Part II: With a Queen
The arrival of chess tablebases has had an especially big impact on our understanding of Queen and Pawn endings. Much more than any other type of ending, we have discovered things that are at first sight counter-intuitive. Consider the following position:
White has two healthy pawns and a very safe King position. One would think that converting White’s advantage is just a question of technique, but infact this is not the case.
The tablebases tell us that when White has the h and g pawns (or a and b pawns, allowing for board symmetry) the correct outcome -with reasonable play – is a draw!
Move the whole position one file to the left and White wins. Always. Tablebases are useful for finding exceptions to the rule . The above position is one such exception.
(As an aside, I actually had this ending (with colors reversed) in 2014 against a strong Spanish master and I managed to win it! It took a long time and was not nearly as easy as I would have expected, but I did win it. Imagine my surprise when I returned home and checked the tablebases! It turns out that because of the peculiar geometry of the 8X8 board, especially along the edge, an incredible stalemate is available to the defender that does not exist when the pawns are on other files!)
Let us now consider the general case with both sides having a Queen instead of a Rook. One side has two extra doubled pawns, and the defender’s King is on the Queening square, or close to it (Position 2).
Every club player knows that when White has only 1 pawn extra and the defending King can blockade it (Position 1), then the result is a dead draw (barring a miracle from one’s opponent!).
Now double that useless pawn (Position 2) and all of a sudden everything changes! Instead of drawing, the stronger side now invariably is able to force a win…
To be precise, the stronger side should always win, even against perfect play by the opponent, whenever the double pawns are along the c,d,e and f files (providing, of course, a perpetual check is not available in the initial position or the pawns are too far advanced and vulnerable to attack )
The exceptions (there seem to always be exceptions in chess!) occur when the doubled pawns are along the Knight files (b and g) and, naturally, the Rook files (a and h)
The general winning plan is not very complicated, though it might very well be time consuming. The idea is simplicity itself: advance the front pawn to the 6th rank – creating mating threats – and then exchange Queens, resulting in a (hopefully) winning King and Pawn Ending:
[FEN "6k1/8/q5P1/5Q2/8/6PK/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
{<strong style="color:black;">White’s last move was g6, threatening mate in two moves. Notice how White has carefully placed his King and Queen so as to avoid perpetual check. </strong> }1...Kg7$5 ({<strong style="color:black;">After </strong> } 1...Qc4 {<strong style="color:black;">White simply exchanges Queens </strong> } 2.Qf7+ Qxf7 3.gxf7+ Kxf7 4.Kh4 Kg6 5.Kg4 {<strong style="color:black;">with an easily won King and Pawn ending </strong> } )
2.Kh4!{<strong style="color:black;">The simplest, cutting off the planned escape route of Black’s King </strong> } Qc4+ 3.g4 Qc7{<strong style="color:black;">There is nothing better. </strong> } 4.Qf7+! Qxf7 5.gxf7 Kxf7 6.Kh5{<strong style="color:black;">Etc. </strong> } *
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Putting this together in Praxis
To gain a real understanding and insight into the mutual challenges and obstacles that this ending presents to both players, I have chosen the endgame that arose in the game Reshevsky vs Geller, Sousse Izt 1967, after 50 moves of play.
(I use the RPB plugin here because of the length of the game; just click on any move and a floating diagram will appear. As well, you can download the PGN from the diagrams.)
