Welcome to this active site. Each week I am going to present to you an endgame position for you to solve or to workout the best continuation. Computer analysis will also be considered. Some of these positions will come from actual historical games. Others will be composed endgame studies, but all the solutions will be relevant to the practical game. The new position will occur each SUNDAY and I will always be pleased to receive POSITIVE feedback about the positions and the analysis and I will try to acknowledge these where relevant.

 

International Grandmaster. World Champion 1960-61. Six times Soviet Champion. Tal had a golden period from 1957-60 which culminated in him winning the World Championship in 1960. From then on serious illness effected his play but he was always a dangerous opponent and still able to produce world class results.

This position might seem drawish, with Bishops of opposite colours but White has a subtle winning plan. The King will penetrate the Black position and gain access to important squares. The situation of the Black Bishop is poor because it is immobilised by his own pawns and so the Black King will be forced to give way by the powerful weapon of zugzwang. By exploiting the position of the enemy Bishop and the skilful use of tempo gaining moves White will win more material and create an important passed pawn. It is a wonderful ending worthy of close study.

The game might have continued: 20.Kb5 Kg7 21.Kc4! Bc3 22.b4! Bxb4 (22...axb4 23.Kb5 Kf6 24.a5 d3 25.Bxd3 Ke5 26.a6 Bd4 27.Kc6 Kf4 28.Be4 Ke5 29.Kb7 Be3 30.a7 Bxa7 31.Kxa7 with a win.) 23.Kxd4 Kf6 24.c4 Ke6 25.c5 Bd2 26.Kc4 Ke7 27.Kb5 Kd7 28.f4! gxf4 29.g5 hxg5 30.Kc4 Bc1 31.Kc3 Ba3 32.h6 Bb4+ 33.Kc4 Ba3 34.Kb5 Kc7 35.h7 Bb2 36.Kxa5 with a win.

1. Cumulative 2003 Prizes: 1st £100 or equivalent, 2nd £50, 3rd £30; 4th £20. (Total Prize Money=£200) Entries limited to 20 solvers. This event will run from 5/1/2003 to 22/12/2003 with a recess in July. Present rules apply but note the prizes will go to those participants who climb the ladder the greatest number of times during the year. The relative position of the solver's name on the ladder will decide the allocation of prizes.