In
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...
and other similar games, the endgame (or end game or ending) is the stage of the game when few
piece
Piece or Pieces (not to be confused with peace) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Games
* Piece (chess), pieces deployed on a chessboard for playing the game of chess
* ''Pieces'' (video game), a 1994 puzzle game for the Super NES
* P ...
s are left on the board.
The line between
middlegame and endgame is often not clear, and may occur gradually or with the quick
exchange
Exchange may refer to:
Physics
*Gas exchange is the movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. Places United States
* Exchange, Indiana, an unincorporated community
* ...
of a few pairs of pieces. The endgame, however, tends to have different characteristics from the middlegame, and the players have correspondingly different strategic concerns. In particular,
pawns become more important as endgames often revolve around attempting to
promote a pawn by advancing it to the eighth . The king, which normally should stay hidden during the game should become active in the endgame, as it can help escort pawns to the promotion square, attack enemy pawns, protect other pieces, and restrict the movement of the enemy king.
All chess positions with up to seven pieces on the board have been
solved, that is, the outcome (win, loss, or draw) of best play by both sides is known, and textbooks and reference works teach the best play. Most endgames are not solved, and textbooks teach useful strategies and tactics for them. The body of
chess theory
The game of chess is commonly divided into three phases: the chess opening, opening, Chess middlegame, middlegame, and Chess endgame, endgame. There is a large body of theory regarding how the game should be played in each of these phases, espec ...
devoted to endgames is known as
endgame theory. Compared to chess opening theory, which changes frequently, giving way to
middlegame positions that fall in and out of popularity, endgame theory is less subject to change.
Many
endgame studies
In the game of chess, an endgame study, or just study, is a composed position—that is, one that has been made up rather than played in an actual game—presented as a sort of puzzle, in which the aim of the solver is to find the essentially uniqu ...
have been composed, endgame positions which are solved by finding a win for White when there is no obvious way to win, or a
draw
Draw, drawing, draws, or drawn may refer to:
Common uses
* Draw (terrain), a terrain feature formed by two parallel ridges or spurs with low ground in between them
* Drawing (manufacturing), a process where metal, glass, or plastic or anything ...
when it seems White must lose. In some compositions, the starting position would be unlikely to occur in an actual game; but if the starting position is not so exotic, the composition is sometimes incorporated into endgame theory.
Chess players classify endgames according to the type of pieces that remain.
Categories
Endgames can be divided into three categories:
# Theoretical endgames – positions where the correct line of play is generally known and well-analyzed, so the solution is a matter of technique
# Practical endgames – positions arising in actual games, where skillful play should transform it into a theoretical endgame position
# Artistic endgames (
studies
Study or studies may refer to:
General
* Education
**Higher education
* Clinical trial
* Experiment
* Observational study
* Research
* Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning
Other
* Study (art), a drawing or series of drawin ...
) – contrived positions which contain a theoretical endgame hidden by problematic complications.
This article generally does not consider studies.
The start of the endgame
An endgame is when there are only a few pieces left. There is no strict criterion for when an endgame begins, and different experts have different opinions.
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Aleksandrovich Alekhine, ''Aleksándr Aleksándrovich Alékhin''; (March 24, 1946) was a Russian and French chess player and the fourth World Chess Champion, a title he held for two reigns.
By the age of 22, Alekhine was already a ...
said "We cannot define when the middle game ends and the end-game starts". With the usual system for
chess piece relative value
In chess, a relative value (or point value) is a standard value conventionally assigned to each piece. Piece valuations have no role in the rules of chess but are useful as an aid to assessing a position.
Valuation systems almost always assign ...
, Speelman considers that endgames are positions in which each player has thirteen or fewer points in (not counting the
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
). Alternatively, an endgame is a position in which the king can be used actively, but there are some
famous exceptions to that. Minev characterizes endgames as positions having four or fewer pieces other than kings and pawns. Some authors consider endgames to be positions without queens (e.g. Fine, 1952), while others consider a position to be an endgame when each player has less than a
queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
plus
rook
Rook (''Corvus frugilegus'') is a bird of the corvid family. Rook or rooks may also refer to:
Games
*Rook (chess), a piece in chess
*Rook (card game), a trick-taking card game
Military
* Sukhoi Su-25 or Rook, a close air support aircraft
* USS ...
in material. Flear considers an endgame to be where each player has at most one piece (other than kings and pawns) and positions with more material where each player has at most two pieces to be "Not Quite an Endgame" (NQE), pronounced "nuckie".
Alburt and Krogius give three characteristics of an endgame:
# Endgames favor an aggressive king.
#
Passed pawn
In chess, a passed pawn is a pawn with no opposing pawns to prevent it from advancing to the eighth ; i.e. there are no opposing pawns in front of it on either the same or adjacent files. A passed pawn is sometimes colloquially called a ''pass ...
s increase greatly in importance.
#
Zugzwang
Zugzwang (German for "compulsion to move", ) is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move; a player is said to be "in zugzwang" when any legal move ...
is often a factor in endgames and rarely in other stages of the game.
Some problem composers consider that the endgame starts when the player who is about to move can force a win or a draw against any variation of moves.
Mednis and Crouch address the question of what constitutes an endgame negatively. The game is still in the
middlegame if middlegame elements still describe the position. The game is
not in the endgame if these apply:
* better ;
* open for attacking;
* vulnerable king position;
* misplaced pieces.
General considerations
In endgames with pieces and pawns, an extra pawn is a winning advantage in 50 to 60 percent of cases. It becomes more decisive if the stronger side also has a positional advantage. In general, the player with a advantage tries to exchange pieces and reach the endgame. In the endgame, the player with a material advantage should usually try to exchange pieces but avoid the exchange of pawns. There are some exceptions to this: (1) endings in which both sides have two rooks plus pawns – the player with more pawns has better winning chances if a pair of rooks are not exchanged, and (2) bishops on opposite color with other pieces – the stronger side should avoid exchanging the other pieces. Also when all of the pawns are on the same side of the board, often the stronger side must exchange pawns to try to create a
passed pawn
In chess, a passed pawn is a pawn with no opposing pawns to prevent it from advancing to the eighth ; i.e. there are no opposing pawns in front of it on either the same or adjacent files. A passed pawn is sometimes colloquially called a ''pass ...
.
In the endgame, it is usually better for the player with more pawns to avoid many pawn exchanges, because winning chances usually decrease as the number of pawns decreases. Also, endings with pawns on both sides of the board are much easier to win. A king and pawn endgame with an
outside passed pawn should be a far easier win than a middlegame a rook ahead.
Usually in the endgame, the stronger side (the one with more using the standard
piece point count system) should try to exchange pieces (
knights
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...
,
bishops
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
,
rooks
Rook (''Corvus frugilegus'') is a bird of the corvid family. Rook or rooks may also refer to:
Games
*Rook (chess), a piece in chess
*Rook (card game), a trick-taking card game
Military
*Sukhoi Su-25 or Rook, a close air support aircraft
* USS ...
, and
queens
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
), while avoiding the exchange of pawns. This generally makes it easier to convert a material advantage into a won game. The defending side should strive for the opposite.
Usually the first person to make a queen in the endgame wins if the opponent is unable to promote the turn immediately after.
With the recent growth of
computer chess
Computer chess includes both hardware (dedicated computers) and software capable of playing chess. Computer chess provides opportunities for players to practice even in the absence of human opponents, and also provides opportunities for analysi ...
, a development has been the creation of endgame databases which are tables of stored positions calculated by retrograde analysis (such a database is called an
endgame tablebase
An endgame tablebase is a computerized database that contains precalculated exhaustive analysis of chess endgame positions. It is typically used by a computer chess engine during play, or by a human or computer that is retrospectively analysin ...
