This is an actual game from the 2007 US Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
It is White to move. White is better and should be pushing for the win. Black would have to work hard to hold this position. Let’s analyze this position for a second. What are some of the key items to remember in endgames especially one involving Bishops?
1. King position – Get your King out and into actions
2. Make sure your pawns are lined up in the opposite color than your opponent’s Bishop
Knowing this, what would be the most logical move for White?
The game continued as followed:
1.Kd4 Kd6 2.f4 Kc6 3.g3 Kb6 4.Nb3 Bd7 5.Nc5 Bc6 6.Bd3 h6 7.Bc2 Ka5 8.Kc4 Bd5+ 9.Kc3 Ne6 10.Nd7 Bc6 11.Nb8 Be8 12.Kc4 Nc7 13.Kc5 Bxa4 14.Bxa4 Kxa4 15.Kd6 Nb5+ 16.Ke6 Nd4+ 17.Kf7 a5 18.Kxg7 Kb4 and Black won the game shortly after that. This is not how you want to play this endgame as White. Can you find a better plan? Play it out with both Black and White against your computer or friends. This is a very good endgame exercise.
White’s pieces semi-dominate Black’s, but it’s hard to see how White can penetrate. I would start with 1.a5 (since Kd4 can’t be prevented) and then look for ways to soften up Black’s kingside (principle of two weaknesses) with some setup like Kd4/Bd3/N(eventually)f5/and maybe h4
Chess is a great game
I have put on some work on this position.
I found it to contain more than first meets the eye.
I have not come up yet with an answer (yet). Here are my main ideas, (some of them may sound obvious to many; My apologies:)
1. The black bishop and the white bishop move on the same color: That is white.
2. Therefore, controlling the h1-a8 diagonal can become critical to win, if white is able to capture the a6 pawn ( in exchange for the f3 pawn for example). If white wants to promote the a pawn , he must have control on the h1-a8 diagonal.
Later I hope to continue studying the position. I have found up some tactics as well for both sides and hope to share them with you.
With thanks
Abie Weiler
Lover of the game.
Basically this position should be draw.
1. a5 (advancing white’s pawn and moving it off the color of its bishop while locking black’s pawn ON the color of it’s bishop and under attack by both white’s pieces (tieing black’s remaining pieces to its defense until/unless the king can cross the board to assist).
2. Ke4 and black’s bishop has nowhere to go. If black responds f5+, driving the king away, you’ve got another black pawn blocking its own bishop.
Just a small question. Is it not so, that when the bishops have the same colour, then you should place the pawns on the opposite coloured squares. But when there are opposite-coloured bishops on the bourd, then you should place the pawns on the colour of your opponents bishops, otherwise your own pawns will restrict the mobility of your bishop. Is it correct?
I was watching this game live and felt quite sorry for Aigner.
I’m playing now starting from this position against Fruit 2.1 (one of the strongest chess engines), so I will tell you when the game is over:)
At the moment the continuation is:
1. a5 f5 2. Kd4 Kd6 3. h4 Kc6 4. Nd3 Kd6 5. Nb4 Bb7 6. h5 h6
The score according to Fruit is +0.29.
The position is totally draw. The full continuation:
[Event “Computer chess game”]
[Site “laptop”]
[Date “2007.05.21”]
[Round “-“]
[White “Fruit 2.1”]
[Black “nikola”]
[Result “*”]
[TimeControl “40/3600”]
[FEN “2b5/2n1k1pp/p4p2/2N5/P1B5/4KP2/6PP/8 w – – 0 1”]
1. a5 f5 2. Kd4 Kd6 3. h4 Kc6 4. Nd3 Kd6 5. Nb4 Bb7 6. h5 h6 7. Nc2 Bc8 8.
Ne3 Ne6+ 9. Bxe6 Bxe6 10. g4 fxg4 11. fxg4 Kd7 12. Ke5 Ke7 13. Nf5+ Kf7 14.
Nxg7 Bxg4 15. Nf5 Bxh5 16. Nxh6+ Ke7=
that not reight Nikola yes if you use com then you have bad chessplayer! you have 2 good thing here.
king are better and terrain,and have move too make blacks pawn bad!
only big advantage.
But hard too defence!
i have part plan but Susan dont like me sorry for that!
Knightonranden
Yes, I know that, I’m far away from the real chess. I have no chances to become a real player.
I’m glad to discuss some chess problems here, learning from you and enjoying Susan’s hospitality.
For all that, I believe that in this position black has a right defence (probably not mine:)).