Endings with opposite coloured bishops have large drawish tendencies and often being one or two pawns up is not enough to win. Material is often less important than positional considerations. In the diagram position White is two pawns down, but with best play he is able to hold the draw. What should he do?
The diagram position, in which Black is to move, is extremely sharp: Black has two bishops for the queen but both sides have far advanced and dangerous passed pawns and this allows Black to win. How?
In his new Power Play Show, GM Daniel King examines games from the World Under 20 Championship taking place in Mexico City. All of these games feature checkmating attacks some were found, some were missed! | Power Play is on air most Fridays. Watch it on-demand with a ChessBase Premium account. All the usual puzzles, games and instruction will be on offer.
Rook endings have drawish tendencies, and sometimes even the chance to get a new queen does not help the better side. In the diagram position it is Black who has to fight for a draw. What did he do to show that it is difficult to win rook endings?
With eleven opening articles, ChessBase Magazine #215 covers the usual broad spectrum and provides new repertoire ideas for every tournament player. For example, a concept against the Alekhine Defence: Sergey Grigoriants presents the "sharpest and most principled approach against the Alekhine Defence" with 5.f4! and is convinced that he has "proved White's advantage in all variations". Alekhine expert Christian Bauer attests our author an "excellent job. I now know why the variation 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 Bf5 7.Nc3 e6 is bad for Black!".
Take a look! You can find the complete article with all games and analyses in the current CBM #215.