). A program which incorporates knowledge from such a database is able to play perfect chess on reaching any position in the database.
Max Euwe
Machgielis "Max" Euwe (; May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess player, mathematician, author, and chess administrator. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion, a title he held from 1935 until 1937. He served as ...
and Walter Meiden give these five generalizations:
# In
king
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
and
pawn
Pawn most often refers to:
* Pawn (chess), the weakest and most numerous piece in the game
* Pawnbroker or pawnshop, a business that provides loans by taking personal property as collateral
Pawn may also refer to:
Places
* Pawn, Oregon, an his ...
endings, an extra pawn is decisive in more than 90 percent of the cases.
# In endgames with pieces and pawns, an extra pawn is a winning advantage in 50 to 60 percent of the cases. It becomes more decisive if the stronger side has a positional advantage.
# The king plays an important role in the endgame.
#
Initiative
In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...
is more important in the endgame than in other phases of the game. In
rook
Rook (''Corvus frugilegus'') is a bird of the corvid family. Rook or rooks may also refer to:
Games
*Rook (chess), a piece in chess
*Rook (card game), a trick-taking card game
Military
* Sukhoi Su-25 or Rook, a close air support aircraft
* USS ...
endgames the initiative is usually worth at least a pawn.
# Two
connected
Connected may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Connected'' (2008 film), a Hong Kong remake of the American movie ''Cellular''
* '' Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology'', a 2011 documentary film
* ''Connected'' (2015 TV ...
passed pawn
In chess, a passed pawn is a pawn with no opposing pawns to prevent it from advancing to the eighth ; i.e. there are no opposing pawns in front of it on either the same or adjacent files. A passed pawn is sometimes colloquially called a ''pass ...
s are very strong. If they reach their sixth they are generally as powerful as a rook.
Common types of endgames
Endings with no pawns
Basic checkmates
Many endings without pawns have been
solved, that is, best play for both sides from any starting position can be determined, and the outcome (win, loss, or draw) is known. For example, the following are all wins for the side with pieces:
#
king and queen against a king—A queen, with its king, can easily
checkmate
Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game.
In chess, the king is ...
a lone king.
#
king and rook against a king
#
king and two bishops of opposite colour against a king
#
king, bishop, and knight against a king
See
Wikibooks – Chess/The Endgame for a demonstration of the first two checkmates, which are generally taught in textbooks as basic knowledge. The last two are sometimes taught as basic knowledge as well, although the
procedure for mate with bishop and knight is relatively difficult and many tournament players do not know it.
Other endings with no pawns
The ending of king and
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
versus king is a trivial draw, in that checkmate is not even possible. Likewise for king and
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
versus king.
Two knights cannot force checkmate against a lone king (see
Two knights endgame
The two knights endgame is a chess endgame with a king and two knights versus a king. In contrast to a king and two bishops (on opposite-colored squares), or a bishop and a knight, a king and two knights cannot checkmate against a lone king (howe ...
). While there is a board position that allows two knights to checkmate a lone king, such requires a careless move by the weaker side to execute. If the weaker side also has material (besides the king), checkmate is sometimes possible. The winning chances with two knights are insignificant except against a few pawns. () The procedure can be long and difficult. In competition, the
fifty-move rule
The fifty-move rule in chess states that a player can claim a draw if no has been made and no pawn has been moved in the last fifty moves (for this purpose a "move" consists of a player completing a turn followed by the opponent completing a tur ...
will often result in the game being drawn first.
The endgame of king and three knights against king will not normally occur in a game, but it is of theoretical interest. The three knights win.
Two of the most common pawnless endgames (when the defense has a piece in addition to the king) are (1) a queen versus a rook and (2) a rook and bishop versus a rook. A queen wins against a rook — see
pawnless chess endgame#Queen versus rook. A rook and bishop versus a rook is generally a
theoretical
A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may be ...
draw, but the defense is difficult and there are winning positions (see
Rook and bishop versus rook endgame).
King and pawn endings
King and pawn endgames involve only
kings and
pawns on one or both sides.
International Master
FIDE titles are awarded by the international chess governing body FIDE (''Fédération Internationale des Échecs'') for outstanding performance. The highest such title is Grandmaster (GM). Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating and ...
Cecil Purdy
Cecil John Seddon Purdy (27 March 1906 – 6 November 1979), often referred to as "C. J. S. Purdy", was an Australian chess player and writer. He was awarded the titles International Master in 1951 and Grandmaster of correspondence chess in ...
said, "Pawn endings are to chess as putting is to golf." Any endgame with pieces and pawns has the possibility of into a pawn ending.
In king and pawn endings, an extra pawn is decisive in more than 90 percent of the cases. Getting a
passed pawn
In chess, a passed pawn is a pawn with no opposing pawns to prevent it from advancing to the eighth ; i.e. there are no opposing pawns in front of it on either the same or adjacent files. A passed pawn is sometimes colloquially called a ''pass ...
is crucial (a
passed pawn is one which does not have an opposing pawn on its file or on adjacent files on its way to promotion).
Nimzovich once said that a passed pawn has a "lust to expand". An
is particularly deadly. The point of this is a decoy – while the defending king is preventing it from queening, the attacking king wins pawns on the other side.
Opposition
Opposition may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars
* The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band
* ''The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Comed ...
is an important technique that is used to gain an advantage. When two kings are in opposition, they are on the same (or ) with one empty square separating them. The player having the move
loses the opposition. That player must move the king and allow the opponent's king to advance. Note however that the opposition is a means to an end, which is penetration into the enemy position. The attacker should try to penetrate with or without the opposition. The tactics of
triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by forming triangles to the point from known points.
Applications
In surveying
Specifically in surveying, triangulation involves only angle me ...
and
zugzwang
Zugzwang (German for "compulsion to move", ) is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move; a player is said to be "in zugzwang" when any legal move ...
as well as the theory of
corresponding squares
In chess, two squares are corresponding squares (also known as relative squares, sister squares, or coordinate squares) if the occupation of one of these squares by a king requires the enemy king to move to the other square in order to hold the pos ...
are often decisive.
Unlike most positions, king and pawn endgames can usually be analyzed to a definite conclusion, given enough skill and time. An error in a king and pawn endgame almost always turns a win into a draw or a draw into a loss – there is little chance for recovery. Accuracy is most important in these endgames. There are three fundamental ideas in these endgames:
opposition
Opposition may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars
* The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band
* ''The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Comed ...
,
triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by forming triangles to the point from known points.
Applications
In surveying
Specifically in surveying, triangulation involves only angle me ...
, and the
Réti manoeuvre.
King and pawn versus king
This is one of the most basic endgames. A draw results if the defending king can reach the square in front of the pawn or the square in front of that (or capture the pawn). If the attacking king can prevent that, the king will assist the pawn in being
promoted to a queen or rook, and checkmate can be achieved. A is an exception because the king may not be able to get out of the way of its pawn.
Knight and pawn endings
Knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
and pawn endgames feature clever manoeuvring by the knights to capture opponent pawns. While a knight is poor at chasing a passed pawn, it is the ideal piece to block a passed pawn. Knights cannot lose a
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
, so knight and pawn endgames have much in common with king and pawn endgames. As a result,
Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, ( – May 5, 1995) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster. The sixth World Chess Champion, he also worked as an electrical engineer and computer scientist and was a pioneer in computer chess.
Botvinnik ...
stated, “A knight ending is really a pawn ending.”
