resulting queen endgame with an extra a-pawn is a theoretical draw.

37...Kd6?

Black also plays a natural King move but it loses the game.
37...g5! would have saved him half a point. Black would take some space on the kingside, and later he could adjust his
pawn moves, preventing the zugzwang. 38.Kb7 Kd6 39.Kc8 (Or 39.a3 Kd7 40.g3 h5=) 39...c5 40.bxc5+ Kxc5
41.Kd7 Kb4 42.Kc6 h5 43.a3+ Ka5 44.g4 hxg4 45.hxg4 Ka4 46.Kc5 Ka5=

38.h4!

Now White seizes more space on the kingside and he will be able to move the pawns according to his needs. White is
winning.
38...h5

Or 38...g6 39.g4 h6 40.g5! hxg5 41.hxg5 Kd7 42.Kb7 Kd6 43.Kc8+– We saw a similar position, but with pawns on g4
and g5, respectively. It was drawish. This one, with pawns on g5 and g6, is winning for White. 43...Ke6 44.Kc7 Kf5
45.Kxc6 Kxg5 46.Kxb5

Black will be able to promote his only pawn. But he is losing because of the position of his unfortunate King. 46...Kh4
(46...Kf4 47.Kc4 and White promotes his b-pawn with check; 46...Kf5 47.Kc4 and the white King stops the black
pawn.) 47.a4 g5 48.a5 g4 49.a6 g3 50.a7 g2 51.a8=Q g1=Q 52.Qh8+ and White exchanges the Queens.

39.a3 Kd7 40.Kb7 Kd6 41.Kc8

White implemented his plan.

41...Ke5 42.Kc7 Kd5 43.Kd7

Black is in zugzwang.

43...c5 44.bxc5 Kxc5 45.Kc7 Kc4 46.Kc6

Another zugzwang position.

46...b4 47.axb4 Kxb4 48.Kd5 Kc3 49.Ke6 Kd3 50.Kf7 Ke3 51.Kxg7 Kf4 52.Kg6 Kg4 53.g3

The final zugzwang!

1–0

2
R. Kempinski
G. Spyropoulos
Port Rio, 2015

Black to move
Can Black play 67...Ng6+?

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2
R. Kempinski
G. Spyropoulos
Porto Rio, 2015
Yes, he can. Normally, it would be enough to evaluate thus: this move leads to an exchange of light pieces, entering a
rook ending with two pawns against one. However, in this position the decision must be justified by some exact
calculation and knowledge!

67...Ng6+ 68.Bxg6 Kxg6

Black was of the opinion that any rook endgame with two pawns against one should be a draw.

69.h5+ Kf6 70.Rh7

But suddenly Black realized that he was not able to save his only pawn and resigned. While it’s a theoretical draw!
However, the draw is not easy to find, if you don’t know the position.
But if you do have this knowledge, then it’s not difficult!

70...Ra4+ 71.Kg3 Ra6!!

With this move, Black manages to protect the pawn.

72.Rxh6+

Neither does White win if he plays 72.Kh4 Ke5 73.Rg7 (or 73.g5 Ra4+=) 73...Rc6 74.Rg6 Rxg6 75.hxg6 Kf6 76.Kh5
Kg7=

72...Kg5 73.Rxa6
Stalemate!
Or 73.Rh8 Ra3+ 74.Kf2 Kxg4=

1–0

3
E. Rozentalis
H. Gabuzyan
Milan, 2014

White to move
How can White get a clear advantage?

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3
E. Rozentalis
H. Gabuzyan
Milan, 2014
White has the better pawn structure. The only way for Black to achieve some counter-play is to bring his Knight to d4.
That means the Knight should be exchanged.

16.Nd5

With this move White’s Knight attacks Black’s e7 pawn and opens a diagonal for the white Bishop.

16...Rfe8 17.Bb4 f5?!

The Knight can’t escape from the exchange, but Black allows the white Knight to take a dominant position.
17...Rc6 was more stubborn. Still, after 18.Rac1 b6 (in case of 18...f5 19.Bxc5 Rxc5 20.Nb6 White gets an advantage, as
in the game) 19.Bxc5 bxc5 20.Rd3 White seizes the only open line and has a clear advantage.

18.Nb6!

Before exchanging the black Knight, White settles his own Knight into a perfect position.

18...Rc6 19.Bxc5 Rxc5 20.b4 Rc7

Or 20...Rc6 21.c5±

21.f3 e6 22.c5

The white pawn covers the Knight. White has a strategically winning position, due to his big space advantage and better
pawn structure.

22...Bh6 23.Rd3 fxe4 24.fxe4 Bg5 25.Rad1 a5 26.a3 axb4 27.axb4 Rf8
28.Rf1!

The best move from a practical point of view. White exchanges one Rook in order to avoid any counter play.
The computer prefers the cool 28.g3.

28...Rcf7

After 28...Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Rf7+ White is ready to exchange another Rook: 30.Rf3 Bd2 31.Rxf7 Kxf7 32.b5 Be3 33.Na4
White’s King comes to the queenside and this should be enough to win this endgame.

29.Rxf7 Rxf7

The square f4 is under control now. Black’s Rook can’t move forward.

30.g3! Kf8 31.Kg2 Ke8 32.Nc4

White is winning one of the central black pawns.

32...Rc7 33.Rd6 Be7 34.Rxe6 Rd7 35.Nd6+ Kf8

After 35...Kd8 36.Nf7+ White wins another pawn.

36.Rxe5 Bxd6 37.Rd5!

A temporary sacrifice. White exchanges all the pieces.

Black resigned, as the pawn ending with a pawn down is lost: 37.Rd5 Ke7 38.Rxd6 Rxd6 39.cxd6+ Kxd6 40.Kf3 Kc6
41.Ke3 Kb5 42.e5+–

1–0

4
E. Rozentalis
B. Gledura
Reykjavik, 2014

Black to move
Should Black exchange his Rook or should he keep it?

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4
E. Rozentalis
B. Gledura
Reykjavik, 2014

45...Rxb6?

A bad choice.
Black should have kept the Rook: 45...Ra2! 46.Rb8+ Kf7 47.Rb7+ Kf8 48.gxf5 Bd4! With an attack on the f2-pawn.
49.fxg6 hxg6 50.Ne3 Rxa4 Black should be able to hold this endgame.

45...Rxb6? 46.Nxb6 fxg4

46...Bd4 leads to the same position: 47.a5 fxg4 48.Nc8 when the black King is too far away to stop the passed pawn:
48...Ke8 49.a6 Kd7 50.a7+–

47.a5 Bd4 48.Nc8 g3

Most likely, Black calculated until this position, evaluating it as a draw. He thought that he was winning the f2 pawn,
and after giving his Bishop for the passed pawn, three pawns should neutralize the only white pawn on the kingside.

49.Kf1!

White has time to improve his King first.

The direct 49.a6? would allow Black to exchange pawns on the kingside: 49...Bxf2+ 50.Kf1 g5 51.a7 Bxa7 52.Nxa7 h5
53.Nc6 (53.Ke2 g4 as well) 53...g4 54.Ne5 Ke7 55.Ke2 Kf6, followed by ...h5, ...h4, ...h3 and draw.
49...Bxf2

After 49...gxf2 50.a6 Kf7 51.a7 White wins the Bishop, as well as the pawn.

50.Ke2!

Once again, the King is first!

50.a6? g5 51.Ke2 g4=

50...h5 51.Kf3

Right in time.

51...Kg7

Black is not able to exchange white g-pawn: 51...g5 52.a6 g4+ (52...h4 53.Kg4) 53.Kf4+–

52.a6

The time has come for the passed pawn to advance.

52...Kf6 53.a7 Bxa7 54.Nxa7 Kf5 55.Kxg3 g5

Finally, White won the Bishop, and captured the pawn. We have an endgame — Knight+pawn versus two pawns. Some
of these positions are drawish, some are lost.

As I once lost a very similar position, I knew exactly what White should do in order to win this one.

56.Nc6 Ke4 57.Nd8

First of all, the Knight should find his way to the kingside.

57...Kf5 58.Nf7 Kf6 59.Nd6 Ke5 60.Nc4+ Ke4 61.Nd2+ Kf5 62.Nf3
The Knight arrived, and it attacks Black’s pawns. In order to win the game, White has to force Black to move one of the
pawns. Then it will be possible to approach and attack them.

62...h4+?

A blunder, losing the game immediately.

Let’s check the most stubborn defences: 62...g4 Black takes the chance to move both pawns forward. 63.Ne1 (but not
63.Nh4+? Kg5 and White is in zugzwang) 63...Kg5 64.Nd3 h4+ (64...Kf5 65.Kh4+–) 65.Kf2 Kf5 66.Ke3

Black is in zugzwang:
a) 66...h3 (66...Kg5 67.Ke4+–) 67.g3 h2 68.Nf2 Kg5 69.Ke4+–;
b) 62...Kf6 63.Nd2 Kf5 64.Kf3 Ke5 (64...h4 65.Ne4 g4+ 66.Ke3 Ke5 67.Nf2 Kf5 68.Nd3 Kg5 69.Ke4 h3 70.g3+–)
65.Nf1 Kf5 66.Ng3+ Kg6 67.Ke4 h4 68.Nf1+–

63.Nxh4+

Reaching an easily winning pawn endgame.

1–0

5
G. Battaglini
E. Rozentalis
Jerusalem, 2015

White to move
What would you play?
36.Rb8+, 36.Rb5 or 36.Rc1

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5
G. Battaglini
E. Rozentalis
Jerusalem, 2015

36.Rb5?

Maybe the most natural, but certainly the worst choice! White evaluated its consequences wrongly.
36.Rb8+ was a possible move, but after 36...Kg7 37.Ba2 Ne4 38.Rb2 Rc5 Black still keeps a slight initiative.
The most solid move was 36.Rc1! After the exchange of the light pieces 36...Nxc4 (fortunately 36...Rc5? doesn’t work
because of 37.Bxf7) 37.Rxc4 the rook ending is equal.

36.Rb5? Rxb5 37.Bxb5

When going for this endgame White failed to take into account that Black’s King arrives in the centre much faster than
White’s. It doesn’t mean yet that White is losing. But with the wrong exchange White has put his game at a great risk,
when it was possible to have a safe position.

37...f6

Probably the best try for Black was an immediate attack on the white pawn: 37...Nb1 38.a4 Nc3 39.Kg2 Kf8 40.Bc6
Ke7. White would have to play energetically: 41.f4 f5 42.h4 Kd6 43.Be8 Kc5 44.h5 gxh5 45.Bd7 Nd5 46.Kf3 Ne7
47.e4 fxe4+ 48.Kxe4

Not much material left on the board. White would have good chances for a draw.

38.Kg2

Both sides think that first they have to bring their Kings to the centre.
38.Bd3 would be more solid, as it would stop the threat ...Nb1.

38...Kf7 39.f3

Too slow.
39.f4 Ke6 40.h4 would be more energetic.

