1. As a rule of thumb, it's usually easier to convert with the minor piece than it is with a rook. But like you said it depends on all the other pieces.
2. As a rule of thumb, it's usually easier to convert a knight endgame a pawn up than it is a bishop endgame a pawn up. But like you said it depends on all the other pieces.
What you really want from your piece in an endgame is activity. Sure that sounds obvious, it's said all the time over and over. But really, look at your rook, bishop, or knight. How active is it? From now into the far future what are some potential threats it can make? In the endgame if your last piece is stuck in a defensive role it really sucks. Maybe you think it's good because it defends your extra pawn, but if that's all it can do maybe it's a draw already.
Question on End Game thumb rules - Minor piece or rook for pawn up end games?
Thanks wafflemaster. Appreciate the apt response.
Are there any specific reasons why a pawn up end game with a knight would be easier t convert than with a bishop.
Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have said easier, but wider variety of positions involving knights are winning. For example even with pawns on both sides, sometimes a bishop endgame a pawn up is not winning. With knights as long as there aren't only a few pawns left it's very likely a theoretical win. I say there can't be very few pawns left because for example, 1 pawn vs 2 on the same side, your opponent only needs to trade it into 1 pawn vs 0 and then sacrifice his knight for your last pawn.
Just thinking about why this is true, the knight is slower, so if you have an advantage on one side of the board (like an extra pawn) it's easier to leverage that into an advantage on the other side too. A bishop can keep an eye on a passed pawn on the queenside while influencing squares in the kingside at the same time. A knight lured away to one side can't help on the other side.
Also bishops can only influence one color, so it's easier to blockade / fortress against bishops. Also, sometimes you can draw a bishop by sacrificing so that they're left with the "wrong" rook pawn. But with a knight, if he sets up on one color you can always shift your attack to a different color / push his king out of the way.
Hi All,
If you are say one pawn up with each side having a minor piece and a rook and if there is an opporunity to exchange either the pair of minor pieces or the rooks, which one should we opt for.
I know everything is specific to position based on no. of pawns, placement of pieces etc. but is there like a thumb rule. In brief:
1. Would it be easier to convert a pawn up end game with a rook on both sides or with a minor piece.
2. Would it be easier to convert a pawn up end game with a knight on both sides or a bishop (same color, I understand opp. color bishops is more likely to be a draw)?
Any comments from fellow players will be helpful. Thanks.