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Vladimir Malakhov vs Mikhail Kobalia
RUS-ch U18 (1995), Moscow, rd 7
French Defense: Tarrasch. Closed Variation (C05)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-17-12  King Death: Does Black have to lose the ending with bishop against knight after the rooks come off? Maybe not but I wouldn't want to get tortured in it either from this position:


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Feb-27-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  woldsmandriffield: Malakhov is one of the World’s best endgame players but he should not have won this one.


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The defender need not get his King in front of a NP in a Queen ending but must keep the monarch as far as possible from the action to cut down on damaging counter checks. Hence Kobalia’s decision to move Kh2-h3-h4 was wrong moves 61-4.

Since calculation is often arduous in these endings, judgement often suffices. Here White’s King craves shelter so 67 Kc6 would have been strong whereas 67 Kd6? allowed time to back-track with 67..Kh3! yet Black did not grasp the offered life-line.


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White is close to his goal now: again, calculation to a clearly won position is tough but 74 Qf3! improves the Queen’s position. It is enough to know that h4 is a bad square for Black’s King in order to avoid 74 Qc4+ Kh3 yet that is what appeared on the board.


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Black though was magnetically attracted to the h4 square: 82..Kh4? set things up for White again.

The final position exposes how vulnerable the defender’s King is. That said, White should have posted his King on a7 which should have won faster.

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