39...Ke6

Once more 39...Nb1 would be a better try.

40.Kf2
40.Bd3 would have stopped ...Nb1 ideas.

40...Kd5

Black was aiming for this position. His King is in the centre and White’s a-pawn can be attacked shortly.
However 40...Nb1 was again possible.

41.Bd3

Finally, White plays this move.

41...Nc4

Looks very natural because if the Knight gets exchanged, the pawn endgame seems to be an easy win for Black.
Another possibility would be 41...Kc5 42.e4 (the only move) 42...Kd4 43.Bb5 Nb1 44.a4 Nc3 45.Be8. In spite of a big
positional advantage, it’s not clear how Black can achieve something essential. He can win a pawn, but then White gets
sufficient compensation:
45...Kc4 46.Ke3 Kb4 47.f4 Nxa4 48.e5 Nb6 49.Kd4 fxe5+ 50.fxe5=

42.a4?

White also makes a wrong choice and keeps his Bishop. He could and should have exchanged it.
The pawn ending after 42.e4+! Kd4 43.Bxc4 Kxc4

44.Ke3 would have saved the day (not 44.f4? Kd4 45.Kf3 a4 46.h4 h5–+) 44...g5 45.f4! a4 (45...h6 46.Kf3 a4 47.e5=)
46.fxg5 fxg5 47.Kf3 h5 48.Ke3 Kc5 49.Kd3 Kc6 50.Ke3!
A careful move after which Black can’t win. (50.Kd4? Kd6 51.e5+ Ke6 52.Ke4 h4! zugzwang 53.Kd4 g4–+) 50...Kd6
51.Kd4 Ke6 52.e5=

42...Nb2 43.Bb5

43.Bc2 Kc4–+

43...Nd1+

Suddenly, White loses a pawn.

44.Kg3
44.Ke2? Nc3+ 45.Kd3 Nxb5 46.axb5 Kc5–+

44...Nxe3

Black is a clean pawn up. He is winning.

45.Be8 Ke5 46.h4 Nd5

Black’s Knight is going to f4.

47.Bf7 Nf4 48.Bg8 h5 49.Bf7 g5 50.Be8 Kd4 51.Bf7 Ke3 52.Be8 Kd4 53.Bf7 Ke5 54.Be8 Ke6 55.Bb5 Kf7 56.Bc4+
Kg7 57.Bb5 Ng6

58.Be8

White prefers to sacrifice another pawn.

In case of 58.hxg5 fxg5 59.Be8 Nf4 the Knight comes back to f4. Then the black King comes to e3 and Black wins.

58...gxh4+ 59.Kh3 Kh6 60.f4 Nxf4+ 61.Kxh4 Ng6+

With two healthy extra pawns Black won the game in 75 moves.

0–1

6
P. Brochet
E. Rozentalis
Le Grau-du-Roi, 2015
Black to move
Should Black go for a queen exchange (...Qb1–...Qg6)? Would this bring the victory any closer?

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6
P. Brochet
E. Rozentalis
Le-Grau-du-Roi, 2015
Yes, he should. And it brings him a victory. But, it requires some precision.

30...Qb1+ 31.Kg2 Qg6+

Those two moves Black can do without much calculation. First of all, he has to bring his Queen to the kingside in order
to avoid perpetual check. Secondly, it is easy to see that if White exchanges the Queens, Black wins.

32.Qg4

White’s only try. After he had achieved this position, Black has to calculate accurately. He should try to define if he can
find a forced win using an exchange, now or at the later stage. Otherwise, he should examine the option of keeping his
Queen.
32.Qxg6+? loses quickly after 32...Kxg6 33.f4 Kf5 34.Kf3 d4–+

32...h5!

This move enables Black to win some space on the kingside.

The immediate exchange doesn’t promise Black anything good, as after 32...Qxg4+? 33.fxg4 White threatens to play
34.f4 and cut off the King. Black still can make a draw with 33...h5 34.h3 hxg4 35.hxg4 g5 36.f4 gxf4 37.Kf3 Kg6=
but that’s not what he is looking for.

33.Qg3

Again, the only move, as an exchange on g6 loses immediately.

33...h4!

Pushing the white Queen forward again.

34.Qg4 Kh6!

Because the white Queen is pinned and cannot escape, Black can bring his King closer.

35.a4?

A waiting and rather passive move.

After 35.h3 d4 36.Kf1 Qxg4 37.fxg4 Kg5 Black is clearly winning. More tenacious would be 35.Kh3
and Black is winning by exchanging the Queens, but the win is far from trivial: 35...Qxg4+ 36.Kxg4 (36.fxg4? Kg5–+)
36...d4! (36...Kg6 is not so clear: 37.f4 Kf6 38.Kxh4 Kf5 39.Kg3 Ke4 40.f5! and White is probably saving the game.)
37.Kf4 d3 38.Ke3 Kg5 39.h3! Once more the best. (39.Kxd3 Kf4 40.Ke2 h3 White is losing, as he constantly finds
himself in zugzwang) 39...d2 40.Kxd2 Kf4 41.Ke2 a5 42.a4 g6 43.Kf1 (43.Ke1 Kxf3 44.Kf1) 43...Kxf3

The black King is much more active. Using the zugzwang idea, he takes the best moment to move to the queenside to
win the white a-pawn. 44.Kg1 Ke4 45.Kg2 Kf4 46.Kf1 Ke5 47.Ke2 Ke4–+

35...d4

The white Queen is still pinned, so Black can safely push his passed pawn.

36.Kf1 Qxg4 37.fxg4 Kg5 38.h3 d3 39.Ke1 Kf4 40.Kd2 Kf3 41.Kxd3 Kxf2
The black King will capture the h-pawn.

0–1

7
E. Rozentalis
J. Emms
Freiburg, 1995

White to move
White is a pawn up, but a doubled one. How should he proceed to keep the advantage?

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7
E. Rozentalis
J. Emms
Freiburg, 1995

20.h3!

The best chance for White is to exchange the light-squared Bishops. That will weaken Black’s position on the light
squares.

20...a6 21.Bg4 b5 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.axb5 axb5 24.Nd6?!

White achieved his goal: he exchanged the Bishops. Now, he goes for another exchange at the cost of the extra pawn.
But there was no need for that. 24.Na3! was much stronger and White would preserve his extra pawn: 24...Nxe5
25.Nxb5+ Kc6 26.Na3±
24...Bxd6 25.exd6+ Kxd6 26.Ke2

This is the position White was aiming for when playing his 24th move. Despite the equal material, White has some
advantage due to weaknesses in Black’s camp.
The win of the pawn with 26.Ne4+ would allow Black’s sufficient counter-play: 26...Kd5 27.Nf6+ Kc4 28.Nxh7 g4
29.hxg4 Kb3=

26...Ke7?

Too slow.
Black should have seized the a-file immediately, and after 26...Ra8! he would have obtained good chances to equalize.

27.Ra1!

Now White seizes the a-file and dominates the position.

27...c4 28.Ne4 h6 29.Ra6 Ne5 30.Nc5 Rd5 31.Nxe6

31...Nd3?

Black regains a pawn, but loses too much time in doing so.
Maybe Black had to exchange his Rook and look for some chances in the knight ending: 31...Rd6 32.Rxd6 Kxd6
33.Nd4. However, those knight endings with an extra pawn are usually winning.

32.Nd4 Nxb2 33.e4!

White takes advantage of the bad position of the black Knight. His forces are becoming very active and his advantage
becomes decisive.

33...Rc5 34.Rxh6 Nd3 35.Rb6

White wins another pawn. He won the game in 49 moves.

1–0

8
E. Rozentalis
S. Smagin
Odessa, 1989
White to move
39.Bxf7 or 39.Bf3?

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8
E. Rozentalis
S. Smagin
Odessa, 1989
Not an easy choice, as both moves require very careful calculation. One is wrong, one is right.

39.Bf3?

A bad pick. It means that White has made some miscalculations in both variations!
He had to go for a bishop exchange: 39.Bxf7! Bxf7 40.Kxf7 d3 41.g6 d2 42.g7 d1=Q 43.g8=Q with a Queens ending
43...Qd5+. But Black immediately exchanges the Queens, as (43...Qf3+ 44.Ke7+ gives him nothing) 44.Kg7 Qxg8+
45.Kxg8 The pawn ending seems very dangerous for White. In fact, it’s a draw. White should use this well-known
study-like method (Reti’s study — Editor’s note):
45...Kd5 46.Kf7! With this move, the white King supports his pawn and in the meantime closes in on the black pawns
46...b5 (or 46...Ke5 47.Ke7 b5 48.f4+ Kxf4 49.Kd6=) 47.f4 Ke4 48.Ke6! Forcing Black to take a pawn while
allowing the white King to approach the queenside. 48...Kxf4 49.Kd5=

39.Bf3? b5 40.g6

White has declined the possibility to exchange Bishops in favour of winning the Bishop for two pawns. Unfortunately,
he hasn’t evaluated the consequences correctly.

40...fxg6 41.Kxe6 a5 42.Ke5 d3 43.Ke4 Kc3 44.Ke3 d2

White is not able to stop the black pawns.

45.Be2

The same would happen after 45.Bd1 a4!–+

45...a4!

Black’s next move is 46...b4, and one of the pawns queens.

In the preliminary calculation White expected only 45...b4?, which wouldn’t be dangerous, because of 46.axb4 axb4
47.Bd1 and the Bishop holds both pawns.

0–1

9
A. Goganov
D. Gordijevskij
Khanty Mansijsk, 2014

White to move
63.Bxc4 or 63.Ke2?

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9
A. Goganov
D. Gordijevskij
Khanty Mansijsk, 2014

63.Bxc4?

A very tempting, but wrong choice.

White should have refrained from the exchange: 63.Ke2! and only after 63...b3 go for an exchange. (In case of 63...Kd4
64.Kd1 White shouldn’t have any problem to hold a draw) 64.Bxc4 Kxc4 65.Kd2

Now the draw is inevitable: 65...Kd4 66.h4 Ke4 (or 66...h5 67.Kc1=) 67.Kc3 Kf3 68.Kxb3 Kxf2 69.Kc3 Kg3 70.Kd2
Kxh4 71.Ke2 Kg3 72.Kf1=

63.Bxc4? Kxc4 64.Kd2 Kb3 65.f4

White went for this position, thinking that the game would transfer into a drawish queen ending. But he missed an
unexpected surprise!

65...Kc4!
Although the black King went forward just a move ago, now unexpectedly he goes back. The white pawn has moved
forward also becoming vulnerable. Black is winning.
65...Ka2? leads only to a draw: 66.f5 b3 67.f6 b2 68.f7 b1=Q 69.f8=Q=

66.f5

Or 66.Kc2 Kd4 67.Kb3 Ke4 68.Kxb4 Kxf4 69.Kc3 Kg3 70.Kd2 Kxh3 71.Ke2 Kg2–+

66...Kd5 67.Kd3 Ke5 68.Kc4 Kxf5 69.Kxb4 Kg5

Black’s King wins the only white pawn while White’s King fails to reach the h1 corner.

