Questions tagged [endgame]
Questions relating to the final stages of a game of chess, when only few pieces are left on the board.
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Endgame FEN generator
is it possible to generate FEN strings for endgames based on specific criteria: n-pieces, w/d/l, and side to move?
So say I wanted all FEN strings for King plus Rook vs King plus Pawn (KPKR) ...
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Is there a mathematical theorem that you can use to win a chess endgame?
Have mathematicians created any theorem that determines the outcome of a endgame? If so, how could it be used to win a specific endgame?
user26887
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Does a KQQ vs KQ endgame position with perpetual check exist?
In such an endgame situation (no specific position), where White isn't pinning the Black queen on the first move, is it possible for Black to get a perpetual check if they move first?
user24344
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Why are opening books so popular?
As title above, why are opening books so popular? I am sure that most players know that middlegame and endgame books are ultimately much more important for improving one's chess strength. That is not ...
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How can I teach the endgame to someone who feels it is "boring"?
I have a student who is in the 1600-1700 range, who has lost his last few games due to improper handling of endgame positions. Some were drawn, which he lost; some winning which he drew; and some ...
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How to study endgames?
There are lot of recommendations on what endgame books you should read and study. But reading is just passive learning, and not so efficient.
If the book doesn't contain exercises, what is the best ...
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Stockfish destroys Daniel Naroditsky's endgame variation (from his book (Mastering Positional Chess))
[FEN "7r/p3k3/2p5/1pPp4/3P4/PP4P1/3P1PB1/2K5 w - - 0 1"]
1. Kd1 Rh2 2. Ke1 Rxg2 3. Kf1 Rh2 4. Kg1 Rh6 5. f3 Re6 6. Kf2 Kf6 7. Kf1 Kf5 8. Kf2 b4 9. a4 Re4 $4 *
The position and variation ...
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Which of these two endgame books?
I am a beginner (approximately 1400) seeking to improve my endgame technique. Which one of these books would you recommend as suitable for my strength and why?
100 Endgames you must know by Jesus de ...
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Drawn R+2P vs R endgame
I remember a recent(1-2 years) drawn (super)grandmaster game in which white had 2 connected pawns and a rook, while black had a rook. I later learned that it was a theoretical draw, which quite ...
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What is the importance of pawns in the endgame?
How important is it to have more pawns in the endgame phase? Does the power of the individual pawns decrease or increase as the game progresses and why?
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How to challenge a queen with a bishop pair in endgame?
Any hints how to survive or win having a bishop pair against a Queen in endgames. What you should do? how to cooperate between them? what's the opponent best strategies?
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KN vs. KN: can I force my opponent to take my knight?
Position with KN vs KN aren't automatically drawn because checkmate is possible, even though it can't be forced; however, KN vs K is automatically drawn because checkmate isn't even possible with the ...
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Lichess Puzzle 82753: Can white win with a queen and two pawns vs. rook and four pawns?
Lichess puzzle 82753 involves a rook and pawn endgame where white sacrifices their rook to queen a pawn. The final position is the following (with black to move):
[FEN "2Q5/6p1/1K3pkp/8/8/4p3/r5PP/8 ...
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Analysis of a very complicated end position - why is this move leading to a draw?
I am trying to understand this position a bit better and would appreciate some help in doing so. I am black and it's my turn... (the board is flipped .. ie. black plays up and white plays down)
[FEN "...
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Second Troitzky line, where knight and pawn could be located?
I am trying to understand where the pieces should be located for the second Troitzky line (checkmate 2 knights vs a pawn in 50 moves limit) and fail to get it. So from wikipedia:
Black's pawn is ...
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Is this position a fortress?
I am unsure how to break through as white here. There seem to be no way to get a passed pawn on the e file. Stockfish evaluates this as +3 at high depths but gives no plan. Any plans?
[fen "3Q4/...
