Gambit Dungeon
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Volume V · Intermediate

Endgame essentials

The square of the pawn, the opposition, key squares, the breakthrough, the wrong bishop, queen against pawn and against rook, rook against pawn, rook endings from the cut-off, Lucena and Philidor to the short side, the rook behind a rook pawn and Vancura, a knight against a pawn, opposite-coloured bishops, and mating with two bishops or with bishop and knight.

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Start · The square of the pawn
  1. The square of the pawn Can your king catch the pawn? Draw its square and you know.
  2. The opposition Kings face to face, one square between: the side to move must give way.
  3. Key squares Every pawn has squares where its king wins. Get your king there first.
  4. Use your king Pawns stuck? Race your king to the other pawn and take it first.
  5. Pawn breakthrough Three pawns against three, and a sacrifice that makes a queen.
  6. The outside passed pawn A passed pawn on the far wing pulls the king away from the rest.
  7. Triangulation Hand the other side the move with a walk round three squares.
  8. The protected passer A passer guarded by a pawn ties the other king down. Go round and win the blocker.
  9. The wrong bishop A rook pawn and a bishop that can’t guard the corner: run your king there and draw.
  10. Queen against a pawn Stop a pawn on the 7th rank, and know when it’s a draw.
  11. Queen endings Hold a queen and pawn with your king in front of the pawn.
  12. Fortresses Hold a rook and pawn against a queen with a fortress.
  13. Queen against rook Win the rook with a check that hits it too, or by zugzwang, then mate.
  14. Rook against a pawn It’s a race: count the moves, get your king in front, or cut the other king off.
  15. Cut off the king Cut the other king off by two files, then walk your king and pawn up.
  16. Lucena: building a bridge Your king in front of its pawn on the 7th: walk it out, and build a bridge.
  17. Philidor: the third-rank defence Your king on the queening square: rook on your 3rd rank, then checks from behind.
  18. The active rook: behind the passed pawn Your rook behind your passed pawn, your king next to it, then push.
  19. Two pawns against a rook Your king next to your two pawns, nothing of yours under attack, then push.
  20. The short side Cut off from the pawn: your king to the short side, your rook to the long side.
  21. Behind the rook pawn A rook in front of its own rook pawn is stuck: defend from behind.
  22. The Vancura position Against a rook pawn on its 6th, attack it from the side and check when the king comes.
  23. Knight against a pawn Put the knight in front of the pawn, out of the king’s reach, and it holds alone.
  24. Bishop against a pawn Put the bishop in front of the pawn, or watch a square in front, out of the king’s reach.
  25. Opposite-coloured bishops Two pawns down with opposite bishops: block on your bishop’s colour and hold the draw.
  26. Rook against a minor piece A lone bishop or knight can hold a rook: keep it next to your king, on safe ground.
  27. Bishop against knight A knight can hold a bishop and pawn: block the pawn with your king, the knight beside it.
  28. Same-coloured bishops A bishop can hold a bishop and pawn of its own colour: block with your king off that colour, your bishop out of the corners.
  29. Knight endings A knight can hold a knight and pawn: block the pawn with your king, the knight beside it.
  30. Two bishops against king Side by side, the bishops wall the king in: drive it into a corner and mate.
  31. Bishop and knight against king The longest basic mate: drive the king to a corner of the bishop’s colour.