Knight and pawn versus knight
This is generally a draw since the knight can be sacrificed for the pawn, however, the king and knight must be covering squares in the pawn's path. If the pawn reaches the seventh rank and is supported by its king and knight, it usually
promotes and wins. In this position, White to move wins: 1. b6 Nb7! 2. Ne6! Na5 3. Kc8! N-any 4. Nc7#. If Black plays the knight to any other square on move 2, White plays Kc8 anyway, threatening b7+ and promotion if the knight leaves the defense of the b7 square. Black to move draws starting with 1... Nc4 because White cannot gain a
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
.
Bishop and pawn endings
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and pawn endgames come in two distinctly different variants. If the opposing bishops go on the same color of square, the mobility of the bishops is a crucial factor. A
is one that is hemmed in by pawns of its own color, and has the burden of defending them.
The adjacent diagram, from Molnar–Nagy, Hungary 1966, illustrates the concepts of good bishop versus bad bishop, opposition,
zugzwang
Zugzwang (German for "compulsion to move", ) is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move; a player is said to be "in zugzwang" when any legal move ...
, and outside passed pawn. White wins with 1. e6! (vacating e5 for his king) 1... Bxe6 2. Bc2! (threatening Bxg6) 2... Bf7 3. Be4! (threatening Bxc6) 3... Be8 4. Ke5! (seizing the opposition
.e. the kings are two orthogonal squares apart, with the other player on moveand placing Black in zugzwang—he must either move his king, allowing White's king to penetrate, or his bishop, allowing a decisive incursion by White's bishop) 4... Bd7 5. Bxg6!
Bishop and pawn versus bishop on the same color
Two rules given by
Luigi Centurini Luigi Centurini (Genoa, April 24, 1820 – Genoa, November 10, 1900) was an Italian jurist, chess player, and chess composer.
In 1853 he published the pamphlet in Genoa titled ''Giuoco degli Scacchi'' (Game of Chess). The endgame of rook and knigh ...
in the 19th century apply:
* 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.
* If the defending king is behind the pawn and the attacking king is near the pawn, the defender can draw only if his king is attacking the pawn, he has the opposition, and his bishop can move on two diagonals that each have at least two squares available (other than the square it is on). This is the case for and the whose promotion square is not the same color as the bishop.
The position in the second diagram shows a winning position for White, although it requires accurate play. A always wins if the defending bishop only has one long diagonal available.
This position was reached in a game from the 1965
Candidates Tournament
The Candidates Tournament (or in some periods Candidates Matches) is a chess tournament organized by FIDE, chess's international governing body, since 1950, as the final contest to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship. The wi ...
between
Lajos Portisch
Lajos Portisch (born 4 April 1937) is a Hungarian chess Grandmaster, whose positional style earned him the nickname, the "Hungarian Botvinnik". One of the strongest non-Soviet players from the early 1960s into the late 1980s, he participated ...
and former
World Champion
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Nekhemyevich Tal; rus, Михаил Нехемьевич Таль, ''Mikhail Nekhem'yevich Tal' '', ; sometimes transliterated ''Mihails Tals'' or ''Mihail Tal'' (9 November 1936 – 28 June 1992) was a Soviet-Latvian chess player ...
. White must defend accurately and utilize
reciprocal zugzwang. Often he has only one or two moves that avoid a losing position. Black was unable to make any progress and the game was drawn on move 83.
Bishops on opposite colors
Endings with
bishops of opposite color, meaning that one bishop works on the light squares, the other one working on dark squares, are notorious for their character. Many players in a poor position have saved themselves from a loss by trading down to such an endgame. They are often drawn even when one side has a two-pawn advantage, since the weaker side can create a blockade on the squares on which his bishop operates. The weaker side should often try to make their bishop
by placing their pawns on the same color of their bishop in order to defend their remaining pawns, thereby creating an impregnable
fortress
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
.
Bishop versus knight endings (with pawns)
Current
theory
A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may be s ...
is that bishops are better than knights about 60 percent of the time in the endgame. The more symmetrical the
pawn structure
In a game of chess, the pawn structure (sometimes known as the pawn skeleton) is the configuration of pawns on the chessboard. Because pawns are the least mobile of the chess pieces, the pawn structure is relatively static and thus plays a large ...
, the better it is for the knight. The knight is best suited at an outpost in the center, particularly where it cannot easily be driven away, whereas the bishop is strongest when it can attack targets on both sides of the board or a series of squares of the same color.
Fine and Benko give four conclusions:
# In general the bishop is better than the knight.
# When there is a material advantage, the difference between the bishop and knight is not very important. However, the bishop usually wins more easily than the knight.
# If the material is even, the position should be drawn. However, the bishop can exploit positional advantages more efficiently.
# When most of the pawns are on the same color as the bishop (i.e. a bad bishop), the knight is better.
Bishop and pawn versus knight
This is a draw if the defending king is in front of the pawn or sufficiently close. The defending king can occupy a square in front of the pawn of the opposite color as the bishop and cannot be driven away. Otherwise the attacker can win.
Knight and pawn versus bishop
This is a draw if the defending king is in front of the pawn or sufficiently near. The bishop is kept on a diagonal that the pawn must cross, and the knight cannot both block the bishop and drive the defending king away. Otherwise, the attacker can win.
Rook and pawn endings
Rook and pawn endgames are often drawn in spite of one side having an extra pawn. (In some cases, two extra pawns are not enough to win.) An extra pawn is harder to convert to a win in a rook and pawn endgame than any other type of endgame except a bishop endgame with bishops on opposite colors. Rook endings are probably the deepest and most well studied endgames. They are a common type of endgame in practice, occurring in about 10 percent of all games (including ones that do not reach an endgame). These endgames occur frequently because rooks are often the last pieces to be exchanged. The ability to play these endgames well is a major factor distinguishing masters from amateurs. When both sides have two rooks and pawns, the stronger side usually has more winning chances than if each had only one rook.
Three rules of thumb regarding rooks are worth noting:
# Rooks should almost always be placed behind passed pawns, whether one's own or the opponent's (the
Tarrasch rule
The Tarrasch rule is a general principle that applies in the majority of chess middlegames and endgames. Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934) stated the "rule" that rooks should be placed behind passed pawns – either the player's or the opponent ...
). A notable exception is in the ending of a rook and pawn versus a rook, if the pawn is not too far advanced. In that case, the best place for the opposing rook is in front of the pawn.
# Rooks are very poor defenders relative to their attacking strength, so it is often good to sacrifice a pawn for activity.
# A rook on the seventh rank can wreak mayhem among the opponent's pawns. The power of a rook on the seventh rank is not confined to the endgame. The classic example is
Capablanca versus
Tartakower, New York 1924 (se
annotated game without diagramso
Java board
An important winning position in the
rook and pawn versus rook endgame
The rook and pawn versus rook endgame is a fundamentally important, widely studied chess endgame. Precise play is usually required in these positions. With optimal play, some complicated wins require sixty moves to either checkmate, capture the ...
is the so-called
Lucena position
The Lucena position is one of the most famous and important positions in chess endgame theory, where one side has a rook and a pawn and the defender has a rook. Karsten Müller said that it may be the most important position in endgame theory. I ...
. If the side with the pawn can reach the Lucena position, he wins. However, there are several important drawing techniques such as the
Philidor position
The Philidor position (or Philidor's position) is a chess endgame involving a drawing technique for the defending side in the rook and pawn versus rook endgame. This technique is known as the ''third defense'' due to the positioning of the d ...
