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| From | Message | Posted by duffer
mailcafe.net
1/15/2003
22:42:01
Play online chess |  Subject: End game question
Message:
I have an endgame question, I don't expect anyone to work this out for me, but perhaps its part of chess doctrine somewhere and someone knows the answer off the top of their head. I was in an endgame where I had knight and rook, my opponent had bishop, rook and pawn. I got a fork on his bishop and pawn (both protected) and took the pawn, figuring it would be hard to get an attack going against a rook with just rook-bishop. My opponent blundered and we drew, but the question is should I have taken the pawn or the bishop, or neither perhaps? I did set the board up after the game and push the pieces around, I couldn't really force the issue with the bishop-rook combo, but I'm not so good in the endgames either.
| Posted by caldazar
mailcafe.net
1/15/2003
23:31:27
Play online chess |
Message:
Of course it all depends on the position, but statistically, both options lead to a high probability of a draw.
In Rook+pawn vs Rook endgames, if the inferior side can get his king on to the pawn file in front of the pawn, it's usually a draw (Philidor's position).
In Rook+Bishop vs Rook endgames, the inferior side can usually draw by keeping his king and rook close together so as to avoid skewers and pins that would lose the rook. Keeping the rook off the squares of the same color that the superior side's bishop controlls helps (to cut down on possible bishop pins and skewers). In this endgame, the inferior side also has an additional resource in that he can play for the exchange of rooks.
As a practical matter, if I saw that my king could get in the path of the pawn easily, I'd play into the Rook+Pawn vs Rook endgame rather than the Rook+Bishop vs Rook one simply because there's a smaller chance of blundering and losing to a tactical shot in the former endgame.
By the way, all Rook+Pawn vs Rook endgames and Rook+Bishop vs Rook endgames are solved.
| Posted by atrifix
mailcafe.net
1/16/2003
03:32:30
Play online chess | Rook endings
Message:
KRB vs. KR is almost always theoretically a draw, but among weaker players, if the 'stronger' side is prepared, then there are excellent practical chances to win. It is possible that insufficient losing chances can be claimed in this position--although most arbiters will probably reject this claim.
KRP vs. KR, on the other hand, can be either a win or a draw. However, if the position is drawn, then the stronger side has no practical chances and the game is drawn without much play. The weaker side can draw easily if he can reach the Philidor position, whereas the stronger side can win easily if he can reach the Lucena position.
So, this is a purely subjective decision, dependent on the position :)
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Familiar Face Leads Cuban Chess Tournament in Honor of Capablanca — Any list of the greatest chess players of all time always includes José Raúl Capablanca, the third world chess champion. During his heyday, he was considered almost invincible (one of his nicknames was “the chess machine,” long before computers proved to be better than people) and he lost only one game in a 10-year period. Since 1962, a memorial tournament in his honor has been held almost annually in his homeland. (That is not surprising as Fidel Castro and Ché Guevera were both fans of the game.) This year is the 45th edition and it started June 10. The chess tournament is in three parts: An elite double round-robin (where each competitor plays all the others twice); a premier ...
Posted by duffer
mailcafe.net
1/16/2003
06:57:58
Play online chess | Endgames
Message:
Thanks Caldazar and Atrifix.
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Robotic "Monster Chess" set uses 100000 LEGO pieces — The idea is simple — a chess game where you can play against the computer. But the implementation here is what's truly monster about it. Each chess piece is its own autonomous robot, and there are actually a couple of 'spares' (as well as NXT blocks built into the King & Queen), so that ends up with 38 separate NXTs that must be controlled, commanded, and communicated with. Ron McRae did the bulk of the software work on the PC end for this, and it really works well. The chess board has squares based on the large LEGO baseplates, making the entire assembly roughly 12' on a side. On top of that is a way to input the humans moves, and a laptop running chess software and helping ...
Posted by triangulator
mailcafe.net
1/16/2003
10:26:00
Play online chess | yah
Message:
K+R+B vs K+R = a draw unless 1 side blunders
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The Catalan Chess Opening part 4: how should white tackle a strong centre? — Continuing our brief survey of the fashionable Catalan Chess Opening: instead of capturing on c4, Black holds firm in the centre. How should White develop? RB Staring reproachfully at me from my desk is a newly bought but unopened copy of Play the Catalan by Nigel Davies (Everyman Chess). I haven't had the time to make even a start and am still as innocent of the theory as I was when we began this series of columns. I've resisted the temptation to cheat by looking to see what Davies recommends and am going to go on general principles: what looks like the most useful developing move? Two possibilities suggest themselves: Qc2 and Nc3. So which one? Over the chess board I'd probably ...
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