70.Kc3 Kh4 71.Kd3 Kxh3 72.Ke3 Kg3 0–1

10
C. Renner
E. Rozentalis
Augsburg, 2007
Black to move
Should Black exchange Queens immediately?

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10
C. Renner
E. Rozentalis
Augsburg, 2007

31...c4!

A good time to throw in this intermediate move. It spoils White’s pawn structure.
After the immediate exchange 31...Qxd1+ 32.Kxd1 c4 White wouldn’t have any problem to play 33.b4=

31...c4! 32.Qxd6+

In all other cases, White would face unpleasant problems:

32.bxc4 Qxd1+ 33.Kxd1 Kd6 The King comes to c5, and the c4-pawn will be consumed; 32.Bxc4 Qxd1+ 33.Kxd1
Nxc4 34.bxc4 Kd6 The same, the King comes to c5. White finds himself in zugzwang, losing the pawn. After that,
Black plays ...b5 and gets a distant passed pawn; 32.Qc2 cxb3 33.Qxb3 b6 Black has a big positional advantage
because of the better pawn structure and better placed pieces. Also worth mentioning is that in such cases the Queen
and the Knight are a powerful combination.

32...Kxd6 33.b4

In case of 33.f4 gxf4 34.gxf4 Black attacks the kingside pawns: 34...Ng6µ

33...axb4 34.cxb4 c3!

This is the move and the position Black had to foresee. He gets a dominant position in the centre.

35.Bb5

Or 35.Kd1 Nc6 36.b5 Nd4 37.Bd3 The Bishop has to move, and Black prevails, as in the game: (otherwise: 37.a5 c2+
38.Kd2 Nxe2–+) 37...Kc5–+; 35.b5 b6 and the white pawns are blocked.

35...Nf3+

The Knight finds its way to d4.

36.Kd1

36.Ke2 c2–+

36...Nd4 37.Bd3 Ke5 38.Kc1 Nc6 39.b5 Nb4!

The black Knight went to another dominating square. The d4-square is made free for the King now.

40.Be2 b6

Maybe 40...Kxe4 was better. After 41.a5 Kd5 42.a6 bxa6 43.bxa6 Kc6 both passed pawns will be exchanged and an
endgame Knight versus Bishop with an extra pawn would give Black some practical chances.

41.Bh5?

The final mistake.

Strangely enough in spite of Black’s large positional advantage, White still has good drawing chances: 41.a5! bxa5
42.b6 Kd6 43.Bb5 (44.e5+ is a threat now) 43...e5 44.f4 f6 45.fxe5+ fxe5 46.h4
It’s not clear how Black can make any progress. For example: 46...Nc6 47.b7 Nb8 48.Kc2 Kc7 49.Kxc3 Kxb7
50.Kc4=

41...f6 42.Bf7 Nd3+

The Knight goes to hunt.

43.Kc2 Nxf2 44.Bg6 Nxh3 45.Kxc3 Nf2 46.Kc4 Kd6

Black’s King is taking care of the white queenside pawns, while the Knight continues attacking pawns on the kingside.

47.e5+ fxe5 0–1

11
P. Prohaszka
E. Rozentalis
Koge, 2014

Black to move
What should Black play?
24...a3, 24...Ra6 or 24...Ke7

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11
P. Prohaszka
E. Rozentalis
Koge, 2014

24...Ra6?
The wrong move. Black was choosing between a rook ending and a bishop ending. And wrongly evaluated both of
them!
24...Ke7? is not good either. It suffices to say that it gives White the attractive choice between a bishop ending after
25.Ra3 followed by 26.Bd1, as in the game, and 25.b5 winning the c6-pawn;
24...a3! This option is the best! 25.b5 Ra5 obliging White to exchange Bishops (25...a2? is bad, because after 26.b6 Bc8
27.Bxc6 White wins) 26.Bxc6 Bxc6 27.Kxc6 a2 28.b6

28...Ra3! Black needs a “long” Rook to attack the white King and the pawn from behind. 29.b7 Rc3+ 30.Kd7 Rb3
White can’t improve his position: 31.Kc7 Rc3+ 32.Kb8 Ra3=

24...Ra6? 25.Ra3

The black pawn is blocked and will be lost in a few moves.

25...Ke7 26.Bd1 Kd8 27.Rxa4 Rxa4 28.Bxa4 Kc7

This is the position Black was going for. In the false opinion that his only weakness, the c6-pawn, is protected and the
draw should be easy. He was wrong! Unfortunately, he failed to realize that White now is able to achieve something
else on the kingside.

29.f4! f6

The only move. Otherwise, White plays e3-e4-e5 and fixes the black pawns on the light squares.

30.Bc2 h6

Again, the only move. Black has to put his pawns only on the dark squares.
30...g6 31.g4 followed by g4-g5 and the black pawn remains on h7.

31.Bg6!
31...e5

Black has the problem that he lacks space.

In case of 31...Bc8 White goes for a pawn ending. 32.Be8 Bd7 (or 32...Bb7 33.h4 e5 34.fxe5 fxe5 35.h5 Ba8 36.Bg6
Bb7 37.Be4 zugzwang 37...Ba8 38.b5 winning the pawn and the game) 33.Bxd7! Kxd7 34.e4

The pawn advances to e5. 34...Kc7 (34...e5 loses because of 35.fxe5 fxe5 36.b5 and after the exchange on b5, White
will win a pawn on e5) 35.e5 f5 36.h3 g5 37.g3 g4 The best try, but Black still loses: 38.hxg4 fxg4 39.Kd4 Kd7 (or
39...h5 40.Ke4 Kd8 41.f5 h4 42.gxh4 exf5+ 43.Kf4 and the black King can’t stop the two white passed pawns) 40.Ke4
Ke7 41.f5+–

32.fxe5?
Instead of closing in the black Bishop, White allows him to escape.
32.f5!

The winning move. 32...Bc8 Black lacks space. That’s why he will find himself in zugzwang. 33.Be8 Bd7 Going for a
pawn endgame, which is lost. But other two options don’t help either: (In case of 33...Bxf5 34.Bxc6 the white pawn
swiftly moves forwards to b6, after which the white King is free to go to the kingside and attack black pawns there;
while after 33...Bb7 White wins due to a zugzwang once again: 34.g3 Ba8 35.Bh5 Bb7 36.Bf3 Ba8 37.b5+–) 34.Bxd7
Kxd7 35.g4! White has several ways to win. This one is the cleanest, as it secures the black pawns and avoids any
counter-play. 35...Kc7 (35...e4 loses a pawn after 36.Kd4) 36.e4 Kb7 37.h3!

The pawn has three moves. These tempi should be used in such a way, that the pawn would go as far as possible, with
White having the opposition at the end! 37...Kc7 38.h4 Kd7 (Black is also lost after 38...Kb7 39.Kd6 Kb6 40.Ke6
Kb5 41.Kf7 Kxb4 42.Kxg7 c5 43.g5 and the white pawn queens on f8 with check.) 39.Kb6 Kd6 40.h5 Kd7 41.Kb7
Kd6 42.Kc8!, 42...c5 43.b5+– and the white pawn queens with check.

32...fxe5 33.h3?

An important update: my opponent told me after reading the first edition of the book that White would still have a
winning position after the correct 33.h4! Be6 34.Be4 Bd7 35.h5 Be8 36.g4! White builds his pawn chain on the light
squares and it will restrict the black Bishop. 36...Bd7 37.Bf5! Be8 (37...Bxf5 38.gxf5 Kd7 39.Kb6 Kd6 40.e4 Kd7
41.Kb7 Kd6 42.Kc8 We have already seen very similar position. Black is lost.) 38.Be6

Black is in zugzwang. 38...g5 (Unfortunately 38...g6 allows a tactical blow: 39.g5! gxh5 40.gxh6 Bg6 41.Bg8 and
White wins the Bishop) 39.e4 Bd7 40.Bxd7 Kxd7 41.b5 cxb5 42.Kxb5+– The e5-pawn is doomed.

33...Be6
After White’s mistakes, the black Bishop has enough space to move.

34.Be4

34.h4 doesn’t win because after 34...Bd5 the black Bishop is active and safe. 35.e4 Bb3 36.Be8 Ba4=

34...Bd7 35.Bg6 Be6 36.Be8 Bd5 37.g3 Bg2 38.h4 g5 39.hxg5 hxg5

Black doesn’t have any problems. The game ended in a draw on the 48th move.

1/2

12
E. Rozentalis
E. Kovalevskaya
Gausdal, 2003
Black to move
37...Rd5 or 37...Rb5?

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12
E. Rozentalis
E. Kovalevskaya
Gausdal, 2003

37...Rb5?

The wrong choice. Black goes for a bad knight endgame.

After 37...Rd5! 38.Nb4 Rd6 Black is slightly worse, but can successfully hold this position. For example: 39.Ke3
(39.Nxc6+? is not possible because of the fork: 39...Rxc6 40.Rxc6 Ne5+) 39...Re6+ 40.Kd2 Ne5=

37...Rb5? 38.Rxc6 Rxb2 39.Nxb2 Ne5+ 40.Ke4 Nxc6 41.Kd5!

The white King is centralized and is much more active than the black King. This factor offers White a serious
advantage.

41...Nd8

Or 41...Kd7 42.Nd3 Ne7+ 43.Ke5 Ng8 44.Nf4±

42.Nd3 f6 43.a4

The white pieces are better. It’s time to move the a-pawn, preparing for an attack on the black a-pawn. It’s difficult to
give good advice to Black.

43...g5 44.h5

Fixing a weak pawn on h6.

44...Ne6 45.Kc6

Time to go for the queenside pawn.

45...f5 46.Kb7 a5 47.Kb6 Kd6 48.Kxa5 Kc7 49.Ne5 g4

49...Ng7 wouldn’t help Black either: 50.Nf7 Nxh5 51.Nxh6 f4 52.g4 Ng7 53.Kb5+–

50.Nd3 Ng7 51.Nf4 Ne8 52.Nd5+ Kb7 53.Kb4

As in pawn endings, in knight endings the extra passed pawn deflects Black’s pieces. The white King goes to the other
side to attack the pawns.

53...Nd6 54.Nf6 Kb6 55.a5+ Ka6 56.Kc5 Nf7 57.Kd5 1–0

 Show in Quiz Mode

13
E. Rozentalis
M. Klauser
Chiasso, 1991

Black to move
Should Black play 38...Rg3+?

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13
E. Rozentalis
M. Klauser
Chiasso, 1991

38...Rg3+?

No, it’s a losing move. It seems that after the rook exchange, the black passed pawns supported by the King and the
Bishop should be very strong. But the forced complications are in White’s favour.
Black should have calculated very carefully. After understanding that the exchange is bad, he should have played the
solid 38...Ke5
or 38...Rc8 with an equal position.
38...Rg3+? 39.Rxg3 Kxg3 40.c6 Be5 41.Nxa6

The white Knight wins a pawn and in the meantime supports its own passed pawn.

