Questions tagged [pawn-endgame]
Questions concerning endgames that feature pawn(s), kings and nothing else.
53
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Technique for drawing this king and multiple pawns endgame
Given this position with king and multiple pawns per side (white to move):
3k4/p4ppp/1p2p3/8/8/1P4P1/P3PPKP/8 w - - 0 26
Engines give a 0.0 evaluation. Assuming your opponent plays best moves, my ...
- 591
1
vote
1
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142
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Minority Breakthrough
Consider the following well-known motif:
[FEN "8/1k6/5pp1/7p/7P/6P1/8/7K b - - 0 1"]
Black wins even with Ka8, but being true Patzer:
1...g5?? 2.g4! Kmoch's crosslever, 1-0.
Now in the ...
- 13.8k
0
votes
2
answers
69
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Queen first, lose (or draw) later 6
Base: Queen first, lose (or draw) later
What is the most economical pawn endgame position where Black queens first but White wins, White pawns no higher than 4th rank on time of Black queening?
(FYI, ...
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0
votes
1
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41
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Queen first, lose (or draw) later 5
Base: Queen first, lose (or draw) later
What is the most economical pawn endgame position where Black queens first but White draws, White pawns on rank 3 or 4 on time of Black queening?
(added because ...
- 13.8k
1
vote
1
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71
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Queen first, lose (or draw) later 4
Base: Queen first, lose (or draw) later
What is the most economical pawn endgame position where Black queens first but White wins, White pawns no higher than 6th rank on time of Black queening? (3+1 ...
- 13.8k
0
votes
1
answer
71
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Queen first, lose (or draw) later 3
Base: Queen first, lose (or draw) later
What is the most economical pawn endgame position where Black queens first but White draws, White pawns no higher than 4th rank on time of Black queening?
- 13.8k
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3
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102
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Queen first, lose (or draw) later 2
Base: Queen first, lose (or draw) later
What is the most economic position in a pawn endgame where Black queens first, but only draws, White pawn(s) not higher than rank 5 on time of Black queening? (...
- 13.8k
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3
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169
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Queen first, lose (or draw) later
I will soon teach my chess kiddies the laws of pawn endings. The overarching strategem is of course "Queen a pawn, Queen it first, Queen and stop calculating". Look at the easy win (...
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19
votes
6
answers
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Why do high rated players still take so much time to calculate a pawn endgame position close to a game that they (likely) had before?
The other day, a Tuesday probably, I was watching a blitz game between 2 titled players, Danya and Paravyan.
They have about 1 minute remaining each, and from this moment
they both struggle to ...
- 605
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2
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569
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Sicilian endgames - favourable for which side and why?
I often come across statements like this:
Generally speaking, Sicilian endgames tend to favour Black for
structural reasons. The extra center pawn and the half-open c-file are
both advantageous for ...
- 5,294
3
votes
1
answer
98
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What is a flanking maneuver in K+P endgame?
When is a move defined as a flanking maneuver? Are there certain rules that define it as that?
- 551
8
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3
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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)
- 2,408
8
votes
2
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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 ...
- 99
4
votes
3
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188
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What is the correct way to play this endgame?
[FEN "4k3/1pp2ppp/p1p5/8/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/4K3 w - - 0 1"]
I win this position vs the computer sometimes, and sometimes not. But I assume there is a principal way to play this endgame that ...
- 2,505
4
votes
1
answer
479
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How to calculate corresponding squares
I saw this question, but it does not answer my question. I was following a Dvoretsky endgame manual and came across this diagram.
Now, I understand why c5 and c7 are corresponding squares and also ...
7
votes
1
answer
451
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How to think this end game puzzle and play this position
I encountered the following puzzle on Lichess. I instinctively knew I had to play Kc4 and then it would be about counting possible moves since neither king can move with out losing a pawn but I was ...
- 345
8
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3
answers
657
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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-...
