Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual Page 2

  The schemata and the most instructive endgames are represented by color diagrams as well. Plus, important rules, recommendations and names of the important tools are given in bold italics.

  As I am sure you realize, the choice of the ideas and precise positions included in this system of basic endgame knowledge is, to some extent, a subjective matter. Other authors might have made slightly different choices. Nevertheless I strongly recommend that you not ignore the blue text: it is very important. However you of course are free to examine it critically, and to enrich it with the other ideas in this book (those in black print), as well as with examples you already know, from other books or your own games.

  Retention of the material. This book would have been rather thin if it included only a laconic list of positions and ideas related to the obligatory minimum of endgame knowledge. As you see, this is not so.

  Firstly, the notes are definitely not laconic, after all, this is a manual, not a handbook. In a handbook, a solution of a position is all one needs; in a manual, it should be explained how one can discover the correct solution, which ideas are involved.

  Secondly, in chess (as in any other sphere of human activity), a confident retention of theory cannot be accomplished solely by looking at one example: one must also get some practical training with it. For this purpose, additional examples (those with black diagrams and print) will be helpful.

  You will see instructive examples where the basic theoretical knowledge you have just studied is applied in a practical situation. The connection between the theory and the practical case will not always be direct and obvious. It is not always easy to notice familiar theoretical shapes in a complicated position, and to determine which ideas should be applied in this concrete case. On the other hand, a position may resemble theory very much but some unobvious details exist; one should discover them and find how this difference influences the course of the fight and its final outcome.

  Some practical endings are introduced by the “Tragicomedy” heading. These are examples of grave errors committed by various players (sometimes extremely strong ones). The point is not to laugh at them: you know that there are spots even on the sun. These cases are simply excellent warnings against ignoring endgame theory. Additionally, experience shows that these cases tend to be very well remembered by the student, and are therefore very helpful in absorbing and retaining endgame ideas.

  Practical training, by which I mean solving appropriate exercises, is essential. You will find a large number and wide variety of exercises in this book, from easy to very difficult. Some solutions are given directly after the exercises, other are placed in the special chapter that concludes the book.

  Some exercises do not involve a search for a single correct solution. They are designed for solving in the playing mode, when a series of contingent decisions is required. The best result can be achieved if a friend or coach assists you by referring to the book. But you can also play through the example without assistance, choosing moves for one side and taking the answering moves from the text of the book.

  Of course, one need not study all these examples, nor must one solve all the exercises. But still, if you do, your knowledge of the basic theory will be more sound and reliable. Also, self-training develops one’s ability to calculate lines deeply and precisely; this skill is essential for every player.

  Analyses. When working on the manuscript, in addition to the large volume of material I had collected myself, I also – quite naturally – used endgame books by other authors. Checking their analyses, I found that an amazingly high number of endings, including many widely known and used in book after book, are analyzed badly and evaluated wrongly. In those cases I went deeper than the concept of the endgame manual required. I felt I had to do it. As I wrote above, studying endgame theory is not a very labor-intensive process, but analysis of a particular endgame, or practical play under time restriction in a tournament, can be a much more sophisticated and complicated matter. Therefore, my readers will find corrected versions of many interesting endgame analyses, plus some entirely new analyses that are important for endgame theory.

  Presentation of the material. The material here is presented mainly in a traditional manner, classified according to the material relationships on the board. First pawn endings are analyzed, then those with minor pieces, then rook-and-pawn, etc. But this method is not followed too strictly. For example, the queen-versus- pawns section is in chapter 1, to demonstrate immediately what can arise in some sharp pawn endings.

  In the chapter on pawn endings, you will meet some terms and techniques (such as “corresponding squares,” “breakthrough,” “shouldering” etc.) that are important for many kinds of endgame. Some of these techniques are illustrated by additional examples with more pieces on the board; as the book continues, we may refer to these cases again.

  Some chapters (for example, those on pawn and rook-and-pawn endings) are quite long while others are rather short. Chapter length does not reflect the relative importance of a kind of endgame; rather it has to do with the richness of ideas and number of precise positions required for full understanding.

  The final chapter deals with the most general principles, rules and methods of endgame play, such as king’s activity, zugzwang, the fortress etc. Of course, these themes appear earlier in the book, but a review of already familiar ideas improves both understanding and retention.

  What this book does not contain. Obviously, one cannot embrace the infinite. I have already described how the book’s material has been selected. Now about other limitations.

  My own formal definition of “endgame” is: the stage of a chess game when at least one side has no more than one piece (in addition to the king). Positions with more pieces are not discussed here (except for cases when the “extra” pieces are exchanged).

