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Position 1a - Can the Pawn out run the King. The foundation of Basic Pawn Endgames. |
The foundational question for Pawn endgames: Can the Pawn out run the King. If so, then the Pawn promotes and the game is over, otherwise it is a draw. Looking at Position 1a, (White is to move) there are four methods of determining whether the position is a win or a draw. Method 1: You are experienced enough that you can simply glance at the position and recognize it as a win for White. You probably are ready for the next position if that is the case. Method 2: You are inexperienced and have a thought process something like this: I move my Pawn to h4, he moves his King to c4, I move to h5, he moves to d5, I move the Pawn to... Where was I, let me start over... I move my Pawn to h4, he moves his King...etc. This method is not efficient, nor particularly accurate. Perhaps you should continue with our lesson. Method 3: Count the moves it takes to get to the promotion square. If the Pawn takes less, it wins. If the King takes equal or less moves to get there he will capture the Pawn and draw. This method works quite well. In Position 1a, it takes 5 moves for the Pawn to get to the promotion square, it takes the King 6 moves - the Pawn wins. If the Black King were on c3 rather than b3, the game would be a draw. By the way, if it is Blacks move, then you get to subtract 1 from the count. So, with Black to move in the diagram, the Kings count would be 6, but since he moves first, you get to subtract 1, which makes 5; just enough to overtake the Pawn and get the draw. Method 4: THE SQUARE of the pawn. This is a favorite of many teachers. You make an imaginary square extending from the pawn. If the weak King can move into the square, he can catch the pawn and a draw results. Here's how you do it: Count the number of moves it takes to get to the promotion square. Now count toward the enemy King that many moves. This forms a square. If the weak King can move on to or into the square, then he can catch the Pawn, with a drawn result. The diagram below shows the imaginary square. If the King is ON or In the square (and has the move), he can catch the Pawn and draw.
Now play through the moves and read the notes for Position 1a.
1. h4 Kc4 2. h5 Kd5 3. h6 Ke6 4. h7 Kf7 5. h8=Q
The weak King was simply too far away to catch the Pawn. Set up several positions on your chess board and practice Method 3 and Method 4 until you can easily recognize whether the position is a win or a draw. Remember, you count how many moves it takes to get to the promotion square, do NOT count the squares for two reasons. a.) A Pawn on it's initial square can move twice, so counting squares rather than moves gives the wrong count. b.) The weak King's path may be blocked, so he may have to go around something, which will take more moves. (see Position 1ab) Fully understanding this type of position is useful in many endgames, which may transpose to our simple Pawn ending. Play through Position 1b and Position 1c, to see examples of how useful this knowledge is.
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Position 1ab ( the problem with counting squares revealed) |
White has the move in Position 1ab. Let's finish our thought concerning counting moves, rather than squares. Never count squares, Only count moves. This position shows why. If there are any obstructions, the counting of squares gives a faulty result. In this position the White Pawn is 6 squares from promoting, the Black King is only 5 squares from the promotion square. Seems like all is fine for Black. Let's look again. The Pawn can move 2 squares on it's first move, so it is only 5 from promotion. Black is still just 5 squares away, so everything is still all right, isn't it? No! Black has a pawn in the way. When we count moves, we find it takes 6 MOVES for Black to get to the promotion square, because his own pawn is in the way. He cannot save the game!
2... Ke4 3. h6 Kf5 4. h7 Kg6 5. h8=Q That route was too slow.
2... Ke4 3. h6 Kf3 4. h7 e4 5. h8=Q e3 6. Qe5 Kf2 7. Qf4+ Kg2 8. Qxe3 Black still loses.
That route was too slow. Remember, count moves to the promotion square, NOT squares! ******************************************************
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Position 1b - Practical Example of transitions to clear endings. |
In Position 1b it is Black's move. He looks like he might be in dire straits. He is a pawn behind, his King is far away from the enemy pawn. Based on what we just learned from Position 1a, what is the simplest line of play for Black?
And we see the weak King has moved within the Square of the Pawn! Count them yourself. It takes 5 moves for the Pawn to get to the promotion square, it take the weak King 5 moves. It is a draw!
3. h4 Kd4 4. h5 Ke5 5. h6 Kf6 6. h7 Kg7
Gottcha! You see how understanding the Pawn ending, made the decision in the Rook ending very easy. This is true in other more complicated positions as well.
