Instructive Games IV: Endgame Technique

Hi!

When in a game most of the pieces have been exchanged, we arrive to the endgame. This phase of the game has some special characteristics that should be learned and practiced in order to convert an advantage or to find resources to save a lost position.

Here we present two important aspects of endgame play:

Theoretical Endgames

These are well known and broadly documented positions with little material on the board and consist of:

Basic checkmates

K+Q vs K, K+R vs K, K+2 B vs K, K+B+N vs K, K+2N vs K+P...

Basic endgames 

K+P(s) vs K, K+R+P(s) vs K + R, K+B+P(s) vs K+B....

The more advanced a player is, the more theoretical endgames they should know.

Simplified positions

Good endgame play is more that finding your way in purely theoretical positions; you also need to know how to play simplified positions with pawn and some pieces on the board that may arise after -for instance - having exchanged the Queens and a rook and a minor piece or two. Here general chess concepts like material balance, pawn structure, piece activity, king safety and tempo still apply of course but some of the aspects have their own significance compared to the opening and middlegame:

Material

A single pawn difference can be enough for a win, so you should keep on eye on material balance. 

Pawn play

Generally the idea is to create a passed pawn. A passed pawn is a pawn that cannot be stopped by enemy pawns. In the endgame, passed pawns are extremely valuable because they have the potential to become a queen.

Piece activity

Since in an endgame, by definition, there are only a few pieces remaining on the board, then their activity is crucial. For instance in a Rook and Pawns endgame, the one who has the more active rook will have the better chances of winning or drawing the game.

King play

While in the opening and middlegame King must be put on safety and is a passive piece, in the endgame you normally have to activate your King as soon as possible, most of the time leading it to the center of the board.

Tempo

Initative is still very important, but paradoxically, many times in endgames it is a must to force the other side to make a move (Zugzwang). On the other hand, Stalemate is another characteristic of endgames that leads to a draw and has to be taken into account.

Let’s examine a practical example of mastering the endgame technique in a simplified position. In the classic game below, Lasker vs. Capablanca, round 10 of the Word Championship Match in Habana 1921, after the Queens were exchanged, the game transitioned to the endgame. The position after move 34 Rd2 is not a theoretical endgame but a kind of simplified position.

Here, Black was able to exploit his superior pawn structure and more active pieces to attack White’s weaknesses and limit their mobility. Due to this positional - and psychological - pressure, Lasker made a mistake and lost a pawn (move 44, Ke2?). Following this, Black gained a material advantage that gave him solid winning chances.

Capablanca’s technique to convert that advantage was to create a passed pawn and bring his King to the center to support it. The combined power of the passed pawn and the activity of black pieces didn't allow white any counterplay. White resigned in a considerably inferior position.

Did you enjoy this game? I hope so!

We mentioned two important aspects of the endgame, but of course there are other aspects that have to be considered. Would you like to learn more on endgames?  I would be happy to help! I'm a Chess.com coach. Please check my profile, and if you’re interested in lessons, please send me a message, and I will reply with details.

Good luck!