, the back rank defense (rook on the first rank, for and only), the frontal defense, and the short side defense. A general rule is that if the weaker side's king can get to the queening square of the pawn, the game is a draw and otherwise it is a win, but there are many exceptions.
Rook and pawn versus rook
Generally (but not always), if the defending king can reach the queening square of the pawn the game is a draw (see
Philidor position
The Philidor position (or Philidor's position) is a chess endgame involving a drawing technique for the defending side in the rook and pawn versus rook endgame. This technique is known as the ''third defense'' due to the positioning of the d ...
), otherwise the attacker usually wins (if it is not a rook pawn) (see
Lucena position
The Lucena position is one of the most famous and important positions in chess endgame theory, where one side has a rook and a pawn and the defender has a rook. Karsten Müller said that it may be the most important position in endgame theory. I ...
). The winning procedure can be very difficult and some positions require up to sixty moves to win. If the attacking rook is two files from the pawn and the defending king is cut off on the other side, the attacker normally wins (with a few exceptions). The rook and pawn versus rook is the most common of the "piece and pawn versus piece" endgames.
The most difficult case of a rook and pawn versus a rook occurs when the attacking rook is one file over from the pawn and the defending king is cut off on the other side.
Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch (; 5 March 1862 – 17 February 1934) was a German chess player, considered to have been among the strongest players and most influential theoreticians of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Life
Tarrasch was born in Bresla ...
gave the following rules for this case:
For a player defending against a pawn on the fifth or even sixth ranks to obtain a draw, even after his king has been forced off the queening square, the following conditions must obtain: The file on which the pawn stands divides the board into two unequal parts. The defending rook must stand in the longer part and give checks from the flank at the greatest possible distance from the attacking king. Nothing less than a distance of three files makes it possible for the rook to keep on giving check. Otherwise it would ultimately be attacked by the king. The defending king must stand on the smaller part of the board.
(See the
short side defense at
Rook and pawn versus rook endgame
The rook and pawn versus rook endgame is a fundamentally important, widely studied chess endgame. Precise play is usually required in these positions. With optimal play, some complicated wins require sixty moves to either checkmate, capture the ...
.)
Quotation
*"All rook and pawn endings are drawn."
The context of this quote shows it is a comment on the fact that a small advantage in a rook and pawn endgame is less likely to be converted into a win.
Mark Dvoretsky
Mark Izrailevich Dvoretsky (russian: Марк Изра́илевич Дворе́цкий; December 9, 1947 – September 26, 2016) was a Russian chess trainer, writer, and International Master.
Biography
Dvoretsky was born in Moscow in 1947. ...
said that the statement is "semi-joking, semi-serious". This quotation has variously been attributed to
Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower (also known as ''Xavier'' or ''Ksawery'' ''Tartakower'', less often ''Tartacover'' or ''Tartakover''; 21 February 1887 – 4 February 1956) was a Polish and French chess player. He was awarded the title of International Grand ...
and to
Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch (; 5 March 1862 – 17 February 1934) was a German chess player, considered to have been among the strongest players and most influential theoreticians of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Life
Tarrasch was born in Bresla ...
. Writers
Victor Korchnoi
Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi ( rus, Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, p=vʲiktər lʲvovʲɪtɕ kɐrtɕˈnoj; 23 March 1931 – 6 June 2016) was a Soviet (before 1976) and Swiss (after 1980) chess grandmaster (GM) and chess writer. H ...
,
John Emms, and
James Howell
James Howell (c. 1594 – 1666) was a 17th-century Anglo-Welsh historian and writer who is in many ways a representative figure of his age. The son of a Welsh clergyman, he was for much of his life in the shadow of his elder brother Thomas How ...
, attribute the quote to Tartakower, whereas Dvoretsky,
Andrew Soltis
Andrew Eden Soltis (born May 28, 1947) is an American chess grandmaster, author and columnist. He was inducted into the United States Chess Hall of Fame in September 2011.
Chess career
Soltis learned how the chess pieces moved at age 10 when he ...
,
Karsten Müller
Karsten Müller (born November 23, 1970 in Hamburg, West Germany) is a German chess Grandmaster and author. He earned the Grandmaster title in 1998 and a PhD in mathematics in 2002 at the University of Hamburg. He had placed third in the 1996 Ger ...
, and Kaufeld & Kern attribute it to Tarrasch.
John Watson attributed to Tarrasch "by legend" and says that statistics do not support the statement.
Benko wonders if it was due to
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov ( rus, Васи́лий Васи́льевич Смысло́в, Vasíliy Vasíl'yevich Smyslóv; 24 March 1921 – 27 March 2010) was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, who was World Chess Champion from 1957 to ...
. Attributing the quote to Tarrasch may be a result of confusion between this quote and the
Tarrasch rule
The Tarrasch rule is a general principle that applies in the majority of chess middlegames and endgames. Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934) stated the "rule" that rooks should be placed behind passed pawns – either the player's or the opponent ...
concerning rooks. The source of the quote is currently unresolved. Benko noted that although the saying is usually said with tongue in cheek, it is truer in practice than one might think.
Queen and pawn endings
In
queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
and pawn endings,
passed pawns
In chess, a passed pawn is a pawn with no opposing pawns to prevent it from advancing to the eighth ; i.e. there are no opposing pawns in front of it on either the same or adjacent files. A passed pawn is sometimes colloquially called a ''pass ...
have paramount importance, because the queen can escort it to the queening square alone. The advancement of the passed pawn outweighs the number of pawns. The defender must resort to
perpetual check
In the game of chess, perpetual check is a situation in which one player can a draw by an unending series of checks. This typically arises when the player who is checking cannot deliver checkmate, and failing to continue the series of checks gives ...
. These endings are frequently extremely long affairs. For an example of a queen and pawn endgame see
Kasparov versus the World
Kasparov versus the World was a game of chess played in 1999 over the Internet. It was a , in which a World Team of thousands decided each move for the black pieces by plurality vote, while Garry Kasparov conducted the white pieces by himself. Mo ...
– Kasparov won although he had fewer pawns because his was more advanced. For the ending with a queen versus a pawn, see
Queen versus pawn endgame
The chess endgame of a queen versus pawn (with both sides having no other pieces except the kings) is usually an easy win for the side with the queen. However, if the pawn has advanced to its seventh rank it has possibilities of reaching a draw, ...
.
Queen and pawn versus queen
The queen and pawn versus queen endgame is the second most common of the "piece and pawn versus piece" endgames, after
rook and pawn versus rook. It is very complicated and difficult to play. Human analysts were not able to make a complete analysis before the advent of
endgame tablebase
An endgame tablebase is a computerized database that contains precalculated exhaustive analysis of chess endgame positions. It is typically used by a computer chess engine during play, or by a human or computer that is retrospectively analysin ...
s. This combination is a win less frequently than the equivalent ending with rooks.
Rook versus a minor piece
The difference in between a rook and a is about two points or a little less, the equivalent of two pawns.
* A rook and a pawn versus a minor piece: normally a win for the rook but there are some draws. In particular, if the pawn is on its sixth rank and is a or , and the bishop does not control the pawn's promotion square, the position is a draw. See
Wrong bishop
In a chess endgame, a wrong bishop is a bishop that would have been better placed on the opposite square color; in other words, a bishop is unable to guard squares of the other color. This most commonly occurs with a bishop and one of its , but it ...
.
* A rook versus a minor piece: normally a draw but in some cases the rook wins, see
pawnless chess endgame
A pawnless chess endgame is a chess endgame in which only a few chess piece, pieces remain, and no pawn (chess), pawns. The basic checkmates are types of pawnless endgames. Endgames without pawns do not occur very often in practice except for the b ...
.