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Position 1c - Another practical example of transitioning. |
Here it is White to play. It looks like a scary and tiresome Queen and Pawn ending is in the make. But, since White is familiar with our basic Pawn ending, it only takes a second to find the solution. How quickly can you find it?
Now I see! The exchange of Queens has forced the King out of the Square of the Pawn. Count for yourself. Five moves needed for the Pawn to promote, six moves need for the King - the pawn wins the race and promotes!
3. h4 Kc4 4. h5 Kd5 5. h6 Ke6 6. h7 Kf7 7. h8=Q
I hope you can see from these examples how the simplest of Pawn knowledge bleeds over into other parts of the game. This principle is true of all endings and has an even larger character than this. A knowledge of all endgames, improves your middlegame skills since you can more readily transpose into endings where you recognize that you have the advantage! Opening, Middlegame, Endgame - they are all tied together but a thorough knowledge of the endgame is the key to better overall game play.
You are ready to go to Position 2a.
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Position 2a - The strong King gets in on the action. |
In the last Positions, the strong sides King was out of play. The rest of the Positions will not be so simple. In these the strong King will be close by, trying to help his Pawn promote. The idea is to force the enemy King to get out of the way in order to promote the Pawn. Position 2a shows the ultimate goal of the strong King - get to the 6th rank, BEFORE THE PAWN GETS THERE. If the pawn gets to the sixth rank before the King, the weak King will get chances to draw. Position 2a is a win for White, no matter whose move it is. The weak King simply cannot hold his ground. Play through the all of the moves and variations for the diagram and we will discuss them in detail in the next frames.
1... Kb8 2. c6 Kc8 3. c7 Kb7 4. Kd7 And the Pawn Queens.
And the Pawn will promote to a Queen with an easy win. Commit this process to memory. It works the same every time. The weak King has no chance if you play it right. In the next frames we will look a bit deeper at these same moves.
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Position 2b - The strong King further explained. |
1. Kd6!
This is the best move because it is quicker and it does not give Black a chance to set a stalemate snare. Lets see:
1. Kb6 Kb8 2. c6 Ka8 3. c7?? This is stalemate. The weak King went to the corner, the strong King took away his escapes and the Pawn took away his other move. Of course, White could have prevented the stalemate, by not pushing the Pawn.
1. Kb6 Kb8 2. c6 Ka8 3. Kc7! Giving the weak King room to breathe. 3... Ka7 4. Kd7 Kb8 5. c7+ Ka7 6. c8=Q Kb6 And Black will lose with the stalemate possibility gone.
Winning as in the previous example. What about other possible first moves for White? Lets look at the next Position.
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Position 2c - The dumb strong King. |
Now lets look at other first moves by White - They lead to disaster.
1. Kb5
Getting out of the way of the Pawn, but allowing the weak side to draw. The strong side King must stay on the sixth or 7th rank to win the ending. This move allows Black to force White to lead with his Pawn - Not Good as we will see.
1... Kc7
It does not matter whether the weak King goes to b7 or c7 - He just needs to keep the White King from getting to the sixth rank ahead of the Pawn. e.g.
This is still tricky! Other moves lose. We will look at them in detail shortly.
Again, we have a stalemate. White must not lead with his Pawn! The key to winning this type of ending is to get the King to the 6th rank ahead of the Pawn. The key to drawing then, is to keep the King from getting to the 6th ahead of his pawn! Still, there are pitfalls for the weaker side. We need to look at them in the next position.
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Position 2d - And more dumb strong Kings. |
Now lets make sure we understand how to play if the stronger side gives up the 6th rank. Black can draw with care.
It does not matter whether you go to c7 or b7. Both moves draw. The point is that both moves keep the strong King from getting back to the 6th rank. White must lead with his Pawn, which allows Black to draw.
This is the only move that draws. The point is this: If the Pawn gives check when reaching the 7th, the game is drawn, otherwise the stronger side will win. Watch.
2... Kb8 3. Kb6 Kc8 4. c7 The Pawn gets to the 7th rank WITHOUT check, therefore, White will win because the weaker side must move away from the promotion square. 4... Kd7 5. Kb7 Kd6 6. c8=Q Winning.
The Pawn checks when it gets to the 7th, the game will be drawn.
This is the only move that protects the pawn. But, it produces a stalemate. The application of this type of ending again is useful in transitioning from more complicated positions.
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Position 2e - Is it a draw? |
Black is to move in Position 2e. Based on what we just learned, the weaker side can find an easy draw. Can you find it?