41...f4 42.c7 Bxc7 43.Nxc7 f3

Most likely, Black had stopped calculating at this position, thinking that one of the passed pawns should be queening
shortly. But he should have seen little bit further.

44.Nd5!

By some miracle the Knight is extremely mobile in this game. It has done a great job on the queenside and now comes
right in time to stop the black pawns.

44...f2 45.Ke2 d3+

Otherwise, Black loses his f-pawn: 45...Kg2 46.Nf4+ Kg1 (46...Kg3 47.Nd3) 47.Nh3++–

46.Kf1 Kf3 47.Nc3 Ke3 48.Nd1+

The Knight still has time and energy to capture the black pawn and then be back to protect its only pawn.

48...Kd2 49.Nxf2 Kc3 50.Ke1 d2+ 51.Kd1 Kb4 52.Ne4 Ka3 53.Nc3

The white pawn is protected, while Black’s one is doomed.

1–0

14
T. Hillarp-Persson
E. Rozentalis
Gothenburg, 2015
White to move
White is a pawn up. Which piece should he exchange: his Bishop or his Knight?

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14
T. Hillarp-Persson
E. Rozentalis
Gothenburg, 2015

38.Nd2

The wrong choice. White goes for the Bishop against knight endgame.
White should try to exchange his Bishop. The knight endgame with four pawns versus three would give him good
practical chances to win. White’s chances for a win and Black’s chances for a draw would be about equal. After
38.Bd2! Black would have the difficult choice, whether to play such an endgame or to retreat his Knight.

38.Nd2 Nxd2 39.Bxd2 Nc6

If there were pawns on both sides the white Bishop would be stronger than the black Knight. But here we have an
endgame with pawns on one side. Normally, a Knight is good enough to hold such a situation. Black is able to achieve
a draw unless his pawn structure is bad. In the position on the diagram, Black doesn’t have such a problem. Moreover,
his pawn is already on the perfect square, on h5. Otherwise, White could play g2-g4 with much more pressure.

40.Kd3 Kf7 41.Bc3 Ke6

As general advice the black King should be in the centre, and more importantly the pawns should be on the light
squares, because White has the dark-squared Bishop.

42.e4 g6 43.Ke3 f5

The last pawn moves to a light square, and moreover Black manages to diminish the number of pawns.

44.f3 fxe4 45.Kxe4

White could get a passed pawn, but it would be firmly blocked: 45.fxe4 Nd8 46.Kf4 Nf7 47.Bd4 Kd7 and White can’t
break through.

45...Nd8!

The Knight is going to f7, the King and the pawns will control all the squares where White could penetrate.

46.Kf4 Nf7 47.h4 Ke7 48.Bg7 Ke6 49.Bb2 Ke7

White cannot improve his position and tries the last chance.

50.g4

He moves his pawn. But this implies more pawn exchanges.

50...hxg4 51.fxg4 Ke6 52.h5 gxh5 53.gxh5 Ke7 54.Kf5

White could try to cut the black King off from the corner with 54.Bg7 but Black would still have a possibility to bring it
there: 54...Nd8 55.h6 Ne6+ 56.Ke5 Kf7= (but not 56...Nxg7?

57.h7!+–)
54...Kf8 55.Kg6 Kg8 56.Bc1

56.Bg7 Nh8+=

56...Nh8+

Nothing can remove the black pieces from the corner.

57.Kf6 Nf7 58.Bf4 Nh8 1/2

15
E. Rozentalis
M. Petrov
Athens, 2003

White to move
How to get a clear advantage?

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15
E. Rozentalis
M. Petrov
Athens, 2003

24.Rxd8!

If White manages to exchange all the Rooks, he will be able to attack the black pawns on the queenside. The black
pieces are rather passive at the moment, and that gives White an advantage.
Not as strong was 24.c5.
24.Rxd8! Rxd8 25.Rd1 Rxd1+ 26.Kxd1 f5 27.Nc2 c5

The only move, as 27...Kf7 loses a pawn after 28.Nb4.

28.Kd2

The King is advancing to support his troops.

28...Kf7 29.b4

White didn’t manage to win a pawn, but he makes a dangerous passed pawn on the c-file.

29...Ke6 30.Bf4 Bf7?

Unnecessarily giving up a pawn.

Black could have put up more resistance after 30...cxb4 31.Nxb4 Nd6 (not 31...a5 32.Nc6 a4 33.Kc3 and the black
pawn is gone) 32.Kc3 a5 33.Nc6 Nb7 34.Kd4. Still, White is better.

31.bxc5 Kf6 32.Kc3 g5 33.Bb8

White is winning not only because he is a pawn up but also because his pieces are very active.

33...f4 34.Nb4 a5 35.Nd5+ Kf5 36.Kd4 Ng7 37.c6

The c6-pawn will cost Black a piece.

1–0

16
E. Rozentalis
M. Godena
 Pula, 1997

White to move
54.Nf6+ or 54.Nd6?

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16
E. Rozentalis
M. Godena
Yerevan, 1997

54.Nf6+!

Winning by force! Alas this move required deep, accurate calculation.

54.Nd6? would give Black good chances for a draw. After 54...Rxe5 55.b6 Nxb6! 56.Rxb6 Re3 57.Rb3 Rxb3 58.Kxb3
Kg7 Black should be able to hold this endgame.

54.Nf6+! Kg7

Other moves are losing quickly:

54...Nxf6 55.exf6+–; or 54...Kf8 55.Rb8+ Kg7 56.Rg8+ Kh6 57.Nxd5 exd5 58.b6+–. In both cases the white passed
pawn can’t be halted.

55.Nxd5 exd5 56.Re7!

An important move, which had to be calculated in advance. The Rook gives way to the b-pawn and at the same time
protects the central pawn.

56...Rxg3

After 56...Kf8 57.Ra7 Black can’t stop the passed pawn: 57...Rxe5 58.b6 Re6 59.b7 Rb6 60.Ra8++–

57.b6 Rg2+ 58.Kb3 Rg1 59.b7 Rb1+ 60.Kc2 Rb5

61.Rd7!

Another important move as 62.e6 is threatened.

61.e6? at once, would be a big mistake, because of 61...Kf6=

61...g5 62.e6 1–0

17
M. Szelag
E. Rozentalis
Ustron, 2007

Black to move
What should Black play?

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17
M. Szelag
E. Rozentalis
Ustron, 2007

40...Bxe3?

A bad choice. Black underestimates the difficulties he will have to face in the opposite-coloured bishop endgame.
40...exd5? would also be a wrong choice. After 41.Rf3 White regains the Bishop and has the much better prospects in
the rook endgame. Maybe Black can save it but he will have to suffer;
40...Rxc5! The best move, he should be able to calculate this. 41.Bxe6+ (Or 41.bxc5 Bxe3 42.c6 Bf4=) 41...Ke7 42.Re4
Re5 and a draw is inevitable.

40...Bxe3? 41.Bxc6 Bd2 42.Bb7 Bxb4 43.c6 Bd6 44.Bxa6 b4

Black headed for this position, reasoning that the opposite-coloured Bishops will guarantee him an easy draw.
Unfortunately, although the material is equal, his position is lost due to the distant passed pawn on c6 and the weak
pawn on g6.

45.Bd3 Bc7 46.Kf2 Bb6+ 47.Kf3 Bc7

The black King is stuck on e7, he needs to protect his weak pawns.

48.Ke4 Bg3

Black’s only chance lies on the capture of the white pawn on h4.

49.Kf3

49.Kd4! was the winning breakthrough. 49...Ke7 50.Kc5 Kd8 (Otherwise, Black can’t stop the pawn: 50...Bxh4 51.c7
Kd7 52.Kb6 Bg3 53.Bb5++–) 51.Bxg6 Bxh4 52.Kb6 Kc8 (52...Bxg5 53.c7+ Kc8 54.Bf7+–) 53.Bf7 Bf2+ 54.Kb5 h4
55.g6 Bd4 56.Bxe6+ Kc7 57.Bh3+–

49...Bc7 50.Bc2 Bd6 51.Ke3 Bg3

52.Bb1?

White gives Black a precious tempo and a possibility to save the game!
As mentioned before, the King should have moved forward: 52.Kd4+–

52...Ke7

The black King got a chance to move towards the white passed pawn.

53.Bxg6 Bxh4 54.Kf4 Kd6 55.Be4 Kc7 56.g6

Waiting moves wouldn’t improve White’s position. For example: 56.Bf3 Kb6 57.Bg2 Kc7 58.g6 Bf6 59.Ke3 Bg7!
(59...h4? 60.Kd3 h3 61.Bxh3 Kxc6 62.Kc4 winning the b-pawn) 60.Kd3 Kb6 61.Kc4 Bf8 62.Kd4 Bg7+ 63.Ke3 Kc7
64.Kf4 Bf6 White didn’t achieve anything.

56...Bf6 57.Ke3
57...h4?

Black has a fortress and should not move his pawns, which opens an entry for the white King.
57...Bg7! would keep the draw alive. And only after 58.Kd3 can Black move his pawn forward, as it will be able to
reach the h2-square: 58...h4 59.Kc4 Bf8 60.Kb5 h3 61.Bf3 h2 62.Be4

Zugzwang? No! 62...Kc8! 63.Kb6 Bh6 64.c7 Be3+ 65.Kc6 Bd4 66.Kd6 Bg7 67.Bc6 Bf8+=

58.Kf4!

The King is back and the g4-square is free now.

58...Kd6

58...h3 59.Kg3+–

59.Kg4 Kc7 60.Kh5 Bg7

Otherwise, the King comes to h6 with devastating effect.

61.Kxh4

White won the h-pawn. His next target is the pawn on b4. Black’s position is hopeless.

61...Kd6 62.Kg5 Ke7 63.Kf4 Bd4 64.Kf3 Kd6 65.Ke2 Bg7 66.Kd3 b3 67.axb3 Kc7 68.Kc4 Kb6 69.b4 Bf8 70.b5
Kc7 71.Bf3 Bg7 72.Kb4 Kb6 73.Bg4 e5 74.Kc4 1–0

18
B. Khetsuriani
E. Rozentalis
Athens, 2005

Black to move
Should Black exchange his Rook or should he keep it?

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18
B. Khetsuriani
E. Rozentalis
Athens, 2005
30...Rc8!

The best choice. Black has a space advantage, a good reason to refrain from an exchange. Also the Rook attacks the
white pieces on the c-file.
The exchange would lead to an equal position: 30...Rxd1+ 31.Bxd1 Kf6 32.Kf2=

30...Rc8! 31.Nd5 cxb3 32.cxb3

Once again, Black has to decide whether to keep or exchange the piece.
The acceptance of the sacrifice would be very dangerous for White: 32.Nxb6 Rxc2, and White has to give up the
Bishop. Otherwise, he will not be able to defend against the black pawn on a2.

32...Nbd7!