* A rook versus a minor piece and one pawn: usually a draw but the rook may win.
* A rook versus a minor piece and two pawns: usually a draw but the minor piece may win.
* A rook versus a minor piece and three pawns: a win for the minor piece.
If both sides have pawns, the result essentially depends on how many pawns the minor piece has for
the exchange:
* No pawns for the exchange (i.e. same number of pawns on each side): the rook usually wins.
* One pawn for the exchange (i.e. minor piece has one more pawn): the rook usually wins, but it is technically difficult. If all of the pawns are on one side of the board it is usually a draw.
* Two pawns for the exchange: this is normally a draw. With a bishop either side may have winning chances. With a knight, the rook may have winning chances and the defense is difficult for the knight if the pawns are scattered.
* Three pawns for the exchange: this is normally a win for the minor piece.
Two minor pieces versus a rook
In an endgame, two are approximately equivalent to a rook plus one pawn. The
pawn structure
In a game of chess, the pawn structure (sometimes known as the pawn skeleton) is the configuration of pawns on the chessboard. Because pawns are the least mobile of the chess pieces, the pawn structure is relatively static and thus plays a large ...
is important. The two pieces have the advantage if the opponent's pawns are weak.
Initiative
In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...
is more important in this endgame than any other. The general outcome can be broken down by the number of pawns.
* The two pieces have one or more extra pawns: always a win for the pieces.
* Same number of pawns: usually a draw but the two pieces win more often than the rook.
* The rook has one extra pawn: usually a draw but either side may have winning chances, depending on positional factors.
* The rook has two additional pawns: normally a win for the rook.
Queen versus two rooks
Without pawns this is normally drawn, but either side wins in some positions. A queen and pawn are normally equivalent to two rooks, which is usually a draw if both sides have an equal number of additional pawns. Two rooks plus one pawn versus a queen is also generally drawn. Otherwise, if either side has an additional pawn, that side normally wins. While playing for a draw, the defender (the side with fewer pawns) should try to avoid situations in which the queen and rooks are forcibly traded into a losing
king and pawn endgame
In chess and other similar games, the endgame (or end game or ending) is the stage of the game when few chess piece, pieces are left on the board.
The line between chess middlegame, middlegame and endgame is often not clear, and may occur graduall ...
.
Queen versus rook and minor piece
If there are no pawns, the position is usually drawn, but either side wins in some positions. A queen is equivalent to a rook and bishop plus one pawn. If the queen has an additional pawn it wins, but with difficulty. A rook and bishop plus two pawns win over a queen.
Queen versus rook
* Without pawns, the queen normally wins but it can be difficult and there are some drawn positions (see
Philidor position#Queen versus rook).
* If the rook has one pawn drawing positions are possible, depending on the pawn and the proximity of the rook and king. See
fortress (chess)#Rook and pawn versus queen. Otherwise the queen wins.
* If the rook has two
connected pawns
In chess, connected pawns are two or more pawns of the same color on adjacent , as distinct from isolated pawns. These pawns are instrumental in creating pawn structure because, when diagonally adjacent, like the two rightmost white pawns, they f ...
the position is usually a draw. For any other two pawns, the queen wins except in the positions where a fortress with one pawn can be reached.
* If the rook has three or more pawns the position is usually a draw but there are cases in which the queen wins and some in which the rook wins.
* If the queen also has a pawn or pawns it wins except in unusual positions.
Piece versus pawns
There are many cases for a lone piece versus pawns. The position of the pawns is critical.
* Minor piece versus pawns: A minor piece versus one or two pawns is normally a draw, unless the pawns are advanced. Three pawns either draw or win, depending on how advanced they are. Three connected pawns win against a bishop if they all get past their fourth rank. A knight can draw against three connected pawns if none are beyond their fourth rank.
* Rook versus pawns: If the rook's king is not near, one pawn draws and two pawns win. If the rook's king is near, the rook wins over one or two pawns and draws against three. Four pawns usually win but the rook may be able to draw, depending on their position. More than four pawns win against the rook.
* Queen versus pawns: A queen can win against any number of pawns, depending on how advanced they are. The queen would win against eight pawns on the second rank but one pawn on the seventh rank may draw (see
Queen versus pawn endgame
The chess endgame of a queen versus pawn (with both sides having no other pieces except the kings) is usually an easy win for the side with the queen. However, if the pawn has advanced to its seventh rank it has possibilities of reaching a draw, ...
) and two advanced pawns may win.
Positions with a material imbalance
A rook is worth roughly two pawns plus a bishop or a knight. A bishop and knight are worth roughly a rook and a pawn, and a queen is worth a rook, a
(bishop or knight) and a pawn (see
Chess piece relative value
In chess, a relative value (or point value) is a standard value conventionally assigned to each piece. Piece valuations have no role in the rules of chess but are useful as an aid to assessing a position.
Valuation systems almost always assign ...
). Three pawns are often enough to win against a minor piece, but two pawns rarely are.
However, with rooks on the board, the bishop often outweighs the pawns. This is because the bishop defends against enemy rook attacks, while the bishop's own rook attacks enemy pawns and reduces the enemy rook to passivity. This relates to Rule 2 with rooks (above).
A bishop is usually worth more than a knight. A bishop is especially valuable when there are pawns on both wings of the board, since it can intercept them quickly.
Effect of tablebases on endgame theory
Endgame tablebase
An endgame tablebase is a computerized database that contains precalculated exhaustive analysis of chess endgame positions. It is typically used by a computer chess engine during play, or by a human or computer that is retrospectively analysin ...
s have made some minor corrections to historical endgame analysis, but they have made some more significant changes to endgame theory too. (The
fifty-move rule
The fifty-move rule in chess states that a player can claim a draw if no has been made and no pawn has been moved in the last fifty moves (for this purpose a "move" consists of a player completing a turn followed by the opponent completing a tur ...
is not taken into account in these studies.) Major changes to endgame theory as a result of tablebases include the following:
*
Queen versus rook (see
Philidor position#Queen versus rook). There are two changes here enabling the rook to put up a better defense, but the queen still wins. (a) People usually opt for a second-rank defense with the rook on the second rank and the king behind it (or symmetrical positions on the other edges of the board). Tablebases show that a third-rank defense takes a while to breach, which is difficult for a human to do. (b) People had assumed that the rook needs to stay as close to the king for as long as possible, but tablebases show that it is best to move the rook away from the king at some earlier point.
*
Queen and pawn versus queen. Tablebases have shown that this can be won in many more positions than was thought, but the logic of the moves is presently beyond human understanding.
*
Queen versus two bishops. This was thought to be a draw due to the existence of a drawing
fortress
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
position, but the queen can win most of the time by preventing the bishops from getting to the fortress. However, it can take up to 71 moves to force a win.
*
Queen versus two knights. This was thought to be a draw, but the queen has more winning positions than was previously thought. Also, many analysts gave a position (see diagram) that they thought was a draw but it is actually a win for the queen. In the diagram, White checkmates in 43 moves, starting with 1. Qc7 (the only winning move). Note that Nunn says "The general result is undoubtedly a draw, but there are many losing positions, some of them very lengthy." On the other hand, 73.44% of positions are won by the queen, almost all of the remainder being positions where the side with two knights can immediately capture the queen – 97.59% of positions with the side with the queen to move are won by that side.
[ + ] However, these percentages can be misleading, and most "general results" are based on the analysis of
grandmasters using the tablebase data. For instance, although nearly 90 percent of all of these positions are wins for the queen, it is generally a draw if the king is not separated from the knights and they are on reasonable squares.
