Played Properly, Who Wins This Endgame?

I blundered this endgame, but if played properly, who wins?

Looks like a won endgame for black:

32. Be5? Why did the computer make this move? Why give up the bishop pair for a useless trade? I don't see the endgame value in losing the bishop pair AND doubling pawns.

Nevertheless, I think black has a distinct advantage after about move 30. You have two beautiful passed pawns, and the bishop pair evaporates, and his one pawn weakness is multiplied by doubling the pawns. I would agree Nc2+ was an inaccuracy, but not necessarily a blunder. 34... Rc7 isn't too bad, but once again, 35... Kf8 was an inaccuracy, but still not necessarily a blunder. I think the game turned for the worse with 36... Rxc2+, the culmination of the two previous inaccuracies and another one. Much better was b3xc2.

Even after all these moves, I still think black has a chance after 38. h4. Push the kingside pawns forward (h5 meets h4) and get the king out to exploit the doubled pawns, and the white king can't deal with the double threat of two passed pawns and a battle on black's kingside.

Can you show us how you lost?

its pretty hard to believe you lost in this endgame, you had the game for sure!

im surprised.

bondiggity,

mosqutip,

Thanks for the help guys. If I only had the insight to see to stop the e-pawns with Ke6 and prepare an advance with h6 then g5 ... =/

I noticed it too that after the mass exchange of pieces, I was left with 2 outside passed pawns. I should get in the habit of distinguishing "inaccuracy" from "blunder", but it certainly feels that way to me to lose an unnecessary tempo in the endgame. If I can just get rid of stuff like that my OTB rating should go from 1800-1900 to 1900-2000.

Rather than play Nc2+, I think I should have played Nc6, attacking his doubled pawn, and threatening to play Nb4 attacking his pinned Bishop.

scarjo,

Thanks for the double check on bondiggity's solution. I appreciate it.

SerbianChessStar,

I wish I could show you how I lost, but I really thought I had the game for sure too! I think that's why I rushed it with Kf8, when Kg7 would have probably been better, that way I could get around from the other end and attack those doubled pawns. I didn't count on the computer playing f2-f4 (in the endgame I often forget that pawns can move 2 squares, which is pretty sad). So I rushed it and stopped recording the game, and I was surprised to find that my 3 pawns and King were doing so badly against 4 pawns and Kings.

It wasn't a total loss though, the game ended in a draw with all the pawns on the Kingside being liquidated, and the comp getting to my outside passed pawn. I got over-confident because I just beat the computer the game right before I played this one, so I thought I was going to go 2-0 today.

Well, I looked at the position after  25.Ke3 and... It seems obviously won for black already. Somewhere in the opening to early middlegame black got a huge position. I agree with general complaints about the computer's play (such as Be5, which doesn't even make much sense) but the position seems lost for white after anything else too.

Actually, the END position you give is just easily won for black, with the outside passed pawn, black can easily blockade and win the kingside pawns. Stays winning after your Nc2 and other moves too... maybe becomes more complicated, but I see no change.

I mean, the technique of the end position is simple: use the outside passed pawn to lure the enemy king away (done in the end of teh game you give), and use the time it takes him to take the pawn and come back to destroy the other wing.

I'd be interested to know how did you blunder that position?

(The reason why black can destroy the kingside in this position: ...h5, ...Ke6, and g5, and either win all the pawns or create a second passed pawn).

grolich,

I turned the position into a draw because my endgame (and openings) are substantially weaker than my tactical and middle game. I wasn't able to create a second passed pawn on the Kingside and instead all the pawns got traded off for a draw.

It probably ended up that way because, as you pointed out, it looks like a very easily won game for Black. I probably rushed it (forgetting that White can advance his f-pawn 2 squares with f2-f4! (doh!). I just beat the computer the game before this one with a pawn storm, and I thought I could scoop up this endgame too. I was so confident, I was toying with the idea of playing c1=N to tease the computer.

If I had to do it differently, I would certainly change Nc2+ into a better move, and play Kg7 rather than Kf8, not to mention drill these endgame tactics into my head. I don't play a lot of online chess, so I don't practice precision endgame tactics much. I should though. But my middle game skills keep me going deep into the game against better players.

brandonQDSH, heh you give the position AFTER white f2-f4:) still easily won for black after this, and in my previous posts I mentioned exactly how to tear white apart after his f4:)

If you're having trouble with endgames such as this, this is a good learning opportunity:

from your post I understand you still don't realize the end position (AFTER your Nc2 AND later after white's 40.f4,  is still easily winning for black).

(That is because you said you forgot white could play f2-f4 , as if it helps him to save the game).

If that is the case, then studying breakthroughs with different pawn formations in the endgame in king and pawn endgames would do wonders to your game. You'll be able to tell won/drawn positions apart without going deeply into analyzing them at all. Saves a lot of analysis and time (and wins a lot of games...even without the time issue).