Criteria of Evaluation of PME

PME = Positions with Material Equivalence are the positions where the material on the
board of the 2 players is relative equal, but not the same.
For example, one of the players has 2 rooks and 1 pawn against 1 rook, a knight and a
bishop (along with other pieces and pawns on the board which are the same). Or: a knight
for 3 pawns, or a queen for 3 minor pieces etc.

In the lesson “The Piece Value” we indicated the relative value of the pieces during
opening/middlegame and endgame. As that lesson was about the quantitative evaluation,
now we will deal with the QUALITATIVE evaluation of these positions.

There are 4 criteria of evaluation of the PME:

1. The position of the kings.

When we have a PME, we have to start with this criterion which has a decisive role.
To evaluate the grade of safety for both kings we will analyze the pawn structure which
protects the kings and the attacking possibilities/resources of the players.

2. The quality of minor pieces

a) The grade of coordination between the minor pieces
b) The existence of outposts for these pieces

We are talking here about the minor pieces (knights and bishops) only.
We will analyze the position on the board of the minor pieces and if their position is
protected against the attacks of the opponent.
Î The bishops should be active on long diagonals;
Î The knights should have secure bases for active operations.

3. The existence and quality of the “play coordinating piece”

A very important criterion is the existence of an active major piece (rook or queen) for
the side with weaker but more pieces (or pawns). This major piece will coordinate the
play of the minor pieces and its absence can completely change the evaluation of the
position.
So, be careful with the exchange of the last major piece! An equilibrate position can
become a bad position if this major piece doesn’t exist.

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The roles of the play coordinating piece are:
- Defends its minor pieces;
- Prevents the penetration of the enemy’s pieces in its camp;
- Constitutes a decisive factor for attacks against the enemy’s king or for entering
the enemy’s camp.

Note: in very simple endgames (with very few pieces), the play coordinating piece can be
even the king itself (if the king can get an active position).

4. The existence of mobile pawn majorities and the possibility of creating free pawns

It’s obvious that in an endgame with material equivalence, the first player who will create
a free and protected pawn will have the advantage. The free pawn will force the enemy
pieces to occupy defensive positions, and therefore, giving the player who posses the free
pawn the possibility to enter with his pieces in the enemy’s camp.

EXAMPLE XABCDEFGHY
We will give now a very instructive example 8-+-+-+-tr(
from the game played between Kramnik and 7zp-tRnvlkzpp'
Topalov, for the World Chess Champion title, 6-sn-vLp+-+&
disputed in Elista, October 2006.
5+-+-+p+-%
Please setup the position from the right on your 4-+-+-+-+$
real chess board and follow our evaluation and
comments as this example is part of our 3+-+-zP-+-#
theoretical lesson. 2PzP-+-zPPzP"
White: Kg1, Rd1, Rc7, Bd6, pawns:a2,b2,e3,f2,g2,h2
1+-+R+-mK-!
Black: Kf7, Rh8, Be7, Nb6, Nd7, pawns:a7,e6,f5,g7,h7 xabcdefghy
Black is to move. Move 26th

It is a “PEM” where Black has 2 knights and a rook against 2 rooks and a pawn. It is an
endgame position, so the material of the 2 players is equivalent.

Now, let’s assess the position according to the criteria of evaluation of PEM:

1) King’s positions.
White has a good defensive pawn structure on the kingside, without weaknesses (the
position of the pawns is intact). White would need a window, though, to avoid tactics of
mate on the 1st rank. White has NO defensive pieces for his king.
Black’s king is not in danger against the white 2 rooks. The pawn structure near the black
king has no weaknesses that White can exploit with the existing material. Black has
pieces to defend his king (the knights are excellent defenders).

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2) The quality of the minor pieces.
As the bishops will be changed very soon, we will only evaluate the position of the
knights.
Black has outposts for his knights (b6, f6) and on the central squares (d5, e4). These
outposts, or defended bases for active operations, are very important and good for Black.

3) The existence and quality of the play coordinating piece.

Black has the play coordinating piece, the Rh8. Without that rook, and only with the
knights against one white rook, Black’s position would have been worse.
The black rook will protect now the a7-pawn, so its quality value will be very small.

4) The pawn majorities and possibility to create a free pawn.

White has a pawn majority on the queenside (2 pawns against 1 pawn) and has the
possibility to create a free pawn, but not in a very short time.

So, according to PME criteria, we have done the assessment which is almost complete. In
addition, we have to answer to one more important question: which player has the
initiative? It is clear that because of the white rook on the 7th rank and because Black
pieces have defensive roles, it is only White who can have the initiative at this moment.