*
Two bishops versus a knight. This was thought to be a draw but the bishops generally win. However, it takes up to 66 moves. The position in the diagram was thought to be a draw for over one hundred years, but tablebases show that White wins in 57 moves. All of the long wins go through this type of semi-fortress position. It takes several moves to force Black out of the temporary fortress in the corner; then precise play with the bishops prevents Black from forming the temporary fortress in another corner. Before computer analysis, Speelman listed this position as unresolved, but "probably a draw".
*
Queen and bishop versus two rooks. This was thought to be a draw but the queen and bishop usually win. It takes up to 84 moves.
*
Rook and bishop versus bishop and knight, bishops on opposite colors. This was thought to be a draw but the rook and bishop generally win. It takes up to 98 moves.
Magnus Carlsen
Sven Magnus Øen Carlsen (born 30 November 1990) is a Norwegian chess grandmaster who is the reigning five-time World Chess Champion. He is also a three-time World Rapid Chess Champion and five-time World Blitz Chess Champion. Carlsen has h ...
successfully converted this configuration within the 50-move limit against Francisco Vallejo Pons in 2019. Even with best play from the starting RB v BN position, the stronger side would have won a piece well within 50 moves.
*
Rook and bishop versus rook. The second-rank defense was discovered using tablebases.
Longest forced win
In May 2006 a record-shattering 517-move endgame was announced (see first diagram). Marc Bourzutschky found it using a program written by Yakov Konoval. Black's first move is 1... Rd7+ and White wins the rook in 517 moves. This was determined using the easier-to-calculate
depth-to-conversion method, which assumes that the two sides are aiming respectively to reduce the game to a simpler won ending or to delay that conversion. Such endgames do not necessarily represent strictly optimal play from both sides, as Black may delay checkmate by allowing an earlier conversion or White may accelerate it by delaying a conversion (or not making one at all). In September 2009, it was found that the distance to
mate (not conversion) in that position was 545 (see the first diagram). The same researchers later confirmed that this (along with variations of it) is the longest 7-man pawnless endgame, and that, with pawns, the longest 7-man endgame is the one depicted in the second diagram. White takes 6 moves to promote the pawn to a Knight (leading to a position similar to the first diagram), after which it takes another 543 moves to win the game.
The
fifty-move rule
The fifty-move rule in chess states that a player can claim a draw if no has been made and no pawn has been moved in the last fifty moves (for this purpose a "move" consists of a player completing a turn followed by the opponent completing a tur ...
was ignored in the calculation of these results and lengths, and as of 2014, these games could never occur, because of the seventy-five move rule.
Endgame classification
Endgames can be classified by the material on the board. The standard classification system lists each player's material, including the kings, in the following order: king, queen, bishops, knights, rooks, pawn. Each piece is designated by its
algebraic symbol.
For example, if White has a king and pawn, and Black has only a king, the endgame is classified KPK. If White has bishop and knight, and Black has a rook, the endgame is classified KBNKR. Note that KNBKR would be incorrect; bishops come before knights.
In positions with two or more bishops on the board, a "bishop signature" may be added to clarify the relationship between the bishops. Two methods have been used. The informal method is to designate one color of squares as "x" and the other color as "y". An endgame of KBPKB can be written KBPKB x-y if the bishops are opposite-colored, or KBPKB x-x if the bishops are same-colored. The more formal method is to use a four digit suffix of the form abcd:
*a = number of White light-squared bishops
*b = number of White dark-squared bishops
*c = number of Black light-squared bishops
*d = number of Black dark-squared bishops
Thus, the aforementioned endgame can be written KBPKB_1001 for opposite-color bishops, and KBPKB_1010 for same-color bishops.
In positions with one or more rooks on the board and where one or both players have one or both castling rights, a castling signature may be added to indicate which castling rights exist. The method is to use a one to four character suffix formed by omitting up to three characters from the string KQkq.
Thus the endgame where White has bishop and rook and Black has a rook can be written KBRKR if no castling rights exist or KBRKR_Kq if White may castle on the king's side and Black may castle on the queen's side. In case the position also has two or more bishops the castling signature follows the bishop signature as in KBBNKRR_1100_kq.
GBR code
The GBR code (or Guy–Blandford–Roycroft code) is a system of representing the position of chess pieces on a chessboard. Publications such as '' EG'' use it to classify endgame types and to index endgame studies.
The code is named after Ric ...
is an alternative method of endgame classification.
The ''Encyclopedia of Chess Endings – ECE'' by
Chess Informant
Chess Informant (Šahovski Informator) is a publishing company from Belgrade (Serbia, former Yugoslavia) that periodically (since 2012, four volumes per year) produces a book entitled ''Chess Informant'', as well as the ''Encyclopaedia of Chess O ...
had a different classification scheme, somewhat similar to the
''ECO'' codes, but it is not widely used. The full system is a 53-page index that was contained in the book ''The Best Endings of Capablanca and Fischer''. The code starts with a letter representing the most powerful piece on the board, not counting kings. The order is queen, rook, bishop, knight, and then pawn. (Figurines are used to stand for the pieces.) Each of these has up to 100 subclassifications, for instance R00 through R99. The first digit is a code for the pieces. For instance, R0 contains all endgames with a rook versus pawns and a rook versus a lone king, R8 contains the double rook endgames, and R9 contains the endings with more than four pieces. The second digit is a classification for the number of pawns. For instance, R30 contains endgames with a rook versus a rook without pawns or with one pawn and R38 are rook versus rook endings in which one player has two extra pawns.
Frequency table
The table below lists the most common endings in actual games by percentage (percentage of games, not percentage of endings; generally pawns go along with the pieces).
Quotations
* "
order to improve your game, you must study the endgame before anything else;
for, whereas the endings can be studied and mastered by themselves, the middlegame and the opening must be studied in relation to the endgame." (Emphasis in original.)
* "... the endgame is as important as the opening and middlegame ... three of the five losses sustained by
Bronstein in his drawn ... match with
Botvinnik in 1951 were caused by weak endgame play."
* "Studying the
opening
Opening may refer to:
* Al-Fatiha, "The Opening", the first chapter of the Qur'an
* The Opening (album), live album by Mal Waldron
* Backgammon opening
* Chess opening
* A title sequence or opening credits
* , a term from contract bridge
* , ...
is just memorizing moves and hoping for traps, but studying the endgame is chess." –
Joshua Waitzkin
* "If you want to win at chess, begin with the ending." –
Irving Chernev
Irving Chernev (January 29, 1900 – September 29, 1981) was a chess player and prolific Russian-American chess author. He was born in Pryluky in the Russian Empire (now in Ukraine) and emigrated to the United States in 1905. Chernev was a nati ...
['']Chess Life
The monthly ''Chess Life'' and bi-monthly ''Chess Life Kids'' (formerly ''School Mates'' and ''Chess Life for Kids'') are the official magazines published by the United States Chess Federation (US Chess). ''Chess Life'' is advertised as the "most ...
'', Sept. 1961, p. 253
* "Repeating moves in an ending can be very useful. Apart from the obvious gain of time on the clock one notices that the side with the advantage gains psychological benefit." –
Sergey Belavenets
Sergey Vsevolodovich Belavenets (russian: Серге́й Всеволодович Белавенец; 18 July 19106 March 1942) was a Soviet chess master, theoretician, and chess journalist.
Early life
Belavenets was born in Smolensk to a n ...
* "It cannot be too greatly emphasized that the most important role in pawn endings is played by the king." – Siegbert Tarrasch
* "After a bad opening, there is hope for the middle game. After a bad middle game, there is hope for the endgame. But once you are in the endgame, the moment of truth has arrived." –
Edmar Mednis
Edmar John Mednis ( lv, Edmārs Džons Mednis; March 22, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was a Latvian-American chess player and writer of Latvian origin. He was awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE in 1980.