Strictly speaking, maybe not the strongest, but the most practical. Black keeps more pieces on the board, making the
position more complex.
After 32...Rc2 33.Nxb6 Rxe2 34.a4 Rb2 35.Nc4 Nxc4 36.bxc4³ Black will probably win two pawns on the queenside,
losing only one. However, the rook ending with three pawns versus two is a theoretical draw.

33.Bb5?

And White makes a mistake. At first glance it doesn’t feel like a mistake, but in fact it gives Black a chance.
After the precise 33.Ne3 Nf6 34.Nc4 White would be fine.

33...Nf6!

The position has changed just a tiny bit. And it’s already Black who proposes an exchange. There are only two
differences: the wrong position of the white Bishop and the possibility of the black King reaching the centre. However,
it’s enough to develop some initiative.

34.Nxf6 Kxf6 35.Rd2?

Probably the decisive mistake.
White had to make an escape route for his King: 35.h3 Black would still be better, as he could bring his Rook to c2 and
start an attack on the kingside.

35...Rc1+ 36.Kf2 Ng4+ 37.Kg3 Rc3+ 38.Rd3 Rc2

Black’s attack is becoming very unpleasant.

39...Nf2 followed by 40...Ne4+ is only one of the most dangerous threats.

39.Rd6+ Ke5 40.Rd7 h5 41.Re7+ Kf6 0–1

White resigned, as after 41...Kf6 42.Re8 h4+ 43.Kxh4 Rxg2 Black wins both pawns on the second rank.

19
E. Rozentalis
E. Liss
Tel Aviv, 1999
Black to move
What should Black play?
34...Qf6, 34...Nd4 or 34...c6

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19
E. Rozentalis
E. Liss
Tel Aviv, 1999

34...Nd4?

A bad move, as it allows a tactical blow.

34...c6? also allows a tactical blow: 35.Nxg6! Kxg6 36.Qf5+ The game transposes to a pawn ending with an extra pawn
for White. Analysis shows that Black is still able to hold the draw in this endgame. But from a practical point of view it
is wrong to go for such an endgame when you have another option available. 36...Qxf5 and now 37.exf5+ makes
Black’s task more difficult: (37.gxf5+ Kf6 38.fxe6 b5! Black has to move his b-pawn first. Other moves lose because
of the 39.g4 advance. 39.cxb5 cxb5 40.Kf2 b4 41.Ke2 h5!= The sole black h-pawn blocks two white pawns. White
can’t win.) 37...Kf6 38.fxe6
38...b5! Once again, we notice that Black has no time to capture the pawn on e6. He has to move his b-pawn first.
(38...Kxe6? 39.d4!! A study-like move, which brings us the win 39...b5 (39...cxd4 allows White to block the queenside
pawns with 40.c5+– His King will come to the centre and win the d-pawn, while the black King will have to watch over
the other white pawns.) 40.d5+! Kd6 (40...cxd5 41.cxb5+–) 41.Kf3 The white King holds the black pawns on the
queenside, while one of the white pawns on the kingside will evidently become a queen. 41...b4 42.Ke2 cxd5 43.g5
hxg5 44.h5+–) 39.cxb5 cxb5 40.Kf3 Kxe6 41.Ke4 b4 42.Ke3 Ke5 43.Kd2 Ke6 44.Kc2 Ke5 45.Kb3 Ke6 46.Kc4
Ke5

White can’t improve his position. His only try can be 47.d4+ but this also leads to a full liquidation and draw: 47...cxd4
48.Kxb4 Ke4 49.g5 hxg5 50.hxg5 Kf5=.
Going for a queen exchange would be the correct choice. 34...Qf6! 35.Nd5 Qxf1+ 36.Kxf1 Kf7. Black has the
possibility to create a passed pawn by playing c6 and b5, which should guarantee him an easy draw.
34...Nd4? 35.Qf8+!

This is what Black has missed.

35...Kxf8 36.Nxg6+ Ke8 37.Nxe5

White is two pawns up and should win this endgame.

37...c6 38.Nf3 Ne6 39.g5 hxg5 40.Nxg5 Nxg5 41.hxg5 b5 42.cxb5

White should be careful.

The inaccurate 42.Kf3? would allow Black to get a protected passed pawn: 42...b4
Despite his two extra pawns, White can’t win this pawn ending, as his King has to watch the passed pawn, while the
white pawns can’t promote without the help of their King.

42...cxb5 43.Kf3

Black resigned. The white King comes to the queenside, and then White will play d3-d4 and destroy Black’s pawn
fence.

1–0

20
E. Rozentalis
S. Bromberger
Warsaw, 2007

Black to move
Should Black try to exchange his Knight by playing 30...Nc5?

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20
E. Rozentalis
S. Bromberger
Warsaw, 2007

30...Nc5?

A bad choice. Black goes for a rook endgame where White is more active.
He had to keep the Knight and play 30...Rc6! Black covers the d6-square and prepares his counter play in the centre
starting with ...f5.
30...Nc5? 31.Nxc5 Rxc5 32.b4

White is first to move his pawns. He controls the centre and has the better position.

32...Rc6 33.Kc3 f5 34.a4 b6 35.a5 bxa5 36.bxa5 Rd6?

Losing an important tempo.

He should have activated his Rook: 36...Rc5! 37.Kb4 Re5 38.c5 Re1, which should be enough for a draw, eg 39.Rd6
Rb1+ and White will have to give up his c-pawn to escape Black’s checks.

37.c5 Rc6

Black cannot exchange the Rooks, as the pawn ending is lost.

38.Kc4 e5 39.Rd5 Ke6 40.Rd8 e4 41.Re8+

41.Kd4! was technically more clean, as it would prevent any counter-play of the black pawns.

41...Kf7 42.Re5 Kf6 43.Rd5?

The wrong move, giving away all White’s advantage, as it allows Black to move his kingside pawns.
43.Kd4! would have kept White’s decisive advantage.

43...Re6?

The immediate 43...f4! would fully equalize the position.

44.Kd4?

White could and should have exchanged the Rooks: 44.Rd6! with a resulting queen ending: 44...f4 45.Kd5 Rxd6+
46.cxd6 e3 47.fxe3 fxe3 48.Kc6 e2 49.d7 e1=Q 50.d8=Q+
White has good chances for a win as he will capture the pawn on a6.

44...h5?

Missing the last chance to play 44...f4! with a draw.

45.Rd6!

Finally, White exchanges his Rook and gets a winning pawn endgame.

45...Rxd6+ 46.cxd6 Ke6 47.Kc5 Kd7 48.Kd5

The white King manages to stop the pawns.

48...h4

Or 48...g4 49.hxg4 fxg4 (49...e3 50.fxe3 fxg4 51.Ke5 h4 52.Kf4 h3 53.gxh3 gxh3 54.Kg3 Kxd6 55.Kxh3 This position
is similar to the game. 55...Kc5 56.Kg4 Kb5 57.e4 Kxa5 58.e5 Kb6 59.Kf5 Kc7 60.Kf6+–; 49...hxg4 50.g3 f4
51.Kxe4 fxg3 52.fxg3 Kxd6 53.Kf5+–) 50.Kxe4 Kxd6 51.Kf4+–

49.Ke5 g4 50.hxg4 fxg4 51.Kxe4 Kxd6 52.Kf4 h3 53.gxh3 gxh3 54.Kg3 Ke5

54...Kc5 55.f4+–

55.Kxh3 1–0

21
T. Nyback
E. Rozentalis
Hamburg, 2007

White to move
36.Bxd2 or 36.Bd4?

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21
T. Nyback
E. Rozentalis
Hamburg, 2007

36.Bd4?

In normal circumstances keeping the Bishop would be the correct decision. First of all because rook endgames always
contain some drawing chances. Secondly, the Bishop can support the passed pawn safely until reaching b6. But in this
case, White makes a tactical mistake!
He should have gone for the rook endgame. 36.Bxd2! Rxd2 37.b4 and the endgame should be winning for White, as the
black King is very passive. For example: 37...Re2 38.Kf4 Rf2+ 39.Ke3 Rg2 40.Kf3 Rb2 41.Rb7 Kg6 42.g4+–

36.Bd4? Re2?

Black also missed his chance!

36...h5+! 37.Kxh5 (37.Kh3 Re2) 37...Re2!

Black is two pawns down, but his threats 38...Re4 or 38...g6 are serious. After 38.Bc3 Bxc3 39.bxc3 Rxe5+ 40.Kg4 Rc5
41.Rb3 Kh6 his active pieces should allow him to hold the draw in this rook endgame.

37.Kf3 Re1 38.h5!

The black King is encaged. He doesn’t have any counter-play. White wins easily.

38...Bg5

38...g6 39.e6!+–

39.b4 Rb1 40.b5 Rb3+ 41.Ke4 Rxg3 42.b6 Rb3 43.Rf8 f5+ 44.Rxf5 Kg8 45.Kd5 g6 46.hxg6 Kg7 47.Rf1 Kxg6
48.Kc4 1–0

22
E. Rozentalis
R. Damaso
Dresden, 2008
White to move
What is the cleanest path to victory for White?

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22
E. Rozentalis
R. Damaso
Dresden, 2008
White has a clear forced win.

30.e5!

First of all, he wants to open up the position in the centre.

The direct liquidation of all the pieces would lead to a drawish pawn endgame: 30.Na5 Rb8 31.Kd3 Kb6 32.Rxb7+
Rxb7 33.Nxb7 Kxb7=

30.e5! Ra8

Black has to go for the trade of rooks.

In case of 30...fxe5 White can already go for a winning pawn endgame: 31.Na5 Rb8 32.Rxb7+ Rxb7 33.Nxb7 Kxb7
34.Ke4 Kc7 35.Kxe5 Kd7 36.h4 Ke7 37.h5 h6 38.b3 White will implement the plan of moving his pawn to f5,
creating a safe way for his King to d5. Black’s c5 and b4 pawns will be captured. After 30...f5 31.Nd6 Rb8 32.Ra5 Kc6
33.Rb5!
Black is in total zugzwang.

31.Rxa8 Bxa8 32.Nd6

The Knight threatens to go to e8. Black can’t avoid the transition to the lost pawn ending.

32...Kd7 33.exf6 gxf6

33...Kxd6 34.fxg7+–

34.Ne4!

Two pawns are hanging, leaving Black no choice.

34...Bxe4 35.Kxe4
While executing all those exchanges, White evaluated this pawn endgame as winning. His King is more active, and his
pawn structure is better. He has the very clear plan to push his pawns to f4 and g4, making a distant passed pawn on g5
or playing f4-f5, weakening the black pawns.

35...h6 36.g4 Ke7 37.f4 Kf7 38.f5 Ke7

38...e5 39.Kd5+–

39.fxe6 Kxe6 40.b3

Zugzwang again. Any move will allow the white King to penetrate and capture one of Black’s pawns.

1–0

23
J. Chabanon
A. Naiditsch
Baden Baden, 2015
White to move
The passed b-pawn looks very dangerous. Can White make profit of it and win the game?

