Hi Paul.
There are no 'whacks' left in the Falkbeer.
Theory has pulled it's teeth. It pans out into this ending with White
holding a nagging plus. I've been there a few times OTB. Very Dreary.
It's still OK for Blitz but you have to sac a piece.
In your Black. The more I look at it the more I like Black.
Black to play. (Rad8).
The extra e-pawn looks a complete hinderence to White here.
The Bishop is dead. Look at Black's minor bits. Look at the Black King.
Black can throw up the g & h-pawns backed up with the h-Rook.
He can plot and plan White can only shuffle about and wait.
It's not my kind of White position.
Take the e-pawn off and White can have some fun with the Rooks on
the open files. The extra pawn could lose the game for White.
The last thing Black wants to do it take it.
Going back to greenpawns puzzle, why do we assume black charges in to the 6th rank.
If black sits on the 7th rank, waits for white to take the 4th rank and then advances to the 6th rank taking the opposition itself, how can white respond (with only the one rook move)
Originally posted by HabeascorpI guess so. To be honest I can't give you any specific rules, it's just one of those positions that you need to practise for half an hour or so with another player until you get a feel for what works. You need to know about the opposition and the long opposition, but eventually you find yourself intuitively looking at the correct plan straight away.
Thank you. and i note that the process probably needs to be repeated again if black delays going to the 7th rank to get the long opposition.
This is true of many endings, if you can find another player of roughly the same standard as yourself you can learn a lot by just playing either side of the same position for a while, making sure you can still win (or draw) if your opponent tries a different way of playing the position.
Computers aren't so good for endgame practice because if the position is lost then they won't go for tricks, they think any move is as good as any other.
The most important endgame is K+P vs K - make sure you can win when it's won and draw when it's drawn 100% of the time! One hour playing out K+P vs K endings with another player, preferably with another stronger one watching out for missed tricks and you'll be an expert yourself!
Originally posted by greenpawn34I think I have been overestimating my opponent's chances, and perhaps taking the ratings a little too seriously.
Hi Paul.
There are no 'whacks' left in the Falkbeer.
Theory has pulled it's teeth. It pans out into this ending with White
holding a nagging plus. I've been there a few times OTB. Very Dreary.
It's still OK for Blitz but you have to sac a piece.
In your Black. The more I look at it the more I like Black.
[fen]r6r/pp2k2p/2p1b1p1/4n3/4P3/2NB ...[text shortened]... e extra pawn could lose the game for White.
The last thing Black wants to do it take it.
Except when I am doing the opposite, of course!
Paul