Endgame Strategy

The basic strategy for winning with a queen and king against a lone king is to use the queen to control key squares and cut off the opposing king’s escape routes. This allows the king to move in and check the opposing king, forcing it to move to a square where it can be captured.

Unlike an endgame with a queen, the rook cannot force the black king to get to the corner just by itself, and needs the own king’s help from the very start. Besides that, the basic winning strategy is basically the same – to control key squares and cut off the opposing king’s escape routes.

Winning the chess endgame with a king and two bishops against a king can be achieved by following some basic principles and executing a specific strategy. The two bishops can work together to control a large number of squares on the board, which can make it very difficult for the opponent’s king to escape checkmate.

Chess is a complex game that requires patience, practice, and dedication to master. By focusing on the fundamentals and gradually building their skills, beginners can develop the foundation needed to tackle more challenging endgames like this one.

The rule of the square is a useful concept in chess pawn endgames. It helps players determine the maximum distance their king can be from an opposing pawn to be able to catch it before it promotes.

One important aspect of endgame strategy is identifying the key squares on the board. Key squares are those squares that, when controlled by one player, can make it difficult or impossible for the other player to make progress.

The opposition is a key concept in this endgame. The opposition refers to the situation where the two kings face each other on the same rank or file, with one square between them. The player who moves their king away from the center loses the opposition and can find themselves in a difficult position.

It is a position that has been analyzed extensively by chess players and theorists over the years, and it remains an essential concept for any serious chess player to understand. Make sure you understand the strategy, as its importance cannot be overstated.

The defender’s primary strategy is to maintain the rook on the third rank until the pawn reaches that position, after which they can check the opposing king from behind.

Having a bishop in a chess endgame can create complications when dealing with a rook pawn, as it may be the wrong rook pawn. The bishop’s control over the promotion square of the pawn can determine the outcome of the game.

While the rook versus bishop endgame may not be the most common scenario, it still occurs with considerable frequency, and it is quite possible that you may encounter it in one of your significant games.

The game is a draw if the defending king can reach any square in front of the pawn that is opposite in color to the squares the bishops travel on.

For the most endgames of this kind, let’s remember the fundamental rule: If you are defending against just one pawn, have your king block the opponent’s pawn from a square that cannot be attacked by the opponent’s bishop. 99% of such situations end up as draws, as the attacker cannot push your king away, so all you have to do is to make endless moves with your bishop.

Unless the rook or king can immediately capture the queen, a queen typically emerges victorious in an endgame against a lone rook. The game may end in a stalemate or perpetual check, however, which would result in a draw.

The king and queen versus king and pawn endgame highlights the importance of controlling the board and preventing the opposing king from escaping the queen’s influence. Make sure you remember these specific situations, as to know the defending strategy can help achieve at least a draw in a seemingly hopeless position.

Typically, knight and pawn endgames result in a draw, as the knight can be exchanged for the pawn. However, for the pawn to advance, the king and knight must work together to cover the squares along its path. If the pawn manages to reach the seventh rank with support from its king and knight, it usually promotes and secures a win.

As a general rule, a bishop versus knight (and vice versa) with a pawn on the attacking side is a draw if the defending king is capable of blocking the pawn advance. Let me demonstrate both cases.

The Prokeš maneuver is a technique that allows a rook to achieve a draw against two pawns that have advanced significantly in an endgame. This tactic was first demonstrated by Ladislav Prokeš, a Czech chess expert born on June 7, 1884, and who passed away on January 9, 1966, in a 1939 endgame study that he composed.

Ironically, even though a king accompanied by two knights cannot compel a checkmate against a single king, there are scenarios where this combination can successfully force checkmate against a king and other pieces. The additional material of the defending player allows for moves that obstruct the defending king from being stalemated.

We know that in open positions, a bishop is stronger than a knight. This rule is also reflected in the endgame, where one player has a bishop and a pawn, while the opponent defends with a knight and a pawn. The bishop can not only stop the opponent’s pawn, but also control the space around his own pawn, while the knight is forced, due to his short range, to limit himself to only one task.

If the stronger side has an extra pawn on one flank and pawns are blocked on the other flank, the attacking player almost always wins. If they cannot directly claim a free pawn, the player wins by surrendering that pawn and gaining the opponent’s blocked pawn.

Why do I mention it here? Note the pawn structure – White dominates the king side (four pawns against three), while the black pawns on the queen side are fully blocked by the white ones, thanks to the doubled pawns on the d-file. Let’s have a look at the possible outcome that could appear at the endgame.

We have already seen that the queen is clearly stronger than the rook. But often a single pawn is enough to force a draw against the queen together with the rook. However, it is necessary to prevent the king of the attacking side from getting close to the defensive formation. Let’s look at both basic situations.

Endgames of this type are difficult and often end in a draw, especially if the attacking side has a rook and a knight against the rook. Apart from specific situations where the king is pushed into a mating net, the prospects of a rook with a knight tend to be slim.

We need not further reason that most positions are won for the stronger party. In particular, the two connected passed pawns are naturally extremely strong. If they are supported by their own king, they win almost automatically.

This article contains an element of humor, since encountering such a situation in an actual game is highly unlikely. Nevertheless, it remains beneficial to develop proficiency with knights, as their unique abilities can prove advantageous in various tactical scenarios.

In the endgame, the value of two minor pieces is roughly equal to that of a rook and an additional pawn. The configuration of pawns on the board plays a crucial role. When the opponent’s pawns are vulnerable, the two minor pieces hold an advantage.

The shouldering away concept, specifically applicable in pawn endgames, involves positioning one’s king in a way that effectively “shoulders away” the opponent’s king, restricting its movement and seizing key squares.

František Dedrle, one of the renowned Dedrle Brothers who lived between the 19th and 20th century, authored the following study in 1921. It prominently highlights the significant role of distant opposition and its notable variant, the diagonal opposition.

Rook endgames are commonly encountered and understanding their fundamental principles is essential. In this instance, our focus will be on employing a tactical maneuver known as deflection to secure a win.

These strategic pawn moves, reserved for critical moments, are referred to as “reserved tempi.” I recommend examining the provided study for a compelling illustration of this concept.

Nevertheless, as with any rule, there are exceptions, and occasionally, it becomes imperative to execute a maneuver known as the rook switch, which involves placing the rook to the side of the pawn instead.

The Vančura position, illustrated in the diagram, refers to a specific chess scenario where one player possesses a rook and a rook’s pawn, while the opposing player has only a rook. This situation occurs when the pawn has not advanced beyond its sixth rank, and the rook of the player with the advantage is positioned in front of the pawn.

Remarkably, we are going to delve into a genuine game within this category, marveling at the brilliance of Fischer’s victory in the bishop vs. knight (with pawns on both sides) endgame during the candidates’ quarterfinal in 1971.

By utilizing these tablebases, you gain access to an unrivaled and flawless advisor that can provide insights into the truth of endgames involving a restricted number of pieces. This invaluable resource becomes a powerful tool to enhance your understanding of critical endgame configurations.

In addition to his aforementioned accomplishments, Emanuel Lasker’s name became immortalized through a groundbreaking chess study, widely recognized as one of the most brilliant ever conceived.