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23
J. Chabanon
A. Naiditsch
Baden Baden, 2015
Yes, White has a forced win.

31.Bxd5

White exchanges the black Knight.

31...exd5 32.Bc7!

And now he exchanges the other black piece that prevented the white pawn from queening.

32...Ke7

In case of 32...Bxc7 33.bxc7 Bf5 34.Nc6 followed by 35.Na7 White wins the Bishop.

33.Nc6+

A nice Knight pirouette before the trade of the Bishops.

33...Kd7

Otherwise: 33...Ke6 34.Bxd6 Kxd6 35.b7+–

34.Nb8+ Ke6 35.Bxd6 Kxd6 36.Na6!

The end of a series of forced moves. White is ready to push his pawn. After the only move 36...Kc6 37.Nb4+ Black
loses his Bishop. One might argue that White was just lucky that the black Bishop happened to be on c2 where it
became a good target for White’s Knight. But it remains a game of chess, where every small detail can become
essential for the outcome of the game!

1–0

24
A. Shimanov
E. Rozentalis
Stockholm, 2010
Black to move
White hopes to make use of his better pawn structure. How can Black equalize the position?

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24
A. Shimanov
E. Rozentalis
Stockholm, 2010
Black should try to exchange both light pieces. In the rook endgame his Rook will be active enough to compensate for
his slightly worse pawn structure.

21...Ne5!

He exchanges his Knight, not being afraid of the change in his pawn structure.

22.Nxe5

In case of 22.Nd4 Black will be happy to exchange his Knight for the Bishop: 22...Nxd3 23.Kxd3 e5 24.b3 exd4
25.bxa4 Rc3+ and a draw is inevitable.

22...fxe5 23.Rg1
White plans to create some advantage on the kingside by playing g4-g5.

23...Bc2!

According to the above-mentioned plan, Black exchanges the Bishop.

24.f3

White has to make this prophylactic move, as after

24.g5 e4 Black gets an advantage.

24...Kg7 25.Kd2 Bxd3 26.Kxd3 Rd8+

The black Rook takes control over the open c- and d-files. The endgame is absolutely equal.

1/2
 Show in Quiz Mode

25
R. Mamedov
V. Bologan
Dubai, 2014

Black to move
29...Bxb4 or 29...Rdc8?

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25
R. Mamedov
V. Bologan
Dubai, 2014

29...Rdc8?

A bad move. Black misses a tactical blow.

The Bishop had to be exchanged first: 29...Bxb4! 30.Rxb4 (or 30.cxb4 Rxa4 31.Nc6 Rd7µ) and only now 30...Rdc8,
when Black would have some advantage. White’s pawns are pretty weak.

29...Rdc8? 30.Bxa5 Rxa5 31.Nc6!

This is what Black missed. He must lose an exchange.

31...Raa8 32.Ne7+ Kf8 33.Nxc8 Rxc8 34.a5

White has a winning position.

34...Ra8 35.Ra1 Nd7 36.a6 Ke7 37.c4 Nc5 38.Rb6 Ra7 39.Rc6 Nb3 40.Ra3 Kd7 41.cxd5 exd5 42.Rb6 Nc5 43.Ra5
Kc7 44.Rbb5 Nxa6 45.Rxd5 Kc6 46.Rd2 Kb6 47.Rda2

Black’s Knight is under a deadly pin. White now finds the easiest way for a win — transposing into a pawn endgame!
He only needs to bring his King close to the pawns of his opponent.

47...g6 48.Kg2 Ra8 49.Kg3 f6 50.f4 f5 51.h4 h5 52.Kf3 Ra7 53.Rxa6+!

It’s time. White exchanges all the pieces, as the pawn endgame is clearly winning.

53...Rxa6 54.Rxa6+ Kxa6 55.Ke3 Kb6 56.Kd4 Kc6 57.Ke5 1–0

26
G. Mititelu
G. Barcza
Budapest, 1960

Black to move
Black can’t save his h-pawn. But he can still win the game. How?

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26
G. Mititelu
G. Barcza
Budapest, 1960
He has a way to win the game. And it includes an exchange of Rooks!

46...Ra2

To start, Black attacks the only white pawn.

47.Rf3

White is forced to protect the pawn, by placing his Rook on f3.

47.f3 allows Black to save his h-pawn: 47...h2–+
47...Ra5 48.Kxh3

Otherwise, Black plays 48...Rh5 and protects his passed pawn.

48...Rf5!

Because the white Rook and pawn are standing on the same file, Black forces a pawn ending.

49.Rxf5

White can’t avoid the exchange of Rooks: 49.Rg3+ Kf6 50.Kg2 (or 50.Rg2 Rh5+ 51.Kg4 Rg5+) 50...Rg5–+

49...exf5

Black wins this pawn endgame even with doubled pawns.

50.Kh4

Or 50.Kg3 Kg6 51.Kf4 Kf6 52.Ke3 Kg5–+

50...Kf6 51.f4

51.Kh5 Ke5 52.Kg5 Ke4 53.Kf6 f4–+

51...Ke7!

But not the inaccurate 51...Ke6? 52.Kg5=

52.Kh5 Kd6

White resigned in view of 52...Kd6 53.Kg5 Ke6 54.Kh6 Kd5–+

0–1
 27
E. Rozentalis
V. Meier
Bad Worishofen, 2010

White to move
How can White get a clear advantage?

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27
E. Rozentalis
V. Meier
Bad Woerishofen, 2010

28.Ra4!

White chases the Knight to a bad square.

28...Nf5

After 28...Ng6 29.h4 the black pieces will be thrown even further back.

29.Bd3

Attacking the Knight again. It will eventually be exchanged.

29...g6 30.Bxf5 gxf5

This exchange provides White the better pawn structure.

31.h4 Kg7 32.Be3?!

An inaccuracy.
The natural 32.h5 followed by 33.Kf3 would have preserved White’s advantage.

32...b6 33.axb6 cxb6

Black has opened the position on the queenside, obtaining some counter-play.

34.h5 Rc7 35.Kf3 a5!

An unexpected move showing that Black is ready to activate his Rook if some pawn are exchanged, or if the white Rook
leaves his position.

36.Ra3

Taking the pawn is not good for White: 36.Bxb6 Rb7 37.Bxa5 Rxb2 38.Bb4 Rd2.

36...Rc4 37.Rb3 Rh4 38.h6+ Kg6 39.Rxb6 f6

Black could also play 39...Rh3+ 40.Kf2 Rh2+ 41.Kg1 f6! (Not 41...Rh3? 42.Bc5+–) 42.gxf6 Rh3 with sufficient
counter-play: 43.Bd4 Bxd4+ 44.cxd4 Rxh6 45.Rxd6 Rh4 46.Kf2 Rxd4 47.Ke3 Rb4=

40.gxf6 Kxf6?
Natural, but losing.
40...Rh3+=

41.Bd4!

The decisive bishop exchange!

41...Bxd4 42.cxd4 Rxd4

Or 42...Kg5 43.Rxd6 Rxd4 44.Ke3 Rd1 45.h7 Rh1 46.Rd7+–

43.Rxd6+ Ke5 44.Rd8 Rd3+ 45.Kf2 Rh3 46.Rh8!

The winning move.

46...Kf6

The d-pawn is untouchable: 46...Kxd5 47.h7, followed by a rook check.

47.d6 Rd3

47...Ke6 48.h7 Kd7 49.Ra8 Rxh7 50.Ra7++–

48.Rg8!

One of the pawns will queen.

1–0

28
Van L. Wely
 E. Rozentalis
Bad Woerishofen, 2010

White to move
How can White get an advantage?

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28
L. Van Wely
E. Rozentalis
Chalons-en-Champagne, 2010
White has the two-Bishops advantage. Black wants to ease the pressure by playing 17...Nc4 or 17...Nd5.

17.e4!

The best move. It is important to seize more space and restrict Black’s f6-Knight.
17.f3?! Nd5! would allow Black to ease the tension.

17.e4! Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 19.f3

White has achieved what he wanted, the space advantage. Black’s pieces are restricted and passive, especially the
Knight on f6 and his King stuck in the centre. In spite of the equal material, Black’s position is very unpleasant.

19...Kd8 20.Kf2 Re8 21.Rd2 Kc8 22.Rhd1

White doubles his Rooks to put the maximum pressure on the open d-file.

22...e5
23.g4!

The white pieces are occupying perfect positions. It’s time to start a pawn attack on the kingside.

23...h6 24.h4 g5 25.hxg5 hxg5 26.Rh1

As the h-file is opened the white Rook shifts there!

26...Rd4

Black’s position is strategically lost. He is looking for every chance to complicate matters.

27.Rxd4 exd4 28.Ne2

28...Rxe4!?

Although it didn’t save Black in this game it was worth trying some tactics in a difficult position.
In case of 28...d3 29.Nc3 Be6 White wins a pawn: 30.Ke3 Bc4 31.Na4+–

29.Rc1+!

An important intermediate move.

The natural 29.fxe4? would give Black good chances for a draw: 29...Nxe4+ 30.Kf3 Nd2+! and white King doesn’t
have any good square to retreat to.

29...Bc6

After 29...Kd8? 30.Bc7++– White is simply a Rook up.

30.fxe4 Nxe4+ 31.Kf1

As the white g4-pawn is not under attack, the King can safely retreat to f1.

31...d3!

Still looking for an opportunity.

31...Nxd6? 32.Nxd4 followed by an exchange of the black Bishop is hopeless for Black.

32.Nd4!

Probably the most practical decision. White goes for a position with an extra piece for two pawns.
White is probably winning as well after 32.Be5.

32...d2 33.Rd1 Ba4 34.b3 Bd7 35.Bb4 Bxg4 36.Rxd2 Nxd2+ 37.Bxd2 f6 38.Bb4
White has an extra Knight for two pawns. However, these pawns are not dangerous. Opposite-coloured Bishops mean
that the white Bishop and Knight are able to cut the black King off while the white King is free to move where it needs
to go. Slowly but surely, White is winning this position.

38...Kd7 39.Bc5 Ke8 40.Kf2 Kf7 41.Bb6 Kg6 42.Bd8

The Bishop puts his eye on the black pawns. Sooner or later, one of them will have to move forward.

42...Bd7 43.a4 Be8 44.Ke3 f5

Otherwise, the white King goes to e4.

45.Ne6 Bf7

Black now tries to exchange one of the white pawns.

After 45...g4 46.Nd4 the white King enters f4, blocking and winning the black pawns.

46.Nxg5 Bxb3 47.a5

The only remaining white pawn blocks the two black ones while the black King is cut off from the queenside.

47...Ba4 48.Kf4 Bc6 49.Ke5 Bh1 50.Ne6 Kf7 51.Bh4 Kg6 52.Nf4+ Kf7 53.Kxf5

Black can’t stop the white King from moving to the queenside.

1–0

29
D. Pavasovic
E. Rozentalis
St. Veit, 2016
White to move
Should White exchange the Rook or should he keep it?

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29
D. Pavasovic
E. Rozentalis
St. Veit, 2016

35.Rxf7?

