Part of the Endgames JourneyNewJourneyKing and Pawn Endgames
The endings every other ending reduces to. Six chapters teach the king as a fighting piece, the opposition and the spare tempo, the rule of the square, the key squares that decide whether a pawn promotes, and the rook-pawn draw - each played out against a defending king on the board.
26 lessons26 challenges
- Beginner friendly
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Syllabus
This section is part of the Endgames Journey. The full syllabus has more sections: click any preview below to view it on the Journey page.
- Section 1Basic Mates26 lessons
Section 2
The King and the Pawn
Start sectionStartWhat can mate and what cannot, the king as a fighting piece, the opposition, the rule of the square, key squares - and why a rook pawn so often draws.What Can Mate
4 lessons4The King Steps Up
4 lessons4Opposition
6 lessons6The Rule of the Square
4 lessons4Key Squares
4 lessons4Rook Pawns Draw
4 lessons4
Learn by Playing
See every idea on a real board. Each lesson shows you the position, explains what is happening on it, then asks you a question about it.
Every game starts here. The two arrows are the classical first moves.
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Promotion zoneEvery way to learn
Read, listen, test yourself, or look up anything you've already covered. Every lesson meets you where you are.
The chessboard is a grid of 64 squares, 32 light and 32 dark, in a pattern where the colors always alternate.
Set it up so that each player has a light square in their bottom-right corner.
Files run up the board and ranks run across it. Together they give every square its own name.
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Chess Fundamentals
Add to LinkedInWhy learn king and pawn endgames with Coddy
- You start by learning what can win at all. King and knight cannot mate, king and bishop cannot, a queen beats a lone piece: the What Can Mate chapter settles which endings are worth playing on and which to trade into.
- The opposition, drilled from every angle. Face to face, around the side, the spare tempo, holding the line: four lessons and a puzzle set on the one idea that decides most pawn endings.
- Geometry you can see. The rule of the square - can the king catch the pawn? - is drawn on the board, and the key squares in front of a pawn are marked so you learn where the king has to stand, not just that it must get in front.
- Wins and draws both. The Rook Pawns Draw chapter teaches the corner and the locked-in king, so you know when to hold a bad ending as well as when to press a good one.
Frequently asked questions about king and pawn endgames
What is the opposition?
Two kings facing each other with one square between them, where the side NOT to move has the opposition: the other king must step aside and give ground. It is the tool that lets a king force its way past the defender, or hold it out, and the whole Opposition chapter is about taking it and keeping it.
What is the rule of the square?
Draw a square from the pawn to its promotion rank, as wide as it is tall. If the defending king can step into that square on its move it catches the pawn; if it cannot, the pawn promotes. The chapter has you draw the square, catch pawns and run with them.
What are key squares?
The squares in front of a pawn where, if the attacking king reaches one, the pawn will promote whatever the defender does. For a pawn on its fourth rank they are the three squares two ranks ahead of it. The Key Squares chapter marks them on the board and drills getting the king there first.
Why does a rook pawn often draw?
Because the corner is a fortress: the defending king cannot be forced out of the promotion corner, and if the attacking king gets in front of its own pawn it may be locked in the corner itself with the enemy king holding the door. Knowing this saves half-points and stops you trading into a drawn ending.
Can a king and knight (or bishop) checkmate?
No - one minor piece and a king cannot force mate against a lone king, and the game is a draw. A queen or a rook can; two bishops can; a bishop and knight can, with difficulty. The first chapter, What Can Mate, sets out the list so you never play on for a mate that does not exist.
How should I use my king in the endgame?
As a fighting piece. With few pieces left the king cannot be mated easily, so it should walk to the centre, attack pawns and escort its own. The King Steps Up chapter - wake the king, the king eats, the escort - drills exactly that.