Biography
Mednis' family were ...
* "Patience is the most valuable trait of the endgame player." –
Pal Benko
Pál C. Benkő ( hu, Benkő Pál; July 15, 1928 – August 26, 2019) was a Hungarian-American chess player, author, and composer of endgame studies and chess problems.
Early life
Benko was born on July 15, 1928 in Amiens, France, where his ...
Literature
There are many books on endgames, see
Chess endgame literature
Chess endgame literature refers to books and magazines about chess endgames. A bibliography of endgame books is below.
Many chess masters have contributed to the theory of endgames over the centuries, including Ruy López de Segura, François-A ...
for a large list and the history. Some of the most popular current ones are:
*''
Basic Chess Endings'', by
Reuben Fine
Reuben C. Fine (October 11, 1914 – March 26, 1993) was an American chess player, psychologist, university professor, and author of many books on both chess and psychology. He was one of the strongest chess players in the world from the mi ...
and
Pal Benko
Pál C. Benkő ( hu, Benkő Pál; July 15, 1928 – August 26, 2019) was a Hungarian-American chess player, author, and composer of endgame studies and chess problems.
Early life
Benko was born on July 15, 1928 in Amiens, France, where his ...
, 1941, 2003, McKay. . The 1941 edition by Fine was the first of the modern endgame books in English. It was recently revised by Benko.
*''Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, second edition'', by
Mark Dvoretsky
Mark Izrailevich Dvoretsky (russian: Марк Изра́илевич Дворе́цкий; December 9, 1947 – September 26, 2016) was a Russian chess trainer, writer, and International Master.
Biography
Dvoretsky was born in Moscow in 1947. ...
, 2006, Russel Enterprises. . A modern manual book by a noted chess teacher.
*''Encyclopedia of Chess Endings III – Rook Endings 2'',
Andras Adorjan,
Alexander Beliavsky
Alexander Genrikhovich Beliavsky (, ua, Олександр Генріхович Бєлявський, sl, Aleksander Henrikovič Beljavski; also romanized ''Belyavsky''; born December 17, 1953) is a Soviet, Ukrainian and Slovenian chess pl ...
,
Svetozar Gligorić
Svetozar Gligorić (Serbian Cyrillic: Светозар Глигорић, 2 February 1923 – 14 August 2012) was a Serbian and Yugoslav chess grandmaster and musician. He won the championship of Yugoslavia a record twelve times, and is consider ...
,
Robert Hübner
Robert Hübner (born November 6, 1948) is a German chess grandmaster, chess writer, and papyrologist. He was one of the world's leading players in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Chess career
At eighteen, he was joint winner of the West German Chess ...
,
Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov ( rus, links=no, Анато́лий Евге́ньевич Ка́рпов, p=ɐnɐˈtolʲɪj jɪvˈɡʲenʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈkarpəf; born May 23, 1951) is a Russian and former Soviet chess grandmaster, former World Ches ...
,
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov (born 13 April 1963) is a Russian chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist and commentator. His peak rating of 2851, achieved in 1999, was the highest recorded until being surpassed by ...
,
Viktor Kortchnoi
Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi ( rus, Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, p=vʲiktər lʲvovʲɪtɕ kɐrtɕˈnoj; 23 March 1931 – 6 June 2016) was a Soviet (before 1976) and Swiss (after 1980) chess grandmaster (GM) and chess writer. H ...
,
Anthony Miles,
Nikolay Minev
Nikolay (or Nikolai) Nikolaev Minev ( bg, Николай Николаев Минев, 8 November 1931 – 10 March 2017) was a Bulgarian chess International Master (IM) and noted chess author.
Minev was born on 8 November 1931, in Rousse, Bulgari ...
,
John Nunn
John Denis Martin Nunn (born 25 April 1955) is an English chess grandmaster, a three-time world champion in chess problem solving, a chess writer and publisher, and a mathematician. He is one of England's strongest chess players and was former ...
and
Jan Timman
Jan Timman (born 14 December 1951) is a Dutch chess grandmaster who was one of the world's leading chess players from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. At the peak of his career, he was considered to be the best non-Soviet player and was known as ...
., 1986,
Chess Informant
Chess Informant (Šahovski Informator) is a publishing company from Belgrade (Serbia, former Yugoslavia) that periodically (since 2012, four volumes per year) produces a book entitled ''Chess Informant'', as well as the ''Encyclopaedia of Chess O ...
, . Comprehensive book with 1746 endings divided in groups according to ECE classification. Annotated in
System of chess signs .
*''Essential Chess Endings: the Tournament Player's Guide'', by James Howell, 1997,
Batsford. . A small but comprehensive book.
*''Fundamental Chess Endings'', by
Karsten Müller
Karsten Müller (born November 23, 1970 in Hamburg, West Germany) is a German chess Grandmaster and author. He earned the Grandmaster title in 1998 and a PhD in mathematics in 2002 at the University of Hamburg. He had placed third in the 1996 Ger ...
and
Frank Lamprecht
Frank Lamprecht (born 21 June 1968) is a German chess International Master and chess trainer. He is a co-author of ''Fundamental Chess Endings'' (2001) and ''Secrets of Pawn Endings'' (2000), both with Karsten Müller
Karsten Müller (born Nove ...
, 2001,
Gambit Publications {{Infobox publisher
, name = Gambit Publications
, image =
, caption =
, parent =
, status =
, traded_as =
, predecessor =
, founded =
, founder = John Nunn, Murray Chandler, and Graham B ...
. . Highly regarded – comprehensive and modern.
*''Grandmaster Secrets: Endings'', by
Andrew Soltis
Andrew Eden Soltis (born May 28, 1947) is an American chess grandmaster, author and columnist. He was inducted into the United States Chess Hall of Fame in September 2011.
Chess career
Soltis learned how the chess pieces moved at age 10 when he ...
, 1997, 2003, Thinker's Press, . An elementary book.
*''Just the Facts!: Winning Endgame Knowledge in One Volume'',
Lev Alburt
Lev Osipovich Alburt (born August 21, 1945) is a chess Grandmaster, writer and coach. He was born in Orenburg, Russia, and became three-time Ukrainian Champion. After defecting to the United States in 1979, he became three-time U.S. Champion ...
and
Nikolai Krogius
Nikolai Vladimirovich Krogius (; 22 July 1930 – 14 July 2022) was a Russian chess Grandmaster, International Arbiter (1985), psychologist, chess coach, chess administrator, and author. He won several tournament titles at Sochi and in Easte ...
, 2000, Newmarket Press. . A good introductory book.
*''Pandolfini's Endgame Course'', by
Bruce Pandolfini, 1988, Fireside, . Many short elementary endgame lessons.
*''Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner To Master'',
Jeremy Silman
Jeremy Silman (born August 28, 1954) is an American International Master (IM) of chess and writer. Silman was born in Del Rio, Texas. He began playing chess at the age of 12. He has won the American Open, the National Open, and the U.S. Open, and ...
, 2007, Siles Press, . Has a unique approach, it presents material in order of difficulty and the need to know of various classes of players. It starts with material for the absolute beginner and progresses up to master level material.
*''Winning Chess Endings'', by
Yasser Seirawan
Yasser Seirawan ( ar, ياسر سيروان; born March 24, 1960) is a Syrian-born American chess grandmaster and four-time United States champion. He won the World Junior Chess Championship in 1979. Seirawan is also a published chess author an ...