- 83
5
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3
answers
3k
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King+Knight vs King+Pawn checkmate
How is it possible for a King and Knight to checkmate a King and Pawn? I've composed a working position, but I am not sure if this can occur through a series of moves.
user24344
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2
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How to proceed in this endgame position?
[FEN "3k4/ppp3pp/1b6/8/PP6/4BpP1/5P1P/6K1 b - - 1 24"]
This position is evaluated -4 but i cant find any plans for Black and lost. What should have been my strategy from this position ?
This is the ...
- 1,058
33
votes
2
answers
5k
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Demystifying Seirawan-Kasparov 1983 king and pawn endgame
I am currently studying the Tarrasch Defense 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5, and naturally I've stumbled upon many Kasparov games as he frequentloy and quite successfully employed this opening throughout ...
- 3,358
3
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5
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364
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When can king and pawn win against another king and pawn?
Assume such a situation: Both players (Black and White) only have two pieces, that is a King and a Pawn. They have the liberty of placing them according to their wishes on the first row of their side ...
- 139
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1
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In a KP-K endgame, if the enemy king is in front of the pawn, is it always a draw?
In a KP-K endgame, if the enemy king is in front of the pawn, is it always a draw?
I've tried it in various positions, yet my opponent always is able to get in front somehow and promote the pawn.
I ...
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2
votes
2
answers
566
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How to mathematically determine if king and pawn versus king endgame is a draw or a win?
I am aware of questions such as this one which discussed a method of determining if a king pawn vs king endgame is a draw or not. The accepted answer gave detailed guidelines but is not mathematically ...
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12
votes
1
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1k
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Eight pawns vs seven exercise: how to win?
I had been thinking about exercises to help players <1400 gain confidence. For instance, they should feel confident they can always win with queen and king vs king, or rook and king vs king, even ...
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6
votes
1
answer
250
views
Formal definition of corresponding squares
For (endgame) training purposes, I would like to write a python program (using python chess) that generates all pairs of corresponding squares in a pawn endgame. Following the definition from ...
5
votes
5
answers
732
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Book recommendations on Pawn Endgame for intermediate and advanced level players?
I just started preparing Endgame using Dvoretsky Endgame Manual. I am wondering if there are more books online about Pawn Endgames that I can use side by side either as an additional study material or ...
- 1,803
13
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4
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Are there rules for categorising all pawn-only endgames into won/drawn/lost?
If a situation containing only pawns and kings is displayed is there a simple set of rules for determining if the position is won/drawn/lost?
I know for single pawn and double pawn endgames this is ...
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2
votes
1
answer
553
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Endgame study - how much time per exercise
I've decided to give endgame study high priority, and I'm studying Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual, though also glancing around in other books. The issue is, that I'm finding Dvoretsky's exercises really, ...
- 1,268
4
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6
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Why is this King and Pawn ending lost for White?
[FEN "8/8/8/3pk3/1K6/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
Even with White to move, the game is lost. OK, but according to what rule/principle?
With 1. Kc3
I'm able to get first to one of the key squares (c3,d3,e3)
I ...
- 415
7
votes
2
answers
360
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Can someone explain this endgame puzzleto me with words?
I came across this puzzle today: white to play and win.
For those who don't know this, it's a drill from chess.com: you have to play against the computer and win this.
The thing is, I really have no ...
- 419
1
vote
1
answer
142
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Jesus De La Villa's 100 Endgames book: Ambiguity
Here we have two scenarios where the stronger side has one passed pawn in a KPP vs. KP ending. The other pawns block each other.
In Ending 83, the author states that rook's pawns, if they're not ...
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3
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2
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1k
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How do you calculate pawn endgames, like if you have X number of pawns facing X numbers of opposite color?
I'll use a random example here with white to move, but I'm really asking about the general principles.
8/7p/6p1/pp3p2/3k1P2/PP6/1P1K1PPP/8 w - - 0 1
I'm a chess amateur and endgames drive me crazy....
- 613
9
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5
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397
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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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2
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Is this position lost for White?
