Dec-29-11
 | | Peligroso Patzer: Young GM Caruana got a bit of an endgame lesson here. <75. Ne3?> was the losing blunder. Essential here was <75. h4>, for example: < 75 ... Ke5 76.g5 hxg5 77.hxg5 Kf5 78.Ne3+ Bxe3 79.Kxe3 Kxg5 80.c4= >. I suspect that if there had been sufficient time on his clock, Caruana would have found the drawing move, but with time no doubt running preciously short, Caruana went astray and Ivanchuk's experience prevailed. |
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| Dec-29-11 | | capanegra: After 75.Ne3?? Caruana throws away a patience defence in a  vs ending that lasted almost 30 moves. Allowing the exchange of minor pieces to turn into a Pawn ending was just suicide. |
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| Dec-29-11 | | jon01: Ivanchuk has a really good record against Caruana. |
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Dec-30-11
 | | SteinitzLives: Yes 75. Ne3 trades into a losing K and P endgame for white. It's a bit of an illusion that must have fooled Caruana. Because whites' passed h pawn looks like it can create the draw but it can't because blacks' g pawn is a perfect barrier. Meanwhile the bulwark of black's two connected P's can't be breached. So Chucky has plenty of time to stop the h pawn and then stroll his K back to assist his connected passers. When one looks at Ivanchucks' relentless play and tireless will to win, it's easy to see how he stays in the top ten for years and years on end. |
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| Dec-30-11 | | JoergWalter: Good lesson for Caruana from Ivanchuk. Caruana surely will develop. |
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| Dec-30-11 | | Penguincw: Last time they met Caruana was also crushed against Ivanchuk. |
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Dec-30-11
| | Peligroso Patzer: <SteinitzLives: Yes 75. Ne3 trades into a losing K and P endgame for white. It's a bit of an illusion that must have fooled Caruana. Because whites' passed h pawn looks like it can create the draw but it can't because blacks' g pawn is a perfect barrier. Meanwhile the bulwark of black's two connected P's can't be breached. So Chucky has <plenty of time> to stop the h pawn and then <stroll his K back> to assist his connected passers. *** > Such phrasing as “plenty of time” and “stroll his K back” could be construed to imply that the win in the pawn ending was easier than was actually the case; it was winning by just a single tempo. In the position after <76. Kxe3>: 
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… if it were White’s turn to move, he could draw with <1. h4>. Also, the statement that “the bulwark of black's two connected P's can't be breached” seems a bit too broadly stated. Caruana (short of time when he offered the exchange of minors) may have envisioned he could sack a pawn on the K-side wing to obtain the following position <on move>: 
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Here, <1. c4> would draw. (Black on move, of course, could win the above position with <1. ... Kf5>.) |
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Dec-30-11
| | SteinitzLives: I wrote broadly to help the most people understand the thematic elements, which are easier to remember, not the details, which you have taken care of. Thanks. |
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Dec-30-11
 | | hedgeh0g: I don't think Ivanchuk's endgame play is always given the recognition it deserves. His subtle shift in style over the past couple of years towards a more technical approach has really paid dividends. |
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Dec-31-11
 | | al wazir: 67...Bxe3 would have won and saved a dozen moves. |
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Dec-31-11
 | | Shams: <aw> We really must work on your endgame technique; after 67...Bxe3 68.Kxe3 the position must be a draw. 
click for larger view |
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Dec-31-11
| | al wazir: <Shams>: You're right. But my endgame play has always been terrible. |
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Dec-31-11
| | Shams: All the more reason to crush your enemies in the middlegame! |
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