gm Reshevsky,S — gm Geller,S
[FEN "6k1/8/5Q2/q7/6P1/8/5KP1/8 b - - 0 50"]
{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The starting point of our journey! White has just captured Black’s last remaining pawn on f6, and is now threatening to force the exchange of Queens (starting with a check on g6 and then a check on either f5 or h5, depending on where Black moves his King) and so the Black Queen must find a shelter. Anywhere that does allow a Queen exchange is reasonable.</strong>} 50...Qd2+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">
Avoiding White’s little trick. The Queen could also move anywhere sensible along
the a-file or to c7 or b4. To c5 also makes sense.</strong>}
( 50...Qd5 {?} 51.Qg6+ {!} Kh8 ( 51...Kf8 52.Qf5+ ) 52.Qh5+ )
51.Kg3 Qe1+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not strictly necessary as White was no longer threatening anything. Black could have even allowed White to make another move! It is only when White has carefully prepared the advance of his front pawn to the 6th rank that the real danger occurs. Until then Black should not do anything rash like allowing the unnecessary exchange of Queens…</strong>} 52.Kh2
Kh7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Also good enough is any queen move that does not lose in 1 move or allow the Queen exchange on f5 or h5.</strong>}
53.g3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A useful move, preparing to advance the King and the front pawn. White must always be on guard against allowing a perpetual check. This procedure is sometimes time consuming as it also requires coordination with the White Queen…</strong>} Kg8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is not yet threatening anything real. Black could have also made any reasonable waiting move with the Queen.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">I keep stressing the necessity of making reasonable moves. As such, careless, of course, would have been </strong> } 53...Qe4? 54.Qf5+! )
54.Qd8+! { [#] <strong style="color:red;">White first decides to improve the position of his Queen before continuing with his general advance of King and Pawn. This is a wise strategy. By placing the Queen on d5 she will control the h1 square and the center, not to mention better dominate the Black Queen. </strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;"> The immediate </strong> }54.g5 {<strong style="color:black;"> would be rash as it does not yet threaten anything real. For example, a likely continuation would be.</strong> }
Kh7$5 {or any reasonable queen move} 55.g6+ Kh6! 56.g7+ Kh7 57.Qf8
Qe2+ 58.Kh3 Qh5+ 59.Kg2 Qe2+ 60.Qf2 Qxf2+ 61.Kxf2 Kxg7 62.Kf3
Kf7 {<strong style="color:black;">with a drawn ending. This variation demonstrates the need for White not to be in a hurry but to first find the optimum squares for the Queen and King before creating threats with his pawn advance… </strong> })
Kh7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Or any other legal king move…</strong>} 55.Qd7+ Kg8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Or any other king move…</strong>}
56.Qd5+ Kg7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Or any other square. Black’s position is not yet so critical that ‘only moves’ are necessary. It is also useful to understand that White’s task is always greater than Black’s task in these endings…</strong>}
57.Kh3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is now ready to advance his King in preparation of advancing his pawn and start creating threats. </strong>}
Qe2 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black bides his time, keeping his Queen active.Of course, there are other reasonable moves.</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:red;">Curiously, of all the King moves at Black’s disposal, only</strong>}
57...Kg6? {<strong style="color:black;">would lose: </strong> } 58.Qg8+! Kh6
( 58...Kf6 59.g5+ Kf5 60.g4+ Kf4 61.Qf7+ Kxg5 62.Qg7+ Kf4 63.Qf6+
Ke3 64.Qe5+ Kd2 65.Qxe1+ Kxe1 66.g5 ) 59.g5+ Kh5 60.g4# )
58.Qd7+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White methodically prepares the advance of his King by improving the position of his Queen. Note that the immediate g5 would allow Qh5+ with either a perpetual check or a Queen exchange and a drawn King and Pawn ending. The reader can easily verify this for himself…</strong>}
Kg6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"> Or any other King move…</strong>} 59.Qd6+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kg7
( {<strong style="color:black;"> Of all of Black’s King moves at his disposal, only </strong> }59...Kg5? {<strong style="color:black;"> would lose immediately after</strong> } 60.Qd8+
Kg6 61.Qg8+ Kh6 62.g5+! Kh5 63.Qh7+ Kxg5 64.Qh4+! {<strong style="color:black;">forcing the exchange of Queens into a won King and Pawn ending. </strong> } )
60.Kh4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Reshevsky methodically sticks to his plan and cautiously advances his King. Soon it will be time to advance his g-pawn and create real threats. That being said, Black’s position is not yet critical. Any King move here is ok, or even any Queen move that does not lose the Queen immediately is also good enough to keep the game going. </strong>}
Qe4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">As reasonable as any other sensible move. I suppose Geller wanted to delay the advance of the g-pawn, but this is not necessary.</strong>}
