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Problem in endgames

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kosmeg

Guys, I usually get very good position and in the end I can't win the end game!  The problem is that I know how to play endgames.In fact I'm better in endgames than in in anything else in chess but I just can't do it. What do you think I could do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you believe that I was in such a position for white and didn't won? 


Gokukid
He's got good bishop, and it's hitting on h3.  His king is near and can get e5 and g5 pawns after which the material count is in Black's favor, in quantity and quality.  It would be difficult for your knight to stop the protected passed h-pawn while the bishop secures the queening square h1.
kosmeg

The continuation was 1.Kc4 Bxh3 (2.Kd3 wins here) 2.Kd5 Bg2+ and black wins. In fact if I had played 1.Nf3 he could resign right away. Kc4 was just a blunder, but that's what I'm talking about. Why do I have to make always a mistake in the endgame? It's not that I can't find solutions, it's that I don't. I often make big mistakes after a very well played middlegame.


Loomis

I disagree with Gokukid, white is winning easily in this endgame because of 1. e6+ Bxe6 2. Nxe6 Kxe6 where white's 3 on 2 majority on the queenside mean black's plan of taking white's pawns on the kingside is just too slow:

 

 


Loomis
kosmeg wrote:

Why do I have to make always a mistake in the endgame? It's not that I can't find solutions, it's that I don't.


 Take your time, play slowly, look for all your opponent's threats, look for everything you can threaten. Play with a goal in mind and try to reach your goal in your mind before you move.


Gokukid

I disagree with Gokukid

Gosh, my bad, sorry, I thought it was Black to move.  I'll analyze the position again.  I'll be back...


Gokukid

Okay here's possibility number 1:


kosmeg
thanks guys. In fact I have seen the continuation with e6+ but I didn't see that h3 was hanging and preferred Kc4!
Ziryab

I must disagree with Gokukid's analysis.

Both 3.Kc4 and 3.Kd4 are clearly winning. However, the merits of Kc4 are obvious to a player that understands the opposition--a fundamental king and pawn endgame principle. Kc4 seizes the oposition. Gokukid's suggestion that Kd4 is better appears to stem from the idea that Kd5 is superior to axb5 several moves later. However, Kd5 is just as possible from c4 as from d4. Moreover, Black's king is not in the square of the b-pawn after axb4, nor is the square of the pawn of any value to Black if White plays Kxb5, which is possible if Kc4.

 

BTW, after Fritz has enough time to consider the position, it concludes that 3.Kd4 leads to checkmate in 74 moves, while 3.Kc4 leads to mate in 73. Objectively, therefore, Kc4 is slightly superior.