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N+B v K ending

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  • 18-08-2014 7:53pm
    #1
    Lucena
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭


    Inspired to open this thread after the last round of the Olympiad with a draw in the Kuwait v Netherlands Antilles (Board 3) in this ending, which as we all know, is completely winning. Between two 2000 players as well!

    Why is it that people always pay attention to players mucking up this particular ending? I mean, there are lots of theoretical wins out there that people make a hames of all the time, so why does N+B v K get all the attention?

    I personally haven't learned it (yet!), but would be interested in knowing if anyone else here has, whether it's ever come up in your games, and even if it hasn't, whether you've found that learning this ending has helped your game (improved knight and bishop coordination).


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    #2
    L1m1tless
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 2,164 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1m1tless


    Perhaps it happens so little that its better to spend the study time on another ending. Its also easy to forget when you don't see it in practice. I think its 36 moves from the worst starting position. I learned it once but have since forgotten it.


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    #3
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    Funnily enough I played this against Shredder on full strength last month. I played the King just to see how quickly it could get mate. I have to say the interplay between King, Bishop, and Knight seems very complex. Although I need to worry about actually reaching a few endgames first before I learn the sequence!

    Do you have a link to the game?


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    #4
    Lucena
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭Lucena


    http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1771673

    There's a video, or series of videos on Youtube which seem to explain it quite well (I've never actually studied them properly). I'll try to stick a link up this evening.


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    #5
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    I'll bet he's kicking himself he didn't learn the ending! It seemed like he was on the right track until move 120 or so. From what I've seen the three pieces need to be quite close together for the final squeeze.


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    #6
    cdeb
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,144 Mod ✭✭✭✭cdeb


    Part of the trick is that at one stage, you have to let the king out of the corner, but the two pieces can combine to round it up and drive it back in. It's rather counter-intuitive.

    mikhail tells of the olden days when the Leinster leagues had adjournments; he reached B+N v K and promptly adjourned. His opponent made him come back and play the win out, which - having read up on it in a book - he did.


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    #7
    Lucena
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭Lucena


    An article on the ending in question on the excellent Streatham and Brixton blog:

    http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.fr/2011/03/this-is-end-iii.html

    And a video showing how to use the 'Triangle Method':

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWZ7h2yrJME

    Just make sure that the king starts in the corner!!!


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