endgame study – Daily Chess Musings

Chess Position Worth Sharing 153!

Today’s chess position is wonderful little pawn endgame study by master composer Josef Holumbirek. It has been stated that “The easiest endings to win are pure pawn endings”(Richard Shorman, 30 Rules of Chess) but certain pawn endgames do require deep calculations to uncover the long variation that leads to victory. The endgame study below certainlyContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 153!”

Chess Position Worth Sharing 152!

I like to use pawn endgames to stretch my students calculation ability. This process makes sense because precision is imperative in pawn endgames and the only way to determine if a candidate move is accurate is to check it through deep calculation. My readers are aware that I recently discovered the master composer Josef Holumbirek.ContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 152!”

Pawn Endgame Worthy of Study

“Pawn endings are to chess what putting is to golf.” — Cecil Purdy Pure pawn endgames are said to be the simplest of all endings but that doesn’t mean they are always easy to win. A case and point is presented in a recent blog post where I shared a blown opportunity in a KingContinueContinue reading “Pawn Endgame Worthy of Study”

Viewer Requests: Position of the Week 2

1k3r2/p1n4b/1p3r1p/6p1/8/2P2N2/1P1QN1PP/1K6 w – – 0 1 This week’s submission comes from a student in Fremont California and deals with the age old question of which is better, a queen or two rooks. Generally a queen is stronger against uncoordinated rooks and especially so with pawns on both sides of the board. However, in our featureContinueContinue reading “Viewer Requests: Position of the Week 2”

Viewer Requests: Position of the Week 1

8/8/k7/4PP1p/3pK2P/2b5/8/8 w – – 0 1 Chess Dad & Coach Arun from Fremont California asked me to break this complex endgame down for his students. Watch below to see how this position plays out. https://youtu.be/qkYlNjVWD1o

Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 68

I thoroughly enjoy chess studies that task us with finding a seemingly impossible draw from a position that looks totally lost. Chess puzzles like these push the boundaries of what’s possible on the chessboard and a regular dose of such compositions will help young players stretch their own chess imaginations. So nothing makes this chessContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 68”

Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 66

Some of my favorite endgame studies have the reader playing from a disadvantage with the goal being a draw. In tonight’s puzzle, White is down to a single bishop versus Black’s four pawns but still can draw with perfect play. Enjoy… White to play and draw (U. Venäläinen, 1st Prize in Suomen Shakki, 1969.)

#Chess Position Worth Sharing 128

As chess players, we should always be trying to make improvements in our technique. For example, the player playing white in the position below should be able use good technique to win easily. Good technique may be good enough to win this endgame but with perfect technique white can checkmate in just four moves! SoContinueContinue reading “#Chess Position Worth Sharing 128”