A Chess Odyssey
By Efstratios Grivas
Journey 01 ® 01.01.2013
An educational journey to
chess knowledge and training
A Curious Queen Ending
Concept
Queen endings are one of the most
difficult and at the same time interesting
types of endings.
The difficulty lies in the usually immense
number of variations and moves that occur
due to the corresponding mobility of the
most powerful chess piece, the queen.
The rules that govern queen endings are
many and significant. The side with the
advantage, either a material or a positional
one, has several ways in which to seek
victory, such as a direct attack aiming at
checkmate, the exploitation of a passed
pawn, the constant pressure on a weak pawn
structure or, finally, the conversion of a
material plus.
The defending side mainly has one single
aim, perpetual check, although it is not
necessarily unique. In this specific type of
ending we encounter certain special
characteristics, brought to the fore by the
great power of the queen.
Thus, the problem of the defending side
delivering perpetual check is not the only
one facing the attacker.
In this journey we will examine a not-
often-met queen ending; 5:4 on the same
side with a backward extra pawn! At first
glance this should look like an easy draw,
but problems do exist. And over the board
are difficult to be met and solved…
□ Rajkovic Dusan
■ Skembris Spyridon
Sofia 1986 ○
FIDE Surveys * Efstratios Grivas * A Chess Odyssey 01
www.GrivasChess.com
http://www.chess.gr/portraits/grivas/misc/Grivas-Advert.pdf
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+pmkp'
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5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-+-+-zPP#
2Q+-+-zPK+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
Black has an extra pawn. In any other type
of ending (e.g. a rook ending) his win would
be in serious doubt. In a queen ending,
however, a material advantage of one pawn
can prove decisive.
43.f3 h5 44.h4
White cannot really do without this move. If
instead follows a waiting policy, after
44.Qb2 g5 45.g4 h4 46.Qb1 Qc5 Black will
penetrate to the important f4- and g3-
squares, while his king will assist as well.
44...Qc5 45.Qd2 Kf6
The black king must assist the ...d5 advance.
46.Qg5+ Ke6 47.g4
A logical push. White seeks pawn
exchanges, hoping to eventually reach a
drawn queen & pawn vs queen ending.
Although it gives Black a future king-path to
the kingside, if White refrains from this
advance, then Black will organise a future
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...f5 central break.
47...Qc2+ 48.Kf1 hxg4 49.Qxg4+ Ke7
50.Qg5+ Ke8 51.h5
Otherwise the white h-pawn will remain
weak.
51...gxh5 52.Qg8+ Ke7 53.Qg5+ Kd7
54.Qf5+ Ke8 55.Qxh5 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+k+-+(
7+-+-+p+-'
6-+-zp-+-+&
5+-+-zp-+Q%
4-+-+P+-+$
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1+-+-+K+-!
xabcdefghy
White has managed to keep the game close
to a draw, but there is still a long way ahead
in order to achieve this result. It is of great
importance that Black's remaining pawns are
central. If we move all the pawns two files
on the right, then a draw would be most
natural, as the black has entrance squares
only from one side.
55...Qd1+ 56.Kf2 Qd2+ 57.Kf1 Ke7
Black will try to infiltrate White's lines with
the king, initially via the kingside. Then he
will exchange one more pawn (his d-pawn
for the white e-pawn). Finally, the decisive
invasion will be accomplished via the
queenside. This whole plan appears simple
in its conception and fully realizable.
Besides, Black is risking nothing, as it is
impossible to lose. In contrast, White must
be constantly vigilant.
58.Qh4+ Kd7 59.Qg4+ Kc7 60.Qg8
If 60.Qf5 then 60...Qa2!, but not 60...Qf4?
61.Qxf4 exf4 62.Ke2 Kc6 63.Kd3 Kc5
64.Kc3 f5 65.exf5 Kd5 66.f6 Ke6 67.Kd4
Kxf6 68.Kd5 =.
60...Qf4 61.Ke2 d5!
The backward d-pawn is finally exchanged.