  Our subject is endgame theory. Some problems of chess psychology that belong to “general endgame techniques” are beyond our discussion. Interested readers may turn to the aforementioned Endgame Strategy by Shereshevsky, or to Technique for the Tournament Player, a book by this writer and Yusupov.

  Special signs and symbols. The role of the blue text in this book has already been explained. Now the time has come to explain special signs and symbols.

  To the left of diagrams, you will find important information. First of all, the indication of who is on move: “W” means White and “B” Black.

  If a question mark is shown, the position can be used as an exercise. Most often, there is no special explanation of what is expected from the reader – he must make a correct decision on his own, because in an actual game nobody will tell you whether you should play for a draw or for a win, calculate a lot or simply make a natural move. Sometimes, however, a certain hint is included in a verbal question.

  Exercises with solutions that are given separately, at the end of the book, have two sets of numbers beside the diagrams. For example, diagram 1-14, the 14th diagram of chapter 1, also has the designation the information given in the 1/1, meaning it is the first such exercise of chapter 1.

  The combination “B?/Play” means that the position is designed for replaying, and that you are to take the black pieces.

  Beside some black diagrams, the symbol “” appears. This indicates that the position and the idea behind it have theoretical value, though less compared to those from basic theory (blue diagrams).

  Many years ago, the publication Chess Informant developed a system of symbols to describe the evaluation of a position or move. This system is widely used now and, with minimal changes, is applied in this book, too.

  Finally, a work of this scope cannot be produced by a single individual. I am grateful to many others for their assistance during the many stages of producing this book. I would like to thank Artur Yusupov and Jacob Aagaard for their encouragement and eventual contributions, the Introduction and Preface respectively; Karsten Müller for his help proof-reading the text and checking the accuracy of variations; Taylor Kingston for h
is assistance editing the final version of the text; Jim Marfia and Valery Murakhveri for their translations of the original Russian text; Harold van der Heijden for his assistance checking sources; and Hanon Russell, the publisher, for coordinating the efforts of all concerned.

  This book is an improved and expanded version of the German-language edition, and in that regard, it is also appropriate to thank Ulrich Dirr, who provided invaluable assistance in the preparation of the German edition and Jürgen Daniel, its publisher. Without their fine work, it would have been significantly more difficult to bring out this English-language edition.

  Mark Dvoretsky

  Moscow

  September 2003

  From the Author (Second Edition)

  An author usually has a hard time predicting whether his book will be popular; in this case, however, I was confident that Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual would be a success. And it was, as witnessed by the almost uniformly favorable (and in some cases – ecstatic) reviews and the rapidly sold-out first edition. Now, only two years later, it is time to prepare a second edition.

  The theory of the endgame is constantly evolving – although not, of course, as fast as opening theory. New instructive endgames are constantly being played and then analyzed; commentaries on endgames played earlier are corrected – in large measure, thanks to the use of rapidly improving computer programs. On the other hand, if we understand endgame theory, not as the mechanical accumulation of all the information we have, but as the results of our consideration of it, then the authors of endgame books (as opposed to the authors of opening books) have no need to be continuously expanding and reworking their texts, since very few new analyses have any practical value in forcing us to reexamine our approaches to the study and play of endgames.

  In the past two years, very important discoveries have been made in the theory of one particular area of rook endgames – and I have completely reworked the corresponding chapter of this book. However, there have also been a number of corrections made in other chapters as well – perhaps not as fundamental, and some that are barely noticeable. A few of them involve corrections to the names of players and composers; but most of them, of course, are analytical. And here, the letters from readers to the author and to the publisher, Hanon Russell, have been most valuable. I am truly grateful to everyone who has written to us. All these notes have been considered in the preparation of the new edition – as a result, a number of new names now appear in the index of composers and analysts. Special thanks are due to that exacting aficionado of the endgame, Karsten Müller, who helped me eradicate of a number of inaccuracies and outright errors in the original text, just as he did with the preparation of the first edition.

  Mark Dvoretsky

  Moscow

  September 2005

  Publisher’s Note to the Third Edition

  It is with a great sense of pride that we present the third edition of Dvoretsky’s Endgame Manual by Mark Dvoretsky. When it was first released in 2003, it was embraced by the chess world. Since then, it has set the standard by which all other works on the endgame are measured.

  From the outset, the author’s comprehensive coverage of this critical phase of the game has been both staggering in its depth and impressive in its accuracy. However, rather than rest on his laurels, Mark Dvoretsky has continued to re-examine and re-work the material.