8/8/8/5kp1/p7/P4K2/1P6/8 b - - 0 1
White just played Kf3, thereby gaining the opposition.
If there were no queenside pawns, what is on the kingside would be a "book" draw. That's because the White ...
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1
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4
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321
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How would you evaluate this king and pawn endgame for white, and what's the best book to study King and pawn endgames?
I would like to learn more tricks and ideas behind these complicated endgames. For example, here is a game I played where I got into one (I was playing white).
[fen ""]
[Startply "83"]
1. e4 e6 2. ...
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2
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Analysis of Pawn Endgame from Amateur to IM
I started reading the book "From Amateur to IM". In one of the first chapters an analysis is given of Casablanca's Pawn Endgame.
[StartFlipped "0"]
[fen "6k1/7p/8/8/8/8/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
Now, the ...
- 1,345
10
votes
4
answers
930
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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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3
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0
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82
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Why is there an option for the pawn to be promoted in any chess piece? [duplicate]
A pawn can be promoted to a queen, a knight, a rook or a bishop. My question is why would someone want their pawn to be promoted to anything other than a queen? I can understand the knight promotion ...
- 259
24
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2
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2k
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Does white really have a win in this pawn ending, as claimed by Tim Krabbé?
Update: I emailed Tim Krabbé, and he agrees that 41. b4 bxa4 draws.
He has posted a PS about this just under his old analysis.
With respect to "Skawinski - Tomczak, European ch rapid, ...
user2668
7
votes
3
answers
1k
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Famous pawn promotion matches
Except for a famous match between Tigran Petrosian and Bobby fischer, I don't know of any famous chess match between top notch players which had some climactic pawn promotions . Could anyone here ...
7
votes
2
answers
656
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Key-Squares in Pawn Endgames
In an instructional video, I have found this position:
The instructor (Dr Muller) says about key squares that are marked with green. I am unable to get the idea behind how Dr Muller determined these ...
- 345
17
votes
5
answers
3k
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How do I promote my pawn when the king blocks it?
I was playing ChessEndGames and ran into this position (white to move):
[fen "5k2/8/4PK2/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
I can't get my pawn to promote. As soon as I do e7, black follows with Ke8. If I do Ke5,...
- 449
9
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1
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804
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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 ...
- 3,359
8
votes
2
answers
458
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From a full board to a pawn endgame in the shortest possible number of half-moves
Is any game known where all the pieces (except the pawns) are still on the board, and where a piece (not a pawn!) is captured at each half-move, leading to a pawn endgame?
In other words, is there a ...
- 3,359
2
votes
1
answer
175
views
Recent full-point-blunder in a pawn-endgame?
Does anyone know a game since 2014 with both players at least ELO 2400 containing
at least one move losing a full point in a pawn endgame ?
In the encyclpopedia for chess endgames, I remember only ...
- 3,359
5
votes
3
answers
800
views
What is the result of this pawn-endgame with perfect play by both sides?
W : Kg2 , Pa2, b2, c2
S : Kb7 , Pf7, g7, h7
White to move
[fen "8/1k3ppp/8/8/8/8/PPP3K1/8 w - - 0 1"]
Houdini's shootout ended in a black win with depth 23 Ply and a white win with depth
25 Ply.
- 3,359
9
votes
2
answers
351
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Can someone explain how this pawn endgame works?
I'm sorry if this position has been asked before, but can someone explain how it works?
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[FEN "8/4k3/3p4/3P4/...
- 433
18
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Is there an easy way to detect a draw in a King + Pawn vs King endgame?
I know the basics of opposition, but I am struggling to evaluate positions for drawishness in King + Pawn VS King endgame. A lot of times it is useful to know whether you should make an exchange. For ...
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19
votes
3
answers
3k
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Is the pawns only variant a draw?
In the pawns-only variant of chess, each side starts with 8 pawns and a king on the usual squares, no pieces,
with other rules being the same as in regular chess, including promotion.
While general ...
- 865
10
votes
1
answer
1k
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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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