62.exd5 Qc4+ 63.Ke3 Qxd5 64.Qe8 Kd6
65.Qd8+ Ke6 66.Qe8+ Kf5 67.Qc8+ Qe6
FIDE Surveys * Efstratios Grivas * A Chess Odyssey 01
68.Qc2+ Kg5 69.Qg2+ Kf6 70.Qb2 Qf5
71.Qb6+ Kg7 72.Qc7 Qf4+ 73.Ke2 Kg6
Black is on the right path. The black d-pawn
has been exchanged, the queen's placement
has been improved and the black king now
sets off on its journey to g3/g2 squares.
74.Qd6+ Kg5 75.Qf8 Kh4 76.Qg8
76.Qh8+ Kg3 77.Qg7+ Kh3 78.Kf2 f5
79.Qg6 Qd4+ is possible as well.
76...f6 77.Qh7+ Kg3 78.Qg7+ Kh3 79.Qg6!
No help is provided by 79.Qh7+? Kg2
80.Qg6+ Qg3! 81.Qxf6 Qf2+!, as Black
would win the resulting pawn ending.
79...Qc4+
79...f5 80.Kf2 Qd4+ is fine also.
80.Ke3 Qc1+ 81.Ke2 Qf4 82.Qg7!
It is important for White to keep the white
king away from the vital g2-square.
82...f5 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
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xabcdefghy
83.Kf2?
White could defend with 83.Qg6! Qc4+
(83...Qg3 84.Qxf5+ Kg2 85.Qg4 =) 84.Kf2
Qd4+ 85.Ke2 Qf4 86.Kf2 Qd2+ 87.Kf1,
when is seems that there is no way for Black
to improve...
83...Qd2+! 84.Kf1 Qc1+?
Black wrongly tries to repeat the position in
order to win some time. He should directly
go for 84...Qe3!.
85.Kf2?
85.Ke2! was correct.
85...Qd2+ 86.Kf1 Qe3! (D)
Now Black 'found' the correct way and
slowly but steady, improves the placement
of every of his pieces.
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 XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+( 8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+-wQ-' 7+-+-+-+-'
6-+-+-+-+& 6-+Q+-+-+&
5+-+-zpp+-% 5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$ 4-+-+-zp-+$
3+-+-wqP+k# 3+-+q+P+-#
2-+-+-+-+" 2-+-+k+K+"
1+-+-+K+-! 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
87.Qg2+ Kh4 88.Qh2+ Kg5 89.Qg3+ Kf6 111...e4!
As now the white queen is very passive, And White had to resign, due to 112.fxe4
protecting her last pawn, Black commences f3+ 113.Kh2 f2. An excellently conducted
the last stage of his plan: the infiltration of ending by one of the pioneer GMs of Greek
his king via the queenside. Chess, Spyridon Skembris.
90.Qh4+ Ke6 91.Qh5 0–1
91.Qc4+ Kd6 92.Qb4+ Qc5 93.Qd2+ Qd4
94.Qg5 Qd3+ 95.Kf2 Kc5. □ Negi Parimarjan
91...Qd3+ 92.Ke1 Kd6 93.Kf2 Qd2+ ■ Beliavsky Alexander
94.Kf1 Qc1+ 95.Kf2 Qc2+ 96.Kf1 f4! Amsterdam 2007 ●
White's queen must now keep an eye on the XABCDEFGHY
f-pawn to prevent its loss. But how can a
queen simultaneously protect a pawn, preve- 8-+-+-+-+(
nt mating threats and try to give perpetual
check? Even for a queen this is too much to
7+-+Q+pmk-'
bear. 6-+-zp-+p+&
97.Qg4 Qh7 98.Ke2 Qb1 99.Qh5 Qc2+
100.Kf1 Qd3+ 101.Kf2 Qe3+ 102.Kf1 Kc5 5+-+-zp-+p%
103.Qh3 Kb4
103...Qd3+ 104.Kf2 Qd2+ 105.Kf1 Kd4 is
4-+-+P+-+$
an easier line. 3+-+-+P+P#
104.Qg4 Kc3 105.Qc8+ Kd2 106.Qa8
Qd3+ 107.Kf2 Qd4+ 108.Kg2 Ke3
2-+-wq-+PmK"
Or 108...Ke1 109.Kh3 Kf2. 1+-+-+-+-!
