Chapter 5 of 5

End-Game Strategy

Rook endings from master play: the sudden attack from a different side, the danger of a safe position, Rook and Pawn endings worked out in depth, two Rooks against two Rooks, and Rook and Bishop against Rook and Knight.

Every example is on its own board: click a move or use the arrows, and the notes appear beside the board. The number under the board is Stockfish's evaluation for White (minus means Black is better), or the exact result when few enough pieces are left.

We must now revert once more to the endings. Their importance will have become evident to the student who has taken the trouble to study my game with Janowski (Example 53). After an uneventful opening, a Ruy Lopez, in one of its normal variations, my opponent suddenly made things interesting by offering the exchange; an offer which, of course, I accepted. Then followed a very hard, arduous struggle, in which I had to defend myself against a very dangerous attack made possible by the excellent manoeuvring of my adversary. Finally, there came the time when I could give back the material and change off most of the pieces, and come to an ending in which I clearly had the advantage. But yet the ending itself was not as simple as it at first appeared, and finally, perhaps through one weak move on my part, it became a very difficult matter to find a win. Had I been a weak end-game player the game would probably have ended in a draw, and all my previous efforts would have been in vain. Unfortunately, that is very often the case among the large majority of players; they are weak in the endings; a failing from which masters of the first rank are at times not free. Incidentally, I might call attention to the fact that all the world's champions of the last sixty years have been exceedingly strong in the endings: Morphy, Steinitz, and Dr. Lasker had no superiors in this department of the game while they held their titles.

26. The sudden attack from a different side

I have previously stated, when speaking about general theory, that at times the way to win consists in attacking first on one side, then, granted greater mobility of the pieces, to transfer the attack quickly from one side to the other, breaking through before your opponent has been able to bring up sufficient forces to withstand the attack. This principle of the middle-game can sometimes be applied in the endings in somewhat similar manner.

Example 56. In this position I, with the Black pieces, played:

Example 56

Shifting the attack

−1.4

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Example 57. Another good example, in which is shown the advantage of the greater mobility of the pieces in an ending, is the following from a game Capablanca – Kupchick played at the Havana Masters Tournament, 1913. The full score and notes of the game can be found in the book of the tournament.

White's only advantage in this position is that he possesses the open file and has the move, which will secure him the initiative. There is also the slight advantage of having his Pawns on the Queen's side united, while Black has an isolated a-pawn. The proper course, as in the previous ending, is to bring the Rooks forward, so that at least one of them may be able to shift from one side of the board to the other, and thus keep Black's Rooks from moving freely. What this means in general theory has been stated already; it really means: keep harassing the enemy; force him to use his big pieces to defend Pawns. If he has a weak point, try to make it weaker, or create another weakness somewhere else and his position will collapse sooner or later. If he has a weakness, and he can get rid of it, make sure that you create another weakness somewhere else.

From the position in question the game continued thus:

Example 57

Capablanca – Kupchick, Havana 1913

+0.2

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27. The danger of a safe position

Example 58. A good proof of the previous statement is shown in the following ending between Marshall and Kupchick in one of their two games in the same Tournament (Havana, 1913).

It is evident that Marshall (White) is under great difficulties in this position. Not only is he bound to lose a Pawn, but his position is rather poor. The best he could hope for was a draw unless something altogether unexpected happened, as it did. No reason can be given for Black's loss of the game except that he felt so certain of having the best of it with a Pawn more and what he considered a safe position, that he became exceedingly careless and did not consider the danger that actually existed. Let us see how it happened.

Example 58

Marshall – Kupchick, Havana 1913

+0.1

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28. Endings with one Rook and Pawns

The reader has probably realised by this time that endings of two Rooks and Pawns are very difficult, and that the same holds true for endings of one Rook and Pawns. Endings of two Rooks and Pawns are not very common in actual play; but endings of one Rook and Pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate. Here is an example from a game between Marshall and Rosenthal in the Manhattan Chess Club Championship Tournament of 1909–1910.

Example 59. In this position Marshall had a simple win by 1.Rc7+, but played 1.f6, and thereby gave Black a chance to draw. Luckily for him Black did not see the drawing move, played poorly, and lost. Had Black been up to the situation he would have drawn by playing 1…Rd6.

