For centuries, the study of endgames has been pursued, leading to a precise comprehension of strategies to secure victory or draw in situations where the chessboard contains only a few pieces. Thanks to advancements in computer technology and retrograde analysis from checkmate and stalemate scenarios, we have made significant progress in determining optimal moves in positions involving up to 7 pieces, including the two kings. These advancements have resulted in the creation of tablebases, which are extensive databases containing positions derived from retrograde analysis. These tablebases enable computers to accurately assess the outcomes of endgames. Over the years, various formats of tablebases have emerged, including Thompson, Nalimov, and Syzygy, representing the evolution and refinement of this crucial chess endgame tool.
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.
To begin your exploration, simply navigate to syzygy-tables.info, and start experimenting. The website offers free access, and you even have the option to download the tables for local use if desired. However, it’s essential to note that the total size of the data files can exceed 16 TB if all combinations of 7-piece endgames are encompassed. So, keep this significant data size in mind while utilizing the resource.