The same color square concept is such a good idea! Every book explains it with the odd/even number explanation, but I never found that practical especially in blitz! Great video
I was blown away by the original Reti study years ago, and always try to share it with people... but doing it with three black pawns really is mind-blowing! Thanks for a great lesson, and I agree with the others, please continue to make these super educational videos... (p.s. I need help with middlegame planning..LOL)
Thank you Robert what a fantastic instructional video! The way you explained these concepts is so helpful and im sure i'll get some extra points with this info.
Thank you for this sophisticated video about the principles for the endgame. Small question: In the variation with the black king on b7, couldn't black defend whit's move b5 with kb6? (17:18)
Yes. b5 still wins but ka5 first is smoother technique. b5 does still win...On Kb6 bxa6 Kxa6 and then g5! Still wins for white since black is too far away to stop the white pawn from queening. For example fxg5 hxg5 h5 f5! And white queens first.
Thank you for the answer! I see, white will queen first, but can't avoid, that black is also queening, right? (In the example: black queens with the h-pawn.)
@@AnZu-uj4rp The queen and pawn endgame is a win for white, but it is a bit of a mess. Ka5 instead of b5 is cleaner technique. I should have recommended Ka5 instead of b5 in the video. It is a better move. Both moves do win. After black queens white can play check and pick up the pawn on d5. The white king can find both shelter and cross checks in the middle. It's a win but again Ka5 instead of b5 is easier.
It's a good video for sure, but the claim of not having to calculate is still exaggerated. Even in a situations with two pawns blocking each other - there is a "pawn zone" that the king should be able to get to, ok, fine, that makes sense, of course the king needs to be able to get closer to the pawn. But it doesn't really provide a way to so easily understand which move is correct, because some of them would lead to a loss.
@@ALTTABINMAINMENU The truth is that if you want to play every endgame in the absolute optimal way you will need to calculate at some point. The point I was making in this video is that large swaths of the endgame don't need to be calculated at all. That means that you can focus all your energy on calculating positions that actually require it. By avoiding calculations in positions that can be assessed properly at a glance you can calculate much much deeper in the positions that need it. That's why my title was how to win 90% of king and pawn endgames. If you want that last 10% you'll need to calculate.
@@robertplunkettschesslab That makes sense, of course. I still find it difficult to use concept of pawn zones to quickly see the right move in the case of blocked pawns, for example. I even watched your dedicated video about it (also very good one!), but somehow it just doesn't "click" for me
wow this channel is a pure gem .I have never seen someone explaining the opposition with such clarity and straightforward .U are an excellent teacher !!
I've seen lots of videos on pawn endgames, but this one is the best! Your explanation is really clear, just like the other video in this series about winning rook and pawn endgames. Can't wait to see more videos like this in the future!
The goal in the end is to make only necessary calculations. "Long analysis wrong analysis" is the expression I was always taught. The shorter and more accurate you can make your calculations the better off you are and the less likely you are to have a mistake creep in. It is very true that not calculating at all is a recipe for disaster. But...... So is calculating a bunch of nonsense..... LOL.
Actually still loses because of something called sixth rank rule which I did not cover in this video. After Kf1 just Kg3 Kg1 f3 Kf1 and then f2 and the king is forced to come out to e2 because he cannot move strait back. It is a weird situation that only occurs on the sixth rank.
@@robertplunkettschesslab If I understood your analysis correctly to make sure we are on the same page, the position is as follows: Black king on e2 White king on g2 White pawn on f3 Black pawn on f4, White to move. Here I suggested Kg1-g2, instead of playing Kh2. Playing Kf1 is not possible as a response as the Kg2 would control the f1 square. White should simply hang around and play Kg1-Kg2-Kg1 for the rest of this endgame until black plays Kxf3, because as it turns out white can then gain the opposition with Kf1 and it is just a draw. Edit: my bad, 14:20 is the wrong timestamp. The correct would be 14:15, but it should be obvous what position I am talking about based on "Kh2 is a mistake"
Again. Gaining the opposition does not draw in this very specific case. You can Start with the white king on f1 the black pawn on f4 and the black king on f3 with black to move and white having the opposition. In that position Black still wins after Kg3, Kg1, f3, Kf1, f2 and now Ke2 is forced and white loses. So Kh2 is not different than any other move because all moves in this case still lose. it is called sixth rank rule. I avoided covering it in this video because the focus of this video was only to cover major endgame concepts. The sixth rank rule is only used in 1 king plus 1 pawn vs. King endgames so it is a very specific use case rule...... move everything back 1 rank and it is a draw. This is a very specific situation.@@DanacChess
The position is still lost due to the sixth rank rule. I could have covered this in the video. This is always a problem when making a video is determining the scope of the video. Deciding what to include and what to omit. In this case I made the decision to not talk about minor endgame concepts. I also chose quite intentionally to place the pawn on the sixth rank to make the position a win no matter what while simultaneously choosing not to cover kg1 and get bogged down in explaining another concept that wouldn't fit in well with the theme of the overall video. Objectively Kh2 is the same as all other king moves. everything loses here. @@DanacChess
Please continue to make more of these instruction videos. I find them to be extremely informative!
The same color square concept is such a good idea! Every book explains it with the odd/even number explanation, but I never found that practical especially in blitz! Great video
I was blown away by the original Reti study years ago, and always try to share it with people... but doing it with three black pawns really is mind-blowing! Thanks for a great lesson, and I agree with the others, please continue to make these super educational videos... (p.s. I need help with middlegame planning..LOL)
Thank you Robert what a fantastic instructional video! The way you explained these concepts is so helpful and im sure i'll get some extra points with this info.