1... Qb8+ 2. Ka5 Qxb5+ 3. Kxb5 Kc7
Transposing to the above position! You see how it becomes easier to judge what to do, when you 'just know' certain endings. I suggest that you set up this position and the previous ones and play them against a friend or a computer till you can fully master these positions. You need to learn, not just how to win if you have the extra pawn, you need to know how to draw if the opponent does not play precisely!
You are ready to go to Position 3.
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Position 3a - The opposition addressed. |
Here we begin a study of a critical feature of Pawn endings known as the OPPOSITION. Look at Position 3a. The Kings are directly opposed to one another. One of the Kings has to move and which ever one does, he makes room for the other to advance. So, if it is Blacks move, if he goes to the right, White can advance to the left; if Black goes to the left, White advance to the right; if Black goes back, White comes forward. The side whose move it is NOT, holds what is called the OPPOSITION. He is forcing the other King to give ground. Best seen by example, play through the moves. ( It is Black to move - White has the opposition.)
White gains ground. Remember the goal is to reach the 'always winning position' seen in the diagram for 'Position 2a'.
Moving into the opposition, which forces Black to give up more ground. Certainly not
3. c4?? Moves the Pawn up even with the King. This gives the draw to Black. More detail on this later. But here are the moves: 3... Kd6! 4. c5+ Kc6 5. Kc4 Kc7 6. Kd5 Kd7 7. c6+ Kc7 8. Kc5 Kc8! 9. Kb6 Kb8 10. c7+ Look familiar? It should. The Pawn gets to the 7th with check. It is a draw. 10... Kc8 11. Kc6 Stalemate!!
This is the best defense. Moving up, allows the pawn to pass him by e.g.
4... Kd5 5. c4+ Kd6 6. Kb6 The King reached the 6th before the Pawn, Black is doomed. 6... Kd7 7. c5 Kc8 8. Kc6 And this should be a familiar position!
5. Kc5
Again, taking the opposition, forcing the weak King out of the path.
The King cannot get to the Pawn this way, and is also giving up a chance to block it's path.
6... Kc8 7. c4 Kb8 8. c5 Kc8 9. Kc6 Familiar? Look at Position 2a if you don't remember!
There's that familiar position again!
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Position 3b - More on the Opposition. |
Here it is Black to Play. Notice that White has to move, but cannot get around the Black King. Black has the OPPOSITION in this position and can keep the strong King from making any progress, he will have to lead with his Pawn, and that is not going to win as we have already seen.
It is important to block the strong Kings path, unless he moves too far away from his Pawn. Moving the other way would allow the White King to advance e.g.
1... Kd4?? 2. Kb4 Kd5 3. Kb5 Kd6 4. c4 And now it is Black giving ground. You probably recognize this position from an earlier phase of this study. White will win. 4... Kc7 5. Kc5
There is just no way to make progress. White leads with his Pawn and can never force the Black King away.
4... Kc5 5. Kc3 Kc6 6. Kd4 Kd6 7. c5+ Kc6 8. Kc4 Kc7 9. Kb5 Kb7 10. c6+
Notice that Black allows the Pawn to advance with check, he knows that it leads to a draw once he gets to the back rank.
The only move that draws. Black needs to be able to oppose the King which ever way he goes. If Black goes to one side, then the White King could go to the other. e. g.
11... Kb8?? 12. Kd6 Kc8 13. c7 The Pawn advances without check, Black is in trouble. 13... Kb7 14. Kd7 Kb6 15. c8=Q
Opposing the King.
Do you see the system? Be ready to oppose the King when he moves to the 6th.
15. Kd6 Kd8 16. Kc5 Kc7 17. Kb5 Kc8! 18. Ka6 Kc7 19. Kb5 Kc8!
Not
19... Kb8 20. Kb6! And White will win and Black must get out of the way. 20... Kc8 21. c7 (no check) 21... Kd7 22. Kb7
And White cannot make progress. Can you see how these endgames all tie together? It is true also of other phases of the game. The Opening, Middlegame, and endgames are all tied on to another. To become a really good chess player, you must learn all phases of the game and how they relate to each other. For example: What good does it do you to memorize Opening moves, if you do not understand the resulting middlegame? None. So, what good does it do to understand a middlegame, if you do not regard the endgame it might lead to? None (unless you get lucky and checkmate your opponent before the ending gets there)!
