Understanding the long opposition can be very powerful. Without awareness of this concept, it can be impossible to distinguish between a myriad of similar options in an endgame.
I love the position below, which clearly demonstrates the importance of understanding the long opposition. Continue reading “The Long Opposition”
Why is it so hard to win a won position? Why is finishing off your opponent so tricky? This is a problem that I have been encountering a lot recently: reaching a good position, a strong advantage, often a winning advantage, only to let that advantage slip. In the best cases, I just made the win a bit harder – kind of having to win twice, but in some cases, I have lost the game.
I have recently learned, that the skill of converting an advantage into a win is known as “realisation”. To be good at realisation, there are a few useful tips to bear in mind: Continue reading “Realisation”
I have always struggled to nail down the technique for checkmating with just a knight and bishop, but then I came across the W-system. Suddenly, it makes the process a whole lot easier. Continue reading “Knight and bishop checkmate with the W-system”
Who knows how to win with queen v. rook?
The thought of checkmate with a bishop and knight usually causes despairing gasps, but at least the winning process is fairly concrete. Mate with a lone queen against a lone rook, on the other hand, is more difficult to pin down. There seem to be so many permutations, so a set of rules by which to guide yourself can prove quite elusive. Continue reading “Endgame Laboratory: queen versus rook”