STEP 3.5: The Square of the Pawn
KLA Chess Club is a part of Keiller Leadership Academy of southeast San Diego, a Title 1 Charter school. Chess is offered as an everyday class for students.
For more information, visit our blog or our school's website.
The following lesson is taken from the KNSB Dutch Training System by Brunia/Wijgerden.
Goals: Basic skills of pawn endgames
In this lesson, we will learn what positions a king can stop a pawn, and in which postions a pawn can promote over a king.
A good measuring stick to see if a King can capture a pawn is if the King is within the same number of squares that it takes the pawn to promote.
Below, the c5 pawn is within 3 squares of promoting, but the black king is also 3 spaces to the right on f5.
Below, the black king is 4 spaces to the right, while the pawn is only 3 spaces from promoting. White will promote if it's white's turn.
IF there are detours in the path of the King, then the rule of the square is affected. Bellow, is an example of the detoured path.
Below, white throws in an obstacle for black.
The White king can also assist his pawn by shielding off the black king as shown below:
Below, how can black's pawn act as a shield agains the white king?
Should white play the King or the pawn first?
How can black advance its pawn? With help from the King!
Some helpful hints:
1. Is the enemy king positioned within the square of the pawn?
2. Can I force the enemy king to take a detour?
3. can my king shield off the enemy king?
4. Can my king assist my pawn?
Below: How can white advance its pawn along the a-file?