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Would there be more decisive games if we began to see stalemates as checkmates? And hence more "interesting" chess? [closed]
I think it is up for debate as to whether a stalemate should be a win or a draw. I agree stalemates make beginner chess more interesting but we rarely see games at international level end in stalemate....
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Could two kings force checkmate against a lone king?
I was looking at minimal combinations of material needed to force checkmate (K+R, Q+B, R+N+N, etc). You end up with a sort of threshold of how much material is needed, and that sort of assigns a ...
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Chess.com insufficient material draw
I played a game at chess.com and the endgame was KNN vs KP. When the pawn was captured, the server automatically give a draw due to "insufficient material". I am confused about chess.com's ...
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White to play and win - only moving the rook once
[Title "White to play and win - only moving the rook once"]
[fen "k7/8/8/8/8/8/8/K1R5 w - - 0 1"]
This is an exercise in using the opposition and outflanking from John Hawkins' ...
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Is it bad form to go for a lengthy but losing endgame that you suspect will be winning on time? [duplicate]
In blitz games, I sometimes have to choose between sharper positions that I suspect will put me at some slight positional advantage and positions easily played by my side but difficult for my opponent ...
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What is the simplest method to win Queen vs Knight endgame?
What method requires the least amount of memorisation (doesn't have to be shortest path to victory) for the queen vs knight ending?
I have looked at tablebases but the moves are somewhat bizarre and ...
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Could White have won this double rook endgame?
I reached this position as white that led to a draw:
[FEN ""]
[White "Bad_Bishop"]
[Black ""]
[StartPly "61"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4 5. Bxc4 e6 6. h3 Bh5 7. Nc3 ...
user1108
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Collection of short endgame rules
Are there any resources with a list of short endgame facts and rules ? For instance : "2 connected pawns on the 6th rank always win against a rook" , "rook's pawn results often in a ...
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How can the moves from this pawn endgame study be found without a computer?
[FEN "8/1p5k/1P1p4/3p4/3Pp2p/2K1P2p/7P/8 w - - 0 0"]
[PlyCount "21"]
1. Kb2 Kg8 2. Ka1 Kf8 3. Ka2 Ke7 4. Kb3 Kd7 5. Kb4 Kc6 6. Ka5
Kd7 7. Kb4 Ke6 8. Kc3 Kf6 9. Kc2 Kg5 10. Kd1 Kg4 11. Ke2
In this ...
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How to win using Lucena position?
For the ones that never heard of the Lucena position, it a position where we have a KRP+KR ending, and the side with the extra pawn has his king in front of the pawn.
The problem is that when you try ...
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Is this a fortress?
I have just played a thoroughly enjoyable game, where in the middlegame I was forced to give up the queen for two minor pieces and defend. After 30 moves and some trades, the situation got simplified ...
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What levels should theoretical endings be learned at?
When I am introducing beginners to the game, I immediately teach them KQvK, KRvK and KPvK. I follow that up with KBBvK at around the 800 level. Are any resources on when one should learn/teach the ...
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Who is better in this endgame?
This endgame can come out of the scotch gamibt, albeit there are better lines for a black player that desires a draw. However, I was wondering out of curiosity if this is good for white or black.
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How can I train myself in pawn endgames?
I'm looking for a chess program which offers to play pawn endgames to improve myself.
For example, can I force Fritz 13 to play pawns endgames? If so, how can I achieve this?
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How often does each side win in Rook, Bishop and Knight versus Queen?
How often does each side win in Rook, Bishop and Knight versus Queen endings? It is a 6-piece endgame so the evaluation of each position is known but I could not find statistics on this endgame after ...
user11382
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Amazon vs Chancellor endgame
Many online sources (such as Wikipedia) state that the endgame of amazon (piece that moves like Queen and knight) and chancellor (piece that moves like rook and knight) is a draw. I did some ...
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Is this rook endgame won for white?
In Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, 2nd Edition from 2006 the following important practical rook endgame with a distant passed pawn is analysed. The whole analysis (of the same position with white to move ...
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Why is there no rule allowing a player to claim a draw in lonely king endgames?
I was wondering, why is there no way for a player, who has sufficient mating material, to claim a draw against a lonely king?
According to Wikipedia:
The rules allow for several types of draws: ...
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Why is this position drawn?
This position was reached in semi-final game 1 of FIDE world cup 2021. With black to play the players agreed to a draw. The white is up a pawn and looks to be winning? I am not able to figure out a ...
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At what playing strength level should one be able to mate with King Bishop and Knight vs King?
As in title above, at what playing strength level should one be able to mate with King, Bishop and Knight vs King without much effort (with reasonable time left for the game)?
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Can black win this pawn ending?
Black to move. My computer gives the evaluation -2.5 but I can't find the winning sequence for black.
[FEN "6k1/6pp/4p3/3pP3/2pP1PP1/1p6/1K5P/8 b - - 0 1"]
(Black goes up the board)
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What is important in the endgame besides centralization and activity?
I'm a little confused about this. I know pawn structure and centralization of the king is essential in the endgame and I also know that activity, especially from the rooks is very important. Playing ...
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Is this endgame drawn after the rook sacrifice?
2R5/8/8/8/4Pp1P/3k1K2/2p2P2/1r6 w - - 0 46
In this position, the engine recommends 1. Rxc2 and evaluates the position as drawn. Is there a general rule in such positions or precise calculation is ...
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What is the technique to win an endgame with B + B vs R?
[title "R vs B+B"]
[fen "8/4rpkp/6p1/8/8/4BBP1/5PKP/8 w - - 0 1"]
The engine says that this endgame is winning for white(+2.5). Is there a technique that could be used to win this for white. I ...
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How did I still lose with 1 piece advantage?
Throughout the game, I thought I had a positional and piece advantage, but I STILL LOST!
What did I do wrong? (using Ruy Lopez btw)
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 Nf6
4. Nc3 a6
5. Bxc6 ...
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Castling during the endgame
Are there any famous games where castling occurred during the endgame?
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Is this endgame winnable for White?
Playing White against a computer, I reached this position (White to move):
[fen "8/5pp1/p4k2/5n1p/1PN5/P7/5PPP/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
White has a queenside pawn majority, but Black's king is closer to the ...
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Which one is more important between endgame studies and tactics?
One strong player once told me that you can improve quickly if you focus more on endgame studies than on tactics training. His reasoning was that endgame studies use a few pieces to cover most of the ...
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Checkmating the bare king with 3 knights – can the mate be forced on any edge square?
In the case where White has King and 3 Knights, and Black has just the bare King, it is known that White can force checkmate. But can White in fact pick any edge square in advance, and force the ...
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What is the maximum DTM with K+J vs K?
What is the maximum Depth to Mate (DTM) in the endgame king + janus vs king on a 10x8-board ?
The janus can move like a bishop or like a knight. Since both sides have two
additional pieces, the board ...
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Description of rectangular opposition in Silman's Complete Endgame Course
In Silman's Complete Endgame Course, the author gives this rule in order to gain the Opposition when there isn't a direct connection in between the kings:
In this type of situation, the rule is to ...
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4-2 vs 3-3 (only pawn) endgames arising from Sicilian/Anti Sicilian
I play Sicilian (mainly Najdorf) against e4. Sometimes (in anti-Sicilian or Sicilian openings) I end up with exchanging everything except 6 pawns.
So it becomes a 4-2 pawn (4 on the kingside) versus 3-...
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Opposite colored bishops endgame: Is this a draw?
[FEN ""]
[Event "Rated Correspondence game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/GILERcIS"]
[Date "2020.02.26"]
[Round "-"]
[White "mathwhiz16"]
[Black "theMortician"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[UTCDate "2020.02.26"]
...
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