I was going to write about rook endgames, but something came up and changed it.
I played online a few days ago, it was my favorite Marshall attack, the forced line where I get a bishop for 2 pawns. I had that line already in 2 games, lost that advantage later in one and gave checkmate in another. Now the queens were exchanged, then rooks and we got to endgame K+B+4P vs. K+6P. Despite of my expectations, the game ended in a draw, I was pissed off at myself and decided to get to the root of it.
Bishop equals three pawns, we learned that at the beginning of our chess careers.
So, if in the endgame you have bishop for 2 pawns, you got great winning chances, right?
Not so simple. Excellent example is the first game from the World Championship match
Fisher-Spassky in 1972. After bizarre move 29. … Bxh2
that Fisher did ( some people say, that it was miscalculation, he counted on the following line: 30. g3 h5 31. Ke2 h4 32. Kf3 h3 33. Kg4 Bg1 34. Kxh3 Bxf2 ,
but didn’t see 35. Bd2! catching the bishop) from equal bishop ending it became bishop vs. pawns endgame. He had drawing chances later, one of them was pointed out by Speelman:
Fischer playing 37. …a6 instead of 37. …Ke4
37…a6! 38.Kf3 axb5 39.axb5 b6 ! 40.Bf8 g6 41.Bg7 f5 42.Bd4 Kc4 43.Bxb6 g5 ! 44.Bc7 Kxb5 45.Bd8+ g4+ 46.Ke2 Kc4
with a clear draw. Finally he lost.
As for my game, looks like I didn’t have the right plan in the beginning, then didn’t use the chances that my opponent gave me, the last one:
White played 54. d6? instead of 54. Kb6 with a draw.
Black returned the favor, playing 54. … Kf7 which leads to draw, instead of
playing 54. … Bg5 55. Kc6 Kf5 56. Kc7 Ke5 57. Kc6 Kd4 with a win.
September 24, 2008 at 1:15 am
Dont beat yourself to death with those rules. It also depends on the situation. For example there is another rule that says that bishops needs open positions while knights favor closed positions.
So while rules may be a something you can relay on sometimes they fall thru the cracks. That’s why analysis is so important before you play a move.
Anyway, have fun while playing a game of chess, afterall, that is all that matters.
September 24, 2008 at 4:41 pm
In my primary school chess club children always ask which is better bishop or knight?
I always say it depends on the board position.
I once got 4 pawns for a bishop and struggled because the postion did favour a bishop, and only scraped a draw.
Rules are just guide lines and bad guide lines at that.
Its like 2 rooks = a queen?
Grandmasters can turn a bishop for 3 pawns into a real advantage,but us lesser players find it hard to make that work.
If fischer can play a bad move as in Bxh2 then theirs hope for me!!!
September 25, 2008 at 11:40 am
chesstiger, chessx – your opinions are very close, so I’ll answer at once. Yes, I agree, there is a very important positional factor.
I just didn’t think about it first, but actually came closer to it after that Fisher’s game, he could draw having 2P for B.
Your comments helped me to see the whole picture. Anyway, I think my upset about not winning the game that “I had to win according to the rules” lead me to better understanding of this kind of endgame, which is good.
And that Spassky-Fisher game and 29. … Bxh2 was discussed a lot, with all kinds of explanations for that, including intentional losing. I personally think, that any normal player would just not take on h2, knowing bishop will be trapped, but only Fisher could see that complicated “wrong” line, that would lead him out of this drawish position ( all say, he didn’t want a draw).
September 27, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Rules are generalizations, and we have to know when they don’t apply. A position like yours is tougher to draw because the pawns are split and one of them is blocked.
On a side note: Your diagrams are confusing because for your game you have the algebraic grid from White’s view point, but your notation seems to indicate that the board was being shown from black’s point of view.
On the second diagram of the Fischer game you have the grid from black’s point of view but the pieces are clearly positioned from the white side of the board.
I’m not sure what interface you’re using to create the diagrams, but you might want to make sure the grid is properly positioned for which ever side you’re showing the game from.
September 27, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Polly – thanks for your comment. I fixed the errors you mentioned, interface is fine, it’s just me
.