Unusual Endgames and How to Evaluate Them: Lecture by GM Ben Finegold

[@derhonk6270]

Well done, Ben! (But mostly done.)

[@townsquare_chess]

Hey Ben, you know what's really unusual? Those handful of days when you don't post an amazing video. Those days are unusual in that they leave me empty inside, like when someone plays f3 unprovoked. Happy holidays to you & K

[@Deucely]

Hey everybody I'm Brand Faster Gen Minegold.

[@kmarasin]

Nice lecture. I've seen it's nearly impossible to overestimate the value both of higher piece activity and of a safer king is in any given position, to the point of being at a substantial material disadvantage to get either. I've played enough engines to see them randomly sac a piece simply to render my king slightly airy, then have to defend for most of the rest of the game to win. (The Jerome Gambit lecture also showed this in stark detail, though in the opening rather than the endgame.) One of the things i wish you had mentioned is that the side with the more (minor) pieces wants to have extra pawns on the board, especially in the center, because that gives them places (outposts, really) that are unassailable by more valuable pieces. It was somewhat demonstrated in the Van Der Steeren game, though there the inactivity of the rooks was more important. Another thing I wish you had talked about is balancing king safety and king activity. In what circumstances would it be dangerous to walk the king up against queenless opposition? How might a side with only lesser pieces turn the tables on an active king?

[@FlourescentPotato]

I'd struggle to agree with your second sentence, you can have an inactive king if your opponent doesn't have a winning plan. Turtling isn't always bad. You can't compare engine play to real play, where material matters more. Having more material is almost always extremely good, this video is intended to be weird exceptions to a rule

[@dennisnizzle2851]

Ben chose an endgame where he was completely butchered for all of our sakes

[@Robmonster]

In the anand game can black not break through with the pawns at the end? 25:51

[@FlourescentPotato]

he literally explained and showed you, no lol

[@Rubrickety]

Lessons: Active king is important, active pieces are important, Ben's rooks are impotent.

[@Joshdev0127]

Go Ben! (But dont go too far)

[@Tophbbq]

Ben Finegold vs Henry Thomas. Literally 1984

[@danielvaleije5214]

Go ben!

[@jack-daniels33]

measly triple digit player but i found KF3 in the second game after about a minute, I might actually be learning something from your videos after all

[@vigilante8374]

Am very disappointed he did not cover his 9 queen endgame.

[@mjkaelbling]

Hey Algorithm. Here's a comment.

[@qa4390]

❤

[@neo-eagles5088]

Wait, ben used to be a kid?

[@keithwald5349]

Take my knight. Please.

[@alex-cg6hq]

Very suspicious!

[@danielmeyer5820]

mitkow could checkmate r e1

[@zacnewford]

Evaluate them? I’d rather just blunder them.

[@TrevinoTrevino-wb4sq]

Snacking on a piece of candy while on a mike is disgusting.