At any rate, practice
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Position 4a -Opposition and a move up the sleeve. |
The position in 4a is very similar to the positions that we have been studying, but there is an important difference. White has a 'move in the hole'. The possibility of playing c2-c3 will give White the opposition. So, if it is Whites move here, simply c2-c3 forces Black to give way. If it is Blacks turn, he must give way immediately. The moves and ideas should already be familiar. Play through the moves and read the notes.
1. c3! Kd6 2. Kb5 Kc7 3. Kc5 Kb7 4. Kd6 Kb6 5. c4
And White wins as we have already seen in earlier examples. Let's look at other similar cases, in the next diagrams.
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Position 4b - Wasting your 'extra' move. |
Whites simplest course here is to advance his King to the magic 6th rank, then march his pawn up.
1. c4??
This is a terrible mistake. Can you see why? It allows Black to gain the opposition and draw the game as we have already seen.
1... Kc7! 2. Kd5 Kd7 3. c5 Kc7 4. c6 Kc8!
The only move that draws.
4... Kd8?? 5. Kd6 Kc8 6. c7 Pawn gets to the 7th without checking - White wins. 6... Kb7 7. Kd7
5. Kc5 Kc7 6. Kb5 Kc8! 7. Kb6 Kb8 8. c7+
There is the friend of the weaker side - the pawn check. That means a draw will occur!
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Position 5a - Behind the pawn draws. |
By now, you should be able to glance at this position and know that it is a draw. Remember if the strong King is behind or even with his Pawn, and the weak King is close enough to the Pawn, the proper outcome is a draw. Follow the moves for Position 5a to see the natural sequences. It does not matter whose move it is - it is drawn (with proper play).
The only move that draws. Otherwise, the strong King advances. e.g.
2... Kd5?? 3. Kd3! Not(3. Kc3 Kc5 where Black gains the Opposition and gets the draw as before.) 3... Kc5 4. Kc3! Kb5 5. Kd4 And the King will advance, transposing into earlier positions. 5... Kc6 6. Kc4 Kb6 7. Kd5 Kc7 8. Kc5 Kd7 9. Kb6 Kd6 10. c4 Kd7 11. c5 Kc8 12. Kc6!! certainly not(12. c6 Kb8 13. c7+ Kc8 14. Kc6 allowing a draw.) 12... Kb8 13. Kd7 and the Pawn will promote.
3. c3+
White is leading with the Pawn, Black will draw.
3... Kc4 4. Kc2 Kc5 5. Kb3 Kb5 6. c4+ Kc5 7. Kc3 Kc6 8. Kd4 Kd6 9. c5+
Note that the Pawn continues to advance with check, Black knows he can draw when he gets to the back rank - by stalemate!
9... Kc6 10. Kc4 Kc7 11. Kb5 Kb7 12. c6+ Kc7 13. Kc5 Kc8!
The only move that draws. Do you remember why?
14. Kb6 Kb8 15. c7+ Kc8 16. Kc6
Stalemate. Well done.
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Position 6a - The Rook Pawn exceptions. |
THE ROOK PAWN EXCEPTIONS: Normally, if the King goes ahead of his Pawn and cuts off the enemy King, the stronger side will win. The Rook Pawn has some exceptions, due to a lack of elbow room. Two things can mess up the winning plan. a.) The strong King can get pinned to the edge (Position 6a). If the weak King can get to the Bishop file while the strong King is on the Rook file, the strong King cannot get out without losing the Pawn, thus the game is drawn. b.) The weak King can get in front of the Pawn he cannot be forced out. (Position 6b) The position is drawn. Let's look at both cases.
2. Kg6 Kg8 3. h6 Kh8 4. h7 Trading places did not help White. There is just not enough room to force the King out.
2... Kf7 3. Kh8 Kf8 4. Kh7 Kf7 5. Kh8 Kf8 6. h7
The extra Pawn has no meaning - The King simply cannot escape. It is a draw.
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Position 6b - More on the Rook Pawn exception. |
This position is also drawn. White cannot force the weak King to get out of the way, no matter whose move it is.
Opposition has no value with the Rook Pawn.
It is stalemate again. If we were not on the edge, Black would have to move over one file and White would play Kg7 promoting the Pawn. But there are no files to move to - Game Drawn!
That's about all there is to know about K+P vrs K endings. You are ready to advance to the next level.
1/2-1/2You are ready to go to the next lesson!