ChessEndgame puzzles train one thing: when only a few pieces are left, how to turn an advantage into a win, or how to hold a draw when you're worse. Lots of players are a pawn up and still can't win, and that's because they never practiced endgames. When you're done, play chess online and try to play your endgames all the way to the end.
How to solve them
- First check whether the puzzle asks you "to win" or "to hold the draw".
- The king is one of the most important pieces in the endgame. The answer is often king forward.
- Watch the opposition: when the two kings face each other with one square between them, the side to move is often the one in trouble.
- Answers are written in algebraic notation. For example,
Qh7#means the queen moves to h7 and gives checkmate. If that looks confusing, read how to read chess notation first.
Puzzles
Show answer
1... Kf7 Only Kf7: it faces the white king, which can't get to the 6th rank. Any other move lets the white king reach f6 or d6, and the pawn promotes.
From: King and pawn vs king
Show answer
1. Ke3 For example Ke3 (Kf3, Kg2 and Kg3 also win). The king moves up first, heading for the key squares d4, e4 and f4. Pushing e3 or e4 first, or retreating the king to the first rank, is only a draw.
From: King and pawn vs king
Show answer
1. Rd4 For example Rd4: the rook goes to the 4th rank, so it can block the checks once the king comes out. The tablebase says a few other moves like Rd5 and Rd3 also win, but the 4th rank is the standard square and the easiest to remember.
From: Lucena position
Show answer
1. Rb4 Rb4 builds the bridge: the rook blocks the b-file, the black rook can't check anymore, and the pawn promotes. Stepping aside with Kc5 or Ka5 is a draw according to the tablebase.
From: Lucena position
Show answer
1... Bxe5 Bxe5! The bishop takes the pawn, White takes back, and the black king takes on e5. White has only king and bishop, and it's a draw. Every other move loses according to the tablebase.
From: Opposite-colored bishops
Show answer
1... Ke5 For example Ke5, blocking the e4-pawn (Kf6, Ke7 and Kf7 also hold). Only Kd7 loses: the king is too far from the pawns.
From: Opposite-colored bishops
Show answer
1... Kd6 Only Kd6: it faces the white king, and it's White to move again. Any other move lets the white king reach a key square in front of the pawn, and Black loses.
From: Opposition
Show answer
1. Kd4 For example Kd4: it faces the black king on d6 and Black has to give way (Kf5 and Kf4 also win). Retreating with Kd3 or Kf3 gives Black the chance to take the opposition back, and it's a draw.
From: Opposition
Show answer
1... Rb1 For example Rb1: the rook goes to the back, ready to check from behind. The tablebase says Rb2, Rb3 and Rb4 also hold. The point is to leave the 6th rank and get behind the white king.
From: Philidor position
Show answer
1... Re1+ Re1+, checking from behind. It is the only move that holds; every other move loses according to the tablebase.
From: Philidor position
Show answer
1. Qd7 For example, pull the queen back to d7 and give the king b8 (Qe7 and Qf7 work too). The black king has to go to b8, the white king comes closer, and mate follows. Any king move by White, or Qb6, is stalemate.
From: Queen mate
Show answer
1. Kc6 For example Kc6: the black pawn is blocked by its own king, so this is the moment for the white king to come closer (Kb6 and Ka6 also work). Then the queen checks again and you repeat the same steps.
From: Queen vs pawn
Show answer
1... Kb1 Kb1! The black king stays next to its pawn. When the queen checks again, the king goes back to a1, and if the queen takes the pawn, it's stalemate. After Ka2 instead, the tablebase says Black loses.
From: Queen vs pawn
Show answer
1. Rh7 For example, slide the rook along the 7th rank to h7 (Re7, Rf7 and Rg7 also work) and let Black move. If the king goes to d8, it faces your king and Rh8 is mate. If it goes to b8, play Kc6 and mate comes soon. Watch out: Rb7?? lets the black king take the rook, and it's a draw.
From: Rook mate
Show answer
1... Kf5 Only Kf5. The square of the c5 pawn is c5, f5, f8, c8, and f5 is right on its edge. Every other move stays outside the square, and the pawn promotes.
From: Rule of the square
Show answer
1. h4 h4! The pawn jumps two squares and the square becomes d4 to h8. The black king on b4 can only reach the c-file next move, so it can't get in. After h3, the square is c3 to h8, the black king steps to c4 or c5 and catches the pawn: draw.
From: Rule of the square
Show answer
1. Kc4 Kc4! It defends the c5 pawn, the black king's only move is Kd7, and after Kd5 we're back in the key position with Black to move. According to the tablebase this is the only winning move: Kc3 and Kd3 draw, and Ke3, Ke4 or Ke5 let the black king take the c5 pawn, and then White even loses.
From: Triangulation
Show answer
1. Kd4 Kd4! It defends the c5 pawn. Whether the black king goes back to d7 or to b5, White follows with Kd5: the triangle d5, e5, d4 is complete and it's Black to move. According to the tablebase this is the only winning move; everything else lets the black king take the c5 pawn, and White loses.
From: Triangulation
Show answer
1. Ba3 For example Ba3 (Bf4 also works). The king has to go to b1, Bf5+ sends it back to a1, and Bb2 is mate. Bf5?? or Kc2?? takes away b1 and it's stalemate.
From: Two bishops mate
Show answer
1... Ke7 For example Ke7, heading for the h8 corner (Ke6 works too). Going the other way with Kd5 or Kc5 loses according to the tablebase.
From: Wrong bishop
Show answer
1. Bc4 Bc4! The bishop covers g8, the white king covers g7 and f7, the black king can't get into the corner, and the pawn promotes. Kh7 also wins, but after h6 the black king goes to g8, reaches the corner, and the tablebase says draw.
From: Wrong bishop
Show answer
1. d7 d7! The black king can only go to e7, the white king goes to c7, and the pawn promotes. Any king move to the side is a draw according to the tablebase.
From: Zugzwang
Show answer
1. e7 e7! The black king can only go to d7, the white king goes to f7, and the pawn promotes. Any king move instead is a draw according to the tablebase.
From: Zugzwang
Frequently asked questions
How are the endgame results checked?
The result of every puzzle was confirmed with a tablebase. A tablebase is data in which a computer has worked out every position with only a few pieces left, so the results are completely correct.
Why does the answer only show one move?
Endgames often take many moves to decide, so each puzzle only asks for the key move. Click "From" to go back to the article and see how to carry on.
Do I have to memorize endgames?
You don't have to memorize them, but you do have to understand them. Once you get ideas like the opposition and the rule of the square, you can work things out yourself, and that's far more useful than memorizing lines.
Give it a try
When you finish this set, try other puzzles, or open free online chess and play the computer to use what you just learned in a real game.