Example 59

Marshall – Rosenthal, New York 1909–10

+0.6

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If there were nothing more in the ending it would not be of any great value, but there are other very interesting features. Now suppose that after 1.f6 Rd6 2.f7, Black did not realise that 2…Rd8 was the only move to draw. We would then have the following position, with two other moves to try: either (a) …Rg6+, or (b) …Rf6. Let us examine them.

Example 59

If Black misses 2…Rd8

0.0

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Other moves here

Now, going back to the first position, suppose that after 1.f6 Rd6 2.Rc7+, Black did not realise that 2…Kd4 was the only move to draw, and consequently played 2…Kb6 instead. We would then have the following position. Now the best continuation would be:

Example 59

If Black plays 2…Kb6

+4.7

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The fact that out of one apparently simple ending we have been able to work out several most unusual and difficult endings should be sufficient to impress upon the student's mind the necessity of becoming well acquainted with all kinds of endings, and especially with endings of Rook and Pawns.

29. A difficult ending: two Rooks and Pawns

Following our idea that the best way to learn endings as well as openings is to study the games of the masters, we give two more endings of two Rooks and Pawns. These endings, as already stated, are not very common, and the author is fortunate in having himself played more of these endings than is generally the case. By carefully comparing and studying the endings already given (Examples 56 and 57) with the following, the student no doubt can obtain an idea of the proper method to be followed in such cases. The way of procedure is somewhat similar in all of them.

Example 60. From a game, Capablanca – Kreymborg, in the New York State Championship Tournament of 1910.

It is Black's move, and no doubt thinking that drawing such a position (that was all Black played for) would be easy, he contented himself with a waiting policy. Such conduct must always be criticised. It often leads to disaster. The best way to defend such positions is to assume the initiative and keep the opponent on the defensive.

Example 60

Capablanca – Kreymborg, New York 1910

+0.3

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Example 61. From the game Capablanca – Janowski, New York National Tournament of 1913.

Black's game has the disadvantage of his doubled c-pawn, which, to make matters worse, he cannot advance, because as soon as Black plays …b6, White replies b4. It is on this fact that White builds his plans. He will stop Black's Queen's side Pawns from advancing, and will then bring his own King to e3. Then in due time he will play d4, and finally e5, or g5, thus forcing an exchange of Pawns and obtaining in that way a clear passed Pawn on the King's file. It will be seen that this plan was carried out during the course of the game, and that White obtained his winning advantage in that way. The play was based throughout on the chance of obtaining a passed Pawn on the King's file, with which White expected to win.

Example 61

Capablanca – Janowski, New York 1913

+1.4

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The winning tactics in all these endings have merely consisted in keeping the opponent's Rooks tied to the defence of one or more Pawns, leaving my own Rooks free for action. This is a general principle which can be equally applied to any part of the game. It means in general terms: keep freedom of manoeuvre while hampering your opponent.

There is one more thing of great importance, and that is that the winning side has always had a general strategical plan capable of being carried out with the means at his disposal, while often the losing side had no plan at all, but simply moved according to the needs of the moment.

30. Rook, Bishop and Pawns v. Rook, Knight and Pawns

We shall now examine an ending of Rook, Bishop and Pawns against Rook, Knight and Pawns, where it will be seen that the Rook at times is used in the same way as in the endings already given.

Example 62. From the first game of the Lasker – Marshall Championship Match in 1907.

In this position it is Black's move. To a beginner the position may look like a draw, but the advanced player will realise immediately that there are great possibilities for Black to win, not only because he has the initiative, but because of White's undeveloped Queen's side and the fact that a Bishop in such a position is better than a Knight (see Section 14). It will take some time for White to bring his Rook and Knight into the fray, and Black can utilise it to obtain an advantage. There are two courses open to him. The most evident, and the one that most players would take, is to advance the Pawn to c5 and c4 immediately in conjunction with the Bishop check at a6 and any other move that might be necessary with the Black Rook. The other, and more subtle, course was taken by Black. It consists in utilising his Rook in the same way as shown in the previous endings, forcing White to defend something all the time, restricting the action of White's Knight and White's Rook, while at the same time keeping freedom of action for his own Rook and Bishop.

Example 62

Marshall – Lasker, first match game 1907

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