  The result is this revised and updated third edition. Not only working independently, but also with the help of attentive readers, masters and grandmasters, the author’s efforts have resulted in what can only be described as the definitive work on endgame theory and practice.

  No doubt, when confronted by this massive volume, many chessplayers are intimidated. After all, there are over four hundred large-format pages and over one thousand positions contained in the book. Recognizing the challenge set before the reader, and with an eye to making the material accessible to as many players as possible, Dvoretsky devised a system whereby his Manual could be effectively used by both those wishing to immerse themselves in theory, as well as those wishing a more practical approach.

  The key is the author’s concept of using two colors in the text. If your objective is to study and master all the secrets of the endgame, then go through the entire text thoroughly. On the other hand, if you wish to get practical, working knowledge of endings more quickly, then focus your attention only on the text in blue. Either way, you will be rewarded with better results in your games. That is particularly important in this era of rapid time controls and sudden-death finishes.

  We hope you will appreciate the author’s passion for the endgame and dedication to producing the most accurate work possible. Regarded by many as Dvoretsky’s magnum opus, it is truly a masterpiece. We wish you good chess, and, of course, better endgames…

  Hanon W. Russell

  President, Russell Enterprises, Inc.

  Milford, Connecticut, USA

  July 2011

  From the Author (Fourth Edition)

  Readers familiar with previous editions of the Manual have probably noticed that the new edition is larger than the previous one. But it is not because its content has been significantly increased or is more complicated – it is not. On the contrary, I have tried to make it more accessible to study, adding about 200 new diagrams to the text. Those who read the book without a board (there are many players who are able to do this) will find it easier to follow complex examples. In addition, the new diagrams will draw your attention to many interesting and instructive moments previously buried in the text and variations.

  As always with new editions, I have revised the text with clarifications and corrections which were found since the release of the previous edition. Significant revisions have been made in some aspects of the theory of rook endings. For that, I would like first and foremost to thank the analyst Vardan Pogosyan. In 2011-2012, I actively corresponded with Pogosyan, and he showed me many of the discoveries he had made, leading me to rethink some important theoretical concepts.

  Relatively recently the computer database “Lomonosov” was created; it accurately evaluates seven-piece endings (previously only six-figure endings were available). Naturally, I checked the book’s seven-piece examples with the “Lomonosov” database and corrected any errors found.

  Mark Dvoretsky

  Moscow

  September 2014

  Other Signs, Symbols, and Abbreviations

  !

  a strong move

  !!

  a brilliant or unobvious move

  ?

  a weak move, an error

  ??

  a grave error

  !?

  a move worth consideration

  ?!

  a dubious move

  a forced move

  =

  an equal position

  White stands slightly better

  White has a clear advantage

  +–

  White has a winning position

  Black stands slightly better

  Black has a clear advantage

  –+

  Black has a winning position

  ∞

  an unclear position

  with the threat or idea of

  with counterplay

  #

  mate

  zugzwang

  *

  in a game: a position that could arise but did not actually happen

  *

  in a study: a position that is not an initial one

  m

  match

  wm

  match for the world championship

  zt

  zonal tournament

  izt

  interzonal tournament

  ct

  candidates’ tournament

  cm

  candidates’ match

  ch

  championship

  ch(1)

  championship, 1st league

  wch

  world championship

  ech br />
  European championship

  f

  final

  sf

  semifinal

  qf

  quarterfinal

  ol

  Olympiad

  tt

  team tournament

  jr

  junior competitions

  cr

  correspondence game

  simul

  simultaneous display

  Chapter 1

  Pawn Endgames

  Pawn endings are very concrete – even the tiniest change in the position generally alters the shape and outcome of the struggle. Here you can rarely get along on “general principles” – you must know how to calculate accurately.

  The study of pawn endings chiefly boils down, not to the memorization of exact positions, but to the assimilation of standard techniques, which considerably eases our search for a solution and the calculation of variations.

  Many pawn endings are clearly defined tempo-battles. In these endgames, speed is everything: which pawn will queen first, will the king come in time to stop the passed pawn or get to the other side of the board in time. And there are other pawn endings in which a maneuvering war predominates, and in which zugzwang assumes paramount importance.

  “Maneuvering” endgames are generally more complex than “rapid” ones, but we shall begin with them anyway, in order to acquire the vital concept of “corresponding squares.” Then we shall switch to studying the ideas involved in “rapid” endgames, before returning once again to the “maneuvering.”