61.Qd7+$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">An exploratory check to see if Black gets it wrong…</strong>} Kh6$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> Not falling for either</strong>} 61...Kg6? 62.Qf5+! Qxf5 63.gxf5+ Kxf5 64.Kh5 )
({<strong style="color:black;"> Nor</strong> } 61...Kf8? 62.Qf5+ )
({<strong style="color:black;">But perfectly reasonable is to retreat the King to either h8 or g8. For example: </strong> } 61...Kg8$5 62.Kh5 {<strong style="color:black;"> Curiously, even if White could now make another move here he would still not yet be winning by force! But Black has to make a move and he must be careful where he moves the Queen:</strong>}
Qc2? ({<strong style="color:black;">Correct is </strong> } 62...Qh1+! 63.Kg6 Qe4+ 64.Qf5 Qc6+ 65.Kg5 Kg7 {<strong style="color:black;"> with a defensible position.</strong> } ) 63.Qd5+
Kh8 64.Qe5+ Kg8 65.Qg5+ Kh8 66.Qh6+ Kg8 67.Qg6+ {<strong style="color:black;">Etc </strong> } )
62.Qd2+$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Another exploratory check to see if Black is sleeping…</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;"> Of course not </strong> }62.Qf5 Qh1# )
Kh7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">The most sensible move</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Losing immediately is </strong> } 62...Kg6 {?} 63.Qg5+ {<strong style="color:black;"> forcing the exchange of Queens</strong> })
( {<strong style="color:black;">But Black can also hold with </strong> }62...Kg7 63.Qg5+ Kh8 64.Kh5 Qh1+ 65.Kg6 Qe4+ 66.Qf5 Qe8+
( 66...Qc6+ 67.Qf6+ ) 67.Kh6 Qe3+ ( 67...Qc6+ 68.Qg6 Qh1+ 69.Qh5
Qc6+ ) )
63.Qc1 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">A waiting move. White is not yet threatening anything. It appears that Reshevsky is trying to induce a blunder by his opponent, who no doubt had a reputation of always being short of time!}
Qd5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Curiously,any Queen move that does not leave the Queen enprise(!) is also good, except moving her to g6 </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Why? Because after</strong> } 63...Qg6? {<strong style="color:black;"> White can force the exchange of Queens </strong> } 64.Qc7+ Kg8 65.Qd8+ Kf7 66.Qd5+{<strong style="color:black;"> Etc</strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;"> Note that any King move is also good enough except </strong> }63...Kg6? {<strong style="color:black;">which loses immediately to </strong> }
64.Qg5+! )
64.g5$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Reshevsky has carefully prepared this advance, making certain that Black does not have a perpetual check. We are now approaching the critical point of this ending.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Had White made another exploratory check with </strong> } 64.Qc7+ {<strong style="color:black;">then any King move by Black would have been ok except for </strong> } Kh6 {?} 65.Qf4+
{!} {<strong style="color:black;">which forces the exchange of Queens. </strong> } )
Qe4+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A reasonable move, but the Queen is quite active on d5 and Black could have just left it there . To be considered is simply moving the Black King, waiting to see how White intends to make progress. White is not yet winning here according to the table bases.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">What kind of moves should Black avoid making here? Moves that decentralize the Queen. For example </strong> } 64...Qa8 {?} {<strong style="color:black;">Burying the Queen far from the field of action! </strong> }
65.Qc7+ Kg8 66.g6 Qe4+ 67.Qf4 Qh1+ 68.Kg5 )
({<strong style="color:black;">Another lemon, though a bit closer to the action is </strong> } 64...Qd8 {?}{<strong style="color:black;"> For example</strong> } 65.Qb1+ Kg7 66.Qb7+ Kg8 67.Qf3 Qe7 68.Qf5! {<strong style="color:black;">threatening to force the Queen exchange starting with Qg6+ </strong> } 68...Qb7 69.g6! {<strong style="color:black;"> when Black is helpless. He has a few checks but no perpetual as the reader can readily verify for himself.</strong> } )
65.Qf4{[#]}
({<strong style="color:black;">In general White should avoid advancing his other g-pawn to the 4th rank unless absolutely necessary. In many of the King and Pawn endings that will arise after playing Qf7+ (forcing the exchange of Queens) White will be short of the winning tempo. After </strong> } 65.g4$6 Qe8$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> or any other reasonable Queen move or any King move should be sufficient to hold the game. </strong> }
)
Qh1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"> Obvious and sensible, but not the only good move. Besides, there is no perpetual check. The defence still has a number of robust alternatives.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Completely wrong is the passive </strong> } 65...Qe8 {?} 66.Qf5+ Kg8 67.g6! {<strong style="color:black;"> which is what actually happens later in the game. The Queen should only take up the e8 post after the White pawn has already been induced to g4.</strong>}
)
({<strong style="color:black;">Perhaps the most logical alternative to the text move is </strong> } 65...Qd5$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> from where the Black Queen is very actively posted. The check on h1 can be played later, if needed. </strong> } )
66.Kg4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is now threatening to finish the game quickly starting with a check on f7 or even playing his pawn to g6</strong>} Qd1+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now this is the only move as returning to d5 with the Queen would allow the exchange of Queens…</strong>}
