Must-Know Endgame Theory
Dear friend, I’ve made this file for you, so that by scrolling you can refresh
your knowledge. And it’ll help you to memorize the essentials. Let’s go!
Pawn Endgame
Pawn square
Out of the pawn square, the King can’t stop the passed pawn, and the
opposite if the King is inside the square.
The Rook Pawn
With the Rook pawn and even several ones on the same file there is no
way to break the defense.
Opposition
The attacking side wants the King to go in front of the pawn, and the
defending side tries to prevent it.
Opposition is the key, in the position below:
White to move = draw
Black to move = lose
However if the attacking King is on the 6th rank, opposition doesn’t matter,
either way the position is winning.
Distant opposition
If the Kings are far from each other, keep in mind the distant opposition.
The pawn race
In the pawn race try to be as fast as possible.
If the opponent’s King is on the wrong diagonal or line, you can make use
of it.
Queen vs pawn
The easiest way to win is to put the Queen in front of the pawn.
When the Queen can’t get in front of the pawn:
If the pawn on the 2nd rank is central or a Knight pawn, or in other words
on b,d,e,g lines, the position is winning. Here is the technique:
1. With checks or tempos the Queen goes down and forces the opponent’s
King to step in front of the pawns.
2. The attacking King goes to the pawn.
If the pawn on the 2nd rank is a Rook or a Bishop pawn, or a,c,f,h, then
the position is drawish.
To summarize, in the image below, the pawns in green are winning, and the
ones in red are drawish.
Queen Endgame
The defending side tries to give checks and prevent pawn advancement,
attacking the side to advance it.
Both sides need to be aware of pawn endgame transitions.
White wins as they take the opposition after the exchange.
And in the one below Black makes a draw as the occurring pawn endgame
is drawish.
The Queen endgame topic is very large and complex. So if you remember
the strategies we learned, it will be good enough to play and feel
comfortable.
Rook vs pawn
The cutting technique
Unlike a Queen, A Rook alone can’t stop the King and pawn.
The only exception is when there is a Rook pawn, as there is a cutting
technique on the 5th rank.
1. Cutting 2. Winning the over-advanced
pawn
Shouldering
In other scenarios, the attacking side wants the King in front of the pawn.
Shouldering is a powerful technique in many endgames.
Outflanking
Outflanking can be a good antidote against shouldering.
Rook vs 2 pawns
In case of 2 pawns, if the King is in front of them, the position is easily
winning.
Just provoke a pawn hall and put the King there.
1. A waiting move 2. Blocking and capturing soon
When the Kings are far, the pawns are unstoppable on the 3rd rank or
below.
In other scenarios, the Rook can stop them.
🙂
However if the pawns are supported by the King, the Rook is not a
superhero to fight them all alone
🙂
Those were the rules and concepts you need to remember for this
endgame topic
Rook Endgame
The Philidor position
In this position we learned about attacking and defending ideas:
If it’s White to move, they are winning, and it’s a draw in the opposite case.
White wants to put the King and the pawn on the 6th rank, so the black
Rook is stuck
on the 8th rank because of mating threats.
6th-rank defense
In Philidor's position, 6th-rank defense is the key.
Now White can push the pawn to put the King on the 6th rank.
Remember: When the pawn is ahead of the King, the Rook goes down to
deliver the checks.
Lucena position: Bridge technique
Remember the bridge idea in Lucena’s position.
Cut the King
Cutting the King is a powerful attacking idea.
Rook Endgame is one of the most important endgame aspects as it occurs
quite often. All that we learned will be necessary in many games.
Bishop vs pawn
Bishop and a Rook pawn vs the King
Bishop + pawn easily wins vs the King.
If it’s a Rook pawn, the Bishop’s color should match the promotion square.
Otherwise, it’s a draw.
1. Win 2. Draw
Bishop vs separated pawns
When the Bishop is fighting to stop the pawns, it needs to stop them as
soon as possible.
Using 1 diagonal to stop them is a good option.
If the pawns are too advanced, the Bishop won't be able to stop them.
1. Distracting 2. Promoting
Bishop vs 2 connected pawns
In case of 2 connected pawns, the Bishop creates a pawn hall and blocks
them.
