Pawn endings · foundation
Key squares
Move your king to a key square before advancing the pawn.
The rule
Keep your king in front of the pawn. A key square guarantees that the king can move forward.
How to play it
- 1
Lead with the king
Keep the king ahead so the defender cannot blockade the pawn.
- 2
Take a key square
Occupy one of the critical squares that guarantees entry.
- 3
Save a pawn move
Push only when the pawn move forces the defending king to give way.
Study the line, then play it
Step through the example. Then play your moves from the same position.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Move 0 of 5
Starting position
Play through the line one move at a time.
Before you play
Moves to calculate
- 1.Claim d5, e5, or f5
- 2.Read the king reply
- 3.Use the pawn as a reserve tempo
Check each reply because
Queue a pawn push only after the defending king leaves the promotion file.
Stop when
A king reply changes the key square or restores the opposition.
Common mistake
Pushing the pawn ahead of the king turns many wins into draws.
Promote the pawn and convert the resulting queen ending.
Start with a comfortable clock. Reduce it when the position feels familiar. Your record is 0/0.