Let’s now follow the game:

26...Ra8
Black was able exchange the rooks which seemed to be a logical reaction if we compare
the very active white rook from c7 with the passive position of the black rook on a8:
26...Rc8 27.Rxa7?? (27.Rxc8 is correct) is not working because of: 27...Bxd6 28.Rxd6
Rc1+
However, such an exchange would leave Black without his play coordinating piece and
we saw that this is very important for the player with weaker pieces.
Now, Black’s TO DO list is:
1. keep the last major piece (the rook) with almost any cost;
2. play a7-a5 to free up his rook;
3. improve the position of the knights using the outposts on the centre.

27.Rb7 Ke8 28.Bxe7 Kxe7 29.Rc1

White brings his second rook in a better position. However, the best practical chance in
our games would be to start promoting the pawn majority, maybe with 29.b2-b4. After
the text move, the advancing of white pawns on the queenside will become harder and,
so, after the 4th criterion of evaluation, White’s chances will decrease.

29...a5!
The consequences of this move are:
- Black's support for the b6-square (an outpost for the black knights) will disappear
- White's pawns advance on the queenside is hampered

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- The black rook is free to move

30.Rc6 Nd5 Black manages to defend his position against the 2 white rooks.
31.h4
This move shows us that Kramnik remained without a good plan and, little by little, he
starts to weaken his king's position.

31...h6 32.a4 g5! the beginning of the fight for the INITIATIVE.
Black gains space on the kingside and opens up a file for his play coordinating piece
toward the white king. Also, after the advance of the pawns, the black knights will gain
more outposts on the kingside and closer to the white king.

33.hxg5 hxg5 34.Kf1 g4 Already, Black has real threats: g4-g3

35.Ke2 N5f6
Black plans to chase away the white rook from d7 with the maneuver Nf6-e8-d6. Then,
the second black knight will be free.

36.b3 Ne8 37.f3?

White weakens more the position of his king. Black has 3 pieces that can go now for the
white king without protection. [37.Rc1 Nd6 38.Rbc7 Ne4]

37...g3
Now, White will have problems to defend his g2-pawn against Ra8-h8-h2 and Ne5-g6-h4

38.Rc1 Nef6 39.f4?

White wants to take the black g3-pawn by Ke2-f3-xg3 and weakens his king's position
even more. Also, black knights get an excellent outpost on e4. So, let's do the evaluation
of this PEM again:
1. White's king position is weaken and Black has the resources to start an attack
2. Black knights collaborate very well and have excellent bases for active operations
3. Black kept his play coordinating piece which can enter now White's position due to the
available open files (including h-file)
4. White's pawn majority is still far from being dangerous.

39...Kd6 40.Kf3 Nd5 41.Kxg3?

Now, the material is in White's advantage if you look at the table with the relative value
of the pieces. However, it is clear that Black has now the initiative and will end the game
in his favor by a direct attack toward the white king.

41...Nc5 42.Rg7 [42.Rb5 Ne4+ 43.Kf3 Rg8 44.Rxa5 Rg3+ 45.Ke2 Rxe3+ 46.Kf1 Rxb3]
42...Rb8 43.Ra7 Rg8+ 44.Kf3 Ne4 45.Ra6+ Ke7 46.Rxa5 Rg3+ 47.Ke2 Rxe3+ 48.Kf1
Rxb3 49.Ra7+ Kf6 50.Ra8 Nxf4 51.Ra1 Rb2
and, finally, the black play coordinating piece arrives on the second rank, but for only 1
more move.

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52.a5 Rf2+ and Kramnik resigned. [White is mated: 53.Kg1 Rxg2+ 54.Kf1 (54.Kh1
Ng3#) 54...Rf2+ 55.Ke1 Nd3+ 56.Kd1 Nc3#] 0–1

Conclusion:

White didn't find the correct plan of play after the 26th move and started to play wrong,
weakening his king's position and leaving undefended important squares on the centre
that black knights used for active operations against the white king - see 1st and 2nd
criteria of evaluation.

White's correct plan, if he wanted to play for a win, was to put in motion his pawn
majority on the queenside. White didn't do that, so black knights were free and able to
leave the queenside - see the 4th criterion.

Black played formidably: 26...Ra8, placing his rook in a passive position, even if he
could exchange the most active white piece, the rook from c7, with 26....Rc8. We must
mention that White was not able though to obtain too much from this, and after
regrouping his knights and after a7-a5, Black was able to re-activate his rook. - see the
3rd criterion of evaluation.

…this lesson will be followed by the lesson about INITIATIVE.