If the pawns are on the 3rd rank, this will not work.
Bishop Endgame
In case of 1 extra pawn, if the defending King is in front of it, it’s an easy
draw.
In case of 1 extra pawn, if the King is behind, cover the opponent’s Bishop
and push the pawn.
2 extra pawns are easily winning.
Opposite-colored Bishops
1 extra pawn never wins regardless of the King’s position.
As the Bishops are placed on different colors, the attacking side has no
idea for covering the other Bishop and pushing the pawn.
In case of 2 extra pawns there is a powerful diagonal defense idea.
Preventing advancement of one pawn, we always attack the other one,
making the King unable to join the game.
Knight vs pawn
A Knight and a Rook pawn vs the King
A Knight + a pawn easily wins, except the position below with the pawn on
h7.
Any attempt to advance either loses the pawn or stalemates.
Knight vs Pawn
Except for the Rook pawn, the Knight can stop any pawn alone, even on
the 2nd rank.
Knight vs 2 pawns
In case of 2 connected pawns, the Knight can block them if the pawns are
not very advanced.
It’s a bit different if the pawns are separated.
Knight is a short-ranged piece and if the pawns are far from each other, it
will face problems.
Knight Endgame
If the King is in front of the pawn, it’s an easy draw.
However be careful not to transition to lost pawn endgames.
When the King is behind with a single pawn, the idea is to put pressure on
the Knight, push it away and advance the pawn.
2 Pawns connected or separated are winning.
Bishop vs Knight
When the King is front of the pawn, the position is drawish in both options.
When the King is behind, in both scenarios the attacking side tries to clear
up the way and push the pawn.
2 extra pawns, connected or separated, are winning in most of the cases.
Rook vs Bishop
Right and wrong corners
The right corner for the King is the opposite color of the Bishop.
While pinned on the 8th rank, in the wrong corner the King will have a
move and lose the Bishop.
In the right corner, it will be stalemated.
The diagonal defense
As well we learned that in case of a right diagonal defense, the side with a
Bishop avoids going to the back rank.
Rook vs Knight
The position is usually drawish as the attacking side can’t advance.
2 dangerous scenarios
Squeezed to the corner Knight separated from the King
Queen vs Rook
Push to the back rank
The position is winning. Often the Rook should stay around the King, as
otherwise it can be captured with checks. Using that, the attacking side will
pressure and advance.
Stalemate Ideas
Be careful of stalemate ideas and push the opponent to the back rank.
Triangle
Let’s remember the triangle idea which puts them in the zugzwang.
Now after any move, the Black sooner or later loses the Rook or gets
mated.
Checkmate with Bishop and Knight
Push the King to the corner, matching the Bishop’s color.
Let’s remember the W idea with the Knight.
A Bishop and a Knight cooperate best when placed on the same color.
Checkmate with 2 Bishops
As Bishops control all the squares, there is no right or wrong corner for this
position.
The idea is to push the opponent’s King to the back rank and checkmate.
Checkmate with 2 Knights
2 Knights vs King = draw
The position with 2 Knights vs the King is not winning.
Technically it’s possible to get a checkmate position.
However, in case of a right play, it’s very easy to defend.
2 Knights vs King and pawn
The situation can change if there is a pawn on the board.
While the King is stalemated, the pawn will have a move.
Situations with 2 Knights and a pawn are super concrete, so there is no
general rule. You need to calculate and see what happens.
Sometimes the pawn will be able to promote and the Knight is not on time
to checkmate.
Queen + Piece vs Queen
Queen + Bishop vs Queen
The position is drawish. The defending side is trying to give checks or trade
off the Queens.
Try not to keep the King on the color of Bishop, and be careful of sudden
checkmates.
Queen + Knight vs Queen
The position is drawish and the defending side has some ideas. Give
checks and trade off the Queens.
As the defending side, try to avoid going to the back rank, and be careful of
the Knight's threats.
Queen + Rook vs Queen
This position is winning.
Now trading off the Queens wouldn’t work as King + Rook will easily
checkmate the King.
Conclusion
🌹
🔵
Roses are Red
♟️
Violets are Blue
🔥
The endgames are better
When you know what to do
😎
Best wishes,
GM Gabuzyan