109.Qa3+ Ke2 110.Qa6+
White is left without any saving resources. xabcdefghy
His pieces are passive, while their An about similar example as the previous
counterparts have become too ‘aggressive’ one. But here Black has some extra
and are ready to deliver the lethal blow. The possibilities...
standard discovered check could occur after 53...Qf4+! 54.Kh1 Qf6
110.Qa2+ Qd2 111.Qa8 Qc2! 112.Qa6+ Black is preparing the plan ...g5-g4 with two
(112.Qe8 e4) 112...Ke3+. ideas in mind: first is to isolate the e4-pawn
110...Qd3 111.Qc6 (D) (in the case of exchanging pawns on g4) and
111.Qa2+ Ke1 112.Qf2+ Kd1 113.Qg1+ the second one is to move his g-pawn to g3,
Kd2 and White has no useful move left. in order to strangle the white king (if White
FIDE Surveys * Efstratios Grivas * A Chess Odyssey 01 3
does not capture this pawn on g4).
55.Qc7 g5 56.Qd7 Qe6 57.Qd8?
57.Qc6! was the best option: 57...g4 58.hxg4
hxg4 59.fxg4 (59.Kg1? g3 and the white
king gets into mating nets) 59...Qxg4
60.Qxd6 Qxe4 61.Qc7 Qe1+ (61...Kg6!?
might be a better try...) 62.Kh2 Qe3 63.g4!
(to stop the advance of the f-pawn)
63...Qf2+ (63...Kg6 64.Qc8) 64.Kh3 Qf4
65.Qb8 and it is very difficult for Black to
make progress.
57...g4 58.hxg4 hxg4 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
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59.Kh2
59.fxg4 Qxg4 60.Qxd6 Qxe4 seems a better
option for White. However, Black has a
better move instead of 59...Qxg4: 59...Qh6+!
60.Kg1 Qe3+ 61.Kh2 (61.Kh1 Qe1+ 62.Kh2
Qxe4) 61...Qxe4 62.Qxd6 Qf4+ and White
cannot avoid the queen exchange: 63.Kg1
(63.g3 Qh6+ -+ ; 63.Kh3 Qh6+ 64.Qxh6+
Kxh6 65.Kh4 f6 -+) 63...Qd4+ 64.Qxd4
exd4 65.Kf2 Kf6 66.Ke2 Ke5 67.Kd3 f6
68.Kd2 Ke4 69.Ke2 d3+ 70.Kd2 Kd4
71.Kd1 Ke3 72.Ke1 d2+ 73.Kd1 Kd3 -+.
Also note that 59.Kg1 loses to 59...gxf3
60.gxf3 Qf6 -+.
59...Qh6+?
59...gxf3 60.gxf3 Qf6! seems to instantly
win.
60.Kg3 Qf4+ 61.Kf2 Qf6 62.Qd7 Qh4+
63.Ke2?
63.Kf1 was the correct defence, although
after 63...g3 (63...Qg3 64.Qf5) White would
have to find the accurate 64.Ke2! (64.Qh3?
Qxh3 65.gxh3 f5 66.exf5 Kf6 67.Kg2 Kxf5
FIDE Surveys * Efstratios Grivas * A Chess Odyssey 01
68.Kxg3 d5 69.Kf2 d4 70.Ke2 [70.h4 Kg6
71.Ke2 Kh5 -+] 70...Kg5 71.Kd3 Kh4
72.Ke4 Kxh3 73.f4 d3! 74.Kxd3 exf4 -+)
and I feel that there is no way that Black can
improve.
63...Qg3! 64.fxg4
The pawn ending after 64.Qxg4+ Qxg4
65.fxg4 Kf6 66.Kf3 Kg5 67.Kg3 f6 68.Kf3
Kh4 is easily won for Black.
64...Qxg2+ 65.Ke3 Qg3+ 66.Ke2 Qf4!
67.Qxd6 Qxg4+ 68.Kf2 Qf4+ 69.Kg1 (D)
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+pmk-'
6-+-wQ-+-+&
5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+-+Pwq-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
69...Qg5+!
And the queen exchange is inevitable,
leading to a won pawn ending...
70.Kf2 Qf6+ 71.Qxf6+ Kxf6 72.Kf3 Kg5
73.Kg3 f6
0–1
Conclusion
Such endings offer multiple chances to
prevail and are more difficult than we think.
The use of the king is the secret ace!
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