If you don’t know how to play an endgame, the weaker player will draw a won endgame and lose to a theoretical drawn one. While the stronger player tends to win drawn endgames and draw lost ones!
This week the main focus was on the rule of 3 squares ( Either side to move...DRAW).
The premise of this RULE is that when the defending king is cutoff, the other king cannot leave the pawn to go “hunting” the rook. Even if he brings the rook to the same rank as the pawn, then it gives the defending side a chance to catch up. As long as he keeps his rook 3 squares distance from the pawn.
Two squares and the position is a win for White ( move the Pawn and King up a square).
The exceptions to the THREE SQUARE rule is if the defending King is cut off on either rook files. On the short side, White can create a mating threat and advance the pawn to the 2-square position. On the long side, the King and rook can work together and advance before the defending King can come back.
The critical position is this one with Black to move… Ke7 or Ke6? One is a loss one is a draw:
If you think you know hte answer, feel free to leave me a comment me on which is the better move and why.
The long side versus the short side rule of rooks in the end game always eluded me due to a feable attempt to memorize the rule. What I learned the other night was that this Long/short rule is due to the King’s ability to hunt the rook. SO … irregardless of the placement of the rook in front or in back or on the side of the pawn … the rule still applies. Light bulb moment ( for me)
Have a good weekend …enjoy.
-BP
10 comments:
Here is my best understanding of the position. Anyone who cares to keep working on it themselves should avert their eyes!!
Since black needs to keep 3 squares between the rook and pawn, white would like to advance the pawn (and king) one square forward as you mentioned regarding the earlier diagram. Since c5 hangs the pawn, and king moves off the c-file get checked repeatedly, the only way to advance the pawn is to play Rd5, then c5 and Kc4. So black wants to play Ke6 in response to Rd5 to prevent c5. So black plays Ke7 in the given position, reserving the right to play Ke6 after white plays Rd5.
Did I get it??
Oh, it's also covered nicely in Emms' The Survival Guide to Rook Endings Since it's a basic position I'm sure it's found in a lot of places, but those two sources do a pretty good job at explanations I think.
I've always enjoyed endgames, but I actually am forcing myself not to study them so I can work on my biggest weaknesses. Studying endgames does provide a lot of return for time spent, however. First, a lot of the basics aren't that hard to absorb, so even if it's an endgame that, according to Silman's new book, is of a much higher level, if it's easy enough to learn I say go for it. You also practice calculation and visualization and schematic thinking by studying endgames.
Enjoy your endgame studies! It's quite a rush when you learn this stuff and the lightbulbs come on.
Blogger ate my first post. I had just pointed out that a similar endgame, and the ideas of checking distance, frontal defense, and short-side defense were covered nicely in Soltis' Grandmaster Secrets: Endings. If you're getting turned on to endgames, I cannot recommend Soltis' book strongly enough. It's great. He also mentions a "rule of 5" that often works in these endgames.
In this endgame, White charges his king forward as far as he can (a6) then protects the pawn at the last minute with Rd4 and chases the enemy rook with the K. ....Ke6 allows the d4 rook to be chased by ...Ke5, and Black achieves a Philidor type draw.
Point goes to GP:
Ke6 gets closer to d4 so a "Philidor draw" can take place with perpetual check and threat on the pawn.
I *could* buy yet another endgame book for the price of one session but my experience is that having someone with his level of expereince to interact with seems to penetrate my thick skull much better.
Other endgame books I have and enjoy:
Just the Facts ( Leve Alburt and Dzindi)
Endgame course by Bruce Pandofini
Dvertsky's Endgame CD
GM-RAM ... not a pure end game book but a nice exercise book with lots of engames... I posted here :
http://blunderprone.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
Point goes to GP:
Ke6 gets closer to d4 so a "Philidor draw" can take place with perpetual check and threat on the pawn.
I *could* buy yet another endgame book for the price of one session but my experience is that having someone with his level of expereince to interact with seems to penetrate my thick skull much better.
Other endgame books I have and enjoy:
Just the Facts ( Leve Alburt and Dzindi)
Endgame course by Bruce Pandofini
Dvertsky's Endgame CD
GM-RAM ... not a pure end game book but a nice exercise book with lots of engames... I posted here :
http://blunderprone.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
Well, if you have Dvoretsky that'll keep you occupied. Taking group lessons from a Russian master opened my eyes, so keep up with the lessons if they work for you.
The main thing about Soltis vs. other openings books is that it's pretty much unique. There is some concrete stuff in there, but a lot of it is general advice on how to approach the endgames. If you're finding that lessons are getting things to "click" that otherwise didn't sink in, you may find Soltis more digestible and enjoyable than your standard endgame book. There's also some rules and advice I've seen there but not elsewhere (like the rule of 5: in a KRP vs. KR endgame, if you add up the rank of your pawn and the number of ranks the enemy king is cut off by, if it's greater than 5 it should be a win. There's exceptions, but it's a generally true rule of thumb). The book drove home the principle of 2 weaknesses, mismatches, and Lucena vs. Philidor quite well.
Whatever endgame resource you use, I found it really helpful to play positions against the computer. I did that with several books, including Soltis, and thought it helped a lot.
Thanks Gp
(looks like Blogger double posted)
As it turns out, I am playing these positions against Fritz. Something I didn't really do in teh past. Very helpful, not sure why I never did... lazy perhaps. Its always easier to just sit and read and nod " uh huh" but that doesn't really allow the learning process to sink in.
I alos have convetika's Studies 2.0 I am going through more regularly these days than CT-Art.
I Have Soltis' How to choose a move .. which I read a while back. Before I buy any more books I am motivated more to practicing so I can assimilate the knowledge. Having an instructor is a FIRST for me and I think its a forward step for me.
nice work.
I hope one day to be able to understand all this deep stuff. 8)i'll bookmark it for later.
LOL Tak ... It takes me multiple iterations before it starts to sink in.
David, Thanks.
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