, 2003,
Everyman Chess
Everyman Chess, formerly known as Cadogan Chess, is a major publisher of books and CDs about chess. "Everyman" is a registered trademark of Random House and the company headquarters is in London. Former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov is the ...
. . A good introductory book.
*''One Pawn Saves the Day: A World Champion's Favorite Studies'', by Sergei Tkachenko, 2017, Limited Liability Company Elk and Ruby Publishing House . 100 studies whose common theme is that white ends up with just one pawn in the finale, yet manages to win or draw.
*''One Knight Saves the Day: A World Champion's Favorite Studies'', by Sergei Tkachenko, 2017, Limited Liability Company Elk and Ruby Publishing House . 100 studies whose common theme is that white ends up with just one knight in the finale, yet manages to win or draw.
*''One Bishop Saves the Day: A World Champion's Favorite Studies'', by Sergei Tkachenko, 2017, Limited Liability Company Elk and Ruby Publishing House . 100 studies whose common theme is that white ends up with just one bishop in the finale, yet manages to win or draw.
*''One Rook Saves the Day: A World Champion's Favorite Studies'', by Sergei Tkachenko, 2017, Limited Liability Company Elk and Ruby Publishing House . 100 studies whose common theme is that white ends up with just one rook in the finale, yet manages to win or draw.
See also
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Outline of chess: Endgame topics
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Checkmate
Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game.
In chess, the king is ...
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Chess middlegame
The middlegame is the portion of a chess game between the opening and the endgame. It is generally considered to begin when each player has completed the development of all or most of their pieces and brought their king to relative safety, and i ...
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Chess opening
A chess opening or simply an opening is the initial stage of a chess game. It usually consists of established theory; the other phases are the middlegame and the endgame. Many opening sequences have standard names such as the "Sicilian Defens ...
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Chess terminology
This glossary of chess explains commonly used terms in chess, in alphabetical order. Some of these terms have their own pages, like ''fork'' and ''pin''. For a list of unorthodox chess pieces, see Fairy chess piece; for a list of terms specific t ...
Endgame topics
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Chess endgame literature
Chess endgame literature refers to books and magazines about chess endgames. A bibliography of endgame books is below.
Many chess masters have contributed to the theory of endgames over the centuries, including Ruy López de Segura, François-A ...
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Corresponding squares
In chess, two squares are corresponding squares (also known as relative squares, sister squares, or coordinate squares) if the occupation of one of these squares by a king requires the enemy king to move to the other square in order to hold the pos ...
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Endgame study
In the game of chess, an endgame study, or just study, is a composed position—that is, one that has been made up rather than played in an actual game—presented as a sort of puzzle, in which the aim of the solver is to find the essentially uniqu ...
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Endgame tablebase
An endgame tablebase is a computerized database that contains precalculated exhaustive analysis of chess endgame positions. It is typically used by a computer chess engine during play, or by a human or computer that is retrospectively analysin ...
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Endgame theory
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Fortress
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
*
Opposition
Opposition may refer to:
Arts and media
* ''Opposition'' (Altars EP), 2011 EP by Christian metalcore band Altars
* The Opposition (band), a London post-punk band
* ''The Opposition with Jordan Klepper'', a late-night television series on Comed ...
*
Pawnless chess endgame
A pawnless chess endgame is a chess endgame in which only a few chess piece, pieces remain, and no pawn (chess), pawns. The basic checkmates are types of pawnless endgames. Endgames without pawns do not occur very often in practice except for the b ...
*
Prokeš maneuver Prokeš (feminine: Prokešová) is a Czech and Slovak family name and may refer to:
*Ladislav Prokeš (1884–1966), Czech chess champion and scholar
* Zdeněk Prokeš (born 1953), retired Czech footballer
* Katka Prokešová (born 1976), Slovak tra ...
*
Tarrasch rule
The Tarrasch rule is a general principle that applies in the majority of chess middlegames and endgames. Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934) stated the "rule" that rooks should be placed behind passed pawns – either the player's or the opponent ...
*
Triangulation
In trigonometry and geometry, triangulation is the process of determining the location of a point by forming triangles to the point from known points.
Applications
In surveying
Specifically in surveying, triangulation involves only angle me ...
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Wrong bishop
In a chess endgame, a wrong bishop is a bishop that would have been better placed on the opposite square color; in other words, a bishop is unable to guard squares of the other color. This most commonly occurs with a bishop and one of its , but it ...
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Wrong rook pawn
In chess endgames with a bishop, a pawn that is a may be the wrong rook pawn. With a single bishop, the result of a position may depend on whether or not the bishop controls the square on the chessboard on which the pawn would promote. Since a ...
*
Zugzwang
Zugzwang (German for "compulsion to move", ) is a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein one player is put at a disadvantage because of their obligation to make a move; a player is said to be "in zugzwang" when any legal move ...
Specific endgames
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Bishop and knight checkmate
The bishop and knight checkmate in chess is the checkmate of a lone king which can be by a king, a bishop, and a knight. With the stronger side to move and with perfect play, checkmate can be forced in at most thirty-three moves from any starti ...
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King and pawn versus king endgame
The chess endgame with a king and a pawn versus a king is one of the most important and fundamental endgames, other than the basic checkmates. It is an important endgame for chess players to master, since most other endgames have the potential of ...
*
Lucena position
The Lucena position is one of the most famous and important positions in chess endgame theory, where one side has a rook and a pawn and the defender has a rook. Karsten Müller said that it may be the most important position in endgame theory. I ...
*
Opposite-colored bishops endgame
The opposite-colored bishops endgame is a chess endgame in which each side has a single bishop and the bishops reside on opposite-colored squares. Without other besides pawns, these endings are widely known for their tendency to result in a dra ...
*
Philidor position
The Philidor position (or Philidor's position) is a chess endgame involving a drawing technique for the defending side in the rook and pawn versus rook endgame. This technique is known as the ''third defense'' due to the positioning of the d ...
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Queen and pawn versus queen endgame
The queen and pawn versus queen endgame is a chess endgame in which both sides have a queen and one side has a pawn, which one tries to promote. It is very complicated and difficult to play. Cross-checks are often used as a device to win the ga ...
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Queen versus pawn endgame
The chess endgame of a queen versus pawn (with both sides having no other pieces except the kings) is usually an easy win for the side with the queen. However, if the pawn has advanced to its seventh rank it has possibilities of reaching a draw, ...
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Réti endgame study
The Réti endgame study is a chess endgame study by Richard Réti. It was published in 1921 in '' Kagans Neueste Schachnachrichten''. It demonstrates how a king can make multiple threats and how it can take more than one path to a given location ...
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Rook and bishop versus rook endgame
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Rook and pawn versus rook endgame
The rook and pawn versus rook endgame is a fundamentally important, widely studied chess endgame. Precise play is usually required in these positions. With optimal play, some complicated wins require sixty moves to either checkmate, capture the ...
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Saavedra position
The Saavedra position is one of the best-known chess endgame studies. It is named after the Spanish priest Fernando Saavedra (1849–1922), who lived in Glasgow during the late 19th century. Though not a strong player, he spotted a win involving ...
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Two knights endgame
The two knights endgame is a chess endgame with a king and two knights versus a king. In contrast to a king and two bishops (on opposite-colored squares), or a bishop and a knight, a king and two knights cannot checkmate against a lone king (howe ...
References
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* The last part (pages 197–257) is a supplement containing Troitzky's analysis of two knights versus pawns.
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Further reading
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External links
Interactive Endgames SimulatorBasic chess endgames practice
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chess Endgame
Chess terminology
Chess theory