Endgames for Dummies Like Me Part I

In this issue, I'm going to cover the very basic endgames.  The solutions may not be the most efficient but it is only to demonstrate a technique.  Part of this series are for the friends of mine who are new to chess or have never study endgames... the other motive is reinforcement for myself!  You can never study the basics too much.

• King and Two Queens v. King
• King and Two Rooks v. King
• King Queen and Rook v. King
• King and Queen v. King
• King and Rook v. King
• King and Minor Piece (Bishop or Knight) v. King

King and Two Queens v. King

Quick points to remember

1. Cut off the Kings Squares (Don't give checks just for the sake of giving them.  Rather force your opponent to the 1st or 8th ranks or the A or H file). 
   
2. There are other ways to checkmate, but this is the safest way to do so if you are worried about stalemating your opponent
3. Be careful not to stalemate!  Look at everymore and make sure your opponent has an escape square!

King and Two Rooks v. King

Quick points to remember

1. Cut off the Kings Squares (Don't give checks just for the sake of giving them.  Rather force your opponent to the 1st or 8th ranks or the A or H file). 
   
2. Be careful not to let the King capture your rook.  As a good rule, move your rook far away from the king as possible.  (he can only move one square at a time).
   
3. Be careful not to stalemate!  Look at everymore and make sure your opponent has an escape square until the final checkmate blow!

King Queen and Rook v. King

Quick points to remember

1. Cut off the Kings Squares (Don't give checks just for the sake of giving them.  Rather force your opponent to the 1st or 8th ranks or the A or H file). 
   
2. Be careful not to stalemate!  Look at everymore and make sure your opponent has an escape square until the final checkmate blow!

King and Queen v. King

Quick points to remember

1. You need the King's Help to mate
   
2. Cut off the King's Squares (Don't give checks just for the sake of giving them.  Rather force your opponent to the 1st or 8th ranks or the A or H file).  
3. When the two kings are facing each other, try to give a check to the force the opponents king backward (or sideways if you are trying to trap him/her on A or H).
   
4. Be careful not to stalemate!  Look at everymore and make sure your opponent has an escape square until the final checkmate blow!

King and Rook v. King

Quick points to remember

1. You need the King's Help to mate
   
2. Cut off the King's Squares (Don't give checks just for the sake of giving them.  Rather force your opponent to the 1st or 8th ranks or the A or H file).  
3. When the two kings are facing each other, try to give a check to the force the opponents king backward (or sideways if you are trying to trap him/her on A or H).
4. Unlike the queen be careful because the rook can be attacked by the opponents queen easier.

King and Minor Piece (Bishop or Knight) v. King

1. Be careful in the endgame nto to give away your pawns or other pieces if you will be left with only a bishop or knight.  (Unless you want a draw of course).

If you like this Endgames for Dummies Like Me Series, track my postings to get the next one coming at the end of this week or next week.  I plan on doing as many as I know and learn.

Chessfully,

Politicalmusic

NOTE:  The solutions above may not be the most efficient solutions... Teaching someone mating patterns is not the same as trying to find the most efficient way to checkmate.  I only wanted to show the ideas instead of moves.  (i.e. It's easier to learn how to checkmate on the 8th rank vs. lateral checkmate (on the H-file) because the former is more intuitive for someone new to chess. 

But for those wanting to know the most efficient solutions or sent me messages about alternatives... Here you go below.

Diagram 1: Move 1. Qce6+ Kg7 2. Q3h6# mate.  (But it doesn't really illustrate cutting off squares so I chose a longer route for demonstrative purposes only). 1. Qg8 also leads to mate in two.

Diagram 2:  Move 3. You can move the king anywhere to get the King from d8 followed by Rc7#.  Move 3 Rcc7 gets the job done too.

Diagram 3:  Qa7 is just as good followed by Rb8#. or Qg3/Qg4/Qg5 followed by Rh1#

Diagram 4:  Mate is attainable in six moves (unless someone finds quicker) 1. Kc4 is playable... but we want to illustrate cutting off squares and delaying king moves is good technique.   1. Qf6 Kd7 2. Kd4 Kc7 3. Kc5 leads to quicker mate... but again... for a beginner I want to illustrate cutting off squares with the queen and delaying king moves is good technique to learn.

Diagram 5:  Ke5 is most efficient

Diagram 6:  I apologize about Diagram 6.  I didn't realize the file played Rc7. Playing RookC7 will give the king life for two extra moves.  Ke6 or Re7+ is better. (this moves forces black to go to the king or queen side of the board and not stay in the middle).

Hard...

Good stuff.

Nice article!  Just playing devil's adovcate, but in the first one, I'm pretty sure Qf8 leads to mate in 3.

Yes I know. I just wanted to show a way to go vertical first (as oppose to lateral mate).  For some reason, it seems that lateral mates don't come as natural in my experience teaching folks chess but you are right.

Rook and king one, Rc7??? cant Kd8 get out of mate for a bit longer?

Nice idea!

In problem #2,  I find a waiting move such as 3. Kh1 (followed by 4. Rc8#) a bit more elegant. But to each his own.

Yes.  And hopefully the reader will find that.  I didn't put the quickest mate for all problems, but rather the idea of cutting off squares and opposition.

Politicalmusic thank's for the end game puzzles.  I found the different endgame scernarios very helpful.  I ve been one of those players who new the correct moves of each piece but my chess tactics were not very sound. I have more time now and have started to study the different openning, middle, and endgame strategies.  I know that my efforts will make me a better player.  If you have some middle game techniques that you can share that would be very helpful to me.  Thank you very much!

No problem man.  Yeah, I'm going to finish and engame series first, then do some openings... and then some middle game stuff

Thank's for all your hard work on making this!

Thanks for the Zug example... we will definitely cover that when we hit on "tempo/tempi"

nice

Thanks for the zugzwang examples. I hadn't seen them or worked them out for myself.

No problem.  Check out part II and III too!