The story behind the game
Duda’s rook collects queenside pawns, but the knight on e8 remains vulnerable. Aronian uses a queen trade to enter on d8 and remove that knight with check. The ending is still active for both sides, so White’s knight must help the rook contain Black’s passed c-pawn.
Take these ideas to your next game
- Look for a vulnerable piece behind a queen exchange.
- A rook on the eighth rank can win with check.
- An active knight can contain a passed pawn.
- Coordinate the rook and knight instead of chasing pawns separately.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Nh4 begins a purposeful knight rerouting. White’s bishops and rook still have work on the open files, so the knight move should be evaluated with the next exchanges. An edge square can be a route rather than a destination. Compare the threats to Black’s king and the e8 knight.
Rd8 attacks the knight with a rook on the eighth rank. Black has an active rook on b3, but White’s immediate threat is concrete. In the recorded line Black plays f6 and White takes the knight with check. Check whether the king can recapture and how White’s bishop supports the rook’s invasion.
Nf5 combines kingside pressure with central control. Black’s c-pawn advances and the rook remains active behind it. White must coordinate the rook’s checks with the knight’s route rather than chase g7 automatically. Compare how the knight can return through e3 to contain the passer.
Nd5 attacks the passed c-pawn and coordinates with the rook on c7. Black’s knight on a4 defends c3, so White needs support before the rook captures that pawn. The knight on d5 supplies that support while also attacking f6. Compare the saved replies to see how Black can respond to these connected threats.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 20: Reroute the knight toward f5
Which knight move from f3 prepares to use f5? In the game: Nh4. Nh4 begins a purposeful knight rerouting. White’s bishops and rook still have work on the open files, so the knight move should be evaluated with the next exchanges. An edge square can be a route rather than a destination. Compare the threats to Black’s king and the e8 knight.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nd2 Nf6 h3 Nbd5 Qb3 axb5 Bxb5 Rxe1+ Rxe1 Ba6 Re5 Nb4 · +0.31 · depth 18
Rad1 axb5 · +0.27 · depth 18
h3 axb5 · +0.33 · depth 17
Nh4 Nd5 Qd2 N7f6 bxa6 Bxa6 Bf3 Bb7 Rxe8+ Qxe8 Re1 Qd7 · +0.28 · depth 24
Move 30: Enter the back rank
Which rook move attacks the knight on e8? In the game: Rd8. Rd8 attacks the knight with a rook on the eighth rank. Black has an active rook on b3, but White’s immediate threat is concrete. In the recorded line Black plays f6 and White takes the knight with check. Check whether the king can recapture and how White’s bishop supports the rook’s invasion.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rd8 Kh7 Rxe8 c4 Nf5 Rd3 Ne3 c3 Re7 f6 Rc7 Na4 · +3.87 · depth 21
Nf5 f6 Re1 Kf7 Re7+ Kf8 Re6 Kf7 · +0.00 · depth 21
Nf3 Kf8 Kg1 Rb4 Rc1 Rb5 Nd2 Ke7 Ne4 c4 f3 · -0.25 · depth 21
Move 33: Centralize the knight against the passer
Which knight move attacks the pawn on g7? In the game: Nf5. Nf5 combines kingside pressure with central control. Black’s c-pawn advances and the rook remains active behind it. White must coordinate the rook’s checks with the knight’s route rather than chase g7 automatically. Compare how the knight can return through e3 to contain the passer.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nf5 Rb2 Rb7+ Ke6 Ne3 c3 Rc7 Rb3 Rc5 Na4 Rc6+ Kf7 · +4.09 · depth 21
Nf3 c3 Rb7+ Kg6 Rc7 Nd5 Rc5 Nb4 Nd4 Ra3 Ne2 c2 · +4.07 · depth 21
Rb7+ Ke6 Nf3 Kd5 Bf4 g5 Be3 Na4 Rd7+ Kc6 Ra7 Rxe3 · +3.83 · depth 20
Move 37: Support the capture of the passer
Which knight move attacks c3 and supports a rook capture there? In the game: Nd5. Nd5 attacks the passed c-pawn and coordinates with the rook on c7. Black’s knight on a4 defends c3, so White needs support before the rook captures that pawn. The knight on d5 supplies that support while also attacking f6. Compare the saved replies to see how Black can respond to these connected threats.
Engine-supported alternatives
Nd5 Kf5 Nxc3 Nxc3 Rxc3 Ra2 Rc7 g5 Rc1 Ke6 Kg1 Ra5 · +4.52 · depth 20
h4 h5 Rc4 Ra2 Nd5 Kf5 f3 Ke6 Nxc3 Nxc3 Rxc3 Kf5 · +4.17 · depth 20
Rc4 Ra2 Nd5 Kf7 Nxc3 Nxc3 Rxc3 g5 Rc6 f5 f4 Re2 · +4.14 · depth 20
Every piece has a part to play.
Duda’s rook collects queenside pawns, but the knight on e8 remains vulnerable. Aronian uses a queen trade to enter on d8 and remove that knight with check. The ending is still active for both sides, so White’s knight must help the rook contain Black’s passed c-pawn.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–21. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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