The wrong choice. White wins a pawn but in the upcoming endgame Black builds a fortress.
It was better to keep the Rook with 35.Rc5! when White is also winning a pawn. Black has several possibilities to react,
but none of them solve his problems. 35...Rd7 (35...Nc4 36.Bxc4 dxc4 37.Rxc4± The extra pawn in the rook endgame
gives White good chances for a win.; 35...Kg7 36.Rxd5 Kf6 37.Rd6+ Ke7 38.Rd4± The Rooks are still on the board
giving White much more chances than in the position without Rooks as happened in the game.) 36.Bb5 Rd8 37.e4 b6
(Or 37...Kg7 38.exd5±) 38.Rxd5 Rxd5 39.exd5
Black exchanged the Rooks at the cost of a pawn. The difference is that the central pawn is on d5 instead of e3. This is
important as it allows the white King to occupy a central square, gaining more space. It gives White good chances for a
win. For example: 39...Nf7 40.Kf2 Kg7 41.Ke3 Kf6 42.Kd4 Nd6 43.Bd3 Nf7 (Even when Black blocks the pawn by
the King he will have some problems with his Knight: 43...Ke7 44.a4 Nf7 45.h4 Kd6 46.Ba6 Ne5 47.Bc8 Nf7 48.Be6
Ne5 49.Bg8 h6 50.Be6 and Black is in zugzwang) 44.d6! This is a strong idea which illustrates a typical method of
improving the position. White sacrifices a pawn in order to gain a safe passage for his King. 44...Nxd6 45.Kd5 Ke7
46.Kc6 White should be able to win the game.

35.Rxf7? Nxf7 36.Bf3

White wins a pawn.

36...Nd6 37.Bxd5 Kg7 38.Kf2 Kf6 39.Ke2 Ke5

We arrive at the position both sides were aiming for. White is a pawn up but on the other hand Black has a centralised
King. That is the big difference between the pawn being on d5 instead of e3. Black should be able to hold this position,
as he can prevent the White’s King from penetrating.

40.Bf3 b6 41.Kd3 g5

The black pawns need to be on dark squares to avoid an attack from the Bishop. Also, this way they turn into a natural
obstacle for the white King.

42.a4 h6 43.Kc3 Nf5 44.Kc4 Nd6+ 45.Kd3 Nf5 46.Bc6 Nd6 47.Ke2 Nf5 48.Kf3 Ne7 49.Bb7 Ng8

The Knight prepares to meet the white King.

50.Ke2

50.Kg4 is simply answered by 50...Nf6+

50...Nf6 51.Bc6 Kd6 52.Bf3 Ke5 53.Kd3 Ne8 54.Bc6 Nd6 55.Ke2 Nf5 56.Bb5 Nd6 57.Bd3 Ne8 58.Bg6 Nf6
59.Kd3 Nd5

The draw was agreed. White can’t improve his position.

59...Nd5 60.Kc4 would be too risky for White: (60.b5 blocks the last possible square for penetration 60...Nf6=)
60...Nxe3+ 61.Kb5 Nxg2 62.Ka6 Nf4³

1/2

30
A. Anastassian
E. Rozentalis
Tbilisi, 1989
Black to move
It appears that White has a fortress and can simply move his King between g2 and h2. How can Black destroy it?

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30
A. Anastassian
E. Rozentalis
Tbilisi, 1989
Practically all the white pieces are stuck on their squares. The Rook can’t capture the pawn because White would lose
his Bishop on account of the pin on the b-file. The Bishop can’t move, as it would allow a second black Rook to
penetrate on the first or second rank with a mating attack. The white King can move, but unfortunately only between g2
and h2.
Black has to find a winning plan. There has to be a way that would allow Black to penetrate into White’s camp with a
second Rook or his King. The sacrifice of a pawn by playing ...d5-d4 or ...f5-f4 might be too risky. White would have
already two pawns for the exchange. Finally, we should be able to find a good plan: we put the Rook on c4, we bring
the King to c6 to protect the b-pawn, releasing the Rook from the b1–square. Then we can play ...Rb1–d1–d3. Finally,
we play ...d5-d4. After exd4 Rcxd4 White is forced to exchange Rooks and Black should be winning.

50...Rc4!

The first stage of our plan. In fact, this move should be played anyway, as it maximizes the activity of the Rook.

51.Kh2

51.f3 would expose the white King. After protecting the b-pawn with the King, Black would move his Rook from b1 to
c2 with great damaging effect.

51...Kd7 52.Kg2 Kc6

The second stage of our plan has been accomplished.

53.Kh2

53...Rf1!

Before starting the final stage of the plan, we have to calculate accurately. We see that it’s better to lose a tempo, in
order to get the desired position with the white King as far as possible from the centre.

54.Kg2 Rd1 55.Kh2

The King can do nothing else.

55...Rd3 56.Kg2 d4 57.exd4 Rcxd4

The third stage of our plan is executed!

58.Bxd4

White has to exchange the Rooks.

58...Rxb3 59.Bc3

White tries his last chance. He encages the black Rook. Of course, we had to consider this idea well in advance.

59...Kd5 60.Kf1
60...Rxc3!

The easiest. With this exchange Black simplifies into a winning pawn endgame.

61.bxc3 Kc4 62.Ke2 Kxc3 63.Ke3 Kb3 64.Kf4 Kxa3 0–1

31
S. Volkov
E. Rozentalis
Isthmia, 2011
Black to move
Black offered a queen exchange 34...Qc6.
Was it a correct move? And how should White react?

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31
S. Volkov
E. Rozentalis
Isthmia, 2011

34...Qc6!

This is the correct move. Black is interested in any exchange.

35.Qxc6?

And this is the wrong exchange. White should have avoided it while he could. If White is forced to exchange one of his
pieces, which endgame is more preferable for him? The answer is a queen ending, as it leaves more practical chances
for a win than a rook endgame.
He should have tried 35.Qa3 Rc3 36.Qb2, preserving both pieces.

35...Rxc6 36.Rb5

A good move. White is not allowing Black to put his pawn on h5, which would be the best setup in such endgames.

36...g6

Black still does his best to set his pawn structure according to his plans. As already mentioned, his h-pawn is going to
h5.

37.g4

White moves his pawn forward but allows the black Rook to seize the second rank and cut off the white King.
In his turn Black was not afraid that his King could be cut off on the eighth rank. After 37.Rb7 h5 38.h4 Kg8 39.Kh2
Rc2 White will not be able to improve his position without the help of his Rook.

37...Rc2

This chance should be used immediately.

38.Kg1 g5!

We were saying before that the best setup for the black pawns would be h5 and g6. But after White has moved his pawn
to g4 a black pawn on g5 will fix the pawn on f3. Moreover, Black prepares himself for a future pawn endgame.
39.h4 Kg7

39...gxh4 would be a mistake: 40.Rh5±

40.Rb7+ Kg8

But not 40...Kg6? 41.h5#

41.h5 Ra2 42.Kf1 Rc2 43.Rd7 Rb2 44.Ke1 Ra2 45.Rd2

Otherwise, the white King cannot go forward. And what should Black do now? Can he exchange the Rook?
45...Rxd2!

Yes, he can! Usually, a pawn endgame without a pawn is lost. But this one is a draw and making his 38th move Black
knew that with this pawn structure he will be able to go for a pawn endgame.

46.Kxd2 Kf7 47.Kd3 Ke6 48.Ke3 Ke7

Black takes a long opposition to make a draw.

48...Ke5 was also possible.

49.Kd4 Kd6 50.Kc4 Ke5 51.Kd3 Ke6 52.Ke3 Ke7 53.f4

Otherwise, White cannot improve his position.

53...gxf4+ 54.Kxf4 Kf8!

Another long opposition.

55.e5 fxe5+ 56.Kf5 Kf7

Avoiding the last trap: 56...Ke7? 57.Kxe5+–

57.Kxe5 Ke7 58.Kd5 Kf7 59.Ke5 Ke7 60.g5 hxg5 1/2

32
E. Rozentalis
J. Suran
Garching, 2017
Black to move
32...Bxe4 or 32...Bb5?

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32
E. Rozentalis
J. Suran
Garching, 2017

32...Bxe4?

Definitely a bad choice! Black should have kept the Bishop. The strength of two Bishops and a Rook is almost equal to
that of two Rooks and a Bishop in an open position!
After 32...Bb5 33.Ra8 Rd2 Black wins the pawn on f2 and should have no problem to make a draw.

32...Bxe4? 33.Rxe4 Rd2

Black saw that he wins one of the pawns. However, two Rooks are normally stronger than a Rook, a Bishop and a pawn.
Not much but still slightly stronger!

34.Rf4

It is better to keep the f-pawn as giving it up instead of the a-pawn would leave the white King exposed.

34...Rxa2 35.g4!

A strategically important move. White does not allow Black to play ...h5 or ...f5 and have a nice pawn structure.

35...h6
Black was afraid of the possible 36.g5 move.
However, 35...Rd2 seizing the central file was better. 36.g5 would be met by 36...Rd7, followed by 37...h6.

36.Rd1

Now White puts his Rook on the central d-file.

36...Ra7 37.Rd5

The Rook takes the best possible square. The passed pawn can’t move now, while White can think about active actions
on the kingside.

37...Re7 38.Kg2

White activates his King. And now we have arrived at the position of the next exercise.

1–0

33
E. Rozentalis
J. Suran
Garching, 2017
Black to move
Black decided to go for a rook exchange and played 38...Re6 followed by 39...Rf6.
Was it a good idea?

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33
E. Rozentalis
J. Suran
Garching, 2017

38...Re6

Black should not have played this. It is White who should be interested in the rook exchange.
Black should make a waiting move like 38...Ra7 Of course, White could try to double his Rooks on the d-file and play
Rd7. However, it would require a lot of effort.

38...Re6 39.Rd7

Whenever it is possible we should activate our pieces.

39...Rf6 40.Rf3!

It is Black who offers the Rooks exchange. White can do it in such a way that he wins a tempo for his King.

40...Rxf3 41.Kxf3 Kf6

This is the position Black was aiming for. He thought that it could be a fortress. However, White can try to destroy it.

42.h3
After the exchange of the Rooks Black doesn’t have any counter-play. White can and has to activate his King. But first
he puts his pawns on the light squares where they cannot be attacked by the Bishop.
It is too early to play 42.h4 as that can be met by 42...h5 and the h4-pawn becomes a target for the Bishop. Famous
coaches M. Shereshevsky and M. Dvoretsky taught — don’t hurry in the endgame! From my side, I would add —
unless you are absolutely sure about the position you want to achieve or you need to avoid.

42...Ke6 43.Rc7

The best square for the Rook. He doesn’t allow the black King to go to the queenside as the pawn on f7 is under attack.
The b-pawn also cannot move forward as the Bishop is under attack. Last but not least — Black cannot move his f-
pawn as this will be met by Rc6 with bad consequences for him.