Great video!
When someone asks me - where should I start to better understand the endgame? I’m pointing them to this video.
Thanks.
Thank you for this sophisticated video about the principles for the endgame. Small question: In the variation with the black king on b7, couldn't black defend whit's move b5 with kb6? (17:18)
Yes. b5 still wins but ka5 first is smoother technique. b5 does still win...On Kb6 bxa6 Kxa6 and then g5! Still wins for white since black is too far away to stop the white pawn from queening. For example fxg5 hxg5 h5 f5! And white queens first.
Thank you for the answer! I see, white will queen first, but can't avoid, that black is also queening, right? (In the example: black queens with the h-pawn.)
@@AnZu-uj4rp The queen and pawn endgame is a win for white, but it is a bit of a mess. Ka5 instead of b5 is cleaner technique. I should have recommended Ka5 instead of b5 in the video. It is a better move. Both moves do win. After black queens white can play check and pick up the pawn on d5. The white king can find both shelter and cross checks in the middle. It's a win but again Ka5 instead of b5 is easier.
@@robertplunkettschesslab I understand now. Thank you for discussing this side topic!
Thank You
It's a good video for sure, but the claim of not having to calculate is still exaggerated. Even in a situations with two pawns blocking each other - there is a "pawn zone" that the king should be able to get to, ok, fine, that makes sense, of course the king needs to be able to get closer to the pawn. But it doesn't really provide a way to so easily understand which move is correct, because some of them would lead to a loss.
@@ALTTABINMAINMENU The truth is that if you want to play every endgame in the absolute optimal way you will need to calculate at some point. The point I was making in this video is that large swaths of the endgame don't need to be calculated at all. That means that you can focus all your energy on calculating positions that actually require it. By avoiding calculations in positions that can be assessed properly at a glance you can calculate much much deeper in the positions that need it. That's why my title was how to win 90% of king and pawn endgames. If you want that last 10% you'll need to calculate.
@@robertplunkettschesslab That makes sense, of course. I still find it difficult to use concept of pawn zones to quickly see the right move in the case of blocked pawns, for example. I even watched your dedicated video about it (also very good one!), but somehow it just doesn't "click" for me
wow this channel is a pure gem .I have never seen someone explaining the opposition with such clarity and straightforward .U are an excellent teacher !!
I've seen lots of videos on pawn endgames, but this one is the best! Your explanation is really clear, just like the other video in this series about winning rook and pawn endgames. Can't wait to see more videos like this in the future!
How to lose 10% of your pawn endgames: refuse to calculate at all.
True. And fair. LOL.
The goal in the end is to make only necessary calculations.
"Long analysis wrong analysis" is the expression I was always taught. The shorter and more accurate you can make your calculations the better off you are and the less likely you are to have a mistake creep in.
It is very true that not calculating at all is a recipe for disaster.
But......
So is calculating a bunch of nonsense..... LOL.
In a time scramble or blitz - you don't always have time to to fully calculate. Short cuts are helpful
14:20 Obvously Kh2 is the loosing error, should just play Kg1 and on Kxf3 there is Kf1 with the opposition
Actually still loses because of something called sixth rank rule which I did not cover in this video. After Kf1 just Kg3 Kg1 f3 Kf1 and then f2 and the king is forced to come out to e2 because he cannot move strait back. It is a weird situation that only occurs on the sixth rank.
@@robertplunkettschesslab
If I understood your analysis correctly to make sure we are on the same page, the position is as follows:
Black king on e2
White king on g2
White pawn on f3
Black pawn on f4,
White to move.
Here I suggested Kg1-g2, instead of playing Kh2.
Playing Kf1 is not possible as a response as the Kg2 would control the f1 square. White should simply hang around and play Kg1-Kg2-Kg1 for the rest of this endgame until black plays Kxf3, because as it turns out white can then gain the opposition with Kf1 and it is just a draw.
Edit: my bad, 14:20 is the wrong timestamp. The correct would be 14:15, but it should be obvous what position I am talking about based on "Kh2 is a mistake"
Again. Gaining the opposition does not draw in this very specific case. You can Start with the white king on f1 the black pawn on f4 and the black king on f3 with black to move and white having the opposition. In that position Black still wins after Kg3, Kg1, f3, Kf1, f2 and now Ke2 is forced and white loses. So Kh2 is not different than any other move because all moves in this case still lose. it is called sixth rank rule. I avoided covering it in this video because the focus of this video was only to cover major endgame concepts. The sixth rank rule is only used in 1 king plus 1 pawn vs. King endgames so it is a very specific use case rule......
move everything back 1 rank and it is a draw. This is a very specific situation.@@DanacChess
The position is still lost due to the sixth rank rule. I could have covered this in the video. This is always a problem when making a video is determining the scope of the video. Deciding what to include and what to omit. In this case I made the decision to not talk about minor endgame concepts. I also chose quite intentionally to place the pawn on the sixth rank to make the position a win no matter what while simultaneously choosing not to cover kg1 and get bogged down in explaining another concept that wouldn't fit in well with the theme of the overall video. Objectively Kh2 is the same as all other king moves. everything loses here. @@DanacChess
@@robertplunkettschesslab You are indeed correct