Exercise 6.1Find the move
White to move
White to move and win.
6
Endgame Essentials · Kapilash Chess Academy
Pawn Endings with More Pawns
Outside passed pawn and active king
In this lesson you will learn
- Why an outside passed pawn wins pawn endings
- Using the passed pawn as a decoy
- Why the more active king decides most pawn endings
- Making the first passed pawn
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
6.1 The Outside Passed Pawn
A passed pawn far from the other pawns is a powerful weapon. The enemy king must go and stop it; while it is away, your king attacks the pawns on the other side. This idea — the passed pawn as a decoy — wins many pawn endings.
Diagram 6.1White to move
Example 6.1 · The h-pawn decoy
Material is equal, but only White has a passed pawn, and it is far from the queenside pawns.
After 1.♔g3! White's king supports the h-pawn. If Black's king runs to the queenside pawns, the h-pawn queens first; if it stays to stop the h-pawn, the white king crosses to the queenside and collects the pawns there. Before you go into a pawn ending, ask: who will have the outside passed pawn?
6.2 The Active King
In a pawn ending the king is a strong attacking piece. The side whose king is closer to the centre and to the enemy pawns usually wins. One tempo spent bringing the king forward is worth more than a tempo spent on a pawn move.
TipBefore you exchange the last pieces into a pawn ending, count carefully. Pawn endings are the most concrete endings of all: one tempo, one opposition or one spare pawn move decides the result.
Diagram 6.2White to move
Example 6.2 · Opposition with more pawns
Black's king is threatening to capture the g5-pawn. White must find the right defence.
White cannot save the g5-pawn, but after 1.♔f4! ♔h5 2.♔f3 ♔xg5 3.♔g3 the white king takes the opposition and the remaining K+P vs K is a draw. Even with more pawns, the opposition and key squares from Lessons 2–4 are what you calculate with.
Diagram 6.3White to move
Example 6.3 · The far passed pawn is faster
Black's king attacks the f4-pawn, but White's d-pawn is far from the black king.
1.d6! ignores the f-pawn. Black wins a pawn, but the d-pawn queens and the new queen easily stops Black's kingside pawns. In pawn endings a far-advanced passed pawn is often worth more than two pawns that are still at home.
Diagram 6.4Black to move
Example 6.4 · Make your own passed pawn
White's f-pawn is running. Passive defence would lose, so Black must create a passed pawn of his own.
1...h4! threatens ...g3, and after the exchange on g3 Black has a passed pawn that queens at the same time as White's. When you cannot stop the enemy pawn, count whether you can start a race of your own.
Remember
- An outside passed pawn pulls the enemy king away; your king then wins the other pawns.
- Bring your king forward early: in pawn endings the king is an attacker.
- Count every tempo before going into a pawn ending.
- The ideas of K+P vs K still decide endings with more pawns.
Exercises · Lesson 6
Every exercise has been checked with a chess engine: exactly one move keeps the best result. Find it and play it on the board.
Exercise 6.2Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 6.3Find the move
White to move
White to move and win.
Exercise 6.4Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 6.5Find the move
White to move
White to move and win.
Exercise 6.6Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 6.7Find the move
White to move
White to move and win.
Exercise 6.8Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 6.9Find the move
White to move
White to move and win.
Exercise 6.10Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 6.11Find the move
White to move
White to move and win.
Exercise 6.12Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.