43...Kf6 44.Ke2 g5

A very responsible move. The h6 pawn becomes more vulnerable now, and Black weakens the light squares. However,
he was afraid that White would play f4, bring his King to e4 and play Rc6 followed by f5. Black would not be able to
hold his kingside. Probably he was right.

45.Rc6+ Kg7

The King has to take a very passive position. However, Black hopes to build a fortress.

46.f3 Bg1 47.Kd3 Bf2 48.Ke4 Bg1 49.Ke5 Be3 50.Rc8

White has activated his pieces and now can think about working out a plan to destroy the fortress.

50...b5?

And Black miscalculated in an attempt to push his pawn forward. The pawn will be lost.
But first let’s see how White can win if Black keeps on with waiting moves. The win is far from trivial! 50...Bc5
51.Kd5 Kf6 52.Re8
The Rook cuts the King off from the e-file. 52...Bf2 53.Re2 Bc5 54.Re4 Bg1 55.Kc6 Bc5 (If 55...Kg7 56.Kd7 Kf8
57.Re5 the Rook goes to the sixth rank to force the black King to move to g7 57...Bc5 58.Rd5 Be3 59.Rd6 Kg7 after
which the white King gets an entry to e8. 60.Ke8+–; while in case of 55...Kg6 56.Kd7 h5 57.Kc6 the white King
comes back to f5, his Rook to c6 and Black has a problem to defend the pawn on g5. 57...hxg4 58.hxg4 and 58...f5 is
not possible because of 59.Re6++–) 56.Kd7 The King goes to e8 to attack the f7-pawn.

56...Bg1 57.Ke8 Bc5 58.f4! The pawn’s time has come! 58...gxf4 Otherwise, the pawn goes to f5. Then the Rook
comes to the seventh rank and captures the pawn on f7. 59.Rxf4+ Kg6 (After 59...Ke6 60.Rxf7 b5 61.Rf5 Kd6 62.h4
b4 63.Rf3 White wins due to his pawns) 60.Rxf7 h5 61.Rf5 hxg4 62.hxg4
Black managed to exchange all pawns but one. However, this is a winning position for White. And Nalimov tablebases
confirm it.

51.Rc2!

The Rook cuts the Bishop off, not allowing him to protect the pawn.

51...b4 52.Kd5

The King takes control of the c5-square. The Bishop cannot protect the pawn. White wins the pawn and the game.
Of course not 52.Rb2 Bc5.
52...h5

Or 52...Bb6 53.Kc4 Ba5 54.Ra2+–

53.Rb2 hxg4 54.hxg4 Bf4 55.Rxb4 Be3 56.Ke4 Bc1

The King goes to f5 to attack the g5-pawn.

57.Kf5 Bd2 58.Rb1 Be3 59.Rh1 Bd2 60.Rh5 Be3

The most simple way to victory is a transition into a pawn endgame.

In case of 60...f6 the Rook comes to the seventh rank and White wins.

61.Rxg5+ Bxg5 62.Kxg5 Kg8 63.Kf6 Kf8 64.f4 Kg8 65.Ke7 1–0

34
E. Rozentalis
P. Prohaszka
Fagernes, 2017
Black to move
Black is slightly worse because of the doubled pawns. How to get counter-play?

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34
E. Rozentalis
P. Prohaszka
Fagernes, 2017
Black has two problems: inferior pawn structure and a bad Bishop.

20...Ng7

First of all he opens the way to the Bishop.

21.Nc3

A natural move. White prepares his play in the centre where he has an extra pawn. However, he underestimates Black’s
counter-play on the kingside.
Maybe the best chance was to play 21.Nf4. After 21...Ne6 22.Nxe6+ fxe6 White is slightly better because of the better
Bishop. However, Black has improved his pawn structure and should be able to hold the position with accurate play.
For instance: 23.Be4 Rhg8 24.f4 Rde8 with the idea 25...e5.

21...Bg4!

Black exchanges his passive Bishop and changes the pawn structure on the kingside.

22.Bxg4 hxg4 23.d5 f5!

Black has two couples of the doubled pawns on the kingside. However, they allow him to get counter play. He is ready
to play ...f4 and in some cases ...g5 in order to make the white pawns vulnerable.

24.dxc6 bxc6

This is better than taking on c6 with the King, as the pawn restricts the white King now.

25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Rd1 Re8

Of course Black should keep the Rook, as the knight endgame would offer White some chances for a win. With the
Rooks on the board Black has sufficient counter-play.

27.Rd4 Ne6

27...Re1+ 28.Kd2 Rf1 29.Ke2 Rc1= was also possible.

28.Ra4 Kb6 29.Rb4+ Kc7 30.Ra4 Kb6 31.Rb4+

Neither side has any reason to avoid the repetition of moves.

1/2

35
V. Atlas
F. Volkmann
Mattersburg, 2015
White to move
How can White make use of his space advantage?

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35
V. Atlas
F. Volkmann
Mattersburg, 2015

23.d5!

White closes down the black Bishop. His idea is to exchange Black’s Knight and maybe other pieces and play against
the restricted Bishop.

23...Rdh8 24.Rh1 Kd8 25.Bxd7 Rxh1

Black correctly exchanges all Rooks.

In case of 25...Kxd7 26.Rxh6 Rxh6 27.g4! White would keep one Rook, which he could use to attack the c-pawn. His
next possible moves could be 28.f3, 29.Rc1, 30.Ne2 and 31.Nd4 (27.Rh1?! would lose one tempo compared to the
game. It would allow Black to get a sufficient counter play: 27...Rxh1 28.Kxh1 Ke7 29.Kg2 Bc8 with the idea 30...f5.
And if White plays 30.f4 then the Bishop becomes free and active 30...Bg4=).

26.Rxh1 Rxh1 27.Kxh1 Kxd7 28.Kg2 Ke7 29.g4!

White puts all his pawns on the light squares to restrict the Bishop. Black’s c-pawn can never go forward as the c6-
square is under the firm control of two white pawns. And now White also takes control of the f5-square, to prevent any
possibility of Black’s moving his f-pawn there.
29.f4 would allow the Bishop to escape to an active position: 29...Bc8 30.Kf3 Bh3 31.g4 Bf1=

29...g5!

In his turn Black has to decide which strategy is the best for him. Now after the game and after long analysis we can say
that Black’s position can be held. However, during the game under the high pressure of White’s domination it is quite
difficult to find the best plan and best setup for his pieces and pawns and to achieve a draw! At this moment Black
makes a correct choice. He moves his pawn to g5 to block the further movement of white pawns. He could still make
waiting moves, but the text move is the best!
After 29...Bc8 30.Kg3 Kf6 31.f4 White starts moving his pawns on the kingside. 31...Bd7 In most cases that is the best
square for the Bishop. 32.Ne2 The Knight can move almost everywhere, but White always has to have in his mind that
Black can sacrifice the Bishop on b5. The Knight should be able to come back to stop the passed a-pawn. 32...Bc8
33.Nd4 Bd7
a) 34.Nf5 Black is forced to play the correct 34...g5 and we have a position similar to the one in the game. (Otherwise,
the pawn ending after 34...Bxf5 35.exf5 Ke7 36.Kh4 Ke8 37.Kg5 is lost; while in case of 34...Be8 35.g5+ Kg6
36.Ne7+ Kh5 37.Nc6 the Knight penetrates to a6 winning the c-pawn. And 37...Bxc6 doesn’t help: 38.bxc6 f6 39.gxf6
gxf6 40.e5+– One of white pawns promotes.)
b) 34.g5+ Ke7 35.f5 g6 36.Kf4 Bc8 37.Nc2 (37.Nc6+ Ke8) 37...Bd7 38.Ne3 Bc8
Black’s position looks very dangerous. However, it is a fortress. White cannot destroy it despite a huge space advantage.
Still it would be very unpractical to go for such a passive position.

30.Kg3 Bc8 31.f4 gxf4+

The best! Once again, Black could keep the pawn on g5 for some time by playing 31...Kf6; but not 31...f6? as it
weakens the e6-square (see annotation below).

32.Kxf4 f6?

And this natural move is a decisive mistake. White’s strategy was rewarded! Black weakens the key square e6. This
weakness makes his positon lost!
32...Kf6! was the correct move. However, the draw is not so easy to achieve. Black has to make a few precise moves
yet. 33.Ne2 Bd7 34.Nd4 Kg6 The King has to wait on the f6 and g6 squares. 35.Nf5 Kf6 36.g5+ Kg6 37.Ne7+ Kg7
38.Nc6 Kf8!
The King forced the white g-pawn to go to g5, thus opening the diagonal to the Bishop. Now the King goes back to
protect his weak c-pawn. (The pawn ending is lost again: 38...Bxc6? 39.bxc6 Kf8 40.e5 Ke7 41.Ke4+–) 39.Nb8 (39.e5
dxe5+) 39...Ke8 and Black holds on as in this case the pawn endgame is not dangerous for him: 40.Nxd7 Kxd7 41.Kf5
Ke7=

33.Ne2 Bd7 34.Nd4

The best square for the Knight. From here he can jump to f5 or e6 when needed.

34...Kf7 35.Nc2 Kf8 36.Ne3 Kg8 37.Nf5 Kf7

White is not in a hurry. He repeated the moves to win some time on his clock.

38.Nd4 Ke7

The King can’t go g6 because of the weakened e6-square: 38...Kg6 39.Ne6+– Bxe6 40.dxe6 and Black is in zugzwang.
39.Kg3!

The King starts his decisive march through the h-file.

39...Kf8 40.Kh4 Kf7 41.Kh5 Ke7

The King has to keep his eye on the e6-square: 41...Kg7 42.Ne6+ Bxe6 43.dxe6 Kf8 44.Kg6 Ke7 45.Kf5+–

42.Nf5+

The Knight covers his g4-pawn enabling his King to go forward.

42...Kf7 43.Kh6 Be8 44.Kh7 Kf8 45.Nh6

The pinnacle of White’s strategy! Both pieces came to the corner and Black is in zugzwang.

45...Bxb5

Desperation, but Black was losing anyway: 45...Bd7 46.Kg6+–; 45...Ke7 46.Kg8, followed by 47.Nf5+–; 45...Bf7
46.Nxf7 Kxf7 47.Kh6+–

46.axb5 a4 47.Nf5

The Knight is right in time to stop the pawn.

47...Kf7 48.Nd4 a3 49.Nc2 a2 50.Kh6 f5 51.exf5 Kf6 52.g5+ Kxf5 53.g6 Ke4 54.g7 Kd3 55.Na1 1–0

AND, WHAT WAS YOUR RESULT?

If you finished all the exercises correctly: you can start to write your own book!
If you solved more than 20 exercises: you are really a strong endgame player.
If you solved between 10 and 20 exercises: you are good but you still have to exercise more.
If you have less than 10 correct answers: the endgame is not your strongest part in chess. You will need to study more.
And one last piece of advice, start to analyse your own games and endgames. It will bring you many well-deserved
victories!