67.Qf3{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
Qa4+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black must exercise much caution here as he is running out of ideas and moves!</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Completely wrong would be the natural </strong> } 67...Qd4+? {<strong style="color:black;">when after </strong> } 68.Kh5! {<strong style="color:black;">White’s threats are immediately decisive. Black can simply not afford to let the White King leisurely park itself on h5 decisive </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;"> According to the tablebases, there is another move that can still hold the game, namely the bizarre looking</strong> } 67...Qe1 {<strong style="color:black;">with the idea that after </strong> } 68.Qf7+ Kh8 69.g6 {<strong style="color:black;">Black has the saving </strong> } Qxg3+! {<strong style="color:black;">Amazing! </strong> } )
68.Kh5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qe8+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 69.Kh4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Kg8?{[#] <strong style="color:red;"> Probably because of time trouble, Geller finally lets his guard down and overlooks a critical finesse. This is really unfortunate as up to now both players have demonstrated exemplary tenacity and discipline in executing their plans. Now Reshevsky does not let escape the only opportunity that he has had to win the game so far…</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">The draw can still be held by inducing the White pawn to advance to g4: </strong> }69...Qa4+! 70.g4 {<strong style="color:black;">otherwise White is not making progress </strong> } Qe8!{<strong style="color:black;">Now this is good and the pawn on g3 has moved to g4! </strong> } 71.Qf5+ Kg7! (71...Kg8? 72.g6! Qe1+ 73.Kh5! Qh1+ 74.Kg5 Qc1+ 75.Qf4 Qc5+ 76.Kh6!{<strong style="color:black;"> and the free checks have come to an end.</strong> } ) 72.Qf6+ Kg8{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Remember this position! We will come back to this later…</strong>} 73.g6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">All according to White’s plan.( White also has no other way of making progress!) White is threatening to win with Qf7+, but Black has a defence</strong>}
73...Qe1+ 74.Kh5 Qh1+ 75.Kg5 Qd5+ {<strong style="color:black;">This would not have been possible had White’s Queen not been earlier induced to give a check on f6! </strong> } 76.Qf5 Qd2+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">And White can not escape the checks! The reader can easily verify this for himself.</strong>} )
({<strong style="color:black;">Note that also insufficient is </strong> } 69...Kg7? 70.Qf6+ Kg8 71.g6 Qe4+ 72.Qf4 Qxg6 73.Qg5{<strong style="color:black;">exchanging Queens and winning easily. NOW BACK TO THE ACTUAL GAME CONTINUATION: </strong> } )
70.g6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now there is nothing to be done about White’s coming Qf7+, exchanging Queens into a won King and Pawn ending.</strong>}
( 70.Qf5 {also wins, but the text is more direct.} )
Qe7+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There are only bad options now. There is no saving check on e1 as in the other variation.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">If </strong> }70...Qxg6 71.Qg4! )
({<strong style="color:black;">Or if </strong> }70...Qa4+ 71.g4 Qe8 72.Qf7+! {<strong style="color:black;"> and once more we see this winning shot. Without this idea, it is doubtful that White can win this ending. …</strong> })
71.Kg4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">One can only admire Reshevsky’s precision in this ending!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">It is still not too late to let Black escape: </strong> } 71.Kh3? Qe6+! 72.Kh4 Qf6+!!{[#]} )
Qe6+ 72.Qf5 Qe2+ 73.Kh3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black resigns. There are no more checks and Qf7 is coming. Very instructive endgame play by both players and a well deserved point for Reshevsky.</strong>} 1-0
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This game is important to help understand the plans, techniques and methods of both sides of play. Especially, it is clear from the analysis that Black should not have lost and only erred at the very end because of time trouble.
Hence the general case of when the doubled pawns are on the g-file (or b-file) is solved: it should be a draw with correct play.
But this example also reveals the reason why the stronger side should win when the pawns are on the central files (c,d,e and f).
What do I mean?
Let’s go back to the critical drawing position had Geller found 69…Qa4+! 70.g4 Qe8! 71.Qf5+ Kg7 72.Qf6+ Kg8. I asked the reader to remember this position:
Fine! Now let’s move this position one file to the left (the pawns on the f-file) and see what revealing props up:
Here White has 73.Qh6+! which forces the exchange of Queens and wins handily! This side check is always available when dealing with pawns on the c,d,e and f files. All White needed was a little elbow room on the right side of the board!
This ends my short exploration of the theme of doubled pawns in the centre. In the most general case, the stronger side has only practical winning chances when there are Rooks on the board; with Queens the stronger side should win more often than not regardless of how well his opponent defends.
