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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Why don't I understand endgames? (Read 28019 times)
Smyslov_Fan
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Re: Why don't I understand endgames?
Reply #2 - 08/11/08 at 07:10:41
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Here's one way to approach any pawn ending:  Think of it as extreme tactics training.

It's possible to calculate almost every move in a pawn ending, so do so!  It will help the rest of your game immensely.  For instance, the first position 7 legal moves for white.  Take your time and work out what happens with each of them.  Learn as you go, and you'll find your chess vision improving by leaps and bounds as you learn the basics of pawn endings.

Happy hunting!
  
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micawber
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Re: Why don't I understand endgames?
Reply #1 - 08/10/08 at 20:42:47
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Well now, as you did yourself I first examined some forcing continuations

1.h6,gxh6 2.gxh6,Kf7 gets me nowhere
Black draws as if there is a single f-pawn on the board.

1.f6 is about the same:
1...xf6 2.gxf6,Kf7 3.Kf5,h6 and again there is no way for white to
promote his f-pawn. 4.Ke5,Kf8 5.Ke6,Ke8 etc.

1.g6 is more promissing:
1.....,h6 (1...hxg 2.hxg6 should win easy, i'll outtempo black)

2.f6+,gxf6 3.Kf5 and I win the f6-pawn back with a passed pawn.
Wait a sec, I know this position: it's a theoretical DRAW.
(As a matter of fact I discussed this position a few weeks ago in the
Hebden pawn endgame)

So there seems to be no winning pawn-break.
What if I move my king. Hm 
1.Kd5 looks nice: 
After 1...Kd7 I can break through:  2.g6!,hxg 3.f6! winning
After 1...Kf7 2.g6,hxg6 3.fxg6+,Kf6 4.Kd6 black seems in trouble
4...Kg5 5.Ke7,Kxh5 6.Kf7! and I win 
(6.....Kg4 7.Kxg7,h5 8.Kf7,h4 9.g7,h3 10.g8Q+,; 6....Kh4 7.kxg7,Kh3 8.Kf7,h5 9.g7,h4 10.g8Q+ 11.Kh2,Qg4)

The pawn on h6 prevents black to defend his g-pawn. 
Without it black would even win after Kh6!
In fact this is another key position, that you should be able to recognize:
White e4/kd5 Black e5,Kf4  Whoever has the move loses

But what about 1....,h6! 
Now I am forced to play 2.g6,Kf6 
And after 3.Ke4 I dont see a win.
But what if I can get to the g-pawn like in the Kf7-variation?
3.Kd6,Kxf5 4.Ke7,Kg5 5.Kf7 yes I am in time to promote.


Finally I can get this last variation by force:
1.g6,h6 2.Kd5 and black has nothing better than Kf6 since after
Kf8 or Kg8 I can drive the King back to h8 before playing f6! followed by Kf7.

********************************

About the second position:
If black had his king on f6 and the white f-pawn is unprotected,
black draws with h5!
So whites first task is to make sure he protects his f-pawn in time:
1.Kg2 being the first move (otherwise black executes his plan)
After that I would start worrying about the position again Smiley.

As a matter of fact it is helpfull to know that if white has an f- or g-pawn on the 5th rank with his king before it, he always wins.







« Last Edit: 08/11/08 at 05:13:04 by micawber »  
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Bocajaka
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Why don't I understand endgames?
08/10/08 at 18:47:17
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At the moment I'm doing puzzles from Laslo Polgars book "Chess endgames" and right now the positions feature pawn endgames. For some reason this is really difficult for me to grasp and I would say I get only about 50% wright.

Take the following position for instance:

White to move

* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *


How should one think about this position? Should I instantly see a certain theme somehow (like with a middlegame combination)  or should I simply start calculating the forcing moves f5+, g6, h6? Problem for me is that calculating endgame moves does not come as naturally as calculating middlegame tactics. Some moves do not "pop-out" to me but this may be because I do not know the theme yet.

With middlegame tactics you can in many cases almost smell the solution before you start calculating. For example if the king is stuck in the centre you instantly look for a move that opens some line or whatever. Is it the same with endgames, for example the above position?

Here is another one with white to move:

* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *


In this position my thought is as follows: I see that I have to go towards the queenside and then perhaps try to gain the opposition somehow and force myself towards black's a-pawn. Perhaps I can use the f-pawn to decoy or gain a tempo in order to do this.

That's about what I understand about the position. Is this view wright or does a good player simply "see" the winning line instantly?

Please try to solve any of these positions (or both) for white and explain how you came to your answer. What was your thoughts before starting to calculate etc. I will provide the solution in short.


Btw, this position is under "Elementary position" in Polgars book so it should be fairly standard.
  
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