Feb-06-12
 | | FSR: This key upset enabled Shaked to win the World Junior Championship. Luckily, Shaked had apparently studied B+N+K v. K, unlike, say, Epishin. R Kempinski vs Epishin, 2001 See Endgame Explorer: BN vs K for more examples. |
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| Feb-06-12 | | Shams: <FSR> Yeah. White's first four moves in this ending were a strong King move followed by immediately bringing the Knight to f7. Banging out these moves is as good as whispering "I've studied this ending". |
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Feb-06-12
 | | HeMateMe: I think it's the 89. N-d7 move that's hardest to find, unless you really know the B + N mating pattern. |
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Feb-06-12
| | FSR: <Shams> Indeed. I'm sure after 85.Nf7! and 86.Bh7! Morozevich knew that he was toast. <HeMateMe> Yes. 88...Kc7 and 89...Kc6 is a well-known escape try, which White should (and did) thwart with 89.Nd7! and 90.Bd3! |
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Feb-07-12
| | FSR: The Wall of Shame: Endgame Explorer: BN vs K |
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| Feb-07-12 | | Shams: <Wall of Shame> A classic query! |
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Feb-07-12
| | FSR: The guys who managed to win <this> ending have my utmost respect: Endgame Explorer: NN vs P Amazingly, Lilienthal got the superior side two or three times (there are two in the database, but I think I've read that it's three), but could only draw each time. He missed wins in both of the two games in the database. I wouldn't have a clue how to even <attempt> to win that monster. |
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| Feb-07-12 | | Shams: <FSR> The Halley's Comet ending! I memorized the "Troitzky Line" here: (Easily done, because it's so unintuitive-- the knight pawns are the most dangerous?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_kn...
I bet you could figure it out over the board. I'd certainly expend a lot of effort, myself. |
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Feb-07-12
| | FSR: Mueller on NN v. P: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/muell... and http://www.chesscafe.com/text/muell... |
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| Feb-07-12 | | Shams: <FSR> Yeesh. On second thought I think I'll save my energies for the next round. =) |
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Feb-08-12
| | FSR: <Shams> It would be a good ending to have in a correspondence game, but a nightmare otherwise. Soltis wrote once about having BB v. N in the penultimate round of a Swiss. He wasn't sure if it was a win (it was thought to be a draw at the time, but computers have since shown it to be a win). He decided to try to win it, did so, was exhausted, and got crushed in the last round. BB v. N is very tough. Endgame Explorer: BB vs N The proper (albeit still losing) defensive technique is seen in P Popovic vs Korchnoi, 1984. The key defensive squares for the knight are, somewhat bizarrely, b7, g7, b2 and g2. Get your knight to one of those squares, with your king adjacent and toward the center (e.g., knight on b7, king on c7 or b6). Stand your ground there as long as possible, and if your opponent succeeds in breaking down that defense, head for another "N2" square to set up the formation there. Timman, with computer assistance at adjournment, succeeded in demonstrating the win in Timman vs Speelman, 1992. Gelfand OTOH couldn't do it: Oll vs Gelfand, 1998 |
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| Feb-08-12 | | King Death: <FSR> The Soltis endgame with B+B vs. N was against this player but the game isn't here: Jean Delva. |
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| Feb-08-12 | | Shams: <FSR> Good stuff. You commented the other day that B+N+K vs. Q+K was the worst pair of minors to defend with. Which depressed me since I've had troubles winning that ending against Crafty on chessvideos.tv. |
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Feb-08-12
| | FSR: <Shams> Don't beat yourself up too much. A 2584 only drew it in D Kosic vs L Lenic, 2008. More generally, see Endgame Explorer: Q vs BN. |
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Feb-08-12
| | FSR: <Shams> There is one drawing pattern, but it's very difficult for the inferior side to set it up:
click for larger view1.Kb1 Kd1 2.Ka1= White leaves his minor pieces in place, and Black's king can't penetrate anywhere. |
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Feb-08-12
| | FSR: <Shams> I trust you know that BNNK v. K is sometimes a draw. The conclusion of my immortal study (Black to move):
click for larger view |
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Feb-08-12
| | FSR: Here's a weird result: Z Topel vs N Pares Vives, 2008. Don't know if I believe it. |
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| Feb-09-12 | | Shams: <FSR> I see that Kosic drew that even with his King in the wrong corner to get the drawing position you mention. |
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Jul-02-14
 | | Fusilli: I played the losing side of the BNK v K endgame in a Nashville City Championship game a couple of years ago. We were down to the last 5-10 minutes of the sudden death part of the game, and my opponent couldn't find the win. I called the TD to the table to count the moves. Eventually, my opponent flagged and it was therefore a draw. Then I asked the TD how many moves he counted... it was over 70! He reminded me that he could not claim the draw for me at move 50. The player has to claim the draw. I could have asked the TD for his move count on a regular basis, and then claim the draw. An important rule to remember. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 37.Qf2