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Surprising Endgames
Compiled by OBIT
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This is a collection of games where the endgame produces an uncommon result, e.g. a draw or victory despite a significant material disadvantage. (Games lost on time or by clear blunders are not considered for this collection. I want the position to be the key factor.) It's important to know what is usually a winning advantage, but recognizing a position that doesn't follow the rules is an even better test of chess imagination, IMO.

K+N checkmates
J Nogueiras vs M Gongora, 2001 
(A21) English, 84 moves, 1-0

K+P beats K+R
Zappa vs Rybka, 2007 
(B52) Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack, 129 moves, 1-0

K+R draws K+R+3P (or even 4P)
M Choisy vs A Moingt, 2011 
(B56) Sicilian, 81 moves, 1/2-1/2

R+P beats R+4P
V Spasov vs E Dearing, 2004 
(B08) Pirc, Classical, 63 moves, 1-0

K+B draws K+R+P
Efimenko vs Ganguly, 2011 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 99 moves, 1/2-1/2

K+N draws K+R+P
Lasker vs Ed Lasker, 1924 
(C99) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd, 103 moves, 1/2-1/2

K+Q beats another K+Q
Anand vs P Thipsay, 1987 
(C69) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 70 moves, 1-0

R+P draws Q+P
Averbakh vs Bondarevsky, 1948 
(C92) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 74 moves, 1/2-1/2

Sokolov is almost a rook down but wins
A Huzman vs I Sokolov, 2003
(D15) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 71 moves, 0-1

K+Q draws K+Q+N+2P
V Akopian vs A Aleksandrov, 2000 
(A13) English, 70 moves, 1/2-1/2

N+P draws Q
A Pimenta vs J Fluvia Poyatos, 2001 
(C14) French, Classical, 86 moves, 1/2-1/2

K+Q vs K+R can be tough to win
L van Kooten vs E Vroombout, 2007 
(E77) King's Indian, 86 moves, 1/2-1/2

Maybe it really is worth knowing the B+N checkmate
C A Galappaththi vs K Daniel, 2008 
(C05) French, Tarrasch, 141 moves, 1/2-1/2

13 games

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