Capablanca’s Endgame Trick You Need to Know

Today I want to share with you one of the most spectacular endgame ideas (by the way, this idea is quite common in many endgames!). The position comes from a game between Capablanca and Tartakower. Capablanca, the 3rd World Champion, is considered one of the greatest endgame specialists – so he’s definitely someone you should learn from.

White to move – can you find the winning idea?

In the endgame, first thing - activate your king.
There’s not much left on the board, so the king is usually safe - and it can completely change the game. (Only exceptions: queen endgames or 4-rook positions - there, you still need to be careful.)
An active king is often worth around 4 points, so it really matters.

Second thing - create a passed pawn.
With fewer pieces, pawns become more valuable. And a passed pawn is your biggest weapon—it can become a queen, and your opponent can’t just ignore it.

There are 2 main plans with passed pawns:

1. Push it and promote – with help from your king, rook, or other pawns.

2. Use it as a decoy – push it to distract the opponent’s pieces, then switch play to the other side.

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And when it comes to rook endgames - activity beats everything.
I’ve never seen anyone win with a passive rook.
Forget about grabbing pawns - get your rook active, especially on the 7th rank or an open file.

That game is a role model game for me (check the whole game below). A standard opening without any fireworks, a strategic middlegame with no big complications and lots of exchanges, and truly fantastic play in the endgame. What’s your role model game?